#248 20 - 26 May 2005 16 pages Rs 30 Taking off DOMESTIC AVIATION p8-9 Abandoned Weekly Internet Poll # 248 Q. How do you evaluate the first 100 days of the royal government? Jaya Bista and her three Total votes:810 daughters in Serabada, Weekly Internet Poll # 249. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com Kalikot, will be affected by Q... Will the new seven party alliance help thethe aidaid suspension.suspension. in resolving the political deadlock? KUNDA DIXT NARESH NEWAR suspension of Rural Community suspended projects after physical However, Kalikot-based Infrastructure Works (RCIW) after attacks in the past. But what if community groups have sent he suspension of one of the Maoists beat up a female staff of the threats are a result of local word out that Acharya was country’s most effective the project’s local partner in rivalry? targeted for reasons other than T donor supported poverty Kalikot. “We are also not happy with her work with the GTZ-funded alleviation projects in remote Debkala Acharya was badly the suspension at all but we can’t food for work program in her western Nepal has sparked debate injured in the attack at Sukatiya put our staff at risk, we don’t district. A local Maoist about where the line is drawn VDC but reports from Kalikot have any other way,” Ulf commissar in Kalikot, while not between staff safety and headquarters of Manma say the Wernicke of GTZ in Kathmandu denying that the beating took public need. reason was more personal enmity told us, “We expect commitment place, is said to want GTZ to On 15 May, the German aid than her work with the project. from (the Maoists) and the justify the suspension of its agency GTZ, British DfID and the Donor agencies have always suspension will remain until we program. Dutch group SNV jointly said safety of their staff is a have assurances of full security Continued p4 announced the indefinite priority and have often for our staff.” ISSN 1814-2613 2 EDITORIAL 20 - 26 MAY 2005 #248 Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Desk Editor: Abha Eli Phoboo, Aarti Basnyat The people of Kalikot Design: Kiran Maharjan Web: Bhushan Shilpakar Advertising: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription: Anil Karki, [email protected] shouldn’t be punished for Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal something carried out by a Tel: 01-5543333-6, Fax: 01-5521013 [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 01-5547018 Sa, Karnali handful of outlaws espite tremendous efforts are waiting for the Surkhet- people of Kalikot have been UNITED WE STAND being made by the people of Jumla road, which is going to saddened by the negative D the Karnali to overcome make access easier. The publicity generated by the The declaration by seven political parties on 8 May to work together to find a common approach to restore peace and democracy in the hardships and centuries of classrooms in the district’s pullout. We are against violence, kingdom is the first speck of light we have seen in this long dark neglect, the rest of Nepal still sees schools are full, through hard intimidation, beatings by any tunnel of our feckless party politics. us as ‘backward’. If Kathmandu work families still manage to group against unarmed innocent Not since the national government after the People’s Move- keeps giving up on the Karnali, feed themselves even though development workers. There was ment in 1990 has there been such unity of purpose to address the this could become a self-fulfilling mobility for trade is limited. more to this incident than meets nation’s problems. Ironically, it comes near the third anniversary prophecy. Recently, technicians from the eye and we feel that the donor this Sunday of the dissolution of parliament—the event on 22 May the Nepal Electricity Authority agency’s notice in the media was 2002 that triggered the split in the Nepali Congress and put the GUEST COLUMN and members of the Karnali unfair and unnecessarily country on the path to democratic reversal. Min Bahadur Shahi Integrated Rural Development jeopardised the delivery of The declaration by the Group of Seven (six erstwhile and Research Centre (KIRDARC) services to the people of Kalikot parliamentary parties plus the five members of the United Left In the past nine years, the travelled from Manma to at a time when they need it most. Front) is significant because it isn’t just another vague diatribe against ‘regression’ but presents a consensus agreement on a development of Humla, Mugu, Sannigad to inspect the small One can’t punish all the roadmap for peace and democracy and a workplan for action. Kalikot and Dolpa districts of hydropower plant which has people of Kalikot for some- Which comes first, democracy or peace, maybe a matter of debate Karnali have been hard hit by the been inactive for six years now. thing perpetrated by a handful but the document lays out reinstatement of parliament as a least- insurgency. There is great The good news is that they were of outlaws. And before public cost option and a common minimum objective. uncertainty, and traditional out- not stopped by armed groups statements are hurriedly Responding to the public’s lukewarm support for their past migration has increased deepening and Kalikot may soon have published, due attention must agitation against the king, the declaration also evaluates the the hopelessness and fatalism of electricity again. be paid to others who work parties’ mistakes and offers corrections. (However, we’d still have the people. Although compared to In a way, the situation has and live in the area and how liked to see the NC owning up and apologising for the involvement other regions, the residents of this never been better to galvanise they may be affected. of its hooligans in mosque-burning on 1 September, 2004.) remote northwestern corner of local people for development Development work in But by far the most significant aspect of the G-7 is that it seeks Nepal face a much harder struggle work in Kalikot and the rest of conflict zones must be based to turn the country’s stalemated tri-polar power struggle into one in which constitutional forces (the king ceremonially presiding over for daily survival, Karnali’s Karnali. Armed groups know firmly on the community’s parties in parliament) can together seek a solution with the Maoists. citizens are a proud and they can’t stop activities that trust. All agencies working in The 8 May declaration leaves the door open for the rebels by dignified lot. genuinely benefit the people. such areas must cooperate and stating its willingness to discuss a constituent assembly if they Kalikot is the youngest This is why the announcement coordinate their activities so abandon violence. Prachanda’s prompt and positive response to district in the Karnali and also the of suspension of activities by this trust is not eroded. this must be seen as an encouraging sign. most affected by the insurgency. GTZ, after two members of its We meet challenges every Given past fractiousness, sustaining this unity will need vision Bifurcated by the mighty Karnali partner NGO were beaten by the day, but these challenges also and statesmanship. The parties are their own worst enemies and River, its location and relative Maoists in Sukatiya near Manma provide us opportunities to need to save themselves from self-destructive greed. Once more, isolation has made it a coveted last week, is such a shock. take our work forward. And in the agitation is turning into burning tyres and uprooting sidewalk strategic area for both sides in the Directly affected will be the these sensitive times, it is railings. This time, instead of destroying public property why can’t conflict. Kalikot has no road and GTZ-supported Rural specially important that all pro-democracy demos symbolically plant new trees where they have been chopped down for instance? no airport and its 100,000 people Community Infrastructure decisions be based on facts As proof that they mean business, the NC should use the 22 have been bypassed by most Works (RCIW) project which had and not on secondary sources. May anniversary to begin reunification talks. If the egos of Sher development agencies. been providing valuable local In this situation, we must Bahadur Deuba and Girija Prasad Koirala are obstacles, then the Despite this, the people of support. not run away from the prob- party should look for alternative leadership. Kalikot have reason to hope. They We in the Karnali and the lem, but be even more firm in For years now, we have in this space called for the parties to resolving it. All it needs is give up pettiness and think determination, integrity, of the country. They seem commitment to uplift the to be finally doing so. people of Kalikot and Karnali. The ball is now in His And we would urge all Majesty’s court to concerned to review their acknowledge this gesture and meet decision and immediately the parties half-way. resume help to Kalikot. z The alternative may push the parties and the rebels Min Bahadur Shahi is the closer. If we remain chairman of the Karnali Integrated Rural Development and divided any longer, we Research Centre (KIRDARC) will all fall. Fear of freedom or freedom from fear? The third anniversary of the dissolution of parliament is a time to reflect on restoring it t took three months under house-arrest Prasad Koirala, at least he has been unjustifiable in the name of protecting precedence of fulfilment of human desires to finally bring Madhab Nepal to his consistent in his main demand – the ‘national interest’, a vague expression were possible.