#132 14 - 20 February 2003 16pages Rs 25 Burning bright There is a rumble in the jungle as resorts in the Royal Chitwan National Park roll out the red carpet for visitors. There are elephant-back ‘Is it for real this time?’ safaris to view tigers, rhinos, There is watchful hope in the villages where the Maoist war started exactly seven years ago. crocodiles and dolphins, bird- watching from machans at Maoists brandishing captured guns Outside Khalanga, a group of stituent assembly elections, interim dawn and glorious sunsets at a rally near Tulsipur this week. plain-clothed armed Maoists look government and a roundtable over the Narayani River. This relaxed as they patrol the trail. They conference, or else…” is the best time to visit stop by to chat. “The talks will be Samar, is a Maoist political Chitwan and catch a rare glimpse of endangered successful and Nepal will become a activist from Jugar, and he is more wildlife. The best part is peoples’ republic,” says one of them, moderate in his views. “We will you don’t munching on roasted bhatmas, as a accept the result of the constituent have to rough captured army sub-machine gun assembly elections, even if it is in it anymore: dangles from his shoulder. favour of constitutional monarchy,” there are The lack of trust is mutual. he tell us. “We will then continue to world class Platoon commander Badal who takes convince people through peaceful resorts with orders from the Maoists’ First means.” Samar says he hadn’t all creature comforts—at Battalion in Mangalsen recalls that his received any written orders from the bargain prices! comrades were arrested by the police party high command, and his source Page 8-9 SHARAD ADHIKARI in Pyuthan during the 2001 talks and of information in KHALANGA Durga Pokhrel p3 SHARAD○○○○○○○○○○○○○ KC ○○○○○○○ haven’t yet mustered the courage to later disappeared. “We will watch the is the radio. even years after the Maoists return to their homes. The security government’s attitude first,” he says. We trek Walk the talk Seven digits launched their armed struggle forces still have their checkpoints, This time, the Maoists look like they from Saigha in Dang to Holeri in Kathmandu will have seven digit S in these hills of western Nepal, the army and police walk warily on are preparing to use the truce and Rolpa, past the ravages of famous telephone numbers from 13 war-weary villagers are hoping against March. NTC says it will add a 4, 5 joint patrols, the 8PM-4AM curfew dialogue period to strengthen political battles to Khalanga. There isn’t a or 6 in front of existing numbers hope that the ceasefire this time is for is still on. Khalanga goes quiet after programs in case they have to join the single person on the trail who does for Kathmandu. For example, if real. When the truce was announced four in the afternoon and the mainstream. At present they are not support the ceasefire. (See box you want to call Nepali Times in by radio on the night of 29 January, it fortified district headquarter still preparing for nationwide com- on page 5) “When we heard it on Patan, you will now have to dial was greeted with whispers in dark has the look of a town under siege. 5-543333. Numbers in Kathmandu memorations of the seventh the radio, we couldn’t believe our will add a 4 and those in streets silenced by curfew. Two weeks Rajendra Dhakal, Salyan police anniversary of the start of the ears,” says Man Bahadur Sahu, in Bhaktapur have to add a 6. later, there is watchful hope here in chief tells us, “We have been “peoples’ war” on 13 February. the village of Rim. “We waited so Numbers outside Kathmandu will Khalanga, the district headquarters of fooled in the past, so we are still The houses along the trail have long for this.” go up to six digits, but area codes Salyan district. on high alert. We can’t trust the freshly painted slogans with an Continued p4-5 remain the same. Villagers displaced by the fighting Maoists.” ominous message: “We want con- Weekly Internet Poll # 72 Q. What are the chances of the present ceasefire leading to actual peace ? Nepal welcomes tourists again JANAKI○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ GURUNG Bajracharya of the Hotel Association of Nepal. But former PATA ith the news of the ceasefire and the upcoming president, Ashok Chandra Pokhrel, cautions that tourism is not Everest 50th anniversary, Nepal’s tourism industry is an on-off switch. “People plan ahead. It takes six months or w preparing for a spring revival this season. more for visitor numbers to rebound,” he says. MIN BAJRACHARYA Arrivals are already beginning to pick up, and initial figures for The only dark cloud on the horizon is the possibility of war this month show that they are healthier than the first two in Iraq and tensions between India and Pakistan which will weeks of February last year. The numbers are expected to affect European and American arrivals. Although the Maoists Total votes: 1,446 grow as the main trekking and climbing season starts in March. never targeted tourists, news of fighting and political instability Weekly Internet Poll # 73. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has been preoccupied with the hit tourism hard. Controversial travel advisories issued by Q. Is Nepal safe for tourists? selection of a new CEO, but director Yogi Sakya told us, “We Western countries not being updated after the ceasefire want to tell the world that Nepal is open for business again.” haven’t helped either. Some still caution tourists not to visit The prospect of peace has sent a wave of hope through Nepal during a two-day bandh this week, even though the the main trekking areas, and many lodge owners, porters, tea With the promise of peace, strike was called off 10 days ago. shop owners are keeping their fingers crossed. There is a lot backpackers like these in Figures for arrivals last year were nearly half of totals for of anticipation especially along the Everest trail, which will see 1998, when half-a-million tourists visited Nepal. But things are a “Summit of Summiteers” drawing thousands of trekkers and Thamel this week, are flocking looking up. Even before the ceasefire went into effect, arrivals climbers to the Khumbu in May to mark the 50th anniversary of back to Nepal. by air for January 2003 were up 19 percent compared to last the first ascent of Mt Everest. Nepal is also hosting a major year, and most of the increase was in Indian tourists. international jazz festival in early March and the SKAL Asia meet in May. Things are looking so good that some hoteliers are even worrying that there won’t “The ceasefire is one of the best pieces of news we have heard in a long time, be enough air seats to carry the spurt of tourists this season. They urge an open-sky and we hope tourist arrivals will improve significantly by April,” says Narendra policy, code-sharing with international carriers and allowing private Indian airlines. Your dream of driving comes true, with NEW TOYOTA COROLLA Sole distributor for Kingdom of Nepal: Better Mileage with a 1.5 VVT-i 16 valves engine UNITED TRADERS SYNDICATE (P) LTD. Exceptional ground clearance of 160mm for the toughest roads. P.O. Box 233/2640, Tinkune, Sinamangal, Kathmandu, Nepal 2600 mm wheelbase for a comfortable driving experience. Phone: 478301-06 ( Ext. 2117 & 2119) Compact in size with overall length of 4365 mm. Park anywhere Fax: 497892/471195 Email: [email protected]/ Spacious interior with overall height of 1470 mm. [email protected]. 2 EDITORIAL 14 - 20 FEBRUARY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #132 NATION 14 - 20 FEBRUARY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #132 3 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL Design: Kiran Maharjan Webmaster: Bhushan Shilpakar [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription: Anil Karki [email protected] Sales: Sudan Bista [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-543333-7, Fax: 01-521013 Port of good hope Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hattiban: 01-547018/17 Emerging from fog in Birganj. THE REFEREE DECIDES TO BAT ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ WalkAfter seven the years of war, thetalk scars are raw, BIRGANJ – The tarai is emerging into a wonder if the Nepali side raised this would not be surprising if he manages to n a recent interview on Nepal Television, veteran kangresi Pradip Giri used an springtime of hope after a harsh winter in question during the latest round of but the truce brings new hope to Rolpa. apt cricket analogy to describe the political games being played out in convince palace officials that another public O Kathmandu. He said it was like a captain who keeps on batting even though he which towns like Birganj did not see the endless bilateral trade talks this week felicitation of the king is the number one has been bowled out several times, so the referee gets fed up and decides to bat sun for weeks on end. Now the sun is out, in Kathmandu. priority of the country at this juncture. Bimala Gharti (with child, himself. the air is balmy, the mood is relaxed and Had the Birgunj Dry Port been in The membership drive of the Nepal left) smiles for the camera in When the referee sent the captain off on October Fourth, he was fed up with the there is a cautious expectation that the operation, the rail link would have reduced Patriotic Front borders on extortion.