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The Nepal Digest Saturday 10 Sept 94: Ashoj 7 2051 BkSm Volume 30 Issue 2
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* TND Board of Staff *
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* Editor/Co-ordinator: Rajpal J. Singh a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu *
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Date: Tue, 30 Aug 1994 22:07:37 EDT
To: a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu
From: a41590a@nucc.cc.nagoya-u.ac.jp (Koirala and Associates (P) Ltd.)
Subject: Re: Nepalese in Korea lose their hands
In article <26AUG94.03191258@vax.clarku.edu> atuladhar@vax.clarku.edu writes:
>Nepalese dehumanise themselves for high salaries. Of the 7000 Nepalese in
>Malaysia about 500 are in jail. 1000 jobless and the rest are working by
>paying off the police. A Nepali with a MA degree in English Literature is
>workingas a labourer in Japan, so did Om bikram Bista, the popular singer.
>Prakash Adhikari, an actor, has also gone to Japan for job. Dr. Bhupendra
>Giris a pokhara physiian, joined Hwajin Chemical in Korea as a labourer.
>
>The lour act of Nepal authorises a fee of upto rs 3000 per person for
>placement but often they charge Rs 45,000 per head.
Of those working in Japan, Nepalis are comparatively safer than in Korea.
There was one letter published (may be Bimarsa) last year , written
by one nepali working in Korea. He said he worked in radioactive waste
disposal area, he further regrets neither he could leave the job whic
he got after paying Rs 50000 nor he liked to stay there. He said
many nepalis were caught by Korean police and they seized all money whatever
they had and beaten. Most of them were brought by certain peoples in
nepali (some are politicians) and left them in Seoul airport as "Alpatra".
I have never met Om Bikram Bista, but, I heard he went back after getting
sick and he spent all whatever he earned. He was singer in Kantipur
restaurant in Tokyo. I have gone once in a room (through some friend)
where more than 10 peoples were living and in that area 50 nepalis were
there. There I heard many sad stories of those Nepalis. Most of them
are from rich class familie with Masters degree. One of them was
son of Amar Bahadur Karki, late savapati of Kaski for 15 years,
(one of richest person in Kaski district:I guess he is richest
in kaski district), he was working in construction site. Most of them
work in construction site. That is best job in japan for overstay
foreigners. They are paid upto Yen 500, 000 (US$ 5,000) and are free
after 6 pm. There are some brothers from one family. Unfurtunately,
one of them died due to hard work (died on regular sleep). There are
some cases where Japanese hospital didnot accept them for treatment,
with question #"Who will pay the bill?". LAst year one case where
one women was burned and police tried to find hospital unfortunately
5 hospital denied to admit her because she is illegal foreigner i.e.
overstay. Then finally police forced to admit her in one hospital
and the total amount came out Yen 4, 000,000 (US$ 40, 000). Thus
she spent whatever she had and went back with scars. There are
many nepalis who were denied in the hospitals and went nepal to
get the treatment from a country where state-of-the-art medical
treatment was available.
The other side of these illegal overstay peoples including nepalis is
how they survive from police raids ?
Generally, police get some regular money from the group leaders
of those overstays. one nepali told me, whenver there is chance of
police crackdown those police getting money inform the leaders and they
move to other cities. There are some volunteer (? as they say)groups
of japanese nationals they inform beforehand. So, they move from one
city to another. The construction company owner also helps them in hiding
while raids in the site. The construction company owners have some
permanent apartment owned ( very old house) for such peoples.
I even heard from someone, there were some nepalis went
to surrender to police. Then police asked him why you want to go back,
how much you earned ? Then the police told the guys to work for another
6 months and then only you surrender. The guys again went to work.
This is true. In Japan, even police catch someone they never snatched
anyone 's money. If someone said he don't have money to buy airticket,
they keep him on custody and ask him to work at the minimum wages
i.e. US$ 5.40 per hour. Thus polic here treated much better than
in Korea ? Why ? Because it is Japanese government policy to employ
foreign overstay peoples because of shortage of labour to work
in worst situations* like cleaning machine, etc.............
It is already long and if I get time I will write next time. about
those Nepali national players, movie actors and university teachers,
medical doctors and one bangladeshi minister who hided them self when
came to the land of money. Japan has currently total US$ 600 billion
trade surplus which is 50 billion dollar more than America's total
trade deficiet.
Sayonara
Gyaneswor Pokharel
Till now legally stayed, but, not sure in future if Girija continues
ruling the country and cannot provide decent job (according to my
education)/.
*******************************************************************
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 1994 22:09:35 EDT
To: a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu
From: rshresth@black.clarku.edu (RaJesh B. Shrestha)
Subject: In search old friend
From: tan@ccad23.enet.dec.com (Joyce Tan)
Subject: In search old friend
Salutions.
I would appreciate any assistance in locating a friend I made in the UK
about 14 years ago. I understand that he returned to his native homeland
of Nepal, after completing his law degree and barristers exams.
His name is Jitandra Basynet.
Are there facilities/organisations in Nepal, which could assist with such
a search? The only other information I have is that he was working for a
international bank in Kathmandu, but this was some years ago.
kind regards,
Joyce Tan
*********************************************************
From: atuladhar@vax.clarku.edu
Date: 26-AUG-1994 06:30:46
Description: Another Girija favour for the Royals
Girija govet has recently initiated process to legitimize some 24 ropanies of
land valued at Rs 12 crore or $ 2.4 million to Helen and Ketaki Shah.
The land parcel no. 121 in Swayambhu was originally under the name ofthe Guru
Nanak Guthi but the Royals had been using it to build their houses in the
heydays of Panchayat without any official titles to the land. This title
Girijai is now willing to give to ingratite himself to the Royals who have
supported his advice to dissolve the parliament.
Description: Four Stars/ 8 Schisms: the Congress Parties!
About eight versions of the Congress parties have been registered with the
Election Commission. They are:
Nepali Congress (Krishna Prasad Bhattarai)
Nepali Congress (B.P.) (Tulsi Ram Kafle)
Nepali Congress B.P. (Viswo Raj Sharma)
Nepali Congress "Subarna" (Prahlad Humagain)
Nepali Congress Party (Socialist) (Basant Gautam)
Nepali Congress (Democratic socialism) (Tulasi Bastola)
Radical Nepali Congress (Krishan Kumar Sharma)
Nepal Bahujan Party (Dalbir Viswokarma)
Source: Dristi Weekly, Aug 24, 1994
Description: "Save the Nation " Party
If any of you want to save the nation you can join this party which swears by
this name. this party is really an agglomeration of several smaller parties
which hope to get at least 3% of the votes to remain "the national" party.
The party is said to be a front for former Prime Minister Marich Man Shrestha.
Source: :Samakalin Weekly, Aug 25, 1994
Description: Peace, Pashupati, and Gun Shots
The sanctity of the environs of Pashupati, one of the oldest temples of Nepal
and one of the holi for the hindus is now being destroyed by the sounds of
gunshots.
These gunshots come from the army barrack stationed at Slesmantak forest. The
army practices shooting every morning and discourages people commuting from
Bhaimal village to Kathmandu. Yet, the spokesperson for the Defence Ministry
asserts that they have had no complaints so far.
It may be recalled that Swayambhu was the firing range for the Barrack
stationed in Chauni too until this firing practice was discontinued.
Description: Idol Theft in Bhaktapur
The Kuldevta and and Bhadrakali idols belonging to the Aangan of the
Karmacharyas of Ward no. 13 of Bhaktapur have been lifted.
Persons accused of theft include a traffic police bhim Bahadur Ghale and
some of the priests who have exclusive access to these idols for worship
Source: Mahanagar daily Aug 24, 1994
Five priceless idols have been from Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, the golden
courtyard of Patan.
the idols are said to be at least 2-300 years old. The theft occurred despite
22 guards, searchlights, and electric fence.
Source: Jana Swotantra, Aug 25, 1994
Description: T.C.N or Timber Corruption in nepal
About 1500 cubic foot of Sal logs valued at Rs. 200 per cubic feet have been
sold at Rs 80 per cubic feet, pocketing the difference in Birgung branchof
Timber Corporation of Nepal, at Chandranigahpur.
It is alleged that further that 300 cubic feet of sawlogs were sold without
keeping any records while the Adarshnagar timber depot was decommissioned.
Source: jan Swantantra, Aug 24, 1994
Description: T.C.N or Timber Corruption in nepal
About 1500 cubic foot of Sal logs valued at Rs. 200 per cubic feet have been
sold at Rs 80 per cubic feet, pocketing the difference in Birgung branchof
Timber Corporation of Nepal, at Chandranigahpur.
It is alleged that further that 300 cubic feet of sawlogs were sold without
keeping any records while the Adarshnagar timber depot was decommissioned.
Source: jan Swantantra, Aug 24, 1994
Description: Leftist Electoral Strategy
Under the banner of "one place, one left" Professor harsh Narayan Dhoubadel of
the leftist Council of Intelligentsia said the United Marxist Leninists would
be contesting for 120 seats, allot the Nepal Communist Party (Mashal) 40
seats, and 8 to Nepal Peasant's Organisation,
Description: Poaching in Prajatantra
Wildlife poaching seems to have increased during multiparty democracy.
recently, 12 kg of tiger bones were confiscated and upto 42 rhino havee been
killed by poachers while 12 have died due to natural causes.. 40-50 cheetal
deers have also died from pesticide poisioning called "Fored 10% C.G."
broughted from Gwalior.
source: jan Swotantra, Aug 25, 1994
Description: Demand for Republic
Gore Bahadur Khapangi, the general secretary of the National Liberation Party
"Rastriya Jana Mukti Party" demanded that communists should be clamouring for
a republic instead of prostrating before the feetof Prithvi Narayan Shah for 5
minutes. Khapangi denied that his party was "casteist" but for "ethnicity"
President of the party chapter in Dharan claimed that 198 congress activits
under janak Subba, 123 UML activists underKiran Rai and 370 other political
activists had joined their party. He blamed the ruling party for not allowing
it to register for elections.
Source: Jan Swotantra, Aug 25, 1994
Description: Tobacco Development Company to be Liquidated?
Janakpur, the Tobacco Development Co. has started distributed Rs 500-600 to
its 336 emplyees because of debts totalling rs 150 million ruppees according
to the liquidator Satish Chandra Lal.
The rising Nepal, Aug 22, 1994
Description: Bank Employees demand pay raise
Employees of the Nepal Bank Limited demanded their pay to be raised as
followes:
Special Class (Upper level Management) = Rs 7600 per month ($ 152)
Department Heads = Rs 7,000
Manager = Rs 6400
Deputy Manager = Rs 5800
Assistant Manager = Rs 5200
Superintendent = Rs 4650
Peon = Rs 2250
Note a university lecturer with 12 service gets Rs. 2800 per month.
Source: Rastra Pukar Weekly, Aug 24, 1994
There has been a 75% reduction in bookings of Tourists coming to Pokhara this
year. These reservations are usually made 6 months in advance and upto 70,000
tourists visit from all over the world. Lately the spate of cancellations of
reservatins has increased.
source:
Rastra Pukar Weekly, Aug 24, 1994
Description: Multi-Party = 71 Parties
71 political parties have registered themselves with the Election commission
for the Nov elections there.
There are some curious ones:
1. "Swoniga" Party, headed by Juju Tuladhar, St. Xavier batch of 1973 and
proprietor of the Nepal Printing Press tyoda. "Swoniga" literally means
"Three kingdoms of the Valley" an effort to stop the deterioration fo
kathmandu cultural and ecological environment.
2. "Real" congress party (pro-B.P" ) yes that is what the real name is
and the president is Shyambol Bhattarai.
3. "Ratriya Prajatantrik Party" of Matrika Prasad Koirala
4. "Nepal Rastriya Green party" hopefully an environmental party of
Lekhnath Poudyal
5. "Nepal Harit Shanti Party" or Nepal Greenpeace Party, another trying
to cash in on the environment by Shiv Prasad Sharma and "prakritic satta dal"
or Natural Law party, another nature party of Nawaraj Adhikary.
6. Other unusual names of parties are:
Nepal Nepali Jagau Party or Waken Nepal Party
Prajatantrik Lok Dal of Devendra Raj Pandey, former Finance Minister
Shanti Party or Peace Party
Mongol National Organization of Gopal gurung
Prajatantra Sagarmatha Party or literally Democratic Peak (Everest) Party
Source: Kantipur, Aug24, 1994
Description: Leftist Electoral Strategy
Under the banner of "one place, one left" Professor harsh Narayan Dhoubadel of
the leftist Council of Intelligentsia said the United Marxist Leninists would
be contesting for 120 seats, allot the Nepal Communist Party (Mashal) 40
seats, and 8 to Nepal Peasant's Organisation,
***********************************************************
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 94 17:04:17 EDT
From: Shailendra Shukla <SHUKLA@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu>
Subject: Women in Hiduism
To: NEPAL DIGEST <nepal@cs.niu.edu>
I try to refrain from getting into religious arguments because it is a
sensitive issue and generally not subject to any rational discourse. Pramod
Mishra's articles and responses by Tilak and Lokendra prove my point. But
being a person who loves a good argument any time, I could not resist jumping
into the fray and offer this critique of Mishra's articles.
It is hard to find flaw with Mishra's basic thesis, which seems to be that
"Hinduism practices double standard and is biased against women". The problem
with this statement to many of the readers, I think, is not that it is wrong
in what it says but in what it does not say. By mentioning Hinduism, and
Hinduism only, it seems to imply that this is not so in other religions,
which obviously is untrue. This may explain the knee-jerk reactions made by
some against Mishra's articles.
I am much impressed by Mishra's erudition and agree with much of the
substance of his articles. The problem I have is with the style which is
highly provocative (perhaps deliberately so) and pompous ("Buddha tried to
reform Hinduism, so did Sankhya and Charvak and now it is my turn...", or
explaining authoritatively in one sentence the reason for demise of Hinduism
in Indonesia and Cambodia). Making provocative statements is a standard tool
of extremists (as a statement like "All men are rapists" made by extremist
feminists) and is sometimes even necessary to arouse people's awareness.
Perhaps this is the motivation of Mishra, in which case I wish him all the
success, but if he sincerely believes in statements like in a Hindu society
" .. a father is a daughter's first enemy.." and " a Hindu woman is not
allowed to laugh..." then one has to wonder about the sincerity and
seriousness of the articles.
There are methodological problems with his analysis as well. To give one
example, the title of his article is "Women in Hinduism", whereas the sample
he chooses to prove his points seems to include only "parbate" brahmins, who
make a very small portion of Hindus the world over. I say that he seems only
to consider "parbate" practices from the example he cites regarding
initiation rite of Menstruation. To my knowledge, this practice of
incommunicado "gupha basne" is practiced only among "parbates"; the Newars do
it also but theirs happens before first menstruation among groups of young
girls and appears to be a truly festive occasion (Newar women who have had
personal experience on this could perhaps shed some light on this matter). I
have not heard of this practice among "madises" or Indians. Even among
"parbates" this practice seems to be dying, not because of any "consciousness
raising" by the ilks of Mishra but the practical difficulty associated with
stopping daughters from going to school for twenty days and finding a room at
a neighbor's. Even the now almost dead practice of making women effectively
"untouchable" for four days during routine menstruation used to be practiced
by "parbates" only. In the rest of the Hindu society that I know they were
only barred from kitchen and worship rites. Not that I am supporting this
practice in any sense, but I just want to point out that one has to be
careful before indicting a religion practiced by more than half a billion
people.
Mishra articles are also full of provocative and exaggerated statements. Does
Mishra truly believe that by going through the menstruation rite, girls are
"convinced that they are a vessel, a medium, a seed pot or a flowerbed"
literally or metaphorically? I have not met a single woman who is convinced
of that; the closest one can come to such a woman is in the centerfolds of
Playboy. And I am amazed to learn from Mishra that the purpose of shaving my
head during my "bratbandh" was to make me look as "bad-looking" (a strange
choice of words) as you can get? Hell, I thought I looked pretty cool, except
for that "tuppi" of course. Neither did I feel that I am made for "abstract,
spiritual, transcendent contemplation and for high virtue of unflinching
bravery, indomitable courage, rock-solid manly dignity '. Wow! all this and
all I was contemplating during the bratbandh was "when does the damn thing
end so that I get something to eat".
The discrimination against women is real and is a serious problem in Nepal
and all over the world. We should all be aware of our own biases and
prejudices and try to raise a society where no one is discriminated because
of gender, caste, race etc. Mishra has raised an important issue which needs
to be discussed. Perhaps he thinks he can achieve this only by using
hyperboles and provoking us; he may be right. Or perhaps he has been bitten
badly by the "over-analyzing" bug which runs rampant in American academia. In
any case, lighten up a little Mishraji.
*************************************************************
From: agr679@aberdeen.ac.uk
Subject: Re: The Nepal Digest - Aug 18, 1994 (5 Bhadra 2051 BkSm)
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 10:32:25 +0100 (BST)
Dear Editor,
I will be here in Aberdeen until the end of January 1995. Therefore, I will
appreciate your cooperation to mail to me all your new edition of "The Nepal
Digest".
Sincerely yours.
BB Kshatri.
***************************************************************
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
From: DASpencer@erdw.ethz.ch (David A. Spencer)
Subject: KURA_KANI: Education
HimNet (Himalayan Network) is an E-Mail Internet link for any
researcher working in the Himalayan countries of Pakistan, India, Tibet
(China), Nepal and Bhutan. A news / discussion digest is sent to all those
who are subscribed. HimNet is a "moderated" mailing list and aims to
provide: conference details, list of latest Himalayan papers published in
scientific journals, Himalayan magazine announcements, job vacancies with
Himalayan interest, news from the Himalayan regions, scientific research
information and news about anything related to the Himalayas. Back issues
of the HimNet Numbers are available from the coordinator.
If you would like to subscribe to the HimNet Mailing List, send an
E-Mail to: HimNet@erdw.ethz.ch with the command:
Coordinator: Dr. David A. Spencer (DASpencer@erdw.ethz.ch)
Geologisches Institut, ETH-Zentrum, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
*************************************************************
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 1994 22:05:53 EDT
To: a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu
From: tuladhar@titan.ucs.umass.edu (S TULADHAR)
Subject: TV Channels In Nepal
As of June 13, 1994 - THE KATHMANDU POST - the Nepalese, especially
from Kathmandu Valley, enjoys the following TV Channels:
Channel Broadcast Time
NTV(Nepal TV) 07:00 - 08:00
18:00 - 23:00
Star Plus 24 Hours
BBC 24 Hours
CHANNEL V 24 Hours
ZEE TV 14:15 - 01:00
PRIME SPORTS 24 Hours
Star Plus is broadcasted from Hong Kong, Zee TV from India,
Prime Sports from Australia.
Above channels sport the programs: Santa Barbara, Donahue,
World News (Every Hours from BBC), The Bold & Beautiful,
Force Five, World Business Hours, Sophia, Indian movies
and serials fron Zee TV, Soccer, Golf, Billiard, Wrestling, etc.
A Typical Daily Program of NTV(June 13, 1994)
Morning Program
07:00 Opening with Sadhana Sangam
07:15 Gillette Sports
07:40 News
Evening Program
18:00 Openign followed by Educational Programme
18:30 Gillette Sports
19:05 News
19:45 Sangeet Sandyha
20:30 News
21:00 Pakistini Tele Serial 'Sikast-E-Aarjoo'(Part 10)
21:50 Hamro Sampada Prastar Murtikala (Documentary)(Episode 5)
22:15 News in English
The above listings are as of June 13, 1994. It may have changed
now. The communication is changing very rapidely in Nepal,
especially in TV. I heard from a recent traveller to Nepal that
Nepalese can watch music video 24 hours and is very popular.
He observed that most of the roofs of the Kathmandu homes are
attired with Satellite Disks.
*********************************************************************
Date: Sat, 03 Sep 1994 15:20:47 EDT
To: a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu
From: rshresth@black.clarku.edu (RaJesh B. Shrestha)
Subject: Panchayat is still here, stupid!!!
Today we can talk ,write & protest in Nepal. If we compare the
panchyat system & the present democratic system the only difference we can
find is the freedom of speech. In Panchyat we had no right to talk
against the government. After the sacrifice of many Nepali sons we just
got the right to protest. To be honest, the people in Kathmandu valley
played the vital role in bringing the change in Nepal. The rest of the
nation had not been affected. It was hard to find many instances of
protests and demonstrations outside the Valley. Most People still do not
know the meaning of democracy, and their rights and obligations in it. In
such a condition it is hard to preserve a democracy. We have a long way
to go. To achieve the countrys' long term goals, things should change
towards better. On the contarary, everything is getting worst and worst.
Every aspects of development has been devastated. Kathmandu, the capital
is like hell now. Even the supply of drinking water is irregular & dirty;
hospitals are over crowded; the daily life is catastrophic in Kathmandu
valley. In such a serious times the congressi government is busy with
corruption. All government offices have same bureaucrats & same system.
The corruption has increased. For example the P.M. Girija & his family
were poor before he came in power. Right now he has captured a lot of land
& properties. They are now multi-millionors. I don't think they got all
that wealth in just four years from the meager government salary the PM
and other member of his family get. In other countries people enter into
politics after a long run of success in other fields or because they want
to public servents. But in Nepal, people enter into politics after they
have failed in every field, and then enter make money. As a result they
become corrupt. At last, all I want to say is what right do we have to
criticized past panches, when our present conduct is worse than theirs ?
If we want our country developed, then we have to do politics on moral
ground. The rule & regulation should be tough for every body. We are
stupid if we think "Panchyat" is gone, because more than anything else
"Panchayat" was an attitude and we haven't lost it a bit.
Dil Basnet
Alliance For Nepal
**************************************************************
Date: Sat, 03 Sep 1994 15:23:59 EDT
To: a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu
Subject: arun 3 crackdown
Subject: Arun 3 Spawns Terror Attacks
World Bank Backgrounder #38
Nepali Citizens Terrorized For Asking Too Many
Questions About Proposed World Bank Dam
Nepali citizens who dare question a proposed World Bank
hydroelectric project in the Himalayan Kingdom are being
physically intimidated by what some are calling a government
sponsored mob.
Last month, a judge, two university professors and three
other members of the Arun Public Commission, formed by Nepali
non-governmental organizations to conduct an independent
investigation into the controversial Arun III dam project in the
remote Arun Valley, were assaulted in their office by 60
terrorists led by a government official.
And because the well-known attackers made no attempt to
conceal their identities, dam opponents believe the mob members
may be protected from police action by the Nepali government.
After being manhandled to the floor, the commissioners were
warned to stop holding hearings or expect further attacks against
them and other NGOs that oppose the dam, including the Arun
Concerned Group and the International Institute for Human Rights,
Environment and Development (INHURED).
"Hell is breaking loose over this $770-million dam project in
Nepal," said John Thibodeau, a researcher for Probe
International. "Despite recent talk about reform, World Bank
officials are ready to finance the environmentally disastrous
Arun III dam, and thugs are trying to make things easier by
silencing local opposition. Like the Bank-backed Narmada dam
project in India, force is being used to manage a public
relations nightmare."
The World Bank, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this
year, was created in 1944 at the Bretton Woods conference in New
Hampshire, where leaders from around the world met to plan the
postwar international monetary system. Since then, the
institution has often been criticized for funding what Probe
International calls the "underside" of foreign aid.
World Bank officials have said the 201-megawatt Arun project
would serve twice as many people who currently have access to
electricity in Nepal, and allow the country to export surplus
power to India. Critics, however, argue that less harmful
alternatives are being ignored and that the dam would cause
irreversible damage to six major ecological zones and one of the
area's few remaining pristine forests. They also say that a
planned 122-km access road would have a devastating cultural
impact on the region's 500,000 indigenous people.
These dam-critics point to an environmental assessment, conducted
by the Asian Development Bank, which concludes that the Arun
project would cause severe erosion, stream disruptions, floods,
land slides, and the diminution of the valley's rich
biodiversity.
Critics also note that independent studies by international and
Nepali experts have proposed smaller scale and cheaper hydro
projects that would pose fewer economic, environmental and social
problems.
Members of the Arun Concerned Group met in July with World Bank
officials in Washington to try to stop the institution from
lending $140 million to the Nepali government, which has
disobeyed a Nepali Supreme Court order to release relevant
documents to the group.
The activists also wanted to learn what Bank management thought
about the project's size and environmental and cultural impacts,
but Probe International says the Bank has a history of ignoring
human rights and environmental issues.
"The World Bank doesn't have a good track record," Mr. Thibodeau
said. "In fact, World Bank President Lewis Preston recently said
he wasn't ashamed of the Bank's involvement in Narmada, and that
project has displaced thousands and killed four young children."
Donal O'Leary, the Bank's project task manager, told the Nepali
citizens that the World Bank is not in the business of
"negotiating" its projects with the people they affect, said
sources present at the Washington meeting. And the frustrated
Arun Concerned Group left the U.S. capital under the impression
that the loan was a done deal.
"We wanted to meet and talk to Bank management, but they did not
really give us their opinions. It seemed more like a public
relations exercise to me," said Gopal Shivakoti, a member of the
Nepali group. "It is useless to talk about public participation
since there is nothing in which to participate as a result of the
absence of relevant information."
According to Lori Udall, Washington bureau chief of the
International Rivers Network, the World Bank has sent another
mission to Nepal, postponing the decision about whether to fund
the project until November.
Ms. Udall, who was in Nepal when the commissioners were attacked,
has written a protest letter to Nepali Prime Minister Girija
Prasad Koirala. "We strongly urge your government to ensure that
these threats do not recur and that the safety and security of
all individuals and organizations raising questions about Arun
III project is ensured," she wrote.
The governments of Japan and Germany are also considering
financing the project.
-30-
For more information contact John Thibodeau, Probe International,
Canada, at 416-964-3675 ext. 235.
*********************************************************
Date: Sat, 03 Sep 1994 15:26:06 EDT
To: a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu
From: rajendra@coos.dartmouth.edu (Rajendra P. Shrestha)
Subject: Re: arun 3 crackdown
I deplore the acts of violence carried out against opponents of the
project. Such acts are not befitting to a democratic
society. Decisions should be made through dialogue and consensus, not
violence. This is not to say I agree with the anti-Arun people. In
fact I find arguments such as the one quoted above highly
objectionable.
As the quote above claims, the access road would harm the
native people of the region. I can understand environmentalists
opposing dams (the actual Arun project), but it is beyond me why
the're opposing building the road (and, by extension, all roads in
mountaineous regions since one could claim that all such regions have
fragile ecology). They claim it'll harm the natives. Have they gone
and asked the people in that region what they think of the road? I can
confidently claim that 99% of the people there WANT that road
built. Most also want the Arun-3 project (which is why UML hasn't
opposed the project) but it wouldn't be wrong to claim that almost ALL
want the road. It is therefore ridiculous for the environmentalists to
oppose the road on the grounds of helping the indigenous people. Or,
do they think that they know what the people there want far better
than the local people themselves? Of course, the road would have
significant "cultural impact" (as well as economic impact) but will
that be "devastating"? I don't thinks so. Do we have the right to deny
the people there modern economic and material benefits in the name of
preserving their culture? Shouldn't they have the say?
Just musing.
********************************************************************
Date: Mon, 05 Sep 1994 10:38:44 PDT
To: A10RJS1@cs.niu.edu
From: d3h549@grouse.pnl.gov (Bill Reid)
Subject: Info re self
I'm a plant ecologist and mechanical engineer with long experience in
both academia and industry. Currently, I am working with biological
resources management at the Hanford Site in Washington State (U.S.A.),
climatic change studies and habitat analyis by G.I.S. at a nearby
training area. I love the great mountains and great people and great
ideas.
*****************************************************************
Date: Mon, 05 Sep 1994 21:07:34 EDT
To: a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu
From: rana@milori.ccit.arizona.edu (VIVEK S. RANA)
Subject: The Struggle for Democracy in Nepal
Title: The struggle for democracy in Nepal
-----------------------------------
Source : Green Left Weekly
On August 19 the Nepalese government arrested some 3000
political activists including the parliamentary
representatives and national leaderships of the major
opposition parties and the head of the student's federation
and the womens' movement.
The mass arrests follow the King's unconstitutional
dissolution of Parliament on July 10 and the formation, by
the sacked Prime Minister, of an interim council of
ministers. Tens of thousands of people took part in the
third general strike to sweep the country since then.
Activists fear that the move signals a return to a form of
one-party rule similar to the Panchayat system imposed by
the King of Nepal in 1960. Under Panchayat all opposition
parties were banned and the Parliament was dissolved.
RAJAN BHATTARAI, a member of the All Nepal National
Federation of Student Unions (ANNFSU) and the Asian Students
Association International Secretariat, attended the Students
Science and Sustainability Conference in Sydney in July for
the Asian Students Association. Green Left Weekly's MICHAEL
TARDIF talked to him about the struggle for democracy in
Nepal.
Question: The current constitutional crisis has focused
attention on the mass campaign for democratic rights. What
are the origins of this movement?
Nepal's mass movements, an exceptionally strong political
force, include all sectors of the population. This has been
the case since the 1950s. It was particularly the case in
the 1960s despite the repression after King Mahendra Bir
Bikran Shah Deva dissolved the parliament and banned all
political parties imposing the Panchayat system.
Despite this setback, the mass organisations continued
underground, especially at the local level. It was this
which led to the overthrow the King and the establishment of
limited democratic rights.
In 1990, the King was forced to grant some concessions after
a massive 50-day campaign. All the left parties, mass
organisations, youth, trade unions and even some of the
bourgeois politicians who were against the absolute monarchy
came together to organise strikes and other mass actions.
During this period, more than 500 people were killed and
over 50,000 arrested before the King finally agreed to
dissolve the Panchayat system. An interim government was
formed between the Congress Party and the Communist Party of
Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) [CPN (UML)]. National
elections, widely believed to be rigged, resulted in a
Congress Party government.
Question: Besides campaigns for basic democratic rights
people have raised a range of economic demands. How has this
helped shape the movements in Nepal today?
The impact of the programs of the International Monetary
Fund and the World Bank have been very severe for many
countries. The campaigns against these international
agencies in South Asia are very political.
In Nepal the left has been campaigning against the
government's economic program for two years. This has
centred around the economic programs of the IMF and the
World Bank, including the privatisation of industry,
unemployment and an annual inflation rate of 200-300%.
The left and the peoples' organisations have been demanding
the resignation of the Prime Minister G.P. Koirala,
particularly since the debacle of the Tanak Pur Dam, a World
Bank project on the border with India. The resources
harnessed by the dam were supposed to be shared equally
between our two countries, but Koirala signed them all to
India. The people have demanded that this agreement be
retracted.
This has even caused splits within the ruling party,
resulting in some members also calling for Koirala's
resignation.
Question: And this is the issue that has led to the
constitutional crisis and to the most recent mass campaigns?
Yes, when the voting took place on the annual budget of the
government more than 40 of the ruling parliamentarians
crossed the floor and voted with the Communist Party against
Koirala's program. Following this, he resigned and asked for
a mid-term poll. The King is supposed to ask the second
biggest party - the Communist Party - to form the
government. Two days after Koirala's resignation the King
unilaterally dissolved parliament. Since the collapse of the
Panchayat system the King has been trying to control the new
parliament. This is a very sensitive issue because it is
exactly what happened in 1960 when the King first imposed
the Panchayat system which lasted until 1990.
All over the country people are coming onto the streets and
saying that this is a conspiracy, another attempt by the
King to regain power.
Question: The significant electoral gains made by the ANC in
South Africa and the Workers Party in Brazil have spurred on
debate about the parliamentary struggle. How has the Left
approached this in Nepal?
I think the basic question is still the class question.
Class contradictions are still the main contradictions in
society. While there are different classes in society there
is no way to fundamentally change the social and economic
structure of society. At the moment we are using the
parliament as a tactic, but this doesn't mean that we can
continue with that.
One CPN (UML) leader was giving a speech at a mass rally and
he said that the struggle of the movements and the left not
only depends on how the left operates, but also on how the
reactionary forces respond. If they respond violently, then
we have to defend ourselves. At the moment they have not
chosen that as their principal path. Now, while we have the
opportunity, we are emphasising the need for militant mass
movements. In this context the parliamentary tactic is
secondary. The primary struggle is the mass movement
struggle.
Question: What led to the formation of the Communist Party
of Nepal Unified Marxist Leninist and what impact has this
had on the left in Nepal?
It is a very good example of how the left can work together
despite having different perspectives on certain issues.
There are many tendencies in the CPN (UML). Democratic
expression is important within the party especially during
the campaign for the party's reunification.
If the left wants to be effective they have to unify. From
the 1970s to the 1990s there were up to 25 small left
groups; most of these came together to form the CPN (UML).
Today the party is very big with a strong mass base,
particularly in the cities.
Question: What sorts of differences did the CPN (UML) have
to overcome?
The left split in the 1960s over the differences between
Russia and China. The debate centred around tactical rather
than strategic points, about how to organise and achieve our
strategy. In the past the two main trends to achieve
revolutionary social change were, either through parliament
or by armed struggle.
Now the left is emphasising the militant mass movements and,
at the same time, using different tactics. They are in the
parliament and also in the street. This emphasis has been
very successful and the left is now able to organise the
majority of the people.
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