Weekly Internet Poll # 453. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com

Q. What is your opinion of Madhav KumarNepal as PM?

Weekly Internet Poll # 452

Q. What is the most desirable coalition:

#452 22 - 28 May 2009 16 pages Rs 30

his isn’t Darfur, it is a sandstorm hitting the desertified Kosiafter the river was diverted to its previous channel.

For the 60,000 people displaced by the river after itbreached its levee last August the past year has been a living hell.With the monsoons less than a month away, there is fear the Kosiwill flood again.

The most vulnerable in the flimsy tented camps are the womenand children. Babies born after the flood suffer eye infections from theblowing sand as well as other diseases. And now, there is the addeddanger of human traffickers who are preying on older children, sellingthem off as farmhands and restaurant workers in India.

The effect on Kosi Tappu Wildlife Reserve’s endangered arna, freshwater dolphin and birdlife have been overlooked. Construction workto divert the river and human encroachment threaten the sanctuary.

The only silver lining is that according to last month’s arna census,the number of wild buffalo is up from 159 five years ago to 219 today.

arring new complications, MadhavKumar Nepal is being voted Nepal’s

new prime minister.The stalemate that paralysed

parliament for over two weeks wasfinally resolved with a compromiseresolution in the house, and caretakerPM Pushpa Kamal Dahal addressedparliament on Thursday, making way for anew UML-led coalition. Dahal is moving out ofBaluwatar to his rented house in Naya Bajaron Friday.

The House is expected to vote forthe new prime minister on Friday or overthe weekend. But the bigger hurdle is tokeep everyone in the 22-party coalitionhappy with cabinet posts. From pastexperience, that process could takeanywhere up to a week.

Silver lining?New Nepal

Special Report p10-11

T

PLAIN SPEAKING Prashant JhaPast imperfect p2

STATE OF THE STATE CK LalA time to heal p3

KIRAN PANDAYANANDA SHRESTHA

Total votes: 4,676

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2 22 - 28 MAY 2009 #452EDITORIAL

Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Editor: Kunda DixitCEO: Ashutosh Tiwari Design: Kiran MaharjanDGM Sales and Marketing: Sambhu Guragain marketing@himalmedia.comMarketing Manager: Subhash Kumar Asst. Manager: Arjun KarkiCirculation: Prakash Raut

Hatiban, Godavari Road, LalitpurGPO Box 7251, Kathmandu 5250333/845 Fax: 5251013Printed at Jagadamba Press 5250017-19edi tors@nepal i t imes.com

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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

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USEFUL IDIOTSIt is disingenuous of you to use Lenin’sfamous words, ‘useful idiots’, todescribe only the political parties ofNepal (‘Useful idiots,’ #450). Lenin, ofcourse, used the term for anyone that(perhaps unwittingly) helped theBolsheviks attain more power. In theNepali context, our civil society, humanrights organisations and media, as wellas foreign powers (India) and the UNhave been no less ‘useful’ in red-carpeting the Maoists from the jungles toour city-streets and ultimately SinghaDarbar–all in the name of‘mainstreaming’ them and seeking a‘peaceful solution’ to the decade-longconflict. Had this feat beenaccomplished with full sincerity, clearvision and sufficient homework, it wouldhave been truly laudable. But, in reality,it was an objective pursued with littleregard to long-term national interest.Your paper itself welcomed the SPA’s

START AGAINThe political deadlock continues because Nepal’s rulers eitherhave no idea what they are doing or have no concern for what isat stake: stability, peace and democracy.

The Maoists say that they are hindering CA proceedings toestablish ”civilian supremacy”, Orwellian doublespeak whichactually means “we get our way, or else”. There is no way aninstitution can be made supreme without allowing it first to dowhat it is expected to do: elect a new leader after the old onehas resigned.

Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal occupied the moral highground by exiting from the government the moment he realisedhis allies had deserted him in the middle of a crisis ingovernance. He needs to show similar statesmanship and let asuccessor government take office through accepted norms andprocedures of a parliamentary system. Everyone knows he isbuying time.

The UML now wants to disown its past in a coalition with theMaoists. It has now emerged that Dahal had taken the decision tosack Gen Rookmangud Katawal with full knowledge, even if notthe direct consent, of his UML colleagues. The UML needs todevise a face-saving formula to protect its own democraticcredentials and hide its duplicity.

Katawal may have to step down to save the Nepal Army fromthe charges of harbouring political ambitions. This is an optionthat can buy the UML support of the Maoists and rid it from thedestabilising influence of minor parties. The NC has a selectivememory and doesn’t realise it set a destructive precedence byobstructing CA session that it has helped call in the first place.The political impasse isn’t as inextricable as it seems. It appearsknotty because parties in the gridlock are looking for excusesrather than solutions.

Time to stop the blame game and accept in all humility thatevery major political actor has failed to live up to theexpectations of the Nepali electorate. Corrective measures willbegin to shape once they realise that all of them are equallyresponsible for the mess they find themselves in. They should alllearn to say sorry and start again.

PLAIN SPEAKINGPrashant Jha

The old discredited conservative guard is backchallenge: a task he may not liveup to because of the debts owed.

K P Oli’s stance led the UMLto take a strong position onKatawal’s dismissal, and hisbacking is allowing Nepal tofulfill his dream. Oli will have aveto over key decisions. KnowingOli’s visceral anti-Maoist stand,his skepticism about the peaceprocess, and his opposition tomost demands of themarginalised, do not be surprisedif there is little political will tofind common ground with theMaoists.

Bijay Gachhedar, who alongwith Khum Bahadur Khadka andGovind Raj Joshi, made the 1990ssynonymous with corruption andopportunism is the third hero ofthis alliance. He will be justlyrewarded for veering the Forumaway from the Maoists.

Do remember that till the end,he neither wanted the electionsto happen nor the monarchyabolished. Along with SharatSingh Bhandari, he wasencouraged by the army to jointhe MJF. Gachhedar, who has astellar record of systematicallyruining whichever ministry hehas headed, is in the running fordeputy prime ministership andthe home portfolio.

The fourth in line isPresident Ram Baran Yadav.Whether you agree or disagreewith his action on Katawal,Yadav is no longer a ceremonialhead but a political figure. Hisreply to the SC show-cause noticeadmits as much. Parties whichconstitute almost half the CA,Maoists and MJF, haveofficially termed his actionunconstitutional.

Yadav has been engagingclosely with politicians in therun up to the governmentformation, and it is clear wherehis preferences lie. Even ifhe does not cross the linepublicly, he will play a behind-the- scenes role in key political

decisions.And the fifth character is

Rakesh Sood, unarguably themost unpopular Indian envoyhere in the last decade. Contraryto Maoist propaganda, Indiakept a relatively hands-offapproach in the past eightmonths and did not plot to oustthe government. But the Katawalepisode changed that, makingthem angry and insecure andenhancing their intervention.

Nepal could not have cobbledthis together without the moral,political and financial supportextended by Lainchaur. Indianshave an interest in ensuring thatthe government does not failmiserably. And Nepal will bemost amenable to taking adviceand instructions. It is unlikelyMKN and these five musketeersare capable of responding to thepolitics of grievances andaspirations that engulf thiscountry.

This is not a plea for Maoistor Upendra rule. Neither is it anattempt to equate Maoists withpolitics of change. The mismatchbetween their rhetoric andactions is clear after their stint atthe top. The real point is that theold discredited conservativeguard is back. This is a plea tore-engineer the broader peacecompact.

Even today, there are onlythree forces capable of doing that.Only a re-energised GPK whosheds his bitterness can counterthe loony right-wing tendenciesin the alliance he is backing.Only a more honest PKD whosheds his duplicity and dogmacan rebuild this process. Andonly an Indian governmentwhich thinks constructively canbe the external guarantor byusing its leverage to encourageconsensus instead of polarisingforces further.

Otherwise, welcome theanarchy, conflict and politicalstalemate that lie right ahead.

Past imperfect

perhaps gradually ensure that Nepaliscan once again be proud to be Nepali.

Subhadra Belbase, Uganda

What I want to know is who electedthese self-appointed civil society leaderswho are willing to be deployed by theMaoist party as a vanguard to extendtheir militancy on the streets. Where didthey come from? Who elected them? Asfar as I can see they are a bunch ofwhining stay-at-homes whose only roleis to spread cynicism and abettotalitarians.

Gyan Subba, Kumaripati

As always Nepali Times has beeninformative, analytical(‘Semi-automaticautonomy’, # 451) and entertaining(‘Civilian society supremacy’, #451).Ironies abound about ChairmanChhabilal. He has, in fact, now turnedinto Chairman Liar.

MP, Calgary, email

aoist impatience, high-handedness, refusal torenounce violence,

arrogance, duplicity andstunning ability to antagonisemultiple forces simultaneouslyhave all contributed to thepresent mess.

But does that give morallegitimacy to the new politicalarrangement that is about to takeoffice? Can the Madhav KumarNepal-led formation address

the key political issues thatconfront us today: integration,justice, constitution writing,changing the state structure,engaging with disenchantedcommunities, and providingservices?

While Nepal is the face of thisgovernment, he is obliged to fivemasters who will behave likeindependent power centres. Thefirst is General Katawal. If anyonekidded himself that the army isapolitical or the chief is justanother neutral soldier, the mythhas been shattered. Not only washe the trigger for this crisis, hehas invested enormous capital inengineering the alternativecoalition, using his leverage withold NC conservatives, the MJFright wing and the Oli faction.

Pushpa KamalDahal’s reference abouthow a few are talkingabout being Rajpaksesand treating Maoistslike LTTE was a directtake-off fromKatawal’sconversations withcertain interlocutors.Katawal will expect tohave a say in crucialpolitical issues.Showing Katawalwho’s boss will beNepal’s biggest

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

hasty and shallow alliance with the Maoistsas a way forward (‘Breakthrough in Delhi,’#273) despite the fact that the fabled 12-point understanding demanded littlecommitment from theMaoists to peaceful,pluralistic politics intangible terms. Thehollowness of that‘breakthrough’ has beenlaid bare in the recentShaktikhor Tapes. Let’sface it: the idiocy thatbrought such dangerouselements into themainstream of powerextends beyond themuch-maligned politicalparties. All theseelements need to nowjointly take responsibilityfor the deep quagmire they’ve gottenus into.

Satyajeet Nepali, email

Kudos and Kudos to Kul ChandraGautam for his balanced, analytical andprofessional piece (‘The jury is out,’#451). Thanks to Nepali Times for

republishing hisvery thoughtfulvoice of reason inthis tumultuous anderratic period of Nepal’s history.

I doubt that ourpoliticians will getGautam’smessage, but hopethat at least theself-appointed‘leaders’ of civilsociety will searchwithin theirconscience, if theystill have one, and

learn to be as balanced and thoughtful ashim. Maybe this will help them ‘lead’ ourpoliticians in the right direction and

322 - 28 MAY 2009 #452OP-ED

STATE OF THE STATEC K Lal

oth Marxist Prime Minister Manmohan Adhikari and MaoistPremier Pushpa Kamal Dahal led a government that lasted onlynine months. The official residence for prime ministers of Nepal

seems to be jinxed: no occupant has served his full term since thisbizarre edifice was set up to house palace puppets during thePanchayat.

There are other similarities between the abrupt ousters ofComrades Adhikari and Dahal. Both tried to rule unilaterally despitebeing a minority in the legislature. Each tried to subvert the systemfrom within in similar ways: get rid of everyone likely to resist and fillevery instrument of the state with hardcore loyalists. Both succumbed

to Kathmandu’s entrenched powerelite. But that’s where thesimilarities end.

Within nine months of itsterm, UML leaders acquired a taste

for trappings of power and had no hesitation later in cohabiting withevery imaginable political permutation of rightist radicals and leftistmilitants. The UML has since loyally served prime ministers of allpolitical colours. PM-designate Madhav Kumar Nepal is perhaps themost pragmatic personality of contemporary Nepali politics, and he isthe fixer the nation needs to repair broken channels of communicationbetween different national and international stakeholders.

Chairman Dahal is losing his political stature by coming in the wayof a man who would be prime minister for only as long as the Maoistswish. The moment Chairman Jhalnath Khanal gets the hint that theutility of Comrade Nepal is over, the rug would be pulled from underthe feet of his 22-party coalition of non-Maoist forces.

Adhikari’s aborted premiership, Dahal’s fall from grace, Nepal’spossible eclipse have the same reason: from crimson to pink,communists of every hue scare the hell out of the Delhi establishment.Having seen the way leftist parties perpetuate themselves in officethrough means fair and foul once they enter the corridors of power,South Block’s tolerance level for the left is low.

The list of Dahal’s sins in office is long: he disgraced his officewith blatant nepotism, favouritism and partisanship. Random chargesof bribery don’t appear so plausible, but that doesn’t make the ills ofpolitical corruption any less serious. However, misreading the lips ofIndian interlocutors was his gravest miscalculation.

Little wonder, ranking Maoist cadres have been told in no uncertainterms that if they wish to come back to power, they would have tothink of a leader more acceptable to the Indian establishment thanDahal. It may not directly imply that the stars of Baburam Bhattarai arein ascendance, but Dahal knows that his glory days are over.That’s the reason the man who was instrumental in bringing down theShah dynasty has begun to whine. He may bounce back, butcommunism isn’t prone to political reincarnation.

The UML has an asset the Maoists didn’t: the bureaucracy. UnlikeDahal, Nepal doesn’t have to worry about war-scarred combatantsitching to take up guns once more to settle old scores regardless of theconsequences of their rash actions. The international community wasapprehensive at best of the Maoists’ intention, with NGO-run UML,they know what they get when they are paying for it.

Comrade Nepal may surprise everyone by removing the curse thatno leftist occupant can last longer than nine months at Baluwatar. Inorder to do that, he would have to consult Dahal and Koirala as often aspossible but keep a constant eye on his own party colleagues. Withoutan insider, no hidden hand can play foul in the game of musical chairsthat are inherent to all evolving parliamentary democracies.

A timeto heal

Nepal may be the fixer Nepal needs

B

KIRAN PANDAY

4 22 - 28 MAY 2009 #452NATION

epal’s financial system is witnessing a new liquiditycrunch. Banks and financial institutions say there isscarcity of higher denomination Rs 500 and Rs 1000

notes in the market. These two constitute more than 90 per cent ofthe approximate Rs 138 billion currently in circulation.

The crisis adds to the inflation that is a result of the state’senforcement failure. No financial common sense or market logichas answers to the reasons behind the liquidity crisis. Neitherdoes Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) seem overly concerned about thesituation, and its ability and willingness to deal with the problemremains questionable. It has said the crisis will persist for at least

two more months: until thefirst consignment of thenewly printed notes arrivesfrom France.

The currency crunch isthe cumulative outcome of

mainly three factors. First, the Voluntary Disclosure of IncomeScheme (VDIS) and disclosure of income source mademandatory by the Maoist government is believed to have drivenabout Rs 10 billion in cash off the market.

People chose to stash cash in private coffers. In hindsight, thebenefit of economies of scale created by this Rs 10 billon wouldhave been much larger than over-trumpeted success of VDIS thatnetted a mere Rs 1.5 billion.

Second, the oversubscription of IPOs of mainly Class A bankshalted the circulation of several billion rupees for a couple ofmonths, as was the case of Sunrise Bank holding about Rs 10billion this time around. Also, people may maintain substantialcontingency of cash reserve for other IPOs, like Prime Bank.

Third, the unresponsiveness and unwillingness of thegovernment toresolve theproblem, andunderlyingvested interestof the NRBleadershiphaveexacerbatedthe situation.Had theregulatoryauthoritieswanted, onewell-meaningnotice wouldhave beensufficient tobring thehoarded

amount to the banking system. Instead, NRB seems to thinkthe solution is to print the new notes and bring them in tocirculation as soon as possible.

Interestingly, the currency shortage provides an excuse andopportunity for NRB leadership to print new currency notes. Itdecided to print about 100 million units of new notes mainly of Rs500, but without much justification. The market and commercialactivities have not substantially expanded. Even with Rs10 billionin cash going out of circulation and the 10 per cent annual growth,the aggregate requirement does not exceed Rs 24 billion.

There are enough reusable notes stockpiled, so the currentliquidity crisis could be orchestrated. Be that as it may, but thereis a tendency of printing more than required amount of currencynotes under different pretexts, especially when a new governor isappointed during periods of shaky politics.

The term of present governor Dipendra Kshetry ends on 2February 2010, but he may even have to quit early if the SupremeCourt reinstates the suspended governor Bijaya Nath Bhattarai.The next hearing on the case is scheduled for 31 May. Kshetryalso has the politically-correct excuse of not circulating old notescarrying the portraits of former kings and printing replacements.

As a short term redress, NRB released Rs 2 billion throughopen market operations last Monday when the inter-bank ratetouched 10 per cent and there was no ‘investible’ liquidity with thebanks. The issue of shortage and printing of new bills aside, thereason given by NRB as ‘lack of investible liquidity’ point to othergraver problems in the economy. The recent competition amongthe banks to attract the depositors by offering higher interest ratesimplies more than a shortfall in the circulation cycle.

This may be indicative of a decrease in deposits and declinein the repayment of the loans. A significant amount could also beclogged up in unproductive sectors like real estate, and immediatereturn from this type of investment is unlikely.

In this scenario, the economy may plunge into a contractiontrap. The government, regulatory authorities and the financialmarket should try to address the real problems jointly instead ofdeflecting them as a temporary defect in money supply.

Printing bank notes withouttackling the real malaisewill inflame inflation

Cash crunch

N

COMMENTAchyut Wagle

rowing up flying kites inPokhara, Narayan PrasadParajuli never imagined

that he would someday open upa company whose businesswould be to make people fly likea kite above the Sarangkot.

In early 2000, when aforeigner offered to demonstrateto a few tourism professionalsthe potential of this newbusiness, Parajuli(pictured right)signed up for paraglidinglessons. He got hooked on thesport. Later that year, togetherwith Swiss partners, he openedBlue Sky Paragliding on thePokhara lakeside. Since then hiscompany has flown about 2,000flights, with the annual numbergoing up every year.

“From October to March,Pokhara offers a natural venue forparagliding,” Parajuli told NepaliTimes this week after beingselected as the paper’s Companyof the Month for May 2009.

The Himalayas act as a wallagainst the chilly mountain air.On any given day, as soon asParajuli’s pilots spot three to fiveeagles soaring above Sarankgot,they know the thermals are upand they are ready to fly.

Soaring on tourism

Blue Skytakes off as an

adventurousadventure

tourismcompany

Pokhara’s location above FewaLake is ideal both in terms ofscenic beauty and catabatic windsthat are essential for soaring.

Blue Sky paragliding currentlyhas six instructors: threeforeigners and three Nepalis. Ithas nine more on its register.“There is an element of visiblerisk with paragliding,” Parajulisaid. “At the start of each flight,we make sure that our Swiss-designed and Spain-manufactured gear is safe.” Thepilots are trained in all requiredsafety procedures. During the off-season, the pilots get refreshercourses in first-aid and othersafety issues when they renewtheir licences.

Parajuli says that paraglidingis not viewed as a tourism-relatedsport by the government. It’s beencharacterised as a segment ofaviation business. As such,Parajuli and his brothers dealwith the Department of CivilAviation for permits, licences andareas in which to fly. Blue Sky iseven thinking of expanding toother parts of Nepal.

He has even done a cross-country test flight from Pokharato Kathmandu which took a totalof three days and a total of 22hours of flight time. “We arelooking to see whether we canreach Kathmandu within a day,”Parajuli says.

Blue Sky flies paraglidingpassengers in Sirkot in Syangjaand in Bandipur. There are nowtwo established competitors in

Pokhara alone, with two more onthe way, so Blue Sky is lookingfor its own unique selling pointby diverse locations.

“Locations such as Rolpa andother mid hill stations acrossWestern Nepal have the potentialto be paragliding destinations,”he says, “but because they are soremote and under-developed thatis a deterrent.”

The company pays 50 per centof its revenue to pay world-classparagliders to serve as instructors,20 per cent on administration and10 per cent on logistics. He ishappy that as Pokhara becomesfamous as a paraglidingdestination, more and moreparagliders from around theworld are adding it to their list ofmust visit places.

“There’s a subculture of hard-core paragliders who are verymuch interested in making Nepala paragliding destination,” hesays, “our being a member ofFédération AéronautiqueInternationale (FAI), which is theair sports federation inSwitzerland, has also helped usaccess the global market.”

Parajuli said that Nepal has todifferentiate its tourism offerings.One way to do that would be tomarket Nepal as a destination forextreme sports that are managedwith an eye on safety andaffordability.

Blue Sky Paragliding, LakesidePokharawww.paragliding-nepal.comwww.fai.org

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DAMODAR PARAJULI

SUBASH KUMAR

522 - 28 MAY 2009 #452BUSINESS

ECONOMIC SENSEArtha Beed

Bangkok: It has been interestingand encouraging to meetpositive minded Nepalis herewho have launched restaurantsand meeting places for theirfellow countrymen and women.Unfortunately, these suchpositive thinking Nepalis are inthe minority.

Why is it that when Nepalismeet each other for the firsttime, they invariably discusshow dire the political situationis– even if it happens to be agreen card holder you meet on aflight who hasn’t visited Nepalfor years? Nepali identity seemsrooted to the news headlines inthe media. I have never heard ofAmericans, Thais or Indiansmeeting for the first time andimmediately discussing theirnational political gloom.

Despite all its politicalissues and the impact of theglobal financial crisis, Thailandseems to be bouncing back. Thestock market in the past coupleof months has shown healthygrowth and the constructionindustry is back in business.Cranes are part of the cityscapeagain marking out where somebig building projects are comingup. Working towards anotherphase of economic growth iswhat every citizen feelsresponsible for.

(However it still perplexesme why Thailand is notembracing the English languageextensively despite being sodependent on tourism. ForNepal, the reintroduction ofEnglish in education in themid-nineties has by sheeraccident been able to produce afair amount of fluent Englishspeakers able to find access toeducation and careers abroad.)

The results of the Indianelections also perhaps point outclearly for Nepal how politics istaking a backseat as regionalism,politics of caste and identity

Time for constructive thinkingPositive partnerships

like doing and what you do bestis something that keeps one awayfrom deliberating too much onpolitics and perhaps that is theonly way we Nepalis can bringabout economic change as manyother “written- off” countrieshave been able to do fromMozambique to Uganda to ElSalvador.

At international meetingswhen you encounter people fromnearly 100 countries it is alwaysgood to let the positive energiesof making the world a betterplace brush off on each other.When one hears such greatstories of many nations makingprogress, I just keep onwondering why it is that weNepalis only have our stories ofpolitical mess to share.

www.arthabeed.com

takes a beating. The elections werealso a big rejection of the left andhow market-oriented societieswould like to be closer to thecentre right rather than trying tohope for state largesse.

The good news for Nepal isthat a resilient India, that has nottaken such a severe beating in theglobal financial crisis as othercountries, would hasten itseconomic pace: with no left alliestrying to block reform agendassome of the growth should trickledown to Nepal. This could meanmore tourists from India andpotentially some Indiancompanies thinking ofinvestments in Nepal.

There is little each Nepali canperhaps do to influence politics.So why do we let them affect ourday to day lives so profoundly?

Staying focused on what you

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On topOn his 19th climb to the summit of Everest on 21 May, Apa Sherpaput up a banner proclaiming ‘Stop Climate Change–Let theHimalayas Live!’. This is one of the events being held by WWF aspart of a year-long awareness campaign, which aims to promptpolicy makers and business leaders in Nepal to take action.

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Branching outAVCO International, sole distributor of Hyundai vehicles in Nepal,has opened a new showroom at Tinkune. This is its secondshowroom following the one at Nagpokhari. AVCO also has a newafter sale service centre at Dhobighat.

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Flat winCG Electronics is offering lucky draw prizes on every purchase ofan LG product as part of its new year marketing campaign.Giveaways include 32” LG LCD tv's.

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Press aidOrbit MBBS Preparation and Doctor’s Club Nepal conducted firstaid and basic life support training for reporters and photographers inNepal to prepare them when injuries occur while reporting duringstrikes.

WIRE UP: Chaudhary Group has launched a brand of inverters.They are available from 325VA to 3KVA and CG is offering 24months warranty on tubular and 12 months on flat plate batteries.After-sale service is also available.

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

6 22 - 28 MAY 2009 #452FROM THE NEPALI PRESS

Nepal Samarcharpatra, 19 May A modern apartment block with various facilitieswill be completed in Sankhamul soon. Theseapartments are not being constructed by acommercial housing company but by thegovernment for the landless who live by theBagmati in Sankhamul.

This is a pilot project launched by thegovernment in an effort to solve the acute landlesssituation in the capital, where land is scarce.

This program was announced in the currentfiscal year budget speech and it states that 20m ofland from each side of the Bagmati would be setaside for the apartments.

Each flat will have two rooms, a toilet andkitchen for one family.

But the apartments do not come free of charge.Each landless family will have to repay a loan ofRs 350,000 at a minimum interest rate over a periodof 15 years. However, Sankamul’s 108 landless

Sapana Basyal inHimal Khabarpatrika,15-29 May

The global financial crisis has hitMalaysia, one of the biggest labourmarkets for Nepal, hard. ManyNepali workers are now returninghome empty-handed due to lackof employment.

Malaysia employs the highestnumber of foreign workers inAsia. At least 400,000 Nepalis areworking there making itMalaysia’s second highest sourceof immigrant labour.

One of the major sectors thatthe financial crisis has hit is theelectronic companies, particularlymultinationals which are said toprovide the best workingconditions and salaries. Manycompanies that employed Nepalishave shut down or aredownsizing, leaving the foreignworkers jobless.

Interview with Kul Bahadur Khadka, Naya Patrika, 17 May

What is your current post?I was appointed acting army chief by the government, but I am notbeing allowed to do my job. The Supreme Court has alreadyscrapped the writ petition filed against my appointment and it’sclear that both the cabinet and the Supreme Court haveauthenticated my appointment. According to the law, I should bethe army chief. When the post above me was vacated, it was amatter of procedure that the government would appoint me to thepost as I was the next most senior general at the time. Have you carried out the tasks of the army chief?Even before I could begin, the president sent the letter to reinstatethe previous army chief. But Rookmangud is acting out his role. Idon’t think it makes a difference whether I individually thinkwhat he is doing is right or wrong. There’s a case filed against thepresident’s move in the Supreme Court and the government’smove is also under discussion. This is about the president, thegovernment and law. What were the army’s actions after you were appointed?The army is a disciplined, professional organisation. Why shouldthey be disgruntled when I started service from the bottom androse up the ranks by fair procedure to become the head? Rumoursthat the army is divided are false. The army will continue itsservice to the country no matter who heads it.

Doesn’t it reflect badly on the army that it followed thepresident and didn’t listen to the government?This is concerned with the constitution and law. When there wasdisagreement and it came to a point where the governmentresigned, the issue became something above just posts and thearmy. This can only be solved through constitutional procedure. Ihope there’s no violence in the country, that the peace processreaches a conclusion and issues like this gain clarity in the newconstitution. What’s the difference between being acting army chiefand not?Sometimes I feel that I am under constant surveillance. Peoplewho come to visit and my family also feel that way. I’ve becomeextremely cautious. Who is the highest in the chain of command of thearmy?Commander-in-chief. But I do not make decisions on who it is.This issue has gone out of the army’s control. Is it true you’ve been threatened with a court martial?First of all, I need to have done something wrong to be taken to acourt martial. This is also a rumour. If I am in the wrong, thegovernment can decide on punishment. I am open to that.

Matters ofprocedure

The Nepali embassy in thecapital Kuala Lumpur says thataround 40 Nepalis come to theembassy each day claiming theyhave lost their jobs or are notbeing paid. Ambassador Rishi RajAdhikari says: “The number ofthose who have to return homehas increased dramatically. Manyhave not even been here for ayear.” A lot of the workers do noteven have enough money to paytheir fare home.

At the onset of the financialcrisis, 45,000 Malaysian workerslost their jobs in February 2008.The government introduced apolicy to make sure Malaysianswere given priority over foreignworkers in various factories suchas electronics or textile. Whenhuman rights activists and NGOsopposed this policy claiming thatit was not justifiable, theMalaysian labour departmentintroduced another, effective from

1 April, demanding that the levyfrom foreign workers be doubled.After employers protested againstthis policy, the governmentwithdrew it, opting instead todemand that a single levy becollected from the companies thatemploy the workers. However,Adhikari says, “Even this policywill be hard to implement.”

The depression is alsoaffecting Nepali remittancecompanies because the migrantworkers are sending less moneyback. Nepali businessman inMalaysia, Biswa Rai, says thedownturn is having a dramaticnegative impact on Nepali shopsand restaurants opened targetingmigrant workers.

Also affected by the crisis arepublications like JanpristaBhumi, which provided news andinformation about Nepal forworkers in Kuala Lumpur hasalso lost its market there.

Coming back empty-handed

KIRAN PANDAY

families are not all happy with the project.The project is still awaiting approval by the

Ministry of Physical Planning and Works.According to the working policy, the landless willbe given the option of either getting land, paying foran apartment at a low interest rate or relocation toanother place.

Housing the landless

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

Arms: political partyInjured person:constitution-writing, peaceprocess

Abin Shrestha inNagarik, 21 May

722 - 28 MAY 2009 #452CONSTITUTION 2010

ational People’s Front is the onlypolitical party that is notadvocating federalism in Nepal.

Although the interim constitution of 2006declared that Nepal will be a federalrepublic without the matter being referredto the constituent assembly, it will be verydifficult to implement that provision.

There are already major differences inthe models proposed by the politicalparties. Some support creating the federalstructure along geographical lines, whileothers want it according to ethnicity. Theproposal put forward by the Madhesicommunity of One Madhes is notacceptable to the Tharu.

It has to be understood that federalismwill not work in a country that is laggingbehind economically. The idea offederalism did not come forward throughJana Andolan, but was drilled into people’sheads by foreign powers.

Many marginalised communities inNepal probably supported the idea offederalism because they thought it wouldfinally address their grievances. Instead ofcoming up with policies to better thesituation of various castes, ethnicities andwomen, leaders are playing politics withidentity.

Take India as an example. There many

Division of sovereigntyFederalism weakens nationalism

MINA PUN

states were created along ethnic lines. Thereare Punjabi chief ministers in Punjab,Bengali in West Bengal and yet, none ofthem has helped alleviate the plight of thepeople they represent. Even at the federalstate level, the power is class-based. Thereare classes even inside castes andethnicities. Whether the power is withTamang, Tharu or Newar, those withinfluence will still govern the poor.

There is no doubt that these groupswere discriminated against for decades. Butinstead of dividing the country under a

federal system, it is much better to opt for aunitary government with democraticdecentralisation so that self-governance isalso encouraged.

Nepal consists of more than 100 ethnicgroups. Carving out states based on ahandful of ethnicities will onlymarginalise other minorities. Drawing upthe map by ethnicity will not endgrievances. Who’s to say that in the futureminority ethnicities won’t rise up and askfor their separate province, promptingcommunal violence?

N

ith such a highpercentage of Nepalistotally dependent on

the land for survival, a healthyenvironment and continuedsupply of natural resources arevital. Faced with the reality ofprolonged droughts,unpredictable weather patternscaused by climate change ismaking already vulnerableNepalis even more vulnerable.

Activists are now pushing forenvironmental rights to beenshrined as a fundamental rightin the new constitution. TheConstitutional Committee hasreceived the draft onenvironment, climate change,natural resources management,sustainable use of naturalresources and risk minimisationof natural disasters, prepared bythe Supplementary Subjects andInter Committee CoordinationSub Committee of the NaturalResource Management Committeeof the CA.

The draft proposes thatenvironmental issues beincluded in the preamble to theconstitution with the linepledging ‘sustainableconservation, utilisation andequal distribution of resources foreconomic, social and culturaltransformation as well as forconservation of nature and

creatures.’The draft also specifies the

fundamental rights of indigenouscommunities, women, Dalits andmarginalised communities overland, energy and naturalresources.

In the Interim Constitution2007 the universal right to a cleanenvironment was set out for thefirst time. Article 16 (1) states,‘Every person shall have the rightto live in a clean environment.’

But such rights cannot beensured unless the naturalenvironment and ecologicalsystem are healthy in the firstplace. The IUCN’s executivecountry director Narayan Belbase

says environmental rightsshould be in the constitutionbecause they are so vitally linkedwith human existence.

Some 85 per cent of Nepalisare subsistence farmers totallydependent on the naturalresources that surround them, heexplains. Those communities arethe most affected byenvironmental degradation. “Theirony is that they are the oneswho are excluded in the processof writing the constitution. Thenew constitution shouldguarantee them the right to accessthe resources they require tosimply survive,” he says.

The committee has made a

number of recommendations tobe included in the newconstitution: stakeholdersshould participate in makingenvironmental law and policiesand in implementing andmonitoring the activities thatmight affect the environment.

The CA member andcommittee coordinator SunilBabu Pant says: “Environmentaland natural resources rights arethe most important of all becausethey are directly linked withpeople’s lives and survival.”

Nepal has signed 27international conventions onenvironment and climate change.There are also legal provisions for

Protecting the natural environment is protecting the nation

Naturally NepalDEWAN RAI

There’s also a misconception amongstwomen that a federal state will addressthe issues of oppression anddiscrimination of women. Nepali womenare oppressed not because of one personor group but because of the patriarchalsocial structure.

One Madhes is a very tricky demand.Madhesis do not want a federal system,they simply want an end to centuries ofdiscrimination. The Madhes needs amovement against not just the feudaldecision-making state mechanism, butalso local jamindars.

There are many Pahadi Nepalis whohave been terrorised and killed in theTarai. Such actions will have a long-termimpact on national integrity. The Taraihas many languages, cultures, traditionsand religions and it will be verydangerous to promote the Madhesh asone autonomous body.

For a country like Nepal that liesbetween India and China division intomany autonomous groups is even moredangerous. Some may form alliances withIndia, while others may become close toChina. They may only limit trading andother relations between themselves,while the rest of the country is deprivedand suffers.

Mina Pun is a CA member of NationalPeople’s Front Party

KIRAN PANDAY

the preservation of nature. But ithas never before had a provisionfor environmental rights in itsconstitution. “We hope theconstitutional provision on theenvironment will make thegovernment more responsiblewhen taking decisions regardingenvironmental issues,” Pantsays.

About 50 countries havementioned environmental rightsin their constitution includingBhutan, China, Russia, Boliviaand India. Bhutan has adoptedthe policy of maintaining 60 percent forest cover.

The initial draft hasproposed a provision ofcompensation for environmentaldamage with the polluters liablefor any damage caused. It hasalso specified that the duties andresponsibilities of the stateregarding the environment beincluded in the directiveprinciples and policies of thestate.

It has stated the need toidentify, preserve and promotetraditional skills. The benefits ofsuch skills should be equallydistributed among thecommunities with the skills. Ithas also proposed maintainingNepal’s 40 per cent forestcover (up from the current 24per cent) to preserveenvironmental resources and theecosystem.

KIRAN PANDAY

W

8 HEALTH

aking purifying baths insacred springs, healing ritualsand massages have long been apart of Nepali culture, long

before luxurious five star spa getawaysbecame fashionable. Using medicinalherbs and ayurvedic treatments has beena traditional way of life in the Himalayafor centuries.

Such treatments now constitute amulti-billion dollar global industrywhich is growing. In Asia-Pacific alonethere are nearly 22,000 spas employing363,684 workers with a turnover of $11.4billion, according to the Global SpaSummit 2008.

With the increasing stresses of dailylife and changing lifestyles, more andmore people are leaning towards spasas a way to rejuvenate the body, mindand spirit.

The mediumis the massage

The global spa industry today is worth$60 billion and even in Nepal, hotelsoffering ayurvedic treatments average$10,000 a year each in profit. Currently,10-15 per cent of tourists use the 32 spafacilities in the country and the number oflocals is also increasing.

Yet, Nepal could still capitalise moreon this ancient tradition and knowledge.“Purifying bathing in sacred lakes as a formof revitialisation is an ancient part ofHimalayan pilgrimage culture. Spa is notsomething new that needs to be imported.We have to build on our own indigenoushealing knowledge. Our rich naturalresources make Nepal an obviousdestination for rejuvenating body, mindand spirit,” says Carroll Dunham of WildEarth. Nepal has a wealth of indigenoushealing practices suitable for applicationin modern spas," she says.

While Thamel’s shady massageparlours have made people wary, the Spaand Wellness Association of Nepal

(SWAN) along with other organisationswant to change that image. Early thismonth, SWAN and Nepal Tourism Boardheld a conference with 20 delegates fromChina, Indonesia, Thailand and thePhilippines to help continue to build andpromote the spa sector in Nepal.

“Right now, what we want to promoteis simply head and foot massages, so thatwe can slowly change the meaning of whatmassage means in Nepal,” says Dunham.

The benefits of massage therapy ineasing anxiety, tension and depression aswell as physiological disorders andinjuries are well known. But people arealso increasingly willing to look beyondmodern medicine, and particularly the useof antibiotics, to ancient, holistic healingrituals and herbs to cure various illnesses.

Rajendra Kumar Giri, who specialisesin traditional ayurvedic medicine,says: “Many are opting for ayurvedictreatments as it is natural and has noside effects.”

There isplenty ofroom forNepal to

capitaliseon spa

tourism

AGE OLD TRADITION: Thecenturies old therapy of head

massage can be used to bringgentle relief to people of all ages.

SHRADHA BASNYAT

T

ALL PICS: THOMAS L KELLY

922 - 28 MAY 2009 #452

ON THE BEAT: Natural physicians such as Tibetan doctor AmchiTsewang Ngudrup Rinpoche, could prove to be a major lure for ‘holistichealth tourists’.

CALM KIDS: Wild Earth masseuse, Sashi Nakarmi, demonstrates asoothing baby massage at The Nepal Children’s Organisation at BalMandir, Naxal.

SOUND THOUGHTS: Nepal’s expertise in areas such as sound therapycould soon be used to attract tourists as part of the growing internationalinterest in natural healing techniques.

10 KOSI FLOOD 22 - 28 MAY 2009 #452

he heat and glare in thewhite sand flats of theKosi’s floodplain is

overpowering. Nearly one yearafter the river suddenly changedcourse and just before themonsoon starts up again, themisery of 60,000 displaced inSunsari continues.

After the embankment wasplugged earlier this year and theKosi sent back to its formercourse, what used to be fertilefields here have turned intodesert. The displaced live likerefugees in tent cities.

In one of them in PaschimKusaha a group of 20 women, allcradling babies, are huddled in amaternity tent run by charities.Despite the help, the conditionsare terrible.

“When the wind blows, sandgets into our eyes and babies haveeye infections,” says Naju Katun,who named her six-month-oldson Sibir Ansari, after the camphe was born in. “Every breath wetake or food we eat, sand gets intoour mouths.”

It doesn’t help that thesettlement area lies parallel to thehighway where frequent bandasoccur and where there is constantexposure to tear gas. Last monththe Kosi Victims StruggleCommittee staged a week-long

hen the Kosi breachedits levee and sweptthrough villages here

last August, 42,000 people weredisplaced. While national andinternational sympathy, anddonations, poured in for the

outbreak of hoof and mouthdisease spread by livestock and itwas felt the population needed tobe spread out.

Despite the threats, a buffalocensus carried out last monthshowed that the number of wildbuffalo in the reserve hasincreased from 159 in 2004 to 219

this year. Yet conservationistswarn that the endangered animalsand birds in the reserve face gravethreats.

The diversion of the river backto its old channel with theconstruction of a coffer dam hasdisturbed wildlife. Last month,security personnel discoveredthree stranded dolphins andmanaged to rescue two. The thirdwas fatally poisoned by locals.

The green pastures near thebreached levees where the arnaused to graze, now look like adesert and the animals have beenforced to graze outside the reserve.This puts them at risk fromdisease and poaching.

Indian contractors working onthe rechanneling of the Kosi havealso been illegally extracting sandfrom the arna pastures. The

SITA MADEMBA in SUNSARI

Where the buffalos used

flood victims, no one gave athought to the plight of animalsin the Kosi Tappu WildlifeReserve.

The Kosi Tappu WildlifeReserve is the last remaininghabitat for the wild buffalo, arna,in Nepal and the Gangetic freshwater dolphin. Their numbers

have been severely depleted byhabitat encroachment and disease,and no one really knew how manythere were left in the world.

Kosi Tappu was established in1975 to primarily conserve theendangered wild buffalo. Twelveyears previously, all the arna inChitwan were wiped out by an

Correctingthe impact ofthe Kosiflood meansaddressingthe needs ofthe wildlifereserve

W

Flood of babies

blockade of the East-WestHighway to protest delayedrelief.

The mothers, mainly Madhesiand Muslim, struggle against poorliving conditions and risky

deliveries. When born, babies haveto survive not just the harshdesert-like environment but alsopneumonia, dehydration,malnutrition and diarrhoea. Thenearest hospital is 25km away and

it takes a day through ruinedroads, when they are not closedby strikes.

Official records show 42,000locals and 11,000 Indiannationals were displaced when

the Kosi breached itsembankments on 18 Augustlast year.

While most have alreadyreturned home, there are 1,240households still remaining in the

Another monsoon is around thecorner and newborns in Kosi’srefugee camps are morevulnerable than ever

KONG YEN LIN in SUNSARI

T

PICS: KONG YEN LIN

PICS: SITA MADEMBA

1122 - 28 MAY 2009 #452KOSI FLOOD

fter the Kosi breached its embankmentslast year, there has been a rise in theabduction of children by Indian human

traffickers. If the refugees are vulnerable, theirchildren are even more vulnerable.

In the desolate villages of Sunsari, localmiddlemen of transborder traffickers are takingadvantage of the desperation. They are usuallylocals who partner with Indian criminal groupsto sell people into India.

Local recruiter Dalu Sada offered to take 11-year-old Phuleswor Sada and his nine-year-oldbrother Harihar to Punjab to get a job. Now, theywork as bonded labourers in a house inLudhiana. Dalu had promised the family theywould be paid IRs 1000 a month and admittedthat he sold the boys to an Indian agent forIRs 2000.

A Himal Khabarpatrika investigation showedat least 23 children from flood affected Sripurand Haripur VDCs have been sold as domesticworkers and bonded labourers into India. Themost vulnerable are children who live inmakeshift tents installed after the flood.

Supaul Sada from India convincedSukhichand Sada’s family in Sripur that hewould pay their loan, which had a 15 per centinterest rate, if they let him take 14-year-oldSukhi to Punjab. Sukhichand called home lastmonth, crying and told the family that he hadbeen sold for IRs 10,000.

Fourth grader Sushil Sada was sold to apaper factory for IRs 8,000. Three months ago,Sushil called home and there has been no newssince. Voluntary health worker in Sripur,Jhwaridebi Ram’s 14-year-old son was taken

to roam

grasslands are now furrowed by10-foot deep pits where wildlifecan be trapped or drown.

Conservation official NilamberMishra says, “If any animal fallsinto those pits, it will die. Wehave requested the contractorsand engineers to not dig the holestoo deep. But they don’t take usseriously.”

Since the collapse of thelevee, the reserve has become anisland in a sea of humans. Eightsecurity posts that were closeddown during the conflict haven’tyet been re-established. Thebarbed wire boundary erected twoyears ago has been stolen.Villagers from the buffer zone arenow bringing livestock into the

reserve to graze. The movementof people is even moreuncontrolled because of all theconstruction work going on.

Kosi Tappu is consideredone of the best sites for birdwatching with over 480 speciesof birds recorded and manymigrant species, but after theriver changed its channel lastyear the birds didn’t come.

Kosi flood victims inSunsari have demanded that thereserve’s boundary be shifted onekilometre to the west. But if thatis done, say conservationofficials, the river that is acrucial source of food and waterfor the animals, and birds willno longer be in the reserve.

12 camps, with half of themlandless. The distributionprocess of government relief isslow and sporadic. One yearlater, only an estimated 10 percent of flood affectedhouseholds have received help.

Others remain jobless, facingeven greater poverty anddestitution than theyexperienced before the flood.

“Plans? I have no plans forthe future. Without money andregular income everything isimpossible,” says Naju Katun,who used to work as a farmlabourer before the flood sweptaway her farm.

“There’s nothing at all tolook forward to,” adds RuksanaKhatun. She is ineligible for the

Food-for-Work scheme.But elsewhere, the displaced

are trying to rebuild their lives.Hadis Miya, 33, from Sripurcounts himself fortunate to beable to receive the returnpackage. The father of five losthis own father in the flood, andnow lives with seven survivingfamily members in a woodenhouse off Paschim Kusaha.

“It’s so hard to start anew,each time we try to move onsomething gets in the way,” saysHadis, whose provision shopwas taken over by protestersduring a banda, “I just hopemy children have access tobasic education facilities andwon't have to continuesuffering.”

BORN INTO A CRISIS: Children born during or after the Kosi floods withtheir mothers in a temporary maternity shelter. Each mother receives abottle of baby massage oil, an apple and a packet of biscuit a day, butthat’s about it. Every drop of fresh water is precious in the desert camps.

away by Dalu Sada’s gang last July. They paid herRs 5000 as advance.

Child traffickers were active here even beforelast year’s flood. But it has got much worse. Organsmugglers are also said to be active. Threesuspicious innocents have been lynched to deathin Sunsari in the past two weeks.

Sunsari rights worker Birendra Sah has beenpursuing the traffickers and has rescued fourchildren by buying them back from where theywere working in Bihar. The middleman who soldthem, Jogindar Kumar Srideb, is in jail. But he isthe only one.

The children sold into Punjab have to work 16hours a day in farms, fields and brick factories.Sah, who visited a number of places in Indiawhile trying to rescue children, say they aretortured if they fail to work and not givenfood.

Somnath Bastola in Sunsari

Stolen childrenA

SOMNATH BASTOLA

12 INTERNATIONAL 22 - 28 MAY 2009 #452

he Sri Lankan armycampaign against theLiberation Tigers of Tamil

Eelam (LTTE) seemed to reach itsbloody climax in recent days. Theinterminable Indian generalelection had to run its coursebefore Colombo’s forces madetheir final move against Tigersupremo Velupillai Prabakaran,

evidently pinned down with closefamily and comrades in a patch ofcoastal forest smaller thanTundikhel in Kathmandu.

All around were the heavyguns, armour and weaponrypurchased by years of militaryexpansionism in Sri Lanka.Helicopters and bombers flewforays over targets so tightlypacked that it was impossible tomiss. Pictures put out by theUntied Nations at one pointshowed a landscape pockmarkedlike the moon.

Then, Tamil Nadu voted on thelast day of India’s five weekelection. The green signal cameas polls closed in Chennai.President Mahinda Rajapaksa’smen unleashed a hellish firestorminto the last scrap of Sri Lankanland beyond government control.

In previous days, the world’sconscience had been prickedtime and again by the ordealfacing Tamil civilians in the area.India estimates tens of thousandswere killed and injured. Sri Lankasays it kept non-combatantcasualties to a minimum andblamed the caged Tigers for using“human shields.” Tamil groupsaround the world begged to differand poured into the streetsdemanding international action tostop the carnage, to protect, feedand compensate those affected.

The United Nations, Europe,India and the US all called for

ceasefires and access forhumanitarian workers, but SriLanka had its sights set onclosure: an end to 30 years ofconflict between the state and oneof the world’s most effectiveinsurgent groups.

This was a war that beganwhen festering ethnic grievancesas old as independent Sri Lankaboiled over in the 1980s. A wellorganised LTTE with training andsupport from India took over halfof an isle many viewed asSerendip itself, a land sostunningly perfect that it musthave been a gift of the gods.

A democracy second to nonein South Asia (high voter turnouts,literacy rates above 90 per cent,relative equality between men andwomen) didn’t prevent a sickeningdownward spiral into violence,hatred and dysfunction.

LTTE cadres infamouslyfought to the death, either fromopponent’s bayonets and bulletsor the cyanide vials they worearound their necks. Suicidebombing then, strapping oneselfwith dynamite sticks, bags of ballbearings and clicking a hand-helddetonator, wasn’t much beyond alast crunch of the teeth into aglass ampoule. Except of coursefor those you take with you.

Sri Lankan leaders, Tamilmoderates, Rajiv Gandhi andcountless civilians weremurdered by fanatical Tigercadres. Norway’s attempt tobroker peace in the early years ofthis century came to naught,ripped apart by insincerity on allsides and by the fanaticism ofsome young overseas Tamils andtheir commitment to a cause theydidn’t have to die for.

At first, the revitalised Tigerslooked strong, capable of standingup to Sri Lanka’s army but thatillusion was rudely dashed asgovernment forces retook much ofrebel-held territory. Crucially, keyTiger commanders were peeling

away from their boss: by then moreof a millennial cult leader than amilitary commander.

This past month’s steadyadvance, interrupted only byIndia’s request for less bloodduring election time, made it amatter of time. First the Tigers hadbeen caged, then picked off one-by-one, till only the alpha maleremained.

No one expects that the Tigerswill give up so utterly as a terroristforce. Tamil grievances remainacute and President Rajapaksahas to live up to promises that he’llbe generous in victory,compassionate, ready to make SriLanka’s largest minority a full partof his plans for the island’s future.

In the meantime he’ll inevitablyface those suicide bombs, perhapseven a spectacular, diaspora-funded, overseas atrocity or two.Human rights groups will find muchfault with what he has done, andrightly so in the case of civilianscasualties. There will need to beredressal.

At the end of the day though,history will conclude that he hasdone the right thing by eliminatingVelupillai Prabakaran, a monsterwhose ego and overseas bankaccounts were all that benefitedfrom four decades of war in "South Asia’s most ‘developed’nation.

HERE AND THEREDaniel Lak

TThe Tigers may have been defeated, but has the war ended?

New beginning in Sri Lanka

1322 - 28 MAY 2009 #452CULTURE

eath is so unfathomable, so alien to any experience thatprecedes it, that it is a subject that we avoid, a taboo. Itsinevitability is a repudiation of our ingrained sense of self-

preservation.Yojiro Takita’s Departures gently probes, almost satirically, our

fear and discomfort regarding death by taking as its subject aNokanshi or ‘encoffiner,’ a person whose job is to prepare thedeceased for its final journey by reverentially washing anddressing the body in a ceremony witnessed by the grievers. Bydramatically documenting this particular cultural practice, Takitacreates both a statement about the powerful catharsis of ritual and

the dignity of work.Takita overlays an

impressively effectivecomical touch with a delicateappreciation of the macabrethat especially succeeds as

it also reveals our own complex feelings about death. ButDepartures is hampered by an overly melodramatic plot andsentimental elaboration from what could have been a subtlypersuasive and moving film.

Perfectly scored and sensitively shot, the film opens with anenchanting display of the encoffinner’s art with the protagonistDaigo–stately and adroit–dressing and washing a body as hismentor looks on with the grieving family. Actor Masahiro Motokicommunicates the grace and beauty of the practice and thepoignancy of a skill being passed from one generation to the next in

an era when suchpractices may befading. Then themovie flashes backto the events that ledDaigo to take up thisprofession.

Having lost hisjob as a cellist in acity orchestra, Daigoand his wife return tohis hometown.Looking for work, healmost accidentallystumbles into this

rather morbid job, but the money entices him to stay long enough toovercome his squeamishness and begin to appreciate the art andvalue of his work. The small town setting provides the film withample opportunity to celebrate institutions, practices and valuesthat modern life threatens to leave behind.

One of the most powerful images in the film, as one wouldexpect, is the transformation that takes place as Daigo helps hisboss (played by a wondrously understated Tsutomu Yamazaki) dothe job. The application of make-up restores the familiarity of thevisage to the mourners. The seriousness and formality that keepsthe grievers civil, thaws and breaks and in that renewedrecognition they get to bid farewell a final time. For Daigo,witnessing this transformative magic marks his own evolution ashe realises the powerful good his occupation can bring about as hecomes to terms with working with the dead.

The taboo of his work also entails dramatic consequences forDaiga including being ostracised from his small community andeven having to deal with his wife’s inability to come to terms with it.Unfortunately, these and other overly dramatic plot elementsovercrowd the quieter and cleverer parts of the film and draw thefilm to an unnecessary 130 minutes. Sometimes, I suppose, evenwith a good thing, the end can’t come soon enough.

DeparturesDirector: Yojiro TakitaCast: Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue2009, 131 mins.

CRITICAL CINEMAA Angelo D’Silva

hen the photography exhibitionChobi Mela first launched in Dhakain 2000, most in the region knew

very little about non-western photographychiefly because of the lack of opportunity forSouth Asian photographers to screen theirwork. There was another major ambitionbehind the launch of the festival—in a nationwhere the majority of people cannot read orwrite, photography provided one of thefew means of communicating with theaverage person.

Earlier this year, the fifth Chobi Mela tookplace in Dhaka from 30 January-20 February.It is now travelling to Kathmandu from22-28 May at Nepal Art Council, Babar Mahal.This year’s theme is freedom and the melawill feature 12 works by artists from Argentina,Bangladesh, France, Japan, the United States,the Netherlands, Nepal, Nigeria and Norway. Itwill also feature a number of workshops andpresentations on topics such as exhibitioncuration, the use of photography in socialactivism and digital workflow.

For photographers and mediaprofessionals, the travelling festival providesan opportunity to seek inspiration, learn andenjoy a variety of styles and subjects in worldclass photography. For Nepalis at large it isan occasion to contemplate freedom and whatit means to us.

couple of friends weresurfing on youtubewhen they came across a

site posted by the USDepartment of State announcinga short three minutedocumentary competition abouta personal perspective ofdemocracy.

Amateur filmmaker TseringChoden, along with a handful offriends, decided it would be funto portray the Nepali perspectiveof democracy in a short film.

Some 900 people from 95countries participated in thecompetition and out of them 18finalists were chosen. Choden’svideo from Nepal is amongst thefinalists. In order to win, theyneed votes from the public. Thedeadline is 15 June after which

Picture freedom

The finaljourney

Probing our unease with death,Departures explores the catharsisof ritual and the dignity of work

D

seven winners—one each fromthe Western Hemisphere, Europe,Middle East/North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South andCentral Asia, East Asia/Pacificand one anonymous winner willbe announced.

In October, this year, the sixwinners–one from each of the sixgeographic regions–will get anall-expenses-paid trip toWashington DC, New York andHollywood, where theirdocumentaries will be screened.The winners will interact withfilmmakers, representatives fromthe US film industry and meetwith government officials andcivil society members.

The video from Nepalportrays its struggle fordemocracy, the April Uprising,

and the chaos of transition.Sound bites from the generalpublic can be heard throughoutthe video. “We talked to students,shopkeepers, housewives,professionals and even jogis,”says director Choden, “musicplays a key role in the video as itis the best way to capture thecomplex meaning of democracy ina straightforward and simpleway.”

Yanik Shrestha of the rapgroup Lyrics InThePenDense says,“It was important to come upwith something witty andunconventional as we weremaking a powerful point, but itwas also important that we havefun while doing it.”To vote : go to www.youtube.com/democracychallenge

Three- minute democracy A

W

MUNEM WASIF

14 22 - 28 MAY 2009 #452CITY

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

Star Trek is the incredible story of a young crew’s maidenvoyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created:the USS Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedyand cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stopan evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all ofmankind. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitterrivals. One, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent,thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (ZacharyQuinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects allemotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, theirunlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capableof leading their crew through unimaginable danger and goingto a place where no one has gone before.

For inclusion in the listing send information to editors(at)nepalitimes.com

KATHMANDU VALLEY

WEEKEND WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL

With a month to go for the official arrival of the monsoon to Nepal,there are some active fronts developing over the Bay and southernIndia. However, up here in the mountains the winds are still westerly.This satellite picture taken on Thursday afternoon shows thesystems over the Bay, a good sign of healthy pre-monsoon and thetimely onset of the rains. A sustained low pressure zone overeastern Tibet is still pulling the westerlies and will blow thiscirculation away. But the moisture induction will grow into afternoonand evening thunderstorms across the central mountains. Expectpre-monsoon showers to start from next week, leading up to theBig Bang sometime in mid-June. Valley residents may expect hotand humid days with sunny intervals and short showers overthe weekend.

KATHMANDU

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EXHIBITIONSFestivals of the Kathmandu Valley - an exhibition by Scott Faiiaat Siddhartha Art Gallery, Baber Mahal Revisited till 29 May,11AM- 6PM. Daily. 4218048

EVENTSTai chi & chi kung, 23 May, 10-11.30 AM at Himalayan BuddhistMeditation Centre, Keshar Mahal Marg. 4410402Workshop with members of Rock Power Trio, 24 May,2.30- 4PM, Alliance FrançaiseWaiting for Godot, a play by Samuel Beckett, Hotel Vajra, till24 May at 7.15 PM. 4271545Workplace Bullying, a talk program, 24 May at The New EraInstitute, Battisputali. 9851023958.Citizen’s movement in current politics, discussion byDr. Devendraraj Pandey, 28 May, 12- 2 PM, Martin Chautari.4238050IPL 2009, watch IPL 2009 live matches at Rox Bar HyattRegency Kathmandu at 4491234Call for entries for Film South Asia till 31 May, documentariesmade in and after January 2007 qualified. 5552141

MUSICROCK NEPAL, 23 May, 5PM, Invitations available at the AllianceFrançaise in Kathmandu, SAC Music Shop in Thamel, SurSudha Music in Thamel and at Party Nepal, Nepal AcademyKamaladi. 4422089Louis Bertignac & Bijaya Vaidya concert with SAC MUSIC,Academy Hall, 23 MayTGIF at Jazzabella Café every Wednesday and Friday. 2110475Kathmandu express, performance by International Acts, 7.30 PMonwards free entry at MokshLive band every Friday and rooftop bbq everyday at KausiKitchen, Durbar Marg. 4227288Sunday Jazz brunch barbecue and live jazz music at the Terrace,Hyatt Regency from 12-3.30 PM. 4491234Jazz evening at Delices de France Restaurant everyWednesday, 11AM-2PM. 4260326Epic, at the Brunchilli- the Acoustic Lounge every Friday,Thamel. 9851035437Strings Band live every Tuesday at G’s Terrace Restaurant andBar, Thamel.Wednesday Melody at Jazzabell Café,Happy hour 6-8PM and TGIF party withlive band Epic every Friday at 8PM.2114075Some like it hot every Friday BBQ and livemusic by Dinesh Rai and the SoundMinds, 7PM onwards, Rs 899 at Fusion,Dwarika’s Hotel. 4479488Happy cocktail hour, 5-7PM, ladies nighton Wednesday with live unplugged musicat Jatra Café & Bar.Live Sensation, performance by Yankey every Saturday, 9PM,Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu. 4491234.Fusion and Looza Band every Friday night, Bhumi Resto Lounge,Lazimpat. 4412193

DININGWeekend Brunch by the Poolside every Saturday and Sunday,Soaltee Crowne Plaza Kathmandu ,11AM-3PM. 4273999Pizza & Pasta at the Rox Restaurant every Monday & Tuesday,Hyatt Regency. 4489362Pasta pesto passion at La Dolce Vita, Thamel. 4700612Home made pasta at Alfresco, Soaltee Crowne Plaza. 4273999Gourmet trout at Olive Garden, 6PM onwards at Rs 850+,Radisson Hotel, Lazimpat. 4411818Chez Caroline for French and Mediterranean cuisine, BabarMahal Revisited. 4263070High tea with scones and sandwiches everyday at the Loungefrom 4.30-6.30 PM, Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu. 4491234Mediterranean cuisine every Friday from Greece, Italy and theMiddle-East at The Café, Hyatt Regency. 4491234Nhuchhe goes Thai at Nhuchhe’s Thai Kitchen, Baluwatar.4429903Fusion of Marcela Ragan’s new menu and Mannie’s new bar atDhokaima Café. 5522113Plat Du Jour at Hotel Shangri La, Kathmandu, Rs 600. 4412999Reality Bites, The Kaiser Café, Garden of Dreams, operated byDwarika’s Group of Hotels, 9AM-10PM. 4425341Starry night barbecue at Hotel Shangri-la with live performanceby Ciney Gurung, Rs 999, at the Shambala Garden, every Friday7PM onwards. 4412999

22 - 28 MAY 2009 #452 15HAPPENINGS

SMOOTH MOVE: PLA Commander Nanda Kishor Pun (Pasang) takespart in the Maoist mass gathering alongside Minister of Tourism HisilaYami at Khula Manch on Sunday.

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

HOT OFF THE PRESS: Senior journalist Bhairab Risal releases TirthaBahadur Shrestha's collected writings in a book titled Nepal: NakhulekaPataharu, at the 13th Education and Book Fair on Monday.

FAN THE FLAMES: Maoists continue their protests against thepresident's move to reinstate Army Chief Rookmangud Katawal byburning effigies at Khula Manch on Sunday.

HIGH FLYER: Tourism Minister Hisila Yami braces herself to swing fromthe bridge at the Last Resort on Friday.

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

KIRAN PANDAY

MISTY POLITICS: Madhesi Janadhikar Forum leaders Jitendra Sapkotaand Sharat Singh Bhandari help their colleague Bijay Gachhedardecipher a document at an interaction program after he forgot hisreading glasses.

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

ISSN

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CDO Regd No 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No 04/058/59

22 - 28 MAY 2009 #45216 BACKSIDE

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Rate we are going, the newfederal constitution ofNepal is looking more

and more like a mirage. Thecloser we get to it, the more itrecedes. The prolonged coalition-cobbling is reminiscent of mid-1990s. And it’s the same oldfaces.

BijayG being pulled by botharms to switch sides whenUpadro refused to toe the line.The only difference with 15years ago is that this time theentire exercise is outsourced toLainchaur. And the sight of bothGPK and PKD courting KamalThapa for royalist support justshows how quickly fortunesturn in politics.

Still, they say coalition politicsbrings out the best in ademocracy. And sure enough, allthe small parties that no onelistened to before now havepower. They are driving a hardbargain, like Biswesh ChandraPaswan of Dalit Janajati Party isthe only rep in the CA from hisparty but he got a Muslimincluded in the constitutionalcommittee and for thegovernment to increasereservation for Dalits. And hesigned up for the UML-NC

Federal expresscoalition only after he wasoffered minister.

And even the bigger parties areout to feather their nests. Onesenior NC leader, when asked bythe Ass if he would be joiningthe Makunay-led govt, said:“You think I’m stupid to join asarkar that will last threemonths? I will join the oneformed after this.”

After a press meet organisedat Reporters Club, one MJF CAmember was overheard literallybegging Jitendra Dev, the ex-UML MJF and now MJFspokesperson to include him inthe Gachhedar faction. We knowthere is horse-trading inpolitics, but the Ass has neverseen it done this blatantly inbroad daylight within earshotof us hacks.

How on earth is Makunay goingto accommodate all 22 alliedparties in the new cabinet? Willhe resurrect Deuba-era 56-member jumbo cabinets? Andwho gets the plum posts?BijayG is gunning for DPM as areward for almost breaking hisown party. Sujata Didi couldhave been Defence but given that

she and Gen Cutwall are noteven on speaking terms maycomplicate things. We don’twant to repeat having a defenceminister who hates the armychief. The real scramble is overLocal Development andPhyscial Planning because thatis where the moola is.

The Baddies are looking for aface-saving way out of thecorner they have paintedthemselves into. Politburomember Kamred DevendraPoudel told Kantipur FM theother day his party wouldallow parliament to functiononly if members first passed adeclaration against thepresident’s move to save thearmy chief. Asked what if theCA members voted against sucha declaration, he replied (andthis qualifies as ourAbsurdity of the Week):“Then we won’t agree andcontinue the houseobstruction.”

Looks like he is so nervous theBaddies are going to pull a fastone that Comrade Makunay atTinkunay organised a photoshoot just so there are official

pictures ready for release. Thingscan still go wrong and the mandoesn’t want to take any chances.And who was it spreading thenews in media down south thatMKN is second generationIndian? The Ass had a perfectheadline for that one: ‘Nepal isfrom India’.

Maoist-controlled casinos inKTM couldn’t get away withlegally allowing Nepalis togamble, so they’ve now openedback doors for locals. There areemergency exits in case there is apolice raid and YCL guards. Nowwe get it, this was why the warwas fought: so the revolutionariescould control all contrabandtrade, corner all contracts andpocket the “PC” (per cent). The

YCL in the western tarai is thebiggest supplier of Nepali oxen toBangladesh, and they nowcontrol the red sandalwoodtrafficking to Tibet.

After CDgate exposed PKDs lies,the Worldly Bank said it mayreconsider footing for PLAcantonments (guess what, thelackeys of internationalimperialists were actuallyfinancing the upkeep of our braverevolutionary guerrillas allalong). One Maobuddy wasoverheard saying: “If the bankpulls out, we will justrestart extortion.” Asif it had ever stopped.

ass(at)nepalitimes.com