Living daylightshimalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/... · Sujata, Sujata, Sujata. Three columnists tackle the latest debacle: p3, p5, p10 Living daylights I. 2 EDITORIAL

#472 16 - 22 October 2009 16 pages Rs 30

KIRAN PANDAY

f Nepal Standard Time is pushed forward one hour and 15 minutes, wecan reduce our electricity shortfall this winter by upto 4 per cent, and

loadshedding by upto 40 minutes a day. If enacted, daylight saving timewill delay sunset and sunrise by 1 hour and 15 minutes, reducing light useduring evening peak hours. However, it may disturb early risers, who willhave to wake an hour earlier to keep up with their schedules, and confuseastrologers. Besides, it may prove difficult to implement, as Pakistan’srecent experience with a similar plan shows. p10

Sujata, Sujata, Sujata. Three columnists tackle the latest debacle:p3, p5, p10

Livingdaylights

I

2 16 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472EDITORIAL

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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

PLAIN SPEAKINGPrashant Jha

There is a revealing anecdoteabout Girija Prasad Koiralaand his idea of justice.

After the April 2006movement, a group of humanrights activists sought anappointment with GPK todiscuss war-time atrocities. GPKdid not think it was importantenough. The activists conjured

up another reason, and managedto get a meeting. They talkedabout the need to addressimpunity, and the need foraction against perpetrators ofcertain emblematic cases.

The ‘democracy veteran’

Forgetting the past is not Nepal’s future

Uncomplicating peacesnapped, “Let me make one thingclear. The Maoists have alreadyexpressed their concern thatnothing should happen to theirleaders and cadre; the Armyleadership also has similarconcerns. What is important nowis the peace process. I have toldboth of them that nothing willhappen and no case will bepushed against them.”

Koirala’s attitude wasrepresentative of the attitude ofthe larger political class, who patthemselves on their back for being‘realistic’. They all felt thatbygones should remain bygones.The refrain was unanimous acrossparty lines – avoid steps that willopen up a Pandora’s Box andcomplicate the peace process.

There was an easier route -forget the past.

This columnist too was drawnto the argument, until the killingsin the Tarai shot up. A patternwas visible. Analyst Tula NarayanSah has done remarkable researchto show that the political violencein the Tarai can be traced back topast crimes that wentunpunished and a desire forrevenge. A key reason for both theGaur massacre and the Kapilbasturiots was that the Maoists andother groups harboured grievancesagainst each other. A bloody tit-for-tat, even delayed, wasinevitable.

Forgetting the past may appearattractive if you are insulatedfrom the conflict. It obviouslydoesn’t work if your father,mother, brother, sister, wife,husband, son, or daughter is partof the past’s violence. To suggestthat painful memories beobliterated is both a morallyquestionable position and apolitically ineffective and naïvestrategy. The root of the Maoistinsurgency was the perceivedabsence of justice. But thecardinal lesson of that period wasnot learnt. No justice means moreviolence.

Those following the MainaSunwar case (she was tortured

and killed by army officers in2004) were not surprised whenher father was found dead thisweek in mysteriouscircumstances. Activist MandiraSharma points to the struggle thateach family has had to mount;how the process has been deeplyfrustrating; how the pain anddepression has taken its toll; andhow, in the process, victim’sfamilies have made enemies ofpowerful people. She adds, “Thefeeling among victims is that ifMaina’s family could not getjustice after all this, what hope isthere for others?”

What is left is a deep sense ofhurt. That hurt may sometimestranslate into apathy, but oftenresults in thoughts of vengeance.If you wonder about the risingviolence, or the rage thatcharacterises even banal everydaystreet conversations, it is becausewe live in a society that hassuffered, where many people feelcheated out of life’s simple joys,thereby fueling a desire to destroyor be destroyed.

One could argue that it is inthe Nepal Army’s interest to takeaction against officers involved incases such as Maina’s - thiswould enhance their institutionalprestige and silence critics. It isin the Maoists’ self interest to actagainst the Bibidhs of their party– this would overhaul their imageand demonstrate a commitmentto democracy. And that couldmark the beginning of a wave ofreparations across the country.

But it is unlikely that thiswill happen, for neither side feelsit has committed any wrong.Crimes have been justifiedthrough clever narratives.Collateral damage is seen as a partof the game. And killers on bothsides have become part of the newpolitical elite.

An apology for the pessimism,but given the shocking inabilityof our politicians to providejustice, Nepal seems destined toremain stuck in a cycle ofviolence and hatred.

GETTING ON WITH ITTrust Bidya Bhandari to transform the most mundane issuesof the defence ministry into the most pressing concerns of thenation. From the day she took charge, she has constantlyridiculed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

First she wanted the army to resume recruitment. Bettersense prevailed in the Council of Ministers, which refused toapprove her proposals. She wanted some discredited armygenerals promoted, overriding the objections of human rightsdefenders. She got her way. She then wanted to restartprocuring arms and ammunition. She now wants ex-armychief Rookmangad Katawal to shoulder importantresponsibilities in his retirement.

Bhandari seems to think that even though she lost the CAelections, Nepal’s middle-class is behind her. That may beso, but she should remember that this is a transition period,where unilateral decisions on sensitive issues will onlystrengthen the Maoist argument about this government’sillegitimacy.

Bhandari’s claim that the peace agreement, which putarms procurement and new recruitment on hold, is affectingthe preparedness of the Nepal Army is not without merit.However, the priority now is to protect the peace and write anew constitution.Strengthening thedefence forces isnecessary, but it is notthe priority.

To be sure, certainprovisions of the CPAare absurd: you can’tequate an insurgentgroup with the nationalarmy. But in 2006 itwas needed to initiatethe peace process. UNmonitoring has been ajoke, but it was a figleaf the Maoistsneeded to show thatthey didn’t lose the war.However absurd theymay look now, thepeace structure standson these fragile feet.Remove them now andthe whole thing couldcome crashing down.

The CPA is a faultydocument, but for now,that’s all the defenceminister has. She’d dowell to implement itsprovisions and moveon. The sooner we canleave our past behindus and get on with it,the sooner Nepal canbe a peaceful,prosperous and justsociety.

NON-RESIDENT NONSENSEIn his rather condescending column‘The NRN Manifesto’ (#471), one canperceive Prem Jung Thapa’sbitterness against the current NRNleadership.

What he has failed to mention inhis write-up is that the current NRNleadership and thousands of Nepalisabroad have developed an unbrokennetworking capacity across the worldin the last 6 years of the existence ofthe NRNA (Non Resident NepaliAssociation). Since 2003, NRNA hasorganised 3 global conferences inKathmandu and many regionalconferences in the Middle East,Europe and the Far East.

A lot of hard work and imaginationhas gone into setting up anorganisation for the Nepali and by theNepali people. An organisation like

CORRECTIONS Due to an editorial error, the article ‘Baniyas

and Brahmins’ (#471) wrongly identified SuryaBahadur Thapa as chief of the Rastriya PrajatantraParty and Rajendra Mahato as belonging to MJF-D. They lead the Rastriya Janashakti Party andSadbhavana Party respectively. Help Nepal Network has 12 chapters

worldwide, not 21, of which 5 are officiallyregistered charities, not 4 (‘Inspiration, inc.’, #471).

LETTERSNepali Times welcomes feedback. Lettersshould be brief and may be edited for space.While pseudonyms are accepted, writers whoprovide their real names and contact detailswill be given preference. Email letters shouldbe in text format without attachments with‘letter to the editor’ in the subject line.Email: letters(at)nepalitimes.comFax: 977-1-5521013Mail: Letters, Nepali Times,GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal.

NRNA will have a multi-pronged approachto work with Nepal at various levels, notjust in terms ofbusinessinvestment.Comparing NRNA’sobjectives with thatof business housesof Nepal is myopicand absurd in theextreme.

I hope thereadership of NepaliTimes will recogniseMr. Thapa’sargument that NRNAis yet another rent-seeking organisationbased on Nepaliethnicity to be acompletely humbugassertion. On the eve of the fourth global

NRNA conference in Kathmandu such adiversion should be treated as just that, a

diversion.Gaury S Adhikary,

CountryRepresentative,

NRNA, USA

IMPIOUSIssue 471’s front page‘Triumvirate’ graphicsare a disrespect to theLord. To use theauspicious and blessedShivalingam in thatcontext is an abuse,and may be an innocentmistake by NepaliTimes. Please removethe graphics from allyour online media.

Prabin Raj Gautam, USA

KIRAN PANDAY

316 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472OP-ED

STATE OF THE STATEC K Lal

T here is something about SujataKoirala that makes everyoneuncomfortable. It’s not her lineage.

Other Koirala women hardly evoke thesame hope, fear and frustration. It’s notbeauty either, though she looks quitestriking for a grandmother.

If birth and beauty were decisivecriteria for success in politics, ManishaKoirala should have been reigning inKathmandu rather than slowly fading fromfilmdom in Bombay. Despite her muchpublicised forays into Rautahat, theglamorous granddaughter of BP Koirala hasfailed to make her mark in politics.

For all her intelligence and gravitas,Nona Koirala’s hold over NC politics wasfelt, but seldom seen. Shailaja Acharya wasa visible presence with a history of struggleand sacrifice. But she wasn’t, ultimately,able to influence her party’s politics.Sidelined from the mainstream, both these‘women of substance’ died dejected.

Sujata Koirala insists on being seenand heard. She wants political power andshe will get it. It’s her grit anddetermination that NC bigwigs finddisagreeable, but what they hate most ishow she never misses an opportunity toremind them that they are where they aretoday simply because of the Koirala clan.For those who pretend to be popular intheir own right, this must be painful.

Republican royalty is an oxymoron, butit thrives in some form or the other inmost democratic societies. Withuncertainty the only certainty, politics isthe battlefield of the determined and thedesperate. Scions of political dynastiesmay have a launching pad at theirdisposal, but they are at heart no different.

Unfortunately, shows of resolve andferocity do not often endear one to people.That’s why successful politicos have morefollowers than friends, though also morecritics than outright enemies. Sujata is noexception: she probably realised early onthat courting controversy was the shortestroute to success in democratic politics. It’sher recklessness that gives her companions

and competitors the creeps. But whoeversaid hardcore politics was a popularitycontest?

The chattering classes of Kathmandulove to hate Sujata for different reasons.For them, she is an upstart from theperiphery. She didn’t even attend St.Mary’s, after all. But she dresses better,has more men half her age following her,and she gets what she wants, almost allthe time.

When as foreign minister she refused toaccompany PM Madhav Nepal on his visitto New Delhi, the entire political class inKathmandu accused Daughter Koirala ofsabotaging the anti-Maoist coalition fromwithin. She dealt with them with a clever

Who said hardcore politics was apopularity contest?

The daughter also risesmix of innocence (she claimed to havefallen sick) and defiance.

Now that she has got what she wanted,Sujata would do well to reflect on whetherthe prize has been worth the price. She hascalled the bluff of Team Hypocrite at thehelm of her party. But for once, Baluwatarhas clearly outsmarted her father.

PM Nepal has managed to make hisforeign minister one of his two deputieswithout stepping on the toes of hisunwieldy coalition. He also insisted,initially, that a formal decision of theNCCC was necessary to promote Sujata.Lured by their newfound influence uponthe government, NCCC members thendefied their Chair and insisted on holdingthe Grand Committee meeting fromNovember 1-3 in Kathmandu instead ofconcentrating on preparations for theGeneral Assembly scheduled for March 10-14, 2010. This probably means that thelatter will not be held anytime soon andthe UML will continue to maintain itsprimacy in anti-Maoist politics well intothe next elections. Once this wasestablished, PM Nepal simply went aheadand promoted Sujata.

Tactically, it was a masterstroke ofrealpolitik on the part of PM Nepal. Theonly problem is that he and his co-conspirators in the NC have no strategicaims other than keeping the Maoists out ofpower for as long as possible. Koirala isaiming higher - he wants to take the peaceprocess to its logical conclusion. Inthis war of wills, may the better-intentioned win.

KIRAN PANDAY

4 16 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472NATION

anjay Golchha, founder andCEO of technologymarketing firm Neoteric, is

a slight man with a big attitudeand speaks the bold,cosmopolitan language of NayaNepal. “If Japan can be atechnology powerhouse, then socan we,” he says, gesturing toemphasise “we”. Golchha is astand-out figure among Nepal’snew breed of philanthropist-businessmen, out as much toscore a profit as to help theircompatriots.

His own contribution in thatdirection has come largely in theIT sector, and follows a longfascination with gadgetry andcomputers. He learned theprogramming language BASIC inhigh school and studied ITbusiness applications in theUnited Kingdom. Soon after hereturned to Nepal in 1989, he setup software company IT Nepaland went on to develop the firstNepali Enterprise Resource

Sanjay Golchha’s Neoteric is workinghard to empower individuals

Leading the chargeManagement tool.

Following these successes,Golchha founded Neoteric tolocally distribute internationallybranded hardware, like SamsungLCD screens. He also catered to alarge market for assembledcomputers, which were not onlycustomisable but also significantlycheaper. More recently, Neoterichas also become a leadingdistributor of Nokia phones andappliances in Nepal.

Neoteric is at war with a ‘greymarket’ - the nebulous and legallydubious traffic of refurbishedIndian and Chinese goods, manyof which boast recognised brandnames with a stray letter or twoinserted, a ‘Nokla’ instead of‘Nokia’, for instance. Golchhaclaims that while Neoteric’sproducts are pricier, they arebetter quality and come withinternational standard service andwarranties. “Before we entered themarket, as much as 40% of the ITgoods circulating here were eitherfake or were smuggled into thecountry,” he says.

Underpinning these businessventures is a commitment to helpthe common man and empower the

individual. Before Neoteric camealong, only large corporations, andvery few households or smallbusinesses, had the high-gradeHP and Samsung gear thatGolchha markets. And that state ofaffairs was disastrous, he says,because in the Internet age,connectivity is as elementary aswater or food. Golchha reveals analmost missionary zeal for Nepaland the Internet: “Imagine whatNepal would be like if everyonehad a laptop with an Internetconnection.”

Indeed, that vision of a Nepalof laptop-toting villagers andgrandpas is why Neoteric is, asGolchha calls it, ‘leapfrogging’conventional desktops into thelaptop business. He points out thatlaptops are sturdy and highquality, and almost as cheap asdesktops, which means they haveenormous social and commercialpotential. They promise to correctwhat Golchha calls Nepal’s‘chicken-and-egg’ problem: notmany are bothered to buy Internetconnections in part because the

S

content isn’t great, or doesn’t suitspecific Nepali needs, and there’spoor content because few Nepalisare connected. Golchha thinks bymaking laptops easily available,he can short the loop andencourage more people to buy intothe Internet age.

The Golchha Organisation, afraternity of firms includingNeoteric that is held by theGolchha family, sponsors anumber of social serviceactivities. They run an eyehospital in Biratnagar that offerstreatment for free or at negligibleprices and serves about 80,000people annually. They alsosponsor academic scholarships,and have made headway on a slewof environmental initiatives.Golchha says they’re dabbling innon-conventional energy sourceslike husk and in characteristicallyfar-sighted manner, have begunrecycling electronics to preventhazardous build-ups of electronicwaste.

“It’s a big problem in richcountries,” he warns. “And if we’renot careful, it could be a bigproblem here too.”

Taking on software, hardwareand social service is no mean feat,and involves a degree of risk inthe volatile business and politicalenvironment of Nepal. Golchhaadmits he’s made businessmistakes in the past, but acceptsthat risks are part and parcel ofentrepreneurship. "What Nepalneeds more than ever is a risk-friendly investment climate thatensures businesses ownership ofthe rewards," he says.

“If we do these things, nothingcan stop us.”

Bold is the word.

KIRAN PANDAY

516 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472BUSINESS

S

STRICTLY BUSINESSAshutosh Tiwari

ujata Koirala was defeated byMadhesi Janadhikar Forum ChiefUpendra Yadav in the Constituent

Assembly elections last year. In theory,her political career should have beenfinished, at least until the next generalelections.

But on Monday, Prime MinisterMadhav Kumar Nepal appointed her tothe position of deputy prime minister.When asked why he did what he did,Nepal gave a distinctly non-primeministerial answer: “I appointed her asasked by Girija Prasad Koirala.” In otherwords, “Girija made me do it.”

It doesn’t matter how displeased orangry Nepali Congress members are withSujata’s new post. They can do theirpredictable song-and-dance routine: thatis, pull long faces, hold meetings inwindowless offices, condemn the PM’sactions, pass resolutions, blame Sujata’sfather at press conferences and doeverything that ends up as a spectacle ontelevision.

If history is any guide, in just a fewdays, they will have shown signs of thatgreat sense of Nepali resilience. It's thestuff that gets praised ad nauseam byamateur sociologists and drenched-in-positive-thinking pundits. It consists ofreluctantly accepting what has happenedand moving on to other matters withoutputting up a principled fight.

Principled fights, let us remember,often have uncertain outcomes and can be

costly for careers. Given these odds,which non-Koirala Nepali Congressleader has the self-confidence or thepublic following to say: “Look, enough isenough. Either we seriously reform howour party is governed or completely erodepublic confidence in what we do fordemocracy…”? Not one.

In fairness though, there are some NCleaders who have workable ideas abouthow to reform the party. But unless theystart taking intelligent risks to translateideas into actions, their continuousclaim to be working for democracy islaughable. If they can’t even work towardturning their party into a New NepaliCongress, who believes them when they

shout loudly about creating a New Nepal?It’s not enough to blame the father for

what he has done. He’s shown that he hascalculated the odds, cast aside hisscruples, and decided he can get awaywith doing what he thinks is right for hisdaughter’s political future. The problem,broadly, is how Nepali institutions aregoverned in ways that are antithetical todemocratic values and business success.Here’s two rules of the game:

The Great Man approach:Usually, a public organisation is first ledby an initiative-taking individual whoshows more courage than anyone else.Once he’s in a position of leadership, his

enthusiasm, energy and activities arehailed by all, and he starts winningnational and international acclaim. Aftersome time, he gets comfortably settled inhis role. He hires family members, getsdefensive about criticism, and punishesthose who disagree with him. He isinsecure about sharing the limelight withothers. So he surrounds himself withdwarves who sing the great man’s praises,and when he promotes one dwarf, othersmay grumble but don’t complain muchbecause they don’t want to bite the handthat feeds them.

Ignoring small problemapproach: This happens when anorganisation’s leadership thinks it’s

beneath its dignity or that it does nothave time to deal with small problems.Its approach is to brush away smallproblems, which then go on to fester andmutate into bigger problems in duecourse. When colleagues or employees seethat small problems have been brushedaside, they allow the leadership to bemore reckless in doing things that onlycreate bigger problems.

The Nepali Congress leaders have onlythemselves to blame. That the Sujataepisode has come to a head issymptomatic of their practicing bothapproaches at the expense of goodgovernance.

Risk-taking for dummies

The latest scandal exposes themanagement values that underpinmany of Nepal’s institutions

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Xchange

Global Xchange, a British Counciland VSO partnership program, isgiving 18 hearing impaired volunteersfrom Nepal and the UK the chance tolive with host families and work forlocal organisations. The volunteers,aged 18-25, will live in the twocountries for three months andpromote cultural exchange as well asbuild active networks.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Gift of sightMarking World Sight Day 2009,Standard Chartered Bank andTilganga Eye Center signed anagreement to conduct screeningcamps and free cataract surgery forneedy people living in the KathmanduValley and neighbouring districts.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Smokin’Gorkha Laharilaunched its newcigarette ‘Action’earlier this month.This addition tothe cigarettemarket usesinternationalquality tobacco

and is available for Rs 52 a pack.

6 16 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472FROM THE NEPALI PRESS

Toy train: NCToy train track: Internal democracyGirija: What! It’s going the wrong way!

Batsyan in Kantipur, 13 October

Nepalganj bureau in Kantipur, 9 October

The endless downpours and flooding followingthe harsh drought has left several mid and farwestern districts facing a severe food crisis. Thecrops that made it through the delayed monsoonwere inundated by the heavy rain of the last fewweeks and began to rot, and rice grain laid out todry was washed away.

Sachidananda Upadhyay of the midwesternagricultural directorate says, “Even withoutadverse weather conditions, the arable land here isnot enough to accommodate the needs of the

Editorial in Rajdhani, 14 October

Since time unknown, Nepali Congress chief Girija Prasad Koirala hasbeen making death wishes, most of which have been fulfilled. His mostrecent one, to have his daughter appointed deputy prime minister, hasjust been fulfilled by the prime minister. Madhav Nepal’s motive seemsto have been primarily to save his own post. Pleasing Koirala enablesNepal to take advantage of the unconstitutional status that he holds. BothGP Koirala and Nepal aredriven by selfish motives,sending the governmentfurther down the downwardslope it is already on.

Because the decisionwas taken without theconsent of the NepaliCongress and wassomething of a pact betweenNepal and GP Koirala, theNepali Congress now facesa test. Much depends onwhether they decide tocontest the decision or accept the post assigned to Sujata Koirala.

This only proves the charges of nepotism the Maoists have alwaysmade. The sole cause of this is the disorientation the nation hasundergone in the past three years, transforming politics into a personaland domestic struggle for position and power. One way the nation can beredeemed is if the people express a collective concern. This can happenonly if the Nepali Congress decides to protest against GP Koirala’saction.

Intensifying food crisispopulation of this region.” Jajarkot, Neyulapur,Dang, Dhorahi, Tulsipur and Pyuthan are the majorareas affected.

Farmers were not only unable to plant paddyon time but were also unable to apply fertiliser atthe right time. This year in Banke district, forinstance, 31,718 acres of land were farmed, 4,781hectares less than the year before. Similarly, whilepaddy production was 131,400 metric tons lastyear, the drought prompted estimates of only 80-90,000 metric tons. This is now expected todecrease by another 40 per cent. Says BhanubhaktaBhattarai of the Agriculture Development Office, “Aloss of about Rs 280 million is anticipated.”

Death wish

KIRAN PANDAY

DIRGHA RAJ UPADHAYA

Om Aastha Rai inNagarik, October 10

Biratnagar Jute Mills, thecountry’s oldest jute mill, willclose down this week followingconflict between the governmentand employees. The mill will behanded over to the private sectoronce the government pays theworkers.

Even if it continues operating,its image as the centre of thedemocratic movement will suffer.The surrounding place is also

known as the Mills area and threegenerations of employees spenttheir lives here. These willbecome mere fables once the millis handed to the private sector.

The mill is closing because ofa short supply of raw materials,worn out machinery and poorsales. But this wouldn’t havemattered had the managementbeen strong.

The management weakenedafter the political changes in 1990,when party-backed unions overranthe mills. Union members were

corrupt, stole machinery parts andsupplied low quality jute, yet noaction was taken.

“We could not sack those whowere found stealing on the spot,”says a retired managing directorof the mills. Directors wereappointed by political parties, and

cadre from the same parties wereinvolved in theft and irregularities.

Of 1,039 employees who losttheir jobs after the closure of themill, about 800 have joined privatejute mills in Sunsari and Morang,where the going has been harder.Jhamarlal Shah, who worked for

Unionism28 years in Biratnagar Jute Millsand now works in a private millsays, “We only get a 20 minutebreak and hardly any leave.”

Khadga Rai recalls those dayswhen he protected his corruptcolleagues. “I did so because Iwas in politics,” he says. He saysif he had not done so someoneelse would. “There wascompetition to protect thosecorrupt people.”

Rai, who worked in the millsfor 24 years, is now unemployedat the age of 46. His children stillneed his support and he cannotjust stay home idly. It is difficult tofind a job for a person who isalready known as a union leader.“We never realised I would makelife more difficult for my family,”he says.

KIRAN PANDAY

716 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472CONSTITUTION 2010

he deadline for writing the newconstitution is now only sevenmonths away but five thematic

committees haven’t submitted their draftreports and concept papers to the CA.

To make matters worse, the six thematiccommittees that have submitted their draftshaven’t patched up differences on keypoints. Only the Committee for Rights ofMinority and Marginalised Communitiespassed its draft unanimously.

But instead of forging ahead and settlingtheir differences the political parties wantto extend the drafting period, which wasinitially two years, by a further six months.

Constitutional Committee ChairmanNilambar Acharya feels the problem is a lackof commitment, not necessarily thedisagreements themselves. He says, “Theparties should understand that theconstitution is a document of consensus.”

The National Interests PreservationCommittee was the first committee tosubmit a draft concept to the CA butpapered over differences on state structure,national defence policy, border issues andon whether to call the civil war a ‘people’swar’ or an ‘armed insurgency.’ The NC andUML have also strongly opposed theprovision of conscription for all adults.

The draft of the Judiciary SystemCommittee has been the most controversial,as the Maoists want to invest parliamentwith the power to hire and sack judges, andto allow non-Supreme Court justices tobecome chief justice. The other parties havecriticised this as an undue violation of theseparation of powers.

The Committee for Determining theBases of Cultural and Social Unityproposed Nepali as the official languagebut Madhesi parties want Hindi instead,

while the Maoists say any language spokenby at least one per cent of the populationshould be given the status.

The Committee for DeterminingLegislative Bodies has already prepared adraft paper without Maoist backing whichproposes a bicameral Parliament: a 151-member House of Representatives and a 51-member National Assembly, with separatehouses in each province. The Maoists haveproposed an all-powerful 245-memberunicameral Parliament. The MJF wants thechair of the proposed national assembly tobe made vice president.

There are differences over what to nameconstitutional commission in the draftprepared by the Committee for DeterminingLegislative Bodies. ‘National Commission’is preferred to ‘Federal Commission’.

The Economic Rights and Sharing ofNatural Resources and Public Revenue

Discord, and more discordToo little, too late to meet the constitution deadline

Girirajmani Pokharel, CAmember, UCPN (Maoist)

The ongoing conflict betweenstatus-quoist and progressiveforces has held back theconstitution writing process atits most crucial time.

The constitution writingprocess was slow from theoutset. It took 3 months afterthe historic CA elections toform the Maoist-ledgovernment, and CA committeeswere established to facilitateagreement on constitutionalissues. CA regulations eased thechallenge by forbidding partywhips from becoming toomeddlesome so, if all had gonewell, there wouldn’t beopposition in the CA.Committee members collectedpublic suggestions for theconstitution, which have beeninvestigated in a report that hasbeen submitted to the Study

We need a high-level politicalmechanism to resolve differencesover committee drafts

and Suggestion Committee.But things haven’t gone

well, and the draft reports don’treconcile basic ideologicaldifferences. The UML and NCare happy with the status quo

and the parliamentary system, theMadhesi parties hanker for moreinclusion, while the Maoistswant a wholly new federalsystem.

Despite these difficulties I’m

Way out

Committee has finalised its draft but thereare disagreements about whether tocompensate landowners for land takenfrom them during land reform. The Maoistsobject to any compensation.

The Committee for Determining theForm of Governance System has beendebating the merits of the presidential andprime ministerial systems, which isimportant since it has implications for theentire political system.

The State Restructuring and Sharing ofState Power Committee has perhaps themost difficult task of all in deciding on afederal system. It hasn’t been able to startwork because the political parties haven’teven submitted their concept papers.

The CA calendar has already beenrescheduled six times and the publicdoesn’t expect the November deadline to bemet. Once deliberations finish, the publicwill be invited to comment on the drafts.

Acharya is still hopeful: “If the partiesconsider the national interest, theconstitution will be written on time.”

Committees that havecompleted drafts:Committee for Rights of Minority andMarginalized CommunitiesNational Interests Preservation CommitteeCommittee for Determining the Bases ofCultural and Social UnityCommittee for Determining LegislativeBodiesCommittee for Determining the Form ofGovernance SystemJudiciary System Committee

Committees yet to complete drafts:State Restructuring and Sharing of StatePower CommitteeCommittee for Determining the Form ofGovernance SystemFundamental Rights and DirectivePrinciples CommitteeEconomic Rights and Sharing of NaturalResources and Public Revenue CommitteeConstitutional Committee

T

optimistic and take inspirationfrom Jawaharlal Nehru whowrote his daughter IndiraGandhi thus: “If you comeacross problems in your life,look back at history. Human

beings have already resolvedproblems bigger than yours.”

The 12-point agreementwas signed amid persistentpolitical hostilities that havebrought Nepali politics to itsknees today. The countryneeds a revised agreement thatimplements the spirit of theComprehensive PeaceAgreement, integrates the twoarmies to make a nationalarmy, establishes civiliansupremacy instead of militarysupremacy in a real sense sowe can make decisions on ourinternal affairs on our own.

I have no doubt that if wehave such a high-levelunderstanding, the currentobstacles in writing theconstitution can be overcomeand will lead to a commonpolitical agreement for theconstitution writing process.A special political mechanismis the need of the hour.

PICS: KIRAN PANDAY

8 NATION

The Great HimaThe mother of all

trekking trailspromises

adventure fortourists and hope

for the denizens ofthe Himalaya

f there is a trekking‘holy grail’, it is a routethrough the remotest peaks ofthe Great Himalaya Range that

joins all the major trekkingregions in Nepal. Following fiveyears of research treks, the Nepalisection of the Great HimalayaTrail (GHT) is now a reality.Starting in September 2008 inKanchenjunga and ending in Julythis year in the Api Himal, PemaSherpa and I became the firstpeople to traverse the entirelength of the Nepal Himalaya. Indoing so we traversed some of themost amazing mountain scenery

on the planet and discovered anincredible wealth of ethnic andnatural diversity. The result (seebox) is an extreme trekking trailover 162 days with more than150,000 metres of climbing anddescending, a proposition sure totempt adventurous trekkers. Overthe next couple of years, I will betrekking through the Eastern andWestern Himalaya to complete atrans-Himalayan trail over4,000km that will take between16-18 months to trek.

Nepal’s three main trekkingregions, Everest, Annapurna andLangtang, attract tens ofthousands every year. The trailshere are well maintained and safe,and offer novice and experienced

ROBIN BOUSTEAD

I

ROBEROBERT ROSENBAUM

ROBIN BOUSTEAD

916 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472

alaya Trail

In his fascinating book ‘The Great Himalaya Trail – A PictorialGuide’, Robin Boustead uses stunning photographs, compellingstorytelling and section route descriptions to describe the highestfeasible route across Nepal. The large format pictures offer anintriguing insight into the first expedition to trek and map theGreat Himalaya Trail. It crosses every one of Nepal’s mightymountain ranges, from Kanchenjunga in the east to Saipal in thewest. Folklore combines with descriptions of the communitiesencountered to give the reader an intimate glimpse into the livesof mountain people. The series of interlinking trekking maps andgraphical trail profiles provide enough detail for anyone to beginplanning their own Great Himalaya Trail adventure.

The Great Himalaya Trail – A Pictorial Guide, by Robin BousteadHimalayan Maphouse, 2009ISBN: 9789993347408Pages: 167

Robin will be signing copies of his book at Mandala Bookpoint onSaturday, 3.30PM

trekkers alike the opportunity toexplore the Himalaya in relativecomfort. The other two thirds ofNepal’s mountain terrain arenormally considered ‘off the beatentrack’. From the lushrhododendron forests of the east tothe dense woodlands of the west,relatively untouched wildernessand remote communities awaitdiscovery. Indeed, a small trekkinggroup in these regions can make areal difference to lives that arebarely subsistence.

In 2002, the Nepali governmentresolved all its border disputeswith its northern neighbour China.This demilitarised seven borderareas and for the first time in overfifty years, tourists were allowed to

explore them. All of these areasoffer unique trekkingopportunities. They also tend tobe next to the major trekkingroutes, so it’s possible to designitineraries combining old andnew routes.

Although the mountains arebeyond compare, it is the peopleyou meet along the trail wholinger in your memory. You can’thelp but admire theirindefatigable boldness andenergy, their independence andresilience, and their open-hearted, generous nature towardsstrangers they may never seeagain. It’s impossible to make acomparison, but surely thepeople of the high Himal are

among the very best ofhumankind?

I hope that the GHT willinspire other trekkers to embarkupon their own GHT trails,helping develop micro-tourismprojects in communities tooremote for major infrastructuredevelopment. Creating value inregions that previously had littleto offer could also precede theestablishment of a transboundarycorridor for animal migration,helping to save many endangeredspecies. The snow-covered crownof Asia may then become one ofits greatest assets.

for more pictures, visitwww.nepalitimes.com

The realNaya Nepal

PICS: ROBIN BOUSTEAD

ROBERT ROSENBAUMPEMA SHERPAERT ROSENBAUM

10 NATION 16 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472

INTERESTING TIMESMallika Aryal

fter two months of lobbying and sulking, GirijaPrasad Koirala has finally succeeded in making hisdaughter Sujata the deputy prime minister. Given her

unpopularity with the public as well as within the NC, it’sno surprise the backlash has been so intense.

Koirala has squandered the merit he earned in 2006 inleading the country back to democracy by pushing hisdaughter as his political successor. He has demonstrated his

lack of commitment todemocracy, andnowhere is the anger aspalpable as within hisown party.

NC leaders are enraged and the UML is miffed. There isfinger pointing between the political parties. Critics blamethe weak government for not being able to stand up to Girija.The public, on the other hand, is so apathetic that thereaction has been a dismissive: “So what else is new?” Asalways everything will be figured out, forgiven and forgotten.The public understands that there will be protests now, butthey will soon die down, and those protesting will be seenhobnobbing with Sujata about town.

Sujata Koirala has no political charisma, skill, guile orexperience. She has little support within her party and theonly person rooting for her is her father. When her partysummoned her for questioning, she came with slogan-shouting hired goons. But is Girija the only one responsiblefor the mess in the NC? How about the other so-calledleaders?

The NC leadership is quick to say that the party ischanging with the times and that the leadership is goingthrough a transition. They have protested in the past againstGirija’s efforts to anoint his daughter as his successor. Butthis particular move by the party president goes to show justhow weak the NC leadership is and how beholden they are tothe old man.

The NC leadership gossips behind Koirala’s back abouthim with the leaders of other parties. They say the old man is‘losing it’ or has become ‘senile’ and yet they have beenunable to come up with alternative leadership. They havefailed miserably in asserting their disapproval anddiscontent, in convincing Girija that his decision was a badcall, and in preventing him from making such a big decisionunanimously. One has to wonder how one of the mostunpopular leaders in Nepal has so much clout within hisown party.

Seeing Koirala’s face on the evening news has proved tothe Nepali people that although we may have come a long wayin the last few years few things in Nepal have really changed.Quipped one disenchanted NC member: “The prime ministerand deputy prime minister were both unelected. They make agood team.”

For the NC leaders, however, this is a good time toconsider whether the party is actually going through thetransition they claim is underway. They must understandthat unless change can come from the top party leadershipthere will always be bad decisions. Unless young leaders aregroomed, older leaders will always push their children assuccessors.

To come out in the media and badmouth is easy. This is acollective bad judgment call and putting the blame onsomeone else just makes the leadership look naïve andimmature. This is the time to be assertive about issues thatreally matter. The party’s reputation and position is at stake ifit wants to present itself to the people as a real alternative tothe Maoists.

General elections may be far away but if the party wants torebuild its image the leaders need to undo this mistake andremake the party.

FamilymattersA

f Nepal Standard Time ispushed forward one hourand 15 min, we could

slightly reduce our electricityshortfall this winter and adjustan unnecessary and irksome 15minute time difference withIndia in one fell swoop.

Daylight saving time (DST)has been discussed before in theNepal Electricity Authority andthe Ministry of Environment,but plans have since gathereddust.

If enacted, DST would delaysunset and sunrise by 1 hour and15 minutes, reducing light useduring evening peak hours.Although more lights willswitch on in the morning as thetime change means many morewill wake up before sunrise,there will be a net energy savings.

“Daylight saving willundoubtedly help reduce theelectricity shortfall, since itallows people to work bydaylight instead of tubelight,”says former Minister of WaterResources Dipak Gyawali.

The numbers bear this out.Water management expert RatnaSansar Shrestha calculates that ifour electricity shortfall is400MW this winter and we go upto 16 hours of loadshedding,then DST can reduce theshortfall by roughly 16MW, a tenpercent decrease, andloadshedding by roughly 40minutes a day.

DST energy savings could be

more significant if industrialbuildings, which consume a lotof electricity, were designed torequire less ventilation andlighting.

Daylight saving was recentlyintroduced in Bangladesh andPakistan in a bid to reducemounting electricity shortfalls,but has had a rocky start,especially in Pakistan, where ithas confused thousands whohave flat out refused to adjusttheir clocks.

That’s a problem DST couldface in Nepal. It will be difficultto communicate time changes toclock-users, particularly in thecountryside, disrupting city-to-village commerce. It doesn’t helpthat the very idea of DST isconfusing. When asked for hisfeelings about the scheme, abemused Milan Rai, who runs acafé in Lalitpur, shot back,“What? I don’t understand. Youwant to change the sunrise?”

Astrologers will feel theconfusion most keenly, since thechanges will throw their chartsout of whack. Said one astrologer,“It will definitely change thecharts so I might accidentallyrecommend inauspicious times.”

It will also annoy early risers,like students and constructionworkers, who will have to wakeup even earlier in the mornings,when it is considerably colderand darker. Research suggests thatthere are more sleepy drivers, somore road accidents, in the weeksimmediately following daylightsaving time changes.

However, the proposal willalso round off to a half hourNepal’s inane 15-minute timedifference with India, which ithas had since 1971, and whichhas been a thorn in the sides oftraders between the twocountries. “The time differencemust go, whether or not it’sbundled together with a daylightsaving scheme, because it willmake trading a little easier,” saysGyawali.

Policymakers like formerEnvironment Minister GaneshShah have tried to erase thedifference but have seen theirefforts stymied by bad politicsand changes of government.

To be sure, it’s unlikely that agovernment that’s fighting toothand nail for survival cares aboutenergy savings either, but we canrest assured there’s daylight atthe end of the tunnel.

Tamperingwith time

Adding anhour andfifteen

minutes toNST could

reduceloadshedding

SUVAYU DEV PANT and DEWAN RAI

I

KIRAN PANDAY

Koirala’s dynastictendency underminesdemocracy in his party

1116 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472NATION

wenty-three-year-oldSusmita Rai’s interest inkayaking safety work was

sparked by her own husband’swork in the tourist industry. Butwhen she sought to transform ahobby into a career she came upagainst an impossible choice.Sanu Baba Sunuwar, concernedabout their household and theperceived risks a Nepali womanmight face in male-dominatedtourist guide industry, issued herwith an ultimatum: “It’s eitherme or kayaking.” Determined tomake her own way, Susmita lefther four-year-old son Niraj in thecare of her in-laws and divorcedher husband.

Her decision marked thebeginning of a difficult periodduring which she had to supportherself through restaurant work,dishwashing jobs and hardlabour. The tide began to turnwhen she encountered InkaTrollsås, a Swedish kayaker. Inka,who has been coming to Nepal forthe last decade, runs HimalayanRiver Girls. This kayak club basedin Pokhara trains Nepali womenas river and rafting guides.

With Inka, Susmita had realcause to believe kayaking andrafting could give her a futuredifferent from that she wasdestined for once she was takenout of school and married off atthe age of thirteen. She began totrain with Inka and in 2008,along with compatriots SitaThapa and Anu Shrestha,competed against atheletes from11 nations in the Peak UKHimalayan Challenge kayakingchampionship in Nepal. Susmitacame first. Her triumphprompted a change of heart onthe part of Sanu Baba Sunuwar,and led to their reunion. Sincethen, Susmita has representedNepal at two kayakingchampionships in Spain andSwitzerland. She continues totrain, but has also set her sightson reaching the heights of herhusband, quite literally: he is aparagliding pilot.

Susmita has blazed her owntrail. But she laments the lack ofsupport for women in sport,either from government or fromsporting associations. She is clearabout the need for women to begiven opportunities. “If I hadgiven up kayaking for myfamily,” she says, “then howwould I have had the chance tofly the flag of Nepal in front ofthe world?” She smiles and adds,“Who would know who SusmitaRai is?”

Susmita’s husband agrees,and even goes as far to see theirseparation as a blessing indisguise. “If she had listened tome and given up kayaking, if wehadn’t had a divorce, then howwould my wife have become a

champion?” Sanu Baba now feelsother women should takeSusmita as an example andfollow their dreams.

Inka’s Himalayan River Girlshas trained 10 women kayakers sofar, and will be inducting newtrainees in November. With asupply of equipment fromabroad, Inka has been able toconduct training sessions on theSeti, Kali Gandaki and TrishuliRivers. From November 27-29, herclub will be helping to organisethe Himalayan WhitewaterChallenge for women.

DINANATH BARALin POKHARA

Susmita’s choiceSusmita chosekayaks over herhusband, butall's well thatends well

Himalayan River Girls isdoing more than just honing thecompetitive spirit of Nepaliwomen, however. Grounding itspaddle work is the firm beliefthat training women like Susmitanot only boosts their confidencebut also makes them employable.So far, fifteen women have beenemployed by Nepali raftingcompanies through HimalayanRiver Girls which is run whollyon donation. Susmita herselfworks for Paddle Nepal. She’s hada rough ride. But calmer waters lieahead.

T

BLAZING TRAILS:Susmita in action (above)with Inka Trollsås (below)

12 INTERNATIONAL 16 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472

ith less than twomonths to go for a bigclimate change summit

here in the Danish capital, theplanet’s future hangs in thebalance as countries continue tobicker about who should cutcarbon emissions and byhow much.

A preparatory meeting inBangkok last week wideneddifferences between rich and poorcountries instead of bridgingthem, as emerging economies likeChina and India accused the Westof forcing them to agree tobinding targets.

"The climate changenegotiations are dangerously closeto deadlock,” warned EuropeanUnion (EU) President JoséManuel Barroso at a global editors’forum here this week.

The EU has committed toreduce its carbon emissions to20 per cent of 1990 levels by 2020.Japan has said it will reduce itscarbon emissions by 25 per cent,

mack in the centre of Denmark and at the geographiccentre of Europe, the little island of Samsø has turned

itself into a zero carbon destination in the last decade.Not only has this bucolic farming settlement of 5,000

people switched over completely to wind and solar energy, itis exporting electricity to the Danish mainland. If Samsøwere a microcosm of the Earth, the planet would already beout of its climate crisis.

An island that in 1997 relied entirely on fossil fuelimports now has 11 wind turbines that meet all itselectricity needs, heating is provided by a combination ofsolar thermal and burning biomass, and offshore wind farmsexport power, compensating for the fossil fuel that is stillused for cars and ferries.

Says Samsø resident Jesper Kjems: “It worked because thecommunity got involved, and the people got involvedbecause they saw the benefit to themselves, not becausethey’d be saving polar bears in Greenland.”

Norway by 40 per cent andAustralia by 24 per cent. The US,which did not ratify the KyotoProtocol, is now willing to go upto 15 per cent but wants countrieslike China and India to agree tosimilar targets.

China has overtaken the USwith 24 per cent of global carbondioxide emissions. The US isresponsible for 22 per cent, the

EU 12 per cent and India8 per cent of global carbonemissions. Scientists say theworld must halve its emissionsby 2050 to cap global warming atonly 2 degrees Celsius.

The annual per capitaemission of carbon by Indians isonly 1.6 tons, whereas an averageEuropean emits 18 tons and anAmerican 25 tons. But 90 per centof the increase in emissions is

coming from countries like China,India, Brazil and Indonesia. Cutsonly by rich countries, therefore,will not be enough to keep globaltemperature increase to within 2degrees by 2050.

Indian state minister for theenvironment, Jairam Ramesh,accuses the West of trying to scrapthe Kyoto Protocol, whichrequires rich countries to meet

targeted cuts and emergingeconomies to undertake domesticcuts. "The trust has broken downand the EU is now trying toaccommodate the US,” Rameshtold the Copenhagen editors’forum. “There will be no deal inCopenhagen in December if theydump Kyoto and try to make anew deal.”

Ramesh says India ispreparing domestic legislation for

mandatory fuel efficiencystandards, an increase in solar andwind energy to meet five per centof its energy needs and theconversion of half of all coal-firedplants to ‘clean coal’ technology.But it will not acceptinternationally imposed cuts. Forits part, China is unilaterallyplanning to move away from coaland source 15 per cent of its energysupply from renewables like windand solar by 2020. However, Chinaimports half its daily oil needsand this demand is growing.Chinese negotiators have alsorejected internationally agreedtargets, preferring nationalmitigation action. But unlikeIndia, China is poised to cash inon green technology and hopes tobecome the world’s biggestproducer of photovoltaic cells,electric transport and batteries.

Economist Joseph Stiglitz saysit is clear that China and Indiacan’t try to imitate USconsumption patterns. “If theydo,” he said this week inCopenhagen, “the planet isdoomed.”

KUNDA DIXITin COPENHAGEN

Copenhagen climate countdown

Everyoneis an island

Despite disagreements overthe details, there is an emergingconsensus among negotiatorsabout the steps ahead:

Rich countries mustcommit to deep cuts tocompensate for their historicalcarbon emissions. Emerging economies must

announce unilateral cuts, withinternational financing for theconversion to clean energy. Most vulnerable countries

need help to adapt to the effectsof sea-level rise and melting ice. We need to set up a system

for measurement, reporting andverification (MRV) to make surenations stick to theircommitments.

Denmark’s environmentminister, Connie Hedegaard,says she is encouraged by agrowing political consensus andthe voluntary carbon cutsannounced by countries. “Weare waiting for the US to take thelead, and I think it is now do-able politically,” she said.

Time is running out tosave the planet fromcatastrophic warming

W

SCANDINAVIAN SKYLIKE:More bright ideas will beneeded to clear the skies.

KUNDA DIXIT

S

1316 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472REVIEW

e don’t know about you, but when we go to a jazz concert,especially where bands inspired by Brazilian music areplaying, we expect it to be, well…jazzy.

So the tables and chairs at Hyatt for Jazzmandu’s headliner eventmay have worked for the mellow tunes of Trio Urbano. But when SheylaCosta said the crowd made her “want to cry” and that she wanted to “gohome” when noone stood up to dance to her Samba-inspired Parisianjazz, she was on to something.

Not to take anything away from the impressive roster of artistsJazzmandu brought to Kathmandu this year. The line-up ranged from thetraditional classical music of Gurudev Kamath to the energeticimprovisations of Thai/French Vatchapuj to the bossa nova beats ofSheyla Costa-La Brasileira. Jazzmandu may indeed be the biggest jazzfestival in the Himalaya.

The festival had something for everyone: the headliner event at theHyatt treated the audience to a small, intimate evening of Brazilian jazz,while the ‘music marathon’ at Gokarna Golf Resort on Saturdayentertained hundreds of guests with the entire spectrum of internationalmusicians. No wonder people were still talking about it on Mondaymorning.

Despite the bands’ different styles, they palpably demonstrated thepower of music to unite rather than divide. Homnath Upadhaya gave usan impromptu tabla tutorial; Vincent Martial of Vatchapuj and JamieBaum of Trio Urbano challenged each other to flute solos; andsaxophonist Yuri Honing of Amsterdam persevered through a minorpower-outage for his first ‘solo in the dark’ at Patan’s Museum Cafe.

When Navin Chhetri started the festival back in 2002, his idea wasto bring live jazz to the Nepali people. But with the kind of line-up theymustered, they should have just set up shop outside Patan Durbar ratherthan inside, and set the evening on fire. The Seventh Annual KathmanduJazz Festival did not disappoint. But next year, let’s take Sheyla’sadvice – no chairs. Meg Patterson and Indu Nepal

t was enough to give you the blues. GokarnaJazz Bazaar or Blues at 1905? Should anyNepali craving a little night music really be

forced to make such a momentous decision? Gigi ofthe Gigabytes would have minded very much, soblues it was. Unlike the static crowd at the Gardenof Dreams the night before, Saturday’s blues festpaid its dues in full. Tight sets from local bandsLooza and Gigi and the Gigabytes were set off bythe heartfelt blues rock of Bangalore’s ParachuteXVI and the muscular, percussive acoustic blues of

Let themhear jazz

Eclectic, energetic, and exclusive,Jazzmandu bridged the holidayseason in high style

More than meanwhile…

W

IKIND OF BLUE: Soulmate

fires up Shangri-La

the wholly entertaining Jimi (the Human)Hocking of Australia. And if the closing set byBrit blues geezers the Blues Business was adisappointment, the screaming soul blues ofShillong’s Soulmate a couple of days later morethan made up for it. In fact, they well nighupstaged the rest of the line-up, having (been)chosen to perform at Jazzmandu’s all-star event atthe Hotel Shangri-La. Turns out blues and jazz aresometimes the same thing… Rabi Thapa

KIRAN PANDAY

14 16 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472CITY

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

Wake up Sid is a coming of age story about ayoung and wealthy Mumbai slacker, SiddharthMehra (Ranbir Kapoor). He cares about hisfriends, camera and car, but little else. Thenhe meets young and ambitious Kolkata girlAisha Banerjee (Konkona Sen Sharma), andthe two become fast friends. But a chain ofevents compels Sid to take a hard look athimself and change his ways.

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

KATHMANDU VALLEY

WEEKEND WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL

Autumn is here and you can tell from the dark blue skies, coolernights and the light breezes that sweep through the sunny days.October has received more than its normal share of rain throughoutwestern and central Nepal. The satellite pictures show clear skiesand scattered clouds that are too dry to cause rain. Valley residentscan look forward to clear weather during Tihar and on the eve ofthe Nepal Sambat new year this weekend.

KATHMANDU

RECIPES

Baba Ghanousch (aubergine dip)(Serves 8-10)

by GRAHAM SYDNEY

4-5 medium sized aubergines, cutinto 2cm chunks

6 cloves garlic3 tablespoons tahina2 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley2 tablespoons raw sugar¼ teaspoon ground red chilli (optional)½ cup olive oiljuice of 1 lemonsalt and pepper to taste

Q. Will the Nepali Congress split overSujata Koirala’s promotion?

Weekly Internet Poll # 472

Q. Do you agree with the ban onfirecrackers?

Total votes: 1,314

Fri

28-14

EXHIBITIONS‘Nepal Rendezvous - Nagarkot Workshop’, paintings byBangladeshi and Nepali artists at Hotel de l’Annapurna, Darbar Marg,till 31 Oct, 4218048Lungta Paintings, exhibition by Maureen Drdak, till 18 Oct, 5.30PM,Indigo Gallery

EVENTSGlobal Handwashing Day 2009, event at Nepal Administrative StaffCollege, 15 Oct, 11AM onwards, 5552764Patan Press Club, meets every Thursday at Dhokaima Café, 6PM,5522113Himalayan Buddhist Meditation Centre, Tai Chi 10-11.30AMSaturday, Yoga 8.30-9.30AM and Meditation 5-6PM weekdays, KesharMahal Marg, Thamel, 4410402

MUSIC42nd Yala Maya Classic, featuring Jeevan Ale on flute, Prem ChandraOjhaiya on tabla and Mandira Ale on tanpura at Yala Maya Kendra,19 Oct, 5PM, 5553767Baja gaja, every Tuesday at Moksh, Pulchok, 7.30PM onwards,5526212Live band every Friday and rooftop bbq everyday at Kausi Kitchen,Darbar Marg, 4227288Sunday Jazz brunch, enjoy a relaxing Sunday in The Terrace atHyatt Regency Kathmandu with barbeque and live jazz by Inner Groovefrom 12:00 to 3:30 pm, 4491234/4489362Jazz evening at Delices de France Restaurant every Wednesday,11AM-2PM, 4260326Some like it hot every Friday BBQ and live music by Dinesh Rai andthe Sound Minds, Rs 899 at Fusion, Dwarika’s Hotel, 7PM onwards,4479488Happy cocktail hour, ladies night on Wednesday with live unpluggedmusic at Jatra Café & Bar, Thamel, 5-7PMNepali Ghajals and songs at D’Lounge Beijing Duck Restaurant,every Thursday 6.30PM onwards, 4468589Rudra Night live fusion music by Shyam Nepali every Friday, 7PM atGokarna Forest Resort, 4451212

DININGArabic Food Festival, experience the finestcuisine from the Arabic world from Oct 9 to Nov7 at The Café, 6.30PM onwards, 4491234/4489362Famous stews of the world, at The RoxRestaurant, on Sundays, Mondays andTuesdays, all through October, 6PM onwards,4491234/4489362Chocolate, Coffee and Caramel, everyevening at The Lounge, 4.30-6.30PM, 4491234/4489362Wine and cheese, every Friday & Saturday at The Lounge, 5-8PM,4491234/4489362A cafe’s café, Dhokaima Café, Patan Dhoka, 5522113Jazzabell Café, relaunched at Jhamsikhel, TGIF, 10% discount allday, happy hour 6-8PM, 2114075The Corner Bar, 5-7PM, 3-11PM, Radisson Hotel Kathmandu,4411818Al Fresco, for homemade pasta, steak and freshwater trout, SoalteeCrowne Plaza, 4273999Kakori, for biryanis, curries and kebabs, Soaltee Crowne Plaza,7-10.45PMChez Caroline for French and Mediterranean cuisine, Babar MahalRevisited, 4263070Mediterranean cuisine every Friday from Greece, Italy and theMiddle East at The Café, Hyatt Regency, 4491234Teppanyaki meat items and garlic rice at Le Resturant, Gairidhara,4436318Plat Du Jour at Hotel Shangri-La, Lazimpat, 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 performance byCiney Gurung, Rs 999, at the Shambala Garden, every Friday 7PMonwards, 4412999Himalayan Rainbow Trout at Hotel Yak and Yeti, Darbar Marg,4248999Tiger for Breakfast, breakfast everyday at 1905, Kantipath, 4215068Stupa View Restaurant, for vegetarian creations & clay oven pizza atBoudha Stupa, 4480262Gokarna Forest Resort for a variety of sizzlers at Tripti bar, 4451212

GETAWAYSRelax Package at Hyatt Regency Kathmandu for Rs 5555 plus taxes,for a night of double occupancy with breakfast, complimentary use ofspa. Offer valid for Nepalis and local residents only, 4489800The Fulbari Resort, offers a ‘Dasain & Diwali Fulbari Fiesta Package’that includes a two-night stay with BB, buffet dinner and more. 4461918,[email protected] Tiger Mountain, offers a safari at Tiger Tops, Chitwan National Parkor Karnali Lodge & Camp, 4361500

Weekly Internet Poll # 473. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com

Place the aubergine and garlic on a baking trayand rub with half the olive oil and a little salt.Roast at 200C for 15-20 minutes until theaubergine starts to change colour and becomessoft. Remove from the oven and allow to coolslightly before placing it together with the rest ofthe ingredients in a food processor. Blend to asmooth paste before seasoning with salt andpepper. Serve with bruschetta, fresh bread or toast.

Sat Sun

28-13 28-13

16 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #472 15HAPPENINGS

YES, OFFICER? Police stop a LPG three-wheeler as it tries to evadethem after protesting a government decision to gradually replace thevehicles with microbuses in the Valley.

KIRAN PANDAY

COME BACK! School children perform traditional dances during theinaugural ceremony of the 4th Non Resident Nepali Global Conference2009 at the Army Club on Tuesday.

KIRAN PANDAY

ECONOMIC SENSE: Nepali Times columnist Sujeev Shakya, akaArthabeed, at the launch of his book "Unleashing Nepal: Past, Presentand Future of Nepal", alongside Manjushree Thapa, Kul Chandra Gautamand Prabhakar SJB Rana at Hotel de l'Annapurna on Monday.

KIRAN PANDAY

MASTERCLASS: French artist Trebeka performs at Jazzmandu 2009'sclosing concert on Tuesday at the Shangri-La Hotel.

KIRAN PANDAY

IF ONLY... A man observes a model of an upcoming apartment at theNepal Property Expo at the Exhibition Hall on Sunday.

KIRAN PANDAY

Canon

ISSN

181

4-26

13

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

16 - 22 OCTOBER 2009 #47216

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BACKSIDE

K asto kich kich gareko,hairanai paryo buda le!

Exact Makunaysoundbite last week before Girijafinally bamboozled him intomaking Suzy DPM. “I couldn’ttake the pressure anymore,” MKNtold Ram Chandra and Sushil,

“I had to do it to save thegovernment, at least it’s not PM,only DPM.”

To cut a long story short, GPKblackmailed MKN saying: “I’lljoin the Baddies and topple youunless you take my dotter as yourdeputy.” MKN resisted, but hehad to do it in the end. Thedonkey’s prediction: GPK willhibernate, lie low and stophobnobbing with the Baddies tillChristmas at least.

The other reason GPK ishibernating is because he wascertain he’d get the Nobel PeacePrize, and was upstaged byPresident O’Bama. Can’t blamehim for having his hopes up eversince Man Mohan-ji threw him ared carpet at IGIA in 2006 andcalled him “Asia’s greatstatesman” and then Jimmy(‘Jimbo’) Carter called him“My Hero”.

What is all this suddenIndia-China shadow boxingover Nepal? OK, we understand

Donkey Tiharthat these two don’t like eachother and each thinks the other isstabbing it in the back. Chinadoes not give visas toArunachalis, objects to the IndianPM addressing a meeting there,issues visas to those fromKashmir on a separate loose paperstapled to the passport. Indiacompetes for resources in Africa,irritates Beijing by continuing totolerate Tibetan activities inIndia, has a media that whips upanti-China hysteria regularly.

But what is surprising is thatour netas, who have little clue ofthe larger geopolitics, want toplay India off against China. SoPKD troops into Beijing withdogmatist-in-chief Com Kiranand operator-in-chief ComMahara to build ‘party-to-party’links. Surya Bahadur Thapacreeps back from Delhi aftermeeting who-whos, convincingthem the Maoists cannot betrusted, as if they needed moreconvincing. Then Lionheart fliesinto Delhi to convince them howhe is their best bet at the next NCconvention, and how he is thelogical next compromise PMcandidate. Ass’ advice: let’sstop beating around the bush andjust have a direct India-ChinaSummit on Nepal’s future.Let’s hammer it out once and forall. Once Beijing and Delhi come

to an understanding, ourdomestic jokers will stop all thisdiplomatic tourism.

The discharge of disqualifiedBaddie minors began thisweek with a grand function atthe Sindhuli cantonment. Buthas it really begun? Noone,including the UNMEAN folksmeant to be overseeing theprocess, quite know. Are theMaoists just using this as a ployto show progress before the nextSecurity Council meeting,without really going all out tothrow out those who had nobusiness being there? Or are theysincere? The day after theevent, deputy commander ComBaldev was heard cribbing aboutthe rehabilitation package.

Till we see this disqualifiedlot in civilian schools we willnot believe it. But guess wheremany of them are headed afterleaving the cantonments:a transit centre. This is meant tobe a stop-gap arrangement, butare we not creating anotherstructure that will be equallyhard to disband?

The internationalcommunity is getting wise to theways of our netas. After payingendlessly for various parts of thepeace process, the Norwegians

have finally issued anultimatum: they are willing tohelp with the rehab of thedischarged, but only if thisprocess concludes by January 22.If that date is crossed, thepromised 5 millionsmackeroos will be channeledelsewhere.

And where is Com Pasang whileall this is happening? Thecommander of the PLA has beenparticularly low key. He has not

been giving interviews, hewas not present at the dischargefunction; unlike last time, he hasnot reacted to the defenseminister’s assertion that the CPAshould be revised to bolster theNepal Army’s capabilities. Noonequite knows why he hasallowed Baldev tohog the limelight, orwhether he has beenasked to lie low.Maybe both?

ass(at)nepalitimes.com