#30 16 - 22 February 2001 20 pages Rs 20 ASHUPPPPASHUPTINAAAA ASHUPTINATH TINA 9 SHIVSHIVAAA SHIV’S NIGHT 10-11 EXCLUSIVE Collateral Damage Coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the launch of the armed struggle, the Maoists have carried out a series of LOVING TO HATE GIRIJA stealthy ambushes which represents a BINOD○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ BHATTARAI shift from their earlier strategy of daring frontal night-time assaults on hey all want him out: rebels within the isolated police posts. But the new ruling Congress, the main opposition tactics, which involve the use of t UML, the smaller parties in parliament, booby-trapped pipe bombs and the Maoists, the extreme right. Even pressure cooker explosives, have led Nepal’s donors are getting impatient. But to several “mistakes” in which Girija Prasad Koirala is a stubborn fighter, innocents, foreigners and unintended and he is getting ready to take a last stand. targets have also been attacked. After thinking he had defused a mutiny First, it was Chief Justice Keshav within his party at the Pokhara Convention BAJRACHARYA DIPENDRA Prasad Upadhyay who had a narrow last month, Koirala was getting ready to train his guns at the opposition. But the HANGING THEIR HEADS IN SHAME? (from l to r): KP Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal from the opposition internal rifts were too deep to heal, and bench, Girija Prasad Koirala, Ram Chandra Poudel, and even a crucial reshuffle last week didn’t do Govinda Raj Joshi at the opening of the winter session the trick. Key ministerial appointee Khum of parliament. Parliament was paying its respects to Bahadur Khadka refused to take his oath of “known and unknown” martyrs. office at the Royal Palace and was fired a week later. Even the threat of a united Girija-bashing is going into high gear. opposition move during the winter session to take sides, if only to prove that they too not only a failed prime minister, but also why the tourism minister went back on his of parliament that began on 8 February exist. The country meanwhile teeters on the corrupt. “If he wants to help the investiga- decision not to get the jet through direct failed to unite the Congress. edge, Girija refuses to go and the opposition tion he should resign, otherwise we’ll have negotiations. There is no hard evidence to The UML’s main charge is that Koirala escape when a convoy he was refuses to let go. to understand he’s there to destroy back the allegations of malpractice, and the travelling in was ambushed near was up to his neck in the controversial lease The UML and the four other opposi- evidence,” he warned. Nepal also gave the accusations hinge on suspicions that Surkhet on 3 Feb. Five others, of a Boeing 767 for Royal Nepal Airlines tion groups know that they do not CIAA a veiled warning saying it was being kickbacks were offered, and taken. They including the registrar of the Surkhet from the Austrian charter operator, Lauda command the numbers to get rid of Koirala, watched to see if it would “chicken out” on probably were, but someone has to Appellate Court, died. The Maoists later Air. Koirala sacrificed the airline’s executive they are banking on an outpouring of public the investigation. prove it. admitted it was a mistake. Then a chairman and later his tourism minister but outrage as in the Philippines which forced To be sure, even considering the The CIAA is now combing the similar ambush on 10 Feb in the opposition was not satisfied. We’ve President Estrada out after charges of accepted wisdom that all aircraft deals in paperwork, including what we’re told is a Sindhupalchowk wounded a Chinese learnt that it may take more time for the corruption. They are also seemingly Nepal are tainted, the Lauda lease has some voluminous proposal given to the national working on the Indrawati Commission for the Investigation of the unconcerned about what all this politicking kinks. The aircraft is expensive (the $3,350 Cabinet. Only after it is through and Hydro Project, the first ever foreigner Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to press formal will do to the CIAA, which is investigating per flying hour quoted does not include the prepares a case will we know if there will to be injured in a Maoist attack. charges, if any. But that’s not stopping the Lauda deal, and remains one of few large bills for crew layovers and other be any formal charges. One senior Eleven police were injured in the UML’s Madhav Kumar Nepal from making institutions that most Nepalis still believe is overheads). Still, papers available so far Koirala aide told us: “The opposition ensuing firefight. The Chinese this the main issue in parliament. The UML clean. A CIAA source confided: “We’re from the Parliamentary Accounts Commit- knows the prime minister won’t resign warned they will abandon the project and the smaller left and right opposition worried about where all this flag-waving is tee (PAC) do not directly implicate the over these charges. They may eventually if adequate security measures are members have been raising slogans inside dragging us. There is no reason why the prime minister; all they show is that the try to take the issue to the streets.” not taken. In the latest attack, two the House, walking out and staying away. entire nation should be paralysed by one cabinet approved the purchase and released Ironically, the boycott of parliament is children died when a pipe bomb left So, there we have it: a government specific investigation that is taking its the foreign exchange. What PAC members delaying the enactment of crucial anti- by Maoists at a community water tap whose presence cannot be felt, a ruling normal course.” were more incensed about is that the corruption bills, including one that would in Mangalsen, Accham, exploded on party with a majority but which is paralysed The UML knows it has a juicy bone Cabinet ignored it earlier directive to stop give the CIAA more teeth. With the house the morning of 12 Feb. Eight others by dissent, an opposition driven to make its and is snarling at anyone who comes near. the agreement pending an investigation, and paralysed, the Armed Police Force ordinance were injured, five of them minors. presence felt because of impending In a two-hour long tirade on the opening for violating a CIAA directive on leasing to set up a special paramilitary unit to fight Meanwhile, the National Human elections, and minor political groups forced day of parliament, Nepal said Koirala was procedures. It was also suspicious about the Maoists also hangs in the balance. Rights Commission is still waiting for their Maoist “visas” to visit the four mid- western districts. Stop, look, and don’t go he transport strike has been called off but enough time to ponder the problem. But because we’ve not heard of any steps by government to 10% clearly this is no reason to celebrate. The assess the impact and alternatives, don’t be surprised if there’s another standoff one month After failing to resolve the 10 percent t government has just bought itself a from now. service charge issue by the 11 Feb month to meet the 13 demands of transport It would first need to back its pollution claims and suggest alternatives for mass transit— operators, most important of which is to especially after chakka-jams early this week. Then there’s the task force report of November deadline, all parties gave themselves roll back its decision to ban old vehicles. 2000 (when the ban was announced), which had recommended that no new passenger vehicles be till Saturday to do so. The prime The issue about student fares was only a registered until traffic management is improved considerably. The Department of Traffic minister has asked his new tourism minor irritant. The country’s environment Management (DOTM) had then said it would “soon formulate a policy to allow only minister to read the National Planning authorities and traffic managers seem environmentally friendly vehicles to ply in Kathmandu” and also “recommend the development of Commission report and see what thoroughly confused about how to handle a mass transit system”. That was the last we heard of the plan. MIN BAJRACHARYA action can be taken. There is a the issue. This is not the first time that promises of “environmentally friendly vehicles” and “mass rapid system” have been tossed about. The National Planning Commission (NPC) had made general mellowing of the hardline Clearly the government found itself in a fix. It did little homework on how the decision these suggestions as early as 1996. But instead of following the NPC recommendations, the stance on both sides, with a would impact not just transporters but also government offered tax concessions to microbuses and electric and gas three-wheelers. With the proposal to postpone bargaining for commuters. Then there’s the Vikram tempo number of commuters rising every year, the proliferation of small capacity vehicles will only two years, or until tourism arrivals hit ghost lurking in the shadows. The government had allowed Vikram owners to import low-capacity lead to greater traffic problems. But this is also contentious territory—this is where arguments 500,000, whichever happens first. vehicles effectively tax-free, and to-be-displaced transport operators may demand the same. concerning per capita contribution to pollution and the “notorious” and “lesser” polluters, faster The Federation of Nepalese Transport Entrepreneurs has given the government more than and slower vehicles, and industrial pollution in the Valley, also rest.