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The Nepal Digest Friday 11 Nov 94: Kartik 25 2051 BkSm Volume 33 Issue 8
Today's Topics are:
1. KURA_KANI Politics: Elections
Education: Re: South Asia vs. India Scholar
Re: Education et. all.
Social: Re: Nepali Associations
Cultural: Revisiting the past
2. TAJA_KHABAR News From Nepal
3. KATHA_KABITA Salam
4. Entertainment Humor: Top 10 UML Slogans
Top 10 Why not to write on TND
5. Immigration Article: Issues in USA
6. JAN_KARI Diamond SJB's Novell
*****************************************************************************
* TND Board of Staff *
* ------------------ *
* Editor/Co-ordinator: Rajpal J. Singh a10rjs1@mp.cs.niu.edu *
* SCN Correspondent: Rajesh B. Shrestha rshresth@black.clarku.edu *
* Editing Editor: Padam P. Sharma sharma@plains.nodak.edu *
* Discussion Moderator: Ashutosh Tiwari tiwari@husc.harvard.edu *
* Looking For Correspondent: Sudeep Acharya sa01@engr.uark.edu *
* *
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* Snail-Mail Correspondences to: Rajpal J. Singh *
* Founding-editor/Co-ordinator *
* The Nepal Digest (TND) *
* 502 West Lincoln Highway *
* DeKalb, Illinois 60115, U.S.A. *
* Digest Contributions: NEPAL@MP.CS.NIU.EDU *
* Contributors need to supply Header for the article, email, and full name. *
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* Postings are divided into following categories that are listed in the *
* order below. Please provide category-type in the header of your e-mail. *
* *
* 1. Message from TND Editorial Board *
* 2. Letter to the Editor *
* 3. TAJA_KHABAR: Current News *
* 4. KATHA_KABITA: Literature *
* 5. KURA_KANI: Economics *
* Agriculture *
* Forestry *
* Health *
* Education *
* Technology *
* Social Issues *
* Cultural Issues *
* Environment *
* Tourism *
* Foreign Policy *
* History *
* Military/Police *
* Politics *
* 6. Entertainment (Humor, Recipies, Movie Reviews, Sattaires etc.) *
* 7. JAN_KARI: Classifieds *
* 8. Immigration/Taxes *
* 9. TITAR_BITAR: Miscellaneous *
* *
* The Nepal Digest(TND) is a publication of the Nepal Interest Group for *
* news and discussions about issues concerning Nepal. All members of *
* nepal@cs.niu.edu will get a copy of TND. Membership is open to all. *
* THE EDITOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO EDIT ARTICLES FOR CLARITY. *
* *
* **** COPYRIGHT NOTE **** *
* The news/article posters are responsible for any copyright violations. *
* TND, a non-profit electronic journal, will publish articles that has *
* been published in other electronic or paper journal with proper credit *
* to the original media. *
* *
* +++++ Food For Thought +++++ *
* "If you don't stand up for something, you will fall for anything" - Anon. *
* "Democracy perishes among the silent crowd" - Sirdar_RJS_Khalifa *
* *
*****************************************************************************
**********************************************************************
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 1994 17:59:54 -0500
From: rshresth@black.clarku.edu (RaJesh B. Shrestha)
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Lesbian and gay immigrants/refugees who utilize public benefits
programs in the USA
I am a law student in Seattle. I am in a law clinic for
immigrants and refugees who require legal assistance with public
entitlements. Each of us have to do a special project. I would like
to do my project on public entitlement issues that gay and lesbian
immigrants face. I am not clear what the issues are, what the
population is composed of, what issues this population faces
concerning public entitlements.
I am speculating that many of the issues will depend on
the culture that the immigrant or refugee came from. I also
speculate that many of the issues will be common for immigrants
and refugees.
For example does social isolation from their culture for
being gay occur? What about family isolation? Does this affect
their resources or access to resources? Does limited English also
isolate them from the dominant gay and lesbian culture? What
about agencies that assist these populations? Have they
discriminated against gay and lesbian immigrants or refugees?
Does this affect their ability to immigrate? Are there public
charge issues that dramatically affect gay and lesbian
immigrants? What are peoples experience with the INS, Social
Security, Welfare, employment security departments, etc. What
about bilingual services? Are their issues concerning
confidentiality breaches from providers of services? What areas
of the law can be modified to assist this population? What about
health care issues? AIDS? Has the Lesbian and Gay community
addressed any of the needs that gay and lesbian immigrants face?
Can you think of any issues or concerns of lesbian and gay
immigrants or refugees that I might have missed concerning
public entitlements?
I know a few lesbian and gay immigrants. The
immigrants I know are in the closet. Still being gay has a
significant social impact, even if they stay in the closet all their
life. The individuals I personally know do not have issues
concerning public entitlements. Although there are many issues
gay and lesbian immigrants face, I am not sure how large a
population is affected by public entitlements and if their are any
special concerns surrounding public entitlements. I speculate that
social isolation(or the treat of social isolation if discovered) from
both the persons culture and the dominate lesbian/gay community
(related to limited English speaking skills) could put someone in a
difficult position requiring special attention.
There are many new issues coming up concerning
immigration and how the law affect gay and lesbians. For
example, immigration law usually refers to state law to define
what constitutes a marriage, if Hawaii makes same sex marriage
legal, then lesbian and gay American citizens partner would no
longer be denied the immigration benefit heterosexuals citizens
enjoy. Also, I have heard that Janet Reno has recognized
oppression of homosexuals as a grounds for political asylum, and
that there was a successful case up in Canada concerning political
asylum for a homosexual man. My main interest is how gay and
lesbian immigrants are affected by public entitlement, but I am
also interested in any comments you have about immigration in
general.
Any input you have would be of great interest to me. All
respondents identities will be kept confidential unless stated
specifically I can share the information.
Thanks, Cricket Fauska
*********************************************************************
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 1994 18:04:56 -0500
From: rshresth@black.clarku.edu (RaJesh B. Shrestha)
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Follow-up to the thread of South-Asian vs. Indian scholar title
> Are these "South-Asia"... things but pontificial names for the "indian"
> thing.
Despite the defence of Prof. White, absolutely correct.
Also, these people are so enamored of local cultures, romanticising our
poverty and the backward and shallow aspects of our cultures.
They collect art, local handicrafts and are quite quaint in the local
costumes and customs. For that they are feted by the elite on whose tall
tales and generosity they base their careers (emma Duncan etc.)
Our bilateral and multilateral donor grants that are supposed to develop
our insitutions and our human capital are used by these people for their
journey through quaintland.
The result is that there appears to be no work done on these countries
other than by the South Asianologists. They do feel the need to meet the
local talent other than in elite drawing rooms. Nor do they feel the
need to read understand or quote the local talent, But of course their
incestuous relationship with the few of their local kind is wonderful.
As evidence, let me say that I know a number of darlings of the South
Asianlologists in Paksitan who are rich and well known because they
recieve every South Asianologist and hold dinners and parties etc. for
them. Unfortunately, these prople have no degrees no publications, no
merit. But in this new era of the "brave white hunter" int eh form of a
south asianologist they do not need one.
****************************************************************
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 1994 18:05:40 -0500
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
From: <C31CC@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Re: education et.al.
Although I am quite unaware of the policies etc. in operation of BKS, what
I seem to presume is that the "foreign aid", in this case the money granted
by the British gov't, is intended specifically for the use in implementing
BKS programs.
How could it be that the Nepal gov't use that money towards other "needed
programs" that you seem to want, when the donor itself is specific about what
it should be used towards?
Please enlighten me on this aspect with corrections about my presumptions.
--Pradeep Bista, CCNY
*****************************************************************
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 01:46:34 -0500
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
From: pant arun dev <pant@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Re: Education, et al...
I am following up in clarification to an earlier posting on the
subject. I appreciate some of the comments made by Ashutosh Tiwari
though I disagree with some of his observations.
The idea of a balanced approach to resource allocation for educational
development is significant in that it trys to address the lack of
educational infrastructure in a more holistic manner rather than
concentrate on populist statements like 'education for all' given the
bitter fact that the resources available fall pathetically short for such
noble sentiments. This means that it is acceptable(to Nepal's
development efforts) to proportion resources in other ways than the
most physically wide reaching manner -- as long as it is within a
comprehensive national educational framework and that it is aiming
towards some end goal. I doubt that BKS is within this framework
but disagree that government should pull out purely on the basis of
equity considerations. Another way of looking at it is:
a) We have the school
b) It would be inconceivable that under present circumstances,
govt. and private, another such project could be undertaken.
c) Unless it is proven that the school is harming an existing
national education framework, it would be unfair to 'pull the plug
because:
PRIVATIZATION is not a panacea and the 'Invisible Hand' surely does not
take care of everything - even in capitalism. I encourage development of
private sector but given the state of affairs in Nepal I would definitely
be wary of entrusting a good institution to the private sector.
Entrusting BKS to private sector does have a significant difference over
privatising Bansbari Leather Factory - issues other than purely economic
considerations abound.
Arun Pant
pant@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu
**********************************************************************
From: Shailesh R. Bhandari <sbhandar@garnet.acns.fsu.edu>
Subject: Diamond Shamser's Novels
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 10:32:30 -0500 (EST)
>From S. R. Bhandari.
Diamond Shamser's Novels
In response to the inquiry by Sugan, there are more novels by Diamond
Shamser JBR. I do not know the exact number, but it is at least five. The
five novels by the author, which I know are:
1. Basanti
2. Seto Bagh
3. Pratibadhdha
4. Anita
5. Satprayas
I do not know if any of them are translated into English except for Seto
Bagh.
***************************************************************
From: Shailesh R. Bhandari <sbhandar@garnet.acns.fsu.edu>
Subject: Chhoto Kabita
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 10:40:02 -0500 (EST)
SALAAM
Pahile piun laai salam
Ani P.A. laai salam
Hakim laai pani salam
Salam nai salam ta thokiyo
Tara,
Hatma kham thi-e-na,
Tyasaile kam rokiyo.
***********************************************************************
From: Pradhan <Pradhan@delftgeot.nl>
To: Nepal@cs.niu.edu
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 94 18:00:11 MET
Subject: New HydroPower Project in Nepal
Source: Hydropower & Dam
A memorandum of understanding for a 360 Megawatt Hydropower project
signed by Snowey Mountains Engineering Corporation of Australia and
Govt. of Nepal.
The agreement grants SMEC exclusive right to the development through
private investment of US$ 600 million West Seti Project in the far
western development region of Nepal. SMEC will develop the project on
build, own and operate (BOO) basis in conjunctives with the Nepalese,
Indian and Australian interests over 30 years period. It is expected
that the construction of project will take place over an eight to ten
years period.
**********************************************************************
Date: 10 Nov 1994 13:38:24 U
From: "Hridaya Bajracharya" <hridaya_bajracharya@sec.educ.ualberta.ca>
Subject: A response to Helen Abadzi
To: "Nepal Digest" <nepal@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: Time:13:08
OFFICE MEMO A response to Helen Abadzi Date:11/10/94
Reviving Sanskrit in the School: A wish to Live in the Past
Tilak Shrestha brought out some jewels of the old cloth to connect our
heritage to a princely ancestry. The jewels incrested in Sanskrit language
cloth were given a shining by putting them in his English. Without this
English most of the people would have no idea about the jewel and the
wonderful light that they give. Certainly, we must honour Sanskrit language
for being first to hold the jewels for realization by the people who knew
that language. But then mediocrites monopolized the language together with
whatever came with the language seperating them from the mainstream
sociological dynamics of the region where it was born. Both became obsolete
in the process. The tension was already visible at the time of Buddha (2600
B. C.) for Buddha prefered Pali to record the discourses of his time instead
in Sanskrit. Unless one is motivated to endow the wholesale power of making
education an asset for those mediocres there cannot be a desire to revive the
language that has remained enclosed in the books and among the few who still
think living the past glory. The situation of Pali is now no different from
Sanskrit because of the similar trend.
>From education point of view, if current education is to be the vehicle of
transforming current humanity to a more prosperous level through spiritual
and physical development the starting point should be the present and the
orientation should be towards future. Past should be kept in mind to borrow
whatever is useful in the present context. Sanskrit should be systematized
to support the present: it should be a serious area of research and study
open to all the humanity who are interested in unfolding its wisdom and
beauty. It should not come as a "thangneko" burden to the people in general
by making it compulsory, particulary to the young school going children who
have to rote one more unrecognizable mass of words and their grammar which
they cannot transact to keep afresh. Helen Abadzi's correction to Tilak's
Sanskrit would not make any sense to most people who enjoyed the jewel of
vision he unfolded. I doubt if Tilak had learned those slokas in school. I
too am interested in slokas and learn on my own, making their meanings from
the books translated into the languages that I am familiar with or using
dictionaries. In my school time, learing of Sanskrit was a pain and enxiety.
Inspite of much efforts, I did not learn much that time. What I learned
that time from sanskrit was the wonderful stories which our teacher told us
in Nepali. If I were to be intimidated with what positive aspirations I had
towards Sanskrit I would have gone away from it. To be very frank, I still
feel uneasy to talk about the grandios of Sanskrit if someone starts to talk
about grammar and the other ritualistic baggages as if they are the eternal
truths. Helen's pundityain is a kind of intimidation that the self styled
authorities of grammar whether of Sanskrit or of Pali, and of any language
for that matter, had used to turn those great languages into mediocre's group
inheritances. And the suggestion to make Sanskrit a compulsory subject in
the schools has brought lot of conflict between the rationality of human
progress and the political power of authority.
I expect deeper thinking from educational specialists when the issue involves
a search into the past, for a hasty comprehension of the past and an urge to
live in such past have already been creating many of the human sufferings in
the world in the form of wars and other social crisis. Some one with power to
imagine world for others to live in must be very mindful of the situation in
greater depth and details. And of course Tilak has given some windows for
that:
Sarve Api Sukhino Santu.
Let all be happy, healthy and blessed
Samyaktva.
Avoidance of dogmatic, intolerant, harmful attitude.
Iswara Sarvabhootaanaam, Hruddese Arjuna Tishtati.
The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings.
Nasmaste
Hridaya
***************************************************************
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 16:12:20 -0600 (CST)
From: SUDEEP ACHARYA <sa01@engr14.engr.uark.edu>
Subject: Looking for member request
To: The Editor <nepal@cs.niu.edu>
Prabin Shrestha requests Manish Regmi's e-mail address(last time he was in
Kearney,Nebraska) or any Nepali living in Minneapolis.
Kabi Raj Khanal requests e-mail address of Shailesh Bhandari(U.S.), Laxmi
Bilas Acharya(U.K.) would like to get whole
TND subscriber's e-mail address list.
Gyurme Sherpa would like to get all member's e-mail list, and also
Surendra Gurung, Kul Bahadur Thapa, Prajwol Basnet and
Pawan Gurung.
**********************************************************************
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 00:20:43 -0500
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Election monitors assigned
From: rajendra@coos.dartmouth.edu (Rajendra P. Shrestha)
HEADLINE: elections;
Prime minister says election aims to end politics of "anarchy, terror and
vandalism"
SOURCE: Radio Nepal, Kathmandu, in English 1415 gmt 7 Nov 94
BODY:
Excerpts from report
Nepali Congress leader and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala
said that the forthcoming election [on 15th November] aims to put an
end to the politics of anarchy, terror and vandalism and achieve
national upliftment through development. Prime Minister Koirala made
this remark when addressing a mass meeting organised by Nepali
Congress [word indistinct] at (?Tripaklisadh), the (?Nyangdung)
district headquarters, today [7th November].
Prime Minister Koirala called for cooperation of all in conducting
the poll in a free, fair and peaceful manner. Communism, which is
disappearing from the world, can never rise over Nepalese horizon, he
said, and noted that the time has come for the people to be alert
about Rashtriya Prajatantra Party [National Democratic Party], which
is just another name of Panchayat [as heard]...
Likewise, addressing a mass meeting organised by the Nepali
Congress [word indistinct] district working committee at (?Budmul)
today, party president Krishna Prasad Bhattarai observed that except
the Nepali Congress, all other parties going to the hustings now and
calling themselves democrats are either extreme leftists or extreme
rightists. Such forces lead the country on the path of destruction,
not development and caution.
------------------------------------------------------------------
HEADLINE: elections;
Communists claim they will form next government
SOURCE: Radio Nepal, Kathmandu, in English 1415 gmt 7 Nov 94
BODY:
Text of report (FE/2124 A/4 [14])
CPN-UML [Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist-Leninist]
General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, speaking at a programme
organized by the party's [word indistinct] district committee at the
office of the business chamber of commerce and industry yesterday [6th
November], claimed that his party would form the next government. He
also gave the assurance that once voted to power, CPN-UML would take
effective measures in the fields of administration and social works
and [word or words indistinct] the country's development process by
solving trade and industrial problems.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: DPA
HEADLINE: Kathmandu-Lhasa road expected to help transasian trade
BYLINE: By Bernward Krurup
DATELINE: Kodari/Zangmu, Nov 10
BODY:
Those who have seen the border know why trade between India and
China, the most populous states of Asia, is sluggish.
The 1,051-kilometre road between the Nepalese capital Kathmandu
and Lhasa in Tibet is among the most important transcontinental links
between South Asia and China, but there is little trade.
That is because of the miserable condition of the mountainous
hairline stretch between Kodari and Zangmu, the border points between
Nepal and Tibet. But now Nepal and China propose to tackle the
problem.
The one-track muddy "road" between the two towns is a bumpy track
where trucks coming from opposite directions block each other's
way. It climbs steeply from Kodari and nobody seems to look after the
eight-kilometre stretch through the no-man's land between Nepal and
Tibet.
Still there is some trade. A large quantity of garlic from Nepal
seems to be getting sold. Its smell dominates the entire hill. The
truckers, most of them Indian Sikhs, bring Japanese and Chinese
electronic goods on return. All of them seem to act more as smugglers
than as traders.
But all that is expected to change. The well-attended " Nepal
-China-Tibet Economic and Trade Fair" held in Kathmandu from September
18 to 24 opened up new prospects. It followed another fair held two
years ago in Lhasa.
After years of setback and stagnation of Tibet- Nepal trade, the
turnover is increasing again. Nepal mainly exports textiles, wool and
leather goods to Tibet and China and imports in return small
machinery, electronic goods and consumer products.
The governments of the two countries feel that the volume of trade
between them on the road is virtually unlimited. But the condition of
the road reduces to nought all ambitious plans.
In Tibet perhaps about 100 kilometres of the high-mountain stretch
is paved but the condition of the road on the Nepal side is terrible.
Particularly the section of the road between the border and the
Barabishe village consists of a series of potholes. And it takes five
hours to cross the 100 kilometres between the border and Kathmandu.
But still joint meetings of government commissions decided in
August to open the road for heavy vehicles. To ensure that the
decision does not remain only in paper, massive road laying activities
are called for.
But road laying is a politically highly sensitive enterprise in
this part of the world. Above all India suspects that new roads from
the roof of the world to the plains would only be used to bring in
soldiers and military equipment.
"We know how problematic this road is. Nepal cannot afford it
either financially or politically. But China is putting pressure on us
and we will hopefully gain from it without annoying India," says a
Nepalese official. dpa mvb vc ks
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: Xinhua
HEADLINE: 1,025 nepali observers deputed for coming elections
DATELINE: kathmandu, november 10; ITEM NO: 1110085
BODY:
the national election observation committee has deputed a total of
1,025 observers in all the country's 205 constituencies to monitor the
election to the house of representatives on november 15. this was
announced in a statement published here today by the committee, which
consists of representatives of six different human rights
organizations in nepal. co-chairman of the committee bishworkant
mainali said that the task of election observation is to be carried
out as prescribed by the house of representatives election act. over
100 international observers will also be present in about 40 districts
of terai plain in southern nepal, hill and the himalayan regions to
monitor the polls. it was informed that at the request of the
committee, the nepali government has agreed to provide free of charge
visas and other facilities to those international poll observers
coming here for election monitoring.
****************************************************************8
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 17:32:59 -28068930 (<ED)
From: Neeta Pokhrel <s931613@minyos.xx.rmit.EDU.AU>
Sender: Neeta Pokhrel <s931613@minyos.xx.rmit.EDU.AU>
Subject: Why would I rather not write to TND...ten reasons.
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
10. How would I justify to Gyaneswor Pokhrel," look!! I am NOT one of
those okay!!!" (you know.., G.K's relative or beneficiaries) ????
9. I'd rather practice my nepalese 'pani padhera' custom. (sit and bitch
about which nepalese girl/guy is going out with who, who's what..and bla..bla)
8. I don't have a thesauraus. (as I'll be getting hundreds of contraries,
arguments and all those...& to be able to defend myself, I'll need
that....the complexity of most TND articles is beyond me)
7. I have no idea whats happening back home. So, all I am left with is
copying chunks out of Himal (as thats the only one I get), which neither
Kanak Mani Dixit would appreciate nor TND viewers, who must have better
access to it than me.
6. I wouldn't wanna give a public statement globally nor would I wanna further
diagnose the minutely diagosed feedbacks on my poor little comment by the
super elites out there. ( how can I not continue the trend??!!)
5. I wouldn't be able to handle my nak..'Bahun ko nak aesai ta....' as I
could get as popular as Gyaneswor Pokhrel and ATuladhar.
4. I wouldn't wanna show everyone that I like yaping and would like to
make heaps of E-mail friends as it might loose my cool.
3. I would rather spend hours gossiping on I.R.C. about the trash of the
century 'Models Inc.' & hmm!..Keanu Reeves and his guy rumours!!!??
2. I would rather keep away from the Ramayans and Purans on 'how obscene
is @@##$$? word', 'Household expressions vs. Industrial
expressions'! & etc..etc..(Gee! nice argumentative bunch we are, aren't we?)
1. Why would I bother anyway? (just for the hell of it, since I ran out
of reasons)
I here is generalised, doesn't mean 'literally I' as in me.
P.S.:- Dear folks!
This is NOT anything serious or a public statement. I
liked Ahsutosh's idea (thanks Ashu! we DID need something light on TND),
so just for the fun of it, scribbled down whatever popped in my head at
this time. Its only meant to be a joke (not that its funny, but
anyway.....). So, please do not diagnose this poor little achey breaky
one.. and no offence to anyone, okay!!!!!
Love
Neeta.
*****************************************************************
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 94 15:20:28 EST
From: madhav.pandey@sfwmd.gov (Madhav Pandey)
To: rshresth@black.clarku.edu
Subject: WHATE IS LIFE ?
Life is a challenge Meet it
Life is a gift Accept it
Life is an adventure Dare it
Life is a sorrow Overcome it
Life is a tragedy Face it
Life is a duty Perform it
Life is a game play it
Life is a mystery Unfold it
Life is song Sing it
Life is an opertunity Take it
Life is a journey Complete it
Life is a promise Fulfill it
Life is a love Enjoy it
Life is a beauty Praise it
Life is a spirit Realize it
Life is a struggle Fight it
Life is a puzzle Solve it
Life is a goal Achieve it
(from Bhagvat Gita)
*****************************************************************
From: Looja Ratna Tuladhar <looza@leland.Stanford.EDU>
To: The Nepal Digest <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: Entrance Rules of Hindu Temples
Dear Editor,
I have been following the ongoing TND debate about the entrance of non
hindus in hindu temples and have finally decided to jump into the pit.
Last week somebody pointed out that we should not let muslims, christians
et cetera in our temples as they do not let non-hindus enter their places
of worship.
That sounds like a pretty bad argument to me. They are not letting us in,
so we should not be letting us in. Two wrongs do not make a right. If
everybody thought that way I hate to imagine what the world would look like.
Sharing is better.
Nuff said.
Looja Tuladhar.
**********************************************************************
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 11:36:18 -0500 (EST)
From: Ashutosh Tiwari <tiwari@husc.harvard.edu>
Subject: HUMOR: TND TOP TEN (List Number 3)
To: The Nepal Digest <nepal@cs.niu.edu>
Top Ten
Election Slogans SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED by the Politburo
of the Communist Party of Nepal-- United Marxist Leninist
10. Hey, Ho, Haa ! Vote Against Koirala!
09. Hey, Ho, Ho! Girija's got to go!!
08. You dig violence? So do we.
Come on out everybody with your khukuri;
We're gonna have a funky time!!
07. You may say that communism has failed around the globe. But
don't believe the capitalist media. Russia will rise up! And
so will we. Just shut up and vote for us.
06. Tyag, tapasya, sangharsha and bali-daan -- we have them all
on sale.
[discounts available if you're buying in bulk; compare
the prices of same goods with those evil Congressis!!]
05. Marx is our guru; Lenin's our master
Mao's our friend and Stalin's our hero
What're their ghosts doing in Nepal, mister?
Don't ask! Our own understanding is absolutely zero
04. Vote for us, and we'll turn Nepal into the post-cold war
Soviet Union of the South Asia.
03. We've waited three long years. Now it's our turn to empty the
foreign aid into our pockets. After all, it's only fair that
we do it, hai na ta?
02. We are not really communists; we're just drawn that way!
01. If you don't believe in Marxism, then vote for us. Because
neither do we!! [Like those Congressis, we believe only in
in "afnai pet bhar.nay" kaam".]
Next time: Top Ten reasons to read/ contribute TO or laugh at or be annoyed
with the TND Top Ten List.
Send in your comments, lists, parodies, criticisms etc etc etc to TND
namaste
ashu
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Date: 11 Nov 94 11:58:05 EST
From: "Chitra K. Tiwari" <74641.3624@compuserve.com>
To: <nepal@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: Hung-Parliament? Monkey-House??
Message-Id: <941111165804_74641.3624_BHW52-1@CompuServe.COM>
ELECTIONS IN NEPAL: A PROGNOSTIC SURVEY
By Chitra K. Tiwari, Ph.D.
Nepali people will line-up to elect 205 members of parliament on Tuesday,
November 15.
Many independent observers and sources close to diplomatic establishments in
Kathmandu are predicting a hung parliament (monkey-house!). They have observed
indifference among the ordinary people. The voter turn-out is likely to be less
by at least
5 percentage point this year compared to the 1991 election in which 65 percent
people
had voted.
NC party's three year old government is a study in political turmoil, reeling
from charges
of corruption, incompetence and nepotism. Supporters and critics both argue that
the NC
government committed many of the same blunders that contributed to the downfall
of
democracy in 1960. The party did not learn lessons from the past. Political
analysts point
out to miserable condition of government. There is a tremendous law and order
problem,
violation of human rights, corruption, nepotism and gross mismanagement of the
economy and the entire country. The party's supremo, Ganesh Man Singh, has
resigned
from the party arguing that PM Koirala will tamper the votes. Although Mr.
Singh's
following in the party is marginal, he still commands the moral authority. His
resignation
will hurt the party in the polls.
Many observers are predicting a hung-parliament in the aftermath of elections
and the
political instability as a result. A total of 71 political parties emerged
following the
announcement of the elections but the election commission declined registration
of 6
parties on grounds they were communal and sectarian. Of the 65 registered only
25
parties have fielded their candidates for a 205 member lower house of
parliament. There
are 1,443 candidates out of which 384 are independents.
In 1991 elections there were 1,345 candidates out of which 219 were
independents. Only
40 parties were registered then but only 20 had fielded candidates. Of the 20
parties only
8 parties had succeeded to win seats ranging from one to 110. The Nepali
Congress
Party receiving the majority seats had formed the government.
Reports coming from Nepal clearly spells for a three-way contest in many
constituencies
between the NC, UML and RPP. Other parties may emerge here and there but they
have
no national significance.
Questions have been raised whether the elections to be held under Prime Minister
Koirala will be fair and impartial. The attentive public has clearly seen Prime
Minister
Girija Koirala's manipulation of the government owned media such as the Radio
Nepal,
the Nepal TV, the Gorkhapatra and the Rising Nepal. In addition to media
manipulation,
the government also is misusing public resources. Official vehicles, openly used
in the
beginning, are now being converted into private vehicles with phony license
plates. Royal
Nepali Army resources were blatantly misused by Mr. Koirala when he flew in
their
helicopter to make campaign speeches in several districts. Despite Election
Commission's appeal to abide by the Code of Conduct the Girija government is
continuously bulldozing. A 400-member National Election Observation
Committee(NEOC)
has been formed to monitor the impartiality of elections. NEOC also is
coordinating the
visit of 100 international observers and has despatched more than 1000 domestic
observers in several districts. Given the bulldozing attitude of Koirala
government, the job
of domestic as well as international observers (actually, electoral tourists!)
is likely to be
very tough.
While all political parties in Nepal suffer from internal division, the division
and rift within
the Nepali Congress is highly pronounced. Prime Minister Koirala's faction is
not happy
at all with official list of NC candidates issued by President Bhattarai because
the list
contains 36 dissident members who had pulled Koirala's leg. President Bhattarai,
on the
other hand, is accused of distributing party tickets to Koirala supporters in
unfavorable
constituencies. The NC's former Supremo, Ganesh Man Singh, is supporting the
dissident candidates in 60 constituencies. These dissidents are expected to give
tough
fight to NC's official candidates. About 10 of them are expected to win while
the other 50
have MAD (mutually assured destruction) capability.
Prime Minister Koirala, too, has fielded his own dissidents against the "group
of 36" listed
in official party list. Many independent observers are predicting that the NC
will hardly
bag one-third of the parliamentary seats (68 seats) and hence will be unable to
form the
government even in coalition with other parties.
The Nepal Communist Party (Unified Marxist & Leninist-UML), too, is divided
between
majority and minority groups. One of its leader belonging to minority group,
Mohan
Chandra Adhikary, has left the party accusing the leadership for bowing to royal
palace.
But his exit from the party is not likely to hurt the party as much as it was
expected in the
beginning. In fact, the UML is expected to emerge as a larger party with about
95 seats.
The third major party in the dissolved parliament with 9 seats, the United
People's
Front(UPF) has split into two factions. One faction led by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai
has
advocated boycott of elections while the other faction led by N. G. Vaidhya is
participating. Because of the split this party is likely to lose about 6 of its
earlier seats
saving only 3 seats.
The fourth party in the dissolved parliament with 6 seats, the Sadvavana Party,
too, is
split. Some of its leaders have deserted the party to join the Nepali Congress.
Nonetheless, this party is expected to win 2 seats. Sadvabana party's platform
is
overshadowed by Republican Janabadi Morcha, which is expected to make fresh gain
of about 3 seats.
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), a party of erstwhile absolute monarchists,
is
expected to do much better this time. The party leadership expects to bag as
many as
40 seats, but knowledgeable observers believe that RPP which was routed in 1991
elections with only four seats could win as many as 15 seats.
Masal, considered to the extreme Maoist underground party, is expected to win 5
seats.
Masal's strength is concentrated around Rapti and Dhaulagiri Zones.
Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party is expected to maintain its previous strength
of 2
seats.
Nepal National Liberation Front, an ethnic party led by Gore Bahadur Khapangi,
is likely
to make fresh gain of 2 seats from eastern mountain constituencies.
In fact, the NCP(UML), with an organized cadre base, is expected to emerge as a
larger
party. Some even believe that NCP(UML) will capture majority. A strong feeling
is
emerging in the country to allow communists to run the government. The point in
such
feelings is that Nepal has already experienced the mismanaged rule of both the
royalists(
panchas) and the NC party but the country has never tested the ruling capability
of the
communists. Moreover, the UML has turned itself into a social-democratic party
in
everything but in name. The party has no flavor of classical communism in the
tradition
of Stalin and Mao although it continues to call itself a party of Marxist and
Leninists.
Foreign powers, especially India and Western donor countries, are nervously
observing
the political developments in Nepal. They are nervous in the possibility of
UML's
emergence. Indian journalists and columnists with close connections at New
Delhi's
South Block have begun writing articles in Indian dailies such as the Times of
India and
the Hindustan Times with a clear intention to boost the morale of the Koirala
faction of
the Nepali Congress. About 10 days ago an Indian Army General visited Pokhara
and
distributed about 10 thousand blankets to the families of ex-Gorkhas. (This is
not a
rumor.) Indian sensitivities have grown due to UML's campaign promise to review
all
unequal treaties, including the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship.
The rumors have persisted in Nepal that the agents of India's intelligence
agency, the
RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), are telling ex-Gorkhas to vote for NC. There
is yet
another rumor, which perhaps and hopefully may be a cynical one, that some
conspirators are conspiring for a Burmese scenario of not handing over the power
in the
event of leftist forces' victory in the elections.
Even if the NCP(UML) emerges victorious in the elections, the status-quo is not
likely to
change. The UML has now changed itself into a social democratic party except in
name.
There is a current inside the party for a change in the name of the party to
reflect its
latest political programs. The UML, in fact, has taken over NC's ideology of
democratic
socialism. The party has accepted monarchy and has vowed to maintain good
relations
with India. The leaders of the UML party are vigorously engaged to convince the
western
donor representatives, including that of the United States, that the communist
government will play by the rules of democracy and respect human rights. If the
UML can
prove its intentions after couple months of coming to power, the relevancy of NC
which
has already eroded in the domestic context, is likely to erode in regional and
international
context, too.
************************************************************************
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 11:15:31 -0600
From: neup2011@mach1.wlu.ca (Bhanu Neupane u)
Subject: Rewriting Decalogue
SPOKHARE@SYSTEMS.watstar.uwaterloo.ca wrote:
:
: Nepalese around Toronto and Montreal area gathered in Toronto and celebrated
: Tihar festival for about 8 hours in the evening. Though only about 30
: people participated between internal conflict between some of the
: association members (which is of course unfortunate), there were Deusi,
: RajaMati Kumati (Newari song) and many Nepalese songs. A known folk song
: artist from Kathmandu, Mr. Gautam Rajkarnikar also participated in the
: program and entertained with a number of songs. Apart from that there was a
: lady from the University of Montreal, Ms. Sophie, who played flute and
: harmonium for the entertainment. Ms. sophie has joined Masters prgram and
: she is doing research in Nepalese music and musical instruments. It was
: lively. Apart from Nepalese, Nepalese canadians, some Indian Canadians and
: Canadians also participated in the program. The association of Nepalese
: Candians (the next group) is holding its anniversary get together on
: November 18.
:
: Shaligram Pokharel
: Waterloo, Ontario.
: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It may read a bit "out of place" (some of the readers may find it an
attempt to publisize a very CANADIAN Nepali matter), but I want to elaborate
what Shaligram has quoted unfortunate.
===========
God Created Association!
As elsewhere, Nepalis in Canada too have a canadian Nepali Association.
The association is very young and operates for last seven years. This
organization was initially formed by a group of 12 Canadians of Nepali
Origin. The history reads a long battle by the dirty dozen to acquire
independence from North American Nepalis Association. The initial year of
organization was very successful, not only Nepalis but also the indian and
Bhutanese of Nepali origin were its members. The organization grew to
accomodate more than a hundred members and their families. The erstwhile
functioning surely indicated "living happily ever after".
God Created Partys!
The partys and gatherings became the common affair. As elsewhere in the
first party, the members devoured on Sel-Roti and Chiya. The second one
was bit advanced and people exchanged cigarates. Few of those having
bal-baccha commented on smoke, but nobody cared much. The gradual
advancement in parties kept on annoying its members, but nobody cared.
Until from one party all members decided to accept the sepent's advice to
drink "Raksi". The evil advice of the serpent was accepted. It was fun.
Everybody danced, there were lots of jokes. Then on, unanimously, at least
an hour or three quarter of an hour was decided to keep aside in all
partys so that all members could make it to the floor (?).
Nobody knows if it was the art of dancing or ability to crack jokes
transplanted pangs of envy among these people, but it began to grow among
the members. In one of such partys, one Can-Nepali (born in Nepal) UIR,
(Under the Influence of Raksi) commented on other Can-Nepalis (not born in
Nepal) to be "pain in the ass" and "bloody intruders". The other Nepalis
(not born in Nepal) got intimidated by the remark and decided to cease
their participation in these so called social gatherings alias raksi
partys. When these people stopped showing-up at the partys, people
realized their mistakes, but everyone decided that apologizing is out of
question. Everyone thought realizing mistakes could be in poignant
contrast to "Hati Haina Dati Ladne" attitude of Nepalis (?).
The partys continued. A year and a half ago in a similar party, the dance
floor was hot and people were jiving like "black Sabbath" in full
concert. Mr. X, who also happened to be the top shot in the Nepal-Canada
Association, got totally lund and he started to make his move. He
grabbed hold of Mr. Dwarf Senior, who happens to be one of the top shots
in down-town Toronto, and began break dancing. Mr. Dwarf Senior, who
perhaps was too old to break-dance almost broke in real. A little
exchange of words, subsided the issue but Mr. Dwarf Senior and his
chela-cheli thought it to be too humiliating. After the party, there was
a secret meeting, in which it was decided that Mr. X should be thrown out of
the organization. The uncooperation and ignorance was the first move of
this group to make the activities organized by the then Nepal-canada
Association go hay-wire. These moves, obviously, were to idirectly
geopardize the functionality of Mr. X.
A month later there was another party. Mr. X as usual came UIR (Under the
Influence of Raksi). His gyration was too wild yet he wanted to dance with
everybody present on the dance floor. The serpent spoke to him and he
decided to dance with Madame Zelda, who happened to be a reknowned
mass-media person before she came to canada. Mr. X and Madame Zelda both
were very close friends (infact Mr. X used to baby sit Madame Zelda's
young ones) but for some unexplained reason, Madame refused to dance with
Mr. X. A request then a refusal, another request and another refusal and
it continued for a while, until, the request turned physical and refusal
became abusive. The entire community watched, as the small request to
dance turned into a "western Juhari or Faguwa". Nobody bothered to mediate
and brought this "gone obscene" exchange of words with gestures to a halt.
However, it abated after sometimes, when the ordinary members (in thier
usual passive-selves) woke up from their trance.
This again led to a secret meeting. This was the opportunity that Mr.
Dwarf Senior and his followers were waiting. The group was grown in size
as Madame Zelda and her followers joined Mr. Dwarf Senior and his
followers. The meeting decided to throw-out Mr. X and bring-in somebody
else on his position. The decision was taken on the basis of; i) Mr. X's
inability to speak a perfect english; ii) Mr. X's alcoholism; and, iii) Mr
X's assertiveness and authoritarian attitude. It was, however, not
consulted with any other ordinary members of the community, democracy do
exists was totally forgotten, and the fact that Mr X's term was about to
expire was totally ignored. Desite the reason explained earlier, Mr. X is
a very dedicated worker and the best part is HE CAN SPARE HIS TIME, this
too was totally forgotten. Rather than making move to capitalize his plus
points by some other A-B-C ways, he was thrown out of the executive
committee. So another executive committee was formed. On the other
extreme, Mr. X with few of his followers also held meeting and decided to
outlaw the other association and continued to operate with some
restructuring.
Right now there are two executive committees of Nepal-canada Association.
Which is very unfortunate. There have been attempts to resolve this
conflict, but with no progress. The same "Hati Haina Dati Ladne" attitude
is splintering these efforts. A person like me (ordinary, passive Dolt)
are required to attain two partys to celebrate the same event. If I miss
one, the other group yells at me for being affiliated to the other group
and vice versa. THe context is no different than a man of common affairs
in the political scene of Nepal.
I wish the differences are resolved but considering the egoist attitude
and stubborness, I dont think it will ever happen.
[And the god rewrote the decalogue - Thou shalt not drink Raksi
- Thou shalt not dance in Partys
- Er! Hmm!! Damn it who the hell am I to
bother
- Let the Nepalis perish for their
stupidity....]
With Sincere Apologies. But I hope my message is clear.
Bhanu
=====
P.S. What do you call a person attending partys organized by both of the
Factions of Nepal-Canada Association (and not making any efforts to bring
these the two factios together)?
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