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The Nepal Digest Thursday 24 Nov 94: Mangshir 8 2051 BkSm Volume 33 Issue 17
Election FLASH !
*****************************************************************************
* TND Board of Staff *
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* +++++ Food For Thought +++++ *
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* "Democracy perishes among the silent crowd" - Sirdar_RJS_Khalifa *
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*****************************************************************************
**********************************************************************
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 94 10:29:22 EST
From: Subas_Sakya_at_USPRMG41@internetmail.pr.cyanamid.com
To: Nepal Digest <nepal@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: Regarding Pashupati and other Temples
Dear Editor:
There is an economical solution to the question of whether or not tourists
should be allowed to enter Pashupati Temple. Why doesn't the city government
(or some committee) in charge of the temple allow the tourists in at a small
cost. It could be used to defray the cost of maintaining the temple. The
access needs to be improved for the tourists and maybe set a timetable as to
when the tourists can come in. It will eliminate conflict between thoses who
need to pray peacefully and the tourists. This can be applied to all the major
temples in The entire country. If this kind of system has been adopted already,
pardon me for my ignorance. Also, this type of system is adopted in Thailand
and seems to work quite well.
Sincerely,
Subas Sakya
Rockland County, NY
**********************************************************************
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 1994 11:39:42 -0500 (EST)
From: LDR@NFATCBN1.bitnet
Subject: Visas for the US
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
I read Nirmal Ghimire's message about visa denial and felt
I would like to respond. I work at the Foreign Service Institute
in Washington, but am not a Foreign Service Officer. However, I
spent much of the summer in South Asia and visited several
embassies and consulates there. The denial of visas to young
people is certainly on the rise. The immigration laws here in
America have been tightened in the last couple of years, and
our consular officials have been instructed to carry out the
laws. One of the areas that has come under scrutiny is student
and visitor visas. Unfortunately, the return rate for people
from developing countries is very low, so the consular officials
are trying to carry out the law from outside the US rather than
here. What I observed at every consular office is that when
there is little means of support, and when there are few compelling
reasons for someone to return to their country, visas are generally
denied. Nepal is certainly not being singled out here. But the
general economic status of most applicants there makes it necessary
for the consular officer to question the applicant at length about
their ability to support themselves and their desire to return
home. Like many things, what has gone before dictates what happens
now. If people who had applied for visas before had been bonafide
students and had returned to Nepal, it is likely that current
applicants would not be scrutinized so closely nor would they
be denied so often. What I saw during my visit is a real willingness
on the part of consular officers to give visas when they were due,
and a certain resignation to the fact that they would have to reject
many visas because the facts just weren't there.
I want to stress that these are my own ideas and observations
and do not represent official Department of State policy.
David L. Red
Foreign Service Institute
LDR@NFATCBN1.BITNET or
David.Red@dos.us-state.gov
*********************************************************************
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 1994 12:09:11 -0500 (EST)
From: Nirmal Ghimirez <NGH42799Q236@DAFFY.MILLERSV.EDU>
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Laxmi Prasad Devkota
I hope everyone knows our famous poet Late Laxmi Prasad Devkota.
The more I see his poet the more meanings they have.I was curious if
anyone knows how they nominate Noble Laurates in the field of
lierature.I feel that Devkota should be considered and evaluated
for this award.At his prime time unfortunately,he was not recognised.
Now we should honor him.I was curious if anyone new the means and how we
could approach. I am not sure if they only award to people
who are still alive.But thinking that,Devkota should be considere I brought
this topic.thanks.Nirmal
**********************************************************************
Date: 22 Nov 94 13:11:31 EST
From: "Chitra K. Tiwari" <74641.3624@compuserve.com>
To: <Nepal@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: Congratulations All Winners
Congratulations to Winners
By Chitra K. Tiwari, Ph.D.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Nepali voters were very angry with mismanaged and corrupt
rule
of the deeply divided Nepali Congress party. They have given a chance to you to
work
with consensus rather than with bulldozing in the name of parliamentary
majority.
Now you have a chance to do something. Whether newly elected or an incumbent who
survived the "throw the Koirala gang out" mood at the polls, you are now serving
the
most angry and cynical electorate in Nepal. People are fed up with government,
and they
expect you to make it work. Here are some suggestions for all the winners.
First, understand people's message. Nepali People have given their verdict in a
loud and
clear voice that proportionally representative government that can facilitate
politics of
consensus is the need of the country. They have rejected clearly the rule or the
tyranny
of manufactured majority (percentage of parliamentary seats minus the percentage
of
popular vote). In 1959 and 1991 elections Nepali Congress party had 37 and 40
percent
of popular votes but it had disproportional (68% in 1959 and 55% in 1991)
representation
or manufatured majority in parliament. In 1994 Nepali people have given the
message
that this distortion must come to an end.
Your job is to immediately move to amend constitution to reform electoral
system. Join
with your colleagues from all parties and develop confidence building mechanism.
The
present electoral system, the Anglo-American First-Past-The-Post system, must be
replaced by Proportional Representation System. Each party must get its fair
share of
popular votes in the form of parliamentary seat. This is the only system that
can
coordinate various conflicting interests of our society through consensus and
coalition.
The continuation of Anglo American First-Past-The-Post system is a sure way to
kill
democracy. We have already experienced it in 1960, have not we?
Secondly, engage the common man in the political process of everyday life. Enter
into
a conversation about what they want done, what role government can play, and
role
other institutions, such as NGO's and community associations, must play. Do not
waste
your time in Kathmandu trying to plug yourself to power centers; always remember
that
your power-house is your own constituency.
Finally, fix every place where citizens meet their government face to face. If
it takes one
whole day to walk to nearest health center make it to half a day. If it takes a
two hours
of walk to a primary school make it one hour. Train your Karmacharis in civility
when
citizens come to redress their grievances.
********************************************************************
From: Mr A K Karki <MCGMD11@fs1.ci.umist.ac.uk>
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 1994 15:52:31 GMT
Subject: ELECTION RESULT
FROM: Arjun Karki, Manchester, UK
TO: The Nepal Digest
202 seats decleared
===================
NCP(UML) 88
NC 80
RPP 20
NMKP 4
Sadbhabana 3
Independent 7
=========
202
*******************************************************************
From: Mr A K Karki <MCGMD11@fs1.ci.umist.ac.uk>
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 1994 16:46:35 GMT
Subject: coliation Government in Nepal
From: Arjun K. Karki, Manchester,
UK.
CPN(UML) Forms Coliation Government Nepal
Kathmandu, 21 Nov - WIth only 9 more seats left to be counted, the new parliament will be
composed of a coalition government. No political party will have the necessary majority of 205 in the
Lower House of the Parliament.
At a press conference yesterday, the Secretary General of Communist Party of Nepal - Unified
Marxists Leninists (CPN-UML), Madhav Kumar Nepal announced that the party would welcome any
partners in the democratic movement of 1990 for a coalition. "It is possible to attain majority through
national concensus on issues relating to nationalism, democracy and the people's well-being."
The press release issued charged the Election Commision for actively participating in the
election irregularities. Madhav Nepal said that the abouse of authority by the former ruling party, Nepali
Congress had prevented people in 25 areas from exercising their democratic rights.
In another statement from Badri Narayan Basnet, a close confidante of senior leader Ganesh
Man Singh and a noted dissident from Nepali Congress; Basnet said that Nepali Congress, especially
the dissidents within the party, should help the CPN-UML form a coalition government to safeguard
people's democracy and development. He said the popular verdict has reduced the Nepali Congress to
a minority and thus shattering the 'brag' the party. Basnet also stressed that the UML should trial the pre-
1990 criminals who assisted in suppressing the democratic movement, enforce the Mallik Commision
report and look into issues such as the ARUN III dam project.
The Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxists Leninists has won the elections so far, from 86
constituencies and Nepali Congress 77 constituencies. The other parties who have won seats include
Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Nepal Sadbhawana Party and 6
indenpendent candidates.
What Constitution says
In Article 42 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal (1990), if any party can not muster a
clear majority in the House of Representatives, the King shall appoint a member as Prime Minister who
is able to command a majority with the support of two or more parties represented in the state.
If no member is able to command a majority in the Lower House of the Parliament, clause (1) of
Article 42 of the Constitution stated that the King will appoint the leader of the parliamentary party that
holds the largest number of seats in the House of Representatives as Prime Minister.
Furthermore, a Prime Minister appointed pursuant to clause (1) or (2) of the article shall be
required to obtain a vote of confidence from the House of Representatives within 30 days.
*******************************************************************
Date: 22 Nov 1994 15:22:46 -0500
From: "Gaury Adhikary" <gaury_adhikary@mailgw.surg.med.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: The Nepal Digest - Nov 2
To: "The Nepal Digest" <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu>
Reply to: RE>The Nepal Digest - Nov 23, 1994 (7 Manghir 2051 BkSm)
Visa denial: This is in response to Mr. Sameer khati's entry to TND. I cannot
speak much about criteria for visa issuance or denial by the consulate office
of the US Embassy at Kathmandu in general. But, I sure think, there is a
strong reluctance to issue a visa to qualified( Physicians who have met the
criteria to enter the residency training in US Hospitals as a foreign Medical
Graduates ) young Nepali physicians. This initial visa to enter the US is a
must. Without getting to the US physically one cannot take an interview which
means it is next to impossible to get a training job in a hospital. As it
stands, the Consulate office is demanding a" letter of contract" from a
hospital as a criteria to issue a visa to these physicians.
I feel the Consulate office should change its attitude toward this very small
number of aspiring Nepali physicians to acheive their coveted goal : i.e. to
get a first rate training in the U.S.
**********************************************************************
Date: 22 Nov 94 18:25:45 EST
From: Rajendra.P.Shrestha@Dartmouth.EDU (Rajendra P. Shrestha)
Subject: News 11/21-22
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu, ATULADHAR@vax.clarku.edu
Latest tally:
Total declared: 202
UML: 88
NC: 80
RPP: 20
NWPP: 4
Sadhv.: 3
Masal: 2
Indep.: 5
------------------------------------------
SOURCE: AFP
HEADLINE: Communists to form a minority government
DATELINE: (RECASTS)
BODY:
KATHMANDU, Nov 22 (AFP) - Nepal's communist party is forming a
minority government with the silent support of the ruling party it
beat in last week's election, party sources said Tuesday.
The Nepal Communist Party-United Marxist and Leninist (NCP-UML)
decided to form a minority government after rejecting the hard-line
views expressed by a potential coalition partner, the right wing
Rastirya Prajatantra Party (RPP), the sources said.
The RPP emerged from November 15 mid-term polls as the third
largest party behind the NCP-UML and the Nepali Congress (NC) party of
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who stepped down Tuesday
evening.
Under the 1990 Nepalese Constitution, the NCP-UML will be allowed
to form a government but will have to prove its strength through a
vote of confidence in the parliament within 30 days.
If the party gets the necessary backing in the vote, the NC party
will help it get the requisite number of seats for a majority, a NC
party source said.
The NC intends to support the NCP-UML for at least one year, the
source said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: AFP
HEADLINE: Communists bag 87 out of 205 parliamentary seats
DATELINE: KATHMANDU, Nov 22
BODY:
The Nepal Communist Party-United Marxist and Leninist (NCP-UML) has
won 87 seats so far in last week's elections, followed by the ruling
Nepali Congress (NC) with 80, an Election Commission source said
Tuesday.
Results from 201 of the country's 205 constituencies have been
announced, and the outcome of the remaining four is expected to be
known later Tuesday.
The rightist Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has won 20 seats,
with the Nepal Peasants' and Workers' Party (NPWP) trailing with four,
the pro-India Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) with three, and seven from
independent candidates.
The NCP-UML has emerged as the largest party, but without the
necessary majority to form a government on its own.
The party has been seeking a viable partner with which to form a
coalition government.
Caretaker Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala stepped down from
office Tuesday to make way for the communists to form a new
government, after the humiliating defeat of his NC party in the
November 15 polls.
Koirala called the mid-term polls in the hope of obtaining a
two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament in order to
function without inteference from the communists and other opposition
parties.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
HEADLINE: GENERAL ELECTION
SOURCE: Radio Nepal, Kathmandu, in English 1415 gmt 20 Nov 94
BODY:
Editorial report
A Nepali Congress Central Working Committee meeting is to be held
at the central offices of the party at 2 pm on 23rd November,
according to a statement from the Nepali Congress central office
issued on 20th November.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
HEADLINE: GENERAL ELECTION; Nepali Congress accused of irregularities
in Sarlahi district; repoll demanded
SOURCE: Radio Nepal, Kathmandu, in English 1415 gmt 20 Nov 94
BODY:
Text of report
The Nepal Sadbhavana Party has accused workers of the Nepali
Congress of capturing election booths in Sarlahi constituency number
three and has demanded a judicial inquiry into the shooting incident
there. In its press release today [20th November] the party has also
demanded repolling in the area.
------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: L.A. Times
HEADLINE: COMMUNISTS TURN BACK THE CLOCK IN NEPAL; ELECTIONS:
INFIGHTING, CORRUPTION AND BROKEN PROMISES ARE BLAMED FOR THE CENTRIST
PARTY'S DEFEAT IN THE HIMALAYAN KINGDOM.
BYLINE: By DHRUBA H. ADHIKARY and JOHN-THOR DAHLBURG, SPECIAL TO THE
TIMES
DATELINE: KATMANDU, Nepal
To all those political scientists and gloating Cold Warriors who
consigned the Communists to the ash heap of history, the Nepalese have
delivered a resounding raspberry from atop the Himalayas.
The result could be a political creature that, until Monday, would
have been no less improbable than the Yeti, or Abominable Snowman: a
hereditary monarchy whose government is led or dominated by professed
champions of the toiling masses.
In last week's elections for a new Parliament in one of the world's
10 poorest countries, the Communist Party of Nepal -United
Marxist-Leninist (UML) has emerged as the No. 1 vote-getter, obtaining
86 seats against 80 for the centrist Nepali Congress.
"The election results have made it amply clear that the people are
in favor of a change," said the leftist party, which along with
Congress was in the forefront of the campaign for restoration of
parliamentary democracy in this Hindu kingdom.
Caretaker Congress Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala conceded
defeat. "The Nepal people have indicated that they want the Nepali
Congress to play the role of a strong opposition in this country," he
said in a statement broadcast by state radio and television.
The humbled 71-year-old politician was possibly more responsible
than anyone for his party's lackluster showing at the polls. He had
been prime minister since May, 1991, but bitter Congress infighting,
the stench of official corruption and widespread disillusion over his
government's unfulfilled promises sapped his popularity badly.
In that respect, the Nov. 15 verdict of Nepalese voters was more
akin to the repudiation that their American counterparts gave
President Clinton and other Democrats this month than an embracing of
the ideals of Karl Marx and V.I. Lenin.
"UML people are not Communists in the conventional sense of the
term," said Dev Raj Dahal, a political analyst at Tribhuvan
University's Center for Nepal and Asian Studies in Katmandu. "UML's
policies show it is a party of socialists."
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, president of the Congress, agreed,
saying: " Nepal's democracy is equally safe in their hands."
When a mutiny of rebel lawmakers inside his party deprived Koirala
of a sure majority, he tendered his resignation July 10. King
Birendra, an absolute ruler until the 1990 pro-democracy movement led
him to renounce almost all power, asked him to stay on until new
elections.
If Koirala was the loser, the final victor in the polling remained
to be determined. By itself, the UML fell well short of the 103-seat
majority needed to control outright the 205-seat House of
Representatives, so it will have to seek coalition partners.
A small Maoist group, the Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party, won
four seats, while right-wing monarchists picked up 20. A party based
in the Terai flatlands obtained three seats, and independents won
six. Counting for the remaining half a dozen seats was not complete,
further adding to the uncertainty.
Newly elected UML lawmakers are to meet Wednesday to decide whom
they will invite to help form a coalition government. The party
statement said they would turn to those same "friendly forces" that
took part in the 1990 struggle for the re-establishment of a
multi-party system, in which more than 50 people died.
UML sources had ruled out overtures to the right-wing Rashtriya
Prajatantra Party, which is mostly made up of people who served in the
old system of appointed councils in which the royal palace conducted
all affairs of state andparties were outlawed. However, UML general
secretary Madhva Kumar Nepal pointedly said that in politics, there
are "no permanent enemies, no permanent friends," and reportedly had
begun informal consultations with the RPP, as well as the Maoists and
anti-Koirala rebels in Congress.
If may even be too early to count Koirala out. The caretaker prime
minister told a news conference at his official residence Monday
evening that he would not rule out the possibility of a "national
government based on a national consensus" if that were necessary to
protect Nepal's nascent democracy and eliminate the need for another
election in the near future to replace a shaky coalition.
Outside of serving in the interim government in 1990-91 that
bridged the gap between the absolute monarchy and the election Koirala
and his party won, the Communists have never held power in Nepal. In
office, the UML has pledged to "encourage foreign investment," but
Nepal, the party's general secretary, has added, "what we do not want
is to allow alien capitalists to harm the interests of native
industrialists and businessmen."
That is an oblique criticism of Indians, who were seen as winning
numerous sweetheart deals with the backing of longtime friends in the
Nepali Congress. Those transactions fueled feelings of Nepalese
nationalism and resentment that gave the UML a definite boost at the
polls.
In this largely rural country where the per capita yearly income is
only $180, the UML also wants to bring about sweeping changes in the
agricultural sector by abolishing absentee landlordism and
considerably lowering the ceiling on land holdings.
Dwellers in a country sandwiched between two giants, India and
China, UML leaders have repeatedly said they want to continue Nepal's
neutral posture in foreign affairs.
In 1990, the Communists committed themselves to the new
constitution that proclaimed Nepal a kingdom with a multi-party system
and mixed economy.
"Why bother about monarchy so long as it does not pose any
hindrance?" Nepal has asked. "Every country needs a head of state."
However, not everyone is willing to believe that the UML is just
another political group. Lok Raj Baral, a well-known professor of
political science at Tribhuvan University, noted that the party
welcomed the 1991 hard-line putsch against Soviet President Mikhail
S. Gorbachev, then rapidly condemned it as soon as it collapsed and
Gorbachev was freed.
"I don't believe them. They change their positions every day,"
Baral has said.
Times special correspondent Adhikary reported from Katmandu, Times
staff writer Dahlburg from New Delhi.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: Xinhua
HEADLINE: cpn-uml becomes largest party in nepal's new house
DATELINE: kathmandu, november 22; ITEM NO: 1122080
BODY:
the latest counting result of the november 15 mid-term polls showed
that the communist party of nepal (uml) has become the largest party
in the new house by bagging 87 seats of the 201 seats declared this
morning. the former ruling nepali congress (nc) won 80 seats, the
rastriya prajatantra party (rpp) 20, the workers and peasants 4, the
nepal sadhawana party 3 and the independents 7. now there are only 4
seats left undeclared. speaking at a press conference held here
monday evening, caretaker prime minister and nc leader girija prasad
koirala said that his party "would extend cooperation to the coalition
government no matter who will form the government and play a strong
opposition in the parliament." cpm-uml president man mohan adhikari
said that "as being the largest party, the uml would initiate to form
a coalition government with support from other friends." according to
the 1990 constitution, the king shall nominate a person either from
the largest party or other leading parties to become the prime
minister who is able to command a majority on the strength of two or
more parties represented in the house and could win a confidence of
vote within 30 days. after the final result of the elections is
officially announced by the national election commission, the king
would consult with parties concerned and invite the party, which could
provide necessary proof with supporting signatures and win a
confidence of vote within 30 days, to organize the next
government. the leader of the party's parliament board would be
nominated the prime minister of the coalition government, palace
sources said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: Reuter
HEADLINE: Nepali Communists win election plurality
DATELINE: KATHMANDU, Nov 22
BODY:
Nepal's Communist party has won a plurality in the Himalayan
kingdom's general elections in a hung parliament, the Election
Commission said on Tuesday.
With 201 of the 205 seats decided in last Tuesday's vote, the
Communist Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) party had clinched 87. The
outgoing ruling Congress party had 80 seats and with four races
undecided could not catch up.
The third-placed Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) had won 20 seats,
while independents running under no party banner had clinched seven,
the commission said.
The Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party (NWPP), a splinter communist
group, had won four seats and the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) had
taken three.
The UML, which controlled 81 seats in the outgoing House of
Representatives, has initiated talks to find a coalition partner,
concentrating on trying to prise a group of dissidents from Congress.
The communists accused Congress, which had staged a late comeback,
of rigging the vote to deprive the leaders of a chance to form a
working majority, and called for a demonstration in the capital
Kathmandu on Tuesday.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: AFP
HEADLINE: Communists search for a partner to form next government
BYLINE: Kedar Man Singh
DATELINE: KATHMANDU, Nov 21
BODY:
Only a single seat is likely to separate the communists from the
former ruling Nepali Congress when all votes in Nepal's mid-term
elections are finally counted, political analysts said Monday.
And behind-the-scenes dealing over who should form the next
government has already begun in the wake of the November 15 ballot.
The communists -- Nepal Communist Party-United Marxist Leninist
(NCP-UML) -- with 86 of the assembly's 205 seats, have emerged as the
largest party but so far have not found a partner with which to form a
government.
The congress has 80 seats, the rightist Rastriya Prajatantra Party
(RPP) 20, the pro-Maoist, Nepal Peasants' and Workers' Party four,
pro-Indian Nepal Sadbhavana Party three, and independent candidates
six, election commission sources said.
Six results are still to be declared. They should be known early
Tuesday, the sources added.
Meanwhile, the electoral commission's official spokesman denied
allegations by NCP-UML general-secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal that it
had shown favouritism towards the ruling Congress.
"We instructed poll officers all over the country to be impartial
and conduct the November 15 mid-term polls freely and fairly," he
said.
Political analysts predict the congress could end up with the same
number of seats as the communists, or fall behind by only one seat.
If no party can stitch together a majority King Birendra,
constitutionally, may invite one of the party leaders to form a
government and try to win a confidence vote within 30 days.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: DPA
HEADLINE: Uncertainty over formation of new Nepalese government
DATELINE: Kathmandu, Nov 21
BODY:
With the results of just six more seats to come in of the Nepalese
parliamentary elections held on Tuesday, uncertainty looms over the
formation of the next government.
No party has been able to obtain the minimum of 103 seats in the
205-member house needed to form a government on its own.
The Nepal Communist Party United Marxist-Leninists (UML) has
emerged as the largest single party with 86 seats which might go up by
one or two seats by the time final results are announced by Tuesday.
The ruling Nepali Congress which has been humiliated and has just
80 seats so far but could get up to 82 seats after the counting in the
remaining six contituencies.
Crucial to the formation of a new government by any of the two
parties is the support of the National Democratic Party which has won
20 seats.
The National Democratic Party which comprises mostly leaders of
the former non-party Panchayat system has apparently been approached
"informally" by both the nepali Congress and the UML for support.
According to the party spokesman and newly elected member of
parliament, Kamal Thapa, the NDP is keeping all its options open. The
party had not yet decided which party to support to form the new
government. dpa mu
*******************************************************************
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 1994 20:55:47 -0500
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: A Ticket to Economic Success for Nepal
From: bohara@unm.edu (Alok Bohara ECONOMICS)
Mr. Acharya wrote about Nepal's potential in becoming a major player in
India's current booming economy. In particular, Nepal can be a major
supplier of cheap electricity to Northern India. I agree with Mr.
Acharya's implication that Nepal's ticket to economic success is its
immense hydro-potential. The question is how? Let me make a few
observations.
Nepal has always tried that strategy--selling energy to India. Since
India is the only market that Nepal can sell its energy to, we have a
classic example of monopsony where a single buyer dictates the market.
So we should not be surprised to see our government's (past and present)
inability to strike deals (hydro projects) that are less favorable to Nepal.
If India starts to losen its grip on unility agencies and start to privatize
them, we then may have an excellent opportunity to negotiate with several
buyers in Northrn India and command fair prices for our product. It means
we should also allow several hydro projects in Nepal, including private
ones, to operate. Such competition will also benefit the Nepalese
consumers. We should ask the Indian government to liberalize its
utility distribution system in Northern India and allow us to negotiate
with these smaller units. In return, we should allow several hydro
projects in Nepal, so the Indian market can shop around in Nepal and
get fair price. We should even sweeten this proposal by allowing joint
India/Nepal private ventures in these hydro projects in Nepal. Finally,
Nepal should look into the feasibility of promoting Nepal as a place
to manufacture high-energy intensive products.
Alok Bohara
***************************************************************
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 1994 20:59:48 -0500
From: rshresth@black.clarku.edu (RaJesh B. Shrestha)
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Jagdish Ghimire representing Ramechhap
RE: Amulya's response to Frank Kroger's earlier posting on World Neighbors
thread.
%%%%%%
Frank, you are wrong on the three counts shown above:
1. Jagadish Ghimire did not fight for elections from Ramechap as you posted.
2. The developm work you posted does not cost $100,000 or Rs 50 lakhs. Just an
example, 7,770 fodder trees is approximately 8 ha of plantation, A ha of
forest plantatin cost anywhere between Rs 5000 to Rs 12000 per ha (see Kanel's
study on this matter, I have seen plenty of fodder plantation in different
ecological regins, under different instiutions and 8 ha can cost a mx of Rs 1
lakh, so did the rest of Rs 49 lakhs go into the functioning taps? maybe some
drinking water specialist could enlighten us on that. No, I do not think the
donors are getting their money's worth. yes, I do think WN is subsidising
jahadish's political ambition for token development to Tamakoshi.
3. Your assumption that I "should get down from my high horse and do some
develoment work " on my own assumes or presumes that I have done no develoment
work. This is again your presumptive prejudice talking and trying to silence
Nepalese who want to question what all the do-gooder donors are trying to do
in nepal. This is not appreciated. Thanks
Amulya Tuladhar
Clark University
*************************************************************
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 94 20:04:45 CST
From: sbshah@gumbo.bae.lsu.edu (Sanjay B. Shah)
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Re: Visa for Nepalese
Regarding the above topic, I wish to recount a tragic episode that happened
recently.
A person from Baglung was assured of a job in Arizona by a Nepalese settled
there. The person (I'd rather not reveal his name) applied to the US embassy
for a visa and was refused. So he went back to his village, and convinced a
terminally ill (throat cancer) man to accompany him to the US for treatment.
The poor man, hoping that he would be cured, sold off some of his property and
accompanied our Mr. Natwarlal to Ktm.
At the US embassy, the poor man told the visa official that the crook would
accompany him to the US, as he did not have did not have anybody else (or
something to that effect). Both of them were granted visas, and they came to NY.After reaching NY, the crook dumped the ill man at a friend's place and left for Arizona, the next day or the day after. The friend in NY who happens to be my
relative, is also from Baglung.
He took the ill man to the hospital,where he was examined and was told that
nothing much could be done for him. So he left for Nepal(luckily he had a return
ticket) without paying his bills. A rather unfortunate way of visiting the `Big
Apple'. How low some of us can stoop to get to the US!
Sanjay Bikram Shah
sbshah@gumbo.bae.lsu.edu
**********************************************************************
Date: 22 Nov 94 22:36:41 EST
From: Rajendra.P.Shrestha@Dartmouth.EDU (Rajendra P. Shrestha)
Subject: Final Result
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu, ATULADHAR@vax.clarku.edu
All results have now been delcared.
Declared: 205
UML 88
NC 83
RPP 20
NWPP(Rohit) 4
Sadhvabana 3
Masal 2
Independents 5
**********************************************************************
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 1994 09:33:51 -0500 (EST)
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
From:sanjeeb@ronast.ernet.in
Subject:
Hi,
Following are the election updates as of 2:00 p.m. 20/11/94
Total seats declared 191/205
Required number to make an absolute majority to form government : 103
Communist Party Of Nepal [United Marxist Leninist] ( CPN(UML) ) : 87
Nepali Congress ( NC ) : 76
Rastriya Prajantra Party (ex- Panchas Headed By Surya B. Thapa) : 20
Nepal Sadbhawana Party ( Terai Regional Party ) : 03
Nepal Majdoor Kishan Party ( Left Wing Independent Faction ) : 04
Independents ( Mixture Of Bidhrohi Congress+Left Extremist+Ind.): 06
Currently 8 more seats are being counted out of which N.C is
leading in 6,CPN(UML) in 1 and R.P.P in 1.Elections for 6 more places
is due today.
The result indicates a major loss for N.C. who had obtained
112 seats in the last election. The N.C. have been stripped off their
seats by the CPN(UML)(previous election 69 seats) and the RPP(previous
elections 3 seats).
It looks as if a Left coalition government will be formed the
alliances yet still unpredictable. The congress has a very slim chance
of forming a coalition alliance. It looks as if NC will sit in the
opposition. This election has seen major upsets for all the political
parties. The regular belief that the majority of the people are unware
of the politics of all the parties have been proved wrong. The places
where the NC and The CPN(UML) had taken for granted that it was their
"GAD" ( deep stronghold ) have proven otherwise with communists winning
seats which was previously an NC stronghold and vice versa. The trend
definitely show the people's awareness and disapproval of the KOIRALA
government who had declared mid term election with the hope of winning
a two third's majority in the midst of all the kaos his party had created
among themselves, eighteen months prior to its due.
Kathmandu, Bhaktpur and Lalitpur seats in totality have been
won by the Left parties .i.e CPN(UML)-Kathmandu 7/7,Lalitpur 3/3,Nepal
Majdoor Kishan Party - Bhaktpur 2/2.
That is all for the election updates. Will keep u informed of the
new developments.
Regards,
Sanjeeb ( Kathmandu )
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