Received: from mp.cs.niu.edu (mp.cs.niu.edu [131.156.1.2]) by library.wustl.edu (8.6.12/8.6.9) with SMTP id TAA00493 for <huestis@library.wustl.edu>; Fri, 2 Feb 1996 19:11:50 -0600 Received: by mp.cs.niu.edu id AA29105 (5.67b/IDA-1.5 for nepal-dist); Fri, 2 Feb 1996 15:46:58 -0600 Received: by mp.cs.niu.edu id AA29101 (5.67b/IDA-1.5 for nepal-list); Fri, 2 Feb 1996 15:46:56 -0600 Date: Fri, 2 Feb 1996 15:46:56 -0600 Message-Id: <199602022146.AA29101@mp.cs.niu.edu> Reply-To: The Nepal Digest <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu> From: The Editor <nepal-request@cs.niu.edu> Sender: "Rajpal J. Singh" <A10RJS1@cs.niu.edu> Subject: The Nepal Digest - February 2, 1996 (19 Magh 2052 BkSm) To: <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu> Content-Type: text Content-Length: 53053 Status: O X-Status: X-Keywords: X-UID: 201
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The Nepal Digest Friday 2 Feb 96: Magh 19 2052 BS: Year5 Volume47 Issue1
Today's Topics:
1. Message from the editor
2. TAJA_KHABAR (Current News)
3. KURA_KANI
Political - Illigitimate Ministries
******************************************************************************
* TND Board of Staff *
* ------------------ *
* *
* TND Foundations Home Page: http://www.nepal.org *
* http://www.himalaya.org *
* http://www.gurkhas.org *
* For More Information: info@nepal.org *
* webmaster email: webmaster@nepal.org *
* *
* TND Foundations contributions can be mailed payable to: *
* TND Foundations *
* c/o R. J. Singh *
* 44 Greenridge Ave *
* White Plains, NY 10605, USA *
* *
* Editor/Co-ordinator: Rajpal J. Singh a10rjs1@mp.cs.niu.edu *
* TND Archives: Sohan Panta k945184@atlas.kingston.ac.uk *
* SCN Correspondent: Rajesh B. Shrestha rshresth@black.clarku.edu *
* Webmaster Correspondent: Pradeep Bista webmaster@nepal.org *
* *
* +++++ Food For Thought +++++ *
* *
* "LIFE: Indulgence vs Seeking Truth - Which is your forte?" -Sirdar_Khalifa *
* "If you don't stand up for something, you will fall for anything" -Dr. MLK *
* "Democracy perishes among the silent crowd" -Sirdar_Khalifa *
* *
******************************************************************************
****************************************************
From: TND Foundations <tnd@nepal.org>
To: The Nepal Digest <nepal@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: TND Foundation Contribution Fund
Dear TND members:
TND Foundations is accepting your generous contribution in an effort to
find a permanant home for The Nepal Digest (TND).
You are encouraged to send your contribution payabale to:
TND Foundations
c/o Rajpal J. Singh
44 Greenridge Ave
White Plains, NY 10605
Following members have been kind with their generous contributions:
Mahesh K. Maskey Arlington, MA
Rajpal J. Singh White Plains, NY
Padam P. Sharma Bismarck,ND
Lynn B. Reid Jamaica Plain, MA
John Mage New York, NY
Raju Tuladhar Alberta, Canada
Bhanu B. Niraula Flushing, NY
Amulya R. Tuladhar Worcester, MA
Rajesh B. Shrestha Worcester, MA
Abi Sharma British Columbia, Canada
Mary Deschene Baltimore, MD
Pratyoush Onta Kathmandu, Nepal
Anita Regmi Wheaton, MD
Bal Krishna Sharma East Lansing, MI
Subas Sakya Pumona, NY
Marian E. Greenspan Beltsville, MD
Sanjay B. Shah Blacksburg, VA
TND offeres heartful thanks to all the generous contributors. If you sent
your contribution and do not see yourself on the list, our sincere apology.
Please let us know so we can correct the list.
Sincerely
Rajpal J. Singh
TND Foundations
tnd@nepal.org http://www.nepal.org
http://www.himalaya.org
http://www.gurkhas.org
**********************************************************************
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 1996 09:11:37 EST
To: The Editor <nepal-request@cs.niu.edu>
From: atuladhar@vax.clarku.edu
Subject: Re: The Nepal Digest - January 30, 1996 (16 Magh 2052 BkSm)
I would like to comment on two interesting news/views items of tnd, jan 30:
1. Slow and dead access to ktmpost/
2. Ministries without legitimacy
Ktmpost access
This seems to be a problem with te nepal-info home page of mercantile, or
rather access to it Over the last several weeks, I have noticed that it
took an inordinate amount of time, over 5 minutes, if ever to get access
to ktmpost, or independent, or icimod publictions, or for that mater any
of the offerings of te nepal-info ome pages. It certainly tries one's
devotion to nepal news, f one had to wait forever in the context of
instantaneous communications,
At first i thought the problems was at this end: slow computer modems,
slow nodes at Clark, or bad times of the day or week, but no this
difficult and no access was consistent at all times on all computer
modems. sometimes when one finally got through, one found out that the
Independent has not been loaded for 3 weeks or the Kathmandu Post has not
been loaded for 5 days. i gess the Nepali mentality has other priorities
such as te can or bida or just plain nepali laid back approach, which
looks kind of quaint in this aggresssive time-space annihilation realm.
I am very happy that Rajesh has given us some persuasive technical
explanation. I thank him for that and I assume the conclusion from that
Nepal-info home page is not really offering high-tech service from the UK
node, perhaps we have to go back to Rajendra, are u still there? Or is
the problem more tan technical: dealing with the voluntary, contractual,
or legal arrangemets between the news providers in Nepal and the
intermediaries in between?
2. Illigitimate Ministries
It does not surprize me that Ministry of Population and Environment is
now holding a workshop to find out what the people want out of the Ministry.
Rajesh raiased the questin why this was not done before forming the
minister, a very rational question, a very naive question indeed.
When another white elephant, RONAST was formed for the PRIMARY purpose of
giving a high profile to Ratna Shumsher, palace-related "intellectual"
who could not quite be given a political post of a minister, he went
about in a pseudo-particiipartary democracy exercise to IOF (Forestry
INstitute,Hetauda) asking for role and functions of RONAST, as if our
pinions mattered. Insiders in RONAST consistently claim that hr rand the
organization like a Rana fiefdom ad did not care less from insiders.
It is as clear as the blue sky that thesole purpose of expanded
ministryis to give longevity to Deoba pm tenure by appeasing all possible
threats. Ignorance of Ganeshman and the Newars was considered such a
threat, so , presto we have a Minsitry.
The problem of illegitimate ministry is deeper, it is the problem of
illigitimate government whose sole purpose of deferring elections was to
remove public participation in politicsl to old hackies ad back room
politics. I challenge all those who were moaning about the tremendous
waste of a new elections to the country and the "instability" this brings
to explain away this massive waste of resources, both in in money ad trust.
at
cu
**********************************************************************
Date: Tue, 30 Jan 1996 21:29:39 -0500
To: The Nepal Digest <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu>
From: sharma@plains.nodak.edu (Padam Sharma)
Subject: Nepal- Bhutan update
Courtesy India Digest (1/30/96)
By Gopal Sharma
KATHMANDU, Jan 28 (Reuter) - Nepal has sought India's participation in
solving the problem of 90,000 ethnic Nepali refugees who have fled the
Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, officials said on Sunday.
The refugees, who claim they were victims of ethnic discrimination in
the wake of a pro-democracy movement that emerged in Bhutan in 1990, have
been sheltered in United Nations-monitored camps in eastern Nepal.
"We want participation in solving the issue at the official or
unofficial level," a Nepali Foreign Ministry official, who declined to be
named, told Reuters.
Nepal wanted New Delhi to play an active and positive role, the
official said after talks with Indian officials in Kathmandu, where Foreign
Minister Pranab Mukherjee was rounding off a three-day visit.
Nepal has said it wants the refugees to go back to Bhutan and live
with honour and dignity.
But New Delhi has tried to distance itself from the issue.
India's role in pro-democracy movements in both Bhutan and Nepal has
been viewed with suspicion by critics in the two nations, and it is often
criticised for being a Big Brother in South Asia, a tag New Delhi wants to
avoid.
Foreign Secretary Salman Haidar, the most senior Indian diplomat, said
on Saturday that New Delhi wanted Nepal and Bhutan to sort out the matter
bilaterally. He did not speak for or against Indian participation.
Mukherjee declined to be drawn on the issue.
"We are aware of the problem of refugees. Let us keep it at that," he
told reporters on Saturday.
A focus of Mukherjee's visit was the future of a 6,000 megawatt
hydroelectricity project India and Nepal plan to build on the Mahakali
river. Nepal wants more irrigation facilities from the project while India
wants more electricity, officials said.
Indian officials say the sale of electricity from the project would be
necessary for Kathmandu to narrrow its 17-billion-rupee ($297 million)
trade deficit with New Delhi.
The dam project was an issue in recent Nepali elections, with voters
keenly watching the cost-benefit balance.
Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is scheduled to visit New
Delhi next month, the first time since he formed a Nepali Congress-led
government last year.
Nepal ushered in multi-party democracy under a constitutional monarchy
in 1990.
********************************************************************
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 1996 00:54:59 -0500 (EST)
From: samjhana sharma <ssharma@gnu.uvm.edu>
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Information about Student movements in Nepal
Namaste!
I am doing a research paper about Student Movements in Nepal for my
history class. After doing some research at the libraries, i still have a
very little knowledge about the topic. Unfortunately i couldn't find
the enough or i could say right information about the student
movements that had occured in Nepal. I am looking for
some help from those of you who are familiar with any student
movements that had taken part in Nepal. Any sort of information would
be very appreciative.
Thank you
Samjhana Sharma
ssharma@gnu.uvm.edu
ssharma@moose.uvm.edu
*************************************************************
Date: February 2, 1996
From: info@nepal.net
To: TND (The Nepal Digest) tnd@nepal.org
Subject: SuperNova-NEPAL is looking for marketing/sales/advertisement
relationships/partnerships.
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wcarlson@supernova.net
V.P. Sales/Marketing
***********************************************************************
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 1996 11:45:16 EST
To: tnd@nepal.org
Forwarded By: "Rajpal J.P. Singh" <rsingh@carfax.ims.advantis.com>
Subject: [Fwd: News 1/25/1996]
From: karkis@mail.med.upenn.edu (Sher B. Karki)
Copyright 1996 South China Morning Post Ltd.
South China Morning Post
HEADLINE: Ex-PM stirs up storm in bid for party leadership
BODY:
KATHMANDU: A former prime minister has sent tremors through the Himalayan
kingdom's fractious coalition Government with a bid to win control of the
alliance's largest party, politicians said yesterday.
Girija Prasad Koirala, the kingdom's first elected prime minister after
parliamentary democracy was restored in 1990, has announced he will run for the
presidency of the Nepali Congress party in March.
The current president, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, has been party president
for two decades.
Mr Koirala's decision to run for the top party post sparked fears that he
intends eventually to challenge Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, 49, who has
headed a three-party coalition Government since last September.
"Koirala's decision will only add to the old enmity in the party and weaken
the coalition Government," said Information and Communications Minister
Chiranjibi Wagle, who said he would oppose the former prime minister in the
internal party poll. Mr Koirala was forced to resign in mid-1994 when members o
f
his own ruling party abstained in a key parliamentary vote. Party critics
accused Mr Koirala of having engineered Mr Bhattarai's defeat in a crucial by
election.
The communist United Marxist-Leninist party emerged victorious from
elections which followed and formed a minority government in late 1994 which
lasted less than a year.
The Nepali Congress, supported by junior partners Rastriya Prajatantra Part
y
and Nepal Sadbhavana Party, currently leads a coalition hobbled by a narrow
majority in Parliament.
The decision by Mr Koirala, 70, to make a bid for the party's leadership
post came as younger members have begun to clamour for more power.
"We were looking forward to our old leaders handing over the torch to the
younger generation and guiding the transfer of leadership," Mr Wagle said. Mr
Koirala has a reputation as a flamboyant politician and able organiser, which
supporters said would be valuable in helping reverse Nepali Congress' falling
popularity ratings. Critics say he has a stubborn leadership style.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ram Chandra Poudel, who has
been mentioned as a possible consensus candidate, said Mr Koirala's decision
would promote factionalism.
"There is still time for the party to work out a consensus candidate," Mr
Poudel said. "He should have waited."
The election to the post is set for March 31 when the party's general
conference meets.
Mr Koirala denied there was any rift within Nepali Congress and said he had
had "extensive discussions and consultations" with Mr Bhattarai, who has said h
e
will not seek re-election.
"Bhattarai has agreed to support me," Mr Koirala said. Mr Bhattarai could
not be reached for comment.
HEADLINE: 5 injured in helicopter accident in nepal
DATELINE: kathmandu, january 25; ITEM NO: 0125069
BODY:
a helicopter carrying construction materials crashed wednesday in northern
nepal while landing, with five people on board injured. the russian-made
mi-17 helicopter, owned by nepal airways, crashed wednesday afternoon when it
was on a charter cargo flight from southern nepal to sotang in the himalayan
region, a report reaching here last night said. the helicopter suddenly droppe
d
on the ground while its pilot was trying to land, indicating some problems on
the main rotor blade, it was reported. all the five injured were out of
danger and in stable condition, according to the civil aviation department here
the department has formed a five-member committee to investigate into the
accident. in august last year, a similar accident occurred when a nepali army
helicopter crashed in western nepal in which the then prime minister man moha
n
adhikari, who was on an inspection tour, was seriously injured.
HEADLINE: Indian police again stop Bhutan marchers from entering India
DATELINE: KATHMANDU, Jan 24
BODY:
Indian police have stopped another group of 300 Bhutanese refugees from
entering the country, one week after they arrested some 150 others, many of who
m
are now reportedly sick in detention.
"Indian police stopped the 300 Bhutanese marchers from crossing over to
Panitanki in India from Mechi bridge in Nepal on Tuesday," Jagat Acharya, a
representative of the Appeal Movement Coordinating Council (AMCC) of Bhutan,
said.
"All of them spent Tuesday night by squatting peacefully on the Mechi bridge
in far southeastern Nepal, in the freezing weather," Acharya said.
"The objective of the present march is to appeal to India to release
unconditionally the 150 peaceful appeal marchers detained in Siliguri (India)
special jail, West Bengal, since January 17," he said.
The AMCC organized both the latest march and the earlier one.
"Reports from Siliguri said the detained 150 marchers have been kept in thre
e
separate cells. As many as 66 of them have been packed in a small room while 31
females are in another and the rest" in a third room, he said.
"Almost all the detained are reported to be sick with only a blanket to cove
r
their bodies and the food given to them is bad," Acharya said.
"The AMCC has appealed to the prime minister of India, the chief minister of
West Bengal and the Indian embassy in Kathmandu to respond positively to the
above appeal and also urged Bhutan to solve human rights problems and repatriat
e
the refugees," he said.
KATHMANDU, Jan 24 (AFP) - Indian police have stopped another group of 300
Bhutanese refugees from entering the country, one week after they arrested some
150 others, many of whom are now reportedly sick in detention.
"Indian police stopped the 300 Bhutanese marchers from crossing over to
Panitanki in India from Mechi bridge in Nepal on Tuesday," Jagat Acharya, a
representative of the Appeal Movement Coordinating Council (AMCC) of Bhutan,
said.
"All of them spent Tuesday night by squatting peacefully on the Mechi bridge
in far southeastern Nepal, in the freezing weather," Acharya said.
"The objective of the present march is to appeal to India to release
unconditionally the 150 peaceful appeal marchers detained in Siliguri (India)
special jail, West Bengal, since January 17," he said.
The AMCC organized both the latest march and the earlier one.
"Reports from Siliguri said the detained 150 marchers have been kept in thre
e
separate cells. As many as 66 of them have been packed in a small room while 31
females are in another and the rest" in a third room, he said.
"Almost all the detained are reported to be sick with only a blanket to cove
r
their bodies and the food given to them is bad," Acharya said.
"The AMCC has appealed to the prime minister of India, the chief minister of
West Bengal and the Indian embassy in Kathmandu to respond positively to the
above appeal and also urged Bhutan to solve human rights problems and repatriat
e
the refugees," he said.
The arrests he said were made under Article 144 of the Indian Penal Code
which gives the security forces special emergency powers of arrest.
But this law only applied to Indians and therefore its use to detain
Bhutanese refugees was illegal, he added.
The 150 Bhutanese refugees were arrested by Indian police on January 17 afte
r
they crossed the border from Nepal into India as part of a protest march to
their homeland.
Those arrested were the leaders of the march and included representatives
from each of eight refugee camps in Nepal as well as members of human rights
groups in Bhutan.
A police spokesman in Calcutta, the capital of West Bengal state, said at th
e
time that some 5,000 Bhutanese refugees had gathered along the state's border
with Nepal and police had been ordered to stop them from entering the country
A state government official said the refugees, mostly Bhutanese of Nepali
origin, would not be allowed into India. India, he added, intended to maintain
its "good neighbourly relations with the Bhutan government."
Rizal is also the honorary chairman of the Appeal Movement Coordinating
Council (AMCC) of Bhutan, which is organizing the march.
He has been detained in Thimpu Central Jail since November 1989, when he
appealed to the king to drop two laws which infringed on the rights of Bhutanes
e
citizens of Nepalese descent.
The laws, which require strict adherence to Bhutanese culture, meant many
citizens of Nepalese descent faced either dropping their own customs or
punishment. Many chose to flee to Nepal.
So far six rounds of ministerial level talks between Nepal and Bhutan have
failed to resolve the refugee issue as Kathmandu wants all refugees repatriated
while Bhutan wants to separate what it calls genuine Bhutanese from the others.
More than 100,000 refugees fled after the cultural laws were introduced and
are now sheltered in camps run by the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) and other non-governmental organizations.
HEADLINE: nepali airlines to lease jet from greek company
DATELINE: kathmandu, january 24; ITEM NO: 0124073
BODY:
nepal's flag carrier will soon lease a boeing 757 jet from a greek company
to serve its asian routes after its airbus 310 was damaged sunday in an acciden
t
in dubai, local reports said today. top officials of the royal nepal airline
s
corporation (rnac) tuesday held an emergency meeting and decided to finalize a
deal with the venus company of greece to procure one b-757 aircraft on a
short-term lease to continue the airlines' international operations, said the
reports. a rnac a-310 had its right engine damaged sunday in dubai when it
crashed into a serving truck at the airport. there were no injuries in the
accident. the accident has disrupted the schedule of the rnac's international
flights as it would take seven to 10 days to repair the a-310, according to the
rnac officials. in addition, two b-757s owned by the rnac will fly to
guangzhou, china, thursday for maintenance under earlier arrangements, which
would leave only one jet plane to serve the airlines' international sector. th
e
rnac said that all of its european flights would be canceled till further
notice. the new b-757 from greece will be leased for only about 10 days, the
officials said.
HEADLINE: Nepal to ask India to trim trade deficit
BYLINE: By Gopal Sharma
BODY:
Nepal will ask India to help trim its trade deficit with its giant souther
n
neighbour during talks this week, Foreign Minister Prakash Chandra Lohani said
on Wednesday.
"We have many ideas to narrow down this deficit and we will discuss them wit
h
the Indian side," Lohani told Reuters in an interview.
Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee is due to arrive in Kathmandu on
Friday for a three-day official visit.
Nepali officials said Mukherjee would discuss the tiny Himalayan nation's
water resource development, growing trade deficit and transit problems with
Lohani and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Nepal's trade deficit with India amounts to $297 million, for which Nepali
businessmen blame India's stringent trade terms, including countervailing dutie
s
on Nepali exports.
Lohani said the two sides would also discuss the prickly issue of
repatriating 90,000 Bhutanese refugees of Nepali origin who fled to eastern
Nepal in 1990 alleging human rights violations.
"We want to know the view of India on this as the refugees came to Nepal
via India." the minister said. "As India is the first country of asylum, we wan
t
them to show a positive attitude towards solving this problem."
Lohani said he would ask Mukherjee for more water and electricity from a
hydroelectric power project built in Tanakpur in western Nepal.
India built the project on a river marking the two countries' border. It
agreed to provide Nepal with two megawatts of electricity and some irrigation
water in exchange for some land which Nepal leased for the plant.
"We will discuss Tanakpur with the view of promoting national interests of
both the countries," the minister said.
HEADLINE: FOREIGN AID;
Tokyo provides grant for Nepal telecommunications expansion
SOURCE: Source: Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 0809 gmt 19 Jan 96
BODY:
[5] Japan agreed on 19th January to grant 46m yen (about 438,000 dollars) fo
r
the expansion of a rural telecommunications network in the northwest region of
Nepal, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported.
The grant will be used to prepare a detailed design for a telecom network
covering 11 districts in the country, a press release from the ministry said.
Rural telecom networks have already been set up in 36 out of 75 administrative
districts in the kingdom with Japanese grant assistance over the past decade,
the release added.
HEADLINE: ADB approves 36.5 million-dollar-loan to Nepal power project
DATELINE: Manila
BODY:
The -based Asian Development Bank approved Tuesday two loans worth 36.5
million dollars to help finance the construction of a hydro-power plant in
Nepal.
The ADB said the loans, will cover 25 per cent of the total cost of the
65-megawatt Khimti hydropower project on the Khola River area, 100 kilometres
east of Kathmandu.
The power project to be financed by the loans will increase power generatio
n
in Nepal's interconnected power system by 350 gigawatt hours (about 34 per
cent of the country's total power in 1994) and provide 1,000 jobs during the
construction of the plant. d
HEADLINE: nepal signs agreement on garment export with canada
DATELINE: kathmandu, january 23; ITEM NO: 0123063
BODY:
nepal and canada have signed an agreement on quotas of nepalese garment
export for the next five years, the nepalese ministry of commerce said today.
a
memorandum of understanding on garment export was signed in new delhi by
representatives of the two governments, fixing nepal's garment export quotas
to canada, the ministry said. according to the agreement, nepal can export t
o
canada 700,000 pieces of colored shirts, 131,000 pieces of trousers, and 200,00
0
pieces of women's shirts and blouses on an annual basis, the ministry added.
the agreement also provides for a six percent annual increase.
HEADLINE: Indian foreign minister to visit Nepal
DATELINE: KATHMANDU, Jan 23
BODY:
A 45-year-old treaty between Kathmandu and New Delhi are among issues to be
addressed in talks between Nepali leaders and Indian Foreign Minister Pranab
Mukherjee, political analysts said on Tuesday.
Mukherjee begins a three-day visit to the kingdom on Friday.
He will be the first foreign leader to visit Nepal after a centre-right
coalition replaced the communists in elections last September.
"During his visit Mukherjee will hold talks with his Nepalese counterpart an
d
other leaders on Nepal -India relations and matters of mutual interest," the
Nepali government said in a brief announcement.
The analysts said Mukherjee's talks with Nepali Foreign Minister Prakash
Chandra Lohani and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba would be crucial for ties
between the two states.
Nepal's erstwhile communist rulers had last year proposed to revise the
1950 treaty of peace and friendship with New Delhi.
The treaty gives special status to the nationals of both countries in matter
s
of business, ownership of property and employment and requires Nepal to
consult India about its import of defence materials from other countries.
More tariff and non-tariff concessions from India to bridge a huge trade
deficit and Nepal's request for a land corridor to boost trade with Banglades
h
were among other issues likely to come up during Mukherjee's visit.
HEADLINE: Nepali party threatens to quit government
DATELINE: KATHMANDU, Jan 21
BODY:
A junior partner in Nepal's four-month-old government has threatened to
quit the coalition unless it solved the problems of the party's main
constituency within 100 days.
The decision was taken by the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) at a meeting of
its central working committee on Saturday.
" Nepal Sadbhavana Party will opt out of the coalition government if the
problems facing the Terai people are not solved in the next 100 days," the
committee said in a resolution.
The NSP is based in the Terai, the low-lying plain bordering India to the
south. The party has demanded that the Royal Nepal Army recruit greater
numbers of Terai residents.
Currently the army is made up largely of Gurkhas, a fighting tribe of
mongoloid origin from the hills.
The NSP also claims its constituents are under-represented in the civil
service and many of them have not been granted citizen certificates.
The NSP has only three deputies in the 205-seat lower house. Prime Minister
Sher Bahadur Deuba gave the party one senior minister's post, the supplies
ministry, when he formed his government last September.
Deuba's government would not necessarily be threatened if the NSP walked out
The prime minister's Nepali Congress Party controls 86 seats in parliament
and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has 19, giving them 105 votes, two mor
e
than needed for a majority.
HEADLINE: nepal to launch income generating program for women
DATELINE: kathmandu, january 20; ITEM NO: 0120065
BODY:
nepal is to introduce an income generating program soon to raise the livin
g
standard of women in the country, according to a senior government official.
minister for women and social welfare lila koirala said friday at a local
meeting organized by the nepal women association in janakpur, southern
nepal, that women should put forth their problems to the government without
any hesitation. she stressed the need for rural women to be involved in the
productive activities in the agricultural sector, the national news agency rss
reported. stating that the ministry had been established for the protection of
women's rights in nepal, koirala called on nepalese women to make greater
contributions to the society and to the country.
**********************************************************************
From: Prema Oza <ar490@freenet.carleton.ca>
Subject: kumari puja
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 1996 12:26:08 -0500 (EST)
Question: what, actually, becomes of the defiled, impure kumaris after
they are discovered to be no longer impure?
in india, i have heard of various nightmare stories involving child
goddesses who are the living image of major hindu deities, such as bhavani,
who are left to fend for themselves since they have been sold to the
temple by their parents initially.
these young girls are often subjected to a life of prostitution or
indentured labour.
are there similarities to be drawn with kumari puja in nepal? one can only
hope not.
prema
Amidst grief and joy I was first, I first knew sorrow and pleasure, good
and evil. Obeying you or disobeying means the same. I was first to know. I
was first to touch the tree of knowledge, first to bite the red apple. I
was rebellion first on your earth. - poet Kabita Sinha
**********************************************************************
From: Rajesh Shrestha <rshresth@husc.harvard.edu>
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 1996 13:05:19 -0500 (EST)
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: KTM Post !!
Cross-posted from SCN:
---------------------
Yeah! I was also wondering whether KTM Post or Mercantile server was the
problem of news on the web. Anyway, us being free loaders of
their goodwill and service cannot complain much. However, the progress
in technological advancement of Nepali organizations should be
appreciated. I remember we did not have the luxury of getting Nepali
taja khabars so fast when I was a student in the US some years ago. I
hope they do gradually improve and learn the value of service in
promoting their businesses.
Again, after they had technical difficulties some days back and fixed
it, there has not been any new issue since 24th. It shows that now there
is another server which has to be accessed that is something like
demon.ac.uk which does take a few impatient seconds. I guess we cannot
expect the news on Saturday and Sunday since they have holidays or I am
wrong? Does MOS still have a server in Singapore?
Well,I hope the goodwill spirit of KTM post and MOS will continue for
their fellow Nepalese who are students or working abroad awaiting any
news from their home.
Ashok Sayenju
Niigata,Japan
**********************************************************
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 1996 11:15:23 -0700 (MST)
From: Jon.Souder@nau.edu (Jon A. Souder)
Subject: Maps (Paper & Digital) of Nepal
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
Dear Nepal Digesters -
I'm working on a project involving tree plantations in the Terai with a
past U.S.A.I.D. Jefferson Fellow, Raja Baral, who works for the Ministry of
Forests and Soil Conservation.
As part of the project, Mr. Baral sampled plantations in three districts of
the Terai: Siraha, Sunsari, and Morang. Sample locations are identified by
Village Development Council (VDC) area.
I have been using the Digital Chart of the World (an Arc-Info add-on) to
obtain a location map for roads and streams. But I'm having difficulty
obtaining good maps (i.e., ones with latitudes and longitudes or a
projection specified) for the District boundaries. If possible, I would
also like to add V.D.C. locations for these three districts.
Can anyone out there provide assistance or suggestions?
Thanks,
Jon A. Souder (520) 523-8015 office
Assistant Professor of Forest Policy (520) 525-2631 home
School of Forestry (520) 523-1080 fax
Box 15018
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
****************************************************************
Date: Sat, 03 Feb 1996 00:42:45 -0712
To: nepal-request@cs.niu.edu
From: "Prakash Sakya" <psakya@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU>
Subject: New email address
Dear Nepal Digest Editors,
I no longer use my old email addess pmsakya@acs.net.au and
pmsakya@peg.apc.org. My new email address where I wish to receive nepal
digest is psakya@extro.ucc.su.oz.au
Thank you for your cooperation. Can you publish this account of mine to
some of my friends who might be still using my old email adress to send
mail to me. Thank you.
Prakash Sakya
Sydney
psakya@extro.ucc.su.oz.au
**********************************************************************
From: dk2662@accunix.wjc.edu (Diwas Khati - student)
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 1996 20:42:53 -0500 (EST)
IS THERE ANY NEPALI OR TND READER RESIDING IN OR NEAR THE FOLLOWING
CITIES/TOWNS? IF YOU DO, THEN PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT <dk2662@accunix.wjc.edu>
AND I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO YOU WITHOUT GOING PUBLIC ON THE TND.
THANKS IN ADVANCE.....
CITIES/TOWNS
1. PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
2. BEAVER, PA
3. BEAVER COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER, BEAVER, PA
4. CANTON, OHIO
5. TIMKEN MERCY MEDICAL CENTER, OHIO
sawid
************************************************************
Date: Fri, 2 Feb 1996 10:31:37 +0000 (GMT)
From: strawn <chris.strawn@queen-elizabeth-house.oxford.ac.uk>
To: MAILBHUTAN <angert@chaph.usc.edu>, dthronson@aol.com,
Subject: Bhutanese demonstrations-update 2 February 1996 (fwd)
This is a forwarded update on the Bhutanese refugee situation.
150 Bhutanese refugee peacemarchers remain in detention in the Indian stae
of West Bengal, after attempting to march back into their homeland of
Bhutan.
Meanwhile another group of 300 Peace Marchers on the bridge linking Nepal and
India are still hoping that the Indian authorities will lift the barrier
and IPC 144 thus allowing them to continue on their way to Bhutan to
petition the King. They have been living on the bridge for 10 days.
The first group of 150 marchers were brought before the Siliguri court on
January 30 for a hearing by the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate. The
court maintained its stand of releasing the marchers after they sign the
Personal Release Bond (PR bond). The Marchers declined the offer saying
that they have a right to return to their country and will not under any
circumstances sign the PR bond. The court said that it cannot alter its
previous decision unless ordered by a higher court to do so. The
Magistrate, Bimlendra Biswas, decided on 13th February for the
submission of the report by the Investigation Officer of the Indian Police.
The male and female Peace Marchers are held in separate locations. The
males are in Jalpaiguri and the females in Siliguri. A petition on behalf
of the Peace Marchers was filed by APDR (Association for Protection of
Democratic Rights).
On 29/1 a mass meeting of 2000 was organised in Jalhaka, on the Bhutan
border by the All India Gorkha League to raise awareness of the Bhutanese
refugee problem.
A local Indian newspaper alleges that the Chief Minister of West Bengal,
Jyoti Basu, is to write soon to the Indian Prime Minister concerning the
Peace Marchers arrested on 17th January.
The president of Amnesty International, on a visit to Nepal, urges that the
position of the Bhutanese refugees should be raised at regional and
international levels for solution. He appealed to all countries having
economic, cultural or geo-political relations with Bhutan to boycott it
till it made significant progress in its human rights record. "The right
approach to break the Bhutanese refugee stalemate is to ask if it is safe
for the refugees to return home. All other questions are illusory", he
said.
Some observers worry that the prominent support being given to AMCC by the
Gorkha League plays into the Bhutan government's allegations that the
pro-democracy movement in Bhutan is a front for Pan-Nepali nationalism and
a Greater Nepal state. Such an appearance could severely damage regional
support for the refugees.
In the Thursday, 1st Feb issue of The Katmandu Post has a front page
Commentary entitled "UNmoved by the plight of Bhutanese refugees". The
article claims that the very recent visit of the Chairman of the Executive
Committee of the UNHCR, Jakob Esper Larson, to South Asia to observe the
plight of the Bhutanese refugees was another triumph for Bhutan.
Both Nepal & Bhutan are committee members of the ExCom. The Bhutanese
envoy, Jigme Thinley, regarded as Bhutan's ablest diplomat, managed to have
Larson visit Bhutan first. Larson was unable visit the south of Bhutan
(from where most refugees come) after he fell ill.
Larson was due to fly to Kathmandu on 15th Jan, but the flight was
cancelled due to weather. After arriving in KTM on 18th, Larson changed his
mind about visiting the refugee camps in the SE, citing pressing
appointments.
According to Nepali government sources planes and helicopters were on stand
by to take Larson to the camps on 19th Jan. The weather was fine that day,
but could not interest Larson who departed for Delhi that same night after
barely a day's visit to Nepal. Western diplomats, it is claimed, say they
heard that Larson had gone on holiday in India.
Diplomatic sources say that Larson was so enamoured by Bhutanese
hospitality in Thimphu that "he let it be known that he was highly
impressed with Bhutan, its pristine environment, and its able
bureaucracy".(as quoted in the newspaper report).
The peace marchers ostensibly are being held for violating IPC (Indian
Penal Code) 144, which was implemented in anticipation of the marches, and
prohibits public demonstrations.
The first group of peace marchers had planned to reach their destination of
Thimphu, in Bhutan, on Monday, Feb 5. Observers are concerned that this
group is willing to have their own blood shed if that is required to raise
awareness, and the group has vowed not to return to the Nepalese camps.
Supporters inside India have also staged demonstrations in support of the
marchers.
The mood among Bhutanese refugees in camps in Nepal is said to be growing
tense, and several confrontations have been recorded. The refugees hope the
demonstrations will continue to raise awareness to their plight, which is
in its six year with little sign of a pending resolution.
The Bhutanese refugees, totalling about 1/6 of the 600,000 people
populating Bhutan, were forced to leave the country in the early 1990's
after a "One Nation/ One People" policy effectively rendered them
stateless. The international community has been thus far ineffective in
resolving their plight. Bhutan has the largest percentage of its people
living as refugees in the world.
From: strawn <chris.strawn@queen-elizabeth-house.oxford.ac.uk>
To: nepal digest <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu>
i have just sent information on the Bhutanese refugees to be
included in the nepal digest. the last nepal digest did not
have articles on bhutan which i thought i had mailed to you.
please tell me if you do not recieve my february 2 article
on bhutan, or if there are any other problems with including
the information. personally, i have been contacted by a
number of people wanting more information, and i think that
a lot of subscribers and scn readers appreciate the info.
yours,
chris
chris strawn * refugee studies programme * oxford university
%%%%%EDITOR'S NOTE: TND is committed to provide uncensored news and %%%%%
%%%%% discussions. If you do not see your piece, please %%%%%
%%%%% repost it. Due to the large volume of matirials, %%%%%
%%%%% matirials do get postponed for incoming issues. %%%%%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
*******************************************************************************
From: "D.P.Sharma" <MSRAADPS@fs1.ec.man.ac.uk>
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
Date: Fri, 2 Feb 1996 11:07:52 GMT
Subject: Re: The Nepal Digest - January 30, 1996 (16 Magh 2052 BkSm)
Dear Editor,
Tha Nepal Digest!
I am being greateful having your subscriber with your publications
of TND. It is also being wonderful for me because I am getting
information about Nepal and its activities, however I am too far from
my homeland. At this moment I want just to quick note that I have a
request to publish this notice to everybody mainly for the Nepalese
study fellows in Australia. "One of my friends Mr. Chakra Raj Karki
from Ministry of General Administration is studying in any one of
the universities in AUSTRALIA. I tried to get his email address via
other methods but could not succeed. If anybody have any idea about
his address in Australia please inform me via this fabulus email
media." My Email address is:
D.P.Sharma@stud.man.ac.uk or MSRAADPS@fs1.man.ac.uk
Dhruba Sharma
Institute for Development Policy and Management
Manchester University, UK.
**********************************************************************
From: Rajesh Shrestha <rshresth@husc.harvard.edu>
Date: Fri, 2 Feb 1996 10:55:38 -0500 (EST)
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Average life expectancy of Nepalese males.
Cross-posted from SCN:
---------------------
In article <4e6qkg$eb4@saba.info.ucla.edu>, dchhetri <dchhetri@ucla.edu> wrote:
> I don't have figures on males vs. females, but life expectancy at birth
> for a Nepali (in Nepal of course) in 1991 was 51 years. Want to know
> the median age at death? 12!
>
> Boy, do we have a long way to go.
>
> Dinesh
Thanks Dinesh and Kanhaiya for highlighting the plight of life expectancy
in Nepal.
Just a question beyond the statistics. If you ask the experts why we have
such a low life expectancy, then, we get a roundabout answer with
interaction of poverty-- lack of proper nutrition--lack of health care --
lack of information --lack of education-- and so on and so forth. Except
for massive vaccination and vitamin supplement programs to prevent some
fatal diseases, is there anything the poor people can afford to do to
improve their life expectancy. For example, can a poor person afford to
drink and make their children drink boiled water without external
assistance. And just a hypothetical question, if everybody in Nepal drank
filtered and boiled water how much difference would it make in life
expectancy?
Padam Sharma
812 West Divide Ave
Bismarck, ND 5801
*****************************************************************8
From: Rajesh Shrestha <rshresth@husc.harvard.edu>
Date: Fri, 2 Feb 1996 10:56:57 -0500 (EST)
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: fate of a Seattle kid..
Cross-posted from SCN:
---------------------
fate of a four year old kid......
4 year old Seattle boy, Sonam Wangdu, is believed to be the reincarnation
of venerated Deshung Rinpoche III. This high Lama, who had taught at the
University of Washington, is said to be the reincarnation of the original
Rinpoche. Sonam Wangdu, whose mother is an American and father a Tibetan,
just arrived in Nepal two days back. The kid who had been brought up far
away from the hardships of life, and who at a time can't leave home
without his power rangers, is bound for a totally serene destiny. He
will have to shun himself from the materialistic world for the rest of
his life. Carolyn Lama (Sonam's mother) is more than willing to give
away her kid to the monks in a monastery near Katmandu. Sonam does not
know anything about this. Sooner or later she has to tell him the truth.
Carolyn when asked how she'd respond to all these sudden turnaround, she
said " it's much more better to spiritually serve the mankind than eat
60,000 chicken nuggets
East Hall, University of Central Oklahoma
http://www.ionet.net/~kunga/index.html)
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