#301 9 - 15 june 2006 16 pages rs 30himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/... · monsoon...

Weekly Internet Poll # 302. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.comQ..... Should parliament be dissolved as theMaoists want?

Weekly Internet Poll # 301

Q..... Should the House revive the localbodies?

Total votes: 5,062

#301 9 - 15 June 2006 16 pages Rs 30

rime Minister Girija PrasadKoirala had three mainpoints on his agenda as he

landed in New Delhi on Tuesdayevening:

Firm up a comfortableeconomic package to stabilisegovernment and kick-startreconstruction

Reassure Indian authorities ofthe stability of the seven partyalliance government

Address evident Indiannervousness about the Maoists

The package that the Indianside offered in talks with FinanceMinister Ram Sharan Mahat wasunparalleled: waiver of NRs 1.6billion of pending payment formilitary hardware, reschedulingNepal Oil Corporation’s Rs 5

KANAK MANI DIXIT in NEW DELHI

GoodiesIndia gives Nepal NRs 16 billion

in aid and debt write-offs

Editorial p2Bhai BhaiArtha Beed's Economic SenseLeveraging India p5

Continued p4

LIKE HOT CAKES: Porterscarry tv sets at Indrachok onThursday. With a month ofWorld Cup games set to start inGermany on Friday, shops can'tkeep up with the demand.

FOOTBALL

World Cup Special p8-11KUMAR SHRESTHA

P billion debt to the IOC, a Rs 7.3billion development package plusdoubling of the amount set asidefor local projects under the IndianEmbassy in Kathmandu.

At a time when most Westerndonors are in a watch-and-waitmode, India also offered a nearlyRs 2 billion outright grant incash. “We have never providedsuch budgetary support to anyother country,” a senior SouthBlock official told us.

2 9 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301EDITORIAL

Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda DixitDesk Editor: Marty LoganDesign: Kiran Maharjan Web: Bhushan ShilpakarVicepresident Corporate Affairs: Sneh SayamiAdvertising: Sambhu Guragain [email protected]: [email protected], Godavari Road, LalitpurGPO Box 7251, Kathmandu Tel: 5543333-6, Fax: 5521013Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 5547018

edi tors@nepal i t imes.com,www.nepal i t imes.com

T

HERE AND THEREDaniel Lak

A secular HinduismIf there is to be a monarchy it must be separated from religion

designating people by religiouscommunity and asked them whattheir faith ways. Magars, Tamangsand others were no longer‘automatic Hindus’.

None of the Hindu reformmovements of the past have foundroot in Nepal, given the role of thestate authorities in determiningthe official stature of religion.What would the Ranas have done,confronted by SwamiVivekananda or Gandhi? In India,Hindus survived Ashoka’sBuddhism, centuries of Muslimoverlordship and the BritishEvangelical Chriistian mission to‘civilise’ them. More thansurviving, Hinduism flourished.It still does. As India becomesprosperous and more modern, itspeople are flocking to temples andworshipping as never before.

Hinduism may similarlybecome relevant and supportive ofchange in the new Nepal. First ofall, caste needs to openly debatedand discrimination ended. Somesort of affirmative action for dalitsand others is essential. The statusof women is a national shame inmany parts of this country,particularly rural Hindu women.Their religious beliefs, and thoseof their husbands, have kept themin bondage. No faith justifiesslavery. Finally, the endlessspectacles of Hindu ritual need tobe removed from state functions,including those involving theking, and put back in temples andpeoples’ homes where theybelong.

So here’s to secularism. Andto Hinduism, whether Shaivite,Vaishnivite, Brahminical or anyother kind. Not to mentionBonpo, Islam, Buddhism,Chistianity, Animism,Agnoticism, Atheism and others.Most of all, here’s to tolerancethat can only take root when theland itself is truly united indiversity.

STATE OF THE STATEC K Lal

POKHARA—Here we are in the place withthe highest annual rainfall in Nepal, and yetthe wet streets are slick and rainwashed. InKathmandu they are muddy and potholed.

The fact that Pokhara can be spic andspan proves that the reason Kathmandu isso scruffy is because it wallows in its ownfilthy abundance. In the evening, a magicalmonsoon puts Lakeside into an upbeat mood

as a pinksunpeepsout of theedge of a

cloud. Even the rainy season is photogenicin Pokhara.

Conversations in Kathmandu are ladenwith scepticism and cynicism. Here, the airis fresher and residents optimistic. They sitaround in Chiple Dhunga where the old pipaltree used to be to discuss people power. Thepublic sphere is vibrant and forward-looking.

At the Pokhara Chamber of Commerceand Industry the mood is upbeat. Members ofthe Young Entrepreneurs Society (YES!)who have been to the world’s best

universities and chosen not to live in thecapital have organised the program. Theroom is full of enthusiastic participants.

Everybody believes something needs tobe done without delay. Nobody is sure whoneeds to do what and when. In that sense,the title of the dialogue (‘What Next?’) turnsout to be apt. But participants are reassuredthat their optimism isn’t completelyunfounded.

Parliament’s political proclamationswere radical but it has been silent on aneconomic program. Dr Mahat’s White Paperdeplores the waywardness of the royal pastand lists the gory details of the nation’sfinancial woes. But instead of coming upwith ideas, the good doc falls back on aknee-jerk call for budgetary support whichwe suppose his boss is going to get in NewDelhi this week.

The government is desperately waitingfor the economic package from New Delhi tobail the country out. But a sovereignparliament has yet to come up with astrategy to guide the government’s budgetmaking exercise. Surely a body bold

enough to declare the country secular anduntouchability-free is competent enough toannounce at least short-term measures toaddress the economic crisis?

On the other side of the negotiatingtable, the Maoists have even fewer ideas.Their jargon and slogans are shamelesslypopulist. In Marxist discourse, economicsis politics and vice versa. Now that therebels have committed themselves to apeaceful transition does it imply that theyhave also given up their rigid stance onclass struggle to accept sociallyresponsible market competition? Economicpolicies of Prachanda Path are badly inneed of further clarification from theirproponents.

A national consensus has emerged onthe inevitability of a constituent assembly toframe a fresh compact of the people. Theunanimity is based upon the assumption thatthe process and product of constitution-making will forge new unity among thepeople free of regional, ethnic, cultural andgender biases that pervaded all our pastendeavours.

But social and political rights in theabsence of economic justice is often theprecursor to further upheaval. Equality inpolitics and equity in economics are twosides of the same coin. For stability, onecan’t do without the other.

We have begun to address the politicalinequality between the power elite and thepeople, and presumably a future constituentassembly will wrap up that issue. But whois going to work on economic inequalitybetween Nepal’s haves and have-nots?

Nepal is the most unequal country in theworld’s most unequal region. Bangladesh’sGini Coefficient is 0.34, India is at 0.42—Nepal is a stark 0.53. Four-fifth of Nepalisare subsistence farmers.

Unlike the profiteers of the Birganj-Simra industrial belt, Pokhara’s youngentrepreneurs are aware that they need todo much more to gain the trust and respectof society.

If eggs laid by the golden goose ofeconomic growth are not shared equitably,those left out will be so hungry they will eatthe goose itself.

Equality in politics and equity in economics are two sides of the same coin

BHAI BHAIListening to the rabble rousing harangues in parliament this weekwarning Prime Minister Koirala not to sellout to India wewondered where we had heard it all before.

Of course, it was in 1991, 1995 and 2000 before Koirala wentto pay his respects at the Delhi Darbar each time he becameprime minister during previous tenures. (See picture.)

To be sure, parliament has reason to be concerned. Koiralahas always been notorious for not consulting. Some leaders ofthe seven-party alliance actually found out from the media of hisplan to cancel his check-up in Bangkok and go check out Delhiinstead. And, after all, the man ok’d the Tanakpur barrage in 1991even though it needed ratification by two-thirds of the house.(Later the UML went ahead and ok’d Mahakali in similar fashion.)

Since India did behind-the-scenes spadework in the recentpolitical transformation in Nepal, there is apprehension it willnow demand a pound of flesh from a beholden Koirala. That’sall right as parlour talk, but to actually believe it would be toput too little faith in our leaders and our own sense of self-worthas Nepalis.

Why are we so insecure especially after a dramatic regimechange through non-violent people power? Are we so fecklessand fickle to fritter away our natural resources so easily? Whydo we have to always prove our nationalism by baiting India?Let’s start defining ourselves by what we are rather than whatwe aren’t.

The national economy needs immediate first aid, and hereIndia’s five-year budgetary support plan will help. But for long-term sustainability and growth India and Nepal need to workconstructively on large-scale natural resource collaboration sowe can benefit from India’s blistering growth.Perhaps it is the memory of Kosi andGandaki that fuels Nepali suspicions ofIndian intent, so it means future projectshave to be more equitable.

Parliament has been decisive inrestructuring the state, removing theraison d’etre for the Maoists to keep totheir violent path. No wonder thecomrades want it dissolved. And that iswhy the house shouldn’t be bogged downplaying political ping pong, for instance,over who was or wasn’t included in theprime minister’s entourage.

It needs to be more concerned withprodding the government to reach healthcare to the poorest, get the school systemgoing again, ensure good governance andimplementation. We don’t need permanentpeace for that.

The problem in Nepal has never beenmoney, but spending it efficiently. Let’s getover our insecurities for once, and get to work.

o those agitating against thedeclaration of Nepal as asecular state, prepare to be

left behind by logic and history.You may think you’re playing apatriotic and faithful game butyou’re just cynical. Here’s why.

To begin with, there’s no suchthing as a Hindu kingdom. Evenwhen such entities existedthousands of years ago, there wasno agreement on whether theywere legitimate or not. Varioustracts used to justify the absurdnotion that a Shah king was anavatar of a god were misquoted ordeliberately misused. RespectedHindu scholars say the kings ofearly Hindudom were entreatedto be just and wise, like gods, notto be gods themselves.

In those days of wanderingmendicants like Buddha,Mahavira and others, a king whoclaimed actual godhood would

have been laughed out of court.Even Ashoka, no shrinkingviolet, only referred to himself as‘blessed of the gods’.

Very few people in Nepalknow that much of what haspassed for palace-sponsoredHinduism here was invented bythe Ranas or members of the samecourtier class, cherry picked froma heterodox array of traditionsthat can only be described in andof themselves as secular.

A secular religion? Surely not.But it is so. Hinduism is a creed,not a faith per se. The Mahant ofthe Tulsi Ghat temple inVaranasi, a saint called VeerBhadra Mishra, once told meHindus didn’t agree on anyaspect of their faith save thesanctity of the family and theresponsibility of individuals fortheir own salvation.

“We have so many schools ofthought,” he said, “some believein millions of gods, some just afew, some in one God and othersin no gods at all. We have atheistHindus. Who’s to say whetheranyone is more correct thananyone else.” Then, true to thenotion of individual salvation,Mahant-ji slipped into theGanges and took his holy bath.Tolerance is the only way toapproach life under such beliefs.

Nepali Hinduism calcifiedunder state patronage. Aculturally sanctioned way of lifein India that adapted and servedpeoples’ needs for millenniabecame a tool of caste oppressionand exclusion in Nepal.Pretending to be a force for unity,the Hinduism encouraged by theNepali elite was largely a way todivide and rule the diversemasses.

It’s no accident that thenumber of Hindus in the countrydeclined in relative terms in thelast census. That’s because thegovernment stopped simply

Gross national happiness in Pokhara19 JULY 2000, #1

39 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301

LLLLL E T T E R SE T T E R SE T T E R SE T T E R SE T T E R S

GOOD EXAMPLEI am not convinced by Pravin Rana’s apple-with-apple comparison of themilitary in conflict places with Nepal’sown (Guest Column, ‘Loving to hate theNA’, #300). The United States in WorldWar II is hardly to be compared withNepal and as a Colombian myself I daresay that $6.9 billion a year spent for themilitary only shows how much money,not to mention lives, can be wastedin a war.

That amount is only possiblebecause Colombia is, after Israel, thesecond largest recipient of US moneyfor military purposes, directed inprinciple to combat the drugs trade.Apart from other strings attached to it,Colombia is completely dependent onthat money for any improvement insecurity the government wants toachieve. In spite of it all, the drugbusiness has not decreased and themilitary is implicated in gross humanrights violations. Although someimprovement in security has beenachieved by militarising roads andparts of the country in recent years,the conflict goes on and the countryremains one of the most violent inthe world.

A peaceful way out is not in sight, atleast for the next four years, since thepresident and the people who recentlyre-elected him still believe in a militarysolution. The guerrillas have ruled outany dialogue during his regime.

After watching with pain for the lasteight years Nepal follow in the steps ofColombia, the recent developments inthis country are,as my enthusiasticmails to friends in Colombia can givetestimony, the most encouragingpolitical changes I have everwitnessed. Now it is Nepal’s examplewhich has to be followed and not theother way round.

Karin Eichelkraut, Dobhighat

Re: Pravin Rana’s Guest Column(‘Loving to hate the NA’, #300).He has rightly conceded that hatred forthe (R)NA is rife among intellectuals,civil society, media and the commonpeople. But that it stems from theirignorance is anything but true. In fact, itis the army’s own misdeeds that are toblame. Even though Mr Rana touts theNA as a messiah of democracy, Iwonder how he analyses the royalcoup, which would have never beenpossible without the military backing itto the hilt. The NA, notwithstanding thecosmetic change in its name, remainsunaltered in its essence. It wasn’t

‘restrained’ during the pro-democracymovement, soldiers opened fire atpeaceful demonstrations in Pokhara,Jhapa, Banepa and Gulariya, killing andseriously injuring many. The claim thatNepal is not yet heavily militarisedcompared to other countries is premisedon a spurious paradigm because it’s notthe number of arms or army per se but itsuse that is crucial. The incidents ofNuwakot, Belbari and Chisapani barrack,besides many others, are not just isolatedevents but a vivid reflection of the modusoperandi of the NA that can be consideredanything but ‘professional’. Maoistscertainly can’t be sanctimonious either,but redeeming the NA just because it wasfighting an insurgency is not acceptable.

Subhash Paudel,Institute of Medicine, Maharajganj

I do not agree with CK ‘Pundit’ Lalgiving the benefit of doubt (‘Fear of thefuture’, #300) to our anarchic youth. If youact like an anarchist you are an anarchist--it is as simple as that. I agree that thereis a need to create jobs for youths butforget pursuits that do not offer monetarybenefits, they will not be attractiveenough. The problem arises as Nepal’slabour law is quite unfriendly for investorsand this is made much worse by theMaoists’ recent demands in Birganj. Nosane person would ever think of investingin such an environment.

The proposed amendment to thelabour act by the ‘royalist’government was more industry-friendlyand could have done magic. But,unfortunately, the ‘new’ government choseto throw the baby along with the bath

water. Short sighted as it was, they choseto slaughter the goose for the sake of onemeal.

Armugam Ananta, Jawlakhel

The leadership of the insurgentrevolution has repeatedly declared itsacceptance of any outcome of theconstituent assembly, even a u-turn backto absolute monarchy. It has also clarifiedthat a competitive multiparty system isnot similar to the party system in westerndemocracies—but in accordance with thesocialist republic established byPrachanda Path. This is the latestversion of militant Marxism-Leninism-Maoism enriched by the Latin Americanexperience of Peru and Nicaragua. If theseven-party alliance understandscompetitive multiparty system differently,the implementation of the 12-pointagreement may face serious confusion.Besides, the performance of thehonourable members of the House ofRepresentatives in the past 15 years hasnever been very rosy. The commonpeople on the basis of theirrepresentatives’ performance may not becomfortable entrusting them with theirdestiny. Instead, a fully new constitutionjointly drafted by the parties and theMaoist leadership with the expert adviceof the UN Office of the Commissioner onHuman Rights and ratified by the commonpeople through a national referendumwould be the quickest, simplest and mostrisk-free road ahead. We thank you foryour support to the people of Nepal intheir struggle for peace, happiness andfreedom.

Ravi Manandhar, Kuleswor

LETTERSNepali Times welcomes feedback. Lettersshould be brief and may be edited for space.While pseudonyms can be accepted, writerswho provide their real names and contactdetails will be given preference. Email lettersshould be in text format without attachmentswith ‘letter to the editor’ in the subject line.

Email: [email protected]: 977-1-5521013Mail: Letters, Nepali Times, GPO Box 7251,Kathmandu, Nepal.

Re: your editorial ‘From theocracy todemocracy’ (#300). Everyone has beensaying that because of the recentchanges the king has lost. On thecontrary, it has presented KingGyanendra a golden oppurtunity toredeem himself in the public eye. If hesincerely sticks to his new duties andaccepts the outcome of the constituentassembly polls, people will be willing toforgive him his past wrong deeds and hecan go down in the history of Nepal as aprominent personality. The choice is his:does he want to be remembered as atyrant or a statesman?

Sagar Sharma, email

Thank God ,we still have people likeChitra Lekha Yadav who do not believethat you need power and position to be aleader. (‘Still speaking for women’, #299)I salute you, Ms Yadav.

Sandhya Sharma Amatya, email

STARSI’m glad to see people like Kedar Badukeeping up the good work in Nepal soastronomy is relevant to the peopledespite the political crisis (‘The stars’stars’, #300). There is a lot astronomerscan do to work for peace andunderstanding much as he is doing inNepal.

Mike Simmons, California USA

After the Indonesian earthquakes, itis clear that the threat of an earthquakemust be taken seriously by all media inNepal. Every school must run awarenessprograms and the government must notignore this natural threat. We ignoredthem in the past and regretted it. It is not ifbut when the next big one will come.Awareness today will help save livestomorrow.

Shradha Mukhiya, email

Kunda Dixit should stop writingUnder My Hats, we now have parliamentto entertain us. (‘All the hearsay that’s fitto print’, #300).

Gyan Subba, email

4 9 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301NATION

ne of the biggest ironies oflife here in the world’smost water-rich nation is

the scarcity of safe drinking waterfor the capital’s thirstypopulation.

The Nepal Water SupplyCorporation (NWSC) can meetless than half the capital’s dailydemand of 220 million litres(mlt). The corporation can onlymeet 165 mlt in the wet seasonand 100 mlt during the dryseason. So most people still gettheir water from wells dug agesago, stone water spouts, tubewells that pull water fromunderground reservoirs andtankers that fill up at streams onthe outskirts of the capital and

Here comes the rainMains dry? Tubewell exhausted? Water tankertoo expensive? Try rainwater harvesting

deliver close to home.But traditional water sources

are endangered as the Valley’sdemand for water grows by twopercent each year. Of the roughly34 ponds in Patan, only 11remain. Visit the 381 waterspouts, or hittis, in the valleyand you’ll see water squirtingfrom maybe a handful of them.Tubewells have gone dry. Theonly project to augment theValley’s water supply, Melamchi,is delayed and at least 10 yearsaway. What do we do till then?

The only answer: startcollecting rainwater. “Purifiedproperly, rainwater is perfectlysafe for all kinds of purposes,even drinking,” says PrakashAmatya of Forum for UrbanWater Sanitation, handing us a

cup of tea made with rainwaterharvested from the roof of hisoffice.

Harvesting rainwater issimple. You collect it from theroof, filter it using a simplescreen, collect the water in a tank,purify it and then use it forwashing, cleaning, watering thegarden and even drinking if youpurify it properly.

Installing a simple harvestingsystem in a private house costs aslittle as Rs 3,000. The amount ofwater collected depends on therainfall and the surface on whichit lands. With Kathmandu’srainfall and a roof collection areaof 100 sq m, a household cancollect 128 cu m of waterannually—more than enough for afive-person family. The onlycatch: you need a tank to store allthat water.

Kathmandu gets an average of1,600mm of rain a year. But 80percent of this falls in the threemonsoon months and much of itgoes to waste. But withunderground supplies beingsucked dry by tubewells andshrinking of open spaces thathelp to recharge undergroundwater, alternatives are needed.

In fact, rainwater harvestingcan even help to recharge theground water supply. Collectedwater can be drained into a soakpit made from layers of sand,gravel and charcoal (consideredthe best purifiers and filters).Water collected this way willautomatically seep underground,

recharging ground water.The Ministry of Physical

Planning and Works is nowfinalising its urban water supplypolicy which aims to ensure thatnew housing developmentsinclude rainwater harvesting. “Itcould be difficult to make itmandatory but we are trying to

ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY

O

create awareness about theadvantage of rainwaterharvesting,” says joint secretaryPurna Das Shrestha.

In fact, rainwater collection isnot something fashionableenvironmentalists do, it hasbecome a necessity for survival inKathmandu.

Where it has workedRainwater harvesting systems have already been installed in various schoolbuildings, campuses, housing complexes and even government departments (seepic left). And everywhere, it has been heaven-sent.

The NGO Forum for Urban Water Sanitation has even trained plumbers whowill come and fix the pipes in your house for a minimum charge. All you have todo is call 2042122.

Shuvatara School installed a rainwater collection system in 2004 at a cost ofRs 50,000. The four tanks can collect 10,000 litres. “We’ve been using rainwaterfor everything,” says Mohan Niraula, the ecology and environment teacher whobuilt the system.

Residents of a housing complex recently built on the outskirts of Kirtipur forsquatters removed from the banks of the Bishnumati have to journey to fetchwater from a communal tap in Kirtipur, one mile away. But once three large tanksto store 60,000 litres of rainwater are complete, none of the 44 families will needto walk the mile.

India attached great importance to thevisit as evidenced by Prime MinisterManmohan Singh taking theunprecedented step of coming to theairport to greet Koirala on Tuesday.

He told a visibly touched Koirala thathe could not do less for one of Asia’s“seniormost statesmen”. But Indian mediawas distracted by the case of young RahulMahajan’s run-in with cocaine andchampagne to pay much attention.

Severely weakened by a failing rightlung, 84-year-old Koirala was mostlybound to the Imperial Hotel where the

Indian side had put up the 42-memberdelegation from a newly democratic Nepal.

Aside from immediate aid and debtwrite-offs, the Nepali delegation has alsodiscussed hydropower projects to meetNepal’s own urgent demand. There is hopeNepal can build on this for joint riverprojects in future. Full details are to beunveiled in a joint communiqué on Friday,and at press time New Delhi hadn’t said noto waiving a four percent countervailingduty that India places on Nepali products,which Nepali business has been seeking.

India has asked for a list of Nepalimanufacturers, so third country productsaren’t fobbed off as export to India.Bangladesh has reportedly also approachedIndia for similar consideration which issaid to have put Delhi in a bind.

The South Block official conceded thatIndia was trying to be less prescriptive inits relationship with Nepal, with thepromised assistance to be used according toNepal’s defined priorities in highways,rural infrastructure, public health andeducation. Knowing of Kathmandu’ssensitivities and the transitional nature ofthe present government, the Indian sideresisted attempts by Nepali officials to ink

in reference to hydropower projects.Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

Anand Sharma and Man Mohan Singh’sNational Security Adviser M K Narayananare known to have expressed concern aboutthe Maoists in separate meetings withKoirala. ‘’The Indians seem nervous aboutthe rebels being seen to be at par with thestate,” one Nepali official told us. “Disunitywithin the seven alliance can only help theMaoists.”

Indeed, a Ministry of External Affairsofficial also confirmed that this was hisgovernment’s position on the rebels. “Theseven party alliance government must dealwith the Maoists from a position of strengthso that the rebels move towardsdecommissioning of arms and a free and fairelection to the constituent assembly. Thisprocess must be accelerated if peacefulpolitics is to be consolidated in thedistricts,” he said.

New Delhi, however, remained firmlyagainst any kind of United Nationsfacilitation of peace talks between thegovernment and the Maoists. It wouldprefer to see the United Nations as observerrather than monitor of the constituentassembly elections. However, Indianofficials conceded that the UN had theexpertise and credibility required for the‘management of arms’ before the elections.

The Maoist leadership is anxious for the

release of more than 130 of its comradespresently in custody in India, some ofthem senior central committee members.But Delhi didn’t seem to be in any greathurry to go down this road. Said oneIndian official, “We see the rebels in jail asa bargaining tool that the government ofNepal needs during the negotiations.”

“When asked to decide, India will ofcourse side with the political parties,”explained Indian political scientist andNepal expert S D Muni. “New Delhi wantsthe Maoists to be mainstreamed but howthis is to be done is up to Nepal’s politicalparties. Girija Prasad Koirala is powerfultoday like never before and it hisresponsibility to ensure that the parties inhis alliance do not complicate the peaceprocess.”

The enormous weight put by the Nepaliside on Koirala’s New Delhi trip and theextreme sensitivity to what the Indian sidehas to say is indicative of the unfinishedNepali agenda of building a competent,independent India policy.

The hope is that the self-confidenceexhibited by the Nepali people during theApril Uprising will also translate intoKathmandu’s assertive engagement withNew Delhi. Over the decades and till today,this engagement has been marked by twoextremes: knee-jerk anti-Indianism andsupplication.

A new beginning for Indo-Nepal relations

from p1

TRAVELLING ROYAL: Girija Prasad Koiralaon board flight RA 217 to New Delhi onTuesday.

KANAK MANI DIXIT

KIRAN PANDAY

BILASH RAI

59 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301NATION

B

NEW PRODUCTS

ECONOMIC SENSEArtha Beed

Nepali Times: How do you evaluate Nepal’sPeople’s Movement of April 2006?Herve Jouanjean: Very positively. The problem is thatthe degree of information available to the average citizen inEurope. From the media, the European public knows thatthe people were fed up with the royal regime, that theseven party alliance started a people’s movement and thatthe king retreated under pressure. The public is much lessaware of the intricacies within this general scenario,including the role of the Maoists in making the movementsuccessful.

Herve Jouanjean,deputy director-general Asia andLatin America atthe EuropeanCommission inBrussels, was inKathmandu lastweek. He spoke to

Nepali Times about Europe’sviews on the recent politicaltransition here.

Commissioner on Human Rights. We provide fully 80percent of the assistance for the OHCHR. TheCommission has now decided to resume all assistance soabout 20 million euros halted in the pipeline willimmediately begin to flow. And after 1 January 2007, youcan expect a new phase of program assistance for Nepal.We will watch the peace and democracy restorationprocess closely to make sure there is no slippage. Ifeverything goes well, then we will bring forth anextensive new package of EC assistance for Nepal, whichwill seek to target rural areas.

What if there is slippage?If, for example, the Maoists do not cooperate on the pathto peace and democracy, we will be forced to reconsiderthe support promised after January 2007. This will also betrue of other donors, I believe.

What is your level of confidence in Nepal’sfuture?My answer is simple–let us do it, let us move ahead withthe best of expectations. Among the politicians there is aroadmap and a political vision. However, we are not blindto the fact that there are so many complex details to bemanaged. This includes demobilisation,decommissioning of arms, rehabilitation of the violence-affected population and reconciliation. The rebel fighterswill have to be rehabilitated as well, for they will noteasily go back to the village. At the Commission, we haveexperience with this kind of situation in Latin Americaand in Aceh.

y the time this article isprinted, innumerablecolumn centimetres would

have been expended discussingthe PM’s visit to India: how it wasa sell out, how it compromisedour integrity and sovereignty, etc.We have been doing this for thepast 50 years and will continue todo so for another 50, or until westart seeing our neighbour in anew light.

Let’s start by examining ourapproach. We look to India theway a school kid approaches aparent for pocket money. In oureyes, every India visit is about ourleaders carrying an empty jute bagacross the border to be filled up.We never see India as a partnernation. We never think to tell itsleaders: “You need energydesperately and we have plenty ofhydropower. Let us see if we canwork together.” No, we want Indiato dole out projects as it does forBhutan, but we want to keep ourself-respect at the same time.

The fact that the primeminister’s entourage does notinclude a water resources ministeris actually a shock. In the past, wehave negotiated refugee issueswithout having a foreign ministerand look where that landed us.Fifteen years of mistakes but wedo not want to learn from them. Iftiny Laos can benefit from itspowerful neighbour Thailand,why can’t Nepal benefit fromIndia?

Our fixed exchange rate and

Leveraging IndiaOur neighbour is an opportunity not a threat

open border are to Nepal’sadvantage. The former lendsstability to our macro-economicindicators but it will beinteresting to watch how longIndia will want to keep theborderopen. There is a potential forNepal to become a Mexico toIndia’s United States, with borderfences and migrants risking theirlives to cross over. Instead, weneed to leverage the open border

that allows the two nations’human resources to move freely.Remember, it was this border thatabsorbed the impact of theinsurgency as thousands fledsouth in search of jobs andsecurity.

If the world is now seeingIndia as a major partner in globalgrowth, why is Nepal shy toelevate itself to partner status?Look at our advantages: themarkets of north and northeastIndia are better served from Nepalthan from India’s south. Wepossess a young, educatedworkforce as the basis of ourhuman capital and Nepalprovides an easier transit to Chinathan India’s existing options.

Why do we only look to Indiawhen we need to be bailed out,politically and economically,without taking into account ourstrengths and potential?

Rather than asking for cashhandouts that would be chewedup in the cogwheels of thebureaucracy and shrouded bypolitical cobwebs, it would bemore profitable for Nepal to pushIndians to invest here. Many

millionaires south of our borderare hungry for success andrecognition. In today’s India, adeal worth less than $100 millionis not even noticed but an Indianentrepreneur with $10 million inhis pocket can be a big wheeler-dealer in Nepal. We need to reviseour laws and institutionalframework to encourage suchinvestments.

Instead of spitting venomabout the great Indian design,isn’t it time that we followed therest of the world and started tobuild our partnership with India,and China? If we neglect this taskand continue to brood over ourshared past, future generations ofNepalis will not forgive us.

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Balancing migrationMigration can both hurt and help developing countries, said a reportreleased this week by the United Nations. “It is for governments todecide whether more or less migration is desirable,” said UNSecretary-General Kofi Annan in the introduction to the report,International Migration and development. “Our focus in theinternational community should be on the quality and safety of themigration experience and on what can be done to maximise itsdevelopment benefits.” Annan proposed a standing forum of all 191UN member states where governments could share ideas and bestpractices related to migration and its links to global development.People living outside their home countries numbered 191 million in2005—115 million in developed countries and 75 million in thedeveloping world. Developing countries earn roughly $167 billion ayear in money repatriated by migrant workers. Remittancescontributed 11.7 percent of Nepal’s GDP in 2004, says the report.

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International albumNepal’s rock headliners 1974AD will release their seventh album OnAir, at a concert in Dresden, Germany on 17 June, the first time that aNepali album has been released internationally. The event is part ofthe band’s upcoming tour of Germany and Dubai in partnership withPartyNepal.com. 1974AD will play in various German cities 16-18June and from 22 June till 1 July will perform for Nepalis living inGermany and Belgium before flying to Dubai for two shows.

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Unions in the movementEighty-five leaders and activists of the General Federation of NepaliTrade Unions (GEFONT) were arrested during April’s people’smovement, according to a new GEFONT report — Nepali TradeUnions in the Loktantrik Movement. Twenty-five GEFONT memberswere injured by bullets and 338 others in clashes with securityforces. “The Nepali trade union movement stood against the royaltakeover from the very beginning. Workers embarked on a greatprocession in the country’s major cities on 1 May 2005, the firstsuch event after the takeover. This was an opportunity for the Nepalipeople to gain confidence,” says the document.

ECO-TIME: Japanese watchmakerCitizen has opened a showroom onthe first floor of Ratna Plaza, New

Road. Called ‘First Citizen’ the showroom will feature Citizen’s EcoDrive model, which runs on light energy.

JOLLY TASTES: Gorkha Brewery has launched Nepal’sfirst shandy and lemonade drinks, Jolly Shandy andJolly Lemonade. Jolly Shandy is a mix oflemonade and beer with an effective alcoholcontent of below 1 percent. Jolly Lemonade is anon-alcoholic, thirst quencher with addedVitamin C. It is priced at Rs 25 per bottle whileJolly Shandy sells for Rs 35 for a 330 ml bottle.

What are the challenges ahead?All the energy has now to be put into the process of peaceand reconciliation. The people of Nepal have said that theywant a political resolution and everyone must supportthis 100 percent. The government is made up of some veryastute politicians who have gone into this with their eyeswide open. They know the risks and have evaluated thechallenge. They know how to play poker, understandingthe strengths and weaknesses of the partners. This is adangerous game but what else can you do when a forcethat has been underground for 10 years says that it is readyto talk?

Are you confident they can resolve theirdifferences?I look at the wisdom of the Nepali people, who have toldtheir politicians to go ahead in the dialogue with theMaoist rebels knowing there is no military solution. At thesame time, this wisdom will not be well served if theelections to be held in the future are not free and fair.

The European Union represents one of the finestexamples of reconciliation and reconstruction of moderntimes. Despite so many deaths, the enemies of the SecondWorld War learnt to courageously work together. We learntto sit across the table and have dialogue, which led toreconciliation and reconstruction.

How do you propose to help Nepal now?After the royal coup of 1 February 2005, we suspended allassistance except in the humanitarian arena, includingassistance to UNHCR and the Office of the High

“We want to make sure there is no slippage”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

6 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 9 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301

SELECTED MATERIAL TRANSLATED EVERY WEEK FROM THE NEPALI PRESS

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SecularismYubaraj Ghimire in Samaya,1 June

Secularism is a noble idea, itsmain tenet is the separation ofreligion and state. The stateshould treat all religions equallyand it shouldn’t allow religionto be used by a political force toperpetuate itself. Parliamentpassed a resolution onsecularism but doesn’t seem tohave done enough homework onhow to implement this. Becauseof this, elements opposed tosecularism are spreadingrumours that this is againstHinduism and could use theserumours to push the countrytowards communalism. Despitebeing a Hindu kingdom,secularism has been thecharacter of the Nepali state.

Especially after 1 Feburary2005, anti-democratic forceshave used Hindufundmentalism to legitimisethemselves. The king’s ADC wasthe chairman of the VishwaHindu parishad and the entirestate apparatus was mobilisedfor a jamboree in Birganj whilethe pro-democracy movementwas getting underway. The holymen who were brought toBirganj preached that democracywas anti-Hindu. And the kingordered that Rs 5 million begiven to Gen Bharat KesharSimha to organise the meeting.

Because the king used hisHinduness to legitimise thistraditional power it wasnecessary to declare Nepalsecular. But this declarationshould not be limited to paper.It must be vigilant about Islamicand Christian groups who maytry to use religion for politicalends. The government hasn’teven given the minimumcaution against those who maytake secularism to meanconversion or disturb communalharmony. Secularism alsodoesn’t mean taking revenge onany particular religion,including Hindusim.

Interview with Janardan Sharma (Comrade Prabhakar), deputycommander of the Maoist western division, by Kiran Pokhrel onRadio Sagarmatha’s ‘Aja ka Kura’, 3 June

Radio Sagarmatha: What is your troop strength?Comrade Prabhakar: We have seven divisions at present, this is ournational army. At the local level there are hundreds of thousands ofmilitia.

How about regular guerrillas?This is an internal matter. It is not necessary to give you the exact figure.You can calculate yourself from the fact that we have seven divisions.What I can say is that we have enough strength to challenge the royalarmy.

When will you declare your exact troop strength and your weapons?When Comrade Prachanda is involved in negotiations and when thesubject of arms management comes up, headquarters will announce it.

Would you include your militia under a future arms managementagreement?It can be done separately from the PLA because it is not part of our mainforce.

Are you trying to hide your true strength?No, we don’t need to do that. It is not our intention to hide true numbers tohatch another conspiracy. We are trying to move towards a democraticrepublic as per the wishes of the people and that is what our party andour headquarters are involved in under the leadership of ComradePrachanda.Guns aren’t as important as ideas. We amassed weaponswith our ideas. We started from zero weapons.

So how many weapons do you have?I don’t need to answer that either. This much I can say: we have capturedsome from the army and some we manufacture ourselves.

You stuck to your slogan of people’s democracy and started yourpeople’s war and now you have changed the slogan to democraticrepublic. Why?We have not lost our way. We have a dream of socialism-communism.But we have to move with the times. For the moment the Nepali peoplewant an end to feudalism and to set up a capitalist democratic republic.Comrade Prachanda has publicly expressed a commitment to a peaceful,prosperous and great Nepal. And we want to do it with the politicalparties, civil society and the people.

So your armed struggle was a mistake?As I said, we want to end feudalism and we want an inclusive democracyso that all the marginalised, suppressed and discriminated classes andgroups are represented so they can participate in governance.

How do you aim to get there, through federalism?We have suppressed classes, gender, ethnic and regional groups. Weneed to grant them autonomy and set up a united federal Nepal. We needto include all their needs, their cultures, their languages by giving them asay in the new constitution. The development of Nepal means thedevelopment of the janajatis. If they don’t have a say in the state powerstructure they’ll never have development. We have a dream of makingNepal into the Switzerland of Asia.

“Make Nepal the Switzerland of Asia”

Couldn’t this have been achieved without the loss of 13 or 14 thousandlives?Even the 1990 constitution couldn’t resolve these contradictions, itcouldn’t address the people’s concerns. If we hadn’t taken up arms,even the 19-day andolan wouldn’t have happened. Let me ask you this:if it was possible without armed struggle why didn’t it happen? Thepeople understand this. The uprising was something the war broughtabout. Back when we made our 40-point demand no one listened to us.We didn’t want to drag this country into conflict, but we had no choice.

People are confused: the parties who were your class enemies are nowyour allies. Baburam Bhattarai even said in 2001 that your party hadworked closely with the palace. Why the change?We didn’t have an official agreement with the palace but at a time whenthe parties were trying to suppress us we had certain convergence tolook for a solution. King Birendra perhaps had a vision for the futureand didn’t want the army invovled. But the andolan changed the partiesand changed their behaviour. They understood that we reflected theaspirations of the people and they should work with us. We alsounderstood coming out of war that we had to work with the partiestowards setting up a republic. It was a mutual transformation.

What are your views on demobilisation and conflict resolution?One aspect of it is to define the chain of command of the Nepal Army–afeudal army can’t work towards a loktantrik Nepal. And just by removingthe king as supreme commander you don’t change the structure of theroyal army. As for us, we have to figure out a way to ensure there areresources for the upkeep of the PLA. And then there is the question ofwhat to do with weapons when we go for constituent assembly—and forthis we’d like international supervision.

Why can’t we do that ourselves?People may not trust us, the best would be for the UN to take the leadbecause everyone trusts the UN. And then in the second phase after anew constitution is set up, we need to ensure that it is a NepaliRepublican Army.

Peoples Movement

Robin Sayami in Himal Khabarpatrika, June

If India invited the prime minister to prove thatparliament is everything, then that will be harmfulto the country. There is a deep conspiracy to makeparliament supreme.

- Chairman Prachanda on Kantipur Television,8 June

PRESSED TO ATTEND: Students, teachers and common folks from various districts in Gandaki andDhaulagiri zones were forced to attend the recently held Maoist assembly in Pokhara on 29 May.

Ram Gurung, Samaya, 9 June

“ “

MIN BAJRACHARYA

79 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301FROM THE NEPALI PRESS

Finance Ministry Secretary Bhoj Raj Ghimire inDeshantar, 4 June

Deshantar: What are the main challenges for theeconomy at present?Bhoj Raj Ghimire: The biggest challenge ismaintaining financial stability. The secondchallenge is to increase investment and to use it tobenefit the poor. We also need to createopportunities for employment and incomegeneration.

How are the government’s financial plansprogressing?We are nearing the end of the financial year so it’snot possible to make big changes. We are nowworking on cutting unproductive expenses andinvesting the savings in future developmentactivities. The coming year’s budget is beingprepared. The white paper addressing thecountry’s economic problems and thegovernment’s future economic programs hasalready been issued. Priority will be given to ruralareas and making various services moreaccessible to the people. The government willfocus on meeting the people’s needs andpromoting their participation in developmentactivities such as building roads. These activitieswill not only increase facilities but also helppeople earn an income.

Previous governments also talked of pro-poorbudgets but failed to raise living standards.Most reforms since 1990 have focused onchanging the economy’s structure by increasingprivate investment and adopting an open marketpolicy. However, the expectation that commerceand trade in urban areas would spread to ruralregions did not happen. Only the urban areasdeveloped, excluding a large chunk of the country

This is also a warning againstthe Maoists. They shouldn’t behurt religious sentiments of thepeople by slaughtering cows,demolishing temples setting fireto Sanskrit University. In fact, bybeing involved in the murder ofHindu social reformer NarayanPrasad Pokhrel, the Maoists haveactually allied themselves withthe Hindu fundamentalists. Bynot carrying out self-criticism,the Maoists are helping the anti-secular forces in this country.The government mustimmediately prohibitorganisations that spreadreligious hatred. It must investin education that emphasisestolerance and secularism sofuture generations of Nepaliswill grow up with that culture.It’s time to put secularism intopractice.

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House rulesJana Aastha, 7 June

Prime Minister Girija PrasadKoirala had held up the passingof Parliamentary Rules 2063, sothe house debated it while he wasin New Delhi. Koirala had wantedthe prime minister to be thecaretaker in the event of the deathor incapacitation of the monarch,while others wanted the speakerof the house to have theauthority. Parliament seems to bein a tearing hurry to decide onroyal succession, while Koiralahad been delaying it. The rivalproposal is for a 17-memberinterim committee lead by thespeaker to be caretaker if the kingdies. The state affairs committeeof parliament had felt that theprime minister’s head ofgovernment shouldn’t be thecaretaker.

Interestingly, if the king dieswhile parliament is not insession and succession has to bedecided, there is a provision toreconvene parliament for the solepurpose of choosing a newmonarch. Under Rule 205 of thedraft rules of parliament, a kingcan also be dethroned if one-fourth of parliament signs anaffidavit declaring him ofunsound mind. Such adeclaration will be passed on tothe cabinet for decision. The rulesalso allow parliamentarydecisions and resolutions by thesecurity council to be passedwithout the formality of a royalseal of approval.

People’s budget

from the economy. Fifteen districts still don’t haveaccess to roads and many lack basic minimuminfrastructure. If roads and electricity areprioritised, there is no doubt this will havemultiplier effects and boost the income of the poor.Past programs might have been called pro-poorbut they were not distributed accordingly.

Tax revenue is not meeting targets. How are talksprogressing with donors about replacing that lostrevenue?We have got positive signs from our foreignfriends who have accepted the political change.They said that they are ready to help and that thegovernment should produce a package ofproposals. Denmark has already announced an aidpackage of Rs 200 million. We have also spokento the World Bank, the ADB and bilateral donors.

Will the Maoists also be considered in the comingbudget?After decisions have been taken at the politicallevel, we will have no problem with that.

MIN BAJRACHARYA

MIN BAJRACHARYA

8 WORLD CUP 2006 SCHEDULE

2006ENGLAND vs PARAGUAY

6:45 PM | 10 June

TRINIDAD & T. vs SWEDEN9:45 PM | 10 June

ENGLAND vs TRINIDAD & T.9:45 PM | 15 June

SWEDEN vs PARAGUAY12:45 AM | 16 June

SWEDEN vs ENGLAND12:45 AM | 21 June

PARAGUAY vs TRINIDAD & T.12:45 AM | 21 June

ARGENTINA vs IVORY COAST12:45 AM | 11 June

SERBIA & M. vs NETHERLANDS6:45 PM | 11 June

ARGENTINA vs SERBIA & M.6:45 PM | 16 June

NETHERLANDS vs IVORY COAST9:45 PM | 16 June

NETHERLANDS vs ARGENTINA12:45 AM | 22 June

IVORY COAST vs SERBIA & M.12:45 AM | 22 June

MEXICO vs IRAN9:45 PM | 11 June

ANGOLA vs PORTUGAL12:45 AM | 12 June

ANGOLA vs MEXICO12:45 AM | 17 June

PORTUGAL vs IRAN6:45 PM | 17 June

PORTUGAL vs MEXICO7:45 PM | 21 June

IRAN vs ANGOLA7::45 PM | 21 June

GROUP B

Round of 16

GERMANY vs COSTA RICA9:45 PM | 9 June

POLAND vs ECUADOR12:45 AM | 10 June

GERMANY vs POLAND12:45 AM | 15 June

ECUADOR vs COSTA RICA6:45 PM | 15 June

ECUADOR vs GERMANY7:45 PM | 20 June

COSTA RICA vs POLAND7:45 PM | 20 June

GROUP A GROUP C GROUP D

Semifinals

WINNER A vs RUNNER UP B8:45 PM | 24 June

MATCH 1

WINNER C vs RUNNER UP D12:45 AM | 25 June

MATCH 2

WINNER B vs RUNNER UP A8:45 PM | 25 June

MATCH 3

WINNER D vs RUNNER UP C 12:45 AM | 26 June

MATCH 4

WINNER MATCH 1 vs WINNER MATCH 28:45 PM | 30 June

MATCH A

WINNER MATCH 5 vs WINNER MATCH 612:45 AM | 1 July

MATCH B

WINNER A vs WINNER B12:45 AM | 5 July

MATCH 1

LOSER 1 vs LOSER 212:45 AM | 9 July

THIRD PLACE

10 SPORTS 9 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301

The World Cup Comes

Sports BarThe only sports bar and café intown, the Sports Bar in Kamaladiis for those who love the game likenothing else. It also offers thelongest bar in town, a 109-inchscreen with surround sound,unique cocktails, mock tails,exquisite cuisine, ice cream

parlour and a small loungearea. This is the place to be ifyou’re looking for some realaction. No cover charge untilthe quarterfinals.4438017

Hotel HimalayaHaving transformed its lobbyinto a football arena completewith a stadium-like parapet forspectators, life size posters ofsoccer superstars and a giant24.5-foot screen, HotelHimalaya is already mentallyin Germany. Special snackshave been added to the menu

including Zizu’s French Fries,Frank Frankfurtters, PatrickBurger, Beck Ham & Cheese S/W,Crespo’s Crispy spring roll, Pak JiMomo and Carlos banana split.World Cup cocktails includeRuud Punch, ShevchenkoScrewdriver, Gin Terry’s Tonic,Martini a la Totti, Ronaldo Samba

Special, Rooney MetatarsalSling and Thierry Thunderbolt.Cover charge is Rs 300 perperson per evening andincludes a free beer or large pegof whisky. Rs 150 for children(not the whiskey, the covercharge). A ‘Season’s ticket’ costsRs 5,500 per person. Rooms arealso available at a special pricefor spectators camping in. SonyCybershot prize in competition.5523900

Imago DeiThis newly opened café in thecentre of town, across from the

east gate of Narayanhiti Palace,has a relaxed friendlyatmosphere, perfect if you wantto watch the games with a like-minded crowd. You’ll be viewingthe game on an Epson EMP- S31600 lumins projector with a250-watt sound system. Likeother venues, it is offering World

Nepali Timesbrings you

the hottestplaces intown to

watch theplanet’sbiggest

sportingevent

119 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301SPORTS

TEE BREAKDeepak Acharya

to town

tand on any driving range and you will witness an oddlyrecurring event: golfers moving their legs right to left, front toback and in all directions in between as they swing, in a bid to

generate more power. Trust me, I have seen this phenomenon in alllevels of golfers, from seasoned hackers right up to singlehandicappers.

Obviously we all want to hit the ball a few yards longer. But whiletrying to generate more power,most golfers because they lackproper technique, ’sway’ their legsto put more punch into their swing.When you move your legs as you

take your backswing, you lose your centre of gravity. The result–aloss of 30-70 yards on your drives! Even though you swing the clubswith your hands, the role that your legs play is equally vital.

This week I want to give you some tips on controlling your legs soyou can both generate more power and stay connected to the swing.When swinging correctly, you should be able to use your legs aspivots, right leg on the backswing and left leg on the downswing. Asyou turn your upper torso and hips, the legs should load up the powerand keep the swing intact. Remember, you will only be able togenerate power if your legs work as pivots.

So, how to keep your legs quiet?Drill 1 - Kneel on the ground and take a practice swing. Feel the turnof your shoulders and hips. Get in tune with this sensation and build itinto your real swings.Drill 2 - Practice your swing standing with a pole two inches awayfrom your right thigh and make sure that you don’t touch it during thebackswing. This will help you to develop tremendous balance andgenerate more speed on the downswing. Do the similar exercise onthe downswing and follow-through. This will help you maintain thecorrect body angle and suddenly you will find your ball flyingstraighter and longer down the line.

I have successfully refined my golf swing focusing heavily onthese drills, as have a lot of my students. So don’t wait–visit thepractice range to hit a few hundred balls keeping the above advice inmind and see the improvement!

Deepak Acharya is a golf instructor and Golf Director at Le Meridien GokarnaForest Golf Resort & Spa, Kathmandu. [email protected]

Want power?Practice keeping your legs quiet

S

Cup cocktails as well as specialsnacks by Chef Alicia. There is nocover charge but Imago Dei seatsonly 50, so come early and staylate.4442464

Club HimalayaAt 7,200 ft up in Nagarkot you’llhave all the clean air you need toscream your lungs out cheeringfor your team as you watch thegames on an 18 ft projector screenand plasma tv at RestaurantKantipur and Bar Indrawati. ForRs 1,500 a person you get awelcome drink, breakfast, dinner,shared accommodation andshuttle service. Challenge sheets,bets, gifts and gift hampers andhappy hours are all included.6680080

Le MeridienIf you really want to focus on thebouncing ball, where better thanin the middle of the Gokarnaforest? The serenity of the junglein the monsoon will put you ina zone so you can concentrate, orkeep calm if your team loses.With a sitting capacity of 50, LeMeridian’s Agni Bar has the only42-inch Sony Bravia, a new highend LCD that will team up with a42-inch Sony Wega projection tvand home theatre. Pay a covercharge of Rs 500 and you’ll getfree unlimited munchies and onecomplimentary beer. Or stayovernight and enjoy a round of

golf the next morning to cureyour hangover.4451212

SoalteeCrowne PlazaThe Rodi Bar is offering prizesgalore for Cup watchers,including the grand prize of around trip for two to New Delhi,with two nights’ stay at the InterContinental Eros. The specialpackage is priced at Rs 1,500 perperson, sharing, and Rs 2,500 forsingly occupancy (only for

Daily 2045-2115 on 102.4

g]kfnL

Radio SagarmathaP.O. Box 6958,

Bakhundole, Lalitpur, NepalTel: ++977-1-545680, 545681,

Fax: ++ 977-1- [email protected],

www.radiosagarmatha.org

Nepali nationals, so no Braziliansallowed). It also includes a buffetbreakfast and late checkout incase you want to dive into thehotel’s pool to cool off.4273999

Maki Newa BhutuHotel Royal SinghiEnjoy the Cup here with acombination of authenticJapanese and traditional Newaricuisine in the heart of the city.Games will be shown on a 60-inch Optima screen to amaximum 100 people. Alsoincludes special discounts onfood and beverages and no covercharge.4439784

12 INTERNATIONAL 9 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301

ge has not softened therebellious streak in SulakSivaraksa, nominated for

the Nobel Peace prize for amongother things airing controversialviews about Thailand’s royalfamily and about the threat toindividual freedom posed bystrict lese majeste laws. He evenfled the country once.

The May edition of Seeds ofPeace, a journal the 73-year-oldBuddhist scholar publishes, hasonce again put his views in thenational spotlight for reproducinga controversial interview.

“The monarchy must be opento criticism, must go along withdemocracy, must not be sacred,”said Sulak at the ForeignCorrespondents’ Club of Thailand(FCCT) in Bangkok last week. “Ifeel if the monarchy is to survive,we must be able to speak more ofthe truth.”

In Thailand expressing suchcomments publicly takes greatcourage because of strict lesemajeste laws and the universalrespect that King Bhumibolcommands among the public.Thais and foreigners who violatethe law face prison terms of up to15 years.

Lese majeste in ThailandSulak has been charged twice

under the law for makingcomments deemed to have hurt theking’s reputation. But the devoutBuddhist still speaks critically ofthe monarchy and even publisheda popular book Loyalty DemandsDissent.

“People who are conservativeroyalists will think he is terrible,”said Sumallee Virayaidyai,member of a committee thatdrafted the Thai constitution inthe 1970s. “He is unique. There areothers who may think like him butthey don’t speak out due to fear.”Sumallee was himself charged in1973 and had to apologise afterbeing given a two-year suspendedsentence.

The issue of lese majeste hasgained increased prominence inthe wake of the recent politicalcrisis that pitched anti-government protesters againstPrime Minister ThaksinShinawatra’s government. SondhiLimthongkul, an outspoken mediamogul who led demonstratorsagainst Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai(TRT) party, has recently beenserved with 37 lese majeste chargesfor comments he allegedly made atpublic protests.

Thai police have declined tofile similar charges urged bySondhi’s People’s Alliance for

Democracy movement againstThaksin. Filing lese majestecharges in Thailand begins with acomplaint lodged by any citizento the police about an alleged actcommitted by word or deed byanother that tarnishes thereputation of the monarchy.

The harsh penalties attached

As King Bhumibol celebrates 60 years on the throne, Thailand breaks the taboo on discussing royal mattersMARWAAN MACAN-MARKAR

in BANGKOK

have had an effect on freedom ofexpression, often resulting incensored views in publicdiscussions and independentmedia reportage on the palace.Even powerful Western mediaorganisations, that elsewherereportedly champion the cause ofpress freedom, respect this law

when operating in Thailand.Of Thailand’s several military

dictators since the country becamea constitutional monarchy in1932, many have taken coverbehind lese majeste charges totarget their critics. Since lastDecember, Sulak has found anunlikely ally in his quest to placeThailand’s monarchy within thespirit of democracy: KingBhumibol himself. During hisannual nationally televisedbirthday speech, the 78-year-oldmonarch appealed to his subjectsfor the first time to be critical ofhis actions.

This was hailed by the localmedia but so far there has been nohint in the press of anyonewilling to act on the reveredmonarch’s appeal. The custom ofvenerating King Bhumibol, whocelebrates his 60th anniversary onthe throne this week, hasintensified in the runup to thecelebrations.

Sulak, himself a self-admittedmonarchist, welcomes the messageconveyed in the king’sunprecedented birthday speech. “Ihope once we have goodgovernment this law isabolished,” he said. “We musthave more criticism and I am gladthat the present king agrees withthat.” IPS

A

9 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301 13NATION

xactly one year ago this week, theMaoists detonated a roadside bombin this isolated valley in Chitwan

that killed 38 people.It was by far the worst terrorist attack

perpetrated by the Maoists in the conflictand the scars of that tragedy are still so rawin this lush land that no Maoist has beenallowed into this sliver of Nepali territorybetween Chitwan National Park and theIndian border.

Three of the dead weresecurity personnel ridingthe bus but 72 civilianswere wounded in the blastand many of them havebeen physically disabledfor life. Villagers have saidthey won’t allow any rebelsinto the territory until theMaoists meet their nine-point demand for anapology, punishment forperpetrators andcompensation.

Five Maoists did go toKalyanpur last month to tryto sort things out but they were roughedup, detained for three hours and let go onlyafter they promised that they would relaythe demands to the party leadership.

“We won’t allow the Maoists and theirleaders even to step into our village unlessthey bring those responsible in front ofus,” says Krishna Adhikari who used hiscrutches to hit out at the Maoists whovisited the village to stick up posters ofPrachanda.

EKAL SILWAL in MADI

E

Memory of mass murder in Madi

“They claim that they are now powerfulso in that case they must address ourdemand of treatment, compensation andeducation for the families affected,” addsSashidhar Lamichane.

The bus bomb shocked the nation anddrew major condemnation from all over.Even Comrade Prachanda admitted in aninterview recently that he was shockedand had trouble sleeping for two days afterthe attack.

Local Maoists likeJagatraj Adhikari quit themovement after the blastsaying they didn’t want tobe associated with aterrorist outfit.

The Shaligram Travelsbus was crossing a dryriver bed 70km south ofBharatpur at 8AM when awire-guided explosivewas detonatedunderneath it. The bombwas so powerful itliterally lifted the bus

metres into the air, killing many of thewomen and children inside. The men whohad clambered to the top of the bussurvived. Of the 12 soldiers who hadhitched a ride, three were killed. (See:‘Mass murder in Madi’, #251)

Locals say they want to talk face-to-facewith Baburam and Prachanda and ask themfor an explanation and apology. NarayanPrasad Subedi lost his father and tells us:“We want to know how killing 35 innocentbus passengers helped their cause.”

GROUND ZERO: Madi school children (above) show a visitor the exact spot of the riverbedat Bandarmudhe where the bus was blown up last year (left). Above: Dhankumari Paudel iswheelchair bound and has finished all her savings in treatment, Krishna Adhikari used hiscrutch to shoo away Maoists last month and Sabitri Dhakal is still in bed in BharatpurHospital. Below: Megh and Januka Tiwari who lost their mother in the blast.

KANAK MANI DIXIT PICS: EKAL SILWAL

10 JUNE 2005, #251

14 9 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301CITY

ABOUT TOWN

KATHMANDU VALLEY

by MAUSAM BEEDNEPALI WEATHER

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue

29-15 29-14 28-15 30-16 30-17

Singing in the rain, yes, we forgive youfor that. The monsoon’s one week earlybut no one is complaining. This satellitepicture on Thursday morning shows themoisture-laden air from the Bay of Bengalcreeping up the Himalaya from east towest and has reached Pokhara. Theexisting pressure patterns have formedin such a way that they ensure a robustmonsoon with a good distribution ofprecipitation across the mountains andtarai, and from eastern to western Nepal.The pattern of the monsoon is: clearmornings with bright sunshine, gatheringclouds and rain by evenings that continuein heavy bursts into the night. Thehumidity levels have soared, that’s whyyou’re sweating so much. Enjoy.

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Call 4442220 for show timings at Jai Nepalwww.jainepal.com

The greed to make more money strikes the trio Baburao,Shyam and Raju, who rise from rags to riches in Hera Pheri(2000). So as each one is looking for investment options,Raju come up with an option that promises to double theinvestment. The only catch is the minimum investmentrequired, which is beyond what the trio saves in the lastouting. Raju ropes in a couple of unwitting investors, adds itwith another interesting adventure to come up with the number.Now will the riches double or get them into trouble?

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EXHIBITIONSWatercolours from Nepal annual exhibition of watercolour societytill 18 June.People’s Power 1990-2006 by Ragini Upadhyay Grela at NAFA,Naxal, 9-25 June, 10AM-5PM. 411729

EVENTSWomen In Art: A Personal View by Genevieve Bloomfield,CSGN’s monthly lecture, 9 June, 9.30 AM, Radisson Hotel.10th Education and Book Fair at Bhrikuti Mandap till 10 June.Art class learn to make traditional Nepali drums at Chusyabahal,10 June, meet in front of Nabil Bank, Kantipath 8.30 AM.Restructuring of the state and road map of ANNFSU-Revolutionary with Lekhnath Neupane at Martin Chautari, 9 June,3PM. 4238050Postmodernism with Sanjeev Pokhrel, 10 June, 4PM, MartinChautari. Up hill challenge half Marathon and 10km -Men/Women, 10 June. 9851096123Inner Journeys: what is mind, what is a thought, teaching,meditation, discussion at HBMC, 10 June at 10AM. 4414843Fashion Fusion featuring Nepali designers at Hyatt Regency,16 June, 7.30 PMCommunication and leadership program with Toastmasters,meeting every Tuesday at IEM building, Tripureswor.Bagmati River Festival 3 June – 20 August. 5011013Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival 2006,7-10 December, calling for entries. Forms available at:www.himalassociation.org/kimff

MUSICInferno the Rockoncert with Robin and the New Revolution,Abhaya and the Steam Injuns and 1974 AD, on 9 June BICCgrounds, 3.30 PM. Rs 100World Cup at Moksh Live 9 June, 8PM, no cover charge.Heartbreakers live every Friday at Rum Doodle Bar.Cadenza Collective live every Wednesday and Saturday 8PM atUpstairs.Live Music at New Orleans Café. 4700311Jatra Friday nights, live music by Siron. 4256622Unplugged sessions with Strings, Jatra Saturday nights. 4256622

DININGFloats and Fantasies desserts at Juneli Bar till 24 June.Brunch from the east weekend brunch till 29 July.The Fun Café for set buffet breakfast, lunch or dinner, OliveBar & Bistro, Radisson Hotel. 4411818World Cup at K-too! games available with meal and free IrishCoffee. 4470043Hi Spirit serving 350 ml liquor on a higher side at Juneli Bar,Hotel De L’ Annapurna till 2 June. 4221711Mezza and Margarita atDwarika’s Fusion bar everyWednesdayVineyard Gallery Lounge forwines and cocktails at BabarMahal Revisited.Malaysian and Italian food atJalan Jalan Restaurant.5544872Mango Masti at all restaurants in Soaltee Crowne Plaza.Beat the heat with milkshakes and smoothies at Hyatt Regency.Imago-Dei café and gallery, food, dessert and coffee, Nagpokhari,open Monday-Friday 9AM-9PM. 4442464Café U for organic Japanese homecooking. Near InternationalClub, Sanepa. 11AM-6PM. Closed on Tuesdays. 5524202Wet & Wild Summer Splash at Godavari Village Resort, a specialpackage of Swimming & Lunch. 5560675Breakfast at Singma Restaurant. 8.30 – 11.00AM daily. 5520004

GETAWAYSTiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge, relaxation and massages inPokhara. 4361500Junglewalks rafting, elephant rides all at Jungle Base CampLodge, Bardia. [email protected] Park Village, Budhanilkantha, Full room Rs 1,600. 4375280 Conferences at Godavari special packages available. 5560675Nature Retreat at Park Village Resorts & Spa. 4375280Escape Kathmandu at Shivapuri Heights Cottage. 9841371927

159 - 15 JUNE 2006 #301HAPPENINGS

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SWINGING JERRY: Jazz outfit Stupa performed at the J-Bar onWednesday evening as part of the Surya Classic Encounters, along withCaribbean Jerry, seen here belting out reggae numbers.

MIN BAJRACHARYA

GREEN WITH BEAUTY: Miss Nepal Sugarika KC, conservationambassador for WWF Nepal, speaks at New Padampur, Chitwan to markWorld Environment Day on 5 June.

PRERANA MARASINI

MOUNTAIN MEMORIES: Pakistani Ambassador to Nepal Sohail Aminposes next to the Dudh Koshi on the Namche-Lukla trek last week.

KIRAN PANDAY

him Kumari Biswokarma is21 and came from Rolpa towork at a brick kiln in Patan

five years ago. There are manylike her from the war-torn midwestamong the 63,000 seasonalworkers in the Valley’s 150 brickkilns.

They earn just enough tosupport their families and BhimKumari used to have to work andlook after her three-year-olddaughter simultaneously. Now,some brick kiln owners havestarted child care centres sobabies of their workers can play ina safe environment while theirmothers work.

Some of these brick factoryowners had recently converted toless-polluting technology with helpfrom Swiss DevelopmentCooperation (SDC) and they wereopen to the suggestion that theyalso open crèches.

“We convinced theentrepreneurs about theimportance of corporate socialresponsibility and both partiesbenefited. It is a win-winsituation,” says Usha Manandharof SDC.

The cost of the child carecentres is borne by the ownersand workers. Each workercontributes Rs 5 per day perchild and the brick companyprovides child caretakers and thebuilding.

Mangal Maharjan, manager ofthe Satyanarayan brick kiln inImadol, has calculated that withhis Rs 160,000 upfrontinvestment he has 60 percentmore productivity when thechildren are in daycare. Maharjanis now proud to present himselfas a socially responsibleentrepreneur and is happy that heand his employees benefit when

children are better taken care of.Others like Maharjan now want tostart schools when the childrengrow up.

It is no coincidence that thebrick kilns where management wasmost concerned about emissionsand converted to less-pollutingtechnology are also the ones thathave invested in child carecentres. There are an estimated10,000 children aged below 10 atthe brick kilns in the Valley. “Thechallenge now is to expand theprogram to the other brickfactories,” says Manandhar.

The kilns bake Rs 2.5 billionworth of bricks to meet the demandof Nepal’s burgeoning constructionindustry. Says Bhim Kumari: “It ishard back-breaking work but atleast now I don’t have to worryabout my daughter injuring herselfwhile I’m busy.” Pragya Shrestha

LUCKY BREAK: An electricity pole was the only serious casualtywhen this school bus left the downhill section of the road at Hatibanon Wednesday.

MIN BAJRACHARYA

PRAGYA SHRESTHA

Brick by brickBrick by brick

9 - 15 JUNE 2006 #30116

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UNDER MY HATKunda Dixit

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Getting alonglike a

House on firet the rate our all-powerful parliament is transmogrifying Nepal’ssocio-political landscape, it is only a question of time before itdeclares Nepal a superstition-free zone, re-legalizes marijuana and

legislates in favour of same sex marriage.This is the beauty of living in a restored democracy, parliament

can make any proclamation it wants as long as it doesn’t have toactually implement it in practice. So, as we make this dramatictransition from the Tantrik Kingdom of Nepal to a Loktantrik Republic,us good citizens can sit back and let the good times roll. Drinks are onthe House.

But while fully applauding theaudacious decisions undertaken bythe august house lately, we do havesome creeping doubts aboutwhether the honourable members

aren’t slacking off a bit. They seem to be resting on their laurels, baskingin reflected glory and refusing to bring the House down.

It took off ‘His Majesty’ and ‘Royal’ from signboards andgovernment stationery, but left it at that. We will not be satisfied withsuch token gestures, there are still lots of vestiges of the old regime thathave to be abolished.

It has been brought to my attention that Kathmandu’s casinos stillserve decks of cards at the roulette that have kings, queens and a joker.These should immediately be replaced by royal-free packs.

There are still some bee hives at the Proletarian Botanical Gardensin Godavari that have vestiges of a feudal governance structure and areruled by queen bees. The Comrade Drones need to declare themselvesrepublican hives forthwith. And expeditions desirous of climbing MtEverest will no longer have to pay $65,000 ‘royalty’, hereinafter the feewill be a ‘voluntary donation’.

And we take strong umbrage over the fact that the prime minister’sofficial entourage to New Delhi did not include any representativesfrom the All-Nepal Federation of Martial Arts Societies (R), the Bar, FNJand Association of Gobar Gas User Groups. How can we call ourselvesan inclusive people’s democracy if the marginalised are left out? Butwe’d like to give credit where it’s due: it's a good thing a countrythat owes Rs 3 billion to Indian Oil Corporation included in itsdelegation prominent wilful defaulters. They could teach us a fewtricks of the trade.

And when is parliament going to get around to changing our flag soit is more inclusive? It’s a sacrilege that the banner of the old regime yetwaves. Time we moved from double triangle to multi-triangle.

How long do we have to wait for bank notes to represent the newsymbols of a people’s republic?

How come we’re still using the HMG coat of arms in government stationery, let's immediately start using this new one:

#301 9 - 15 june 2006 16 pages rs 30himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/... · monsoon...

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