#504 28 May - 3 June 2010 16+4 pages Rs 30

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

he wait will be over byFriday midnight, whetherthere is an agreement or a

disagreement on extending theCA tenure.

If there is no agreement, theCA expires on Friday midnightand so does the InterimConstitution. This will create aconstitutional vacuum that couldpush the country toconfrontation.

The Maoists have refused tosupport the government’sproposal to extend the CA’s term,demanding the prime minister’sresignation and a national unitygovernment first. The governmentneeds a two-thirds majority toamend the constitution andextend the CA, for which Maoistvotes are required.

During Wednesday’s meetingwith Maoist Chairman Pushpa

Kamal Dahal, Prime MinisterMadhav Kumar Nepal turneddown the Maoist demand. Nepalhas long maintained that theMaoists should name a primeministerial candidate acceptableto all, following which he willquit. However, the Maoists havebeen unable to name analternative to Dahal.

“It’s not about the packagedeal, it’s about the prime-ministership. This willcontinue until acandidate is named,”says Ramnath Dhakal,CA member andchairperson of theState AffairsCommittee.

The Maoistsdesperately want someposition in the statemechanism.

Currently, NC and UML areholding all the major positions:Constitutional Committee chair,president and CA chair. Thegovernment (conspicuous in theabsence of Maoists) hasnominated chiefs andcommissioners of constitutionalbodies as well as the governor ofNepal Rastra Bank. It’s no wonderthe Maoists feel hard done by.

Maoist CA nominee Hari Rokaasserts that the Maoists should begiven space in the state

mechanism simply to balancepower. But the currentcoalition refuses to forsakepower. “PM Nepal’s

statement against the CA and allthe government nominations sayit all,” he says.

So what will happen if theCA is allowed to expire? CA ChairSubhas Nembang has beenissuing warnings that both primeminister and president will ceaseto be legitimate once the CAexpires. A caretaker governmentwill take over, after which wewill be operating in aconstitutional void. But somelawyers argue that the parliamentwill remain intact even if the CAexpires. Truth be told, we haven’tbeen here before.Dewan Rai

Ready, steady, no?T

GET THE MESSAGE: The APFcircumnavigates the newlyrenovated Swayambhu as part ofits morning drill

WORLD CUP WISHLIST: No, it’s notabout who wins, it’s about how theylook on your brand new colour TV. Takeour special supplement to those fancystores when you decide to splash out.

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #504

Publisher: Kunda Dixit | Editor: Rabi Thapa Design: Kiran Maharjan | Marketing: Sambhu Guragain, Subhash Kumar, Arjun Karki marketing@himalmedia.com | Subscription: Santosh Aryal santosha@himalmedia.com

Hattiban, Godavari Road, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu | Tel: 01-5250333/845 Fax: +977-1-5251013editors@nepalitimes.com | www.nepalitimes.com

Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | www.himalmedia.com | Printed at Jagadamba Press 01-5250017-19

2|

Q. Do we need a new constitution at all?

Weekly Internet Poll # 504

Q. How long should the ConstituentAssembly be extended for?

Total votes: 3,138

Weekly Internet Poll # 505. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com

ON THE WEBwww.nepalitimes.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

On the blogs

My CityThe steps up toSwayambhu haveturned into ArmedPolice Force’straining ground

nepalitimes.com/blogs

I

GET WITH ITI agree with you that the revenue modelof web publications and blogs is yet toevolve (‘Online incline’, #503). And theeffort seems minimal. It’s lame for thosewho have content and traffic but havenot been able to try out different revenuechannels. They have not been able tooptimise their content properly and thusto monetise it.

If social media is used properly itcould double traffic and also contributeto revenue at news sites. Bloggers likeus generate almost 60 per cent of ourrevenue from social media. So I thinkbasically Nepali web publishers andblogs lack Social Media Optimisation(SMO) and Search EngineOptimisation (SEO).

Pradeep Kumar Singh

SOME IMPROVEMENTI am happy that the young generation is

so interested in Lumbini (‘Buddhaland’,#503). Fortunately, there has been somedevelopment at least. Many of the workersin Lumbini are from the nearby villages. And they get rewards, scholarship funds fortheir children, health funds as well ascompassionate funds.

Bhaddamanika

AN OLD PROBLEMWe got into this mess 15-odd years agowhen the Maoists started their violentcampaign (‘War games’, #503). All theparties hoped that the Maoist violence wouldenable them to further their own agendasand that the violence would have nonegative impact on them. They are only nowrealising that political development cannotcome through violence and have belatedlydecided to take a stand.

JangeBHUTAN’S LESSONSThere must be some truth to what the Beed

has observed in Bhutan (‘Himalayanexperiments’, #503). Maybe Nepal can getsome things right by following Bhutan’ssuccessful economic strategies. Like theirhydropower projects that aim to generate10,000 MW by 2020 (Nepal can generatefar greater power), starting a holdingcompany like Singapore’s Temasek to ownand manage government investments andmake it more accountable, or protecting itsenvironment to lure high-end tourists,among other things. We should also followBhutan in lowering taxes for cars,especially hybrids and electric, since wedon’t have local manufacturers to protect.

Fugee

THANK YOUSo many thanks to Ms. Tsering for heroptimum effort on this restoration project(‘Renewal: a time for change’, #503).Nepal severely needs people like you.

Manoj Aryal

POLITICS ABHORS A VACUUMTill press time on Thursday afternoon, the politicians ofNepal’s three main parties were doing what they dobest: bicker on the brink.

For a while the uncertainty was about whether ornot a constitution would be written on time. That doubthas now been replaced by whether or not the CA’stenure will be extended. There are few, even among thefeuding parties, who don’t want an extension. It’s justthat they’ve put a lot of conditions on each other, whichis why things are stuck. The extreme right and extremeleft are the ones who, for different reasons, would likethe CA dead and buried.

For the Nepali people, midnight 28 May 2010 willrepresent failure, either way. Whether the CA isextended or not, the political leadership squandered abrilliant opportunity to write a new constitution on time.This was a chance the people gave the leaders through

the 2008 elections that helped establish the most inclusivelegislature ever in our history. It made the people trulysovereign and brought in a process that allowed anordinary citizen to become the country’s head of state.

All this will be demolished if the CA is allowed to die,or the constitution is not written. To let this happen wouldbe a desecration of the people’s trust. We’d just bereplacing feudal rulers with feuding rulers. Not extendingthe CA will only benefit the totalitarians, the military andmilitants, and war-mongers who want to take the countryback to conflict. Nepal’s hard-won democracy will itself beunder threat.

However, even if the CA’s term is not extended weshouldn’t let the peace process unravel. Legally, we willstill have the interim constitution and the prime ministercould announce his resignation just before midnight andcarry on in a caretaker capacity.

The Maoists have blundered by painting themselvesinto such a corner that they stand to lose either way. If theCA is extended it will be seen as a defeat of their strategy

n the last few months, theformer king has visitedvarious Tarai towns, drawing

significant numbers of peoplewherever he has been. It wassimilar when he travelled acrossNepal five years ago. I rememberhim walking from Kupondole toJawalakhel then. The streets werepacked with people. Someaddressed the monarch as ‘sir’,others as ‘hajur’. Some asked forautographs, others offeredflowers or shook his hand. Somechanted slogans, yet others weremere spectators. Theyrepresented a myriad ofperspectives on the institutionof monarchy.

Soon after, I travelled toJumla and got to talking withsome Maoist youngsters. Theytold me they had gone toSurkhet just to see “what themonarchy looked like” and someof them had even planned tothrow cow dung at the king, butdesisted. In contrast to rallies

organised by political parties,it seemed as though thosepeople who came to see theinstitution of monarchy didnot do so on the basis ofideology or partymembership. If that were so,then RPP (Nepal) would havereaped the benefits in the CAelections. This phenomenontells us that at its base, theinstitution of monarchy isnot political. More recently,however, these crowds appearto be motivated in part by theideology of Hindutva. Thiscould have a negative impacton the future of Nepalipolitics.

The present coalition isindifferent to the fact that it hasousted the monarchy and doesn’teven consider engaging it as acultural body to build a newNepal. This alienating attitudehas led the monarchy to seekrefuge in potentially dangerousideologies. Recall the recent visitby Kamal Thapa and KhumBahadur Khadka to India,following which they declaredthat the Vishwa Hindu Parishadwould do anything to restoreNepal’s monarchy.

The monarchy is first andforemost an institution thatplayed a part in building the‘imagined community’ calledNepal. Benedict Andersonsays a nation ‘is imaginedbecause the members of eventhe smallest nation willnever know most of theirfellow-members, meet them,or even hear of them, yet inthe minds of each lives theimage of their communion’.We are Nepali because 250years ago the monarchybrought together allethnicities under the sphereof a sovereign Nepal. In the

minds of the people, there is anaffinity between being citizens ofNepal and the institution thatcreated it. The turnout to see theformer king indicates that themonarchy’s embedded identitystill exists. But it would be aterrible mistake to mistake thisidentity for a political force. Itwould be wiser to engage themonarchy culturally rather thanalienate it and unleash anunpredictable political force.

This is all the more importantgiven Indo-Nepal relations since1947. India has always played a

Engage the monarchy

of making it conditional on the prime minister’sresignation, and if it is not extended they will be aligningwith the royalists to block a people’s constitution.

It is our belief that neither the Maoists nor the otherparties want the CA to be dismantled when it was soeasy to extend it, and give the process one more chance.The parties have 24 hours to agree that it is notimportant who heads the government as long as theydismantle the Maoist fighting force, make a publiccommitment to abide by past agreements and forge anew constitution in six months. It’s a win-win face-saverfor everyone.

During the course of Friday we will know if ourleaders are more responsible than we gave them creditfor. This write-up comes with an expiry date: by Saturdaymorning it will have been overtaken by events.

GUEST COLUMNBiraj Bahadur Bista

Better toengage themonarchyculturally

than risk itbeing

exploited bydangerousideologies

major role in the shifting ofcoalitions within Nepal, and hasgained more than Nepal has fromthese historical transitions.Nepal’s incumbent establishmenthas always neglected to engageoutgoing or minor politicalforces. This failure has left Nepalvulnerable to alienated groupsseeking the patronage of foreignpowers. The institution ofmonarchy could be similarlyused by Indian political forces.

The monarchy will mostlikely be left out of the belatedconstitution to come. The processof building a new nation requiresall sections of society to beactively engaged and trusting ofeach other. In the making of anew Nepal, the monarchy shouldbe given a cultural role to bringtogether different ethnicities,religions and ideologies,extending the message of unity.Such a cultural engagementwould benefit the Nepali nation,and would also nullify the riskof a disgruntled monarchy beingused by foreign powers.

The author is a Phd candidate inthe political science departmentof Seoul National University.

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #504 OP-ED|3

PLAIN SPEAKINGPrashant Jha

A t the time of writing, onThursday morning,there has been no deal

between the parties.This has not been reported

on enough but there are manynon-Maoist forces – right-wingparties as well as sections of NC-UML – who do not want anextension. They believe the CAhas been a source of strength andlegitimacy for the Maoists andprovided it access to state power.Any constitution prepared bythis CA will therefore favour theagenda of the Maoists andmarginalised groups. Thisschool points out that if theobjective of this process was to‘weaken and tame’ the Maoists,and if that has not happened,what is the point of continuingwith it? The more the Maoistshedge bets on extension, thehappier this lot is.

But their options are nowlimited since the governmenthas officially tabled theamendment proposal, shiftingthe onus onto the Maoists. The

Flex-ibledegree of Maoist flexibility willnow be crucial since, contrary torumours, it does not appear thatMadhav Kumar Nepal will resignbefore an agreement on issues.

The debate on the CA withinthe Maoists is revealing. At themost recent central committeemeeting, Kiran and companyessentially said the CA has beenhijacked by the ‘reactionaries’;there was no point in staying onin the process; the party shouldprepare for the next stage ofrevolution, change its line and goback to armed conflict; anythingelse would be a betrayal.

What is striking about thisview is there is absolutely nounderstanding of the existingground reality, and no alternativeplan. It is like, as left analystShyam Shrestha says, talkingabout an October revolutionwithout even having prepared forthe February revolution. Yet itfinds a degree of support withinfor two reasons. One is thedogmatic indoctrination thatbinds many even now. The otheris the need felt by many to keepup a ‘revolutionary’ image,especially when you knowsomeone else will do the toughjob of arguing a more consideredline.

Prachanda’s original paperconsidered traces of this thought,emphasising that the party isbeing pushed to a war and that theother side, prodded by India, isnot interested in the processanymore.

He had however thoughtthrough some of the implicationsof not getting the CA extended.Arguing that it would break thepolitical stagnation and lead tonew alliances, Prachanda said thatthe party had not learnt how tofight the ‘People’s War’ before itstarted it; it learnt on the job.Similarly, a new situation willarise in the absence of extensionthat the party can take advantageof. The organisation will remainintact; the framework of the peaceprocess will remain as long asUNMIN is here; cadres will get aboost; the other side will faceserious political and legalchallenges; and the next fewmonths could either prepare theground for a new deal and thus‘revival of the CA’ or be a period toprepare for the next confrontation.

It was left to Dr BaburamBhattarai to talk about theachievements of the past fewyears, and that the core objectiveright now was to institutionalisethe ‘federal democratic republic’and other goals like social justiceand inclusion. The CA was theplatform to do it, and it wascrucial to give it another chance.Letting it end would onlyembolden those groups who wereopposed to these goals, even as theMaoists would be blamed forbeing ‘anti-peace and anti-constitution’. While agreeing thatthey had to ask for the PM’s

resignation and notcave inunconditionally,Dr Bhattarai stressed

the need to exercise‘maximum flexibility’

– the line thatprevailed ultimately.

How the Maoists play this atthe end will be interesting.Conventional wisdom suggeststhey will give in unconditionallyand couch it in terms ofprotecting the gains of war and themovement. But given the internalstrains, and their feeling of beingunder siege, this will not be aneasy decision. An unconditionalextension by the Maoists cannotbe taken for granted.

After this crisis is over, theMaoists should reflect on theirinternal fractures, lack of clarity,and lack of experience of openpolitics and how that has costthem dearly in the past year. Theyshould also assess the balance offorces and recognise it is time tofulfill certain peace processcommitments, especially on thePLA, and reframe strategyaccording to what is achievableand not achievable at the moment.Otherwise, even if there is anextension, both the party and thecountry will keep going roundand round in circles.

The Maoists may have tostep back to move forward

BILASH RAI

sfd ;fgf] 7"nf] eGg] x'“b}g . kl;gfsf] s'g}

/ª / hft klg x'“b}g . sfd u/]/ vfg nhfpg' klg

x'“b}g . rf]/]/, 9f“6]/, 5n]/, n'6]/ vfg

kf] nhfpg'k5{ . hf] hxf“ /x]/ h'g sfd u5{ pm To;}df

/dfpg'k5{ uf}/a ug'{k5{ / ;dlk{t eP/ ug'{k5{ .

sfd g} zlQm xf], elQm xf] / d'lQm xf] . sfdsf] OHht

u/f}+, kl;gfsf] ;Ddfg u/f}+ .

g]kfn ;/sf/;"rgf tyf ;~rf/ dGqfno

;"rgf ljefu

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #5044|NATION

ampant real estate development, orplotting, has left giant craters at thebase of Mt. Shivapuri, threatening the

local ecology and the valley’s river network.The plotting is taking place very close to

Shivapuri National Park, which it coulddamage as it raises the risk of landslides athigher altitudes. “We’re very much aware ofthe problem, but there’s little that we can doas the plotting is occuring outside the parkboundaries, so is not within ourjurisdiction,” says Megh Bahadur Pandey ofthe Department of National Parks andWildlife Conservation.

The story is the same at other locationson the periphery of the valley floor. If leftunchecked, the trend could cause hugeenvironmental problems, like the disruptionof river networks and large scale soil erosion,to name a few. “At the rate at which we aredisturbing the natural system, we’re simplyasking for trouble. The damage caused by theheavy soil movement could be disastrous.It’s a pity, as the Kathmandu Valley used tobe among the most beautiful in the world,”says urban planner Bharat Sharma.

The problem isn’t plotting per se but itshaphazard growth, which is a result of grosslyinadequate regulation. Shockingly, there areno land zoning regulations that dictate whatcan be built where. Such regulations arecommonplace in most other parts of theworld. “Besides some old, inner city areas,you can build buildings and develop plotsanywhere you wish. There are no land zoningpolicies, but they are in the works,” says

Keshab Neupane, spokesperson of the UrbanDevelopment Committee, which is in theMinistry of Physical Planning and Works.

What regulations do exist are meagre. Realestate developers are first issued a buildingpermit from either the district projectimplementation committee, if they plan todevelop less than 50 ropanis (1.67 hectares)of land, or the urban development committeein Kathmandu, if they plan to develop more

than 50 ropanis or any residential areas. Atleast three per cent of the area in residentialdevelopments must be open, and the roadsmust be at least four metres wide. Kathmandudistrict alone has issued 102 permits tohousing companies. The Urban DevelopmentCommittee has itself completed 12 projectsin the service of organised urbanisation, andhas pooled 305 ropanis (just over 10 hectares)of land for the purpose.

There are also few laws that govern realestate transactions, leaving the door wideopen for swindling brokers, who often takecommissions from both buyers and sellers.Additionally, the fact that developers tendto pool land purchased from locals (oftenfarmers) makes government interventiondifficult. “Developers will buy land fromlocals and begin construction without firstdeveloping infrastructure. If we intervene,

they go to court saying we have violated theircivil freedoms, and they usually win thecase,” says Shiva Hari Sharma, deputydirector of Urban Development and BuildingConstruction (DUDBC). The DUDBC hasdrafted a real estate act that would resolvesuch problems, but this has been stuck inparliament for the last two years.

In the absence of effective real estateregulation, a solution must be soughtelsewhere. Initiatives to tighten regulationin the banking sector have done well toreduce real estate investment. By thebeginning of the current fiscal year, bankshad invested close to a quarter of theirportfolios in the real estate sector. “Ever sincethe Nepal Rastra Bank and Finance MinisterSurendra Pandey began to tighten financialregulations in December, land transactionshave ground to a halt. Ninety per cent ofnew property hasn’t been sold.” says brokerKeshab Simkhada.

Financial regulations may slow thegrowth of urban sprawl, but they won’t bringorder to it. If we want Kathmandu to retainsome of its charm and environmentalintegrity, that is no alternative to a concertedeffort by land use regulators to get their acttogether.

DEWAN RAI AND SUVAYU DEV PANT

Urban crush

Haphazard real estatedevelopment threatensenvironmental disaster

R

KIRAN PANDAY

IN WITH THE NEW: A plottingdevelopment at Hattiban, Lalitpur.

THIS WEEK

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #504 NATION|5

he mid-ninetieswitnessed an FM boomin Nepal, and today over

250 broadcasters are in business.In Pokhara alone, six FMstations compete for listeners.Being the oldest, Annapurna hasbuilt up a stable followingamong discerning listeners andupscale advertisers. Gandaki FMis a relative latecomer and hastried a different tack. It mainlycaters to the taste of the workingclass and the rural audience.This could be why it is knownas the media arm of the Maoists.

Gankadi FM came into beingthree years ago thanks to a groupof small entrepreneurs.

Its marketers soon found outthat despite their impressiveaudience size, advertisers didnot take them seriously. So theydecided to enter televisionbroadcasting.

Gandaki Television operatesout of a cramped studio, but theprograms it offers more thanmake up for the lack of physicalinfrastructure. The news isshown in five local languages inaddition to Nepali and English.Its executives claim that theyhave more viewers in GandakiZone than any national orinternational channel.

Full circle FMFOURTH ESTATEC K Lal

The group has now enteredprint media. Their logic issimple. They started withradio because of the ease ofentry and low take-off costs.This established their presenceand created audience loyalty.Television brought advertisersand revenue. Going into printis a means to obtain voice andrespectability in thecommunity. It may havesomething to do with theBrahminic culture of reveringthe printed page, but there isno denying that the editors ofnewspapers are accorded morerespect than even hugelypopular radio or televisionanchors.

Community radio beganwith a bang, but its influenceis now on the wane. Most FMbroadcasters lack thewherewithal to produce

interesting programs, and arereduced to relaying Ujyaalo orNepal FM material produced inKathmandu. Commentariesand features are taken fromdonor-funded and syndicatedcontent providers likeCommunication Corner,Antenna Foundation orindependent radio producers.

Financial assistance fromdonors did ensure the survivalof FM radio initially, but ithas damaged their credibility.Despite the gloss in sleeklyproduced pieces, the momentan INGO-sponsored program

begins to play, listeners tune tostations broadcasting music.Audiences are not as gullible ascommunication strategists inKathmandu think.

Overt political affiliations,too, have also dented the imageof community radio. Unlikecommercial media that have tomaintain a non-partisan facade,local FM stations do not evenbother to hide their politicalpreferences. A tiny party likeRajendra Mahato’s Sadbhavanafaction has a string of FMstations in the central Tarai.Even in Kathmandu, whereUML cadres staff most localradios, Radio Mirmire does nothave to declare its politics, itslisteners know it to be a Maoistmouthpiece.

Commercial FM radios toodo not seem to be doing all thatwell. The ‘national’ claim of

Kantipur FM is mostlynotional: it is merely one ofmany choices on offer. With theairwaves jammed with channels,listeners have no brand loyalty.

The community radiorevolution of Nepal has comefull circle: FM stations have tocompete for a share of the sameadvertising pie that sustainscommercial broadcasting. TheGandaki FM group hasresponded with a media mix tothrive in the marketplace; othersmay have to create their ownsurvival strategies for thecutthroat media wars to come.

The influence of community radio is nowon the wane, but some are diversifyingtheir portfolio to survive

T

Dr MysteryBhakta Man Shrestha, executive director of the BP KoiralaMemorial Cancer Hospital in Bharatpur, went missing undermysterious circumstances on Tuesday evening. He was lastseen driving out of Chitwan Hospital, where he was performingan emergency operation, at 10:15pm. His briefcase wasdiscovered along the Narayangadh-Mugling road in DarechokVDC on Saturday, and his car was discovered abandoned inPokhara on Wednesday. The police initially feared that he was

dead, but a civilian probe carried about by the Nepal MedicalAssociation (NMA) to aid investigations claims he may yet bealive. According to members of the probe, Shrestha’s family nowsays he will return home in the next couple of days. However,much about the case – including Shrestha’s currentwhereabouts, and the circumstances of his alleged abduction –remains unclear. NMA closed all hospitals except for emergencyservices on Monday in protest of the police’s allegedlylackadaisical investigation, but resumed some services onWednesday.

Make or breakIt has been a make or break week as the Big Three raced toreach an agreement in order to avert a constitutional crisis.While the ruling parties want the Maoists to agree to acomprehensive deal – which would extend the CA’s tenure,expiring on Friday, and resolve the major political disagreementsin one stroke – the Maoists insist that the government mustresign first. On Sunday evening, Maoist lawmakers Dev Gurungand Ek Raj Bhandari filed a bill in parliament against theextension of the CA’s tenure under the current government.House meetings from Monday through Thursday were pushed toFriday morning in order to allow the parties more time to reach adeal. On Wednesday, the parties intensified talks, meeting in themorning and again in the evening, but failed to break thedeadlock. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal also met IndianAmbassador Rakesh Sood, and had a one-on-one meeting withMaoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, during which Nepalreaffirmed that he would step down if a comprehensive deal wereagreed on. Despite the persisting disagreements, party leadersare confident that a deal will be signed during Friday’s Housemeeting.

Buddha JayantiBuddhists around the world celebrated the 2554th birthday of theBuddha this week, as religious processions throngedKathmandu’s streets. On Wednesday, President Ram BaranYadav said the Buddha’s teachings were more relevant thanever, as “we need mutual reconciliation, consensus,understanding and coordination to resolve [current] problems.”A special function has been organised in Lumbini, the Buddha’sbirthplace.

Nepalis attackedScores of Nepalis have been chased away from Meghalaya,India by members of the indigenous Khasi group. Early thisweek, Khasi tribesmen killed 17 Nepalis in Meghalaya. ByThursday, nearly 300 Nepalis fleeing the violence had returnedto Nepal. The attacks on the 40,000 strong Nepali community inMeghalaya began after four Khasis were killed by police fireduring a border dispute with Assam. On Sunday, the NationalHuman Rights Commission wrote a letter to its Indiancounterpart demanding that the rights of India’s Nepali-speakingcommunity be protected.

KIRAN PANDAY

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #5046|BUSINESS

STRICTLY BUSINESSAshutosh Tiwari

hese days, Nepal’s problems appear so overwhelmingthat writing a column to explain, analyse or understandone aspect of any of those problems becomes an act of

quiet despair.How many times is anyone to write about brazen political

incompetence, of crumbling states of infrastructure, of the economydrip-fed by remittance and aid, of the nation supposedly run byforeign powers, of country-stopping quarrels among groups overpicayune matters, of the apathy of the state machinery towardsthose who are poor and vulnerable, and of the future of a youngpopulation held hostage by doddering old netas who seem intenton politicking for another 30 years?

Amidst the varying degrees of politics-induced dukha thatNepalis have faced, it’s tempting to put on a cheery face, waxeloquent about Nepalis’ innate resilience, and continue to hope fora democracy responsive to citizens’ concerns. But with the risingpolitical certainty that has meant many of the young and the ablehave effectively given up on the country and left en masse,columnists’ celebrated capacity for resilience is hardening intocollective resignation and fatigue. “Let politicians do what theywant, as long as my narrow personal or commercial interests are safeand sound,” seems to be the unspoken mantra of those who havegiven up being a part of a better Nepal in their lifetime.

As the two-year term of the 601 elected and unelectedConstituent Assembly members ends, perhaps it’s better not toindulge in answers and ask these open-ended questions about a wayforward:1. If the CA’s tenure is extended, what guarantee is there that it

will complete the process of writing the constitution within ayear? Who foots the bill? How? How much?

2. Is there anyone, a person or a group, who should no longer be inthe extended CA if it gets extended for their stark failure ofleadership to get the constitution drafted and ratified? Or, isthis failure partly due to the lack of a mechanism to hold anyindividual or party responsible, so they can continue on theirmerry way at the expense of domestic and foreign taxpayers’money, time and patience?

3. Do elected netas even understand the importance of aconstitution as a document that lays out the guidelines for allactivities that are to be carried out in Nepal? Trade, commerce,foreign relations, development work, local decision-makingprocesses – all these and more cannot operate on the whims ofpoliticians and local lords. Do CA members, collectively orindividually, understand this?

4. What moral responsibility should the plethora of agencies thathave sprung up in the last two years to ‘help’ the CA and CAmembers write the constitution bear? They flew CA membersaround the world and across Nepal to understand the finerpoints of constitution-making, and to listen to grassrootsvoices. Now that the deadline is over with no constitution insight, shouldn’t they be reflecting on whether their resourceswere used for the most pressing priorities or for ‘nice to have’filler activities that amounted to so little?

5. When the Interim Constitution was amended several times tosuit the party-political needs of the day, was it not a clear signalto the rest of us that this CA viewed its role not as one with aclear job description and a firm deadline, but one that allowedfor immense flexibility and political expediency? Given this,should we be surprised that they’ve failed to deliver what theywere put together to do?

6. Other than lamely asking for an extension, is there a way non-political citizens who just want to live and work in a rule-of-law driven country can express justified outrage in Nepal?

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Himalmedia COOEffective 1 May 2010, Sunim Tamang has beenappointed Chief Operating Officer of HimalmediaPvt Ltd. He will lead the company’s strategy toaccomplish its year-on-year growth of the top-line revenue of its brand portfolio, includingHimal Khabarpatrika, Nepali Times, and Wave.

Sunim brings over 17 years of professionalexperience from a variety of sectors includingHospitality, Value Chain Promotion and Logisticsand also possesses a keen eye for the mediaindustry. Prior to his appointment at Himalmedia,Sunim was a member of the Senior ManagementTeam of DHL Express Nepal.

Himalmedia would like to extend a warmwelcome to Sunim.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Ranbir & John PlayersSurya Nepal is delighted to announce actorRanbir Kapoor as its new brand ambassador forJohn Players, the trendy apparel brand for men.The John Players New Spring Summercampaign featuring Ranbir Kapoor will bringvividly alive both the personality of the brandand the new collection.

John Players is a premium menswear brandfrom Surya Nepal that encompasses a completeand vibrant wardrobe of formals, casuals andparty clothes. The brand has a strong andgrowing retail network of 10 exclusive JohnPlayers stores across the country, of which sixare in the Kathmandu Valley.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Pepsi Football ManiaPepsi’s Football Mania campaign runs from 21May-11 July, and gives its consumers thechance to engage with the brand in refreshingnew ways.

The promotion for‘Pepsi Football Mania’ isan (Under the Crown)promotion that will runon Pepsi glass bottles.Consumers will need tocollect 3 crownsfeaturing Didier Drogba,Lionel Messi and ThierryHenry as well as 1 GoalCrown after which theyhave to SMS their name

to a dedicated number to be eligible for a luckydraw. The grand prize winner will win a HeroHonda Karizma ZMR at the end of the promotion.There are two Samsung 32” LCD TVs to be wonevery week in addition to Nokia mobile phones,Timex wristwatches and other merchandise.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Samsung scoresHim Electronics Pvt Ltd, the official marketer ofSamsung Electronics in Nepal, has introduced anew campaign to liven up the football season.‘Made for Football’ includes a chance to win a32" Samsung LCD Television every day througha lucky draw that will be broadcast live onAvenues Television. The company claimsSamsung televisions, with brilliant picturequality and a new level of intensity, aretailormade for watching World Cup 2010.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Mobile bankingKist Bank launched a mobile banking servicethis week. Two buses equipped for the purposewill travel across the Valley and in Kabhre, Nala,where clients can open an account or makedeposits, withdrawals and transfers.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Dabur’s winnersSaroj Ramtel of Budhanilkantha won the DaburNepal monthly bumper prize from the ‘Score the

Real Goal campaign’. Ramtel won a 32”Sony Bravia LCD TV. Meanwhile, RajanPangeni was announced as the prizewinner for sending the highest correct SMSin the sixth week of the draw and won a 22”Sony Bravia LCD TV. Ten other SMSwinners won MP4 players.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Weather proofBerger Jenson & Nicholson Nepal Pvt Ltdformally launched its WeatherCoat AllGuard – a rainproof formula that makes useof a unique silicon-enhanced formula – atGodavari Village Resort. Using state-of-the-art technology the WeatherCoat AllGuard provides long-lasting paintprotection even in extreme tropicalconditions, preventing microbial growth andpreserving the exterior. Get it before themonsoon!

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Tranquility spaTranquility Beauty Academy is not justabout pampering. A key objectives is toemploy and train women fromdisadvantaged communities, includingvictims of domestic violence. But if youfancy pampering after all, call 4420424 fordetails on Tranquility Spa locations.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Silver MountainSilver Mountain School of HotelManagement (SMSH) celebrated its sixthGraduation Ceremony on 14 May at SoalteeCrowne Plaza with a lavish ceremony andcultural program organised by its juniorstudents.

This year SMSH sent 70 Hospitalitygraduates and 14 chefs into the world ofhospitality. Like previous graduates, thenew crop of SMSH grads will findplacements in resorts, hotels, cruise lines,airlines and restaurants across the country.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Insurance for lifePrime Life Insurance organised a workshopon life insurance for social security for thebusiness bureaus of media houses. ActorRajesh Hamal has been appointed brandambassador. As the ‘Zero or Three’campaign notes, life insurance has threeclear benefits: savings with good returns,financial security to beneficiaries in case ofpossible eventualities, and tax savings.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Sony kicks offNepa Hima Trade Link Pvt Ltd gets in onthe act with ‘Sony’s FIFA World Cup FreeKick Offer’. Buy a BRAVIA LCD TV to beeligible for multiple scratch coupons andyou are guaranteed a prize, and may evenbag a BRAVIA LCD TV, a home theatresystem or Sony’s latest Alpha DSLRcamera.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Going downtownDowntown Housing Company Pvt Ltd haslaunched Downtown Apartments, located atKhumaltar, Lalitpur. Grand opening offersinclude apartments from Rs 1,799,000upwards, with 0% interest on EMI.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

CG’s LGCG Impex (under CG Electronics) has asthe authorised distributor of LG mobiles inNepal launched five new handsets: theGB195, GU230, GU 285, GS290 andGS500. Every set comes with a 1 or 2 GBmemory card and every fornight there willbe a lucky draw with a bumper prize of goldworth Rs 100,000. Look out for the ‘LGMobile Sun Chandi Offer’.

Justquestions

We all know the answers.How about somequestions for theConstituent Assemblyand its members?

T

LIFE TIMES 728 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #504

So this country ofemigrants finally getssome immigrant literature

in English. It’s only fittingthat Seasons of Flight comes fromManjushree Thapa, perhaps themost accomplished of Nepaliwriters who have publishedfiction in English.

Seasons of Flight is the‘zigzag’ tale of a young Nepaliwoman, Prema, whose life followsa butterfly-like trajectory in everysense of the word. She flits fromher village in eastern Nepal toKathmandu, then to a job in thewest of the country, and thence toLos Angeles, courtesy of the greencard lottery. She flits from her jobas a forester in Nepal to restaurantwork and taking care of an elderlylady to conservation again. Sheflits also from person to person,Nepalis to emigrant Nepalis toAmericans, from her lover Rajanin Nepal to attachments bothserious and casual in America.And unsurprisingly, she isdissatisfied with her lot.

The book puts one in mind ofThapa’s most recent collection ofshort stories, Tilled Earth. Notsimply for its smooth, practisedprose and the abundance ofcharming, touching episodes. Butalso because of the way the novelis put together. The short chaptersof Seasons of Flight are morselsunto themselves, illuminating asthey do particular aspects ofNepalipan abroad, such as Prema’sencounters with Americansignorant of Nepal, and themundaneness of working menialjobs to get by. But does this addup to a substantial repast alongthe well-worn lines of immigrantliterature?

One cannot help but thinkManjushree Thapa, herself proneto considerable migratory flight, isaddressing herself rather more to

the lynchpin of the novel. Premafills the narrative, but comesacross as a little two-dimensional,an impression not helped by thestilted speech Thapa furnishesher with. It’s telling that Premafinally begins ‘connecting’ withthe wider world through herelderly charge Esther (who shecannot have a coherentconversation with) and herdoppelganger, the rare El Segundobutterfly. One suspects some willadmire her free-wheelingindependence while others willbe turned off by her self-absorption, and this empathy orlack of it will determine howreaders perceive the novel as awhole.

Seasons of Flight is a seriousattempt to delve into the journeyof life across time, space andhuman society. Undoubtedly itwill speak to many Nepalis whohave experienced the pleasure andpain of leaving one’s homebehind and seeking another. Itwill also reach those who mayhave wondered, howeverfleetingly, what the lives of theOther in their own cities are like.Thapa manages to capture thenuances of America and itsvariegated social and physicallandscape, as seen through theeyes of Prema. What invisiblelines lie between the native andthe interloper, and how fluid arethese identities? As an additionto the corpus of immigrationliterature, Seasons ofFlight makes for absorbingreading.Rabi Thapa

Manjushree Thapa’s Seasons ofFlight is published by Penguin/Viking and is available at majorbookstores in Kathmandu.

Hardback price: Rs 638

ReachingAmerica

ManjushreeThapa’s latest

novel willspeak to those

who havesought a

destiny apartfrom what theNepali milieuoffers them

(on the banks of the river, naked children are building houses ofsand – Sarubhakta)

Dank cries, interrupted prayer,even the self-arisen stupa,Swayamhbu, in the Form of Light,1

sinks in on itself, though resplendent,ashamed. In the rank Kathmandu dawnas the city-in-play aspires,a nation-on-holdconspires. Aspire. Conspire.How the currents cross!

Where hollow spires risefrom makeshift foundations,sandcastle bannerslure all comers. Get in! Get out!before quickening sandsgulp you down.Let storied sandman dollarsfloat you away – to the promised land,to the glorious Gulf, go.Or better yet, grab a khukuri-passto London or a lottery ticket to rideto Queens and beyond.

From rock-scrabbled trails,with far-flung strideto a subway straddled walk-up,like a hawk from locked-downboarded-up villages,glide. Then California dreamingbide your time, safeand far from gut-wrenching tidesthat turn here every day.

Sandcastle dreamer, quicksand schemer,take a farewell glance all aroundat what’s been done, not done, undone –the gone paddy, the multi-tiered warrensare no mirage. The city’sswamped in garbage, its rivers,scrawls of stench. As the tide sweeps out,Swayambhu, its gilded lightcloaked in eye-stinging haze,sinks in on itself… In incensed dawn,at every corner, smoke coils from tires burningand night after day, the coming age,in the Form of Mightreadies itself, fierce and unyielding,as its devotees gather, torches in hand

1The Swayambhu-purana affirms Kathmandu was created whenthe Bodhisattva Manjushree cut through the southern rim of thevalley with his divine sword Chandrahas, Destroyer of Evil. Whenthe primordial lake that filled the Valley drained away Swayambhu-in-the-Form-of Light was made accessible. Nepal Mandala, MaryShephard Slusser.

Sandcastle city/quicksand nation

an audience outside Nepal. Thevery first chapter, ‘being nepali’,suggests as much. Many Nepaliswill nod and smile as they readabout Prema’s encounters withforeigners who think Nepal isNaples. But is evoking thefamiliar enough to provoke deepreflection on why and howpeople migrate?

Perhaps the biggest gambleThapa has taken in Seasons ofFlight, however, is on Prema.This self-centred young womanand her odyssey to seek outsomething more permanent form

DANIEL WRIGHT

S

WAYNE AMTZIS

COMING HOME: Manjushree Thapaunveils her new novel Seasons of Flightat Ramalaya, Panipokhari, Sunday

8|LIFE TIMES

EVENTS

Ride & Rope, two days of adventure and adrenalinewith a 30km bike run along the trails of Shivapuri,camping on a riverside and abseiling down somedramatic waterfalls and canyons. Over 14 only, 29-30May, 2111505 for registration, Rs 9,800

Relax Package, stay at the Hyatt for Rs 6200 plustaxes for one night’s accommodation for two includingbreakfast at The Café. Package is valid till Sep 30.Only for local residents and Nepali citizens for amaximum of 3 nights stay. Please call 4491234 or4489800.

GETAWAYS

Darjeeling Music Carnival, some of the best Nepalimusicians have their roots in Darjeeling. Pay a visitto the Indian hill station (in spirit) for two days thisweekend. Artists include Abhaya and the SteamInjuns, Robin and the New Revolution, and Mantra.29-30 May, 1pm onwards, Bhrikuti Mandap Funpark,Tickets Rs 150 for the weekend

Paleti with Rabin Sharma, a third generation singer ofNepali modern ‘adhunik’ music, will make his solodebut at the monthly Paleti event. 28 May, Nepa~laya,Dillibajar, 4439786

Albatross Return to Rock, rock returns to the Houseof Music, where Albatross had their reunion gig a fewweeks ago. 28 May, 7pm, House of Music, Thamel

Sunday Jazz Brunch, barbeque, live jazz music andlots of beer for the lazy summer afternoons. TheTerrace at Hyatt, every Sunday 12-3pm, 4491234

Ladies Night Out at Lakhey, enjoy free shots anddance the midweek blues away with music by theresident DJ RiPS. Don’t forget their Lebanese food.Every Wednesday, 7pm onwards, Lakhey, DarbarMarg

MUSIC DINING

Civic Concerns Workshop, a forum for youngprofessionals and students to discuss issues ofconcern for the youth. 29 May, PIC, Heritage Plaza,Kamaladi, 4004016

Paaniphoto, Gurukul will be restaging KhagendraLamichhane’s Paaniphoto for two final shows thisweekend. 28-29 May, 5.30pm, Gurukul,OldBaneswor

Saturday’s Farmers Market, a weekly do in Kantipaththat is rather different from all the farmers’ marketsin town with lasagne, pies and Mediterranean treatsalong with organic fruits and vegetables. EverySaturday, 9am to noon, 1905 Restaurant, Kantipath

Water Colour ArtSession, learn howto draw and paintflowers inwatercolour, StudioPetal, Pulchowk, www.studiopetals.com

Quiz Night atSal’s Pizza,there will beprizes and egogratification forthose in theknow at Sal’sbi-weekly quiznight. Everyone elsewill just have tosettle for some good food and a lot of fun. 30 May,Sal’s Pizza, Lazimpat, salspizza.2ya.com/

Himalayan Hash House Harriers, a running club witha drinking problem, meets every Saturday to run acourse around the Kathmandu Valley, aponarch.com/hhhh/

People After War, permanent photo exhibition, everyday 11am-4pm, Madan Puraskar, Patan Dhoka, forbulk school bookings call 5521393

Shrek: The Final Chapter, watch the finalinstallments of the franchise in which adomesticated Shrek tries to relive his life as it wouldhave been Far, Far Away. 12.30, 3.20 and 6.30PMeveryday, Kumari Hall, Kamalpokhari

The Recollections of the Lonesome Traveller, a soloexhibition by Korean artist Maia Ruth Lee depictingthe different metaphorical identities of the traveller.Her works draw inspiration from her many journalentries written over time. Siddhartha Art Gallery,Babar Mahal Revisited, 11am-6pm, till 3 June 2010,4218048.

1905 Restaurant, feast on roasted delights within thisconverted royal residence. Though it is right beside abusy road, the walled compound has a quiet ambienceand green surroundings, making it an oasis within thecity. Kantipath, 4215068

Cosmopolitan Café, located in the heart of Basantapur,offers arguably the best chicken sizzler in town.Frequented by famed guitarist Hari Maharjan, spot himthere and you might get an impromptu performancewith your meal. Basantapur (along Kathmandu DarbarSquare), 4225246

Lhasa Bar, enjoy a beer or a splash of a cocktail atthis springboard for excellent young musiciansstarting out on the Thamel circuit. Thamel, 985101043

Arabian Nights, taste the culinary delights from theMiddle East at The Café every Friday. Also serves avegetarian feast on Tuesdays. The Café at Hyatt,6.30pm onwards on specified days, 4491234

Casa de Cass, out-of-Kathmandu dining in cosysurrounds with attentive service, what more could youask for? A martini, of course. Hariharbhawan, 5010100

Momotarou, nestled inconspicuously amongst thestreet shops of Thamel, this restaurant servesJapanese food that is top value for money. Extravaganttaste yet humble in presentation. Thamel,Bhagawatisthan (near Bhagawati Temple), 4417670

Lhakpa Chulo, a relative newcomer to Jhamel, butamong the best for food – try the tender steaks andThai-style salads. Jhamsikhel, open for lunch anddinner daily except Wednesdays

Himalayan Java’s SummerSplash, Java is known for itscoffee, but it is offering aselection of chilled drinks tokeep you cool in the summerincluding kiwi lime, lycheelime, blended orange andlemonades. They will let yousample some for free.Thamel, opposite HimalayanBank

Vesper Café, has a quaintoutdoor patio good for leisurely weekend brunches.Serves good salads and steak-wraps but at a trendyprice. Jhamel, open daily 11am-10pm

Attic, newly transformed lounge/bar ideal for Fridaynight drinking before hitting the dance spots. Popularwith local celebrities. Uttar Dhoka, Lazimpat,984161476

Everest Steak House, an old-school joint foreverything steak. A sanctuary for meat. Thamel, nearChhetrapati Chowk, 4260471

Email us with listings at editors@nepalitimes.com.Listings are free but inclusion is not guaranteed asspace is limited.

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #504|9

‘Slow’ is the mantra of François Driard’s life. Herecently started the Farmers Market in Kantipathwith Shobha Rayamajhi. “People have forgottenthe real way of living, and now they wanteverything fast,” he says. “They don’t spendenough time while shopping for groceries, orcooking their food. Everything is done in haste,surviving in this world has become a race.”

Driard knows a thing or two about food, andthe love and labour good food demands. As theco-owner of Himalayan French Cheese in Tokha,he has been perfecting the art of making Nepalicheese with a traditional French recipe. “Goodfood is about time. Slow is about discoveringmore,” he says.

At the Farmers Market at 1905 in Kantipath,you can buy Driard’s Himalayan Cheese, as wellas other goodies from farmers and foodies likehim. So far, it has turned out to be a platform forsmall-scale farmers to offer their specialties toconsumers directly. The pâté, cheeses, honey,

Fad for foodiesjams, sausages and organic vegetables on offerare truly impressive.

“We wanted people to get together, socialiseand just make the right choices about the foodthey’re going to buy,” Driard says. “The marketis unique because it’s one of those rare placeswhere you can interact with the food producersand understand what you are consuming, ascompared to just shopping and not evenknowing what’s in the food.”

To make an outing to the Farmers Markettruly memorable, 1905 also serves brunchesmade with organic produce while a live bandplays in the background. Wholesome brunchesand weekly shopping in one outing: could youask for more on a Saturday morning?

The Farmers Market takes place everySaturday from 9am to 1pm. Patan residents canvisit the market at the Summit Hotel.Duksangh Sherpahen the BBC World Service Trust premiered a radio docu-

drama called Katha Mitho Sarangiko (Story of the SweetSarangi) two years ago, the series was so popular it was

aired in 70 FM stations across the country. Through the adventures ofa Sarangi player (played by Prakash Gandharba), the series delivered asubtle message about the co-existence of different communities inpost-conflict Nepal.

Dilu Gandharba is back, now as a guest in a Tamang village wherehe meets Phurwa, a young woman who starts life with an ambition toimprove her life through marriage; but her quest for the perfecthusband sets her on a path to hell and back.

The last series, aired during the Madhes Uprising, explored therelationship between Dilu and Sukindar, a dholak player fromJanakpur. The new series, called Phurwa’s Tale, tries to portray thepeople and the ups and downs of contemporary Nepal. This year theemphasis will be on love, marriage and friendship, andunderstanding the relationships between men and women in achanging Nepal.

“The gap between the material expectations of people and theirown reality has vastly increased over the last 20 years, and this hasput people’s marriages under strain,” says Fiona Ledger, whodeveloped the concept for the series. “Added to that the role ofwomen is changing. They are getting better educated and want morechoices in their lives. This leaves men unsure of their status and notsurprisingly, conflict can break out in a marriage.”

Katha Mitho Sarangiko airs on CapitalFM, ECR FM and on 103 at8.15pm Friday, and on Radio Sagarmatha at 7.30pm Monday.

Love andbetrayal

W

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #50410|HAPPENINGS

KIRAN PANDAY

KIRAN PANDAY

WEEKEND WEATHERby NGAMINDRA DAHAL

KATHMANDU

FRI SAT S U N

30-18 31-19 32-20

This week’s premonsoon showers have been full ofsound and fury, signifying not much. But the showershave dumped nearly half of the May quotaof rainfall making it a normal month. This is goodnews for the Kulekhani reservoir and for the earlyreduction of loadshedding. This satellite radarcomposite on Thursday morning shows the lingeringmoisture from the Bay of Bengal cyclone buildingup into huge storms along the midhills, and this isbeing pushed by the westerly jetstream. As long asthe westerlies are forceful, the real monsoon won’tarrive. Expect hot humid afternoons this weekend.

JUST ANOTHER DAY: A vendor sells vegetables as members of theNepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities stage a sit-in in front of theCA building on Tuesday demanding the CA's extension.

PURE POETRY: Standard Chartered CEO Sujit Mundul (left) launches hisbook of verse, 'Confluence', at Yala Maya Kendra, Monday, in thecompany of writer Sanjeev Uprety and poet Manjul.

AHMAD ISKANDAR

PEACE: Devotees dancing in front of Swayambhu on the occasion ofBuddha Jayanti, Thursday.

TICK TOCK: Leaders of the Big Three hold talks on ending the currentpolitical deadlock and extending the CA tenure on Wednesday.

KIRAN PANDAY

p28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #504 NATION|11

en years ago Sunita Karki, 18,(pic, front right) left herhome in Itahari in the Tarai

to work in an Indian circus:“My parents were always

fighting, and then one day when Iwas eight, Mother just left, leavingFather to cope with five children.Without her it was a real strugglefor Father to support us on hisincome as a casual carpenter.

Looking back, I know Ishouldn’t have taken on the burdenof responsibility – I was theyoungest – but I wanted to dosomething to help Father. When afriend of his suggested I couldwork in an Indian circus, I jumpedat the chance.

Father and his friend took meto meet up with a circus across theNepali border. I was very excited, itall seemed so glamorous. Fatherwasn’t sure, but I had my heart seton it, so he reluctantly signed thecontract releasing me into the careof the circus owners.

I cried when Father left, but Iwas happy to be there. I thoughtI could have a good life withthe circus.

How wrong I was.I soon learnt that myself and

the 30 other girls were effectivelyslaves. Kept in a guarded enclosure,we worked 19-hour days. Food wasrationed and we were beaten for anymistakes we made while trainingor performing. Only occasionally

nce upon a time in a kingdom faraway lived a generous king. Oneday, a sage presented him with a

chessboard as a gift. The king had neverseen such a thing and offered the wiseman a reward of his choice. The sageasked for a grain of rice on the firstsquare of the chessboard, two on thesecond, four on the third and so on,doubling the amount each time. The king,frankly insulted for having been askedfor what he thought was a meagreamount, quickly agreed only to realisethat he would fail to grant the sage hisreward. It would have come to18,446,744,073,709,551,615 grains ofrice (roughly 62 billion metric tonnes),many times more than what the arableland on Earth can produce.

This is because of the power ofexponential numbers, which is the

“I thought the circus was glamorous.How wrong I was.”

CLARE HARVEY

were we given the Rs 50 (Indian)meant to be our monthly salary.

One time, when I’d beentraining on the trapeze and slipped,the trainer didn’t even wait for meto get out of the safety harness, hejust beat me, right there, with a longstick, as I was hanging in mid-air. Iremember thinking, how muchworse can this get?

Then one day, when I was 13,everything changed.

We were just sitting down toour morning meal when we weretold to get changed into our outdoorclothes immediately. We werequickly ushered outside, and splitinto small groups of two or threegirls. My group was taken to a fieldnearby and left there. We’d been told

some bad men were trying to stealus from the circus and traffic usinto prostitution. We spent mostof the day there, with nothing todo, and nothing to eat. Whenevening fell, we began walking to anearby village to look for somewhereto spend the night. As we walked, avan suddenly overtook us andstopped. Two men got out. We were

so scared. We thought we werebeing kidnapped. We screamed forhelp, but we were bundled intothe back of the van. Inside, wefound other girls from the circus.None of us really understood whatwas happening.

It was only much later, whenwe had given our statements to thepolice, seen the circus bosses beingquestioned, and talked with our‘kidnappers’ (who were in factfield staff from the EstherBenjamins MemorialFoundation), that we realised wehad been rescued: our life in thecircus was over.

I was overjoyed to be able to gohome and see my family. I cried;we all did, it was so emotional.But things had changed so much.My brothers and sisters had allgrown up and were working at thelocal factory. I had only justfinished third grade when I joinedthe circus, but Esther BenjaminsMemorial Foundation gave me thechance to complete my education,and provided me with food and aplace to live. I’m now 18 and havejust taken the SLC exam.

When I see people I was atschool with who are already atuniversity, I regret all those wastedyears in the circus. But I got asecond chance to do somethingand be somebody.”

For further information onthe Esther Benjamins MemorialFoundation contact Shailajaon 5560521 or emailjeeva_cm@hotmail.com

Circus slaveT

Our leaders sold us a Ponzischeme. Can we trust them torun the country?

United we fall

principle by which networking businesseslike Unity Life-Assurance International(which has finally been closed down)operate. They will tell you can earn moneyby recruiting new members to the company,but not that there are not enough people onthe planet for everyone participating in sucha venture to profit.

The formula was not invented yesterday,but it seems too much to expect our leadersto understand it. Therefore, they did whatthe complacent king would have done.

President Ram Baran Yadav presenteda letter of appreciation to the head of UnityLife-Assurance International. PrimeMinister Madhav Kumar Nepal presentedgarlands. Foreign Minister Sujata Koiralawrote a letter of recommendation hopingUnity would make its business deliverymore efficient. The Minster of CommerceRajendra Mahato lauded the creative way inwhich Unity was operating. Maoist politburomember Lil Bahadur Thapa said a Maoistgovernment would adopt Unity’s ‘nation-building strategy’ into the national five-yearplan and enlist 10 million Maoist supportersas Unity members.

The masterminds behind this Ponzi

scheme plastered these recommendationsonto a glossy newsletter next to images ofskyscrapers so they could present thepackage to hapless villagers, menialworkers and daily wage labourers, some ofwhom sold their belongings and took high-interest loans to become members.

Unity sold dreams. It said it had plans tobuy 300 Boeing 747s. It was going to makeNepal fuel-independent within ten years byjuicing Jatropha berries. It was going toutilise the ‘wasted’ hydro potential of Nepalto produce 7,000 MW of electricity. “You canjoin us today to earn these benefits or fiveyears later. We are going to run the country,”a Unity representative told a housewife inPokhara. “And we have endorsements fromall these leaders to prove it.”

For four years, while Unity duped650,000 people into giving up almost10 billion of their hard-earned rupees, no onebothered to check if it had the requiredpaperwork to conduct any of these

businesses. There are no regulationsfor networking business, they said, butwhat about the banking and insuranceplans it was selling? If our leadersfound it too difficult to understand how aPonzi scheme works, they should havejust tried the alternative, and simpler,strategy of not endorsing a businessrunning illegally.

Networking businesses are notbased on the value of the company;they feed off the value of therelationships that sell such schemes.Unity milked the trust between friends,neighbours and relatives. After banningnetwork businesses this week, thegovernment has said that it willprosecute Unity honchos. But inendorsing the company, governmentministers and political leaders arealready accomplices to their maliciousdeceit and should be held responsiblefor it.

POLITICALLYCRACKEDIndu Nepal

O

ESTHER BENJAMINS MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #50412|NATION

n Gargyangkot, Jumla, Hari Thapa andhis entire family spend four monthsfrom April onwards foraging for

medicinal herbs in the jungle. This is thelivelihood of most families in the huge far-western zone of Karnali, for medicinal herbsare the primary resource of this region.

TOOFAN NEUPANE IN JUMLA

Robbing Karnali

But Karnali’s herbs are only benefitingunscrupulous traders and the corruptofficials who facilitate their business at theexpense of locals. Far from locals having aprerogative over the use of their ownresources, they are compelled to offer valuableherbs to government officials even to obtainthe quotas of rice and salt they are entitledto. Local businesses are not far behind, andwill not hesitate to accept such herbs at

dirt-cheap prices in exchange for the dailynecessities cash-strapped locals cannotafford.

Licenses to collect medicinal herbs suchas yarchagumba and jatamasi are distributedall at once by district forest officials and,curiously, do not specify when and whereand how much medicinal herbs may becollected. After paying a fee between Rs 2 toRs 20 per kilo, the traders obtain licensesand marshal locals to collect the herbs they

require. At the airport, they contrive to payonly a third of the required customs charges.According to an airport official, “There is noaccounting for those rare herbs smuggled outunder other names.”

The profits are astounding. If a licensedtrader obtains a kilo of jatamasi fromcollectors for Rs 100, this is already worthRs 175-200 in Jumla itself. Even before thejatamasi reaches Indian markets it is worth

Rs 350-400, and the residue following oilextraction for herbal remedies fetchesRs 80-100 (for incense). Effectively, traderspay off collectors by selling off the residueand walk away with a 300 per cent profit.Hari Thapa says, “It’s like we’re simply beingpaid by the hour rather than for the herbsthat we collect.”

The state has always been secretive aboutthe Karnali trade, so it is difficult to trace thesupply chains to India and China and gaugewhat the volume of this trade is. Jumla’sforest department estimates that 73,411 kg ofherbs were extracted from the district in2008-9, bringing in tax revenues worth Rs2.2 million. But a forest official admits, “Thisis probably just a quarter of what is actuallyextracted.”

Nor is this trade sustainable. Ekraj Girirecounts how until a few years back one onlyhad to walk three hours up from Jumla’s,Khalanga, to pick jatamasi. Recently, Giriwalked two days to Gididaha and onlymanaged to collect a kilo of the herb in threedays. The famed yarchagumba, once abundantbetween 3,350-5,000 metres above sea level,has almost disappeared. Other herbs are nowbeing collected even before they flower andseed. Mohan Pokharel of Jumla’s Departmentof Plant Resources warns: “If current trendscontinue, then stocks of medicial herbs couldbe exhausted within the decade.”

So far government has paid littleattention to controlling the illicit trade. Non-governmental organisations andmultinational companies have been moreproactive in attempting to establish theirrights over medicinal herbs. The trade inmedicinal herbs will only benefit locals inthe long run if there is more control overcollection, and if government supports andencourages farmers to take up the cultivationof these herbs as cash crops.

Karnali’svaluable herbsare onlybenefitingunscrupuloustraders andcorrupt officials

I

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #504 INTERNATIONAL|13

JOHANNESBURG – Africa isagain high on the global agenda,and this time for all the rightreasons. As the kick-off to theWorld Cup in South Africaapproaches, people are seeing notjust South Africa but our entirecontinent as equal partners in thisextraordinary global celebration.

So, as the world’s eyes turn toAfrica, we should take theopportunity to showcase the keyrole that Africa’s women areincreasingly playing in thecontinent’s success.

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’selection as President of Liberia,the first woman elected to run anAfrican country, was symbolic ofthe progress of women across thecontinent. We are proud as wellthat women make up more than 50per cent of MPs in Rwanda – thehighest proportion in the world.South Africa and Lesotho are justtwo other African countries thatsit near the top of the gender-equality league table.

It is women as well who arehelping to calm tensions and healAfrica’s terrible wounds of conflictand violence. Women are in thelead in conflict resolution, inreconciliation, and in drafting thelegal and constitutional frameworkto secure peace and prevent abuses.

In the media, civil society,and in communities up and downthe African continent, women aretaking on major responsibilities.There is a huge amount more todo, but women are winning thefight to have their voices heardand help shape solutions andmap priorities.

Education is the bedrock forprogress and educated women willempower Africa, so the focus nowmust be on those countries, suchas those in Africa, that are failingto close the gender gap. One of themajor problems highlighted in thejust-published Africa ProgressReport, prepared by the African

Progress Panel, is the gap betweengovernment plans and change onthe ground.

Another area where we haveseen little progress is inharnessing women’s full talentsand potential in the formaleconomy. Women’s economiccontribution is, of course, under-valued in many places around theworld, and especially in Africa.Women are truly the motors ofAfrica’s economies. Yet at everyturn, their contribution isdownplayed and their ambitionsare obstructed. Women findthemselves cut off from trainingand support. And they can facediscrimination from theauthorities and suppliers.

But it is in women’s

treatment, deliberately andaccidentally, by the financialsector that the most damage isdone. Women receive, forexample, only 10 per cent of thecredit given to small farmers andless than 1 per cent of total loansto agriculture. Yet they areresponsible for growing 80 percent of the food on our continent.Inheritance rules dictating thatland – and its proceeds – can bepassed down only through themen of the family have putwomen at a terrible disadvantage.

The discrimination continues,despite overwhelming evidenceshowing that women are morelikely to invest business loanswisely and to meet repaymentschedules. Even micro-credit

schemes often seem to lend less towomen than to men in the samecircumstances.

Nor are these problems limitedto small businesses. The AfricanWomen’s Economic Summit,which I attended recently inNairobi, was electrified by thestory of a woman who had set upher own construction firm inCameroon. Her capital needs runinto hundreds of thousands ofdollars. Yet, when dealing withfinancial institutions, she facedthe same obstacles and outdatedattitudes familiar to the smallestbusinesswomen across thecontinent.

In order to reach theMillennium Development Goals,women must be roped into the

African women deserve moreGRAÇA MACHEL

Women are a force for reconciliation after civil conflict,but haven’t been rewarded for their efforts

formal sector. This requiresinnovation in the financialservices and products on offer,which in turn requires thatwomen – locally, regionally, andinternationally – are helping toformulate the solutions. Ifgovernments and keystakeholders can lift the barriersthat prevent women from playingtheir full role in our economyand societies, the future is bright– not just for women but ourentire continent.

Graça Machel is a Member of theAfrica Progress Panel, President ofthe Foundation for CommunityDevelopment, and founder ofNew Faces, New Voices. She ismarried to Nelson Mandela.

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #50414|FROM THE NEPALI PRESS

Editorial in Nagarik, 26 May

The behaviour of the EU parliamentarydelegates, who hope for a serious approachtowards diplomacy and global affairs on thepart of Nepal, runs counter to diplomaticprotocol. It is an affront to Nepal’ssovereignity for these delegates to plan tomeet armed groups and Tibetan refugeeswithout informing the Nepali government.The EU parliamentary delegation arrived inNepal on Sunday for the eighth inter-delegatemeeting. The delegation had planned to toura Tibetan refugee camp and meet controversialarmed groups without so much as a by yourleave from the foreign ministry. It was onlythrough the Nepali Embassy in Brussels that

Editorial in Kantipur,21 May

The street protests by the red-shirts in Bangkok have beenforcefully suppressed by theThai Army. Demonstratorshad occupied busycommercial thoroughfares inthe city centre, but retreatedin the face of armymanuoevres to evict them,ostensibly to prevent furtherbloodshed. A potential civilwar was averted. Nonetheless,76 people lost their lives andover 2,000 were injured.

The red-shirtdemonstrators weresupporters of exiled ex-primeminister Thaksin Shinawatra,

Hari Narayan Gautam in Rajdhani, 25 May

It’s not unusual to see funds raised during festivals orcultural programs with the objective of investing in socialservices. It’s also fairly common when a child is born forpeople to give presents to the family. But in a village inParbat district, it is virtually a legal requirement for familieswith newborns to donate money for social causes.

In Shivalaya-5, it is mandatory for well-off couples whohave had their first child to donate money to the localmothers’ group. The funds are subsequently used for thecommon good, for instance by supporting pregnant womenand children from poorer households.

“A newborn child becomes a member of society,” saysthe chairperson of the mothers’ group Buddhi KumariShrestha. “The funds are being raised so as to enable them tohelp the society they live in.”

The mothers’ group also raises funds from weddings andlahures returning from abroad. The group contributed Rs170,000 towards the Rs 1.2 million cost of a five-roomcommunity building. The building is not only used for themeetings of the mothers’ group, but will also host culturaland religious events and programs for the upliftment ofwomen.

Madhav Kumar Nepal: Didn’t you say it was your own baby?Pram: Constituent AssemblyPushpa Kamal Dahal: Resign first!

Batsayan in Kantipur, 23 May

class, urban yellow shirtprotestors forced the governmentto resign. The red-shirts hadhoped to achieve the same byforcing the resignation ofDemocrat Party Prime MinisterAbhisit Vejjajiva’s government.Street politics is nothing new inThailand but it didn’t have thedesired result this time around.

The Thai and Nepali contextsmay not be the same but thereare some parallels to be drawnbetween the recent protests inboth countries. Both sets ofprotestors took control of thestreets. The urban protestorswere from the working class inBangkok and in Kathmandu.Both protests failed to achievetheir objective, and the lesson isthe same.

Both protests demandedthat democracy be broadened toinclude the most marginalisedsections of society. But the useof violence by the Bangkokprotestors provoked thegovernment to respond withforce, compelling them toretreat. If Nepal does not adopta politics of consensus soonthere is still the risk of a similarconfrontation here. Ourpoliticians should learn fromthe anarchy in Bangkok, avoidconfrontational trajectories, andfocus on extending theConstituent Assembly. As timeruns out for this institution,there is fear, tension andconfusion in the air. Let’sfind a consensus while there’sstill time.

Bangkok’s lesson

comprising both rural Thais andthe working class of the capital.The current crisis wasprecipitated in 2006 whenThaksin was stripped of powers

through a coup indirectlysupported by the monarchy. Insubsequent elections, proxies ofThaksin were elected but in2008, anti-Thaksin, middle-

Hands off

Donationsfrom birth

this came to light.The Tibet question is one of utmost

importance for Nepal. International laws andhumane considerations require Nepal to beresponsible for the refugees here. Nepal alsohas to consider the seriousness with whichits northern neighbour China looks at theissue. The EU delegation would be well awareof this. To go ahead and plan to meet Tibetanrefugees despite this is unfortunate andworrying. The same applies to meeting armedgroups; it breaches diplomatic protocol, andthe foreign ministry should demand aclarification. The EU delegates should askthemselves if they would tolerate similaractions in their own countries.

The EU delegation has, in recognition ofthe Nepal government’s concerns, belatedly

announced that it will not be meetingrepresentatives of Limbuwan or Khumbuwan.The Nepal government, too, has asserted itsdiplomatic prerogatives by informing thedelegation of its concerns.

Foreign and diplomatic representativesshould not make unilateral decisions onNepal’s internal affairs, particularly with

regards to sensitive issues. It is necessary toput a stop to the trend of increasing foreigninfluence in Nepal. To help Nepal is not tointerfere in Nepal’s internal affairs, andfinally there is some awareness of this. Thislatest incident has also served to remind topgovernment officials and politicians not tobreach diplomatic protocol.

RSS

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #504 NATION|15

rom the start, constitution-writing has been mired indisagreement. To date, only

three committees’ draft papershave been passed unanimously.Those committees whose papersmade the grade are: the Committeefor Rights of Minority andMarginalised Communities, theCommittee for Determining theForm of Constitutional Bodiesand the Natural Resources andMeans Committee. There remainkey differences on the form ofgovernance and the judiciarysystem as well as staterestructuring. Additionally, thereare 50 disagreements aboutchoices of name, raising issues ofpolitical correctness, such aswhether to call the conflict anarmed rebellion or a people’s war.

While it may make sense toextend the CA’s tenure in thelight of such differences, thedecision-making process has notbeen democratic. The fringeparties have been virtuallyignored in the discussionsinvolving the Big Three. “Peoplehave been left helpless, withoutany option but to accept whattheir leaders decide. The politicalleaders have taken advantage ofthis and imposed their decisionson them,” says NC CA memberGagan Thapa.

Advocate Sher Bahadur KCfeels an extension isn’t evenlegitimate since the CA has failedto fulfil its mandate. Article 64 of

STALLED FUTURE: TheConstituent Assembly, whichexpended a total of Rs 1.4 billionin two years.

Whither constitution writing?Contrary to popular belief, theCA members have actuallydone a lot of work. It’s theirleaders who are mostly toblame for the CA’s failure

the Interim Constitution reads,‘Except otherwise dissolved earlierby a resolution passed by theConstituent Assembly, the term ofthe Constituent Assembly shall betwo years from the date of its firstmeeting.’ The CA can be extendedan additional six months in casethe task of drafting theconstitution is not completed dueto the proclamation of a state ofemergency in the country.

It didn’t have to be this way.CA chair Subhas Nembang mayhave been able to expedite theprocess had he taken politicalparties into confidence earlier and

invoked certain constitutionalprovisions. For instance, theinterim constitution clearlycalled for the formation of a staterestructuring commission, but itwas only towards the end of theCA’s tenure that parties agreed toform one.

Contrary to popular belief, aconsiderable amount of work hasactually been done. CA memberscollated opinions from across thecountry and drafted the conceptpapers to the best of theirknowledge. The CA secretariatclaims 80 per cent of its work hasbeen completed.

UML CA member Agni Kharel,who is also a member of theConstitutional Committee, recallsthat they had initially narroweddown the differences to eightpoints. When the politicaldifferences deepened, they had tovote on 99 issues beforesubmitting the papers to the CA.“We should have decided on themodalities by which theconstitution was to be drafted,this would have made thingsmuch easier,” he says.

Once the battle lines were

drawn within thematiccommittees, CA members couldnot rise above their parties’interests, which hampered theforging of a consensus onfundamental issues.Unfortunately, their leadersproved equally unable to guidethem towards the fulfillment oftheir mandate.

F

KIRAN PANDAY

ISSN

181

4-26

13

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

ww

w.n

epal

itim

es.c

om

28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2010 #50416|BACK SIDE

All the tv coverage this pastweek of ex-kingji beingchased by paparazzi

in Nepalganj, and giving tvinterviews, made some fellow-Asses nostalgic for the bad olddays when Nepal was still aHimalayan kingdom. Now, if only KingG washumble, low-key and simple ashe is now (“I suffer load-shedding and water-shortage justlike everyone else”) perhaps thecountry needn’t have thrown thebabyking out with thebathwater. But one does get thefeeling that the once-divine kingis still looking for divineintervention to put him back onthe throne.

Babusaheb told hisinterviewer he wasn’t going to bedrawn into making politicalstatements, but went right aheadto say he was double-crossed bythe political parties...and maybe acertain neighbouring country thatbegins with the letter ‘I’? Just likethe late Girjau breathed his lastwithout disclosing what the‘Grand Design’ was all about,perhaps we will never know whostabbed who in the back in 2006.The Mule’s educated guess,however, is that during thecrucial maharajah-to-maharajahmeeting between Karan and Gyanon 22 April, KGBBSD received a

Two seconds to midnight

message from Man Mohan (Singh,not Adhikari) guaranteeing that ifhe restored parliament themonarchy would be retained. Theex-avatar of Vishnu obviouslyfeels betrayed, and with supportin public opinion polls for areturn to the monarchy now inthe single digits, is appealing tohigher-up authorities in theHindu pantheon.

But we digress. This week’s realstory is what is going tohappen on Saturday. What todo if the Assembly goes into acoma on Friday at midnight?Will the CA be rushed to theICU? Will the three parties

commit euthanasia and pull theplug? Will it be revived only togo into relapse?Do they all want it dead, but aretoo afraid to say so for fear ofpublic wrath?

To find out, the Ass posed as afly on the wall at one of manytripartite meetings this weekbetween the three leaders of thetriumvirate. Here is an unofficialtranscript:

MKN: I’ll step down, but only if youagree to extend the CA term.PKD: Nope we will only extend the CAterm if you resign first.MKN: OK, I’ll give you my word. Crossmy heart.

PKD: Can you put that in writing?MKN: Only if you put it in writing thatyou will extend the CA.PKD: Nope. No can do.MKN: Then, no can do, too.RCP: The prime minister won’t resignuntil you demobilise and return ourstolen property.PKD: But he just said he’s ready tostep down.RCP: We won’t let him.MKN: Oh yes, I forgot, I won’t stepdown until you empty the cantonmentsand disband the YCL.PKD: All right, let’s start again. Youhave to resign because I have to be PMbefore we agree to extend the CA. Wealso want all our fighters integrated intothe Nepal Army and we want aconsensus government from nowon, not a majority government. And, bythe way, I want a refill.MKN: (fills PKD’s cup) Agreement first,then resignation.PKD: Resignation first, thenagreement.BRB: (clearing throat) If I may justinterject here. What if we all agree toextend the CA, Madhavji resigns and Itake his place?PKD: No way, Jose.RCP: Yeah, no way. When Madhavjisteps down, I take his place.RBY: (makes grand entrance amidstfanfare) OK boys, it’s two seconds tomidnight, off to bed. Leave it to me now.

The Bajuwa Bajes of the Baddiecentral committee pale incomparison to the trans-Atlanticwar that has broken out over theNepal revolution between theRevolutionary Communist Party

of the USA (RCPUSA) and theWorld People’s ResistanceMovement Britain (followWPRM-Britain on Facebook).American Maoists, interestingly,seem to be more hardline andbrought out a critique of thecomrades in Nepal, terming them‘revisionists’. In commie circlesaccusing someone of ‘revisionism’is like calling them the offspringof female dogs. Which is whyWPRM has lashed back with a5,000 word anti-Yankee-Maoistdiatribe containing hard-hittingsentences like: ‘These infantile“communists” who havemiserably failed both in practiceand theory, virulently spew forththeir resentment on anyone withwhom they are in the slightestdisagreement. Can this be to coverup their many failures and gainsome attention so as to overcometheir isolation, both in the US andabroad? The first and the mostimportant problem is grasping theideologyof the proletariat, Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. In thiscontext, the UCPN(M)’sideological development byadopting the method of the GreatProletarian Cultural Revolution toinvolve working class and themasses in major two-line struggleswithin the Party,provides guidance tograsp theproletarianideology.’WRPM: 1, RCPUSA: 0.ass(at)nepalitimes.com