#529 26 November - 2 December 2010 16 pages Rs 30

bout 7,000 cadres throngedPalungtar for the sixthextended plenum of the

UCPN (Maoist) to hear ChairmanPushpa Kamal Dahal back a‘people’s revolt’ as the party line.But state council members, ex-combatants and cadres findthemselves divided as they discussthe papers presented by Dahal andvice chairmen Mohan Baidya andBaburam Bhattarai. A three-waysplit is clear to see.

Although the plenum meant toreach out to grassroots cadres, theywere prohibited from participating

in the discussions, and will gohome with little more than theknowledge of supporting one ofthree factions. Some membersboycotted the meetings, saying itshould not have been used as aforum to gauge the influence ofleaders over the state councils.

Each state council is now splitinto three factions, each of whichdefends its own leader and attacksthe others. Bhattarai supporterand Tharuhat State Councilrepresentative Lila Bhandari said,"In the nine months of the Maoistgovernment, Chaiman Dahal metthe Indian ambassador 171 times,but Bhattarai met him only 51times. Who’s for India?"

Even Dahal’s supposed holdover the PLA was far fromcomplete. The 1,500 ex-combatants attending the plenumformed groups in support of Dahal,Baidya and Bhattarai, and insistedon speaking for all three leaders indirect contravention of thechairman’s directives.

According to politburomember Ram Karki, who alsofavours Bhattarai, leadership hasbeen lacking. “This plenum failedto clear away the illusion thatMaoists are just paying lip serviceto peace,” he said. Any agreementsthat Dahal signs on peace anddemocracy will be unconvincinggiven his support of Baidya’s‘people’s revolt’. If Dahal hadreally been committed to peace, theconstitution and democracy,observers say, he would havedecided in favour of a pro-people

constitution rather than a revolt,as decided at Kharipati.

Dahal supporter Shiv Dangi ofKochila State Council is confidentthat the constitution will not bewritten. He says, “The constitutionwill be written only as desired bythe Maoists or it will never bewritten at all. This is how thecadres and the leaders haveunderstood it.” Bhattarai supporterKhim Lal Devkota laments thatthose for the constitution andpeace are labelled rightist andsubservient to India, adding, "Thisplenum should decide clearlywhether the constitution shouldbe written or not."

SAROJ DAHAL in PALUNGTAR

We are family?

ABRED RED: About 1,000 Maoistmothers attended the sixth plenumin Gorkha this week

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

26 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #529

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2|EDITORIAL

ON THE WEBwww.nepalitimes.com

Q. Who should lead the Maoist Party?

Weekly Internet Poll # 529

Q. How have you prepared for the seasonalloadshedding?

Weekly Internet Poll # 530. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com

NEPAL’S HEROES - IBravo Anuradha! You are the the truehero of Nepal (‘Anuradha Koiralawins’, The Brief, Nov.21). This is agreat, great day for Nepal and Nepaliwomen. Leaders of the Govt. ofNepal, what will you do now? Willyou do anything to help this cause?You cannot even pass a law topunish the people who sell yoursisters and daughters. You cannotprosecute the filthy animals that sellthese innocent children and younggirls. Nepali leaders, what you couldnot do with your positions of power ofposition, Anuradha hasaccomplishedsingle-handedly…does that not makeyou feel ashamed?

Sandra Anne King

NEPAL’S HEROES - IIJason & Roshani, I’m happy youguys have fulfilled the dream whichyou had five years back(‘Resurrection Achham’, PaavanMathema, #528). I haven’t forgotten

when you guys returned from Achhamwith fever but satisfied eyes. Thanksto all the team who did a very good jobin that remote area.

Kalpana dhungana

GOVERNING BY MORALITY?Your argument that onlyindividuals can be their own moralagents is not convincing (‘Roll thedice’, Indu Nepal, #528). If that is so,why do we need a government? WhenLocke, Hobbes, Rousseau talkedabout the rationality for a government,it was for the very reason that societycould not be left to the individual’smoral compass.

About gambling, just to get somerevenues, should the governmentlegitimise gambling? If so, how aboutbrothels? The government notlegitimising them hasn’t stoppedpeople from getting involved in it, soby the same logic are you fine aboutlegitimsing brothels?

Ayesha

T

I have been working in Nepal forthe last three years, so I am nottechnically a tourist and I can speaksome Nepali, so maybe I wasslightly more in touch with howthings were going in Lukla lastweek.

Everyone had their own storyand everyone was, of course, dealingwith it in their own way. As atraveler on my own, I was open tolistening throughout the four daysof waiting to the kaleidoscope ofresponses to the unfortunate delayin flights back to Kathmandu.Strategies to deal with this kind ofhold-up were available, but delayedand without a system.

The tension in the village onmy arrival – two days before myconfirmed flight to Kathmandu –was undeniable. To counter this Ilooked for supportive smiles andfound none. I looked and listened

he Maoists continue to frustrate both those vyingto outdo them in competitive politics and thepublic at large. After supposedly agreeing to allow

the budget to be passed last week, they changed theirminds and declared their intention to protest thepresentation of the same. They claim the governmentwas announcing a budget beyond the terms that wereagreed on. Since the talks were held behind closeddoors they can claim what they like, and so can theirpolitical adversaries. As if allowing the substance of thewheeling and dealing to leak to the public would riskderailing the deals; it could only embarrass thoseengaging in them.

What followed of course has laid another black marknext to the parliamentary process in Nepal. Which isprecisely what the Maoists, who had no respect for theprocess in any case, had in mind.

It was the former rebels who jumped the financeminister and, in the words of RJP leader PrakashChandra Lohani, behaved like animals. But it wasLohani’s description of the hapless speaker and theconfusion of others in the immediate aftermath that really

People miss the point that‘industries’ like gambling, prostitution,drugs, porn, etc are not moral issues.They are economic issues. No one canever eliminate them but they can becurtailed by economic incentives ordisincentives. Morality cannot be policedbut actions can be encouraged ordiscouraged through economic policies.Making such issues about morality justmakes these ‘industries’ moreglamorous, like anything that is anti-establishment.

Anish

WHO’S BAD?Prashant makes a mistake by placingNepal amongst the enemy states of India(‘The notional enemy’, Prashant Jha,#528). He mentions the first prism asbeing countries that can help India withtechnology, education, energy andinfrastructure and the second prism asbeing unfriendly countries such asPakistan. I think Nepal should be placedin a third prism. It is India’s mixed bag ofhaphazard foreign policy strategies that

has hindered Nepal’s ‘growth story’.India’s foreign policy is a confused oneand clearly lacks vision and leadership.It is the same with countries likeBangladesh and Sri Lanka. Indiangeopolitical strategy is a reactive one.When China proactively pursuesinterests in our region, India backtracksand reacts.

Orgyen

told the tale. In the run-up to their Gorkha plenum, theMaoist party wanted to show just what they thought ofparliamentary process, even if they realised that theycouldn’t block the budget any longer. The juvenile grin onthe face of Narayan Kaji Shrestha as he watched MinisterPandey being manhandled by his comrades betrayed hisapproach to problem-solving. Like the Maoist Party at large,the Maoist vice-chairman’s act is two-faced: he will travelto London with NC and UML politicians to meet Britishcoalition members and experts on conflict resolution,thereby presenting a reasonable façade to the wider Nepalipolity and the world. But he will break the terms he hasagreed to at the flick of a switch, thereby presenting aradical façade to the Maoist cadre. Over this all is clumsyspin, characterised by remarks such as that justifying thepresence of the PLA at the Gorkha plenum: “They are notpractically under the Special Committee”. It bearsunderlining – if you have in principle and in theory agreed toplace the PLA under the control of the Special Committee,does this not mean one has to move towards implementingit practically by not allowing for PLA attendance?

This desire to have it both ways – to partake of the

approval of both the democratic and radicalisedbrigades – may work temporarily for the Maoists, but itwon’t lead anywhere, not for them, nor for the country.You can’t fool all of the people all of the time,foreigners included. Does even the Maoist leadershipbelieve that it can find a way to capture the state bybrute force and hold onto it?One begins to suspect that it is not only the two-facedness of the Maoist leaders that is dragging thecountry (and the Maoist Party) down. It is the need tohold onto two different, opposed constituencies that istearing the leadership apart. These are existentialtimes for the Maoists.

Unfortunately, one suspects the Gorkha plenumwill do little to reconcile the polarised viewpoints ofBaidya and Bhattarai, because they are irreconcilableover the medium term of the peace process andconstitution writing, not even in the fluid,accommodating persona of Chairman Dahal. It has tobe one or the other: by now it should be clear even tothe Maoist leadership which path leads to oblivion, andwhich to social justice, freedom and prosperity.

for supportive and appropriatealternatives and heard none. Isearched for an authoritativeperson but witnessed onlyindividual hype as every guide orguesthouse owner was desperatelytrying to persuade his clients tospend exorbitant amounts ofmoney to secure a seat – whether itwas US$1,400 on a helicopter or

US$500 to chuck someone alreadyholding a confirmed ticket off theirflight. A guide with some Britishtourists could not get his headaround their refusal to sign ahospital bill reflecting theirfabricated illness – the insurancecompany’s investigation apart, theillegality and falsehood wasoutside his comprehension. All

was a scramble for personal gain...asthe profits from this type ofcorruption (and can we call it‘heartlessness’ to take from thosein distress?) would trickle downfrom one secret and idle hand tothe next.

The incident of ‘the flyingchair’ was unsettling. I witnessedthat from where I was sitting onthe bank overlooking the airstrip.To see a chair being flung throughthe glass of a top window wasfrightening. Of course the full storywas not known. One can only guessat the build-up of fury andfrustration of the two budgettravelers who had had their seatshanded on to those with sufficientfunds to bribe. I was told they hadnow run out of money to pay forthe incredibly expensive food inLukla (Rs 150 for one slice oftoast!?). What a disturbing

memory to carry away from Nepal.I am so sorry.

Those that profit from thesepossibilities in Lukla know thatpeople the world over will stillflock to the most beautiful andfamous mountains in the world ,regardless of Nepal’sunpreparedness for Tourism Year2011. How sad that they do notshow some pride in their heritageand share the joy of it with theirtreasured visitors in hospitalityand open honesty.

Lukla is the richest village Ihave visited in Nepal and it hasconfirmed to me that riches, whenquickly and viciously grabbed, caneclipse a national character ofwelcome and replace it with stony-faced indifference to the ‘goose thatlaid the golden egg’.

Doreen Johnstone

Lukla in moral chaos

TWO-FACED, YES. TWO-SOULED?

Total votes: 1,668

KIRAN PANDAY

26 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #529 OP-ED|3

THIS WEEK

t is only a matter of timebefore the 2006 politicalframework collapses.As the three political

documents in the Maoistplenum make clear, there is noquestion of ‘dissolving anddismantling’ the PLA. TheMaoists will move on the PLAonly after meeting threeconditions – Dahal gets back topower; integration leads to somekind of structural change in theNA or gives the Maoists space inthe security structure through anew force; and the Maoists getclose to getting a constitutionthat meets their political lineand the demands of theirsupport base.

Most other parties are not inthe mood to allow the Maoistsback to power. They see theplenum discussions as onlyconfirming their worst fears ofMaoist intentions, of the shiftaway from a federal democraticrepublic to a people’s republic.The budget antics of the Maoistswould have weakened even the

Jhalanath Khanal segment withinthe UML that speaks of allyingwith the former rebels –incidentally, the finance ministeris related to Khanal.

And on integration in the NA,go no further than the latest issueof the thoughtful Maoist-leaningjournal Rato Jhilko, in which arelatively moderate former NAofficer has responded to a paperby Barsha Man Pun. There is awide, though not necessarily

unbridgeable, gulf in theunderstanding of a range ofissues – integration, its necessity,nature and modalities, securitysector reform, a new nationalarmy, and related issues.

Add to this the plenumrhetoric on India, which has onlyhardened Delhi’s resolve tosupport the anti-Maoist forcesback in Nepal.

It is not an easy situation for

anyone. But since the UML, NCand Madhesi parties are at leastin power, they can live with thestatus quo. It is the Maoists whoare itching for change. Now toalter the balance of power, theycould do two things. They eitherhave to revive the spirit of the2006-8 days – it was a strategythat fetched them tremendousgains but also required them tomake structural compromises. Orthey have to inflict sufficient

damage on the other side, andbully them into submission. Butthey are not prepared to make thecompromises required for thefirst; nor does the other side needthem as much. The second is ahigh-risk approach, and couldwell boomerang.

The status quo cannot last fortoo long. The deadlock overintegration and power-sharing,increased public acrimony, and

rising belligerence on both sidesare all signs of a comingshowdown. Two loomingdeadlines – January 15 and May28 – only add to the urgency ofthe situation.

The four-point agreementbetween the government and theMaoists in September held thatall the remaining tasks of thepeace process would be completedin four months, timed withUNMIN’s exit. Integration cannotpossibly happen in a month and ahalf, especially now that Dahalhas made it clear to his party thatthe PLA will be kept intact.

So will the governmentrequest another extension ofUNMIN? Will the SecurityCouncil (SC) accept it? What willbe India’s stand on the first majorissue it will have to deal with asit enters the SC? Will there be arequest for a downgradedtechnical mission, with an evenmore limited political presence,and can the SC live with that? IfUNMIN does leave, what happensto the cantonments and whomonitors them, even nominally?How will the Maoists play it?Does it mean the end of theAgreement on the Monitoring ofthe Management of Arms andArmies?

What happens to UNMIN willhave implications for the CA.While one cannot discount thepossibility of 601 MPs givingthemselves another extension, itwill be a lot more difficult forthem to do so. The tussle overpower-sharing is so crucialbecause each side wants to ensurethat they are in power on May 29.

Non-Maoists fear that if Dahalis allowed back to power, he willconsolidate control over the stateand be in an advantageousposition – irrespective of whetherthe CA stays or goes. The Maoistsfear that even if the presidentdoes not take over directly hewill use his discretion, withIndian and army backing, to givelegitimacy to a non-Maoistgovernment in a post-CA context.If this happens, as is likely, theMaoists will claim thereactionaries have derailed the CAprocess, and launch mass revolts.If the protests are non-violent,aka May, the state will have alow-key response; if it is violent,the NP and APF will manage ifpossible, with the NA steppingin if absolutely necessary.

More than others, thepoliticians know this isdangerous as the form of the newconflict will be uncertain. But itappears that, contrary to hopes,certain fundamental ideologicaland political conflicts thatcharacterise Nepali societywill be fought out on the streets,not the CA.

Widening gulfPLAIN SPEAKINGPrashant Jha

I

One stance unites theMaoists and complicatesthe road ahead – thestatus of the PLA

Maoist plenumThe sixth plenum of the UCPN(Maoist) kicked off at Palungtar inGorkha District on Sunday. Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahalinaugurated the program while YCL cadres performed a parade.Dahal and vice chairmen Mohan Baidya and Baburam Bhattaraipresented separate political papers on the future course of theparty in the closed session that began Sunday. Bhattarai andBaidya, presenting their political documents, criticised Dahal fornot having a clear ideological line to lead the party. Baidya eventhreatened to revolt against the party. Defending his paper, Dahalsaid that the party should use the peace process, theconstitution, and a people’s revolt to achieve its goals. Followingthe discussion, 30 groups comprising representatives of thestate councisl have been formed to review all three papers. Thediscussions will continue till Friday.

Budget announcedFinance Minister Surendra Pandey unveiled a Rs 337.9 billionbudget for the current fiscal year on Saturday.The budget wasannounced through an ordinance at the National PlanningCommission Hall in the presence of the prime minister, cabinetministers, senior government officials, leaders of ruling partiesand economists, but representatives of the opposition were notpresent. The opposition UCPN (Maoist) had prevented him frompresenting the budget earlier on Friday, accusing the governmentof presenting a full budget against what was agreed upon inclosed-door negotiations at Gokarna Resort. The budget hasprojected 4.5 per cent economic growth for 2010/11 and aims tolimit inflation to 7 per cent.

Anuradha winsAnuradhaKoirala hasbeen chosenas CNN Heroof the Year2010. Koiralahad beennominated asone of the top10 CNNHeroes of the

Year, and won after getting the most support through an onlinevoting system that ran for eight weeks on the CNN website. Shehas been recognised for her work against human traffickingthrough her organisation Maiti Nepal, which won $100,000 inaddition to the $25,000 awarded to each of the top 10 Heroeshonoured last Saturday night in Los Angeles.

26 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #5294|BUSINESS

he hall roared in applause as anAmerican model dressed in gunyucholi and traditional Nepali

jewellery took the stage as part of an eventin Washington D.C. showcasing Nepaliproducts. Organisers Office Abroad and theNepali Embassy in the US seemed satisfiedwith the response and the turnout onOctober 28, which inaugurated the Voyageto Shangri-La (V2S) campaign.

“The American government hasstopped levying customs charges on 14Nepali products, but our government hasn’tbeen able to cash in on this opportunity.So we decided to do something on ourown,” says Rajendra Shrestha (pic, right),owner of Office Abroad. Shrestha feels thatone cannot sell Nepali products in the USwithout strong marketing. “There is a largemarket here if we can package our productsattractively and convince Americanconsumers of the quality. Instead of sellingproducts like hawkers, we should draw in

Now Nepali products can go to America too

Nepal in Americabuyers by demonstrating how Nepalihandicrafts can be used to decorate homesor how Nepali clothes and ornaments can beworn.”

Nepali tea, coffee, honey and silverornaments, among others, are now exemptfrom duties. With the right marketing, “theseproducts can earn us millions in exportmoney," says Shrestha. But hurdles remain.“The government does not do enoughmarketing, but when the private sector makesthe effort, the disorder in the country doesnot allow products to be delivered on time.”Office Abroad provides event managementservices, and Shrestha has registered anothercompany for his export-import business. Hehasn’t been able to get it going due to thisvery problem – late delivery.

The event, however, also provided anopportunity to promote Nepal Tourism Year2011. Coffee represented Nepal’s products,Bhaktapur its tourist destinations, and NewYork-based designer Prabal Gurung stood

out as an exemplar of a successful Nepalipersonality. The event was attended by 200people, a mix of Americans and Nepalisliving in the US. Nepali coffee and honeywere among the most popular buys. In Marchof next year a similar event will be held underthe aegis of the Nepali Embassy and FNCCI.

“Now we’re planning V2S II in New Yorkin November 2011, to which we will invitethe CEOs of multinational companies doingbusiness in Nepal like FEDEX, DHL, andGeneral Motors,” says Shrestha. FormerAmerican ambassadors to Nepal, bureaucratsand local politicians are also expected toattend and there will be a great deal ofpublicity to encourage public participationat the event, which may be telecast live.Shrestha is deservedly proud of his team’sefforts: “The way we organised the event,with much promotion and fanfare,resulted in a great deal of interest on thepart of American people and we arevery hopeful.”

TPRABHAT BHATTARAI

JASON DOWNES

26 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #529 BUSINESS|5

Lumbini can become Nepal’seconomic focal point

LeveragingBrand Buddha

LUMBINI: A month ago, I visitedmesmerising Angkor Wat inCambodia. As I walked throughthe 12th century ruins, I thoughtof our historic Lumbini. As thebirthplace of Lord Buddha,Lumbini has not just religiousbut economic value as well. Butwe cannot even begin to comparethe number of visitors inLumbini to the two million thatAngkor Wat plays host to everyyear. Great guidebooks areavailable on Angkor but verylittle information exists onLumbini that is traveller-centric.Lumbini has become anextension of the Buddhist circuittours out of India, rather than theother way around.

The Lumbini DevelopmentTrust (LDT) was formed in 1985to consolidate activities in thearea, under the patronage of aroyal family member. Theobjective of the Trust was similarto that of other such trustsduring the Panchayat era – tocontrol a money-spinner. TheLDT leased out land in Lumbinion the cheap to differentorganisations to buildmonasteries. These organisationswere not required to contribute toany other infrastructuredevelopment, so have now

become very profitable. Some ofthese monasteries, constructed bynon-Nepalis, are open only topilgrims of their own nationalitywhile others are in effectguesthouses in monkish garb.Although the LDT has no officialway to link this income to theirown, it is quite clear that theTrust isn't running on smallchange.

While it is good to seedomestic tourism picking up inLumbini, some of its negativeaspects cannot be ignored. Thereis limited visitor management ora code of conduct to preventirresponsible behaviour thatdamages the monuments, whichcan start from something assimple as scribbling on the walls.We need to take a leaf of learningfrom the temples in Bangkok,which have been able to enforcestrict codes on silence,photography, and on touchingthe artifacts or damaging gardens.

Further, private enterprises,especially the hotels that havebeen set up around Lumbini, arefocused on squeezing tourists forthe maximum. These enterprisesare keen on short-term returnsrather than building customerrelations for long-term business.They do not even consider that a

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Powerful partnershipA consortium of 11 financial institutions, led by LaxmiBank, signed an agreement with Sanima MaiHydropower to finance the 15.6MW Mai River

HydropowerProject inIlam. Thelenders havecommitted tofinance75 per cent ofthe projectcost with theremaining25 per cent

being invested by the promoters. The hydropowerproject is expected to come into operation by early 2014.

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Walk for a causeStandard Chartered Bank organised Walkathon 2010 –A Walk for a Brighter Tomorrow. The funds raised fromthe event went to the Bank’s ‘Seeing is Believing’initiative, which works to encourage visually challengedpeople.

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Spa awardHimalayan Healers was designated the SociallyResponsible Spa of the Year for 2010 at the annual AsiaSpa Awards. Himalayan Healers was the only sparepresenting Nepal and was one of 28 winners out ofmore than 300 nominees from all over Asia.

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High entertainmentHometv, a DTHservice, hasextended itsnetwork toKyangzin Gombain LangtangNational Park.The monastery islocated at4,000 metres

above sea level, making it the highest point at which anyDTH service has been installed.

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Regional entryCommerz and Trust Bank has received a D&B D-U-N-Snumber from the international credit rating agency Dun &Bradstreet South Asia. The bank will now be a part ofDun & Bradstreet’s global database system.

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Home designedChain Holdingsinaugurated itsbicycleshowroom atBhanimandal,Lalitpur.Chain’sbicycles arethe first Nepali-designed

bicycles to hit the market. Chain Holdings will alsoprovide cycling training and maintenance services andorganise programs to promote the benefits of cycling.

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Two openingsSamsung has opened new exclusive outlets atKumaripati and in Civil Mall, Sundhara. The brand alsohas a showroom in Darbar Marg. The products ondisplay include Samsung’s latest range of 3D, LED andLCD televisions, cameras, refrigerators, music systems,and other electronic appliances.

customer may perhaps comeagain or refer another customer.

However, the potential istremendous and one needs tomove away from the myopia ofthe master plan of 1978. We needto change our thinking, andembrace the idea of aconservation area of more than600 square kilometres that willencompass many heritage sites.The area can then be developedunder public-private partnership.Local and even internationalbusiness firms would beinterested to invest if the brandLumbini is marketed well.Ownership can remain withgovernment and the communitieswho live there, but professionalfirms can manage the area andshare revenues. An airport is amust and the business challengeis to keep tourists for at least twoto three nights in the area.Lumbini can be a centre forinternational hotel chains,learning centres, rehabilitationand healing centres and otheravenues of business.

If Vatican, Jerusalem, Mecca,Kumbh and other religious sitescan draw such large numbers ofpeople, why can’t we get our acttogether?www.arthabeed.com

26 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #5296|OP-ED

MY TAKEDamakant Jayshi

M aoist ChairmanPushpa Kamal Dahal,after labouring for

weeks to put together adocument for the party'sextended plenum at Palungtar inGorkha District, has come upwith a great discovery:identifying our national enemy.

Congratulations. Now weknow what has held back ourprogress, our march to peace andprosperity. And who else but thefavourite punching bag ofcommunists and royalists alike:India. Identifying India asNepal’s enemy means protectingnationalism, safeguardingsovereignty, and ending oursouthern neighbour’sinterference in internal matters.Did someone say patriotism isthe last refuge of scoundrels?

Dahal is known for hiscapacity to surprise people, be it

Communistsneed

enemies fortheir

survival,even if they

have toinvent them

Is the CPA still relevant?in striking deals and inbreathtakingly breaching them,shedding timely tears, resortingto uncontrolled outbursts(usually at the sight ofthousands of his cadre), orsimply in his interactions withnational and international actors.He is a charmer, no doubt.

However, this time he hasfailed to surprise. Unable tosecure a meeting with top Indianofficials despite a series ofefforts, he is frustrated. India'ssustained snub is having aneffect on Comrade Chairman. Sohe is back to India-bashing.

Faced with an open challengeto his leadership by two vicechairmen – Mohan Baidya andBaburam Bhattarai – andconfronted by disappointed andangry cadres in Palungtar whofeel betrayed, something drastichad to be done. Hence themethodical madness inparliament, in the full glare oflive TV coverage.

Dahal may have felt a biteasier in the aftermath of thisugly incident, but it will be a

challenge for him to escapeunscathed this time. Thechairman can hope to contain thedamage done so far to the lustresurrounding his leadership. Likein the past, the leaders are likelyto patch it up and show a publicface of unity with raised fists.

But the Maoists’ internalfeud is reality. What is equallytrue, and perhaps of moresignificance to non-Maoistparties, is the absolute inabilityand unwillingness on the part of

the Maoist leadership to weantheir cadre off revolutionarymisadventure.

The leaders have beenunable to drill home the pointthat the kind of revolution theyare espousing is simply notpossible. They are too cowardlyto tell their cadre that their ‘janayuddha’ (people’s war) failed toachieve the goal of state capture,which was why they had toenter into a peace agreementwith the very political partiesthey had vilified throughouttheir decade-long insurgency.

This is the crux of theproblem. The Maoists seedoublespeak as an effective toolto clear hurdles in the way oftheir march to power. After all,it has paid them rich dividendsso far.

However, there is a growingrealisation among otherpolitical parties that they havebeen unable to transform theMaoists. The leaked documentsof Dahal, Baidya and Bhattaraihave a common goal: absolutecontrol by the Maoists of the

state apparatus. The peaceprocess and drafting of theconstitution are a means to thatend and the Maoists have said soa number of times. What can andwill the non-Maoists parties doabout it?

The fate of the 12-pointagreement of November 2005 thatbrought the Maoists and non-Maoists together against theabsolute monarchy and thesubsequent Comprehensive PeaceAccord (CPA) of 2006 hangs inthe balance. The Maoists haveviolated these pacts at will andthe latest example is theparticipation of Maoist ex-combatants, who drawgovernment salaries and aresupposedly not under theMaoist Party’s leadership, at thePalungtar plenum.

Are these two landmarkagreements still relevant? Theseare the questions that non-Maoist parties need to reflect onbefore they hastily enter intoanother non-implementableagreement with the Maoists.damakant@gmail.com

RSS

726 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #529LIFE TIMES

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ast week, Nepali coffee producerscelebrated the registration of the officialtrademark of Nepali organic coffee.

The Department of Industry granted thetrademark after the Nepal Tea and CoffeeDevelopment Board (NTCDB) applied in May2007. Organic coffee grown in Nepal will nowbe known as ‘The Himalayan Specialty NepalCoffee’.

“This trademark will assure internationalbuyers that the coffee is organic and has beenproduced in Nepal,” says Binay KumarMishra, executive director of NTCDB. Thetrademark will also standardise andguarantee the quality of Nepal-growncoffee. The process of certifying 10 Nepalicoffee producers with the trademark hasalready begun.

Nepali coffee is nowHimalayan Specialty Nepal Coffee

Commercial farming of coffee in Nepalstarted in 1976, but the market finally beganto pick up in the last decade. Only the highlandArabica variety is produced in Nepal. Atpresent, 1,630 hectares of land are used forcoffee farming, spread over at least 23districts, including Syangjha, Gulmi, Palpa,Kaski, Tanahun and Baglung.

The industry employs 25,000 farmers andthis year, total coffee production amounted to334 tonnes, up from 265 tonnes in the lastfiscal year. “The coffee produced here is calledspecialty coffee because it fulfills certainstandards,” says Shyam Prasad Bhandari,Chairman of Nepal Coffee Association. “Ourcoffee is grown above an altitude of 800metres, is farmed in the shade, and is organic.”

Nepali coffee has done well on theinternational market because of the taste thesecriteria add to a brew. This year, out of totalproduction, 120 tonnes of coffee wereexported. The trademark is expected to boost

this figure. Nepali coffee is already finding aniche in the US, Japan, Korea, Germany,Netherlands and Canada, and from this yearon, exports have been extended to the Gulfcountries. According to Bhandari, Nepalicoffee ranked second among 80 coffeeproducers in a recent grading exercise inGermany.

Unlike most Nepali export industries, thecoffee industry here does not need to importany of its raw materials, except for jute bagsfor packaging, which are sometimes notavailable locally. This means that all of therevenue earned through coffee export andsales goes into the pockets of Nepaliproducers and farmers.

The industry has also been encouragedby domestic demand. Local coffee culturehas grown over the years, demonstrated, forexample, by the coffee shops popping uphere and there across the Kathmandu Valley.“When we started selling coffee 27 yearsago, it was difficult to sell even a tonne in theNepali market,” says Krishna Ghimire,Chairman of Highland Coffee Company. “Nowwe sell over 50 tonnes a year.”

Coffee producers here are now lobbyingto register the trademark internationally. Forthe time being, Nepal is just an observermember in the International CoffeeOrganization, but membership will facilitateaccess of Nepali coffee to wider markets.For those who don’t get the Nepali love ofchiya, something else is brewing.

PAAVAN MATHEMA

Branded brew

L

Local boys to look out for:

Johnny Gurkha Blend Coffee

Annapurna Organic Coffee

Royal Everest Coffee

Jalpa Gold

Morning Fresh Coffee

Himalayan Arabica Coffee

Him Café

Necco

Buddha Organic Coffee

Lalitpur Organic Coffee

Nepali brews

nepalitimes.comCoffee, tea and we #302In one’s (coffee) cups # 343

COFFEE LIFE: (clockwise from topleft) Royal Everest Coffee Mill inThimi, where pulped cherries arebrought from local coffee farms.First, coffee beans are dried. Theyare then hulled, polished, cleaned,and sorted by a machine. The finalround of sorting and grading is doneby hand before the beans arepackaged.

ALL PICS: FOO CHEE CHANG

8|LIFE TIMES 26 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #529

Author event with Sheeba Shah, to discussher latest novel Facing my Phantoms. 27 November, 3pm to 4.30pm, BritishCouncil, Lazimpat, 9849100300,himalayabookclub@gmail.com

Trees and Leaves II, painting exhibition bySamjhana Rajbhandari and Bidhata KC.26 November to 4 December, 5pm, FusionStudio, Sagarmatha Bazaar, Mandala StreetThamel

Japan Festival, a one-day festivalorganised by the Japanese Embassy toshowcase Japanese art, music, cuisine andproducts. 27 November, 11am to 5pm,Shankar Hotel, Lazimpat

Balgo, an exhibition of contemporaryAustralian indigenous art. Till 5 December,11am to 6pm, Siddhartha Art Gallery, BabarMahal Revisited, 4218048

Cricket for changing lives, a friendly T-20cricket match organised by FAITH to createawareness about HIV. 27 November, 11amTundikhel ground, www.faith.org.np

Once in a lifetime, an exhibition of mixedmedia works by the Australian artist DonatoRosella. 21 November to 5 December, 11amto 6pm, Siddhartha Art Gallery, BabarMahal Revisited, 421804

Kathmandu International Theatre Festival2010. 17 November to 7 December,Gurukul, Old Baneswor, for details seeschedule on opposite page

Screening of Up, an animation movie aboutan adventurous 78-year-old who ties hishouse to thousands of balloons and flies toSouth America. 26 November, 3pm, USEF-Nepal, Gyaneswor, 4414598

Nepal Bharat Library presents Tavern Talesin Kathmandu: Word Warriors - Slam Poetryin Nepal. 26 November, 4pm, Nepal BharatLibrary, NAC building, New Road. The eventis free and open to the public.

QC Awards 2010: The Poetry Slam, QuixoteCove and the US Embassy calls forapplications for a slam poetry competition.Submission deadline 30 November, 5pm to8pm, contest on 14 December, Jawalakhel,www.qcbookshop.com, 5536974

Dreaming of Player Flags: Mantra on theWind, an exhibition of impressionisticphotography by Sandy Shum. 16 Novemberto 6 December, Kathmandu ContemporaryArts Centre, Jhamsikhel, 5521120

The Lion King, students of MalpiInternational School are back again withtheir award-winning musical play. 1-2December, 6pm, Nepal Academy Hall,Kamaladi

Golden Moments, the best bands in Nepalpay tribute to classic rock:Moksh Restaurant, Jhamsikhel, 26November, 7pm, Jigme and the StringsCafereena Restaurant, Darbar Marg,27 November, 7pm, Rusty Nails1905 Restaurant, Kantipath, 3 December,7pm, all-star performance

Kgarira Festival Dub FX Live beat-boxing at1905, presented by digital om productions.1 December, starts 7pm onwards, 1905Restaurant, Kantipath

Koto Restaurant, whether it’s the freshsashimi, sushi, sukiyaki or tempura, theirexperienced Japanese and Nepali chefs aresure to impress. Darbar Marg, 4220346

Thanksgiving at Kilroy’s of Kathmandu andK-too Beer & Steakhouse, for a traditionalthanksgiving dinner complete with turkey,pecan pie and free mulled wine. Till 27November, 6pm onwards, Kilroy’sRestaurant, Jyatha Street, Thamel,4250440, 4250441

Casa Toscana, 26 varieties of yummypizzas to try. Till 28 November, 11am to11pm, Casa Toscana, Pulchok

Summit Hotel, posh Western-style diningarea with candlelight and a romantic nightview of the city. Get really busy with thesucculent ribs basket, and add the finishingtouch with a hot Dutch apple pie.Jhamsikhel, 5521810

Ramalaya Tea Room, experience ChefMohit’s creations from Cider brined PorkChops to Guava Cheese, also 10% discounton evening dinners to all Nepali Timesreaders when they mention this ad. PaniPokhari, near Japanese Embassy, forbookings call 4006589, 4006589,www.rde.com.np/index.phph/tea-room

Singma Food Court, for the bestSingaporean and Malaysian cuisine in town.Pulchok, 5009092 and Bhatbhateni,4411078, foodcourt@wlink.com.np,www.singma.foodcourt.com

Saturday BBQ Brunch, enjoy mouth-watering Mongolian BBQ at Gokarna ForestResort. Every Saturday, Gokarna ForestResort, Gokarna, 4451212,info@gokarna.net, Rs 1500 plus taxes

Aqua Java Zing, soar high on a low budget,buy one cocktail, get one free, buy twohookahs, get one free, only during happyhours from 2pm to 6pm. Ganesh Man SinghRoad, Thamel

1905 Restaurant, feast on roasted delightswithin this converted aristocratic residence.Walled ambience and green surroundingsmake it an oasis within the city, Kantipath,4215068

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

Hankook Sarang, serves up the incredibletastes of Korea, including superlativesteamed rice to anchor meals fit forkings. Thamel, near Tamas

Yin Yang Restaurant, east meets west asyou choose from a variety of Thai andcontinental dishes. Get a little spice in yourlife with their pad thai or green curry.Thamel, 4701510

Waffles promotion at The Lounge from12.30pm to 4.00pm every day,

Vegetarian Buffet at The Cafe everyTuesday from 6.30pm, andArabian Nights at The Cafe every Fridayfrom 6.30pm at Hyatt Regency, Boudha,4491234, 4489362

Alfresco, for homemade pastas and otherlip-smacking delights. Soaltee CrownePlaza, 4273999

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

The Fulbari Resort & Spa, experience aluxury holiday at its best, enjoy Pokhara asnever before. Fulbari Resort & Spa,Pokhara, 4461918, 4462248

Club Himalaya, for amazing mountain viewsand refreshing weekend escapades, specialpackage available for Nepalis andexpatriates. Nagarkot, 4410432

Dhulikhel Mountain Resort, PalanchokBhagwati Darshan Package with one night’saccommodation in the mountain rooms andtransport to and from the temple. Dhulikhel,4420774

Grand Norling Hotel, countryside weekendpackage offering suite room, swimming,gym, massage, and discounts on otherfacilities. Gokarna, 4910193

EVENTS

MUSIC

DINING

GETAWAYS

LIFE TIMES|926 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #529

17 November to 7 DecemberRimal/Sama Theatre, Gurukul, Old Baneswor, KathmanduInteractions with directors and actors every day at 3pm,Sama TheatrePerformances at 5pm, Rimal Theatre

Friday 26 NovemberThe Messenger: A tribute to the Life and Spirit of Nina Simone directedby Hazel Roy

Saturday 27 NovemberJohn Gabriel Borkman directed by Anuradha Kapur

Sunday 28 NovemberThe Trial of Wantong directed by Chang Janaprakal Chandrung

Monday 29 NovemberChitrapata directed by Sumathi KR

Tuesday 30 NovemberThe Metamorphosis directed by Kamaluddin Nilu

Wednesday 1 DecemberAkhinyan Walio directed by Aamir Nawaz

Thursday 2 December‘Opekkhoman’ (At the Threshold) directed by Ataur Rahaman

KathmanduInternational

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10|HAPPENINGS

SQUEAKY CLEAN: Children celebrate Global Hand Washing Day onFriday at Changu Narayan, Bhaktapur, in a program organised byUNICEF and WaterAid. Around 88 per cent of diarrhoeal deaths in Nepalare attributed to lack of safe drinking water, sanitation facilities andproper hand-washing.

KIRAN PANDAY

BUDGET AT LAST: A group outside the National Planning Commissionwatches the live television broadcast of Finance Minister SurendraPandey delivering the budget speech for the year 2010/2011 on Saturday.

26 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #529

KIRAN PANDAY

JATRA TIME: Locasl throng Patan Darbar Square on Friday to witnessthe last day of the annual Kartik Nach. The masked-dance festival wasinitiated in the 17th century by King Siddhi Narsingh Malla.

WEEKEND WEATHERby NGAMINDRA DAHAL

FRI SAT S U N

21-9 22-9 23-8

KATHMANDU

WEEKEND WEATHERby NGAMINDRA DAHAL

KATHMANDU

Although the high mountain districts,particularly Manang and Mustang, receivedfresh snowfall this week, the rest of the countryhas r emained dry this month. Satellite picturesshow no signs of major westerly fronts comingtowards the Himalaya, though a shallownortherly jet stream seems to be crossing thecentral Himalaya, linking the Arabian Sea withthe Tibetan plateau. A low pressure belt ofmoderate strength will continue to keep theHimalayan weather in its present state. Expectsunny days with long, foggy mornings in theValley and clear nights.

GREEN SCENE

here was a time whenbeing infected by thehuman

immunodeficiency virus (HIV)was tantamount to a deathsentence. This is no longertrue, especially in the westernworld. Now patients can keepthe virus under control, even ifthey are not actually cured ofit. This transformation hasbeen due largely to the antiretroviral therapy (ART) groupof drugs. HIV infection is nowa chronic illness like diabetes,coronary artery disease, orrheumatoid arthritis, which alldemand continual effectivedrug therapy, but also periodiclaboratory tests andknowledgeable supervision ona long-term basis.

Unsurprisingly, affluentnations are more able to affordART and long-term care. InNepal for instance, someestimate that only 10 to 15 percent of HIV patients have freeaccess to ART. The GlobalFund to Fight Aids, amongothers, provides grants tosupply free ART drugs inNepal.This is crucial, considering

Treating HIV

W

T

DHANVANTARIBuddha Basnyat, MD

hat started as a women’s initiative toconserve red pandas in JamunaVDC of northern Ilam has brought

about an impressive transformation. TheChoyatar forest has been restored to its pastglory and the village economy is thrivingbecause of tourists that have poured infollowing a rise in the number of theseendangered animals.

Unill two years ago, open grazing andcaused uncontrolled logging had caused thedestruction of the forest, and a subsequentdecline in the number of red pandas in the area.But now the villagers are so keen to protect the

Red alertKIRAN PANDAY

forest that people are required to take permits fromthe women’s user group committee even to collectfodder.

Thanks to efforts like these, there are now 15red pandas in the community-managed forest. TheIUCN red-listed species, Ailurus fulgens, hasproven to be a major tourist attraction. The usergroup committee charges Nepalis Rs 500 andforeign nationals Rs 1000 to enter the forest for redpanda-watching. A 1.7km road has beenconstructed from Alebhanjhyang to help touristsreach the forest.

Every house in the village is now upgradingrooms to allow for homestay for tourists, and

cultural groups have beenformed to entertain them.Chairperson of the forestuser committee GopikaGurung says that interestin the forest has alsoincreased since theirefforts to conserve the redpanda began. "Now itseems our forest will beprotected," she says.

The all-womencommittee has plantedrare species of trees onthe barren slopessurrounding the village,and has also carried outdemarcation andinventory studies of theforest.Prabhat Bhattarai in Ilam

full-fledged AIDS, whichmanifests itself in concomitantfungal or bacterial infections ina HIV patient. Starting ARTdrugs in a HIV-infected patientis dependent on sophisticatedlaboratory tests (CD4 count, forexample), available in only afew centres in Nepal.

Given these constraints, theburden of HIV treatment is amuch heavier one in a resource-poor country such as Nepal. Thefocus has to continue to be on

prevention. The good news isthat a myriad of INGOs and

NGOs are working onpreventing HIV

infection. In fact,many caregivers

working with othercommonillnesses(chronic lungdisease, typhoid,chronic renal

disease, etc) thatplague this part of

the world complainthat HIV steals all the

limelight (and the funds).Some report the incidence of

HIV in Nepal at less than1 per cent of the adultpopulation. But on World AIDSday (December 1), let usremember that we should neverbe complacent about this killerdisease.

‘rack’ prices for these drugs runinto thousands of rupees permonth.

Evidence is mounting infavour of early initiation of ARTto decrease the rates of death fromHIV. Death results from HIVwhen the disease progresses to

SOCIETY|1126 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #529

henever I see areckless youngmotorcyclist swerving

hell-for-leather through traffic,helmet askew, my first reactionis an impotent rage that findsoutlet in imagining himsmashing into a wall. Feeling(ever so slightly) guilty, I thenwonder how it is that the youthin question does not realise howstupidly dangerous his actionsare, not only for himself but alsofor everyone else on (and off) theroad. I feel old even as Icondemn him for being so youngat mind, and right about thismoment it occurs to me that Ihave turned into my parents.

Before Dasain, in the courseof travels in Humla’s LimiValley, we were expected to takea detour to ease the crossing ofthe Ling-Chu River. One of theyounger members of the group(myself not included) asked theguide if it was not possible tocross ‘right here’ and save over anhour of walking. There was abrief discussion, and we agreedthat it made sense to cross later.The group moved on, but ouryoung friend (all of 25) stoppedsuddenly, and asked me (36) andanother (27) if we shouldn’t justgo for it anyhow.

We agreed. And though thecrossing through the marrow-chilling cold of the three-pronged, fast-flowing Ling-Chu

The older I get, the more Ilove life (try telling that tothe idiot speeding towardsme at 100 clicks an hour)

wasn’t exactly life-threatening,there was the strong possibilityof a good pneumoniac soak ashiver below 4,000 metres. Wemade it without too muchincident. An hour later, we hadto cross again to make thecamping site. This time, the riverwas too wild (and our memory ofthe waters too chilly) to persuadeus to wade over. The only optionwas a stone bridge missing thebridge, that is, four columns leftstanding in the river.

Once again, the youngestamong us led us leaping acrossthe five-foot gaps. Safely over, itoccurred to me very definitely,“Am I not too old to be doingsomething like this?” Certainly Iwould not have, had it not beenfor my younger companions. Butimmediately after, I recalled thattime in Australia fifteen yearsago when we’d fearlessly jumpedfrom one 10-foot boulder toanother along the length of abeach to escape the incomingtide. I hadn’t hesitated then; itwas risky, sure, but fun.

Of course death seems suchan unlikely prospect to theyoung. Thrill-seeking oftenoutweighs good sense. But whendoes fear begin to tip the balance,recalibrating the unnecessaryrisks we are willing to take in thecourse of the everyday?

Clearly this depends on theindividual. I have middle-agedfriends who drive as badly as theaforementioned teenage louts.Family responsibilities have notattenuated their risk-takingbehaviour, though they are morelikely to risk life and limb whenthey are drunk. For the main,

Ode tofoolishyouth

even these individuals have alarger sense of their ownmortality, stemming as muchfrom a knowledge of thediminished time remaining tothem as the very personalexperience of having witnesseddeath. As your youthfulaspirations fade, or aremodulated into what isacceptable, you also begin tolove life for all it is, whetheryou admit it or not. You areunwilling to let go, and learnnot to risk life for fleetingpleasures.

It’s ironic that those who havethe most to look forward to,whose aspirations are as yetunclouded by the disillusion ofordinary life, are so careless abouttheir own lives. Perhaps themoodiness of adolescence, whenevery problem seems monolithic,conspires with the spirit ofrebellion to inspire thisthoughtlessness. Oh, to be youngagain? Once was enough. I’m gladI survived, and good luck to you,boys and girls. Just rememberthere’s nothing beyond that wall,if you do crash into it.

KALAMRabi Thapa

W

KIRAN PANDAY

26 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #52912|TOURISM

he Lonely Planet isunequivocal in stating that“the Larkya La is one of the

most dramatic pass crossings in theHimalaya”. In every sense, the5,200m pass is the high point ofthe 18-day Manaslu circuit. To getinto position to tackle it entailsfollowing the Budi Gandaki Riverto its origin in the Himalayanglaciers. The trail, starting fromArughat or Gorkha, is rated asarduous but the rewards ofexperiencing Nepal’s rich culturaldiversity first hand are hugelysatisfying.

On Day 13, we set off from thelast camp at Larkya Phedi to crossthe pass. Larkya La is not thehighest of the trekking passes ofNepal, but it carries its ownchallenges and dangers, not leastbecause of the need to commit to a10-hour day, including four or fivehours at altitude on rough andexposed terrain. The pass is alsonotorious for sudden storms. A daybefore our crossing, snow haderased the trails but we woke up toa gloriously clear sky.

It didn’t make it any easier. Thepass is not sharp-edged, but justseems to go on and on. I could seethe prayer flags on top for a longtime before I got to them. As Iground it out, large Himalayanpeaks started to appear to the leftand right and from the top, I wascompletely surrounded andindeed emotionally overwhelmedby them.

A long 1,700-metre descent ledto the campsite at Bhimtang, asublime high alpine valley, itselfsurrounded by Himalayan peaks.The spectacle of amazing peakscontinued most of the next day, aswe dropped down the valley of theDudh Khola to meet the AnnapurnaCircuit trail at Dharapani, on thebanks of the Marsyangdi Khola.Yes, dramatic in no way overstatesthe crossing of the Larkya La!

1 Towards Larkya La, an hourfrom the top.

2 At 5,200m, and just about tobegin the long descentto Bhimtang.

3 A mani wall atBhimtang. Namjung Himal(7,140 m) dominates theskyline.

4 Glacier from Namjung Himalbelow Bhimtang.

5 Above the Dudh Khola.Manaslu (8,156m), on the left,dominates.

TEXT and PICS bySAM COWANCrossing the Larkya La

1

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3

4

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26 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #529 NATION|13

n spite of the flashy mallsand high rises acrossKathmandu, the slums that

sprawl along the Valley’s riversremind us of the ugly face ofurban poverty. But thegovernment’s response hasbeen one of indifference. LajanaManandhar of Lumanti knowsthis well. "There is a distortedimage of poverty amongst thegovernment, policymakers anddonors. Only rural poverty getsany attention here. But thegovernment cannot shrug off itsresponsibility to address theneeds of squatters," she says.

Lumanti has taken theinitiative where government has

Women fromthe slumsdemonstratehow singledrops can makeup an ocean

nside a cramped room in Balaju,Kathmandu, a group of women areporing over some papers. Oblivious to

the noise outside and people bustling aboutin the tiny room, they are engrossed inchecking and rechecking figures. Fifty, twohundred, thousand, they murmur in a lowvoice as they carefully record the numbersin ledgers.

This is the one-roomed office of thePragati Women’s Cooperative, run by womenfrom slums and squatter communities, andit is their hard-earned monthly savings thatthey are so meticulously noting down.

It’s hard to believe that the savings that

Slum millionaires

RUBEENA MAHATO

started with Rs 1 a month now totalRs 10.5 million. The women who helped raisethis money, working as construction workersand household help in the city, beam withpride as they mention these numbers.

“Why wouldn’t we be proud? Thesesavings are our blood and sweat. When youlive in a ‘basti’ nobody trusts you even for aloan of ten rupees. But this cooperative hasmade us millionares,”says their 70-year-oldpresident, Kumari Singh Khadka. Thanks tothe cooperative, landless women who lackany collateral can take out small loans to paymedical bills, cover tuition for their children,and invest in small businesses withoutany hassle.

Entrepreneurship has flourished withthe availability of easy loans, and the livingstandards in the slums have improved.“Almost everyone from our community hastaken some kind of loan. I took a loan of Rs50,000 to set up a small motorcycleworkshop. Others have raised chickens orbought spinning wheels,” says BimalaGautam (pic, right) from Narayan Tole, theslum below Maharajganj.

Although the cooperative was initiallymeant to provide savings and credit facilitiesto women, it also started to mobilise itsmembers to improve the living conditionsin the slums. The result is that most membershave constructed toilets using loans, the

settlements are cleaner, and almost allchildren go to school. The cooperative alsoruns health camps, offers tuition for childrenin the slums, and spreads awareness abouthygiene and sanitation.

The cooperative’s role in improving slumconditions has also had a direct bearing onreducing the stigma against squatters. “Citydwellers did not even let their dogs come toour area,” Kumari Singh Khadka remembers.“Now they come to us to seek our advice onhow to improve community amenities.”

But it is the cooperative’s role inempowering disadvantaged women that hashad the most profound effect. Most womenwho work in the cooperative have little or noformal education but manage their moneydown to the last paisa. Their accounts are so

immaculate that the government officials whocame to check up on them some months agoreturned praising the women and advisingthem to purchase a computer.

Initially set up with the initiative andassistance of Lumanti, an organisationworking for the urban poor, the women ofPragati now run the cooperative completelyon their own – collecting savings, evaluatingthe loans, and managing the administrativework. Barring a few staff, most do the workfor free, and there is a strong sense ofcamaraderie. “We are a cooperative of poorwomen. The salary is not much but we arehappy to volunteer,” says Naina Thapa, thecooperative’s treasurer.

“It would definitely be better if thegovernment did not put us in the same leagueas profit-making companies. The governmenthas never done anything for people like us,but at least it could offer us tax cuts,” saysKhadka, who coordinates 29 othercooperatives like Pragati run by squatterwomen in Kathmandu. There are now about10,000 members in the cooperatives set upby Lumanti for squatters and slum dwellersin Nepal, with total savings of close toRs 30.5 million.

failed. To show that slums toocan be made habitable and theirinhabitants be supported inimproving their living conditions,Lumanti decided to developNarayan Tole, a squattersettlement below Maharajganj.Four years ago, the 31-housesettlement perched atop steepslopes above the foetidSamakhusi stream, and facedyearly risks of flooding andlandslides. The paths were sosteep one had to crawl on allfours at times. Diseases likediarrhoea, typhoid and hepatitiswere common. "I fell ill due tohepatitis after I came to live hereand then I found that almostevery family had someonesuffering from the disease,"Arjun Thapa remembers.

The houses of Narayan Tolestill give the impression of tin

matchboxes but now flowersand plants line the paved lanes,and stone slabs cover thestream running through themiddle of the settlement. Thereare toilets in all the houses.Walls have been constructed tocontain mudslides. There isclean piped water available tothe residents and there’s even asewage treatment facility thatpurifies the settlement’s wastebefore it is discharged into thestream. Unsurprisingly, theincidence of water-bornediseases has declined. Rightafter the slum ends, however,imposing houses dischargeuntreated sewage directly intothe stream. "Talk about who’spolluting the river now,"exclaims Bhairaja Gautum, vicechairman of the Narayan ToleImprovement Committee.

Model slum

I

I

PICS: RUBEENA MAHATO

nepalitimes.comKathmandu’s malignant urbantumour #161

14|FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 26 NOVEMBER - 2 DECEMBER 2010 #529

Interview withformer SpeakerDaman NathDhungana inNepal, 5November

How is thepeace processmovingforward?Nepal’s peaceprocess hasbecome like aboat stuck inthe middle withthose meant tomove it forward

engaged in a fight. The process has not been ableto move ahead according to its spirit, theunderstandings reached, a code of conduct, theInterim Constitution, and the ComprehensivePeace Accord (CPA). Rather, it is oriented towardspower, factionalism, and disruption. It has failedto recognise the people’s aspiration for lastingpeace, democracy, and progress.

Who is responsible for the currentpolitical stalemate?Although the fight over the post of the primeminister and power sharing seems to be the most

Mithila Anchal Bishesh, 16 November

JANAKPUR: A year has passed since a part of the main bridge that connects several VDCs toJanakpur collapsed but there are no moves to repair it. The bridge is located two kilometres east ofDhanusha District.

Locals of Barmajhiya, Raghunathpur, Sawaila and a dozen other VDCs are forced to risk a rivercrossing every time they need to go to Janakpur. Many locals have to go to Janakpur for medicalreasons. The bridge, which is 15 feet in width, is part of the fast track that connects the easternVDCs of Dhanusha to Janakpur and is used daily by government vehicles. Still, it has received noattention. Laxman Sah, a jeep driver, says, "I don't have the courage to cross the bridge withpassengers in my jeep, so I ask them to get off when we get here." If a foot more of the bridgecollapses, the road will be completely blocked.

Toofan Neupane in Nagarik, 23 November

More than a dozen central plans for thedevelopment of the Karnali region are yet to berealised even though a decade has passed sincethey were formulated. The plans have beengathering dust because the centre has notconsidered them a priority.

Ten years have passed since the plans formicro-hydro projects in Mugu, an airport inKalikot, and roads in Humla, Mugu and Dolpawere conceived. Humla's iodisation plant is not infull operation either.

Gamgadi micro-hydro project in Mugu wassupposed to supply 400KW of electricity to fiveVDCs. But project chief Mahadeb Mandal, who hasbeen living in Kathmandu for the last two years,blames the contractor. "The contractor has takenRs 173.5 million for the project but no work hasbeen done," he says. It was not possible to get astatement from the contractor, Global Contracts.

The state of road projects in Karnali is not anybetter. Three out of five districts in Karnali –Mugu, Humla and Dolpa – still do not have road

Editorial in Janadisha, 21 November

resenting the budget is a regular task of government. But thecountry is in transition. There is a caretaker government,

and it cannot take decisions on issues with long-termimplications. This is a universal norm. The Madhav Kumar-ledgovernment forgot its status, due to which an unfriendly incidentoccurred on Friday.

The government’s decisions and activities prove that it hasbeen instigating the president to be active. The prime ministerand the speaker recommended the president to end the ongoingparliament session. This has undermined the parliamentaryprocess. By bringing the budget forcefully, as if Nepal were underemergency rule, the ruling parties have betrayed the hollownessof their rhetoric of consensus.

While the speaker remained passive in the never-ending primeministerial elections, he solicited a forced budget, and has warnedhe will take action against opposition MPs. He has been pavingthe way for the reactionaries.

The unconstitutional presentation of the budget is an act oftreachery that has made a mockery of the CA. A budget broughtby bypassing CA procedures has no meaning or implication anddoes not help the economy. It was presented simply for the sakeof it. It has made a mockery of democratic norms. This budgetwill only help smugglers, corrupt people and black-marketeers,not the country’s economy and the people.

Editorial in Punarjagaran, 23 November

he budget announced through an ordinance at the end of theparliamentary session has not only saved the country from

becoming a failed state, it has also defeated the subservientstrategy of the speaker and Jhalanath Khanal towards the Maoists.The government snatched the weapons from the Maoists andfired them back. This government deserves kudos.

A government is a government. There is no caretakergovernment. The country itself is running under an interimconstitution. Any government formed under this constitutionautomatically becomes a caretaker government, meant to betemporary. The Constituent Assembly itself is both temporaryand unconstitutional because the CA term stipulated by the sameconstitution has already expired. The Supreme Court thatsanctioned the unconstitutional one-year extension of the CA iseven more incompetent and anarchist than the CA.

The illusion of consensus has been cleared away. TheMaoists, in the name of writing the constitution through the CA,won the elections using all manner of threats. They don’t want towrite the constitution. They want to create an environmentconducive to capture power, meaning they promote instabilityand anarchy. The government’s courage in challenging theMaoists has pushed them onto the defensive.

The democratic front of 22 parties should be revived to forma government that will manage the PLA and weapons. A strongand determined government is the only way to end the Maoists’anarchy.

Editorial in Budhabar, 24 November

t is the responsibility of all the CA members, but the speakerin particular, to maintain the decorum of parliament. Speaker

Subas Nembang looked helpless when parliamentary values andnorms were desecrated in front of his eyes. He has remainedsilent for the last five months, as the minority held parliamenthostage. Ministers are beaten up, but he does not speak. He isprobably the most ‘gentle’ speaker in the history of parliamentsacross the world. He approves of Maoist activities just becausethey are the largest party in parliament. The speaker could havesaved Finance Minister Surendra Pandey if he had wanted to.But even after the incident, Nembang is hesitant to take actionagainst those involved.

However, he is incredibly active in other ways. When threepolitical parties agreed to request the president to remove theconstitutional difficulties in passing the budget, Nembangexpressed his dissatisfaction to the media. He told them,"Curtailing parliamentary rights is tantamount to curtailing thepeople’s rights". He said using short cuts to amend the constitutionwas wrong practice. Egged on by his statement, the Maoistsobjected to the president’s involvement in amending theconstitution. Instead of facilitating the situation, the speaker hasbeen making things worse. This was not done unknowingly; itshows to what extent one can go for cheap popularity.

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Opportunismimportant, the actual reason is the lack ofunderstanding between the political parties, aswell as external factors. The brokenunderstanding of the political parties isresponsible for their competition for politicalgain. Another reason is the lack of a mechanismto implement the CPA according to its truespirit, capable leadership, and a government forthe transitional period.

One of the partners of the peace processhas been blaming India.Ever since the 12-point agreement, India hasplayed a role to bring the Maoists into peacefuland constitutional politics, and even supportedthem in forming a government. The Maoistsshow high respect for India whenever they getsupport but they blame it on India whenever itdoes not favour them. The Maoist anti-Indiacampaign has exhibited the most unprincipledopportunism.

Have the increasing security concerns ofIndia added to the problem?Indian security concerns over Nepal are natural.Nepal-India relations are guided by the 1990treaty. Nepal should accept this fact withouthesitation. Nepal should ensure Indian securityconcerns, if we expect the same from India.Nepal should not lean heavily on China orencourage it at the cost of goodwill betweenNepal and India.

Risky crossing

All plans, no work

access. Even Kalikot and Jumla only haveunsurfaced tracks. Four years have passed sincethe Karnali Highway track opened but the road hasbeen blocked for 15 months. Krishna KumarNiraula, local development officer of Humla, saysthat work has not progressed because resourceshave been diverted.

RABI THAPA

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

Ass missingIn a sad turn of events, the Ass has gone missing along

the Nepal-Tibet border. The media community has greetedthe news with dismay, and there are suspicions that he

could have been abducted by wildlife smugglers. Ransomdemands, if made, are sure to be rejected.

Media analysts have suggested that the kidnapping wasprobably triggered by the luckless Ass’s relentless

cynicism, coupled with his unbearably tedious doubleentendres. Nepali Times is looking for a replacement

donkey. Apply with photographs in triplicate toass@nepalitimes.com

Who needs the Ass?

The Ass, last seen close to the Nepal-Tibetborder in early November.