Bloom time in Nepalp8-9

#122 6 - 12December 2002 16pages Rs 25

SHARAD KCIN RAJAPUR EXCLUSIVE ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ his is the grain basket of Nepal’s far- Negotiating Peace west. Situated on a large island on the TKarnali River as it disgorges into the Major political parties have cautiously plains, the soil is fertile and yields three Rajapur’s mini-Rolpa welcomed the Maoists’ latest announcementcrops a year. of a negotiation committee, especially their proposition not to “physically eliminate” This year’s rice harvest has been particu- then a steamer ferry that transported people cadres of rival political parties and “sabotage”larly rich. But the local residents have fled, the and produce between Rajapur and infrastructure. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Maoist chairman Prachanda saidentire town and its surrounding are under the Guleriya. People now have to go via Indian these decisions were taken by the party’ssway of the Maoists. Rajapur is right on their territory or neighbouring Kailali. The army politburo meeting attended by all membersmain at supply route from India into their is trying to rebuild the pontoon bridge an unspecified location. Analysts say thestrongholds in the western hills of Nepal. restoration of peace has a long way to go. “It over the Karnali and resume transport, is least likely that the Maoists will hold talksWhoever controls Rajapur not only controls electricity and telephones. with the present advisory council type ofthe food production, but also this strategic The security forces have launched a major government which doesn’t enjoy executiveroute to the border. powers,” said Shyamhrestha, S editor of the counter attack from Manpur Tapara to stop pro-left Mulyankan magazine.The Maoist Seeing a group of human rights activists the Maoists from looting the grain harvests, negotiation team, most likely to be led byand Dr. reporters arrive, the operator of the Hotel and fearing further violence many local Baburam Bhattarai, will probably demand Chautari at Rajapur breaks into a wide smile. Tharus have fled to India and are working as elections for a constituent assembly. He hasn’t seen guests in a long time. There is sugacane labourers there. “At least they are safe fear and silence among residents who have there, here anyone can come and kill you day dared to remain. No one talks or makes eye- or night,” said one resident of Durga Nagar contact with strangers. after making sure we were neither army nor Looking at an old man who was behind me In Rajapur, there are mountains of grain but nothe people.Maoists. Security forces have set up their when we were approaching Bhimapur, we base at Manpur Tapara, and say their greeted him. He nodded but did not stop. intention is to provide a secure environment After introducing myself we inquired if he wasthen, Rajapur island has turned into a mini- The last Rangabir heard from his sister-in-lawso locals can come back. But so far, the private Weekly Internet Poll # 62 a government employee. “I am a retired Rolpa. The Maoists have their own curfew herewas that she had taken her two children and schools that were shut down have not opened, Q. How do you feel about the performance of the Subedar from the Indian Army,” he said. from 9PM to 6AM. Vehicles can operate only gone to Tikapur. “I haven’t heard anything and the political activists either keep quiet or interim government in the last 45 days? When asked how things were going on in during those hours. from my brother, Jangbir, after the Maoists have not returned. “How can you engage in burnt down a post office in the area,” he said. his village, he said, “We can’t sleep at night, In October, the security forces raided political activities where there is no room for and we don’t even feel hunger because of the Rajapur, chased the Maoists away and Khim Bahadur Nepali, a resident of the arguments?” asked a local UML worker who fear.” We stopped to take a photograph of a withdrew. The Maoists then returned with a nearby village of Godiyana, has also left his does not want to be named. vacant house belonging to a local landlord, vengeance. They provided two options to over house along with his seven family members. Rajapur native, Gopal Dahit, is now a Narayan Upadhyay, but now used as a Maoist 200 families of security personnel living in theKhim Bahadur’s son serves at the Nepal Police.junior minister in the Chand cabinet. The “shildter”. When we turned around, the ex- region: either ask their family members to quitBack home, there is no one to harvest his field.local Maoists have called him a traitor, even subedar had already left. their jobs, or leave. Unlike Rolpa, Rajapur was prosperous andthough Dahit used to give fiery speeches The ward police office at Rajapur was Almost everyone left. Last month, even vibrant. Because of the rich harvests, the here not too long ago calling for Tharu shifted to the district headquarters at Guleriya while the security forces were carrying out a Japanese helped set up a paddy-threshing plantautonomy.t Total votes: 1,951 seven months ago for security reasons. Since cordon and search operation in Manpur here. The Maoists destroyed the plant after Weekly Internet Poll # 63. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com Tapara, Maoists in the nearby Bhimmapur looting it. To further isolate Rajapur, the Q. Is the constituent assembly demand a viable were forcing families of security personnel out.Maoists first destroyed a pontoon bridge and option for peace? “Cross-party approach to conflict a must.”

Nepali Times:The last support group meeting in Kathmandu of Nepal’s donors coincided with the royal move to set up an interim government. What is your assessment of the past two months? Sir Michael Jay: The Kathmandu meeting reaffirmed the international community’s support for a comprehensive strategy to deal with the Maoist insurgency, encompassing real reforms to tackle the root causes of the problem such as social injustice, exclusion and poor delivery of government services, as well as action against corruption and human rights abuses, and rein- forcement of the security sector. On the political level, the meeting called for a cross-party ap- proach to the conflict, a negotiated solution and Sir Michael Jay, the British the early fixing of a date for elections. A good start has been made on the first part of this Permanent Under agenda and I hope the government will now be able to rapidly implement the policies it has Secretary at the 0oreign announced, or is drawing up in consultation with donors. On the political agenda, we have yet to and Commonwealth Office see real progress. The three key issues are clearly inter-linked. Without a cross-party ap- of UK, arrives in proach, genuine negotiations are less likely, and Kathmandu on 6 without a negotiated settlement national elections would be difficult. Until everybody concerned December for a three day realises this, the prospects for peace are dim. visit. Nepali Times asked What are the main concerns vis-a-vis the insurgency that you will be raising with him a few questions about government leaders you meet here? The dramatic surge in violence since last Novem- the current situation in ber has taken Nepal by surprise. The armed forces Nepal, and the prospects are ill-equipped, under-resourced and under- trained to deal with this type of problem. There are for resolving the valuable lessons to be learnt from similar conflicts elsewhere, and instinctive solutions are not insurgency. Sir Michael always those that work best. was unable to comment our question on the issue of Gurkha pensions and pay, saying it is sub judice at present. ð p6 2 NEPALI TIMES NATION NEPALI TIMES 3 EDITORIAL 6 - 12 DECEMBER 2002 6 - 12 DECEMBER 2002

Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor:Kunda Dixit STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL Design:Kiran Maharjan [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising:Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription:Anil Karki [email protected] Sales:Sudan Bista [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Lessons of Malaya Tel: 01-543333-7, Fax: 01-521013 Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hattiban: 01-547018/17 The road not taken no time was a rile of government terror imposed. epal’s mountains are young, its hills The British Army’s campaign in Malaya against the insurgency Another lesson was the need to CULTURAL CHASM fragile, and its plains are densely We have to either re-design our fought by the Malayan Communist Party from 1949 to 1953 is one coordinate all government activities: Npopulated. The weather swings between of the few wars in which a conventional force defeated a political, military, social and economic. extremes, and when it rains, it pours. epalis have so lost their dynamism that they feel they cannot do anything. By highways to suit the vehicles that ply revolutionary movement. Six Gurkha battalions were deployed in And the most effective way of doing this Monsoon cloudbursts, landslides, and was through coordinating the activities that same token, there are not a few expatriates who feel that they canflashfloods do in the Himalaya have required on them, or we need to begin the war. But while military hardware, muscle and equipment were Nanything here. This sense of incapacity on one side and omnipotence on the of national, state and district commit- civil engineering textbooks to be rewritten. other creates a dangerous brew at a time when the Maoists are mounting an ever-more- important, the political factor was paramount. Respect for civilian To build roads in such terrain and weather importing Volvos. tees all under the leadership of one dangerous challenge to the democratic state. life and welfare, proper treatment and rehabilitation of prisoners “supremo” at the centre of affairs. To be sure, there are a lot of outsiders among us who have shown more caringis difficult and enough, but to maintain them all year round is a formidable challenge. It were foremost priorities. There are other lessons as well for Nepal Perhaps the most important of the commitment than many Nepalis to the long-term welfare of the people during these bus with their luggage, queue up to have it terrible times. They are concerned enough to speak up for human rights, provideneeds budgetary, engineering and manage- from this chapter of Brigadier ED Smith’s book, lessons learnt in Malaya—but only after humanitarian aid, and make arrangements for sustainable assistance necessaryment becauseinnovations. But our record in road- rummaged through by overworked Counter-insurgency Operations: Malaya and Borneo. several false starts—was that the security personnel. It’s becoming of the way the political parties have messed up our society and economy. building isn’t all that bad. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ firepower of government forces needs And yet, for the very reason that they hold the chequebook, the involvementTill of a decade ago, you had to travel increasingly common for Nepali travellers to fall back once more on the Indian hen the Malayan Communist Not surprisingly, the military tactics handling with skill and with care, a donors is a double-edged sword. It can misused not so much with malafide intentions,through India but to get from Butwal to lesson that has often been ignored in as an attempt to help in a complex situation that should be even more incomprehensi- transport system. All those Nepalis Party (MCP), led by Secretary adopted by the MCP guerrillas were Dhangadi. After the completion of the Karnali subsequent campaigns. Guerrilla forces ble to the outsider than to the insider. It was not too long ago that a governmentBridge, and the far west has become easily waiting to board a train at Gorakhapur responsible for frequent accidents on our WGeneral Chin Peng, decided to something quite new to the British prime minister responsible for wrecking Parliament and killing local government ruled are seldom destroyed by large concentra- accessible from the rest of the country. aren’t headed for Tinsukia in Assam, roads. Laws for road users are sketchy, fight his former ally, the British, after the officers. It was outside their pattern of from Singha Durbar using, to a large extent, the purported support of the two allies in the many of them will get down on the tions of fire: gunships and body counts 'War against Terror'. But, it’s a tragedy for our times that even their application arbitrary, violation Japanese surrender he was in a position to warfare, involving as it did surprise way and head for Birgunj, Janakpur common, and enforcement leaves a lot to be take over the whole country. He very attacks against soft targets and with- do not win counter-insurgency cam- The expatriate community is often one step removed from the marketplaceas the of roads Nepali have become better over the years, and Biratnagar. Indian border railheads like Siliguri, Jogbani, desired. A barely literate operator rushing nearly succeeded. drawal into the jungle. paigns because in the long term they will ideas. There is a divide of class, social circle and language. It is quite easy for so many With better roads and less traffic, you terrorise and alienate many more in the donor and diplomatic community to miss out on the strident debate outJainagar, there Bairgenia, Raxaul, Nanpara, to compete in a free-market trucking The guerrillas never numbered more The police too were caught una- simply because most of it happens in the Nepali language. A case in point Rupaidiha,is that the Bahraich and Gauriphanta are oncewould think Nepali highways would also be business where earnings to pay loans are members of the civilian population. heads of major agencies involved in food-aid seem to have been alerted safer. But highway accidents have become so than about 7,000, nevertheless they were atwares and their Special Branch was far again teeming with Nepalis fleeing directly linked to the number of hours on Some 11,000 people died during the to the media's interest in the possible future famine in the far-West common that fatalities fewer than five don’t the road is unlikely to remember that least as formidable as the Viet Cong were intoo small for the tremendous task that because of an article in the Nepali Times, whereas the Nepali their nation to escape the Malaya Emergency, including 2,500 even make headlines anymore. The reason is braking at high speed can result in the 1960s. If the campaign had continued faced its members once hostilities began. language press had covered it more than a week earlier. The way insurgency. civilians. But if unrestrained firepower our road engineering does not match our overturning—especially if he has to be mismanaged, as it was in the early In the battle for information during the embassies and agencies get their news must be spruced up, for the In Nepal, the highways had been used that total would power they have in Nepal today. And perhaps we should request the vehicles and driving habits. Road design just downed a couple of big ones to stages, there is little doubt that the British first two years, the Communists eminent, ailing scholar Mahesh Chandra Regmi to restart the press may be well-kept but methods attempt to reduce the time, cost and fight fatigue. would have had a Vietnam on their hands. undoubtedly had the advantage. have bee increased ten-fold and the campaign lost. digest, which used to make the Nepali-language discourse available frequent bandhs, block- discomfort of travelling from point A to Licensing procedures don’t require Having surprised the government, the Experience soon showed the need for to interested expatriates. ades, ambushes of vehicles point B. This entails reducing the friction Perhaps the biggest advantage that you to learn the laws of motion and MCP retained the initiative and success- military and police units to devote a The cultural chasm that separates the donor/diplomat from the Nepali suspected of carrying security between the road surface and the vehicle to behaviour of tyres, the problems of poor fully permeated the Chinese rural popula- great deal of attention to gathering the Malayan government had when politician/administrator and civil society gatekeepers makes us accept every personnel and even arson the minimum possible that it is still safe. It dealing with the threat posed by the panacea on offer. While the latter may be sceptical of the outcome, they will not visibility, aquaplaning and high wind. tion through a “call” system with a small information themselves. This was a attacks on passenger buses have is commonly assumed that a good road is a Even the strictest procedural enforcement Communists was the fact that there was disagree when those dazzled by the success of the Norwegian mediation effort propose road with a smooth surface. Laloo Prasad number of executives responsible for each painstaking process—it required a scrap of information for detailed analysis: to mediate, offer good offices, provide conflict resolution consultants, and made road travel perilous. Then there are fails to produce drivers capable of handling thorough knowlege of local activities all this required imagination, patience no open border as there would be in Yadav in neighbouring Bihar said as much a sizeable village in such a way it was able to An RA Whirlwind picks up a Gurkha patrol, their mission completed. otherwise help Nepal find a way out of the maze of violence. all those security checks where the challenges of Nepali highways. Why is and eventually relying on informers, and skill. Moreover, correct handling of Vietnam and Thailand. While it is right And so it is, today, “conflict resolution” season in the central Himalaya. few years ago—back from a trip abroad, he it that one needs a science background to coerce the population into donating OF DEFENCE, BRITISH GOVERNMENT. MINISTRY passengers have to get off the promised to build the roads in Patna as money, smuggling food and reporting on handled by the Special Branch and surrendered terrorists was necessary so to state that Malaya remains a classic Seminars, workshops, conferences are on order to help Nepalis resolve the be a pilot, while even functional literacy is example of how a counter-revolutionary problems amongst themselves, with comparative analyses, analytical exercises, smooth as “Hema Malini’s cheeks”. Security @orce activities. backed up by observation. that they could be won over to the Henry Gurney, and after his death in a often lacking among drivers of public guerrilla ambush in 1951, by Gen Sir campaign should be waged, it must be focus groups, what have you. Good intentions abound. Institutionalised corruption in the transport on the roads of Nepal? One of Of great significance, too, the terrain One lesson learnt and occasionally government side and persuade their remembered that Chin Peng had no safe We need all help in trying to resolve the civil war that is tearing our society construction industry is only partly to blame the first things the Sher Bahadur Deuba ignored, thereafter, was the futility of comrades to abandon the movement. Gerlad Templer. The decision to re- was to their advantage: the primary settle over 600,000 Chinese squatters sanctuary, no open border, and by the apart, but such aid must be provided intelligently, and withrespect a sense of for road conditions that lead to accidents. A government did when it came to power the jungle gave plenty of cover in which to mounting search and destroy operations When the guerillas moved into the road system consists of fixed infrastructure ended up isolating the militants from thevery nature of Malaya’s multi-racial for Nepal and Nepalis. This means, understanding Nepal and the Nepali second time was erect three speed-breaker hide. Without the benefit of hindsight, in an endeavour to overcome a lack of more isolated stretches of jungles, discourse to fathom the undercurrents which have led to both the rise of (roads, parking, roadside services) and humps within a 100-metre stretch of portion of the Chinese population whichsociety, his appeal to help met with little the Maoists as well as the ever-tumultuous political landscape. there is no doubt that the future for intelligence. Senior commanders were toimaginative use of air power by the rolling stock (buses, trucks, cars). A Jaybir Marg in front of the British School. learn that those sort of operations were British became all-important—to gain had in the past helped them. response from the Malays and Indians, There must be some use for “facilitation” exercises where it is mismatch is most visible on therithvi P democracy in Malaya looked bleak The road itself is so riddled with potholes indeed a last resort, and likely to mobility by employing helicopters, for The setting up of New Villages, the especially after the initial wave of terror claimed sometimes that the interlocutor need not even know what the Highway where Tata trucks designed for indeed to those who lived in the country that the SUVs ferrying rich kids already succeed only if the guerrillas abounded logistic resupply of patrols, and for air formation of Home Guards, and the far- failed to win the day.t conflict is all about in order to help resolve it. The key to successful the great Indo-Gangetic plains tumble have to slow to a crawl. during the first two or three years of negotiation is thought to lie in the “framework” of the exercise. We the Emergency. This gave Chin Peng in such numbers that the war was strikes. But it is worth noting that reaching decision to arm them demon- can only beg to differ, and state that Nepal is in a mess today recklessly over a road built to British The bottom line is that we need a standards. The highway is built for a flying start. already a lost cause. without aerial reconnaissance and strated to all and sundry that they were because this is a country of great complexity that is historical, paradigm shift in road transport in Nepal: being trusted. The imaginative decision demographic, geographic and geo-political, all of which have to be passenger comfort and the rolling stock is Within two years of defeating the Once the infantry had learnt to direction-finding by the light aircraft, it we need to invest more on safety and less to allow districts which cooperated with understood. designed to withstand overloading. The on speed. Road surfaces comparable to move in the jungle and do it better and would have proved virutally impossible Japanese in the jungles of Burma, the the government to become “White Anyone is welcome to mediate, interlocute, resolve, referee—even facilitate—as two don’t go together, and even a minor western expressways can wait, we need British Army had concentrated its quicker than the guerrillas, then they to locate and successfully attack long their homework is done. But, this we must insist on because it is ultimately what technical snag, adverseenvironmental Areas”, showed those sitting on the fence safety features that will continue to improve military training and thinking on nuclearwere able to wrest the initiative from the guerrillas. counts: it is in the end Nepalis in positions of power and opinion-making who have to condition, or a small human error can cause the efficiency, economy and the utility of them, augmented by better training and Much more important than the that there was a chance of a better wake up to the true state of our country. If we wake up, then help from the donors/ calamitous accidents. Clearly, we either have and conventional tactics for a European diplomats stands a chance of working. Otherwise, the fate of “failed state” looms large. our roads. In designing any system, the self-discipline. Great importance was military aspects of the Emergency were life if the government was successful to re-design our highways to suit the vehicles theatre against a first-class enemy. As a in the end. consideration has to be safety first. result, the army had forgotten most of itsgiven to developing accurate, timely the political, social and economic Counter Insurgency that ply on them, or we need to begin The government also showed itself Operations: importing Volvo buses. jungle warfare techniques and expertise, intelligence at all levels. Individual measures set into motion first by Sir capable of being tough, but it was Malaya and Borneo Institutions that manage the system, learnt the hard way and at such high costpoliceman and soldiers had to under- during the war. stand the importance of gathering every deemed to be essential that every action ED Smith and individuals who use it, are no less taken by the government was within the Ian Allan, 1985 law. At no time was there martial law, at London

our benign advice over the last decades. I think that we better ask t that our investments are ac- sive intellectuals like Mr. Seddon. But the moment counted for by credible Nepali to information and education despite its early successes in white skin is touched, it becomes pure evil, pure to both sides in this conflict that LETTERScheck-and-balance systems, and awareness (“Straight-talking terror... “There can be no meeting of minds,” as Blair to seek a military solution is having done that, leave (foreign rest he-goats, or a giant and aThai sex educators”). As in are curable while there is no said of such savages. madness. It will only mean that aid) policy making to the Nepali pygmy, respectively. Then, he Thailand, we know that aware- hope for an AIDS cure in the Perhaps this revolutionary racism, the secure RABINA AND RABIN there will be more victims like LAK people. makes this devastating ness may not translate immedi- near future. A lot of brain- knowledge that no white skin will be put to a Maoist Thank you, Ram Hari Rijal andRabina and Rabin in the days The suggestion of Daniel Lak (“A Frank van Schoubroeck, observation: Who is to tell us ately into behavioural change. washing is needed before our Revolutionary Racism distinguish between government and citizens.”blade in Nepal, prompts enlightened and progressive Naresh Newar for your articlesahead. Let me urge your readersdeveloping crisis”, # 121) that Kathmandu whether we are a crowd of The lag is determined by many people begin to react and take Now, let us ponder about his ‘evidence’. Over theelements like Mr. Seddon to defend, promote and on children caught up in conflictto make a gesture of support fordonor funds flowing into Nepal elephants or he-goats? Also, I other factors such as socio- precautions. AIDS is spreading past seven years, the Maoists have killed far morerationalise Maoist deeds in Nepal. It is a rare luxury (“Children in the frontline”, “Whypeace, as I have done, by are not accounted for is some- With reference to Bhagirath Yogi’s report on Western think a better acronym than cultural mores, availability and at an alarming rate here and in villagers, teachers, postmen, children, women,people like Mr. Seddon exercise—enjoying the the children?”, #121). Your providing help for the care of thewhat besides reality. Since theI appreciated the article by Daniel academics directly/indirectly supporting the Maoists in Nepal Lal’s “MOB” is SOB: soldiers, accessibility of alternatives, and many parts of Asia. We cannot elders and peasants than they have killed govern-security and convenience of living in an advanced reports are poignant reminderstwo children who were so “professionalisation” of the aidLak (“The road less travelled”, (“Peaceniks on warpath”, #119), let me refer to an internet officialdom and big business. moral pressures to change afford treatments available in ment troops. Mr. Seddon and others like him whodemocratic society while they bolster (intellectually, to us of the senselessness oftragically separated from their industry, aid officials (such as #120). It was heartening to read exchange in which the British academic David Seddon Ram Limbu, Sydney conduct. It is too much to expect the West so our only hope lies bring out these claims should have the moral gutsmorally, financially) a murderous Pol Potish regime the violence, and the serious mother. about how he says we should responds to a query from a concerned Westerner about a myself) spend half of their time awareness to change things in preventive measures. A to go and ask the widows and orphans of the implication this culture of killing take the high ground. The idea is rumour of a Maoist plan to blow up the United States Embassy. on the helpless citizens of a poor nation. Katrina Johanson, by emailentertaining review and evalua- overnight. The fact that “con- week ago my friend confessed Maoist killings if they are citizens. and maiming has on the physical tion missions and reporting backvery sensible and should be Mr. Seddon replies, “All the evidence suggests that the Maoists To people like Mr. Seddon, my only plea is, if you dom” has become a household he does not like using con- Further, Mr. Seddon says “The US Embassy is and psychological health of to donor governments. In that heeded. Nepal can rebuild itself, do distinguish honestly think the Maoist revolution is such a good and bring back peace and word is already quite an doms. When I asked him about symbolic of US state power and its reach in Nepali children. It should be clear way, donor officials are made to between government thing for humanity, please leave the capitalist hell tranquillity. achievement in a conservative AIDS, he said, “If I get it, I’ll get Nepal.” Quite right, but the question is, if the feel more accountable to their AIDS society like ours, which is full of it.” We Nepalis do not believe in hole you live in now and go to the liberated zones ìAnilî, by email and citizens. The US Maoist revolutionaries are angry with the US own governments than to taboos taking precautions. Earthings, of Rukum and Rolpa and experience eternal bliss. If, serious Nepali constituencies. After reading Bhagirath Yogi’s Embassy is sym- government, why do they only kill poor Nepali after living there for a full year, you still say theirs is critique of the anti-HIV/AIDS about sex. fire-escapes, fuses and all the bolic of US state civilians working for the US Embassy and not US Thus, I rather feel that donors rest mean little to us. Creating the only way for humanity, I will gladly discard my are held accountable too much— Nepal Initiative program (“Let’s Mahesh N Sharma, by email power and its reach citizens? With their formidable military might, thebourgeois false consciousness and join you and talk about AIDS”, #121), it is awareness among the richest Maoists could have easily targeted any white US but to the wrong constituency. and the poorest is of utmost into Nepal.” your comrades in the trenches (perhaps by then This results in Nepali society clear that you do not approve Embassy official, but they do not. The progressiveyou will start another front against the imperial importance. Perhaps we Mr. Seddon offers an having limited influence over of the money being “lavished” revolutionaries are practicing a strange kind ofoccupant of Buckingham Palace?). White on the AIDS awareness should invite Mr Condom from interesting kind of travel racism. The death of a Nepali citizen is cheap. donor investments, which may Thailand since he has done a Progressives of the world unite! You have nothing be the reason why the aid campaign. But let me assure advisory to a tourist When a US citizen (Daniel Pearl) was killed byto lose but your hypocrisy. you that nowhere else in the great job there. For the terrorists in Pakistan, the full resources of the US industry responds so poorly to moment, awareness seems to planning on visiting Nepal. Sangram Limbu, via email the needs of Nepal. So, should world does this awareness and Pakistan were expended to hunt down the be the only answer, so let’s do With due respect to Mr. donor representatives speak out come cheap. It needs a killers. If the Maoists were to kill a US citizen, they relentless and sustained all we can, irrespective of the Seddon, I venture to pointwould share the same fate as the al-Qaeda. The and express their position in the cost factor. present situation, as Daniel REMOTE CONTROL information campaign targeted out that what he lays out economy of terror can be summarized simply: as suggests? We should be modest at, and designed to dissuade Dinesh Rai, Naxal long as you slaughter blacks and browns, you will CK Lal’s deft portrayal of our l Bhagirath Yogi’s report on about the Maoist modus after overlooking the results of people from unsafe sex. For be praised as revolutionary heroes by progres- arrogant ruling oligarchy (“Remoteexample, in the same issue youHIV/AIDS (“Let’s talk about operandi is a half-truth control…”, #121) reminded me carryof an article on how AIDS”, # 121) was good but to and a white lie. He says, Bhairab Aryal’s essay “Mapai” in Thailand is still paying attentionsay more money is being spent “All evidence suggests which the inimitable satirist dryly on AIDS awareness because it that the Maoists do notes that each person believes is more glamorous than malaria himself to be an elephant and the and TB is quite wrong. The latter 4 NATION NEPALI TIMES NEPALI TIMES 5 6 - 12 DECEMBER 2002 NATION 6 - 12 DECEMBER 2002

DOMESTIC BRIEFS Goodwill choppers

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The British embassy in Kathmandu has clarified that the two MI-17 transport helicopters being “Our supplied by the British government to the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) are not attack helicopters. In a statement issued Monday, the embassy said the agreement between the British government and the RNA restricts the use of the helicopters to logistical, medical and humanitarian purposes only. The helicopters, which are due to arrive in Nepal shortly, will not be used in attack or combat roles. The choppers are being supplied as part of the package assistance of £ 6.5 million for descendants Nepal under the British government’s Global Conflict Prevention Fund, the embassy said. Rebuilding Jumla

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ are doomed” The government has allocated Rs 10 million to launch reconstruction activities at Khalanga, district headquarters of Jumla, devastated during the overnight Maoist attacks on 14 November. Home Minister Dharma Bahadur Thapa handed Rs 150,000 each to families of civilians who were killed during the attacks. Minister Thapa’s visit two weeks after the attacks was the first from a senior official. The Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre said 17 government offices had been destroyed and the local people had no access to drinking water, health services, education and telecommunications. The centre has demanded that the government launch immedi- In a tragic mistake, security forces kill villagers ate relief and rehabilitation work in this remote district. who were actually members of an anti-Maoist Talks for talks resistance force. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Home Minister Dharma Bahadur Thapa said the government is in contact with the Maoist insur- gents through a group of human rights activists. “You can say that talks are going on for holding official talks,” Minister Thapa said. The minister called upon the rebels to inform the government of MOHAN MAINALIIN BAJURA their agenda and come to the negotiation table. He said he knew nothing about ransoms for rebel ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ give him one crop. When he saw us leaders or whether they were taking refuge in India. The minister also added that security matters CENTRE OR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM(KHOPAKAY) approaching he ran into his house Bir Bahadur is a neighbour of need not be transparent to the public because they involved more than just guns and bullets. the dead, and is weeping openly and shut himself up. When we n the way up to shoes.” He scampered on ahead. and Kashi Sarki. when we reach the village. bail after being detained for three introduced ourselves, he came out hesitantly and said: “These are bad Dhamkane from the What the boy didn’t know was A unit of the army and police “Where is the justice,” he asks. months on the charge of A grief stricken young girl who times. Look at me, I was afraid of New appointment district headquarter at that bad news awaited him in the had left Martadi on the evening “How can you kill innocent delivering letters to Maoists. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ O had never seen so many bodies you gentlemen and ran away! No Martadi, we met a people in this way?” Ironically, Some half a dozen people, village. His father, Ramlal Damai, of 28 October on patrol. When one trusts anyone anymore ” Additional Inspector General of Police, Shyam Bhakta Thapa, has been designated Acting Chief of cheerful 12-year-old boy on the had been shot by the security they reached Angapani just after being taken for cremation from three of the dead (Tulka Raut, including Padam’s father and Nepal Police. The nearing retirement of Inspector General of Police, Pradip Shumsher JB Rana, After talking to villagers, we would leave the post vacant. AIGP Govinda Bahadur Thapa, the first policeman to acquire a PhD, trail. He approached us and askedforces a day earlier, and had just dawn the next monring, they saw her village (top left), Bir Nara Bahadur Bohara and his wife carrying a three-year- counted 60 villagers who have made a brief play for the top spot arguing he was as efficient and suitable for the job. Sources “Sir, would you like to buy died of his wounds. When we a light inside Hari Krishna Raut’s Bahadur Bohara still finds it Chandu Bohara) were members old son followed the troops, said Shyam Bhakta Thapa’s appointment was made on the basis of seniority. apples?” How much, we asked. reached the boy’s house, his house and muffled voices from hard to believe that he has lost of the “Kaal Sena”, an anti-Maoistfearing something ominous. been killed just along the one-day trek from Martadi to Kolti in the He said ten apples would cost Rs father’s body was being carried inside. They immediately four of his “innocent” relatives resistance group that the villagers They could see the security 25. “I want to buy a pair of shoesout into the porch. Ramlal’s wifecordoned off the house, and had formed after they couldn’t people beating Padam up badly. past year alone. Most of them in the security action(top have been killed by Maoists: Lights out bear harassment by the Maoist ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ from the money I earn selling and an eight-year-old child wereasked those inside to open up. right), the widow of Padam They finally shot him dead at a apples,” he said. militia anymore. murdered for opposing their Despite excess generation of power within the country for the last few months, Nepalis are likely crying in front of the house. The seven people inside had Bahadur Shahi who was killed place called Kandha and left his Two days later, on the way There was not a dry eye among Several times in the past badly mangled body on the trail. orders, refusing to pay tax, or to face load-shedding after suspected Maoist rebels damaged a tower of the 132 KV just finished harvesting millet the at Pandusen (right) Lamosanghu-Bhaktapur transmission line at Sukutte on 26 November. The state-owned Nepal the neighbours who had gath- news over Radio Nepal that seven months, they had driven away Padam’s father couldn’t bear to children killed by explosives they back from Kolti we were on the previous day, and had been have left behind. Some have been Electricity Authority (NEA) has appealed to consumers to reduce electricity consumption during ered there. who had been cowering in their “terrorists” had been killed at Maoist rebels from the village. look at his son’s mutilated face, peak hours, 5PM-8PM, “to help NEA avoid load-shedding as its likelihood has increased after the steep trail up to Pandusen on the playing cards all night. Villagers order to open the door, the found weeks later, hands tied way towards Angapani when we Ramlal had been injured by a think they may have suspected homes came out and were Pandusen. @earing that the local Even the government media had and even 24 hours later, he blast.” Megh Raj Upadhyay, general manager of NEA, said load-shedding could be avoided if troops broke it down, stormed horrified by the carnage. They behind their backs and shot. everyone turned off one in four lights in their homes during peak hours. NEA officials are still met the same boy again. We bullet in his head, and villagers the people outside to be local administration could harass them highlighted their activities as the can’t talk about it. Padam’s assessing the damage and are unsure if the other towers were safe from Maoist attacks. in commando style and shot decided not to touch the bodies for being Maoists too, they promising start of a popular mother is inconsolable. “Maybe A 76-year-old villager, known asked if he had bought his shoes. carried him from Angapani to his Maoists, who have banned everyone. Six of them died on Meanwhile, newly appointed Minister for Water Resources Dipak Gyawali urged the rebels not to He looked a bit shy, and said he house, half an hour down the drinking and gambling. So they and sent some among them to decided not to go to Martadi uprising against the rebels. he’d still be alive if he had by his nickname Dahi Baje told engage in destructive activities on national television saying, “neither Marx, Lenin nor Mao have the spot, Ramlal succumbed Martadi to register the deaths joined the Maoists,” she says, us: “We spent a lifetime in quiet called for such activities in the name of revolution.” couldn’t because the money fromroad, thinking he could still be turned the lights off and kept to his injuries just two hours and turned back to the village According to villagers we selling apples wasn’t enough. “I saved. Six other villagers were quiet. This made the security at the district administration to cremate their dead and interviewed, the troops seemed to weeping uncontrollably. happiness, but our descendants before we arrived on the scene, office of Bajura. are doomed.” The incident in have bought salt, though,” he also killed: Surya Raut, Tula personnel even more suspicious.following his son. console the families. be certain they had killed Maoists All the VDCs to the north- said smiling. “And one day I’ll Raut, Nara Bahadur Bohara, When the villagers did not In Dhamkane they heard and didn’t stay around to verify. east of the district headquarter, Pandusen has generated distrust The troops left. The villagers among local people against the surely have enough to buy Chandu Bohara, Rup Damai respond even after the second They were looking for more Martadi, are no-go areas. You Poaching in the parks Maoists and went down the trail can see Maoist flags flying on military and police not only in ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ from Pandusen and asked Dabal trees. The cadre walk around Bajura but also in the neighbour- The government has formed a probe team to investigate the killings of one-horned rhinos in the ing district of Achham. national parks of Chitwan and Bardiya. Thirty-three protected rhinos have died in these two Bahadur Kadayat, who runs a freely and force villagers to conservation parks during the last seven months; poachers killed 29. The Department of National small tea shop at Chapharukh, donate money or food for the The locals understand that Parks and Wildlife Conservation reported eight rhinos were killed in the last month alone. HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK “Where is Padam Bahadur revolution. “The Maoists loot the security forces made a mistake, Out of the 33 rhinos, 18 were adult males and five were females. The rest could not be Shahi?” When he said he didn’t us, the government kills us, we but so far it looks like the army verified. The poachers managed to steal the valuable horns from 16 of the killed animals. Informal know, they beat him up. are trapped in the middle,” says and police do not want to admit sources place the value of one kilo of rhino horn, wrongly believed to have medicinal value, at Rs They found Padam Bahadur Padam Bahadur’s father. it. And until they do, the families 800,000 locally and Rs 2.2 million on the international black market. In the meantime, the Regional Environment Office for South Asia under the US Embassy has harvesting paddy in the field There is fear, panic and of those killed will be regarded as relatives of “terrorists”.t expressed concerns over the adverse negative impacts of insurgency on Nepal’s conservation Chia and conversation together with his family members.paranoia in this scenic little efforts. “Trafficking in animal contrabands have reached an alarming scale,” said Michael Detar, They took him away. Padam village. This year’s harvests failed, director of the program. Detar said the ongoing insurgency is collapsing the rural economy and Bahadur was recently released on there is a food shortage, but Julfe withering sources for conservation funds, which put tremendous pressure on Nepal’s ecology. HUMLA - The old man sits in a corner of a tea shop along the trail Sarki is sowing wheat seeds between Simikot and the Tibetan border, spinning raw wool into hoping that winter rain will at least yarn. He sips from a dented metal cup. Three or four porters sit on Time to listen to what the real the bench beside him. The shop owner stirs a bubbling infusion of spring water and mountain mint, occasionally adding generous Nepalis have to say. handfuls of sugar. The smoke is thick but the stone walls keep the warmth of the cooking fire inside; the funk is bearable. It occurs to up outside. We discuss my video camera for a moment and I me that this is the real Nepal. Time then to listen to what the real hesitate to tell them that I spent the equivalent of about ten years Nepalis have to say. of their income to buy this crucial tool of my trade. But they “So what’s the situation around here,” I ask, to get things going. simply marvel at the technology and speak approvingly of the need A short burst of laughter is followed by contemplative silence. The to have the best you can afford. men are wondering—obviously—whether to trust the Khaire who Then the old man gets agitated with all the small talk and stares might well have come from Mars or even Army headquarters to at me, his eyes watering and barely visible through the smoke. intrude rudely on their lives. “Look, you want to know how we feel, how the situation affects us. “Well,” the old man says, hands never pausing in their furious You tell those people back in Kathmandu the truth, you tell them spinning, “it’s bad, very bad.” Then he lapses into silence again, still how the Nepalis are feeling. pondering how much to say. “If the Maoists come, and we feed them, 40 or 50 at a time, we “Back in Simikot,” I venture, “the Chief Development Officer watch our food supplies dwindle but what can weke do, garne ? And says the situation is normal here, so does the DSP.” More laughter, we know that next day the army and the police will come and bitter now, rhythmic, incredulous snorts and shaking heads. accuse of being Maoists. They insult us and look at our possessions. Mobile Problem ??? “Normal is it,” asks the oldster, cynicism overcoming earlier It’s like they’re all working together to make us miserable. Well, Remember us ! got time to go and investigate myself. I ask the old man how he tell them in Kathmandu that they’re succeeding. We are miserable. reluctance to speak to a stranger. “CDO sahib says this is normal? Is copes, how the increasingly unbearable burdens of being a rural “But here’s something else to take back there. We’re alive First time in Lalitpur it normal to have soldiers and police take jewellery from our women,Nepali are affecting him. today. Yes, and we’re happy to be alive. Tomorrow, who knows, under a single roof and search our homes. Some people lost money too. Is normal having “Well, there’s rakshi,” he says to general laughter, “and we have for repairing & the Maoists steal our food and get us into more trouble with the we might be dead. Does anyone care about us? We’re all alone our work.” Here he holds up his half spun skein of yarn, revealing mobile sets. army? Is this what CDO sahib says is normal?” out here.” selling the incredible fact that he pays Rs 3000 rupees for the raw material, He calls for more tea and another round of steaming metal cups Some of the porters take up the refrain and everyone more or lessworks for four months on a blanket and sells it for Rs 4000. Some- tells a similar story. They say that a village down the trail lost moneything, I dare say, for the finance ministry and its generous arrive on the table. Silence falls again. Outside, a few wisps of snow are blowing by. We are Located next to and jewellery after an army party came to investigate reports of Kathmandu-based donors to take note of next time there’s talk of NTC in front of staff college Maoist movement in the area. Of course, the authorities deny this increasing productivity amongst the Nepali workforce. The old man keeps spinning, nodding and thinking. There’s not and over-stressed, modern Kathmandu-wallah that I am, I haven’t Another silence falls and we sip our fragrant tea. The sugar bitesmuch else to say.t Contact: Tel: 547681, 535967 into my teeth but it helps ward off the evening chill that’s building e-mail: [email protected] 6 NATION NEPALI TIMES ECONOMY NEPALI TIMES 7 6 - 12 DECEMBER 2002 6 - 12 DECEMBER 2002

SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL BIZ NEWS RNAC for sale Marketing Nepal○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Businessmen are preparing to stake claims days after Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Kuber Sharma announced that anybody with a purse of Rs 1.5 billion could “own” more than Rs 10 grim. Of the 81 countries that billion worth of state-owned Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC). Some business houses are Ire alarm already preparing to file petitions at the ministry expressing their interest. Sharma made the announce- embraced democracy in the 1980s and 1990s, only 47 are considered knowledge and virtue could be Chief of the AC Nielsen-ORG MARG, a leading ment that the government would hand over the scam-ridden national flag carrier to anybody who comes fully free today. With Cold War- swearing in ceremony. We were the entrusted with the public good? with the funds at a felicitation program organised by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Com- market research company, in Kathmandu, Palas merce and Industry (FNCCI). disturbing feature of our country for so long. Loud thinking style strategic alliances increasingly how the people’s rights have been ones who accused Koirala of @rom the way disgruntled and Bhattacharya brings with him a long experience in national malaise is the is tolerable, moreover, when the defining the post-9/11 internationaltaken away. packing the cabinet and party disgraced former members of the big Aprominence animosity has perils of irrational exuberance are Ministers, for their part, central committee with people he parties have joined hands with the field of research and marketing. An MBA and order, democracy and human rights a graduate in chemical engineering from IIT- acquired as the operating emotion. painfully apparent. (Remember howare on the defensive. However, we needn’t be distracted by the dirt knew very well. emblems of partyless administrative Relocated It’s not the rage of Girija Prasad Sher Bahadur Deuba announced a some of us in the media dig up from This may turn out to be a ruthlessness, this cabinet does set off Kharagpur, Bhattacharya has been in Nepal since can live without personal assurances ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Koirala or Madhav Kumar Nepal truce with the Maoists before of press freedom from the commu- their past. When this is the best defining moment for Nepali alarm bells. Deeper down, though, 1993. Happily married, with a three-year-old finalising his cabinet last year?) Nanglo’s Deli—another of Nanglo’s exclusive ventures—has relocated from its premises in Thamel to that we should be worried about. nications minister as long as we get bunch of leaders the country could democracy. As we questioned the lurks an opportunity to complete daughter, Bhattacharya says he has a great Durbar Marg opposite Nanglo Café and Pub. They are promoting fusion style cuisine with snacks, They’re the aggrieved party, after all, We need more ministers who to read six-column headlines on find, you know who the joke’s on. moral and intellectual competence the unfinished business of relationship with his wife who is a Chartered beverages and other Italian and Indian dishes. The Nanglo Deli also has Nanglo’s.com, an air-condi- and are entitled to fits of fury. The don’t cringe each time some big- Attitudes must change from the of the professional politicians we Kathmandu Spring. Accountant. He shared his experiences with Navintioned cyber café with 12 workstations, where you can sample the new menu or enjoy a hot drink new power elite can’t quit blaming party politician says the cabinet top. The prime minister shouldn’t saw since 1990, didn’t we wonder Doctors, engineers, activists and Subedi for Nepali Times. while surfing the Internet. the multiparty leadership for doesn’t have executive authority. feel ashamed he got to know some whether people with superior business people long complained creating today’s mess. We know ourSince the people never put them of his ministers just before the how they were the real drivers of the leaders were lousy. That’s why where they are, we don’t expect People’s Movement. A lot of them Promoting domestic tourism they’re out of power and not too them to be answerable to us. The are ministers today because ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ many of us are out on the streets yet.fact that the only legislator in the Could you tell us briefly about your company?What were the major problems you encounteredClean, green and eco-friendly Godavari Village Resort has come up with special packages to enhance leading Kangresis and comrades while doing market research here? @or a political group free of cabinet is a palace-nominated AC Nielsen is an American multinational company, and domestic tourism. A half-hours drive from the city centre makes it an ideal getaway for short holidays. were too furious to serve. This fact the largest market research company in the worldOne with of the main problems has been sometimes member of the upper chamber The resort offers one night and two night packages ranging from Rs 2,800 to Rs 5,800 for Nepalis and electoral compulsions, the tempta- When this is the best bunch shouldn’t stop our experts and offices in 110 countries. Last year it virtually tookmany over of the large companies are not serious about should help put things in perspec- ORG MARG and owns 100 percent of the company.doing Now business in Nepal, as they would be, possibly,between $55 to $100 for expatriates. The special weekend barbecues, with tennis and swimming, are tion for candour becomes all the very affordable. more irrepressible. Ministers tive. Say the palace came out with a of leaders the country could entrepreneurs from picking up from we are known as AC Nielsen ORG MARG. We havein India been or Bangladesh. Their drive to sell hard is formal proclamation returning April 1990. Just try not to build a in Nepal since 1993. relatively low. Even if their brands have declining shouldn’t insult our intelligence by sales, and their market share is receding, they don’t mouthing platitudes. Not that executive authority to the council reputation on what you hope to accomplish. t What is the total size of market research in Nepal?seem interested to take any initiative. They just hope moments of healthy honesty are of ministers. Would that discourage find, you know who the If you divide research into two parts, market researchthings will improve one day. Trading non-consensus entirely lacking. One minister us from turning to Narayanhity and social research, then the size of the market research ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ asserted that the Maoist assaults onevery time someone in Singha joke’s on. here is roughly worth Rs 10 million. Why, would it be different in India or Bangladesh?Officials from seven South Asian countries failed to arrive at a consensus on major issues pertaining to Durbar bungled? In Bangladesh, the population is 130 million and moving towards the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) during a meeting of the SAARC Committee Jumla were an expression of their How do you differentiate between market researchthe market is relatively larger. Because of the of Experts (CoE). The meeting agreed to provide preferences and concessions to Least Developed impatience for talks. Another shed The definition of politics as and social research? comparatively low population of Nepal, the drive toCountries (LDCs) within the regional body while dealing with issues like rules of origin and trade some personal light on how Nepal strife of interests masquerading as a Market research deals with the marketing problemsincrease and market share is relatively low here, which liberalization measures. The next CoE meeting, to be held in Kathmandu between 27-29 December, will was on its way towards the restora- certain business problems also in terms of investment.creates some sort of problems for our profession work on schemes and program in SAFTA primarily related with tariff and non-tariff barriers. The contest of principles is too universal The research we do for Nepal CRS Company andbecause we are not exposed to very sophisticated tion of democracy before the royal to be ignored. The people recognise SAARC Summit held earlier this year asked for the finalisation of the proposed SAFTA treaty within Family Health International (FHI) are very similartools. to We use our own tools and techniques and giveyear end. succession of January 1972. The those who refused to join the market research. They are social organisations weour take clients the results, as they may not be very open doctor who said this constitution government and realise why. their activities into social research. to our techniques. I, however, must say that the wasn’t worth the paper it’s printed The two main political parties awareness regarding market research in Nepal is on may have been a little irreverent, And, what is the difference between customerdefinitely ahead of the entire belt of eastern Indian have an election to contest and are research and retail research? states, as well as Delhi, Maharastra and Uttar LIC-Nepal Earns Profit but you can’t say he was untruthful. Customer research is basically looking at specificPradesh. running out of issues to keep their ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The dissonance in ministerial flock together. Those who considered problems for the client, which could be related to any of discourse isn’t that unbearable the dimensions of marketing. Totally focussing Whichon a companies did you find more worried aboutLife Insurance Corporation (LIC) Nepal, a joint venture between Bishal Group and Life Insurance themselves “untainted” enough to Corporation of India, has earned a profit in the first year of its operations. According to a press either. You can’t expect an assorted particular problem and arriving at suggested solutionstheir market share? become ministers couldn’t undertake for that. Retail is like a barometer, which on a monthlyMultinationals are the leading companies. Coke isstatement issued by the company, LIC Nepal provided insurance cover worth Rs 1.35 billion during the assemblage of enthusiasts to speak innot to contest the elections, which basis monitors the market trends in different productthe largest followed by Nepal Lever. The multination-last year and earned premium income of approximately Rs 82 million. Besides selling over 7,000 policies, one voice on an issue like the Maoistaugurs well for our politics. categories. We will be starting the monthly monitoringals are fiercely ambitious. For example, if Coke losethe company recruited more than 600 agents and operates two branch offices in Kathmandu and insurgency which has divided the of the rural market very soon. a fraction of their sales, the entire Nepali branch Biratnagar. The international outlook is goes upside down. In family-run businesses there isn’t What are the major problems that you encounteredthat much accountability. Gorkha Brewery is relatively during your nearly a decade long stay in Nepal?better and has spent a lot of money on market Our team was very small for the first five or six yearsresearch. and we were not very ambitious in terms of growing or attracting a lot of business. So whatever businessWhy came is it that there is very high turnover among our way, we did it. It was only in 1999 that we hadyour targets employees? and thought of expanding significantly. Since thenThe weturnover of our recruits and relatively experi- from p1 have done visibly better. But the last one year hasenced been people has been very high over the years. ð has been a very difficult. That is definitely unfortunate. We don’t want our employees to leave us. ORG-MARG was taken over What has been the effect of being part of a worldtwice in the last five years. First, it was the Business leader on your portfolio? India Group, which resulted in a total change in our and ordinary people against often brutal attacks When the Soaltee Group divested its stakes, divestmentNepali company too. Before we could stabilise, the A negotiated solution iswas done the on its initiative. Weonly were very keen to companyretain was taken over again by Nielsen. Techni- and to convince the communities that they, and only they, can deliver lasting security. Soaltee as our partner but they were not interestedcally to we be can’t be taken over any more since we are Appointments to DID’s Advisory Team in Nepal in a business, which is not their core competency.the When largest company now. they were our partners we had a lot of access to various Do you see a role for negotiations? sectors and alleys of research and marketing. WithHow Mr. do you view your job? way to avoidA negotiated solutiona is thebloody only way to avoid a conflict. Siddhartha Rana as our chairman, we used to haveI enjoy a lotworking in market research because the At DFID, our central focus is on an international commitment to having the number of people in long and bloody conflict, and the sooner the of influence also which is definitely not present professionat this gives me a lot of learning experience and extreme poverty by 2015-through sustainable development, education, and better management of better. Experience has shown that the longer a moment. It has not been easy since Soaltee leftenables us. Of me to help some of the largest corporations the natural and physical environments. So we’re looking for individuals who can bring skills, conflict persists, the more course, there are a lot of marketing tasks that needand tosocial be development organisations in attaining understanding and patience to even the most complex development activities. Can you elaborate? polarised positions become done. their objectives. It is a very fulfilling experience. Well, for example, it is an illusion to think that and the more difficult it is for DFID is a major bilateral development agency in Nepal. Our commitment is to support the government military solutions can work on their own. When either side to envisage the of Nepal and others to eliminate poverty in line with the Millennuium Development Goals. fighting a foreign enemy, armies tend to measure necessary concessions. Of success by body counts, land won or lost, course, at the beginning of DFID is committed to promoting reform and development in order to address the root causes of whether armies are advancing or retreating and any negotiation demands so forth. When the enemy is composed of fellow look impossible, positions poverty in Nepal. We give priority to support for economic opportunities and essential services to citizens, motivated not by a desire to expand irreconcilable. Each side poor and disadvantaged communities, including those currently affected by conflict, and to social borders but by a dream, the only always has deep suspicions justice and governance reforms. We are committed to delivering assistance transparently and with useful target is the support of about the motives and full accountability to local communities. the communities from which the intentions of the other, and insurgents are drawn. You often wrongly believes that The DFID programme in Nepal is designed and supervised by a team of advisers under the cannot seek out and kill a dream delaying negotiations by a leadership of the Head of the DFID office in Kathmandu. The team includes specialists in with bullets. You have to few months more will infrastructure, governance, rural livelihoods, social development, economics, statistics, health and demonstrate instead that the strengthen its own position. state can deliver what the Skilled mediation can win the conflict studies. All members of the DFID Advisory team contribute to country and sector strategies people aspire to, and that trust of both sides, help and are responsible for designing and supervising DFID’s programmes of assistance. There are violence can only deliver overcome these suspicions In the December Himal currently 2 vacancies on the team. insecurity and economic ruin. and suggest ways of removing blockages. It is not just a question of Diasporiac dispositions: We want to diversify the team to bring in Nepalese expertise on the development challenges facing There is concern in Europe facilitating contacts—that is the easy bit. Nor the country and on the social and political context. We are interested in applicants who can and the US that military should mediation be seen as outside interfer- Fashioning the NRI demonstrate that they have this expertise, and who have a successful record of achievement support for the Royal Nepa- ence or, in the case of international mediation, a working as a professional in a national and international development agency in one or more of the lese Army will prolong the blow to national pride. Political positions The ‘Madrasi’ of Malaysia: conflict. How do you look at become rigid through constant public repetition Being ‘Indian’ in Southeast Asia following fields: social development, rural livelihoods, infrastructure, health, or economics. this issue? Applicant’s personal competencies should include: working with others; forward thinking; and only a mediator can test what really lies What will prolong the conflict is behind those positions and identify how best to Exposing the saffron brigade’s communicating and influencing; and analytical thinking and judgement. Applicants must possess to allow the Maoists to believe meet each sides concerns while still enlarging a relevant post-graduate degree of equivalent. they can win by violence. Armed insurrectionsthe area of agreement.t fundraising scam usually fail, but where they win they win be- There will be an attractive and competitive local salary and benefits package. The successful cause of a collapse of will at the centre, often Starvation amidst surplus: applicant will be contracted for a 3 year fixed term appointment, during which time there may be an brought about by military pressure. It is the job of The business of hunger opportunity to apply for membership of DFID’s professional advisory teams. You will be based in the security forces to prevent that from happen- ing, and they cannot do that job without proper Ved Mehta’s tempest of self-revelation DFID Nepal’s Kathmandu office, though some in-country and international travel will also be required. equipment and training. The assistance we are DFID is an Equal Opportunities employer and appoints on merit by open competition. Nepalese providing is not designed to increase body Sashaying through structural adjustment: citizens and women are encouraged to apply. counts or win territory, but to save lives by helping the security forces defend themselves The ugly business of beauty To receive a job Vacancy Information Sheet and Application Form, please contact the Personnel Hindutva indoctrination: Manager at DFID Nepal Tel. No. [977 1] 542980, Fax. No.[977 1] 542979, or email [email protected] Growing into their knickers

TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 543-333 OR WRITE TO Closing date: Friday 27 December 2002. [email protected] Working to eliminate global poverty and promote sustainable development DUE TO HIGH DEMAND, WE HAVE REPRINTED THE SEPTEMBER HIMAL, ‘ROADS TO LHASA’. IT CAN BE PUR- CHASED AT THE KATHMANDU INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL, 5-8 DEC, RUSSIAN CULTURAL CENTRE 8 REVIEW 9 6 - 12 DECEMBERNEPALI 2002 TIMES Bloom time

Here is a floral undoing. Flower lovers and commercial poachers have robbed this region of most of the showy tribute to orchids, necessitating a ban on the collection of these plants from the wild. At higher altitudes, we Nepal’s national noticed that the trees become stunted and scarce near the snow-line, beyond which the mountains are flower. covered with permanent snow. To reach here, one inanother book youNepal must henceforth passes through the temperate coniferous forests of carry while on a spring trek in pine, deodar, spruce, fir, cypress and yew. Nepal. And there is now a reason to Beyond these forests lies a fairyland of alpine time your trek for that particular meadows. When the snow begins to melt in May- REVIEWED BY TIRTHA BAHADUR SHRESTHA ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ week in April-May when rhododen- ○○○○○○○○○○○ June, alpine plants begin to unfurl and are in full f you were asked to name one drons explode across the Nepal’s conservatorium. No artificial lights bloom in July and August. These meadows provide grazing grounds for sheep and cattle during these other recognisable symbol of mountains. Just like tourists flock have been used. months. This is a fascinating region for flower Nepal besides our distinctive to New England for fall colours, These are pictures that take us lovers. We have the Himalayan poppies, anemo- I national flag, you would not rhododendron tourism can be a to the wild and show us the flowers Rhododendron arboreum near Ghandrung, 2500 m, westnes, of primroses, paeonies, monkshood and meadow Machhapuchhare and Annapurna III, mid-April hesitate to answer: the rhododen- great selling point for trekking. in natural light. Milleville is not rue, buttercups and black peas, spurges and columbine, salvia and saxifrage, thistle and dron flower. This amazing blossom Melleville’s book cuts through only a passionate trekker and heather, thyme and mentha, balsam and gentian, mong the most beautiful Himalayan trees are that smears entire mountainsides mountain climber, but a conserva- campanula and chrysanthemum, orchids and lilies, the jargon and technicalities of the the rhododendrons, of which the greatest and many other. In fact, there are several fairly red, white and pink in the flower and decodes it into simple tionist as well. His passion to concentration occurs in the eastern Himalayas. extensive areas where, at times, it is almost Himalayan spring has always been terms. All 31 species of Nepali establish a rhododendron reserve in About 110 species are found wild in India, of A impossible to step without crushing some of the the botanical equivalent of the rhododendrons and their varieties the Milke Danda of eastern Nepal which only four occur in the western Himalayas.lovely flowers carpeting the ground. The sudden khukuri to remind Nepalis of their are described and illustrated to has been duly taken up by the Several rhododendron species are widely cultivatedoutburst of bird-song, the herdsman’s flute caress- unity. And also diversity. What we guide the readers through the IUCN-World Conservation Union, for their brilliant and variously coloured flowers inglyand and hauntingly playing love songs, the evergreen foliage. Many hybrids are produced and think of as one flower elevated to a diversity of this floral treasure that Nepal. tinkling of cow bells or pealing of temple bells and national icon actually has a huge have been extensively cultivated in Europe andtheir reverberations, the scent-laden invigorating adorns our mountains. Milleville calls Milke Danda America. Of these,Rhododendron arboreumSm. is air, are experiences that linger in the mind longer diversity of colours, shapes and sub- Its pocketbook size and 275g “truly a natural world heritage site”, perhaps the most widely distributed and is the that the passing joys of everyday life. species. weight means it won’t be too much and the high ridge in eastern Nepal national flower of Nepal, locally called ‘Lali gurans’. It And this is what gradually is already in the process of being is also called ‘tree-rose’. It can reach 2-4 m in girth of a burden in your rucksack. (At and 14 m in height, and is seen at an altitude of dawns on readers as they go Rs750, it also won’t burn a big preserved by local communities as a 1,200 to 2,000 m from Kashmir to Bhutan and Assam. through Rene de Milleville’s recent hole in your pocket.) At 136 pages “People’s Park”. Melleville is The flowers vary in colour from red to pink, spotted to Title: 100 Himalayan Flowers book on the rhododendrons of with soft cover, it is packed with donating all proceeds from the sale white. The under-surface of the leaf also varies in Author: Asvin Mehata Nepal. Taking pictures of rhodo- information that is useful in the of the book to Rotary Clubs in pigmentation from silvery to brown. It grows in well- Printed by: Mapin Publishing dendrons shouldn’t be such a drained soil and is said to be averse to calcereous Pvt. Ltd. Ahmedabad field to refer flowers, trees and Nepal to be used for the welfare of ground. The full beauty of the Himalayas cannot be Pages: 144 difficult exercise since the flower is shrubs that you come across on the the blind. experienced until one has seen the rhododendrons, so photogenic to start with. But trails. The 18 chapters are short You don’t have to be a trekker wreathed in colour, festooning the mountain ranges. Milleville has been successful in and sweet, and they are not top- or adventurer to use this book. Any In this region, one cannot fail to notice the capturing not just the beauty of a heavy with text. What is most car-bound flower lover can also find richness of orchids perched on trunks and branches of rhododendron forest, but also the useful is the graph that provides a tress, beckoning visitors with their enchanting flowers. it a useful guide. Perhaps try to But the very beauty of their flowers has been their sheer variety of blossoms all over simple guide to working out which domesticate the rhododendron in The R. arboreum is frequently found growing with magnolia (white) in Nepal. Despite its technical details, species can be seen in which localityKathmandu, which is no mean feat. Milke Danda, 2850 m, mid-April this is still a book by an amateur forand altitude at which time. (You have to find a shady and amateurs. Rhododendron-watching Milleville has spent 35 years relatively dry patch in your garden.) was a hobby for the outdoors-lovingphotographing these rhododendrons So, look out for the cover of a Melleville, but he has taken a lot of in the wild. None of the pictures trouble to adhere to careful life-size Rhododendron arboreum in taken between 1962 to 1997 were a bookshop near you with the scientific accuracy throughout snapped in a garden or a the book. Himalaya and alpine vegetation in the background.t Latin names and botanical nomenclatures can be eye-glazers for the lay reader, but Melleville avoids drab academese and punctuates the text with brilliant illustrations and informative charts. (Dr Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha is a Here is a book that will tell you well-known Nepali botanist and everything you always wanted to conservationist.) know about rhododendrons, and more. The taxonomical history of the flower, its botanical ancestry in The Rhododendrons of Nepal by Rene de Milleville the wet mountains and cloud Himal Books, 2002 forests of China’s Yunnan province 136 pages (plus preface, etc) Rs 750 all provide fascinating facts. (Proceeds to go to the Rotary Club for its Besides your Lonely Planet Anti-blindness Programme) Guide and Birds of Nepal, here is

Rhododendron setosum, Khumbu, 4300 m, end-June 10 WORLD NEPALI TIMES ASIA NEPALI TIMES 11 6 - 12 DECEMBER 2002 6 - 12 DECEMBER 2002 COMMENT by ROBERT WATSON COMMENT by KHIDHIR HAMZA Security measures More money to rural poor ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ JAKARTA - Activists are divided about the Indonesian government’s help focus the public and policy WASHINGTON - The World Bank unveiled a new plan, Reaching campaign against terrorism after the Bali blasts, saying it addresses Green revolution the need to bring the perpetrators to justice—but has also unwittingly makers on strategies for the future. the Rural Poor, to guide its lending for rural and agricultural brought the country’s security apparatus back into the political arena. The Intergovernmental Panel on projects in the developing world. The bank promises to increase t the recent World Summit on Inspecting Iraq Over the past weeks, Jakarta has made arrests and pinpointed the The starting point for most poor countriesClimate Change, perhaps the most loans for agriculture for fiscal years 2003 and 2004 by 20 inspection team leaders indicate Sustainable Development in key figures behind the Bali bombings that killed nearly 200 people and renowned assessment, got most of percent yearly, a net hike of about $400 million. The first portion that they do not plan to do this, injured more than 300 others, mostly foreigners. AJohannesburg, the interna- must be rural development and growth in will mainly target sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, with the world’s scientists and nearly all relying on physical inspection for Criticised by western governments for a half-hearted response to tional community renewed its subsequent phases to include East Asia. Projects in rural It will be vintage Saddam: diversion with no real revelations.now. Their passive approach has agricultural production. of the world’s governments to credit, irrigation, roads, sanitation and irrigation and to support the activists of suspected terrorists, President Megawati Sukarnoputri commitment to reducing hunger and agree on the nature and scope of already compromised their poverty. Everyone agreed on a more farmers’ organisations will benefit greatly. The strategy also issued an emergency regulation last month that gave intelligence units climate change. position. The UN team is smaller and security personnel full reign to crack down on any terrorist responsible approach characterised by recommends decentralising the provision of rural services, What is needed now is a global supporting rural organisations and promoting land reform as a and less experienced than its network operating in Indonesia. Police investigators can now arrest social equity and conservation of the means to increase the assets of the rural poor. predecessors, and faces Iraqi and prosecute suspected terrorists based on intelligence data. environment. assessment that puts agriculture firmly back on the public agenda Agricultural and rural growth is seen as essentials for counterparts steeped in the art of Suspects can be detained without charges for up to seven days, The starting point for mostpoor during which lawyers cannot accompany them. and evaluates the economic, development because 75 percent of the world’s poor live in deception. countries must be rural develop- environmental, and social implica- rural areas. The bank, whose mandate is to fight poverty and I fear that the inspections effort Critics are afraid the people will be subjected to the abuses and ment and growth in agricultural rights violations the military and security apparatus of during Suharto’s tions of all technological and policy help sustain development in those countries, believes “poverty is not intended to uncover the full production. Agriculture is central options—from intensification, is predominantly, though not exclusively, a rural phenomenon”. It 32-year reign. They advocate the enforcement of existing laws to extent of Iraq’s illegal weapons better fight terrorism instead of giving more powers to security to rural life, and to sustainable organic production, and biotechnol- says that agriculture must grow by at least 3.5 percent annually development and responsible to achieve the world’s goal of halving poverty and hunger. program. The Europeans are agencies. ogy, to waste minimisation and treating Iraq as a prize to be denied wealth creation. more efficient use of natural The task is complex: we must the US, not as a strategic danger. resources. What drives the inspections is fear feed a rapidly growing population, Last month, 100 leaders from (IPS) (IPS) protect the environment, and of an American invasion. The civil society, governments, the Americans will be accommodated promote social equity in a future that private sector, and the scientific Urban wastelands will little resemble the present. By Canada to ratify Kyoto up to the point that their attack is community from rich and poor ○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ 2050, the world’s population— forestalled. countries gathered in Dublin, OTTAWA - Canada will ratify the Kyoto Protocol by mid- HO CHI MINH CITY - Economic and population growth, bad infrastruc- currently at six billion—will have On December 8, Iraq is obliged Ireland, for the first meeting of a December, despite the powerful regional and financial opposi- ture, low public awareness about environmental protection and grown by another three billion. Our six-to-nine month global consulta- tion lining up against the accord. Prime Minister Jean Chretien, to declare formally its full weapons especially bad management have worsened pollution-related problems planet will be warmer, and floods and tive process convened by the World whose party has majority control of Canada’s parliament, said, program. We can expect the in Vietnam’s industrial cities. Rapid urbanisation has led to many droughts will be more frequent and Bank to bring together stakeholders “the time has come” as he made the announcement to the House inspectors to be flooded with factories now being established inside urban zones. In 1998 the more severe. We will need to produce to identify the kinds of questions of Commons. information about everything but government ordered polluting state-owned enterprises in Ho Chi Minh more with less. decision-makers need answered. Chretien had pledged Canada would ratify Kyoto before the the actual weapons. It will be City and Hanoi to move to non-residential areas, industrial parks or Meeting these challenges in a Most importantly, they debated an end of the year at August’s Earth Summit. Under the treaty, vintage Saddam: diversion with no outlying districts. With more than 600 large factories and 22,500 drawn up in 1997, Canada, the world’s highest per-capita medium and small-scale factories, Ho Chi Minh City is at the forefront sustainable way will require scientific initial set of questions that could real revelations. The real test will of Vietnam’s move toward industrialisation. advances across a broad range of form the underpinnings of an energy user, has committed to cut emissions of greenhouse be for the Americans. Either they agricultural endeavours, generating gases, such as carbon dioxide, to six percent below 1990 In recent years, pollution levels have been rising due to the international assessment on the role levels by 2012. get the information they need, or information that decision-makers— of agricultural science and technol- Iraqi story that their huge uranium increasing number of cars on the roads and industries in and around Under a special compromise on Kyoto limits, the country’s the game will be over. Saddam will the city. Around 10,000 residents from Binh Thanh district, one of the including those in the World Bank— ogy in reducing hunger and he UN weapons inspectors And it still took four years for Iraq enrichment program was only be the winner, ready to play major industrial emitters will be permitted to emit 14 percent most heavily industrialised residential areas, have been demonstrating need in order to combat poverty more improving rural livelihoods. are now at work in Iraq, to admit to a biological weapons meant to produce fuel for future another day.t this month to urge local authorities to relocate two polluting factories from effectively. Agricultural practices that more than in 1990. Federal officials have been unable to clarify Our ultimate goal is to reduce how these gaps will be closed, but they are counting heavily on Ttrying to determine how program. Only the 1995 defection nuclear power stations. their community. Vietnam generates some eight million tonnes of industrial for meeting them. Given the time we take for granted today came about poverty and hunger in a way that None of the inspections or waste, eight million tonnes of urban waste, nearly 200,000 tonnes of required to translate laboratory Canada receiving credits for its forests and other so-called many weapons of mass destruction of Saddam’s son-in-law, Hussein through public investment that led to The advances we will need to actively conserves our planet’s ‘carbon sinks’, a position that is still opposed by the EU. hospital waste and over 1.2 billion cubic metres of waste water. research into field applications, we have been developed in the last fourKamel, brought definitive proof of gadgetry can match inside informa- mechanised farming, improved crop achieve in the coming years will fragile natural resource base. An must put agricultural science and Industry groups and some provinces, especially oil and gas- years. If the track record of the existence of Iraq’s huge nuclear tion. @or inspections to work, the varieties and management practices, likewise require the support of public international assessment on agricul- technology back on the public producing Alberta, continue to fight the deal, saying it will hurt previous inspections holds true, weapons program. UN will need defectors. The UN and improved plant nutrient and investment in agricultural R&D. Yet, ture that is transparent, inclusive, and business and cost thousands of jobs. (Project Syndicate) (IPS) crop protection technologies. These agenda now so that we can begin Iraq will not come clean, and the Hans Blix, the director of the Security Council Resolution 1441 in the last few decades, agricultural devoid of political influence will bring empowers the inspectors to talk to advances increased food supplies and science and technology has all but the work of generating the type and inspectors will have to work their new inspections effort, has been us closer to this goal.t Iraqi scientists without government (Khidhir Hamza is a former raised incomes. During the Green dropped from the public agenda. quality of information needed for way through a maze of deception fooled twice before by the Iraqis. In 0ood fight (IPS) Advisor to the Iraqi Atomic Energy ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Revolution, wheat yields in India Today, public investment is effective policy making. This will and distortion. 1990, before Iraq’s invasion of minders, outside of Iraq if neces- Organisation and former Director quadrupled and rice yields in declining while private sector require the joint efforts of In 1991, a team from the Kuwait, he declared that there was sary, and accompanied by their ISLAMABAD - In the first ever case of the sort in Pakistan’s legal Indonesia tripled. Many farmers investments are increasing. governments, industry, the Howard’s “gaffe” International Atomic Energy no nuclear weapon’s program in families. Incredibly, the UN of Iraq’s Nuclear Weapons history, food rights groups have sought a court order to stay the Program. He is the co-author of import and sale of genetically engineered (GE) food in the country— benefited, but not all, and Africa was Public investment in agricultural scientific community, and civil ○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Agency (IAEA) visited Tarmiya to Iraq. In 1994, Blix accepted the society the world over. “Saddam’s Bombmaker”.) soybeans from the United States. Pakistan is importing the soybean as largely bypassed. R&D will come about only when CANBERRA – Australian Prime Minister check out rumours that the site was Global assessments that bring part of a $467 million refund that Islamabad paid in advance to the US policy makers have the information (IPS) John Howard’s support for launching part of Iraq’s nuclear weapons in the late 80s for the purchase of 28 F-16 fighter aircraft. The they need to understand the challengesall of these entities together can pre-emptive military strikes program. Dr. Abdul-Qadir Ahmed, Islamabad-based Network for Consumer Protection and the Sungi against terrorists based in ahead and the most promising options (Robert Watson is the World Bank the Iraqi official in charge that day, Development Foundation maintain the imported soybeans may have neighbouring countries if they Chief Scientist.) said the huge magnets attached to United Nations Development Programme hazardous affects on human health and the environment. posed a threat to Australia has Most soybean in the country is consumed in the form of poultry outraged neighbouring Thai- giant spools of copper wire were land, Indonesia, Malaysia and maintenance equipment for Iraq’s South and West Asia Sub Regional Resource Facility (Kathmandu SURF) feed, indirectly making the product part of people’s diet. Currently, OPINION by DEVESH KAPUR the Philippines. The Howard power stations. there is no law in the country that bans the import of GE products, though the country’s 1961 Food Act requires exporters to label their government’s defence of his At the same time a defector was controversial comments is a Vacancy Announcement products with a list of the ingredients. However, legal experts maintain reflection of a high-level telling a different story to US that the requirement cannot be stretched to include the labelling of GE rethinking of Australia’s intelligence. Their source: Dr. The Kathmandu SURF is the UNDP’s Sub Regional Resource Facility for South and West Asia. We foods, as genetic modification of a product ingredient does not Corruption and liberalisationdefence strategy in the wake Ibrahim Bawi who had driven his provide UNDP Country Offices in the sub region (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, necessarily create a new ingredient requiring labelling. of both the 9/11 attacks in the family north out of Iraq to the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) with timely, high quality substantive support for the effective United States and the 10 October American Air @orce base at Incirlik bombing of Bali nightclubs, where close design and implementation of country programmes and projects. Our mission is to strengthen (IPS) vict the state from direct economic activity, curb its discretionary powers, in southern Turkey. The winds of globalisation were supposed to 190 people were killed, half of them Australian tourists. capacities of our Country Offices and enhance UNDP’s position as the United Nations global and both economic efficiency and governance will improve. Developingto blow away the cobwebs of bribery and Cabinet discussions began this week on counter-terrorism The inspectors returned to Ecountries have been nagged about this for years. By opening economies toinefficiency. measures. The government is pressing the Senate to pass Tarmiya with sure knowledge the development network and a trusted and leading partner of programme countries in overcoming international competition and investment, governments will supposedly become legislation to give sweeping powers—that have been subject to huge magnets were used to produce development challenges. In keeping with UNDP’s corporate vision of a knowledge-based advisory disciplined because they will be watched over by international financial capital.○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○ widespread condemnation from human rights and legal weapons grade nuclear materials. service organization, our objectives are: (a) to meet the policy advisory needs of Country Offices and There is merit in shrinking the size of government and making it less groups—to security agencies. Some Australians are displeased Third, although curtailing the state’s role in allocating goods and services thatby this move. Senator Bob Brown of the Greens Party urged This time, Dr. Ahmed realised the (b) to enable Country Offices to more effectively develop and access knowledge and expertise intrusive. Yet official corruption has clearly not declined in the way liberalisa-can be provided more efficiently by markets may reduce corruption, it is unrealis-Howard to withdraw his statement, calling it “a major gaffe”, game was up. Nothing personal, he tion’s promoters said it would, nor has governance improved markedly for thetic to think that the number of fields in which the state deploys its regulatory and apologise. “It damages our relationship not only with the told them, he was under orders. We invite qualified and interested persons to send their CVs and applications for the following better in most countries. Why? powers can be reduced greatly. Although official corruption is greater when the countries in our neighbourhood but obviously it creates a lot of The much-touted accomplish- positions: @irst, opening an economy bids up the price of talent. In India a decade ago,state is involved in economic activities, shifting the focus of state regulation appearstension,” he said. Officials around the region described Howard’s statement as “arrogant” and “very dangerous”. ments of both the IAEA and UN students who chose careers in public service could expect lifetime earnings of to change only the magnitude of corruption. inspectors came only after major 1. Administrative Assistant between a fifth to a third of their private sector counterparts. Today, they get less Unfortunately, globalisation/liberalisation and institutional development often defections from within the Iraqi 2. Young Professional Programme (YPP) than 10 percent. Of course, talent should go where it is most productive, andwork at cross-purposes because of their different time horizons. The bedrock weapons program and a lot of higher private-sector wages reflect the potential for higher productivity. But theeconomic, social, and political institutions in Western societies took decades, if not follow-up by the inspection teams. lure of high private-sector wages has consequences for the quality of government,centuries, to develop. Exceptions to this time frame exist—like Singapore—but 1. Administrative Assistant: The Administrative Assistant will work under the direct supervision as South Africa is discovering. exceptions prove a rule, not negate it. (IPS) of the Programme/Administrative Associate and perform routine administrative tasks as required Second, exposing the arrogance and venality of the state was no doubt Institution building is painful and laborious, as evidenced in the recurrent (word processing, using spreadsheets and PowerPoint, maintaining office records/files, routine necessary to enact liberal reforms. But these critiques became self-inflicted crises faced by African countries from Nigeria to Botswana. Globalisation prophecies. Treating the state as a house of ill repute makes it difficult for accelerates the pace of economic and social change in developing countries, whichSerb stampede correspondence, travel arrangements). The applicant should have, at a minimum, completed governments to recruit honest, capable individuals. The quality of any organisa-means that new institutions must adapt even before they fully take root. ○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ high school (10+2), be fluent in spoken and written English and Nepali, and at least 3 years of tion, private or public, depends on the quality of the individuals it attracts. The temporal dimension of institution building and the issue of human BELGRADE - A fifth of Serb university graduates have firm experience in a similar position. The successful candidate will be offered a service contract for capital are also linked. The reality of successful institution building is that key plans to leave, and more than half the rest are looking for the one year initially. individuals are critical in the early stages. But globalisation makes it more difficultfirst chance to go. Sociologists are calling it “the stampede of EASY for developing countries to retain the talented individuals needed for institutionalgenerations”. A recent survey from the NGO Centre for Re- search of Alternatives (CPA) at the universities in Belgrade 2. Young Professional Programme (YPP): We offer an opportunity to exceptionally qualified young development, because the wages of talented people are set globally. and in the biggest southern town Nis, revealed that 20 percent professionals, age - below 30 years, to work at the Kathmandu SURF for a period of 11 months. Developing countries with lower levels of inequality are threatened by “humanof university graduates already have firm plans to leave. TIMES This will be an opportunity for young professionals from the sub region to work closely with the capital flight”, as thousands of their most talented people remain abroad after Another 55 percent are waiting for the first chance to pack studying at elite universities. They either lose people essential to their institutionalup and go abroad. It’s never been easier SURF’s Policy Advisors and gain experience in developmental research and advisory services development or tolerate higher levels of inequality. The last census in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to subscribe to in key UNDP practice areas as well as be exposed to UNDP’s operations and policies. The These shortcomings may be improved by reducing the state even more conducted in April showed that some 390,000 people aged applicants must have a Masters degree in an area relevant to UNDP/SURF’s thematic focus between 18 and 40 left the country in the nineties. Of these Nepali Times. through privatisation and out-sourcing. This may be possible and, to some Just dial this number (governance, poverty, trade, environment and gender) and a maximum of 2 years of professional degree, necessary. But within limits. As beguiling as the reforms promoted by about 30,000 had university degrees. Most of some 2,000 graduate students surveyed by the CPA cited the poor eco- international organisations sound, countries must be wary of short cuts in and leave experience. nomic situation as the reason for wanting to leave. Reforms in your address. constructing their institutions. The path to good governance is more painstakingSerbia have had little effect on the living standards of ordinary Interested candidates should submit their applications along with up-to-date CVs, and bumpier than anyone believed when globalisation and liberalisation becamepeople over the past two years. The country has survived on by 31 December 2002, to: popular twenty years ago. Mimicking simplistic fashions is only likely to make the$1.5 billion in aid and transformation into a market economy has path longer.t been painful. Chief, South and West Asia Sub Regional Resource Facility U.N. House, P.O. Box 107, Kathmandu (Project Syndicate) 543333 Fax No. 977-1-548597 (IPS) We especially encourage qualified women to apply for these positions. (Devesh Kapur is Professor of Government at Harvard.) it away in that time even if they come to power.

Where will the present conflict between the monarch and the parties lead? 12 to almost four million people, The present conflict is not 13 0ROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED 0ROM THE NEPALI PRESS 6 - 12 DECEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES HISTORY AND CULTURE 6 - 12 DECEMBER NEPALI2002 TIMES saying it was unfortunate the created by the monarch, but country would exchange citizen- rather by the parties. The law of NEPALITERATURE by MANJUSHREE THAPA COMMENT by PRAMOD K MISHRA Caution ships for votes. the land allows a maximum ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○ sentence of 10 years in prison for Excerpts of Senior Advocate Ganesh talking against the monarchy. I Violence begets violenceRaj Sharma’s interview on Nepal Patriarchy, believe the king is practicing Television. tremendous restraint. Even as SING US A SAD SONG, Gorkhapatra, 3 December the political parties push him to female freedom Within days after resigning from the CPN (UML), Kamal Chaulagain King’s restraint

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the edge, they are creating an was appointed Minister for Labour and Transport Management Thoseas well who resorted to pelting Deshantar,1 December environment for an active & as Minister for Population and Environment. stones in 1990 now face bomb monarchy. explosions. In the future another Interview with Dr. Gopal Sharma, Excerpts from an interviewJana in Astha, force could emerge in Nepal against So, is the ongoing conflict 0atteman Dai Reader at Nepal Law Campus. Shrisha Karki 4 December the Maoists. Only a strong system between the monarch and can protect democracy or the the Maoists? Maoists. It is apparently a conflict ven as the scandal caused by Shrisha Karki’s suicide has all but petered out What is the status of the talks proposed ongs that jilted cowboys listen to while crying into their beer in the face of bigger political issues in Nepal, the untimely death of an People who benefited from the between the monarch and the aside, South Asia has probably cornered the market inLI0E sad O0 GALES between the government and the Mao- Easpiring young woman must not go in vain. Her suicide ought to provide instability in Nepal want to prolong Maoists. But, instead of Ssongs. The quality of compassion so pervades the literatureAmber of Gurung ists? a site for Nepali civil society to ponder the agency of Nepali women caught this situation. They think everyone attempting a peaceful resolution, this region, the lyrics that find their way into the most loved songs between the contradictory messages of patriarchal tradition and consumerist The ball now lies in the Maoists’ court. will finally have to seek their the political parties are fuelling tend to be filled with pathos and heart. Witness the popularity ofIf life is a song of gales we must sing it in any way modernity. There are two main reasons why patronage. In this light, the present the conflict. If they continue to Narayan Gopal in Nepal, whose death in 1991 compelled thousandsIf we can’t of meet joyously then we must meet in sorrow mourners to join his funeral march, including those who in Panchayat the Maoists should not continue instability doesn’t favour any challenge the king he will be We need to ask some difficult questions about Nepali urban society, where times decried him as bourgeois for not singing of revolt and revolution.The wounds may be different, our pain is the same their mission to capture state domestic force. At present, all forced to turn into a tyrant. contradictory desires and aspirations clash with directionless public institutions authority through an armed There is a time for action, and a time for sitting back and feeling.The faults may be different, our separation is the same and cultures. Seen this way, Shrisha Karki’s death provides a window to the Nepalis face changing tides. In these So when defoliation takes place in you my leaves fall— struggle. Firstly, after 11 Septem-trying hours we should be very Both ways of being maybe support each other. Event nepalaya and hypocrisy, corruption, and pretensions of many Nepali urban inhabitants, whose ber any violent means aimed at Music Nepal’s new recordings of the songs of Fatteman—whomy at leaves67, fall ideological resources, both feudal and modern, have seldom received feedback cautious, and exercise restraint. We capturing power is being defined after a gap of 20 years, has recently staged heart-stopping perform- from a tradition of rigorous critical interpretation. have allowed others ‘to fish ances in a lovely butter-and-honey voice—allow us to feel sadYour in the country may be different, our earth is the same as an act of terrorism. The United Shrisha Karki’s so-called nude pictureJanastha in weekly speaks of matters in the troubled waters’ of our most enlivening way possible. Your face may be different, our tears are the same States is leading what has So when earthquakes move in you, my houses collapse become a unipolar world in its own making. The first of his songs translated below is a classic by the eminent that go beyond her suicide. It speaks of the professional illiteracy of many Nepali my houses collapse journalists, their lack of systematic education and training in the skills, values and fight against terrorism. Secondly, Monarchy in Nepal is a symbol songwriter Nati Kaji, who reminds us that there is nothing as per- the Maoist leaders themselves sonal, or as universal, as the loss of love. ethics of their profession. More disturbingly, it also speaks of the significant of national unity. Talk of a Where does sovereignty lie If life is a song of gales we must sing it in any way blindness toward sexuality issues in the party line left, whose activistJanastha ’s have written about the threat of constituent assembly has no If we can’t meet joyously then we must meet in sorrow “Bhutanisation” or “Sikkimisation” in the context of the present editor has been made out to be in the media. of Nepal. The Maoist leadership relevance under the present constitution? The next song, also by Amber Gurung, is the classic song of must understand that violence circumstances. The history of Sovereignty always lies with the pathos—lamenting ones’ misfortune. It also captures the uncertainties monarchy in Nepal is quite long and begets counter-violence, which drags the country towards instability. This instability re- people, whether it is mentioned IT WILL NOT BE AS HARD TO DIE and insecurities of life, the inability to know how to live in a way that duces the bargaining power of both the state and the Maoists. If it persists, foreignhas always powers provided for a ‘sentimen-explicitly in the document or not. makes sense. If a Nepali man can brag might intervene. tal unity’ among the people. No The previous constitution did not Nati Kaji other institution could unify a say that sovereignty lay with the Mediating peace about his prostitution, Has the government formally invited the Maoists for talks? country as diverse as Nepal, and ourpeople, but people used their rights ○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○ It will not be as hard to die— why can’t a Nepali There is reason why we said the government has kept doors open for dialogue.people Members have always honoured the and made possible the 1990 Suvechha Bindu inNepal I just cannot kill my love for you woman fight for her of the erstwhile Deuba cabinet used to say that anybody could bring in the headmonarchy. of Maoist Samacharpatra, 3 December People’s Movement. The present The greenery of springtime withers with the flowers leaders and take away a bagful of money. But no member of this new government has constitution envisaged the people right to be nude by defined the Maoists as terrorists. The prime minister is in touch with human rights activists The white clouds of the blue ground fly away with the windI HAVEN’T KNOWN HOW TO BLOOM and the government is taking initiatives towards holding talks. It will not be appropriate to would practice their sovereignty At least four state parties and But your warm love remains warm, still— choice, and against once in five years for five minutes, international agencies have I just cannot kill my love for you discuss other issues beforehand. Amber Gurung forced nakedness? but people demanded and offered intermediaries for peace How would you assess the failed peace talks last year? practiced their rights every talks between the government It will not be as hard to die— Or forced anything. I just cannot kill my love for you I haven’t known how to bloom, I haven’t known how to sway Due to in-fighting, rival leaders within the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) tried to useImporting the Maoists three years. and the Maoist rebels. However, Laughter came but somehow I haven’t been able to laugh

plank of talks with Maoists as a ladder to power. The Maoists also acted irrationally○○○○○○○○○○ by ○○○○○○ the government has not been A very long road we have walked side by side Tears came always but I haven’t learned to cry Not the least, it represents the moral confusion of many up and coming urban walking out of negotiations. Instead of presenting their position to the governmentKantipur, and 1 December But hasn’t the king claimed able to accept the international Both of us have reached places far, far away going to the public, they attacked an army barrack in Dang. I feel that if the Maoists had not I have one essence: the heaviness of the heart Nepali women—their desire for freedom but unwillingness to stand up and fight his 4 October move was goodwill and eagerness of the But my heart doesn’t want to say that it ends here— for their rights, their enthusiasm to participate in consumerist culture but lack of walked away, the in-fighting within the NC would have further escalated and the government I just cannot kill my love for you I have another essence: the heaviness of life would have been forced to accept their demands. Members of the All India Nepali based on the royal preroga- local rights activists to this end. At the crossroads I wasn’t able to choose one path knowledge and courage to redefine their body and sexuality. It shows they cannot Unity Society (AINUS), a Maoist tive assigned by the High level sources say that It will not be as hard to die— But being obliged to walk on I couldn’t stay where I was be free while still harbouring traditional notions of shame, honour, body, and a Do you hope the Maoists will sit for negotiations with this government? front organisation, were seen constitution? Norway, Switzerland, Nether- I just cannot kill my love for you woman’s place in family and society. Above all, it exposes the brutal and The Maoists should not be influenced by what the parliamentary parties are saying.heading The towards northern Rolpa, Late King Birendra adopted this lands, Denmark and United In the darkness I couldn’t distinguish the moon and stars inhuman side of Nepali mainstream culture, which is still run by high caste latter do not want talks to take place between the government and Maoists becausepast Bhavang of a fortnight ago. More constitution using his royal Nations through its office of Amber Gurung, a legend of Nepali music, is the author of theI couldn’t next seek and string together love Hindu patriarchal ideologies. their vested interests. There is no denying this government enjoys executive powers. I couldn’t transform and change my complaint than 200 full-time Maoist cadres prerogative, but the document says resident representatives have song, which is philosophical and intimate at the same time. I couldn’t bear the distress of seeing a flower fall When I look at theJanastha picture, I can’t help but ask myself: What depth How can you resolve the problem without accepting that the government alwaysfrom represents India are said to have reached sovereignty lies with the people. It the state? already approached the govern- of illiteracy and insensitivity made the journalists and their editor permit the title the Maoist stronghold at Rolpa by shows the links between the king ment with an offer to act as I haven’t known how to bloom, I haven’t known how to sway“The Colourful Night of @ilmdom” go with Shrisha’s heart-rending picture? In crossing the porous international and the people. In other words, the intermediaries. A few foreign Laughter came somehow but I haven’t been able to laugh fact, the scandal would have been about something else altogether: how even border at Rupaidiha, travelling king is also a protector of the governments are said to have Tears came always but I haven’t learned to cry educated middle class Nepali women find themselves helpless in their capital at through Nepalganj and into the constitution and he needs to act the hands of the powerful. @or cultural critics, the nude photo ought to be directly approached the Nepali Fatteman’s classic song of the unrequited lover, written by Nati Kaji, forest areas of Dang. The news when the people are being treated government, while others have known, studied, and interpreted as a classic text of Nepali women’s cumulative below, is enriched by its tone of open-hearted acceptance. report quoted a local Maoist leader unfairly. The constitution begins requested local rights activists to oppression under Hindu patriarchy at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. who said the underground party hadand ends with the king. The play go-betweens. They have Anyone can read the mark of duress written all over the picture—the mascara- sent its activists to study the political parties came in with a lot also extended support for the laced terror-stricken eyes, permed but disheveled hair, the mouth half agape in strategic location of the area and of promises but none gave us reconstruction of destroyed scream, the chilling naked body hunched over folded knees, struggling to hide undergo higher-level training at anything concrete. Sher Bahadur infrastructure if the present shame. Anyone can see that it’s not the picture of a nude at all but a naked picture their “university”. The Maoists haveDeuba was given six-month’s time conflict ends through a peaceful of a woman taken under extreme duress. This is a classic case of centuries of Hindu women’s oppression under patriarchy, not just the work of a bunch of QUOTE OF THE WEEK set up a high-level training school atto hold an election. Instead, he dialogue. THINGS LIKE THIS SEEM TO HAPPEN an unspecified location within the asked for electoral postponement Padma Ratna Tuladhar, an Nepal’s rogues with male or female genitalia. Does theJanastha journalists’ thinking reflect even in miniscule the attitude of I talked about contracting the management of RNAC. I didn’t offer it for sale. district to train their cadres in for a whole year, which was totally activist and a mediator at last Nati Kaji military science. The Maoist cadres,against the constitution. That was Nepal’s male-dominated media? Their inability to read beyond the surface of year’s failed talks between the From time to time in life things like this seem to happen carrying green bags and speaking a kind of tyranny on his part. government and the Maoists, cultural texts, their public righteousness about political democracy but private — Kuber Sharma, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil AviationHimalaya in Times on 4 I made a mistake in loving someone. Things like this seem toblindness happen toward cultural democracy? What qualifies them to call themselves with an Indian accent, are said to Theoretically and practically, confirmed the representatives of December. He had previously said to a gathering of Nepali industrialists that he was willing to let journalists? The mere ability to run tabloids and write trash? And when one have left India after their organisa- sovereignty lies with the people, There must be thousands who would give you love like mine anyone with Rs 1.5 billion take over the ailing flag carrier. the aforementioned nations have hears that such journalists served the cause of the left in Nepal and uncovered tion was banned for actively but they are uninterested in For you there must be thousands of hearts that cry like mine promised financial and humani- some serious scandals of the powerful in the past, one’s blood runs cold. Can supporting Nepali Maoists. politics. They choose their tarian support for reconstruction A person I had thought my own has become a stranger now I made a mistake in loving someone. Things like this seem topersonal happen aggrandizement supersede basic professional obligations and human representatives to practice at the end of the conflict. decency? Whether what Kishor Shrestha did amounts to criminal misconduct is sovereignty on their behalf, Tuladhar said the donor Let your love, stepping over my love, always grow and bloomfor the legal institutions to decide, but this failure is indicative not just of the entrusting them with everyone’s countries are keen on a peaceful Let your desire, killing my desire, always be fulfilled dirty underside of Nepali journalism but also its structural deficiency. One can welfare, be it in a multiparty resolution of the conflict in My sad eyes too used to see dreams once, long ago excuse the democratic illiteracy and blindness of a nominated bureaucrat in a ‘Interference’ democracy or singleparty order to continue and complete I made a mistake in loving someone. Things like this seemsemi-feudal to social structure, but how can one understand suicidal error in a ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○ Panchayat system. the ongoing development happen noted leftist journalist? Himalaya Times, 28 November Nepal’s monarchy is unique activities they finance. In the sudden razzle-dazzle of global consumerism often disguised as middle in the sense that there are people There are those who are From time to time in life things like this seem to happenclass purchasing power and democratic freedom, Shrisha might have confused the @ormer Chief Justice Bishwo Nath in villages who worship the king adamant that foreigners should I made a mistake in loving someone. Things like thisthin seem yet deep line between commerce and desire. Still, she deserves dignity and is Upadhyay said the latest royal movelike a god. A few towns and not be involved at this juncture to happen entitled to her rights. The terrified and terrifying picture ought to have elicited was a cumulative effect of the lack Kathmandu alone cannot represent when local efforts are being just the opposite response from theJanastha gang. It doesn’t portray a “Colourful Night”. It offers a troubling glimpse of Nepali male culture of the powerful. of resistance from political parties the sentiment of the entire nation. made. Tuladhar said Nepal Indeed, things like wrong choices in love do seem to If Shrisha Karki is to blame for anything, it is for her suicide. She endorsed since 1990 to the king’s repeated If we go for a referendum at this presently lacks an independent happen—at the best of times, as at the worst. point, an overwhelming majority all the values of patriarchy—traditional notions of honour and shame associated ‘interference’. Upadhyay, who was neutral party that is trusted by Fatteman’s live songs can be heard on event nepalaya and the chairman of the present would vote for a tyrant monarchy. both sides, so if the involvement with a woman’s body and sexuality. If she had been coerced into nudity, she Music Nepal’s newly released CD and cassette, “Gaayakought to have raised hell in the media or with the law. But she succumbed to the constitution’s drafting committee, of non-Nepalis can bring peace Fatteman Saanjh: Live Au." claimed the king violated the spirit Does that mean demands for then we should accept outside tradition of honour and shame. and letter of the constitution from a republican state do not offers to provide us with a As a result, she became one of the countless victims of Hindu patriarchy the very beginning. In a discussion hold ground? mediator. The four countries rather than a soldier of change in the status of Nepali women. If Nepali women program recently, Upadhyay said Even if the demand for a republi- that have volunteered interme- are to achieve equality it is by standing up for their actions and asserting their the king had exercised extra- can state were to be fulfilled, it diary roles have maintained rights to be who they are and who they want to be. If a Nepali man can brag constitutional practices to appoint would not last for more than six neutral positions with respect about his prostitution, why can’t a woman acknowledge or deny her errors ambassadors and Upper House months. The people would throw to the present Maoist conflict honestly and move on with her life—and, yes, fight for her right to be nude by members without recommendations and are not likely to provide We take pride in choice and against forced nakedness or forced anything?t from the cabinet. He also criticised military aid in the future. Lock—“Talks” Deputy Prime Minister Badri “Oh, you’re here already? I don’t have the key right now! Wait a minute, it may be up there. I’ll Prasad Mandal’s announcement jobs well done. just ask and bring it !” that the government was consider- ing awarding citizenship certificates Jana Prahar, 3 December JAGADAMBA PRESS (Pramod K Mishra teaches English at Augustana College, Illinois, in the [email protected] Phone: (01) 521393, 543017, 547018 Fax: 977-1-536390 United States.) 14 15 CITY 6 - 12 DECEMBERNEPALI 2002 TIMES MEETING 6 - 12 DECEMBER NEPALI2002 TIMES

BOOKWORM

Beyond Micro-Credit: Putting Development Back into Micro-0inance Thomas @ischer and MS Sriram Climbing and ‘superfluous thought’ Vistaar Publications, 2002 Climbing and ‘superfluous thought’ Rs 544 modified ‘UIAGM’ rating system of This book sets out how micro-finance can be designed, in practice, to contribute to social and the kind used in Europe. “Their economic security, promoting livelihoods, building democratic people’s organisations and ow will Himalayan moun- inherent climbing skills, backed by Jatra Ma Music Jam: Acoustic sounds by The Strings, 6 December at Jatra Restaurant & Bar, changing society. It challenges the dominant framework of financial sustainability and outreach taineering evolve, and how a recognised guide certificate, will Chaksibari, Thamel. Contact 211010 to the poor. Hcan it be made more relevant give our climbers the confidence to the people living in these and credibility to be strong ABOUT TOWN Reflections on Meta-Reality: Transcendence, Emancipation and Everyday Life mountains? More specifically, why leaders,” he said. EXHIBITIONS Roy Bhaskar don’t urban Nepalis take to Ang Tshering Sherpa, the v Trail BridgePhotographic exhibition at Patan Museum till 14 December by Trail Bridge Sage Publications, 2002 climbing as a sport, and what can present president of the Nepal Rs 448 be done to make the ‘locals’ benefit Mountaineering Association (which Program of Helvetas. more from the economic bonanza v Though based in critical realism, this book goes beyond it by showing how the world of duality together with Himal Association Snow and other Adventures: “Poems in Frames” by Mark Wyatt from 7 December, Lazimpat of the climbing industry? is sustained by a realm of creativity, love and intelligence. The topics discussed are the nature organised the symposium), spoke Gallery Café, Lazimpat Legendary climbers and knowl- v of being, modernism, post-modernism, the nature of the self and the ubiquity of transcendental from the floor and made a point-by- Woodturning in Kathmandu by Dan Hogan, andUnspoken Words:New Tibetan Calligraphy edgable specialists were addressing phenomena in everyday life. point presentation regarding the by Dhumkhang at Indigo Gallery, Kathmandu. 8AM-6PM, 14 December-14 January. 413580 these and other issues at a symposium initiatives being taken regarding v Cubism by Surendra,paintings by Shova andceramic sculpturesby Cecile Houdret at Park Wednesday on “Directions in training, rescue, revenue-sharing, Understanding Journalism Lynette Sheridan Burns Gallery till 25 December, Park Gallery, Patan. 522307 Himalayan Climbing”. The event was and the matter of the much- Vistaar Publications, 2002 a prelude to the Kathmandu maligned system of the ‘liaison porters, and maintained that the EVENTS Rs 384 International Mountain @ilm @estival officer’. v Bagmati/Bishnumati conservation Awareness Campaign from Festival20-22 December Starting from ‘What is news?’ and moving to consider decisions about public interest, accuracy 2002, which kicked off Thursday. minimal wages they received were “intolerable”. @ollowing the presentation by organised by Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness Email- (ECCA). and reliability of sources, and ethics, this book provides a model for practice centering on Seated on the podium in the developing skills in critical self-reflection. It examines how news is identified, defined and sharing a drive to face uncertainty Dr. Harka Gurung introduced world on the evening of 8 December, the experts, there was a give-and- [email protected]. 268297, 268328 chilly auditorium of the Russian take session with the audience, and created. and risk. They were social beings himself saying, “I am not a the last day of the festival. v Kathmandu Mountain Film Festival at the2002 Russian Cultural Centre 5-8 December, Cultural Centre were Tashi Jangbu the matters that came up for able “to dip below the usual level of mountaineer...I am a mountain Sherpa, Stipe Bozic, Nawang Gombu, discussion included debate on the tickets available at Mandala Book Point, Suwal Music ‘n Movies, Himalayan Java, Saraswati everyday consciousness...to develop chronicler.” He is an eminent AVAILABLE Bookstore and Patan Dhoka Kitab Pasal. www.himalassociation.org/kmiff Harish Kapadia, Dr. Harka Gurung appropriate name – Everest/ spirituality”. While on the slopes, the Himalayan specialist, and a geogra- v and Doug Scott. Brief presentations Chomolongma/Sagarmatha, the WORLDWIDE Hyatt Winter Tennis Championshipsfrom 16-21 December, all categories. Registration Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 227711, [email protected] mountaineer relinquishes all that pher by academic discipline. Dazzling were followed by an open discussion matter of royalty-sharing, open till 10 December. Hyatt Regency Kathmandu, 491234 is materially cumbersome, as the audience with his wit, Gurung IN HARD COPY moderated by Kanak Mani Dixit, environmental concerns, and, v Christmas BazaarCourtyard at Dwarika’s Hotel followed by Sekuwa Saanjh BBQ, 13 De- well as the “shedding of all addressed two critical issues: the fact CLASSI0IED editor of Himal. Nawang Gombu, again, liaison officers. cember. 479488 superfluous thought”. that mountaineering policies are made the first man to climb Everest twice The symposium closed on a ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Scott discussed the history of in the “plains”, and that the people of Give ourselfy theift g of Reflexology ! applying to colleges and grad schools, and a respected climbing elder who note of introspection, with cultural MUSIC learn how to write the application essays to climbing in terms of a “progression of the mountains are not being properly email: buddhasfeet or ring 425-931 lives in Darjeeling, opened and activist Rinchen Yonjan suggesting v Live music by Catch 22, Friday nights at the 40,000½ ft Bar, Rum Doodle Restaurant, honestly impress the admissions commit- chaired the symposium. difficulty”. Mountains were first compensated from the climbing tees so that your chances of getting royalty that the national exchequer from the audience that the private Thamel. 414336 Visit Ground ZeroFine wines, designer candles, admissions and financial aid become tackled the easiest way up, then v progressively by more difficult routes. collects. Answering a question, Dr. sector ask itself what it had done to Carlsberg Rock Yatra 1974AD in concert, 4PM onwards on 14 December at Dasrathcards, Sta- exclusive Nepali paper products, higher. promote the “spirit of the dium. Tickets at Nanglo Bakery Café and Blue Bird Departmental Stores. 529726silver jewellery, wooden items, perfumes and more.“The art of crafting the application essays” The development of equipment such Gurung suggested that it might be Darbar Marg, opposite Hotel de l’Annapurna A presentation by: Ashutosh Tiwari, a appropriate if only 50 percent of Himalaya”.t v Exclusive evening with 1974 at MokshAD (inside Club Hardic) on 6 December. Win posters, as nylon ropes and lighter plastic Harvard graduate, and friends. Register at boots enabled a move away from the royalties went to the central govern- t-shirts and tickets to Carlsberg Rock Yatra. Entry Rs 250. 528703 GAA(414-785)before space runsPlace out.: tedious fixed-rope technique to the ment, with the remaining half being Naked ChefRoom, – breakfast, dinner package GAA Hall, ThamelDate : Sunday, Decem- @ormer president of the Nepal Alpine style, a self-contained put into a trust fund to benefit people DRINKS programNRs.1440 or US$19 ber 8 approach to climbing. “There is of the high Himal. Mountaineering Association, Tashi v Friday Indulgence Taste 12 Scottish single malts for Rs 999 at the Piano Lounge, Tel:Hotel 413628/680006 Yak Jangbu Sherpa, provided an overview th something so fantastic about going Harish Kapadia, Bombay-based & Yeti. 248999 Time: 11 am-1 pm Fee: Rs 500 per of mountaineering in Nepal, from the Are you Serious about studying in the USA? person (Proceeds will be donated to the Alpine style...commitment...going for editor of the Himalayan Journal and a Nepali Times is now v Paddy Foley’s Irish APub wide range of drinks and food. Live music on Wednesday, Thurs- Darjeeling-based Sherpas taking the If so, before you spend thousands of rupees GAA and a charity.) it,” marvelled Scott, who felt that mountaineer who opened many available on PEPC day and Sunday nights. 416096 lead at the turn-of-century through Kathmandu climbing a mountain with lots of climbing routes in Kumaon, Garhwal International Worldwide vending fixed rope showed lack of that much- the ‘age of exploration’, seige-style, For insertions ring NT Marketing at 543333-36. and Kashmir, described the state of Mountain ilm machines at major OOD valued ‘commitment’. and alpine-style, to solo climbing. estival 2002 mountaineering in the Indian He suggested that Western climbers airports and hotel chains. v Vegetarian specialties and clay oven at Stupapizza View Restaurant One of the many critical issues Himalaya. Mountaineering in India had now begun to treat Nepali Receive 40 pages of the & Terrace, Boudha. 480262 Scott raised was why talented Nepali was concentrated between clubs and climbers less as ‘porters’ and more 5,6,7,8 December, latest editions of Nepali v Mongolian Barbecueon Sundays at Rox Restaurant, 12-3PM. 491234 Sherpas had not blazed the ‘alpine groups in the major metropolises, he Russian Cultural Center, Kamal Pokhari Times and selected Climbing in Nepal since the as peers, which was a positive v Newari Bhoj Traditional snacks, drinks and meals, outdoors or indoor, climbing’ trail. He critiqued the said. Kapadia’s primary concern was evolution. However, Tashi Jangbu material from 1970s, Doug Scott is a renowned Tickets and programme sheet trend towards mass climbing and its the impact of war in Kashmir, which felt that mountaineering would not Himal South Asian in a restaurant designed by Bhaktapur artisans. Lajana Restaurant. mountaineer. He made his mark in available at venue, or Lazimpat. 413874 negative impacts, particularly on has closed many areas such as the develop healthily unless Nepali and the climbing world when he Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 227711 v Everest. He lauded mountain Siachen Glacier to climbers. (He is mountain guides received interna- Himal Khabarpatrika in Barbeque with live band 6.30 PM-9.30 PM, Wednesdays and Fridays, summitted Everest by the south-west Suwal Music ‘n Movies, Lazimpat, 421522 Splash Bar and Grill, Radisson Hotel. proposing a peace park in the region.) tional certification, such as a high-quality laser print. face in 1975, and went on to be an Himalayan Java, Thamel 422519 v Authentic Thai food Everyday at Yin Yang Restaurant. 425510 Croatian climber and film-maker Saraswati Bookstore, Pulchowk, 528017Price: US$ 2.50, all major ace ‘alpine style’ climber who has credit cards accepted. v Patan Museum Café Mixed menu, garden seating. Lunch only, 11AM-2PM. 25 percent off with lately taken to promoting the Stipe Bozic presented his concerns in and Patan Dhoka Kitab Pasal, 548142. Summit Card. 526271 welfare of porters. a brief but succinct manner. The lack “Rishtey” follows the traditional Indian cinema of rescue facilities for mountaineers in v Wood fired pizza, cocktails andat coffee the Roadhouse Café, Thamel. 260187 To consider the future of theme of relationships; entangled, complicated the Nepal Himalaya, he felt, was a v Special Thai cuisineat Ban Thai Restaurant, Darbar Marg. 243271 and peppered with song-and-dance routines. mountaineering in Nepal, we must Director Indra Kumar directs Anil KapoorRishtey major hurdle in the further develop- examine the past, suggested Scott in (Suraj), Karishma Kapoor (Komal) and Shilpa ment of the sport. He suggested GETAWAYS Shetty (Vyjanthi) in a drama about love, fam- his keynote address. He compared v training courses for local climbers as The Great Godavari Getaway Special weekend packages including room with breakfastily and and friendships. Rumour has it that “Rishtey” climbers of today to the hunter- well as the initiation of a system of is a remake of 1974’s “Kunwara Baap”. Suraj dinner, 25 percent discount on health club facilities. Godavari Village Resort. 560675 gatherer of primitive society. insurance. Bozic will make a presenta- v and Komal were once happily married but “Resourceful, imaginative, explora- Christmas and New Year Packages at Dwarika’s Hotel includes dinner and breakfast.circumstances tore apart them apart. The one tion on the “holy mountains” of the 479488 person who can bring them back together is tory, and cooperative,” were qualities v Adventure Camp & Country Kitchen for day trips, picnics or overnighters. 981026637,Vyjanthi, the colourful fisherwoman. This that the hunter-gatherer and the movie will undoubtedly follow true and JAItried NEPAL CINEMA climber both displayed, besides 418922 Hindi film formulas—expect a tearjerker with a v Birdwatching, short hikes, writing Rs 1,850 per person with dinner and breakfast,happy Rs ending. 925 12 noon, 3PM, 6PM per child 5-14 years, Shivapuri Heights [email protected]. Telephone booking: 442220 Online booking v Writing Retreat Full board package Aesthetic living, innovative thinking, creative writing and www.jainepal.com nature at Park Village Resort, Budhanilkantha. 375280 v Bardia BonkersFreshwater dolphins, giant tigers, elephants, safaris, rafting, evening cocktails, traditional food. [email protected]. on M 102.4

For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] Mon-ri 0615-0645 BBC World Today Sat 0615-0645rting BBC Religion Repo NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL Sun 0615-0645Agenda BBC

VIS -04 -12-2002 09:00 GMT Good thing we have the Himalaya to protect us from the Daily 2045-2115g]kfnL BBC ;]jf Siberian winds blowing down from the north. But even despite this wall, temperatures have plummeted, Daily 2245-2300g]kfnL BBC ;]jf worsening the inversion and making the fog and haze in the Indo-Gangetic belt worse. The haze reduced visibility in the midhills to an altitude of about 3,300 m. Sun-ri 0740- 0800Ps}l5g\ -/]l8of] klqsf_ There is an active weather system pushing in from Afghanistan, and early signs of winter rain and snow in Sun-ri 0800- 08308anL -ljifout cGt/lqmof_ Kashmir. But this front will have dissipated itself by the time it reaches us. Conclusion: colder days ahead with Sun-ri 2000- 2030cfhsf s'/f -;d;fdlos ljifodf ax;_ hazy sunshine and morning fog in Kathmandu. Sat 0800- 0830zflGt cleofg Sat 1930- 2000cfrf/ ljrf/ -e|i6frf/lj?4 ;xsfo{_

KATHMANDU VALLEY Sat 2000- 2030s"6gLlts d~r Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Radio Sagarmatha P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal

SS Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681, ax: ++ 977-1- 530227 20-07 20-07 19-07 20-06 21-05 E-mail: [email protected], www.radiosagarmatha.org/]l8of ] ;u/dfyf 16 6 - 12 DECEMBER NEPALI2002 TIMES

Under My Hat NEPALI SOCIETY

by Kunda Dixit Lakpa Sherpa, another summiteer Low profilewho made it to the top only a few summiteer hours ahead of her from the Nepal side. While Lakpa was received with great fanfare, Pemba herself xtracts from a speech delivered by the ex-Minister or a two-time Sagarmathaleft the airport unnoticed to meetpapers, and lecture and train Democraticusfor @amily Planning and Copulation at the Congress Interruptussummiteer, and the third her family outside. other mountain enthusiasts. All the 0Nepali woman to climb the Her second successful proceeds are channelled into a of Asian Parliamentarians on Pluralism, Democracy trust fund she established for and Sex that was held in Singapore last week. world’s highest peak, 32-year-ascent of Everest from the Nepali importance of promiscuity and infidelity, since I know thatold Pemba Doma Sherpa is underprivileged children. “Madame Chair, Honorary Desk and Tables, Chief south face in May this year I am among pros. You two back there on row 26, cut it out.surprisingly modest. received scant coverage in the Her grandmother, who raised EWhips, Respective Academics, Darling Donors, Preten- As I was saying, it is significant that this conference is Before leaving for Tibet forlocal media. It could be that theher after her mother died, taught tious Pundits @ull of Pompous Platitudes, being held here in Singapore, for it proves there indeed is aher attempt from the public is getting blasé about Nepaliher to love the mountains and Hyperventilating Hypocrites, Knee-jerk Liberals, Ladies, direct correlation between the frequency of sex and political Chomolungma side, she told herwomen climbing Sagarmatha. Andrespect Sherpa traditions. As a Gentlemen, and last but not the least (since we don’t want freedom. In the destiny of our nations, libido and liberty family she was off on short trekthat suits Pemba just fine. Thischild she walked 5 kms everyday to be speciesists here) Representatives from the Animal are intertwined. We know from empirical evidence in with friends. But there is a hintmountaineer prefers to keep a tolow and from school in her native profile. She works from the quietNamche Bazaar. It was only later Kingdom who may be present, l end me your ears. I shall Swaziland, for instance, that leaders who are self-satisfied of pride as she recalls the return them to you intact in a few hours. moment on 19 May 2000 that sheof her home although as an in Paris, where Pemba was a and fulfilled are the ones that will go about the task of Everest summiteer, Pemba travelscomputer science student, that We are gathered here today in the Lion City to look at stood on the world’s highest nation building in a more disciplined and committed peak. “It was exhilerating and abroadat frequently to present she took up serious rock climbing. what role, if any, sex plays in the restoration, preservation manner. On the other hand, we know from the example of the same time I was nervous She doesn’t believe in the Sherpa and growth of democracy around the world. Be it far fromour own subcontinent that a population that doesn’t find anabout the descent,” she recalls. rituals and predictions that many me to lecture such veteran politicians as you about the outlet for manhood will fight for a separate statehood. And it was a harrowing one: others rely on before their It is because repressed citizens are always looking for she slipped and nearly slid down expeditions. ways to vent their frustrations that democracy goes through the near-vertical 3,000 m Her only concession, in Kangshung face. Only after honour of her grandmother, boom and bust cycles. That is why it is imperative for making it safely back to base adolescent democracies like ours which are still in bondage, before her climb was a prayer: camp did she call home to share “Mother Chomolungma, I am now and with our hormones raging, to be attracted by the the good news. setting foot on your snow. Please perverse pleasures of the autocratic position. Multiple- Pemba was on the same bless me with courage and partner democracies with coalition politics are, by defini- flight back to Kathmandu as success. I climb notout of tion, messy affairs. Politics makes for strange bedfellows. disrespect, but because my soul Since I notice that most you are now fast asleep, allow rests in you.”t me to go off on a tangent. This is neither the time nor place to delve into an extended critique of post-modernism, but I’ll do it anyway. The question we have to ask ourselves is: Is post-modernism dead? The answer must lie in unravelling competing paradigms in the present political discourse and intercourse so that we can be clear in our examination of the etymological roots of socially constructed gender roles. But, as Anthony Giddens points out in ‘The Third Way’, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel that will take us out of this present period of democraticus interrup- tus. Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that in the post 9/ 11 unipolar world the sole super power is assuming a missionary position. What, then, is the fate of smaller nations and regional superpowers who can’t afford to fool around any longer? Thank you for your undivided attention, you may now wake up and collect your earlobes as you leave the hall.”t

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