#488 5 - 11 February 2010 16 pages Rs 30

fter flirting withdangerous dogmaticpolitics, and overcoming

volatile internal rifts, the Maoiststanding committee has decidedto re-focus on the constitutionand the peace process.

In an exclusive interview toNepali Times earlier this week,Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahalsaid, “The party has had a historyof ideological two-line struggles.But all of us have now vowed towork together, under a unifiedleadership, to implement thework plan.”

The plan includes:First, a renewed emphasis on

constitution and peace. This is avindication of BaburamBhattarai’s proposal, andsidelines those who were

advocating an immediate‘people’s revolt’.

There appears to be arealisation that Nepalis, or evenparty cadre, do not want anoutright confrontation. The partyhas also assessed the balance ofpower.

Dahal admitted, “A revolutionmay succeed, but there is an equaldanger of a counter revolution.”The party will push for a revolt,he said, only if it feels domesticand international forces areconspiring to obstruct the peaceprocess.

Second, the Maoists willcontinue to emphasise civiliansupremacy and nationalindependence. “We are not givingup on those issues. But we hopeto find a way out throughdialogue in the High LevelPolitical Mechanism. Thepresident’s step has to be

addressed for the politicaldeadlock to end,” Dahalmaintained.

A Maoist-led national unitygovernment remains on theagenda, but indications are theparty will not hold the peaceprocess hostage because of this.

Third, Dahal formallyreiterated the Maoist stance thatintegration and constitution-writing have to go together.

“The first cannot happenbefore the second and that is whythe present government plan isnot acceptable to us...a finaldecision should be taken on thisissue after the constitution hasdecided on the new securitypolicy and new state structure,”

he said.“Democratisation of the Nepal

Army must also happensimultaneously,” he said. “We arenot saying this to make thearmy Maoist as our opponentsallege, but to make themparibartanmukhi, pro-change.”

The Maoists are cooperatingwith the Special and TechnicalCommittee, but the other partiesare insisting the PLA questionmust be settled before the newconstitution.

Nonetheless, there is an air ofcautious optimism in politicalcircles, and the task now is toaddress specific constitution andpeace related issues in a shortspan.

PRASHANT JHA

Patched upA

I’M WITH YOU: Maoist partychairman Pushpa KamalDahal reaches out to BaburamBhattarai at a function at theNepal Academy, Friday

KIRAN PANDAY

Is there amethod in theMaoist ‘madness’?

PLAIN SPEAKING p2Prashant Jha

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #488

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RESPONSE TO INDIAN CONCERNSIt is ridiculous to hypothesise that Nepalneeds to fit into the security scheme ofthe South Block (‘Security concerns’,#487). The ‘common security umbrella’was rejected long ago even by old-generation leaders like B.P. Koirala.India is yet to earn trust from herneighbours if she wants to be a regionalpower. Regional security is a sharedconcept and is possible only withstability and prosperity in theneighbourhood.

Devendra Pant

Where was India when Nepal had aMaoist insurgency? It provided a safe

haven for top Maoist leaders despiterequests from successivedemocratically elected Nepaligovernments for their extradition. Onerule for them and one rule for us? Noway! Nepal is a sovereign nation andmust stay that way.

Rishav

I have nothing against India. Myfamily and my community still rely onthe money that comes across theborder. It’s the same for the majority ofthe rural population because Kathmandunever thinks about them. SometimesDelhi is nearer than Kathmandu.

Suresh

2|

ON THE WEBwww.nepalitimes.com

CELEBRATING WHAT’SGOOD ABOUT NEPALThe favourite Nepali pastime is sitting around tryingto find nasty things to say about each other. But whatis it in our collective psyche that we justcan’t bear to see fellow Nepalis get ahead?

We overlook the visible faults in ourselves butspend endless hours digging out the imaginedshortcomings of fellow citizens. And since our rulersspend their entire time running each other down, wein the media treat this spectacle as one endlessquarrel. There can’t be civilised disagreement onissues, the basis of potential compromise, becausepositions are unbending and personalised.

This obsession with finding fault is self-perpetuating and self-fulfilling. This refusal to see anygoodness in our own kind makes it difficult to forgeahead. We love to whine but don’t ever want to doanything about bettering our condition. It’s as if wewant Nepal to fail so that our own catastrophic

predictions about its fate will be proven right. We don’t wantNepal to turn the corner because that would undermine thereason we use to convince ourselves to do nothing, oremigrate.

Despite their desperation and despair, rural Nepalis stillhave faith in the future, they still have hope. It is theirresilience and the Nepali reliance on each other and theircommunities that has allowed them to survive and keep apositive outlook, something rare in the denizens ofthis pampered capital.

Let’s face it, it’s not original any more to complainabout how bad things are. Load-shedding is here to stay.There is nothing new about the garbage piling up on thestreets. Corruption is not new. The energy crisis,political instability, strikes, pollution and grime are allgivens. You can complain, but you will be predictableand boring.

The real question is: what are we doing asindividuals and communities to make things better? Wehave plenty of examples of successful people here whohave done well for the underprivileged, overcoming whatseemed to be insurmountable obstacles. Take theChhetrapati Free Clinic or the Samata School (pic), forinstance (see page 12). There are many Nepalis whocontribute to improving lives of citizens just by beinghonest, efficient and aware of the larger public good intheir everyday lives.

Let’s invest more energy in making ourselves proudto be Nepali. Individually and collectively let’s celebratewhat is still good about Nepal: our country’s beauty anddiversity, our dignified and hardworking people, ourgenerosity and sense of self-worth.

PLAIN SPEAKINGPrashant Jha

DO OR DIEIn your coverage of Kathmandu’s earthquakerisk (‘Do or die’, #485) you rightly criticisethe government, which has done almostnothing to prepare. But what of the donors?They fund health and education but howmany schools or hospitals have earthquakemeasures in place or do emergency drills?Of all the millions of dollars in developmentaid spent in Nepal annually what proportiongoes to earthquake preparedness? Where’sthe training for officials and essentialworkers? Where’s the rescue and heavylifting equipment for trained emergencyservices? If a community or youth clubwants to prepare itself where should it go?There are donor-funded radio, billboard, TV

Aconversation with Maoistsupremo Prachanda thisweek not only brought out

the party’s new line, but alsooffered a glimpse into hisanalysis of current politics andfuture strategy.

The root of the problem,according to Prachanda, is thatthe 12-point understanding was‘tactical’ for everyone who signedthe agreement. “The other sidefelt they could get us into themainstream and weaken us. Wethought we could use the processto create a new mainstream,which would include politicalcompetition.” Neither side gotwhat they wanted, entirely. Thisparadox has forced the parties tomake a more fundamentalstrategic choice. “This wasinevitable and we are nowheading for a crisis climax.”

The army issue is key. Neitherside feels it lost the war.Prachanda concedes that no onewon the war in material terms,

but believes the Maoists won thewar politically. “It was the thenRoyal Nepalese Army’s mandateand goal to protect the monarchyand block a republic,” he says.“They failed, and the PLA playeda big part in bringing about thischange.” The way forward forthese “recognised and legitimate”outfits, he says, is “sticking tothe peace accord, democratisingthe army and professionalisingthe PLA.”

Perhaps surprisingly,Prachanda candidly admits hemay have mishandled the armyissue while in power. “It was atime when the army was also abit confused. The king had gone.I could have dealt with the armymore maturely. I went to thearmy HQ a few times and saw theofficers, especially the youngerlot. I was impressed with theirenergy. I think there is still somespace to make them pro-change.”

On the India relationship, theMaoist chairman recognises theneed for a working relationshipwith the Indian establishment.He says, “I have told them therelationship has to changeaccording to new realities. Wecannot and will not be like the

NC or Surya Bahadur Thapa and itis not in their interest also. Theyagree in principle but in practice,they cannot give up their controlmindset, which leads them toprop up people here.”

The Maoist calculation is thatthe ‘nationalism’ campaign has

served its purpose. It has led togreater awareness about India’srole inside Nepal, says Prachanda,and it has positioned them as theonly force capable of challenginginterference. He believes it hasactually led to Delhi becomingmore open to engaging with the

Maoists.Most contemporary media

coverage has focused on theMaoist leadership’s recentutterances and dismissed themas madness. But for the mostpart, there is a method in thismadness – be it to garner masssupport, send a message torivals and constituents, energisethe party organisation, or evento set the agenda for the nextelections.

More importantly, therhetoric may be hardline butparty actions over the pastmonth have been fairlyaccommodating. Perhaps thereis a connection between the two.The discharge process is movingahead smoothly. On integration,the Maoists have agreed to thesetting up of a secretariat thatwould be notionally in charge ofthe PLA and will subsequentlyimplement any agreement.Parliament is open, thegovernment is introducing billsand the Maoists have playedalong on key issues like the VPoath. On the constitution, viewsmay differ but the process hasnot been obstructed. And theiragitation has been confined to

and poster campaigns about HIV, cleandrinking water, washing your hands, etc -but where’s the mass awareness buildingabout earthquake risks? It’s no surpriseordinary people don’t take it seriouslywhen so little is being done. The mediacould do a lot more too.

This disaster is totally predictable andall these questions will be angrily askedin the aftermath. In a country with Nepal’slevel of earthquake risk, preparednessshould be one of the biggest issues onthe development agenda and be treated asan aspect of every other issue. What isany project worth if it is destroyed in thenext earthquake?

Tej Singh, Kathmandu

United we stand tall

“Twentymillion outof twenty-

sevenmillion

Nepalis arewith theMaoists”

relatively peaceful protests,within the rules of open politics.Blame the Maoists forirresponsible statements, butthey are on board in the largerpolitical process.

The Maoists appear to have amulti-pronged strategy. Use thesystem, monopolise theopposition space, stoke internalfeuds in other parties, remaininternally consolidated and sortout organisational matters, reachout to their mass base, travelacross the country, play the heroand victim by turn, and create acontext – by raising thenationalism pitch but alsotransforming slowly – that willforce India to develop a closerrelationship with them.

Prachanda is upbeat about hisparty’s prospects. “Believe me, wehave done a careful groundassessment and feel that 20million out of 27 million peoplein the country are with us. Atwo-thirds majority is definite.”This may sound like hyperbole,but this sense of havingoverwhelming mass support hasgiven the Maoists the confidenceto be flexible in the peaceprocess.

KIRAN PANDAY

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #488 OP-ED|3

FOURTH ESTATEC K Lal

SUGA. This is a village whereeveryone speaks Maithili. But inthe official records, Nepali figuresas the mother tongue of a sizablesection of the local population.One of the enumerators of the lastcensus in 2001 explained thereason behind the anomaly:trainers had instructed them tofill in ‘Nepali’ in the mothertongue column unlessrespondents specified a differentlanguage of their own accord.

This was an innocentinstruction for places like Ilam,Itahari, Chandranigahpur,

Chitwan, Butwal, Kohalapur orAttaria along the East-WestHighway. In the central Tarai,this technique to expedite datacollection put an avoidablequestion mark over censusfigures. By the time someconscientious data supervisorsspotted the error, part of theinformation had already beenprocessed. Now, there is aconcerted campaign underway toconvert Maithili speakers frompoor and marginalised sections ofsociety into proponents of Hindi.

Since almost every educatedperson from earlier generationsread and wrote in Hindi, it hasbeen the language of status-seekers for a long time. It wasn’tjust the Badahakims of the Ranaera, even the Anchaladhishes of

the Panchayat period conversedin Hindi with the landed gentry.Since Marwaris and Baniasdominated the local trade, Hindiestablished itself as thedominant language of the bajar.

The Nepali languagechallenged Hindi’s status in theearly seventies when schoolswere nationalised and it becamethe sole medium of education. Bythe early eighties, the threecompeting languages had carvedout their respective domains: wespoke Maithili at home, Hindi inthe bajar and Nepali at school andin government offices. English isstill a distant fourth, its uselimited to conversations withoccasional foreign visitors.

When Nepali remained thelanguage of the state even afterthe restoration of multiparty

democracy in the 1990s, manyupwardly mobile Madhesis beganto use the national language evenat home. Almost every prominentMadhesi politician today is theproduct of a system thatpromoted the necessity of asingle language for nationalunity.

Sadbhavana Party was thefirst political force to propoundthe theory that Hindi was thelink language of the Tarai and itslanguage of conversation with theruling class in Kathmandu. Thelogic failed to find favour withlanguage activists at thegrassroots who perceived Hindito be a greater threat than Nepalito the existence of their mothertongues. The Madhes Uprisingchanged the equation as Hindi

emerged as a homogenising toolof mass mobilisation in the Tarai.

Two astute Maithili-speakingpoliticians have responded indifferent ways. President RamBaran Yadav opted for the statelanguage. VP Parmananda Jhapreferred the language of thebajar. Nurtured in a similarculture of linguistic uniformity,neither saw any merit inpromoting their mother tongue.No wonder neither is seen as anicon of Maithili pride.

President Yadav probably hasmore admirers among Pahadisthan Madhesis. Politically, hebroke no new ground. However,because of the controversy hisoath-taking ceremony generated,VP Jha has enlarged the space forthe politics of language.Unfortunately, the victim ofthese seemingly opposite standsis once again the language of themasses in the Madhes.

Sardar Ram Mani AcharyaDixit was a pioneering Punditwho led the movement for theinstitutionalisation of Gorkhalias the state language. He inspiredits transformation into the linguafranca of Nepalis over the world.In his autobiography PuranaSamjhana, Sardar Ram Manireminisced that the resilience oflanguages like Marathi andMaithili in resisting the risingtide of Hindi motivated him towork tirelessly for the promotionof Nepali. His soul must bewondering at the behaviour oftwo of the most powerfulMaithili speakers of Nepal.

But it seems that the allure ofthe state is stronger than that ofthe market in poor countries. Ofthe six daily newspaperspublished from Janakpur, none isin Hindi. And the language of theonly weekly newspaperpublished from this village? Youguessed it – Nepali.

Languagepolitics

Maithili finds itselfbetween a rock and ahard place

KIRAN PANDAY

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #4884|NATION

ong gone are the days of booking travelon weekly outbound flights.International aircraft arrivals increased

by 8.41 per cent and domestic aircraft arrivalsby 19.72 per cent in the first nine months of2009 compared to the same period in 2008.Currently, 25 international airlines operate35 flights a day and there are eight domesticairlines and five choppers. Kingfisher andAlpine Air will soon join that fleet and threeother foreign airlines hope to follow suit.

Yet there have been no major additions toinfrastructure. “Our airport doesn’t meet therequirements for an international airport, soit is very difficult to accommodate all thetourists,” says Amar Bahadur Shakya of theCivil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

There is one runway at TribhuvanInternational Airport (TIA), no arrow bridgeto connect docked planes directly to theterminal, and seven internal bays – when23-25 are necessary – for just three wide-bodyand four narrow-body aircraft. Aggravating theair traffic congestion is the fact that mostairlines prefer the 10am-5pm time slot, largelybecause Nepal’s terrain makes flying at nightdangerous. Inevitably, there have been flightdelays.

Congestion within the airport has alsoincreased. The number of internationalpassengers increased by 9.63 per cent anddomestic passengers by 35.15 per cent in the

first 10 months of 2009, compared to the yearbefore. Although the airport was designed foronly 1000 passengers daily, the actualturnover today is close to 2000. Likewise, thedeparture lounge was designed for 350 butsees up to 1000 passengers daily. Congestionat the air terminal may even have contributedto the death of a Korean woman, of a heartattack, three weeks ago.

Such problems were anticipated long ago,but officials have been slow to respond. Amaster plan drafted in 1996 was neverexecuted. But there is more movement now.The airport will operate 24 hours a day, inlight of Visit Nepal Year 2010, and offerdiscounts to airlines that operate outside ofthe 10am-5pm slot. A Visual Flight Rulessystem will be installed, along withimproved lighting on the central runway, tomake night-flying safer. The domesticterminal will be refurbished and an area willbe set aside for choppers.

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He said, she said, they saidFirst, there were reports of PushpaKamal Dahal asking Girija PrasadKoirala to lead the government from‘his bed’. Then, Koirala’s daughter andDeputy Prime Minister Sujata Koiralasuggested that the government bechanged because there was a UMLmonopoly in the leadership. Then theHigh Level Political Mechanism gottogether for a meeting, after which aNepali Congress leader said his partywas willing to lead the government.This caused considerable alarm inPrime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’soffice. Towards the end of the week,the dealings in the HLPM werecausing so much alarm the otherdeputy prime minister, Bijay KumarGachhadar, said the mechanismshould be dissolved because it wasfocused on toppling the government.

Constitution first, federalism laterCPN-UML directed its party’sConstituent Assembly members to askfor a State Restructuring Commissionin the constitution, indicating that thenew constitution may be written beforefinalising the details of federalism.“Restructuring the state is a verycomplex issue,” UML President JhalaNath Khanal said. “We suggestleaving this issue to the electedfederal government that will be formedunder the new constitution.” The CAbegan its discussion on staterestructuring on Sunday. By thesecond day of the debate, only theMaoist party was supporting the 14federal ethnic and community unitsproposed by the State Restructuringand Distribution of State PowerCommittee.

Against all oddsNepali judo players returned home onWednesday with four bronze medals inthe 11th South Asian Games takingplace in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Most ofthe seven-member judo team wasinjured last week when an elevator intheir hotel in Dhaka fell several floors.Judoka Debu Thapa took part usingpainkillers and won a bronze medal.Nepal has won seven bronze medalsso far.

The Nepali hockey team set a newrecord – at conceding goals. Nepallost four consecutive matches,conceding 79 goals in total whilescoring only one. The hockey teamwas hoping to better its record from the1995 South Asian games, when itconceded 54 goals, while scoringnone.

Bird flu in PokharaA case of bird flu was discovered inPokhara after a farmer reported that 22ducks he was rearing died on thesame day. A virus sample sent toLondon for tests confirmed thefindings. The Department of LivestockServices has said the spread of thevirus is limited to a small area and willbe contained within a few days.

THIS WEEK

SnailportThere will also be changes to airport

infrastructure to make room for morepassengers. TIA’s Managing Director DineshPrasad Shrestha says, “With assistance fromthe Asian Development Bank, TIA will berealigning the immigration and hand baggagechecking areas to accommodate morepassengers waiting to board. The waitinglounge will be expanded as well.” It is hopedthese projects will be completed within twoyears.

But a total overhaul of the Air TrafficManagement (ATM) system may be necessaryfurther down the line. Most airports aroundthe world use analog technology to enablethe surveillance, supervision and navigationof air traffic. However, the volume suchtechnology can handle is nearing saturationpoint in Nepal, leading to a rise in the risk ofaccidents. “We must digitise ATM and usesatellites, which have a wider, bird’s eye viewof air traffic, have a much higher saturationpoint, and could eliminate the mistakes thatanalog technology causes,” says ATM expertNiraj Aryal.

Nepal stands to gain more from suchchanges than other countries because itsgeography and weather – which cause mostdomestic air crashes – make analog technologyunreliable. Though ATM authorities arelooking into this possibility, it will requirehuge investments and careful coordinationwith foreign governments.

Perhaps we’re better off getting the basicsright first.

DEWAN RAI and SUVAYU DEV PANT

If you don’t likecrowds, forget

TribhuvanInternational

Airport

L

AHMAD ISKANDAR

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #488 NATION|5

riven by a healthy obsession with cycling, Dan Austin and hisbrother Jared have left their tire tracks on many continents.But it was one trip to Cambodia in 2006 that set their wheels

of fate in motion.At the end of their trip, the Austins decided to donate their bicycles

to an orphanage. But a selfless act that brought happiness to twoorphans, the Austins realised, left out 86 other children at theorphanage. Thus began their push for donations to provide all theorphans with that same feeling of happiness, and The 88BikesFoundation was born.

The Foundation’s Project FOUR has now brought Dan to Nepal,one of four designated countries to receive 300 bicycles raisedthrough donations. Each of the bicycles represents a one-to-oneexchange between a donor and a child. A postcard with the donor’spicture is given to each orphan along with the bicycle. In turn, apicture of the child is sent back to the donor. Some of these donorsand children have become fast friends – pen pals.

“A bike is like a magical vessel of freedom and fun,” says Dan.Clearly he remembers how it feels to own a bicycle for the first time.“That idea of a bike being both useful and making someone happy issomething we really feel strongly about.”

Project FOUR is providing 125 bicycles to children in the fourshelters run by SAATHI, an NGO that works for women’s andchildren’s rights. Of the 154 children at the shelters, those notreceiving bicycles are mostly toddlers. But a last-minute donationensured both laughter and tears as five tricycles came into view.

Giving is only half the story for 88Bikes’ projects. Localmechanics employed by the organisation provide on-site maintenancefor the bicycles. The mechanics will also conduct a workshop to teachthe children how to look after their new prized possessions. Childrenwith a talent for the trade will be picked out for apprenticeshipprograms, giving them an opportunity to make a living.

Beyond that, the children and their bikes are on their own. While88Bikes and SAATHI are fully committed to providing maintenancesupport, each child will shoulder the burden of ownership. Thisresponsibility, it is hoped, will prevent such liabilities such as theftand even trading for money.

Sulakshana Rana, programme officer for SAATHI, is confident thechildren will not sell their bicycles off. She feels the close relationshipthe children develop with their bicycles acts as a deterrent. “Even inthe case of a theft claim, a thorough investigation will be carried out,”says Rana. Bicycle shop owners in close proximity to the sheltershave been asked to cooperate to prevent such incidents.

Rana is looking forward to seeing the children reap the benefits ofProject FOUR’s bicycles. “The bicycles will give them more mobilityand freedom than they ever had before,” she says. “It will also shiftmore of their time away from television and games.”

Unsurprisingly, the children are equally excited. “All of us are sohappy to be able to cycle, even though some of the kids don’t knowhow to yet,” says 14-year-old Rabina Giri, a Room to Read scholarwith SAATHI. She says that it takes some of the children about anhour to walk to school, so it’s clear the bikes will have an immediateimpact on their lives.

Dan Austin is headed for India next to distribute more magicalvessels of happiness. He’s a veritable Santa Claus, on wheels ofcourse.

Visit www.88bikes.org and www.saathi.org.np for more information.

SAY WHEELS: Rabina Giri thanks Dan Austin for Project FOUR’s gift

The passion of two men onwheels has given children acrossthe world a taste of freedom

Rollinggood times

AHMAD ISKANDAR

AHMAD ISKANDAR

D

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #4886|BUSINESS

STRICTLY BUSINESSAshutosh Tiwari

wo weeks ago, thelandlocked country ofMongolia put out five

pages of advertorial in TheEconomist, which confidentlydescribes itself as the magazineno self-respecting global investoris seen without.

It was all about the country’s‘new beginning’. According to theadvertorial, Mongolia sits atoprich mineral deposits, has nowsigned international conventionsagainst corruption, fixed its legaland tax environment to attract‘big investors’ such as mininggiant Rio Tinto, expects to takeadvantage of the globalised worldmarkets that surround it, andthat, for “a small country”, itexpects to “set a greatexample…as a competent playeron the world stage.”

The ad’s language wasconfident, backed up by market-friendly quotes and upward-sloping data, and designed to

make people with money aroundthe world pause and considerUlan Bator as an investmentdestination.

Last week, Colombiapublished a similar pitch,inviting global investors to comeand invest in hydrocarbons.“Start the decade with the bestinvestment opportunities”,screamed the ad, alongside whichwas a schedule of a road showgoing places such as New York,London and Shanghai.

Two other emergingeconomies, Georgia and Estonia,regularly reach out throughadvertorials touting their low taxrates, educated and skilledworkforce, reform-consciousbureaucrats, improved rankingson global business tables, andmarket-friendly governments.And in Dhaka last week, I waspleasantly surprised by thegrowing confidence surroundingBangladesh’s ambition to expandits trade volume to become amiddle-income country – a labelit wants as a birthday present forits Golden Anniversary in 2021.

In the first decade of thiscentury, these countries and

others have realised that theymight have their share of God-given wealth, but in the absenceof a system to convert that wealthinto capital, there is not muchthey can do to improve the lot oftheir citizens. One can’t fill ahungry stomach withunprocessed natural resources orwith promises of a yet-to-be-fulfilled potential.

To move ahead, thesecountries have come to accept thebenefits of making it easier forforeigners to earn an attractivereturn when they invest money,time, technology, know-how,contacts and sales and marketingskills. Such skills help transformthe fixed wealth into movingcapital, which can then be used toprovide water, sanitation, jobs,education and health care tomillions of citizens. Absent suchinvestors, development andgrowth slow down considerably.All this is basic stuff.

Yet this basic stuff continuesto elude the central committeemembers of a certain politicalparty, which reportedly orderedits foot-soldiers to issue a letter toGMR ITD Consortium, an Indiancompany, to stop work on the300MW Upper KarnaliHydropower Project.

It would have been one thingif the company had been in Nepalillegally. It is not. It would havebeen worth a debate if the partyitself had produced a sensiblealternative as to how to developthe Karnali Project. It has notdone that either.

All it has done is threateninvestors who are already here. Indoing so, it has set itself up asThe Decider of Nepal’s future,discouraged future investors fromcoming to Nepal, and sent amessage to Nepalis that it intendsto keep them in darkness for along time. Civil society punditsmay have polite phrases todescribe this sort of behaviour.But to those who value democracy(with a small d) and a rule-of-lawdriven free society, only one wordexplains all this: Gangsterism.

“Come invest in Nepal, andsee how your investments getthrown up in the swirl of internalpolitical quarrels” is not themessage we should be giving tothe world when we are alldesperately trying to create abetter Nepal.

Great LeapBackward

The ‘basic stuff’ continuesto elude our investor-unfriendly politicos

T

BADRI PAUDYAL

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Nepali oilA Scottish company that hopes to find oil in the Tarai has given acautious vote of confidence to Nepal. Cairn Energy has announcedit is ready to resume operations in the country following animprovement in the security situation. The decision will pave theway for the company to start exploration in the south of the countryin earnest almost five years after putting operations on hold. Tracesof oil have been found in the Tarai, but little exploration work hasbeen done. Cairn Energy was awarded a license for five blocks ofland covering a large area of southern Nepal in August 2004.

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Burglar alert!If you’re worried that ferocious dogs and highwalls won’t keep the thieves away, you maywant to look into Honeywell’s globallyrecognised home security systems. Honeywelloffers wired burglar alarms, wireless security alarm systems,movement sensors, window and door alarms, vibration detectorsand much more.

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Trendy slimToshiba’s Computer Systems Division

announced its new Slim series of PortegeNotebook PCs. The ultra-thin Notebook PCs are

said to have a battery life of 11 hours, are less than aninch in thickness, and weigh just 1.58kg.

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Banking boomLife Insurance Corporation opened its 15th branch in Ghorahi, Dang,Nepal Investment Bank opened its 34th branch in Krishnanagar,Kapilvastu, and Global Bank opened its 25th branch in Bhairahawa.

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Tring-tringGadgets Nepal, the sole authorisedrepresentative for Ningbo Birdcompany, launched four models of GSM handsets: Humming S168,Flamingo S230, Kingfisher K105 and Lovebird S308.

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Helping handThe Government of Japan agreed toextend a grant of close to Rs 538million to the Nepali government forthe execution of the Project forIntroduction of Clean Energy bySolar Electricity Generation System.Under the ‘Cool Earth Partnership’initiative the effects of globalwarming will be mitigated by

reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This project is beingimplemented in response to the request made by the Nepaligovernment for a sustainable and uninterrupted power supply toDhobi Ghat reservoir, which will be used to pump groundwater tothe Sundarighat waste water treatment plant.

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Planes ahoyIt’s been a busy week for the airways. The Singapore governmenthas signed a new air services agreement with Nepal, under whichSingaporean and Nepali air carriers will be entitled to operate 28weekly passenger services between the two countries. The carrierscan also operate 14 weekly cargo services. Currently, SingaporeAirlines’ regional carrier SilkAir operates six weekly passengerservices between Singapore and Kathmandu.

Etihad Airways commenced operations to Japan with the launchof its Nagoya-Abu Dhabi service, and Nepalis can now travel easilyto Japan on this route. Flights will increase from four to five flights aweek from 29 March, using two Airbus A330s.

Qatar Airways, too, has expanded its operations. Its Singaporeroute now has new Boeing 777 aircraft, flights from Kuala Lumpur toDoha were increased to 11, and there are now non-stop direct flightsfrom Jakarta to Doha.

Meanwhile, Fishtail Air, a Nepali helicopter company, hasreceived delivery of its second AS 350 B3 Helicopter. Fishtail Air’sfleet now includes two AS 350 B3, one B2, one AS 350 B and a BellJet Ranger B III aircraft.

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #488LIFE TIMES 7

right and warm hues – red, orange andgreen, among others – seem todominate the aesthetics of Higher

Ground, a small establishment comprising aJawalakhel café, and a bakery and craftsdepartment in Bhanimandal, Lalitpur.

“We wanted to create a welcomingenvironment, and also inspire optimism,”explains owner Bimala Shrestha Pokharel.It’s clear she’s also referring to the fact thatHigher Ground actively seeks at-riskindividuals and those in need, providingthem with training and employmentopportunities.

Even before she bought Higher GroundCafé from friends in 2005 and transformedit into the socially conscious business it istoday, Pokharel was conducting bakingclasses in her own kitchen. She trainedwomen from low-income households in thehope that they would go on to start theirown baking micro-enterprises. But sheharboured dreams of setting up a bakery ofher own, too.

This materialised in 2007 once Pokharelrevamped the café she had acquired. Shemade it a point to hire only individuals,mostly women, who desperately needed ajob to sustain their families. She recounts

the particularly poignant story of a womanwhose husband went to work in Malaysiaand has yet to be heard from, six years hence.

The crafts department came next. Itoriginally started as an experiment after oneof the bakery girls expressed a desire to reviveher previous vocation of making bracelets andnecklaces. Pokharel threw her support behindher.

“I like to encourage women to do whatthey want to do, and are good at doing,” shesays. She sent samples of the craftworkproduced to her friends and contacts in theUnited States, and they proved popular. The

crafts aspect of the business is now on a solidfooting.

Higher Ground has also managed to reachout to a few girls who worked in dance barsand cabin restaurants. It offers them viableemployment alternatives and equips themwith skills that will hopefully keep themfrom having to go back to professions theyare often compelled to take up to survive inKathmandu.

But while Higher Ground started outwith a focus on girls and women, it is nowturning its attention towards family units.This means men are also being employed as

service staff. Gopal Tamang rejoined HigherGround after a two-year stint at a restaurantin Malaysia. In spite of Pokharel encouraginghim to move on should a better opportunityarise, he has no plans to leave Higher Ground,which he considers family.

To date, Higher Ground has traineddozens of women in baking and crafts. Itcurrently employs 22 individuals, with thatnumber set to increase as the businessexpands. But Pokharel recognises that shecan’t give a job to everyone. So she isconsidering setting up training centres foremployment skills. Also in the pipeline areplans to register Higher Ground as an NGOand partner other organisations to hand outscholarships to children in rural areas whowould otherwise have to work.

Despite being the full-fledgedbusinesswoman that she is today, Pokharelnever considered a corporate career prior toHigher Ground.

“Before I went to the United States tostudy, I never thought of doing business. Ihated business,” she says. She had initiallyaspired to be a doctor, but a story about micro-enterprises in Kenya, where women wereweaving and selling baskets to support theirfamilies, proved a revelation. She realisedthere were more ways than one to help others.

“Now,” she smiles, “I really find joy indoing this.”

Café with aconscience

FOO CHEE CHANG

Aesthetics and ethics characterisea café really on higher ground

FOO CHEE CHANG

B

8|LIFE TIMES

EVENTS MUSIC

Electro-Cardiogram: InternalStories, paintings by Birendra PratapSingh, until 16 February, KathmanduContemporary Arts Centre, Jhamsikhel,5521120

The Fragile Valley 2, watercolourexhibition by late Suzan Maharjan, till 10Feb, New Orleans Café, Pulchok

Othello: The Sen of Nepal,performance by Nepal Shakes from 5-14Feb, Kamal Mani Theatre, Patan Dhoka.Tickets available at Dhokaima Café (Patan),Chez Carolyn, (Babar Mahal) and NangloBakery (Darbar Marg)

Salsa classes for beginners with theSalsa Dance Academy, starting February 7,classes Sun/Tues 5.30pm-6.30pm or 6.30-7.30pm at Sanepa International Club, or7.30-8.30am/5-6pm or 6-7pm at theBhatbhateni branch, 4420564,www.salsanepal.com

Hip hop dance classes for beginnerswith the Salsa Dance Academy,Bhatbhateni, starting February 8, classesMon/Wed 4-5pm, 4420564

Himalayan Buddhist MeditationCentre, Tai Chi 10-11.30am Saturday,Yoga 8.30-9.30am and meditation 5-6pmweekdays, Keshar Mahal Marg, Thamel,4410402

People After War, permanent photoexhibition, every day 11am-4pm, MadanPuraskar, Patan Dhoka, for bulk schoolbookings call 5521393

Happycocktail hour,

ladies night onWednesday with liveunplugged music at

Jatra Café & Bar,Thamel, 5-7pm

Liveworkshop

and concert from Australian bandTigramuna, 11am & 2.30pm, February14, Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory,Jhamsikhel, free entrance, 5013554,www.katjazz.com.np

JSC Jazz Quartet, every Saturday 8pm atUpstairs Jazz Bar, Lazimpat, 9803160719

Chillout Lounge with DJ Miriam,every Friday at the Bourbon Room, LalDarbar Marg, 4441703

Saturday African Nite, with Africanfood and music from 8pm at Jazzabell Café,Jhamsikhel, 2114075

Live band every Friday and rooftop bbqeveryday at Kausi Kitchen, Darbar Marg,4227288

Some like it hot, every Friday BBQ andlive music by Dinesh Rai and the SoundMinds, Rs 899 at Fusion, Dwarika’s Hotel,7pm, 4479488

Nepali Ghajals at D’Lounge BeijingDuck Restaurant, every Thursday 6.30pm,4468589

Rudra Night live fusion music byShyam Nepali every Friday, 7pm atGokarna Forest Resort, 4451212

Jazz evening at Delices de Francerestaurant every Wednesday, 11am-2pm,4260326

HyJazz at the Rox Bar every Fridayevening and Sunday Jazz Brunch atThe Terrace with live music from InnerGroove, Hyatt Regency, Boudha, 4489362,4491234

Robin and the New Revolution, everyTuesday 7pm on at the Bamboo Club,Thamel, 4701547Nepal Bharat Library presents Tavern

Tales by Quixote’s Cove with readings byeditor, writer and intellectual Kanak ManiDixit from his book Dekheko Muluk,Nepal Bharat Library, NAC Building, NewRoad, 5pm, 5 February

Photo.circle presents works of 24 youngphotographers from Bangladesh, Norwayand Nepal, 6 February, 6pm at the BakeryCafe, Sundhara

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #488|9

DINING GETAWAYS

A café's café, Dhokaima Café, PatanDhoka, 5522113

Famous stews of the world at the RoxRestaurant, Tuesday, Wednesday andThursday, from 6.00pm, Hyatt Regency,Boudha, 4491234/4489362

Strawberry High Tea, 4.30-6.30pm,TheLounge, Hyatt Regency, 4491234/4489362

Arabian Nights for MiddleEastern specialities every

Friday from 6.30pm,

Oriental Nights, flavours andspecialities of Asia every Wednesday atThe Café, 6.30pm, Hyatt Regency, 4491234/4489362

Chez Caroline for French andMediterranean cuisine, Babar MahalRevisited, 4263070

Lavazza Coffee and Baskin n’Robbins, at Blue Note Coffee Shop,Lazimpat, 4491234

Jazzabell Café, TGIF,10% discount all day, happyhour 6-8pm, Jhamsikhel, 2114075

Teppanyaki meat items and garlic riceat Le Restaurant, Gairidhara, 4436318

Reality Bites, The Kaiser Café, Garden ofDreams, operated by Dwarika’s Group ofHotels, 9am-10pm, 4425341

Himalayan Rainbow Trout at HotelYak and Yeti, Darbar Marg, 4248999

Tiger for Breakfast, breakfast everydayat 1905, Kantipath, 4215068

Gokarna Forest Resort for a variety ofsizzlers at Tripti bar, 44512126

Live continental BBQ Fiesta,exclusive BBQ Dinner at Splash Bar &Grill, Radisson Hotel, from 6.30-10.30pmeveryday

Valentine's Day Special, love with afree rose, a free Irish Coffee and 10%discount on Mexican specialties, February14, K-too! Beer & Steakhouse, Thamel,4700043

The Corner Bar, 5-7pm, 3-11pm,Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, 4411818

Vegetarian Buffet - The Cafe at HyattRegency Kathmandu offers vegetarianBuffet every Mondays from 6:30 pm. Fordetails please call 4491234 or 4489362

Al Fresco, for homemade pasta, steak andfreshwater trout, Kakori, for biryanis,curries and kebabs, 7-10.45pm, SoalteeCrown Plaza, 4273999

Boudha Stupa Restaurant and Café,for wood-fired pizza and free wi-fiInternet, 012130681

Starry night barbecue at Hotel Shangri-La with live performance by CineyGurung, Rs 999, at the Shambala Gardenevery Friday 7pm, Plat Du Jour at HotelShangri-La, Lazimpat, Rs 600, 4412999

Relax Package at the Hyatt for Rs 6200plus taxes for one night accommodation fortwo, including breakfast at The Cafe.Package valid till Feb 20, 2010, Only forlocal residents and Nepalese citizens for amaximum of 3 nights stay. Please call4491234 or 4489800.

Pokhara Paradise Package, 1 Night/2Days including buffet dinner andbreakfast, happy hours at the Gurkha Bar,discounts on spa & golf, valid until 28April for Nepalis and resident expats onlyfor Rs 3999 per person on twin sharingbasis. Also try our Wines & RosesHoneymoon Special for an unforgettable3 Nights/4 Days stay including a bouquetof flowers and a bottle of sparkling wine, adaily set or buffet dinner, one hour spatreatment, 30 minutes foot massage,complimentary use of the jacuzzi, half aday of sightseeing and more for $599/$799per couple, call 431482, www.fulbari.com

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #48810|HAPPENINGS

AGAINST ALL ODDS: Nepali judo player Debu Thapa returns home onWednesday after winning a bronze medal in the South Asian Games inBangladesh. She was injured in an elevator accident in Dhaka last weekand participated in the games using painkillers.

AHMAD ISKANDAR

HEAVY LIFTING: Nepal Armed Police employ a dozer to pick up trash atNew Road Gate last week as employees of local bodies continued theirnationwide protests.

KIRAN PANDAY

Q. Do you agree with the One MadhesOne Pradesh demand?

Weekly Internet Poll # 487

Q. Do you agree with the proposed14-province ethnic federal model?

Total votes: 2,922

Weekly Internet Poll # 488. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com

WEEKEND WEATHERby NGAMINDRA DAHAL

KATHMANDU

FRI SAT S U N

23-3 24-2 21-2

I t is supposed to rain more this month than thelast. But this may not count for much given howirregular weather patterns have been al l year. Wereceived only a fraction of our quota of precipitationlast month. Satel l i te pictures show a fresh layer ofsmog has r isen over the western Gangetic plainsalong the Himalayan foothi l ls. This layer wi l l moveeastwards gradual ly, and produce a shadow effectduring the daytime along the Tarai. Val leyresidents can expect warm sunny days and clearnights over the weekend.

WATCH OUT! Students of Adarsha Secondary School during anearthquake drill organised by the National Society for EarthquakeTechnology and School Earthquake Safety Division on Monday.

KIRAN PANDAY

UNWANTED: Pedestrians point at a discarded foetus in the rubbishflowing under Balkumari Bridge, Lalitpur, Wednesday.

KIRAN PANDAY

REMEMBRANCE: An offering of rice at Shahid Gate to mark Martyr'sDay on Saturday.

KIRAN PANDAY

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #488 |11

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #48812|NATION

hhetrapati Free Clinic (CFC) wasset up in 1957 to provide affordable

healthcare to the underprivileged. Todate it has served nearly three millionpatients.

A doctor’s visit, plus a follow-upmeeting, costs just Rs75. This fee iswaived for those who cannot pay.Community members oversee the clinicthrough an executive committee.

The facilities are first rate. Ear-Nose-Throat specialist Premal Kumar Joshisays, “I see about 40 patients a day andhave the technology and equipment toprovide a wide range of services.” CFCprovides basic medical care and will soon

hirty-five-year-old Uttam Sanjel(right) started Samata School in 2001

after a short film career. Today, it is on thecusp of becoming the world’s cheapestand largest school.

It may also be the only school madeentirely of bamboo.

Thanks to donations provided by localbusinesspeople and charitableorganisations, Samata charges a mereRs 100 in annual school fees from nurseryto Class 10. There are 18,000 students in11 campuses across 11 districts. The lastbatch all passed the SLC with distinction.

The secret is the attention teacherslavish upon individual students. “Assoon as a student has a problem, theteacher corrects it,” says Sanjel. This ispossible because there are just 30 studentsper class.

The students are flocking in. Class 10student Prakriti Mahara was encouragedto join by her sister, and doesn’t regret itone bit. “Even if I got a scholarship ata private school, I would stay here,”she says.

Eight more campuses will open in thenext few years to accommodate anexpected 24,000 additional students. If allgoes according to plan, Samata will pass

Nepali Times: What does PestalozziWorld do?Sir Richard Butler: PestalozziWorld was inspired bythe work and thought of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, apioneer in the field of education. The Pestalozziphilosophy is ‘Head, Heart and Hands’, which means

that education isn’t just about academics – it’s alsoabout interacting with other people. We givescholarships for secondary level education to about500 bright students from underprivileged backgroundsfrom India, Nepal, Tibet, Malawi and Zambia. Many ofthese students live in Pestalozzi Villages, like theAsia Village in Dehradun, India, which has 150students, and go to nearby schools.

How much do you spend per student?$1200 per student per annum, and we raise fundsthrough trusts in four countries. All of the moneyraised goes directly towards education. Trustees payadministrative expenses themselves.

How much of a presence do you have in Nepal?Over one third of our scholars are from Nepal. Thereare about 130 in Nepali schools ranging from smallrural government schools to Budhanilkantha Schoolin Kathmandu. Another 50 Nepalis are at our AsianVillage in Dehradun. Our alumni run the PestalozziAssociation Helping Advance Development (PAHAD),

which is chaired by Jana Thapa. It was set up in 2000and coordinates PestalozziWorld's activities inNepal.

What do these students go on to do?We teach our students that they have an obligation totheir communities, so most stay in their country andmany become teachers. Some Pestalozzi alumni getscholarships to study abroad and return to do goodwork for the local community. Many success storiescan be found ourwebsite: www.pestalozziworld.org.

What unique challenges does PestalozziWorld face inNepal?The people who need most help live in remote areasthat are hard to access because of Nepal’s terrain.For example, I had to get on a helicopter to visit aschool in Doti. It’s also tough to find jobs for ourstudents. Many people work in NGOs, but this isn’tnecessarily in the long-term interest of the country.We would prefer that they set up their ownbusinesses and help build the economy.

Affordablehealthcare

Middle waysCooperatives,private donorsand charitiescan offeralternatives toshoddy stateservices andtheir costlyprivatecounterparts

SUVAYU DEV PANT n Nepal, those without themeans too often have toresort to poorly equipped

and managed state services. In theabsence of state health insurance,for instance, all medical costsmust be borne privately. Thanksto a range of factors includingdisruptive unions and thedemands of the urban middleclass, costs have risen acrossthe board.

Health experts suggest a broadschedule of subsidies to makehealthcare cheaper. “We need asystem of graded subsidies – withsubsidies lowest for the rich andhighest for the poor – to ensure

greater access to healthcare,” sayspublic health expert Saroj Dhitalof Kathmandu Model Hospital.

But there are problems. Thegovernment is strapped for cash,with healthcare expenditure at ameagre $7 per capita, and privatehospitals have little incentive tooffer such concessions.

Community-run healthcooperatives like Chhetrapati FreeClinic offer a creative solution.They operate ‘micro-insurance’schemes, whereby patientscontribute to a fund thatsubsidises healthcare for everyonein the community. Since thebiggest contributors are usually

the wealthiest, the schemechannels resources from the richto the poor, much like a gradedsubsidy. Community oversightalso reduces unnecessary costs.

“Cooperatives can certainlyimprove healthcare delivery.Kathmandu Model Hospital hashelped many communities getstarted already,” says Dhital. Buthealth cooperatives requiresubstantial external support.Nearly two thirds of ChhetrapatiFree Clinic’s expenses last yearwere met by external donors.“While they can help a lot ofpeople, they aren’t sustainable ona large scale,” says President Bijay

Bahadur Mali.Initiatives funded by private

donors, such as the Samata School,represent a replicable model toprovide high-quality, cheapeducation to disadvantagedNepalis. PestalozziWorld worksacross the world and in Nepal toprovide scholarships to childrenfrom economically disadvantagedbackgrounds.

Community and charitableinitiatives such as the ChhetrapatiFree Clinic, Samata School andPestalozziWorld don’t absolve thestate of its responsibilities towardsits citizens. Neither do they detractfrom the top-quality, if expensive,services that the private sector canprovide. But in providingalternatives to those with littlechoice at their disposal, theyrepresent brave efforts to ensure allNepalis reach their potential.

I

install two operation theatres.In 2000, CFC set up Nepal’s first

modern dental lab. “We ushered Nepalidentistry into the 21st century. Our productsand technicians are the best in the country,”says President Bijay Bahadur Mali.

It may also be one of the few clinicsstanding in the event of an earthquake. Oneof its four buildings is earthquake-proof andvolunteers have been trained to act asemergency medical aides.

But CFC faces steep challenges ahead.Doctors are hard to retain since they canearn much more in private clinics. Despiteits facilities, CFC will struggle to keep upwith advances in medical technology.

C

Bamboo school

City Montessori School in Lucknow,India to become the world’s largestschool.

Samata recently won the ‘ShiningWorld Compassion Award’, along with a$10,000 cheque, and the Manav AdhikarPuraskar.

T

KIRAN PANDAY

Head, heart and handsSir RichardButler ofPestalozziWorld,a globalscholarshipfund, was inNepal this week.Nepali Timesspoke to him inKathmandu onWednesday.

FOO CHEE CHANG

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #488 NATION|13

uktinath Adhikari,headmaster and Grade 10teacher at Padmini

Sanskrit Higher Secondary Schoolin Lamjung, was teaching aScience class when the Maoistscame and took him away inJanuary 2002. That afternoon, hewas taken to a hill overlookingthe village, tied to a tree with hisscarf and shot through the head.According to the Maoists, he wasan informant, who hadn’tdonated the required 25 per centof his teacher’s Dasain bonus totheir cause.

It has been exactly eight yearssince Muktinath was murdered.His son Suman has since movedthe family to Kathmandu.Suman’s mother has been illsince his father’s death anddoesn’t want to go back toLamjung. Whenever Suman visitshis village, he feels uncomfortablein his own house.

Suman and his family havenever wanted to know who killedMuktinath. What Suman doeswant to know is why his father, asincere, hardworking man whohad never hurt a soul in his shortlife, was accused of being aninformer and killed so brutally.For eight years Suman has gonefrom one government office toanother, to the Peace Ministry, toevery Prime Minister who hastaken office. They all sympathise,but no one has done anything.Now Suman doesn’t even knowwhere to go to, who isaccountable, or how to go abouttrying to get justice.

It's not money that theAdhikari family wants.Muktinath made sure that hischildren got a good education.Both Suman and his brother havejobs that can support the family.“What is reparation? Can anyamount of money bring back myfather?” Suman asks. He wantsclosure – acknowledgement fromthose responsible that whathappened to Muktinath waswrong. He wants the partyresponsible for murdering hisfather to ask for forgiveness fromhis mother and his family. “Myfather shunned violence, he wasnot an informer, that is not how agood person should beremembered,” says Suman.

Whenever the issue ofrepatriation and reconciliation is

Open woundsraised, however, there are alwaysthose who say that this is not theright time to talk about it becauseit will hamper the peace process.The victims who are awaitingjustice are also told the samething when they approach thegovernment. But how can a peaceprocess be successful whenthousands are still traumatised bywhat happened during the war?

The families of the warvictims of both sides want toknow how and why their lovedones were killed and where thedisappeared are so that they canmove on. The most unfortunatething is that the government hasno data on the number of peoplewho were killed or disappearedduring the war. The Truth andReconciliation Commission andthe Disappearance Commissionare in limbo. The victims do not

INTERESTING TIMESMallika Aryal

The nature ofreconciliationis such thatgovernmentitself has tobe involved,and dolingout cashcompensationwon’t cut itknow where to go to have theircases heard because no one wantsto be accountable.

Media, civil society and non-governmental organisations canlobby and provide support tothese victims, but the nature of

M

reconciliation is such thatgovernment itself has to beinvolved. Simply providingmoney won’t do the job, either –war orphans should be givenscholarships and widows shouldbe taught skills they can use to get

back on their feet.The government needs to

come up with a comprehensiveplan as a matter of priority for thepeace process. The victims are inpain, some of them are very angry,and they will not wait forever.

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #48814|FROM THE NEPALI PRESS

Editorial in Janadisha, 1 February

India responded to the Maoist campaignfor national independence and civiliansupremacy by protesting in the borderarea of Dashgaja. Protestors burned aneffigy of chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahaland Indian security personnel roughedup Nepalis living near the border. Bydoing this, India wanted to send out amessage, ‘obey me or else you will meetthe same fate’.

There is a Nepali fable in which awolf attacks a lamb because it muddiesa shared pond. India, which is 32 timesbigger in size and 45 times bigger inpopulation, is acting like the wolf. Indiais nurturing its ambition to become theworld’s most powerful country andintends to bully its neighbours. It ispressurising the Nepal government to

Wolfish game

“Passengers, we will begin our descent to Kathmandu soon. Please put on amask before disembarking to block out the smell from the garbage.”

Suman in Annapurna Post , 3 February

KAMAL RIMAL

agree on an extradition treaty and airmarshal agreement and now it isharassing Nepali people in borderareas.

Instead of protesting against suchIndian offenses, Nepali corporatemedia and ‘intellectuals’ criticise theMaoists for launching the movementfor nationalism, which they say hastroubled the public. They are happywhen politicians get a bad name.Loyalists who receive favours fromIndia and are ready to live underoppression have made Indianatrocities tools against the Maoists.Indian atrocities are fuel for corporatemedia and ‘intellectuals’ to lash outagainst the Maoist movement.However, the relation between the twocountries’ people will not deteriorateas desired by the rulers.

5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #488 CONSTITUTION 2010|15

Bhaire Kami, UML CA member,Achham

What is the current status of Dalits inNepal?The state says 14 per cent of thepopulation are Dalits, but the actualfigure is much higher. They are stillsubjugated. They used to stitch clothes,make tools and entertain people in thepast and have no alternative but tocontinue these professions today, sopoverty has become more acute. Theylack education, so can’t enter the statemechanism.

Will the proposed state restructuringbenefit Dalits or not?Restructuring is not just a geographicdivision, but about eliminatingtraditional thinking, culture and normsin order to build a civilised society.Dalits will not get anything from theethnic division of territory.

How can Dalits be helped then?Power should be decentralised socommoners can more readily enjoytheir rights. This is why we needfederalism, not to parcel out territory toethnic communities. Dalits have neverdemanded and are against ethnicprovinces with special rights for ethniccommunities.

But your party proposed a federalmodel based on ethnicity.An ethnic federal model is not possiblein a country like ours. Ethnic autonomyis about freedoms of language, cultureand tradition, not distributing provinces.If we create a Newa state, where willPradhans, Shresthas and Podes havetheir state? Which Dalits deserve astate, Kamis, Damais or Sarkis? Thisis either an innocent mistake or amalicious lie. They advocate humanrights but withhold political rights. Howridiculous is this?

Muslims want identity

Ethnic statesa mistake

Sadrul Miya Haque, Independent CA member, Saptari-5

What is the population of Muslims?According to the 2001 census, there are 1.2 millionMuslims in Nepal. We are the majority in some districtsof the western Tarai.

What do you think of ethnic provinces?Various ethnic communities have been demandingseparate ethnic provinces but not us. We want identity.Madrasas, mosques and Kabrastans should be recognised.A high-level commission should be formed to addressthe issues of Muslims. We have been marginalised fortoo long.

Are you Madhesi or Muslim first?Definitely Muslim.

A CA committee has already proposed 14 states.Creating ethnic provinces is a ploy to divide us and createchaos. This will weaken national unity and benefit others.There are more than 14 ethnic communities. Isn’t this mapunfair to others? Federalism won’t succeed by heapinginjustice upon injustice.

What can be done then?Those who don’t get a province will revolt. Therefore weshould be alert and take measures to preempt possibledisharmony.

he NC, UML and Madhesi parties,among others, have opposed the ideaof 14 provinces with provision of

special regions, protected regions andautonomous regions incorporating 23 ethniccommunities within provinces. The 14province model was passed in the Committeefor State Restructuring with Maoist support,but some committee members feel thealternative six-state model that wasdiscussed should also be taken to a fullsession of the CA.

“All proposals presented in theCommittee should be tabled in a full sessionof the CA or else it will lead to conflict,” saidSadbhawana leader Anil Jha at a meeting ofthe committee recently.

Responding to the idea of slottingChitwan into the Madhes Pradesh, UML CAmember Sita Kumari Poudel retorted, “Wewill see who dares to do that. If it is donethere will be an agitation.” MJF Vice PresidentJaya Prakash Gupta, on the other hand,warned that any attempt to separate Chitwanfrom the Madhes would be tantamount towaging war against the latter.

Neelam KC of CPN (ML) argued thatfinalising the issue in two hours was

autocratic, as the committee had failed todecide even after 127 rounds of meetings anda four-day meeting of the sub-committee atGodavari Village Resort. Forty-two CAmembers commented on the draft at the finalmeeting of the committee, which doesn’taugur well for agreement on federalism.

The 14-state proposal received 23 votesfrom Maoist and UML CA members. Themajority also approved of political privilegesto ethnic communities, special regions,protected areas and autonomous regions inthe provinces. Fifteen members of thecommittee, however, demanded bothproposals be presented at full CA sessions.

MJF registered a note of dissent andannounced protest programs challenging thecommittee’s decision. The NC, too, hasregistered a note of dissent demanding boththe federal maps discussed be submitted to

the CA. Even some Maoist committeemembers submitted notes of dissent.

To top it all, some ethnic organisationshave not approved of the proposal for 14ethnicity-based provinces. The Tharu WelfareCouncil has demanded a re-division of theprovinces on the basis of population,geography and historical background. It hasannounced protest programs in Tharuhat-Tarai districts.

Clause 138(2) of the Interim Constitutionsays “a High Level Commission shall beconstituted to recommend for therestructuring of the State” but the governmentfailed to form the commission. Ex-presidentof the Nepal Bar Association (NBA) andlawyer Harihar Dahal says that staterestructuring by ignoring the constitutionalclause means that “As per law, this can beinvalid”. But another NBA ex-president andlawyer Shambhu Thapa says the commissionwould have only been an advisory body tothe CA, and not forming it does not mean theCA can postpone writing the constitution.

Ultimately, even if only the 14-statemodel is discussed in a full session of theCA, it clearly is not the final draft. It notonly requires approval in its entirety, everyclause must be passed by a two-thirdsmajority. The State Restructuring Committeemay feel it has fulfilled its mandate, but theroad to federalism is a long one.

Finalising thefederal structure

The proposal for14 ethnicity basedprovinces has tobe endorsed by a

majority in the CA,which is unlikely

DHRUBA SIMKHADA

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DINESH SHRESTHA

ISSN

181

4-26

13

CDO Regd No 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No 09/066/67

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5 - 11 FEBRUARY 2010 #48816|BACK SIDE

N o one should have been surprised by our sagging fortunes atSAG in Dhaka. The whole thing was jinxed from the start.The falling lift, the royal anthem on repeat, the 21-0

thrashing we got from the Big Brothers in hockey, and then, as if thestrange rectangular version of our double triangle banner wasn’t badenough, the Banglas hung the proud Jangi Nishan upside down.

But we only have ourselves to blame for the ugly fisticuffs betweenNepali sports officials prior to the kabbadi game. We should haveenlisted those karmacharis in the wrestling tournament, I’m sure wecould’ve got a few golds there.

The best proof of the old adage that there are no permanentfriends or permanent foes in politics is the current honeymoonbetween Comrade Girjau and Chairman Chhabi Lal. Clearly, theGleneagles Summit was a deal to install GPK as president and PKDas PM so the two could live happily ever after. But that was not to be.The main hurdle was not between the UCPN-M and NC but oppositionfrom kangresis themselves to the Old Man, and from comrades to theOld Fox.

Come to think of it, the High Level Mechanism is made up of threeindividuals who think they should be in power but aren’t. PKD wasPM and sorely misses it. GPK always thought it was his destiny to bethe first president of the world’s newest republic. And JNK found outthat winning an election gave him control of neither his party nor thegovernment. They need a role, poor fellows, hence this triumviratethat hoped it would have the power to change the govt. But to reallysolve this country’s problems, it seems we need an Even-Higher-Level Political Mechanism that includes India and the P5.

SuzyQ is in a deep sulk because of the stink over passports. Not onlydid she lose a fat chance to finagle the deal to alter the MRP ToRmidway through the bidding process, but her PA has just confessed toselling a whole bunch of Nepali passports to Afghans trying tosmuggle themselves into Australia. The Machine Readable Passportswere supposed to prevent just such misuse of passports, but the wayher ministry is going about it Somalis, Afghans, Sudanese, etc wouldall be eligible for Nepali passports even before Nepalis themselves. Allthis is what must be keeping Suzie Didi so busy that she boycottedthe Rastrapati Bhavan for the credential presentation ceremonyon Wednesday, preferring to spend the day as a dutiful dotter,scheming to get the Maoists to power just so Daddy can be president.

Chairman Ferociousness has shown us all the pitfalls of being tooclever by half. He funded Jhallu’s candidacy in the UML conventionlast year and is still trying to split the UML, he’s tried to dismemberthe kangresis although they were doing pretty well by themselves. Heis now being consumed by his own Machiavellian machinations, andis running out of ideas, as each of his smart aleck planshas failed to get his party back in the saddle. In the epicsaga of the rivalry between Chhabi Lal and Lal Dhoj, itis BRB who has prevailed for now.

ass(at)nepalitimes.com

Wrestlinggold at SAG