522 - Nepali Times

#522 1 - 7 October 2010 16 pages Rs 30

KIRAN PANDAY

fter the ninth abortiveattempts to elect a newprime minister

on Thursday, it doesn’t looklike the tenth vote on 6 Octoberwill yield a result either.

Ram Chandra Poudel won’tget the required votes to becomeprime minister, and if thathappens the caretakergovernment will remain tillafter Dasain. Even though thishas become a one-horse race,Poudel can’t win since theMaoist and the UML commanda majority in the 601-member

parliament. But the twocommunists can’t agreeon having an alliance, either.

Poudel’s only achievementso far is that he has preventeda Maoist-led coalitiongovernment from winning.Many in the NC fear the countrywill drift towards dictatorshipif the Maoists return to power.

Maoist Chairman PushpaKamal Dahal withdrew in thelast round, but he is desperateto be back on the saddle. Hefeels India is dead against him,and is using carrots and sticks:

threatening Indian investorswhile at the same time gettinghis deputies to sweet-talkDelhi.

Neither Dahal nor Jhal NathKhanal of the UML can becomeprime minister unless Poudelwithdraws. Both communistchiefs know this, and aretherefore pressuring SpeakerSubhas Nembang to end theelection process and amendregulations by using his specialpowers. Nembang has so farrefused, but pressure is growingon him to do something,

anything. Bijay Prasad Mishra ofthe Nepal Bar Association says:“The Speaker alone can break thisdeadlock. He should not be merespectator, and use his specialprivilege.”

The NC has preconditionsto withdrawing Poudel’scandidature that includesdemobilisation of Maoistfighters, and a commitment toa democratic constitution. TheMaoists have said in recent daysthey are willing to be flexible onthe NC’s demands. A deal is stillpossible.

9 going on 10...A

Go fly a kitep 6-7

1 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #522

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2|PUBLISHER’S NOTE

ON THE WEBwww.nepalitimes.com

ere we go again.Nepalis will be forgivenif they feel like a

hamster on a wheel. This ishistory repeating itself as amockery of democracy itself.

Ironies abound. The samepolitical actors who bayed forblood and demanded theresignation of Madhav KumarNepal are calling for the NC’sRam Chandra Poudel towithdraw from the one horserace in parliament. They wanthim to withdraw “so as tofacilitate a consensus”. Doesthat ring bell? It should.

Even after taking thenotorious short memories ofour politicos into account theUML’s Jhala Nath Khanal andMaoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal should rememberthey repeated those exact words all of May and June. So,gentlemen, where is the consensus?

The problem, of course, is not between the NC and theMaoist, or the UML and the NC so much as betweenKhanal and Dahal themselves. Khanal is spooked out ofhis wits that Dahal may strike a separate deal with the NC.Khanal’s chances are best if Poudel stands down, which

MERRY GO ROUND

is why he is clamouring for it. But if Poudel withdraws aftera package deal with the NC, Dahal’s prospects improve.

It has been said here before, and our reportages thesepast issues reveal, that Nepalis are now past caring.Despite the cynicism and negativity fostered by thequarrelsome politicians, however, it is important to care. Itis important that we get a new government, it is vital that abudget be finally passed before the holidays, it is important

Q. How many elections in parliament beforewe have a PM?

Weekly Internet Poll # 522

Q. What do you think of the prospects forforeign investment in Nepal today?

Weekly Internet Poll # 523. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com

Total votes: 1,697

practised. We can provide scores ofanecdotes and stories (even faced byourselves and humiliated to this day) toprove this. The article is wishful thinkingtowards a utopian society…and doesn’tpresent the full picture of what ishappening in rural Nepal.

Anuj

The VDC map of ethnic composition isa good picture projecting the presentsituation of the country. Good work NT toput it with the article. There is not a singleVDC that is mono-ethnic in the whole ofNepal. Our multi-culturalism is our biggestasset. Its fair and festivals are celebratedby all communities. They have beenmarrying inter caste for a long time but nowdue to the forward looking trend andworking together males and females this isaccelerated. So many Nepalis are workingand residing in foreign lands, this has ledto acceptance of inter-ethnic marriages.This shows the true spirit of new Nepal.

DG

PRASHANT JHAI am sorry but aren’t these questions thatPrashant Jha should have asked at thetime of signing the 12 point agreement backin Nov 2005 and before that? (‘Round andround in circles’, Plain Speaking #521).Here you are dealing with a country whosecharacter you seek to change and youenter into an alliance with a terroristorganisation without as much as asking thevery basic question?

Slarti

I guess they all thought we will crossthat bridge when we come to it. Concludingthe peace process within four months maybe highly unlikely, but Jha’s analysis isincomplete. Whether the anti-Maoistparties agree to a constitution or not, theyhave already proved that they cannot ruleNepal and lost support from the greatmajority. Certainly the middle classminority and its international supportersare important, and building a new Nepalwill be much harder if the Maoists areunable to persuade them to join in. But they

have proved that they cannot govern orachieve anything at all without theMaoists, so ultimately they will have toaccept Maoist leadership, whether theyare happy about it or not. The onus is noton the Maoists to satisfy the failedparties and be given space by them.They have already taken the space theyneed to be able to reach the poormajority. The onus is on the other partiesto find a place for themselves in a societythat intends to move beyond the statusquo.

Pressuring the Maoists to accept anIndian and Nepal Army veto is futile. Whynot pressure their opponents to acceptdemocracy?

Arthur

ASININEI would like to nominate the Ass for theFoot in Mouth Award herself/himself forthe asinine comment last week that‘stoppage of 14 hydroelectric projectsthat together would generate 5,000 MW’,for effectively implying that the loadshedding problem in Nepal will not bemitigated due to the stoppage. As most ofthese projects are dedicated for export,Nepal’s load shedding problem will beimpervious to these being built or not.These are being planned to be built tomitigate the load shedding problemacross the border; in contravention ofNepal’s constitution.

Ratna Sansar Shrestha

MONGREL NATIONRe: ‘Nepal emerging as a rainbownation’ by Rubeena Mahato, #521. Iam Marwari and my wife is Newari. Iam a Jain and she is Buddhist. Wecall ourselves Nepali, and life ispeaceful and couldn’t be better.Thanks for a very interesting andtimely article. We need to bringpositive aspects of our countryin front.

Manu

We’ve seen the rapid change inattitudes toward caste and ethnicity inNepal via personal experience. 30years ago when my Newari wife’soldest sister married a Magargentleman, they were sociallyostracised, and there were noelaborate wedding festivities. Tenyears later when my wife and Imarried, this gora guy was welcomed

into the family, although we stillattracted stares as we walkedtogether around Kathmandu. In theintervening years, her cousins havemarried Chettris, other-religionNewars, and there was a Slovakwedding too, and nowadays no onegives my wife and me a secondglance when we’re out and about inthe Valley. Some of the credit for thisrapid change is probably due to theMaoists, both for their efforts to uprootthe caste system and genderdiscrimination in the areas theycontrolled, and for causing a flood of

young people away from Maoist recruitersto the safety of the cities, where they werefree to mingle with other ethnicities withoutthe rigid social structures of the rural areas.

Kenji

A 600-word piece interviewing a fewfamilies in some cities does not prove that‘the trend towards inter-ethnic marriages ishelping knit together Nepal’s social fabric’.To call an entire country a rainbow nationneeds spending several weeks reportingextensively, including the far-flung places,and then coming up with such a conclusion.

Anup

Thank you, Rubeena Mahato, for acompelling story about Nepal integratingitself even though the politicians andextremists are trying to disintegrate it. Youhave illustrated the growing trend towardsinter-ethnic marriages with some fineexamples like the Poudyal, Dali, Shrestha,

and Subba families. There are hundreds ofothers like them, and in all classes ofsociety. A very positive and hopeful read.

Kiran L

We have no problems with whom welive, but these so-called politiciasn make itan issue out a personal family matter andtake advantage by spoiling ourrelationships. I request all Nepalis to rejecttheir political agenda.

Anil Bhattarai

We must accept and realise that thecaste system is still prevalent and

to demobilise Maoistfighters and get the party tobehave like a civilianentity, it is important tohave a new democraticconstitution. If we throw ourhands up in the air andstop caring, we may verywell end up as anauthoritarian people’srepublic. The eccentricpower transfer happeningin Pyongyang this weekshows where that can leadus.

We need to find a wayout of this rut. Here, theSpeaker’s role is crucialand it is definitely morethan that of a ceremonialbell-ringer. The

majoritarian formula to form a new government may beperfectly within his terms of reference, but it is not working.

A national consensus government till the constitution iswritten is the only logical way to resolve this now.

H

KIRAN PANDAY

1 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #522 OP-ED|3

FOURTH ESTATEC K Lal

divorced from the masses thanthe much-maligned government.Newspapers are awash withadvertisements announcing thelaunch of multiplexes, bumpersale of branded goods andmarketing schemes promotingcars, motorcycles, furniture, andhousehold appliances. It’snatural that the mediadownplays reports that canspoil the endless partying inKathmandu.

Political parties that swearby the poor should have theability to redirect the attentionof the media towards those whohave no way to get their storiesinto television channels.Unfortunately, the only timepolitical parties hit theheadlines are when they arecollecting donations.

This season’s extravaganzasbegan with the Nepali Congressjamboree. The UML-affiliatedstudent union’s carnival isnext, to be followed by Maoistrevolutionaries feting theirparty chairman with one-lakhstrong general assembly.Newspapers will be publishingcases of threats, intimidationand pressure tactics used byorganisers to raise funds. Restassured, nothing reportedwould be convincing enough totake the matter to the courts.

If it is any consolation, thedegeneration of the fourth estateinto stenographers to power is aglobal phenomenon. Nepal ismerely the newest entrant.

Huge swathes of society fall in the media blindspot

Unreported reportages

F

THIS WEEK

Round eightThe eighth round of PMelection also failed to elect anew prime minister onSunday. Lone candidateRam Chandra Poudel of NCsecured only 116 votes inhis favour out of 189 votes.Two lawmakers votedagainst him and 71 stayedneutral. UCPN (Maoist) andUML abstained from voting.

No EC campaignFour Madhesi parties– MJF,MJF (D), TMLP andSadbhawana Party havedecided to obstruct theongoing ElectionCommission’s campaign toupdate the electoral roll inall Tarai districts fromMonday. The parties saythat thousands of Taraipeople would be deprivedfrom their voting rights ifcitizenship certificate ismade mandatory to acquirea voter card. The EC hasbeen collecting finger printsand computerised picturesof voters in the listdistributing new voter cards.It has made it clear that theongoing drive to issue voterID cards will not stop.

12th NC ConventionThe 12th Nepali CongressGeneral Convention thatelected 33 new faces,formally concluded onMonday. Gagan Thapabagged the highest vote ofall candidates contesting the25 CWC seats allocated foropen competition and 14seats for under zonalcategory. The conventionelected Shushil Koirala asthe party president, PrakashMan Singh as generalsecretary and Chitra LekhaYadav as treasurer.

inally, it’s official. Alegislative committee hasconcluded that the rate

of deforestation over last oneyear has surpassed the recordof last three decades.

In 1979, random forestclearance was allowed toensure the victory of statusquo in a plebiscite held todecide the fate of thePanchayat system. Back then itwas the fear of the NepaliCongress that destroyed trees,this time the barbarians at thedoor are the Maoists that mustbe stopped in their tracks atall costs.

The UML-led anti-Maoistcoalition has used loggingprofits to buy the loyalty ofsupporters. The audience ofthe mainstream media had noinkling of the scale ofdevastation because nationalnewspapers, radio andtelevision channels were toobusy tracking the antics ofpoliticos or preparations beingmade for yet another MissNeighbourhood beautypageant.

Agriculture whichemploys over two-thirds ofNepalis is also sidelined inthe media. Much is made outof the fact that ruralelectrification, mobile phonesand satellite transmission oftelevision channel has reachedsome of the remotest cornersof the country. Few storiesexplore the angst of those leftout of the modernisation andmarketisation trend.

Villages need irrigationfacilities, credits on easyterms, extension services,educational and healthcentres, fertilisers, seeds,sanitation and administrativeservices. All they are beinggiven is a chance to buy DTHservices so they can watchcommercials of luxury itemsthey can’t afford.

The communitybroadcasters of the FMrevolution promised far toomuch than they could deliver.Most of them ensure theirsurvival by playing popularHindi and Nepali songs. In thename of news, they relay whatdonor-funded producers ofKathmandu dish out to them.

It’s not just the misery,even survival stories from thecountryside could have madethe urban consumers of themetropolitan media aware ofthe harsh realities of thecountry they live in. In thefloodplains of Tarai, anabundance of fish once used to

be the mainstay oflivelihood of the

poor: they soldtheir goats totraders from thehills as theaquatic catchfrom rice fieldsserved assavouries withmillet bread.The traditioncontinues to be

marked a daybefore the Jitiyafestival. A famine-

like situation thisyear, combinedwith privatisationof the commons,

meant that thepoor havenowhere to fish.Thecompensationthe governmentgave them wasannounced as aday off forMadhesi women:a group withnegligiblepresence in the

formalemployment.

The nationalmedia can’t examinesuch issues becauseit hardly has anypresence outside ofthe district capitals.Apparently, thepress is even more

1 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #5224|DEVELOPMENT

Ten yearsafter it

began, aradio talkprogram

for youngNepalisis still abig hit

CLAIRE COZENS

Chatting with my best friendhe presenters of the hugelypopular radio show SathiSanga Manka Kura (SSMK)

are barely into their twenties, butalready they are having to tacklesome very grown-up issues.

From the young girl raped byher own father to the 17-year-oldboy abandoned by his familyafter contracting HIV, SSMKpulls no punches in dealing withthe difficult issues faced byyoung Nepalis.

The show, whose nametranslates to ‘Chatting with MyBest Friend’ was launched in2001 as part of a campaign byUNICEF to raise awareness of therisks of HIV AIDS among youngpeople. Nearly a decade later, itremains required listening foryoung people across the country,and six million tune in everyweek to listen to its unique blendof discussion, music and drama.

“Before SSMK started, therewas no tradition of talking about

such problems in Nepal,” saysformer presenter Kaustuv Pokhrel,who now works behind thescenes. “The show was designedso it felt like your friend talkingto you in a non-judgemental way.The hosts talk about anythingunder the sun, sexual andreproductive health, career orstudy concerns, family problems,whatever.”

SSMK’s format has barelychanged over the years: two youngpresenters, the “best friends” ofthe show’s title, discuss listeners’problems before introducing ashort drama in which solutionsare found. But the content hasevolved to reflect the changingconcerns of its listeners.

“After a couple of years webegan receiving letterscomplaining that we werefocusing on small issues when thecountry was in such a badsituation,” said Pokhrel. “We hadletters from young people whohad joined the Maoists and wereafraid to leave, and even from girlswho had been raped and were too

afraid to tell anyone because ofthe stigma.”

At the offices of Equal AccessNepal, the organisation thatproduces the show, the shelvesare packed with letters fromtroubled youths. All are kept andneatly filed away in foldersbearing labels such as “How topropose”, “How to deal withrejection”, and “How to say no”.

But as mobile phone usage hasexploded in Nepal, young peopleare increasingly choosing tocommunicate by text message.

Until recently, between 1,500and 2,000 letters would come inevery week. But listeners areincreasingly favouring theimmediacy of SMS messages andemails, as the way in whichyoung people communicatechanges.

Earlier this year, UNICEFlaunched a new free SMS serviceto allow listeners to send in theirviews. A website entitled “Voicesof Youth” was set up to reflecttheir submissions, on questionsranging from how to preventteenage pregnancy to how to dealwith bullying and harrassment.

“The response wasoverwhelming,” says UNICEFspokeswoman Rupa Joshi. “Weexpected it to start with a trickleand grow, but from the minute welaunched the service thefloodgates opened and we realisedthis had immense potential.”

More than 14,000 messageswere sent in the first week of thetrial program alone, and UNICEFis now looking at how theresponses could be used in

helping the governmentformulate policy on youngpeople. SSMK’s success hasinspired Equal Access to exportthe idea to other developingcountries including Cambodia,Laos, and most recently Yemen.

In Nepal, a new generation ofyoung presenters who themselveslistened to SSMK as teenagershave recently taken over onthe show.

Having benefited from itsadvice, they are all too aware ofthe importance of getting it right.

“I loved listening to SSMKbut I never imagined I would oneday be presenting it,” said hostSwarnima Shrestha, 22. “It’s hardwork, and we’re under constantpressure because people takewhat we say so seriously.”

Sabin Singh, 25, began hisSSMK career as an actor in thedramas before graduating tohosting. He attributes the show’spopularity to its ability toconnect with teenagers on theirown level.

“The listeners feel that thisshow is theirs,” he says. “It’s verymuch a two-way process. That’swhy they trust us, in many casesmore than their own friends andfamily.”

SSMK is aired on Radio Nepalevery Saturday at 3.30pm and onover 30 FM radio stations.

nepalitimes.comThe power of one, #87

T

PICS: KIRAN PANDAY

equalaccess.org.np/saathi-sanga-manka-kura

1 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #522 BUSINESS|5

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Mobile internetNcell has launched aninternet data card calledConnect. The data card ispriced at Rs 1,999 and theSIMcard at Rs 99. Onceconnected to the USB portof a laptop, desktop or Mac,the data card automaticallyinstalls the requiredsoftware to connect thenetwork. Ncell has introduced the service in three packages.For customers with minimum internet needs, Ncell has apackage of 500MB that costs Rs 499 per month. The mediumsize, 1,000MB, with the same validity period costs Rs 899 andthe large size, 5,000MB, costs Rs 3,999. The pack can berenewed at a reduced rate of 2 rupees per MB. Ncell’sConnect offers the highest internet speed of 3.6Mbps in areaswith 3G network.

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Insured paintsAsian Paints has launched ‘Asian Paints - Jeevan Rakshya’scheme for painters. Under this scheme, every paintingcontractor or painter who accumulates certain points bypurchasing Asian Paints products will be eligible for on thejob insurance worth Rs 50,000 to Rs 200,000.

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Booking openBajra and Shangrila Residency has inaugurated theResidency Apartments at Thadodhunga, Sanepa. Booking forthe apartments is now open with prices starting atRs 2,799,000.

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Real runThe 4th RealKathmandu Marathon2010 will take place on2 October. Themarathon will start atTripureshwor and endin Dasrath Stadium.

Participants can choose to run the full length, half length, 5kmor just 3km.

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Freezing offersNavin Distributors, authorised distributor of Whirlpoolproducts, has introduced Whirlpool’s Protton Seriesrefrigerators. The Protton 3-door refrigerator has three distinctcooling zones for different cooling needs. Buyers of Prottonrefrigerator will take home a Whirlpool 20 litre Solomicrowave oven for free during the festive season.

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Macro deliverySagar Infosys has completed delivering the Baleyo microlaptops to those who had booked it at the ICT Trade fair inJuly. Sagar Infosys had received more than 10,000 bookingsfor the micro laptops that were priced at Rs 6,500, exclusiveof tax.

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QFX launchedQuest Entertainment has launched anew brand for its theatres- QFXCinemas. Jai Nepal and Kumari willnow be known as QFX-Jai Nepal andQFX-Kumari respectively. QFX will

soon be opened at Civil Mall in Sundhara.

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Wiz kidsMaureen Almeida from Kendriya Vidyalaya and RinkeshBasnet from Pacific Academy won the Horlicks WizTeams2010 held at Army Officers Club. The two, along with onemore student, will represent Nepal in Horlicks WizKids SouthAsia 2010 in November in Bangalore, India. The Winners ofHorlicks WizKids South Asia 2010 will get an opportunity torepresent South Asia in International Youth Initiatives.

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New showroomSB Furniture has opened a new showroom in Lazimpat. Theshowroom will showcase products of SB Furniture andKoncept brands. SB Furniture is a ISO 9002 and ISO 14001certified company with its factory in Thailand.

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Prize carBama Motors handed over a Chery QQ3 model car to MissNepal 2010 Sadichha Shrestha. The car had been promised tothe winner of the pageant.

s Kathmandu gets readyfor the Dasain kite season,our own national team has

just returned from participating inthe 30th Fighting Kite World Cupin Dieppe, France.

The skies over the Channel cityblazed with colourful kites from allover the world. What the loktaladaku changa from Nepal lacked inflashy colour and exoticconstruction, it more than made upby its maneuverability and fightingspirit.

“The Nepali changa outpacesevery other kite in terms of itsability to dive, dodge, spin andsoar,” says Nirmal Man Tuladhar,who has been leading the Nepalteam for more than a decade.

Listed among the 300 biggestworld events, in all categories takentogether, the Dieppe festivalpresented all the kite disciplines.

Nepalichangasat theFighting KiteWorld Cupin France

KITERUNNERS A

71 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #522LIFE TIMES

Materials needed:

A split bamboo of 3 mm trimmed to 1.5 mm for a bow stick. A split bamboo of 2 mm for spine stick. Two bamboo sticks of 1.5 mm for a beard (tail). A sheet of lokta paper of 8 gram. A glue stick.

Construct your own kite out of lokta paper.

Spine stick (length) : AB = 45.5 cmWing (width) : CD = 53.5 cmSide wings : AC – AD = 36.5 cmBeard (tail) : EK – FL = 7 cm

GE – GF = 11 cmEB – BF = 7.5 cmGB = 10 cm

Bridle : AS = 8.5 cmSH = 22 cmIH = 20 cmIB = 14 cm

Fold over the wing : C – D = 14 cm x 1 cmBow stick : 65 cm

Elaborately designed andartistically painted kites fromChina, Malaysia, Europe, India, andUS competed for supremacy. Nepalikites stood out for their uniquefeature of being one of the few to beflown mainly to fight.

Lately, our own skies have beendominated by the “Lucknow”changa with their frilly and friskyavatars. Tuladhar wants to revivethe tradition of the lokta changa,and says the Dieppe championshipwas the perfect place to showcasethe amazing flying machines

from Nepal.But the festival offers its

participants more than a platformfor showcasing. Each time it is held,Tuladhar and his partner RajeshShrestha are treated to a world oflimitless imagination. The skies atDieppe explode with colour andshape, becoming a gallery of flyingartwork.

The festival also offersopportunities for cultural exchange,where kite fliers attend each other’sworkshops, encouraging the fusionof ideas. Us kite lovers at home

could make the best of this exposureby soaking in the spirit forinnovation and creativity, perhapsby reviving the distinctive feel andlook of Nepali kites to start with.

The kite jamboree is organisedevery two years and this year it wasthe 16th Festival.Shahani Singh

How to make aNepali Fighter Kite

nepalitimes.comSoaring and Sparring #264

www.dieppe-cerf-volant.org/dccv/ukaccueil.html

ACE PILOTS:Nirmal ManTuladhar (left)runs with hisNepali kite at thebiannual kitefestival in Dieppe,France, recently.Tuladhar holds ahuge lokta kitewith his partnerRajesh Shrestha(right).

8|LIFE TIMES

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t was Lord Ram’s victory overRavan, the redemption of hishonour at restoring the dignity

of his clan, that we will becelebrating this Dasain. Nepaliswill worship his prowess atwarfare and good Dharma. Wewill also remember GoddessDurga, whose spirit was evokedto grant the victory of good overevil. Sita stands beside Ram inposters, statues and carvings. Butour neglect of Sita is ironic whenwe analyse the psyche of mostwomen in modern-day South Asiaand how predominant herexperiences are.

Sita is absent in our prayers,and has been misrepresented aswell as misunderstood by readersof Ramayana. Her assertivequalities have been downplayedin several instances where shemakes an appearance in theRamayana. Her taking the agni

Sita revisitedpariksha for instance, has beenviewed by most as a meeksubmission to her husband’sdemands. Few see it as an act ofdefiance and rage at Ramdoubting her in front of millions.

Hence, the question: Has thename ‘Sita’ become synonymouswith ‘docile’ and dutiful’? Or hasher name retained anything of herassertiveness like when shestubbornly followed Ram to hisexile? The essays and interviewsin the book ‘In Search of Sita:Revisiting Mythology’ byMalashri Lal and Namita Gokhaleexplore these and other questionswith regard to this mythologicalcharacter, also engaging indialogues of feminism today, therelation between socialmovements and women’s status,and the interpretation of Sita intexts across South Asia.S S

Search of Sita:Revisiting mythology

edited by Malashri Lal &Namita Gokhale

Yatra/Penguin Books, 2009

I

t is quite impossible to find a restaurantin Kathmandu that does not havemomo, chowmein or chicken chilly on

its list of servings. But this is a welcomeabsence on Chai Chai’s menu, prompting youto taste its unique recipes. One of the recentadditions to the Jhamel restaurant lane, ChaiChai serves a blend of Asian and Continentaldishes. Don’t be misled by its name, tea hereis available just in its regular variations. Butdo step in for Illy coffee and a range ofrefreshing cold drinks. Start with Vietnamesespring roll and try one of Chai Chai’s most populardishes, Chicken with sweet balsamic sauce andbrown rice in the main course. The home-madebagel sandwiches served with soup and potato saladis also a good choice. The portions of the startersand the wrap are perfect if you are looking for a

For quiet lunches

quick light meal and there are yummy desserts inoffer. Chai Chai has a quiet ambience for lunch anddinner meets. The bar serves a selection of local andimported liqueur but you might go elsewhere if youare looking for a cocktail night.PM

KIRAN PANDAY

I

1 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #522|9

EVENTS

A People War Exhibition, Nepal’s conflicthistory in pictures. Every day exceptTuesdays, 11am to 4pm, Patan Dhoka. Forschool visits, call 5549948,www.apeoplewar.com

Screening of The Desert Eats us, directedby prize winning documentary makerKesang Tseten. Friday 1 October,4.45pm, Nepal Tourism Board, BhrikutiMandap

13th ASA Annual Architectural Exhibition,exhibition by students of Architecture atPulchok Campus, students works, designsand many more. 1 to 3 October, Institute ofEngineering, Pulchok

Baul Music and Songs, the Indian CulturalCentre presents performances by ShriPrahlad Bramhachari, a renowned Baulsinger from Kolkata, India. 3 October to 6October, inauguration by Indianambassador Rakesh Sood on 3 October inRastriya Naach Ghar, Jamal, 6pm, 4412018

The Colours of Silence, Glimpses ofMustang, photographs by Italian RestorerLuigi Fieni. Till 24 October, 5.30pm,Siddhartha Art Gallery, Baber MahalRevisited, Gallery hours: 11am to 6pm,12pm to 4pm on Saturdays, 4218048

Cycle 4: Selfie, photo exhibition by 17young amateur photographers. Till 23October, Galleria CUC, Momo Magic,Pulchok

Lazimpat Gallery Cafe, screening of Paa,featuring Amitabh Bacchan in a challengingrole of a kid. 1 October, 6pm onwards,Lazimpat Gallery Cafe, Lazimpat

New Orleans, Live blues, folk and Irishmusic and singing on acoustic guitar. ThisSaturday, 7 pm, New Orleans, Patan

Moksh, live music by Baja Gaja. EveryTuesday, 7.30pm onwards Moksh, Pulchok,5526212

Fusion Bar, Dinesh Rai and the SoundMinds playing live. Every Friday, 7pmonwards, Dwarika Hotel, 4479448

Sunday Jazz Brunch, enjoy a relaxingSunday in The Terrace at Hyatt Regencywith barbeque and live jazz music by InnerGroove. Every Sunday from 12pm to3.30pm, Hyatt Regency, Boudha, 4491234/4489362

The Kaiser Cafe Restaurant & Bar, enjoy apleasant BBQ lunch in the ambient settingsof The Garden of Dreams. Every Sunday,12pm to 3pm, Kaiser Mahal, Thamel,Rs 1200 per person, 4425341

Saturday BBQ Brunch, enjoy mouthwatering Mongolian BBQ at Gokarna Forest

Resort. Every Saturday, Gokarna ForestResort, Gokarna, 4451212,[email protected], Rs. 1500 plus taxes

The Café at Hyatt Regency offersvegetarian buffet. Every Tuesday from6.30pm, Hyatt Regency, Boudha, 4491234

Arabian Nights in The Cafe, taste theculinary delights from the Middle-East.Every Friday from 6:30 pm onwards,Hyatt Regency, Boudha, 4491234/4489362

Boudha Stupa Restaurant & Cafe, enjoywood fired pizza with the superb view ofBoudha stupa on the backdrop and freewifi, candlelight dinner options are alsoavailable for the romantics every fullmoon night. Boudha, 2130681Lhasa Bar, enjoy a beer or a splash ofcocktail at this springboard for excellentyoung musicians starting out on theThamel circuit. Thamel, 985101043

MUSIC

DINING

Kakori at Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Kebabs,curries and more, enjoy Indian food at itsbest. Everyday 7pm to 10.45 pm for dinner,Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Tahachal, call4273999 for reservations

Dhokaima Cafe has a new menu, try theBlackened Norwegian Salmon and GrilledShrimp Ajillo. Patan Dhoka, 5522113

The Dwarika’s Himalayan Shangri- LaVillage Resort, overnight package withaccommodation, dinner and breakfast.Dhulikhel, Rs 3500 (Single), Rs 5000(Double), 10 percent service charge extra,call 4479488 for reservations

Tiger Mountain Nepal, special Dasain &Tihar offers for expatriates and Nepalis atall lodges and camps (Tiger Tops Chitwan,Bardia and Pokhara Lodge), call 436 1500for reservations,[email protected]

GETAWAYS

10|HAPPENINGS

TALL AMBITIONS: Nepal's shortest teen Khagendra Thapa Magar, whohas been working to promote NTY 2011, prepares to pose with MissNepal 2010 winners at a press meet organised by NTB on Friday.

KIRAN PANDAY

MODERN BABAS: Sadhus rally outside the CA building on Sundaybefore the PM election, protesting against inflation and unemployment.

1 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #522

KIRAN PANDAY

PYRAMID OF PEOPLE: The Kumari's chariot takes its final tour atBasantapur on Monday, marking the end of Indra Jatra.

WEEKEND WEATHERby NGAMINDRA DAHAL

FRI SAT S U N

30-16 29-16 29-15

KATHMANDU

WEEKEND WEATHERby NGAMINDRA DAHAL

KATHMANDU

After a sputtering start and a vigorous climax themonsoon has finally withdrawn after three months.The rains came one month late, and most of theprecipitation was in August and September. Juneand July registered an average 50 % deficit, whileAugust and September were above average in mostplaces, especially western Nepal. The Valley’sprecipitation total was normal, although riceplanting was delayed till mid-July. The southwardmigration of the jetstream has caused the westerliesto blow away the moisture bringing in bright cleardays. There will still be some afternoon buildupover the mountains and some drizzles in the valleysand snow flurries till about 4,500m.

GREEN SCENE

he trekking season is uponus, and it would be wise toremind ourselves of the

warning signs of altitudesickness. Consider acutemountain sickness (AMS) to be ared flag. As you trek at about2,500 m or higher you may suffer

Mountain warningthey push themselves and try toascend higher. Water collectionin the brain (high altitudecerebral edema, HACE) or in thelungs (high altitude pulmonaryedema, HAPE) occur, as waterseeps out of the blood vessels inthese organs due to lack of oxygenbrought upon by the inability toacclimatise properly. Symptomsof HAPE and HACE thus mandateimmediate descent (by foot, yak,horse, a porter’s back, or ahelicopter).

Preventive aspects of “LekhLagne” (altitude sickness inNepali) include the practice oflistening to one’s body. The sealevel rule of “when the going getstough, the tough get going”clearly does not apply at highaltitudes, and strong and silent‘John Wayne attitude’ would belife-threatening indeed. So don’trush up the mountain. Drinkadequate fluids (about 3 liters perday), do not sleep higher than300 to 500 m from the previousnight’s altitude, take a rest dayevery third day of your trek,practice the “climb high sleeplow” technique, and take 250mgof diamox (acetazolamide), if youdon’t have sulpha allergy, twotimes a day if necessary.

W

T

DHANVANTARIBuddha Basnyat, MD

hen electroluminescence was discoveredin1907, it was little more than a scientificcuriosity. It took another 70 years for

light-emitting diodes (LED) to come into use andfound an application in infrared equipment and asthe red lights that made up counters in earlycalculators.

But in the years since LEDs have become animportant component of lighting equipment intorches, emergency lights and even traffic signals,vehicle brake lights, and outdoor street illumination.Unlike incandescent light bulbs or fluorescent tubes,LEDs use very little power as electrons hit holeswithin the device to create electroluminescence.

The main advantage of LEDs, which is ofrelevance for us here in Nepal, is their low electricity

LEDing light

from hangover symptoms,headache and nausea. But if youdescend a few hundred meters,you may feel these symptomssubside. With AMS, it is likelythat you will get better if youdon’t go any higher, or descendright away.

Peer pressure, an overridingego, or wanting of their money’sworth from the trek can makepeople with AMS go in denial oftheir weak condition. Dangerouscomplications ensue when

KIRAN PANDAY

consumption which makes it ideal for solar-powered lighting during load-shedding. There arenow several companies manufacturing solar-powered LED lights for remote parts of Nepal.

“We designed them for use in Humla, butbecause of winter power cuts more and more arebeing sold in Kathmandu itself,” says Dharmendraof Lotus Energy that installs solar lights in remotearea monasteries and homes.

The other advantage of LED lighting is that theylast up to 40,000 hours: four times more thanfluorescent tubes and ten times longer thanincandescent. LED lights are also very small, andcan give any colour light depending on filterused.

“The main plus point is that it saves power andit doesn’t use mercury and other harmfulchemicals,” says Anil Karki of IlluminiumEnterprises which markets exclusively customizedLED products.

The popularity of LEDs is growing, the onlydeterrent is the initial cost which is slightly higherthan CFL. “But the payback comes from the energysavings,” explains Karki, whose company has soldall billboard floodlights with LED at the new CivilMall. Other clients include Chaudhary Group,Jagadamba Press, Gyanodaya School.

A ten-light system with 30-watt LED(equivalent to 150W of halide fixture) willcost Rs 170,000. This is nearly double of whatit could cost to have metal halide lamps,however the initial expenses are made up forone-and-half years. LEDs also have a muchlonger lifespan.

www.illuminium.com.npwww.lotusenergy.com

SOCIETY|111 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #522

POLITICALLYCRACKEDIndu Nepal

t was hard to shake off the feeling ofdéjà vu as the picture of Sushil Koiralaon his hospital bed peered from the

front pages of the newspaper the day afterhis election victory as Nepali Congress’snew leader.

He was admitted to the hospital with acase of pneumonia merely hours after hewas announced the president of the party.Candidates fielding for major politicalleadership positions may not have topresent a clean sheet of medical report here,so we should perhaps be happy they issuepictures of themselves smiling as thenurses tape intravenous drips on theirwrists. After all, they make Frank DelanoRoosevelt look like a big scam artist.

You can treat sickness, but not old age.Sushil Koirala may seem like a newlyhatched chicken compared to the

octogenarian ex-president of the party, butat 72 he is among the lucky 3.7 per cent ofthe population that goes on to live beyond65 years of age. Not to forget the fact thatthe total median age in Nepal is 20 yearsold. We are an incredibly young country.The leaders are not.

More than half of the newly electedNC’s Central Working Comittee are above50. A majority of the ‘youth’ members areabove 40, only five are below 40. The NCcalls itself a serious challenger to theMaoists. When the Maoists led thegovernment in 2008, the party sat in theopposition “to play an active role in theconstitution-making”. It wanted topreserve freedom, analyse the government’sdrawbacks and shape policies. Now, its 66-year-old senior leader Ram Chandra Poudelis vying to lead the government. Democracyis supposed to be about choices, freedom,and hope.

At its General Convention, however, theNC showed it was unable to move with thetimes, unable to adapt to the changingreality. A recent report pointed out that the

We are an incredibly young country, the leaders are incredibly old

Old leaders of New Nepal

I

age gap between the median age of thepopulation and their leaders is higher indeveloping countries whereas opposite ittrue for developed countries. No surprisethen that 40-year-old Ed Miliband waselected the leader of the Labour Party in theUK this week.

There is also a direct relationshipbetween a country's rank in the failed stateslist and the age of their leaders, as some ofthe oldest leaders in the world will testify:Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Egypt’spresident Hosni Mubarak, Cuba’s RaulCastro and Kenyan president Mwai Kibakiand Burma’s Than Shwe.

Age is just a number, Indian PrimeMinister Manmohan Singh might say, whoin his 78th year is steadfast in thoughtsand physical movements. It is also truethat with age one acquires a wealth ofexperience and wisdom.

Old patterns, however, are still aliveand well in our political system and whilethere is the chatter about New Nepal, itwould serve us well if the old indeed gavethe new faces a chance.

1 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #52212|ENVIRONMENT

DEHRA DUN – Most species depend on human goodwill to survive.The public’s imagination is caught by charismatic megafauna – bigbodied species, mostly mammals, which are instantly recognizableeven to the man on the street. These include tigers and lions,orangutans, gorillas, whales, dolphins and elephants. Lookingcuddly like the Giant Panda also helps.

All these species face an uphill battle for survival – but perhapsnone more so than the large bodied predators, some of which, likecrocodiles, do not appeal much to the general public.

What they are up against was dramatically illustrated lastJanuary when students training in camera-trapping of wildlife in thesprawling wooded campus of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)near the north Indian city of Dehra Dun and close to the forests ofRajaji National Park, detected the presence of a leopard.

It was not the first leopard to have come through the grounds.Thinning habitat and vanishing prey across India have drivenleopards to the margins of their preferred habitat. In some cases,human habitation has come to them, leaving them with little choicebut to live in a human-dominated landscape: sometimes in fear andconflict but mostly in peace.

Many of the students and faculty at the WII, were delighted atthe leopard’s presence. As scientists working for wildlifeconservation, coexistence of people and wildlife is at the heart ofthe issues they grapple with. To have a leopard, a species nowquite severely endangered, on the premises was to many, anendorsement of everything the WII stands for.

Not quite, however. Many in the area, including families of generalstaff members, were afraid of the leopard. Children had beeninstructed to stay indoors after sunset. After much debate the directorof the WII apparently decided to have the leopard, a female withcubs, driven out of the sheltering scrub and woodland.

Parts of the scrub were cut down, and parts burned. In theprocess the leopard, cornered, severely mauled two people. Onefaculty member wryly remarked that it was a case of ‘’peopleattacking the leopard’’ and not the other way around as claimed bylocal media. The leopard had lived in the vicinity for some timeraising her cubs, without attacking anyone until the attempt to evicther.

The incident sparked outrage in conservation circles. If the WIIcould not tolerate a leopard on its premises, then what right couldconservationists and scientists have to preach co-existence withand tolerance of wildlife, to communities living in and near forests?

Many predators are what biologists refer to as keystone species.A keystone balances the opposing forces of an arch, without it thestructure will wobble and collapse. Predators perform much thesame function in the food chain. Remove a top or ‘’alpha’’ predatorand its prey species will multiply, with cascading consequences forthe rest of the ecosystem.

Some conservationists maintain that co-existence of humanswith large predators like tigers, is simply not possible without conflict- which the tiger will, like the WII leopard, of course lose. Tolerancefor wildlife has diminished, across the world and also in Asia.

Nirmal Ghosh is the Thailand correspondent for The Straits Times, has writtenbooks on Indian wildlife and is a Trustee of The Corbett Foundation A longerversion of this comment is on www.nepalitimes.com.www.indianjungles.com

he leopard mother and cubhad wandered into thegarden of a house in Dhapasi

one morning last year. Locals raisedthe alarm, and the cornered motherwas shot dead when it tried to breakout. The cub was finally darted andcaught, later set free in ShivapuriNational Park.

Man-leopard encounters havebecome increasingly common inKathmandu and across Nepal as thesuccess of community forests hasled to a revival of wild animals,which enter habited areas in searchof easy livestock prey.

But most encounters resultin tragedy, either for the farmerswho lose goats or chicken, or forthe leopard.

In Kathmandu, the Central Zoohas a darting team, but they usuallyarrive at the scene too late becauseof systems aren’t in place for quickdeployment.

SHAHANI SINGH

Nepal’s yearof the leopard

The spreadof midhillforests isbringingthe spottedcat inincreasingconflict withhumans

Once therewas a leopard

SNOOZE: The leopard cub that hadclimbed up a tree at a residence inDhapasi last year gets a dart in itsflank (left). It was later relocated toShivapuri National Park. A leopardthat was darted and rescued afterit strayed into the city takes a napat an enclosure in the zoo atJawalakhel (top).

NIRMAL GHOSH

RABI THAPA

T

1 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #522 ENVIRONMENT|13

“There hadn’t been a clearmechanism for a rapid responseteam,” admits Sarita Jnawali,director of the Central Zoo, “a zoo’sactual role is to take care of theanimals within it, not capture thosein the wild.”

Since Kathmandu did not havean official wildlife rescue team, theCentral Zoo agreed to take up therole. It has now hired anexperienced wildlife vet, and amobile tranquiliser team.

Naturalists say that the reasonfor frequent leopard incursions isparadoxically Nepal’s success inprotecting its forests. The leopard,being the apex predator makesforays into the outskirts ofKathmandu or into villages whenit is driven out due to competition,or due to depleting prey.

The problem is that most localspanic when they see a leopard, andthink it is a man-eating tiger. ShantaRaj Jnawali at the National Trust ofNature Conservation says thisspooks the leopard which then triesto defend itself. Leopards generallyavoid people, and don’t botherthem if they aren’t disturbed. Buthungry leopards have beenknown to attack children if they areold or injured and can’t hunttraditional prey.

“If you sees a leopard, youshould not disturb the animal,”advises Jnawali, “walk out of thehouse, lock it and wait for therescue team.”

Rinjin Shrestha at the WorldWildlife Fund Nepal advisesagainst separating the cubs from

their mothers because she maycome back looking for them.However, the leopard is much lesswell studied than tigers and not alot is known about their territorialcompetition and other habits.There has been a study of tiger-leopard confrontations in BardiyaNational Park, but there hasn’tbeen much research into encounterswith humans.

Since it has been thrust bydefault into the role of rescuingleopards, the zoo has provided agrant to a student from TribhuvanUniversity to study leopardincursions for his master’s thesis.

With better knowledge of whyleopards are leaving their naturalhabitat, a reliable rapid responsesystem and better public awareness,leopard encounters in future neednot end in tragedy.

KIRAN PANDAY

Don’t try to drive it awayby making noise

Don’t raise an alarm

Don’t separate cub frommother

Don’t panic theneighbourhood

Call the police or CentralZoo’s Rapid ResponseTeam (5528323)

If leopard enters house,lock it up

LEOPARD INYOUR GARDEN?

14|FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 1 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #522

I will plunge into the race, alone !I plunged !

Abin Shrestha, in Kantipur, 27 September

Gorakhapatra, 27 September

CA members are so ashamed of who they are that they have stopped wearinglapel pins. They are being branded as failures in the public eye, and therehas been outrage that they are pocketing an allowance despite their inabilityto draft the constitution on time.

UML MP from Siraha, Ramrati Ram was humiliatedtwice in his home district when recognised as a CA member.He says that people have been commenting about “uselessCA members” in the CA premises itself. He has stoppedwearing his pin in public.

MP from Chure Bhawar Ekta Party, Keshav PrasadMainali, has a similar experience. He was called a “GreedyMP” near the gate of the CA building by some strangers.

Mainali, however, says he will never hide his pin.UML MP Naradmuni Rana keeps his pin at home and makes do with his

ID card. The only time where he wore the pins was to enter the CA buildingduring two elections for the prime minister.

MP Chabbilal Bishwokarma says that once people see the pin they ask“a thousand questions” and are rude. “It is better to stay incognito,” he says.

Kantipur, 23 September

Mahendranagar- Nar Bahadur Saud’s happinessknows no bounds after receiving Nepal’s mostprestigious literary award, Madan Puraskar, for abook that he wrote in a bedridden state.

The 48-year-old Saud’s ‘Nepal Ka Balinali RaTinko Digo Kheti’ (Agricultural Crops of Nepaland Their Sustainable Farming) has been chosenas the recipient of this year’s coveted award.

“I am extremely happy,” he said, “my hardwork was recognized, a book from the far westwas selected and a book about farming was finallygiven due recognition.”

A road accident two decades ago left Saud

Editorial in Naya Patrika, 28 September

The drama of the eighth round of PM elections hasalso ended. Despite being the only candidate,Poudel was unable to garner the required majority.His refusal to give up means that such meaninglesselections will continue without a winner. Theninth round on 30 September is a futile exercise.Poudel has a moral obligation to withdraw andsearch for a new process. A group has been arguing

that since Poudel is the only candidate, he can be announced a winner. But this argument ignores theconstitutional provision that the prime minister has to have the majority support in the parliament. Theseseries of meaningless elections have overshadowed the more important issues of the country. It is simplythe question of who will take the chair and it seems that every party is taking a selfish stance. MadhavKumar Nepal’s resignation will soon complete three months. To not have a new prime minister in such along period shows failure on the part of the political parties. This is an interim period where the focusshould be writing the constitution and nurturing democracy, not fighting for power. Why can’t our bigleaders understand this simple idea?

Nagarik, 27 September

Come monsoon and students and teachers ofKota Tulsipur VDC of Kailali are compelled toput their life at risk every day to attend classes.Their school, Shree Secondary School, lies onthe other side of Kada River. In absence of abridge, the students wade and swim across theriver to reach their school. In 2007, sevenstudents were swept away by the river and sincethen, every year, two students have been killedwhile crossing the river.

Principal of Shree Secondary School,Laxmi Prasad Bhattarai, says: “Every year

MPs hiding pinsMadan Puraskar

paralysed from the waist down. Wheel-chairbound, he had been working on the book for thelast 10 years. Saud graduated in agriculture fromPalampur in India and started work as an officer inthe National Agriculture Research Council. He wasworking as a Technical Officer of DairyDevelopment Corporation before the accident.

Saud is writing a book about mushroomfarming now. “Every farmer should be given basiceducation on agriculture,” he says. Saud lives withhis parents and sisters 10km north of Dhangadi.His wife, who left for her parent’s home afterSaud’s accident, hasn’t come back. Saud’s winhas delighted his parents too. Saud’s father said:“He used to write day and night. He has made usproud.”

students die as they try to cross the river. Wehaven’t been able to conduct our classesproperly.” He adds that the students and theteachers would suffer less if there was a bridgeon Kada river.

“We cannot come to school when it rains,”says Nirmala Kathariya a student of the school.She adds that if it starts to rain they leave theirclasses and rush home.

According to the school, every monsoon, amajority of students of lower classes are absent.Established in 1972, the school has 1,500students out of which 1,200 students are fromKota Tulsipur and need to cross to river to attendtheir classes.

Risking their lives to go to school

Till when?

Mahesh Acharya in Kantipur, 30 September

NEW YORK: Nepal has increased its lobbying for Kul ChandraGautam’s candidacy for the president of UN General Assemblynext year. Gautam is against the Qatari ambassador to the UN whohas himself launched a spirited campaign for the post. Nepal ispromoting Gautam through formal and informal gatherings andmeetings. Those attending the current GA session have beendiscussing the merits of Gautam’s candidacy at the side-lineprograms.

Home Minister BhimRawal forwarded Gautam’sname for the prestigiouspost at the 65th UN GeneralAssembly. Using thisopportunity to meet thehead of states and theofficials of the membercountries, Nepal has beenrequesting them to supportGautam for the post.Caretaker Prime MinisterMadhav Kumar Nepal hasalso been meeting the

ambassadors of different countries in Kathmandu to promoteGautam.

Gautam’s friend and East Timor’s President José Ramos-Hortaendorsed Nepal’s candidacy at a dinner reception organised byhim in New York this week and requested the nations forsupport. He introduced Gautam as the “Asian candidate”.

Minister Rawal confirmed that Iran, Yemen, SolomonIslands, Nauru and other countries have agreed to supportGautam’s candidacy during the G-77 and LDC meetings.Since the tradition is to elect the president unanimously, theAsian region representing 53 countries will have to nominateNepal or Qatar by June 2011.

Gautam for president

FROM THE NEPALI PRESS|151 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #522

Editorial in Kantipur, 24 September

The government is on itsway to forge deals withseveral domestic andforeign investors forbuilding seven megahydropower projects. Butthe Maoist decision tostop these projects hasraised serious concernabout the future ofhydropower in thecountry. It is clear thatthe Maoist decision tohalt operation of fiveprojects with Indian andNepali investment ispolitically motivated. Infact, some of these

projects had been given permission for feasibility studies bythe Maoist-led government itself. The Maoist decision hascome at a time when its leaders have been publiclycomplaining about how India has hindered them from formingthe government and this can’t be mere coincidence.Hydropower which remains Nepal’s biggest hope for economicgrowth has once more turned into a political weapon.

Nepal’s trade gap with India is Rs 17.7 billion, that deficitcan only be plugged with hydropower exports. A World Bankreport pointed out energy deficit as the biggest obstruction tocommercial development in Nepal. Power cuts have forcedbusinesses to use diesel generated electricity, which has led toa rise in the production cost. Also, millions of worth ofgenerators and inverters are being imported every year. The costis passed down to consumers. Last winter there was 16 hoursof power cut every day. This year it is likely to be repeated.Instead of exploiting hydropower for political gains, theMaoists should be helping the projects to gather momentum.They should keep national interest above politics and call offtheir ban at once.

Interview with Maoist hardlinerMohan Baidya “Kiran” inJanadisha, 28 September

Janadisha: What is thepurpose of the ExtendedMeeting next month?Mohan Baidya: At a time whenthe constitution writing processis underway, a conspiracy is beinghatched to derail it. There areissues of national independence,livelihood, class, caste, region andgender upon which the partyshould decide its stance. There isalso a question of how to makethe party revolutionary bydefending the issue of class.

It is said the party isdivided in the issue of

national sovereignty.The party has an unequivocalvoice regarding the issue ofnational sovereignty. No one isagainst the movement. We have tofinalise the modality of themovement.

But didn’t the party fail tocontinue the struggle?At a time when we are engaged inconstitution writing, foreignfactor has become visibly active toobstruct the process. Now,national sovereignty has been themain agenda of the party. We saidthis issue should be dealt withfirst before the others. We have tofight the imperialists and theiragents first to write theconstitution, and then addressthe livelihood of the people.

Is it true that you arepushing for a new politicalformula?This is not true. If we limit tobeing a democratic republic, whatis the point of waging a ‘People’swar’ for 10 years? India has ademocratic republic but themovement is going on. We have toinstitutionalise the democraticrepublic system but we shouldnot get stuck right there. We haveto go beyond. These allegationsagainst me come from those whofavour the parliamentary system.In our draft of the constitution,we have mentioned the making ofa People’s Federal DemocraticRepublic, which means we willnot just restrict to being ademocratic republic. This is theparty’s decision, not mine.

To the streetsSo the party’s plan ofaction is yet to beconsolidated?We already have a general planof action: to establish thePeople’s Republic, to take thePeople’s Republic to a newlevel, to launch the movementof national sovereigntyeffectively, and to address theproblems related to livelihood.We are fighting on three fronts:the street, the parliament andthe government. The fight inparliament is to incorporateour ideas in the newconstitution. If theconstitution is not written, wewill have to take to the street.The extended meeting willdecide how to take themovement to the streets.

Politics free

DAMBAR K SHRESTHA

1 - 7 OCTOBER 2010 #52216|BACK SIDE

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

fter the roaring success ofthe Miss Aryan pageant,this week it was Mr Hill

Handsome. The donkey’scongratulations to fellow beautiesUpendra Kumar Ban for beingcrowned with the BF Dear HillHandsome 2010 Tiara as well asthe first and second runners-up,Dipendra Karki and BikrantaShrestha respectfully. Winnersall get six packs each of Fair &Handsome Cream (Slogan: “Cometo us if you think life is unfairand ugly.”)

And there are two groups short-listed for this week’s Only inNepal Knock-out Tournament:petro-tanker operators andastrologers. Oil tanker driverswho bring diesel and petrol fromthe Indian refinery in Barauni tothe oil storage depot atAmlekhganj have been in thehabit of siphoning off 250 litresfrom every tanker and passingthat off as “evaporation loss”. Atcurrent prices that means thetanker tycoons are creaming off Rs20,000 for every ferry. Which iswhy the Ass wants to know whyanyone would want to work for aliving in this country. Anyway,Nepal Oil Corruption sends aninvestigation team down there

Let sleeping dogs lie

and it recommends that tankerdrivers can’t steal 250 litresanymore. So what do thetankeristas do? What they havealways done: threaten to stop thesupply of gas to the capital. Andwhat does the government do? Itgives in to the demand by the oilmafia to be allowed to keepstealing.

And that brings us to ourtelly-astrologers who providecitizens with valuable forecastsand answer queries from viewersacross Nepal. These hourlyfortune telling programs are someof the highest rated in the land.Now, our astrologers are facing

strong competition from Indianfuturists who apparently have amuch better track record foraccurate astrological forecasts,even better than theirmeteorological forecasts. Oursoothsayers are understandablyincensed that they are losingtheir following among thedomestic audience. They havethreatened an agitation unless thecable operators block Indianhoroscope programs, failingwhich they will stop their ownastrology programs on Nepalichannels. You don’t need anAsstrologer to prophesise whatwill happen next.

Next year is Visit Nepal Year, butit is also the year of the NationalCensus. But animal rights groupsin Kathmandu have pre-emptedthe human census by announcinga dog census in the capital thisweek. All canines in Dogmanduhave registered themselves, givingdetails such as breed, age, owner’scaste and ethnicity, number oflitters, and sexual preference, ifany. A dog census has never beencarried out before, and thedonkey’s guess is that these threesons of bitches (pictured insideSingha Darbar this week) were notcounted.

Here is a Press Release just faxedto us from the Afadol BumpsSamiti:

When some time ago the Presidentvisited our neighbourhood, Afaldol, toopen a Ram Temple, we were veryexcited. That changed when his securitypeople decided to remove the speedbumps we were ever so proud of. Wehave no idea what His Excellency’sstaff were thinking: how can the bumpsbe a security issue? Were they worriedthe President would bump his headwhen driving down our lane? Is the mantoo delicate to deal with a few ups anddowns?

Whatever it was, when thePresident arrived our lane was bump-

Aless. Needless to say the children anddogs of Afaldol now face a securitycrisis. Bikes zoom through ourneighbourhood at a dazzling speed.The primary school at the beginning ofthe lane especially mourns the loss ofthe beloved bumps.

Afaldol wants to get its bumpsback. We ask the President to give usback our speed breakers beforesomeone gets bumped off. Onesuggestion for His Excellency: restorethe bumps or declare PresidentialRule.

Afaldol Bumps Samiti(Revolutionary)

And, in conclusion, someheadlines you may have missedin this week’s papers:

Extinct Frogs Haven’t CroakedMan Jailed forMicrowaving Hamster

And you must have all readabout the world’s youngestdozer operator, the seven-year-old in Dolakha who exhibitedhis dexterity with a Komatsu toa cheering public. What next, afour-year-oldwho can fly aTwin Otter?

ass(at)nepalitimes.com