Received: from mp.cs.niu.edu (mp.cs.niu.edu [131.156.1.2]) by library.wustl.edu (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id NAA14811; Mon, 27 Oct 1997 13:12:15 -0600 (CST) Received: by mp.cs.niu.edu id AA02777 (5.67b/IDA-1.5 for nepal-dist); Mon, 27 Oct 1997 09:23:37 -0600 Received: by mp.cs.niu.edu id AA02773 (5.67b/IDA-1.5 for nepal-list); Mon, 27 Oct 1997 09:23:36 -0600 Date: Mon, 27 Oct 1997 09:23:36 -0600 Message-Id: <199710271523.AA02773@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 - October 27, 1997 (13 Kartik 2054 BkSm) To: <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu> Content-Type: text Status: O X-Status: X-Keywords: X-UID: 243
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The Nepal Digest Tues Oct 27, 1997: Kartik 13 2054BS: Year6 Volume67 Issue 2
H A P P Y D I P A W A L I !!!!!!!!
Today's Topics:
From The Editor's Desk
A Call for Political Alternatives in Nepal
Sports News From Avi
Nepali News
No Laws Regarding Child Sexual Abuse in Nepal
Anti-terrorism bill not needed, says PM Thapa
Re: Nepal: Problems...
******************************************************************************
* TND (The Nepal Digest) Editorial Board *
* -------------------------------------- *
* *
* The Nepal Digest: General Information tnd@nepal.org *
* Chief Editor: Rajpal JP Singh a10rjs1@mp.cs.niu.edu *
* (Open Position) *
* Columnist: Pramod K. Mishra pkm@acpub.duke.edu *
* Sports Correspondent: Avinaya Rana avinayar@touro.edu *
* Co-ordinating Director - Australia Chapter (TND Foundation) *
* Dr. Krishna B. Hamal HamalK@dist.gov.au *
* Co-ordinating Director - Canada Chapter (TND Foundation) *
* Anil Shrestha SHRESTHA@CROP.UOGUELPH.CA *
* SCN Correspondent: Open Position *
* *
* TND Archives: http://library.wustl.edu/~listmgr/tnd/ *
* TND Foundation: http://www.nepal.org tnd@nepal.org *
* WebSlingers: Pradeep Bista,Naresh Kattel,Robin Rajbhandari *
* Rabi Tripathi, Prakash Bista tnd@nepal.org *
* *
* +++++ Food For Thought +++++ *
* *
* "Heros are the ones who give a bit of themselves to the community" *
* "Democracy perishes among the silent crowd" -Sirdar_Khalifa *
* *
******************************************************************************
******************************************************************
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 1997 18:23:47 -0400 (EDT)
To: The Nepal Digest <nepal@cs.niu.edu>
From: Rajpal J.P. Singh (Editor - The Nepal Digest)
Subject: From The Editor's Desk
On behalf of TND Foundation let me wish you a Happy Dipawali. I hope
you had an enjoyable Dashain. Its an wonderful reminder that the good will
prevail and the evil will be vanquished. Just a note to the article posters
that we had a small disk mishap few days ago. If you do not see your article,
please resend them. We apologize for the inconviniences.
We have some wonderful news to share amongst us. TND Foundation
is expanding its active role. Dr. Kirshan Bdr Hamal from Australia
and Anil Shreshta from Canada, have kindly offered to volunteer their
personal time to serve as "Co-ordinating Directors" for the respective
regions. On behalf of TND Foundation and its worldwide members,
Dr. Hamal and Anil Shrestha jyu, please accept our thanks. The
Foundation urges all the members worldwide to touch base with our Directors
to further the Foundation activities and to help the interests of Nepal, Nepalis
and friends of Nepal. We are still looking for volunteers to come out in
other geographical regions. Please send in your names.
Yet another political turn has taken place in Singha Durbar. These
political turns can be better or worse for the mere mortal us (Nepalis)
depending in the situation and the players involved. If the nation can
function without the interruptions in its development course irrespective of
what happens with the political equation in Singha Durbar, then the lawmakers
have executed their duties responsibly. If they have not, or if the constitution
is such that, it allows or leaves no option for the lawmakers but to disrupt the
development course of the nation everytime Singha Durbar decides to play
musical chairs then now is the time to take a closer look at the
constitution and start the daialogue amongst the voters and lawmakers to
amend the constitution. This is what democracy has to mean to us. The
people have to protect and chereish the freedom that our constitution provides;
yet there must be provisions to ammend the constitution when there is a
serious need to further the rights of the people and democracy.
On the same note, I'd like to invite readers to ask ourselves, "Is the
constitution complete? Does it need the ammemndments? If so, what should
be the ammendments?" Mr. Pramod Mishra has articulated many of these
arguments in his article in this issue. Mr. Rupesh Pradhan has augmented
some notes on what indivduals can do to aid in the development couse of Nepal
inspite of the political instablility in the country.
Let the dialogue begin!
Nepal Ko Jai Hos!
Rajpal J.P. Singh
TND Foundation
http://www.nepal.org
******************************************************************
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 1997 18:23:47 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Pramod K. Mishra" <pkm@acpub.duke.edu>
To: The Nepal digest Editor <nepal-request@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: Democracy or The Mock-Racy?: A Call for Political Alternatives in Nepal
I had written part of this piece when UML-RPP coalition had
formed their government some seven months ago, and now we have another
combination of Nepali political spices in power in Kathmandu. In seven
years, we have had almost seven governments, seven prime- ministers,
three combinations involving the ex-Panchayat factions, proving their
indispensability in Nepal's political scenario. Did the same kind of
politicking take place during Panchayat system, forming, breaking, making
moves over cards and drinks in order to grab political power? They have
made a mockery of the darn thing called democracy. And there is no more
Ganeshman to fume, shout, fret and threaten from the sidelines.
What's gone wrong? In the following piece, I blame the West
Minister system that contains an in-built loophole for such a muddle.
But Britain itself hasn't had such muddled period for a long time.
Wasn't it Atlee's government right after World War II that faced such a
situation? Correct me if I'm wrong. Maybe Britain has two-party system
for a long time, only recently the Liberals regaining their popularity.
Is the system wrong? I think so, particularly when one considers the
socio-economic condition and literacy level in Nepal. The people are
poor, ignorant, politically uneducated, uninformed. On the other hand, each
Nepali political leader thinks himself to be a Mao, a Ho-Chi Minh, a
Castro, a Nehru, a Sukarno, a Nassar, a Kenyatta. When these two
ingredients--uneducated voters and power-hungry, unscrupulous
leaders--combine together, only a solid, foolproof political system can
save the day. But that's not the case in Nepal. We can't change the
people so fast; we can't change the politicians, but we can improve
the system.
Stability has become a mirage for the successive governments, and
democracy a Westminster desert for the Nepali people. I mean how many
governments can a nation have in seven years? We have had six since
1990. We have made all kinds of governments: government with full
majority, minority government of democratic communists, coalition by the
congress, and now back to a Panchayat-day prime-minister. In seven-odd
years, we have come full circle. When it was a majority government, that
of Mr. Koirala, his party members accused him of megalomania and threw
him out. When we had the largest number of seats won by the communists,
they were still in the minority because they didn't have more than fifty
percent of the parliamentary seats. They, too, collapsed at the hands of
the scared Congress. When the Congress formed a government in league
with the rightist RPP, dissension ravened the rightists' ranks caused by
the communists, and the coalition fell. And now the communists have
formed an alliance and made a Panchayat-time prime-minister a multi-party
prime-minister. In Nepal, even now you don't have to go to the people to
ask for a mandate to be the prime-minister; you just make some clever
moves, tempt, maneuver and manipulate in the corridors of power in
Kathmandu and become a run away success in fulfilling your ambition.
Hail the Westminster model of democracy! Some would say, glee hidden
under their sleeve, hail multi-party system and democracy itself!
But these times of uncertainty are also times of introspection
and retrospection. We must look back and review Nepal's history in
modern times. Full promise dawned only after 1950. The instability
between 1950 to 1959 did much damage instead of repair and healthy
beginning. The story of the seventeen-month B.P. government at that time
is too difficult to interpret here, but one can fairly say that the
congress got too drunk with their sweep in the elections, and many
nascent communists thereafter proved to be less communists than
maneuverers and politickers-- plain opportunists. So we had thirty years
of Panchayat dictatorship or democracy, depending on your loss or gain,
and political ideology. During the referendum, again such an unstable
period, much of the forest in the Terai the government sold to raise
funds, the rest many patriots looted and smuggled to India. The common
people, awe struck, just watched the big drama, beyond their comprehension.
The history of multi-party system since 1990, I'm sure, won't be
written differently. This exercise of democracy has become a game of
chairs, always short for the ambitious, for every elected member of
parliament wants to occupy chairs--possibly that of the prime-minister.
And rightfully so. Without power and government, no party thinks it can
win an election in Nepal nor people can come to trust them. Power still
carries both trust and purse in the Himalayan kingdom. But, even
otherwise, I don't blame these parties and their politicians, however
unscrupulous they may be. That's what the constitution provides, and the
constitution has been borrowed from one of the oldest democracies. How
can it be wrong?
But the present constitution of Nepal is deeply flawed. We have
had histories of unstable governments all over the world--in Italy,
Israel, India, and in more than one African country, as a result of
following blindly the British system. Some solved this problem of
perpetually unstable democracy by bringing in the rule of a barrel,
giving birth to Abachas, Babangidas, Idi Amins, Boccassas. Or its milder
variants in Thailand, Indonesia, and many other South-East Asian countries.
Nepal's people deserve better, even though they may be like the
monkey god Hanuman right before his jump across the ocean to Lanka. A
bear needs to remind the monkey that he can cross the ocean; that he has
tremendous powers, dormant but not absent. Similarly, the people of
Nepal need education; they need a reminder of their dormant powers in a
democracy, subject as they have been so far to looking up to their rulers
for whipping, mercy, and governance. Can the intellectuals and new breed
of politicians function as bears?
Yes, Nepal's people deserve better from their politicians,
intellectuals--from themselves. The constitution needs to be reexamined
and amended. After a series of coalition governments, Israel amended its
constitution, making the post of the premier directly elective along with
the parliamentary seats. Even Tony Blair, Britain's New Labour
prime-minister, harbors ambitions to accomplish old radicalism by
amending his country's revered political tradition by abolishing the
voting rights of hereditary peerage in the House of Lords and heralding
an era of written rights and proportional representation. Of course, we
may not have to follow Israel, the US, or any other model that has
built-in stability in its political structure. We may come up with a
different plan for structural stability. But a debate needs to be
started, both among the intellectuals and politicians--and a committee
formed to find a way out of this quagmire.
As it is, the Westminster system, much suitable as it may be or
have been for England, is deeply flawed for a country like Nepal, where
both geography and demography, let alone history and economy, militate
against television-driven, media-propelled, empire-boosted democratic
exercise. The poor prime-minister, whether he (let's for now confine
ourselves to this gender alone) is Koirala or Adhikari, Deoba or Chand,
the poor prime-minister, by the nature of the constitution and the lust
for power and greed for pelf of the elected officials, within or without
the party, the poor prime-minister has to spend sleepless nights thinking
about the loss of his chair next morning. What can he do, think--how can
he devote his day and night--planning for the upliftment of his voters,
when the voters' representative themselves become, with the backing of
the constitution, to use a popular word in India, hankerers after power
so he can get pelf? In such a situation, even the stable branches of
government--the police, the civil servants, the military-- even if clean,
cannot provide direction, guide the hunger and nakedness out of the
bodies' of the people.
One or another of the MPs would always be ready to quit the
party, conspire and form a coalition with others, no matter the ideology,
and propose the vote of no confidence or confidence--to get a berth in
the cabinet, or just become the next prime-minister. I mean this whole
darn business of confidence or non-confidence has become a puppet-show, a
joke, a high drama and circus good only for television--definitely not
for the half-naked, half-starving people living in the dripping huts in
the hills, mountains, and plains of Nepal. If the Westminster model is
faulty for a poor country like Nepal, we can't afford to be its systemic
victims for ever.
But we can't do without democracy, either. The barrel of a gun
is no substitute for a healthy reassessment of our own system, taking
control over our own destiny and direction. Don't trust men, trust the
system, particularly in a country like ours with its high illiteracy and
deep poverty. And the system has to be made stable, democratic, and open
to treatment like any non-divine entity. We have witnessed and are
witnessing the consequences of gun barrel polity-- famine, disease,
foreign bank accounts, and flight. Turning back the clock is no solution
at all. Democracy is the only way to a healthy twenty-first century. We
in Nepal have to amend the hastily hatched constitution to get that
democracy, for lots of Nepali people, both inside Nepal and outside,
have grown fed up with this monthly farce called vote of confidence--and
no less fed up with the empty promise of stability.
There could be three alternatives to this muddle next time around
when an election is held. 1. Make the post of a prime-minister directly
electable, although at the same time as the parliamentary election is
held. This will end party crossing and intraparty quibbling and buying
and selling of loyalties like mangoes and oranges.
Or, 2. It's not based on how many seats a party wins in the parliament
that would help make the government, rather which party gets the maximum
votes under the leadership of an already declared Party Chief, who is
entitled to rule for the whole term according to his and his party
central committee's wishes.
Or, 3. Make the election of the prime-minister separate from that of the
Parliament, somewhat like the American Presidential system, with the
difference that the Crown would act as the head of the state.
4. Come up with other alternatives to get us out of this muddle.
A appeal the TND readers to come up with other such political
alternatives so we can have a pool of ideas and also this electronic
campaign for ideas would knock some sense into the politicians in
Kathmandu. It may generate such debate there as well. We owe this to
the salt or cream we have eaten in the name of Nepal.
******************************************************************
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 08:35:46 +0545 (NPT)
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
From: sinhas@mos.com.np (Pratyoush Onta)
Subject: The Politics of Knowledge
Source: From The Kathmandu Post, 24 October 1997
The Politics of Knowledge
Beyond Empty Symbolic Nationalism
by Pratyoush Onta
Our dominant discourses on nationalism hardly surpass the terrains of empty
symbolic nationalism. Most of the time when we talk about nationalism in
Nepal we tend to reduce it to cultural symbols, ones, as we like to claim,
that are unique in the world. Sometimes it is our flag that we celebrate,
saying it is the only bi-triangular flag in the whole world and we do not
forget to add that it is the 'oldest' flag among those used by various
nations today (notwithstanding the fact regarding the novelty and recent
history of the idea of the nation itslef!). Other times, we designate a
bird, an animal and a person as belonging to our national symbolic pantheon
and pay our sycophantic obeisance to them as if doing so constitutes the
entirety of our duty as Nepali citizens.
On other occasions, we chant the names of Mechi or Mahakali or evoke the
memory of Balbhadra and Amarsimha and bask in an ersatz nostalgia of the
Gorkhali empire that supposedly preserved the last bastion of Hinduism in
the Subcontinent. We participate in this sort of exercise a whole
generation after the late poet Bhupi provided biting criticisms of this
variety of nationalism in his immortal poems such as 'Hami', 'Galat lagcha
malai mero desko itihas' and 'Yo hallai halako des ho.'
It is not my intention to suggest that our nationalism be completely devoid
of symbolic elements. Symbols here, like in other nations, should continue
to be used to marshall the positive emotional force that nationalism can be
so that the citizens of this nation can begin to benefit from the
institutional phenomenon that nation (and the state that goes with it) can
be. However, I consider our deployment of nationalist symbols to be devoid
of commitment toward enhancing the ability of Nepali citizens to benefit
from membership in the Nepali nation. This deployment is mostly guided by
the desire to cultivate culturally unique symbols around which the nation
can be narrated. It is this deployment of symbols, vacuous and done in the
name of the nation, that I call "empty symbolic nationalism."
A new entrant: A new entrant in this empty symbolic nationalism dance is a
recent book by another columnist of this paper, Mr Nagendra Sharma. In
Tarka Bitarka (some comments about which he has published in his column
'Recollections' in The Sunday Post of 21 September 1997), Sharma advocates
that the Nepali language, currently written in the Devnagari script, should
be written in the Newari script. The latter happens to be one of the many
scripts in which Newari or Nepal bhasa has been historically written. This
book is a compilation of extracts from Sharma's previously published
essays. To exemplify his proposition, these extracts are alternatively
presented in Devnagari and Newari scripts.
Sharma presents two arguments to back up his proposition. Since Nepali and
Hindi share the same Devnagari script, a person who can read Nepali can
also read Hindi. Since a massive amount of publications exist in Hindi -
and that too of various quality and price-range - their popularity can
easily displace Nepali language publications. Hence Sharma concludes that
until the Nepali language adopts a separate script (such as the Newari
script), we cannot escape from the "linguistic imperialism" of Hindi. Until
we adopt such a measure, he adds, it would not be possible to save our
national identity.
Sharma's second argument is related to the internal aspects of Nepali
nationalism. He writes that the Newari script is a product of our own soil.
Since it is our own creation and a part of our ancient tradition, he claims
that this script is more emotionally close to us than Devnagari. Hence, he
adds, if the Nepali language adopts the Newari script, it will be a
benchmark move toward our national integration.
If we are to be convinced by Sharma's first argument, he needs to provide
us with an answer to the following questions: how come Nepali language and
its publications were not washed away by Hindi publications some decades
ago when there were few Nepali writings available? Instead how is it that
during the past few decades we have seen a massive increase in the number
of publications available in the Nepali language written in the Devnagari
script? Why should we consider the ability to read Hindi on the part of
somebody who can read Nepali to be a disadvantage? I, for one, see this as
an advantage. No matter how massive the world of Hindi publications might
be, Nepali readers can choose to read what is useful for them just like
they can choose to read Nepali language materials useful for them. Many
literate Nepalis routinely read Hindi materials just as many others do not.
If we respect the intelligence of the readers, the ability to read Hindi
materials can never be thought of as being part of a "linguistic
imperialism" that will destroy Nepali nationalism and identity.
With regard to his second argument, Sharma fails to convince me as well. If
a "product of our own soil" was the sole determiner of how emotionally
close we were to it, then the various scripts that have been historically
used to write Newari would not have disappeard. They were discontinued
because they could not withstand the new challenges of the technologies of
writing. Amongst Nepalis who can read, the Devnagari script is the most
familiar one today and we should consider ways to use this fact to enhance
the possibility of more engaged dialogue between Nepalis of various jatis
and janajatis. With respect to Sharma's argument that the adoption of the
Newari script for the Nepali language would be a benchmark move for
national integration, he should consider why various proponents of the
janajati agenda in Nepal today use the Nepali language and the Devnagari
script for their activist work. The long list of janajati publications
available in Nepali written in Devnagari have already proved the
effectiveness of both the Nepali language and the Devnagari script in the
present janajati movement. National integration comes about by facilitating
real dialogue and not through the adoption of unique scripts.
Empty symbolic nationalism marshals its arguments in facile narratives that
can look convincing. Hence it is no surprise that scholars of the stature
of Shiva Regmi, one of Nepal's premier literary historians, has supported
Sharma's proposition (in a review of the book) without any active
engagement with his arguments. It seems as though that Sharma's reference
to the issue of 'national integration' can by itself justify the absence of
critical dialogue with his arguments. If this reflects what we have
achieved after decades of talking and living through empty symbolic
nationalism, I say that it is time to dump it.
Our first discourses beyond empty symbolic nationalism should begin by
answering the following question asked by poet Dinesh Adhikari in his
justly famous poem, 'Harkabahadur', a decade ago. In my crude translation,
it reads: "The year before last/ When his seven-year old daughter/ Died
after a snake-bite/ How come nationalism did not translate itself/ Into an
anti-venom medicine?"
Yes, how come?
************************************************************
To: info-tnd@nepal.org
Subject: volunteering
From: agoddess@juno.com (carol demech)
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 22:42:37 EDT
Hi.
Please send me information about volunteering in Nepal. I
will be in India in mid November volunteering for the Sisters of Charity
and would like to visit Nepal and volunteer. I was a high school teacher
and I have many other skills. I look forward to hearing from you.
Please e-mail at AGODDESS@juno.com.
Sincerely,
Carol Demech
*******************************************************
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 07:08:41 -0400
From: "Rudy E. Schaelchli" <linden@taconic.net>
To: A10RJS1@cs.niu.edu
Subject: question about king of BHUTAN FROM LINDEN@TACONIC.NET
CAN YOU PLEASE BE ABLE TO GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION ON "KING JIGME
WANCHUCK"? ABOUT HIS PRIVATE LIFE, HOW MANY WIVES, AND HOW CHILDREN HE
HAS? THANK YOU.
******************************************************
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 09:45:55 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Avinaya S. Rana" <avinayar@touro.edu>
To: webmaster-tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Sports News From Avi
World Cup Preview
=================
CAMEROON
========
Capital:
Yaound
Main cities:
Douala, Bafoussam, Garoua
System of government:
Republic
Head of state:
Paul Biya
Currency:
CFA franc
Time difference:
1 hour in front of Paris
1st round Africa zone: exempt
2nd round Africa zone:
10 November1996
Togo - Cameroon
2-4
12 January 1997
Cameroon - Angola
0-0
6 April 1997
Cameroon - Zimbabwe
1-0
27 April 1997
Cameroon - Togo
2-0
8 June 1997
Angola - Cameroon
1-1
17 August 1997
Zimbabwe - Cameroon
1-2
1st in Group 4 :
14 points
10 goals scored
4 goals conceded
Goalkeeper:
SONGO'O (age 35)
Defenders:
KALLA (age 24)
SONG (age 22)
MIMBOE (age 23)
WOME (age 20)
Mid-field:
TCHANGO (age 19)
FOE (age 22 )
MOREAU (age 27 )
TCHOUTANG (age 21)
Strikers:
TCHAMI (age 30)
MBOMA (age 26)
Number of players used during the qualifying rounds: 24
National team colours: Green, red and yellow
FIFA ranking (on 18 July 1997): 46th
World Cup: Participated 3 times in World Cup finals (1982, 1990, 1994)
1982 : eliminated in the first round;
1990 : eliminated in quarter-final by England (2-3 after extra time);
1994 : eliminated in the first round.
Africa Nations Cup: Twice winners of Africa Nations Cup (1984, 1988)
Finalist in 1986
Jean MANGA ONGUENE
was an international footballer between 1966 and 1980, and later
assistant to Valeri
Nepomniachi's during Cameroon's glorious 1990 World Cup run. After a
fine playing
career with the Canon Yaound club he picked up a coaching certificate
at the INF in
Vichy before joining the staff on the Cameroon national side. He was
named national
team coach on 3 July 1997 with the aim of steering Cameroon to a
better performance
than in 1994, when it failed to get past the first round.
14 Teams have won their ticket to FRANCE 98
Spain
Colombia
Argentina
Bulgaria
Paraguay
Norway
Romania
Cameroon
South Africa
Tunisia
Morocco
Nigeria
Brazil
France
****************************************************************
Date: Mon, 06 Oct 1997 10:34:46 -0500
From: Kunga Tshring <kunga@ionet.net>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Nepal Virtual Bookstore with amazon.com
Happy Vijaya Dashami !!!!
If you thought finding a book on Nepal over the Internat was remote and
very unlikely,
you might want to think again. Now nepalsearch.com, in association
with the world's largest online bookstore, AMAZON.COM, has the most
elaborate
books on Nepal stored for you. You may purchase your fav book online.
The books are heavily discounted.
For the Nepal Virtual BookStore visit us @ http://www.nepalsearch.com/
thank you
-kunga
webmaster@nepalsearch.com
http://www.nepalsearch.com
***********************************************************
From: rfvr@ucs.net
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 1997 02:47:27 -0400
To: info-tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Hi
Greetings,
I am interested in finding out more info about possible volunteer
opportunities available in Nepal. Any information you could send me would
be very much appreciated. Thanks for your time.
Fondly,
Kate Frank
161 South Conger Ave.
Congers, NY 10920
rfvr@ucs.net
*********************************************************
Date: Tue, 07 Oct 1997 17:48:41 -0500
To: "Rajpal J. Singh" <a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu>
From: Padam Sharma <psharma@Soils.Umn.EDU>
Subject: Re: Empower Nepal Foundation
Introducing Empower Nepal Foundation
Dear Friends of Nepal:
Namaste!=20
It has been almost a year since I communicated to you about the idea of
forming a global network of Nepalis and friends of Nepal, pool our
resources, and help Nepalis in Nepal help themselves. Encouraged with
suggestions, support and best wishes from many of you, we were able to
advance the network idea into a formal and legally incorporated
organization, called, Empower Nepal Foundation.=20
Empower Nepal Foundation was incorporated in the state of Minnesota, USA in
November, 1996. Since then, we have formed a provisional Board of Directors,
passed bylaws, opened corporate account, and applied for tax-exempt status
with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. On August 14, 1997, we received the
Federal tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code 501 (c) (3). The
Foundation will function as per Federal and state of Minnesota non-profit
corporation laws as a public supported organization. =20
The mission of Empower Nepal Foundation is to form a global network of
individuals and institutions, pool resources from network participants, and
disseminate the resources to support the people of Nepal improve and sustain
the quality of life and that of the environment. The goal of the foundation
are to:
Build an international network of individuals and institutions
interested in quality of life
enhancement and environmental restoration work in Nepal.=20
Pool resources and coordinate activities to promote 4-E focus areas of
quality Education and
health care, Environmental restoration and protection, Economic
development, and
Enlightenment of general public on stewardship of human and natural
resources.=20
Facilitate network participants to volunteer consultancy services,
teach classes, conduct
research and academic exchange programs, demonstrate appropriate
technology, evaluate
policy alternatives, initiate business activities, and organize
community development seminars,
debates, and workshops in Nepal.=20
Disseminate availability of pooled resources, community development
activities, research and
development news, and Nepal related human and natural resource database
to the benefit of
international public by supporting global information outlets in the
cyberspace and other media.=20
While Nepal is going through this critical period of transitional
political, and socio-economic struggle, the current democratic constitution
of Nepal provides donor organizations an window of opportunity to empower
local communities and under privileged minorities help solve local problems.
By working together with an organized effort, Nepal lovers from around the
world can interject ideas and resources at people to people level.=20
The Foundation recognizes lack of education and health care, unemployment,
population pressure, environmental degradation, mismanagement of available
resources, and corruption as major impediments to sustainable development in
Nepal. To help Nepali people break these barriers to development,
Foundation focuses to disseminate the pooled resources (money, volunteered
time, ideas and skills) in four general areas: Education and health,
Economic development, Environmental stewardship, and Enlightenment of
individual=92s role in a democratic society.=20
In simple words, the Foundation will support activities to educate the
young and the old, plant trees and crops that provide additional income,
improve land productivity and prevent soil erosion, clean water and air,
prevent diseases, promote small business and entrepreneurial activities, and
prevent new generation of bureaucrats and politicians from being corrupt by
cultivating a culture of integrity and ethics. By supporting dedicated
individuals and local volunteer organizations involved in community building
activities in villages and municipalities, Empower Nepal wants to strengthen
and sustain the pillars of democratic system of governance in Nepal.
The Foundation aims to develop its network of sponsors in 1997-1998, and
initiate selected activities in Nepal by 1998-99. The Foundation may opt to
support ongoing mission related activities in Nepal through creditable
individuals and NGO=92s or directly fund new activities envisaged by
individual network participants. The current task at hand is to spread the
word about the Foundation, expand the network of sponsors, collect money and
database of available skills, write grant proposals to other philanthropic
organizations, and identify worthwhile projects in Nepal.=20
A text version of Foundation documents is available at:
<geocities.com/rainforest/9831/>. At this initial stage, the Foundation
needs your monetary and volunteered support to develop the organization
structure, disseminate information through printed brochures and Web page
linkages, and identify projects and logistics in Nepal. =20
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Foundation, I personally appeal
you to please print out the sponsor enrollment form and mail your
tax-deductible contribution to "Empower Nepal Foundation, 2269 Hillside
Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA". Your response will help us develop the
initial database of stakeholders of the Foundation. As a stakeholder, you
get the right to serve on the Board of Directors and participate in shaping
the mission and activities of the Foundation. As an empowered sponsor, you
get the opportunity to harness Foundation resources to develop and fund
mission related activities in Nepal. =20
If you want to volunteer to develop a chapter or a local area network of
the Foundation in your area, identify projects in Nepal, raise money, or
write grant proposals to other foundations, please contact me or any of the
other members of the Board of Directors. Your contributions, participation,
comments and suggestions will be fodder for the survival of this
organization embryo.
Of course, we may want to do more for Nepal individually in our own time and
with our own resources. By contributing to the pool of network resources
(money, time, ideas and skills) in a small way, we make a big splash of
effectiveness with multi-disciplinary effort. Such an organization fulfills
the much awaited need of our time by helping Nepal from wherever we are in
this World. By continuing to support people of Nepal learn and live a
decent life, we improve our quality of life by getting the satisfaction of
helping Nepal in anyway we can. In the process, we will leave the legacy of
a well established Nepal support global network for the 21st century and
generations to come.
With eight out of 10 highest mountains in the world touching the sky, Nepal
is closest to heaven. This most beautiful country in the World does not
deserve to be the poorest in the World. We love Nepal in our own ways. By
working together, we can transform the combined love into deeds of helping
Nepal take the initial steps of climbing the Sagarmatha of human dignity and
environmental quality. One individual, one family, one village, one tole,
one community, and one watershed at a time.
Empower Nepal Foundation thanks you for your support and appreciates your
love for Nepal.
Dhannyabad!
Padam Prasad Sharma, Ph.D
President
Empower Nepal Foundation
2000 Como Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
(612)- 644-3733
Email: psharma@soils.umn.edu
Padam Prasad Sharma, PhD
Research Associate Home Address:
UM/WCES,HWY 329 2000 Como Avenue
Morris, MN 56267 St. Paul, MN 55108
Phone:(320)589-1711(Work) (320) 589-1355 (Apt) Phone: 612-644-3733
Email:psharma@soils.umn.edu
***************************************************************
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 1997 12:16:56 -0600 (MDT)
From: SUAZO GILBERT AARON <suazog@ucsu.Colorado.EDU>
To: info-tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Nepal Government
Dear TND,
Could you please tell me the current composition of the Nepali
Government? I am conducting research on the Nepal, but I am having a
difficult time finding current statistics about the government. For
example, how many members of House of Representatives are affiliated with
the Nepali Congress Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, etc.
Do you know who may have this information or how I can get it? I
have contacted numerous agencies with this request, but nobody seems to be
able to give me much assistance.
I appreciate your time and assistance on this matter...
Aaron Suazo
University of Colorado at Boulder
*********************************************************
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 1997 14:18:23 -0400
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: No Laws Regarding Child Sexual Abuse in Nepal
Source: The Kathmandu Post
Minors victimized in most sexual abuse cases
By a Post Reporter
KATHMANDU, Oct 25 - The 165 cases of sexual abuse recorded in the past 32 months at the Maternity
Hospital has a big number related to child abuse alone.
Out of these 165 cases, 12 cases were related with victims under five years of age and 12 between 5 to 9
years. The incidence of abuse of girls between the age of 10 to 14 years was 31 and those of 15 to 19
years was 40.
"These are only the recorded cases," says Dr Saraswati Padhye. However, many incidences of abuse go
unnoticed and unrecorded as "most of the time parents dont file a case at the police station." The chances
of a case of sexual abuse going unrecorded and unreported is higher when the offender is the victims
relative.
The offenders can be brothers, uncles, fathers or even grandfathers. And most of the victims of sexual
abuse are victimised by their trusted people. This fact is recorded in the survey done by UNICEF which
shows that sexual abusers are often the trusted people, contrary to the common assumption that they are
strangers.
Dr Hari Krishna Banskota, paediatrician, narrates a real incident which is a typical example of why cases
of abuse go unreported.
About a month back a woman from Mulpani VDC came to him with her six year old daughter. Her
complaint: The girl was not eating well and was showing abnormal behaviours.
He checked the girl but could not diagnose anything. It was only when
the mother, out of sheer frustation
muttered, "I dont know what that mora did-- shes been like this for two months," did realisation hit him.
He realised the girl was the victim of sexual abuse.
Banskota asked one of his colleagues to check her and found out that she was brutally abused. It was later
revealed that the little girl had been sexually abused by a 27 years old man for two months. "We didnt
know about it as the man gave our daughter five rupees to keep quiet every time he raped her," said the
victims mother. It was only when the girl couldnt take it any more and confided it to her mother and
showed the money that the parents came to know about it.
Even then, the girls parents didnt hand over the man to police. They sent the abuser, who was their
relative, back home "for the sake of family name".
The other reason why such cases are not reported is because of lack of law. The victim is further
victimised at police station where they are made to wait for days before anything is done.
"This can be a traumatic experience which scares people to report," say doctors. As Dr Aruna Upreti says,
"We have law preventing bestiality but not one on child abuse or paedophilia."
Doctors define child abuse as "the involvement of dependent, immature children in sexual activity which
they cannot fully understand and are unable to give or withhold informed consent to, and which can destroy
accepted roles in the family and boundaries between adults and children." They suggest parents should talk
to the children when they start to show abnormal or different behaviour.
Dr Sishir Regmi says parents have to be alert when children show following symptoms. The symptoms are:
Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) in children, withdrawal symptoms, like remaining silent and watchful,
unexplained fear of men and certain places, ritualistic behaviour, suicidal and destructive behaviour,
conversion symptoms and psychosomatic complaints and poor school performance.
The abused children have to be treated immediately as it might leave behind lasting
effects. Mostly sexual abuse has following effects on children: physical injury, confusion
about sexual norms and sexual identity, stigmatisation "guilty party" stamped for life, loss
of trust, and powerlessness.
Subject: Anti-terrorism bill not needed, says PM Thapa
Source: The Rising Nepal
Kathmandu, Oct. 13 (RSS):
The House of Representatives which is now prorogued at its
meeting the other day
gave Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa a vote of
confidence.
109 votes were cast in favour and two votes against when
Prime Minister Thapa
tabled a motion stating that the House of Representatives
had confidence in him.
Votes in favour of the motion were 86 from the Nepali
Congress, 17 from RPP,
three from Sadbhavana Party and from independent MPs
Bhakta Bahadur Rokaya,
Asha Kazi Basukala and Moti Prasad Pahadi.
MPs of the main opposition CPN-UML did not take part in
the meeting.
Lokendra Bahadur Chand and Padam Sundar Lawati of RPP also
did not take part in the discussions.
Independent MPs Pari Thapa and Navaraj Subedi voted
against the motion.
Earlier, Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, tabling a
motion at the House of
Representatives last Thursday to the effect that the House
has confidence in,
him, said the present coalition government would safeguard
and promote the
Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 which is the
important gain of the
historic people's movement of 1990, as well as
safeguarding and promoting
parliamentary democracy, constitutional monarchy and the
basic human rights of the
Nepalese people. Describing the country as a confluence of
various communities,
religions and cultures and replete with variety, he said
it is our duty to build national
unity while at the same time preserving this diversity,
and to this end we should
generate confidence in every Nepalese from the Himalayas
down to the Terai and
from the Mechi to the Mahakali that the means, resources
and opportunities
available within the nation are being used by the state in
equitable fashion for the good of all Nepalis.
Prime Minister Thapa voiced commitment to the development
and progress of the
various communities, the backward classes and the people
of the Terai and said
special initiative would be taken to resolve the problem
of citizenship in the Terai.
The Prime Minister said the present government would seek
dialogue and
coordination with all political groups including the
opposition party for resolving
important questions concerning national development and
the burning issues facing
the people, adding that the interests of the smaller
political parties would also be safeguarded.
He said the law would be reformed to give recognition to
small political parties as
parties present alongside the national parties.
Pointing out that another significant responsibility of
the present coalition government
would be to consolidate the liberal, competition-oriented
economy with special
emphasis on stability at the policy level, administrative
streamlining, incentives and
follow up, the Prime Minister said the government would
remain effortful to bring the
fruits of development to the doorsteps of the poor.
Remarking on the responsibilities of the coalition
government, he said that a
campaign for the security of the people would be launched
effectively and soon
with a view to providing security to life and property,
lifting the shadow cast by
violence and terror upon the people and the country and
freeing people from the Maoist terror.
Stating that an anti-terrorism bill is not necessary,
Prime Minister Thapa said that
efforts would be made to resolve this problem while
keeping within the parameters
of the constitution and existing laws.
Referring to the problem of landless settlers, he said
keeping in view the
encroachment of forests and their environmental impact, a
comprehensive plan
would be worked out within two months and implemented to
register land in the
names of those who have been the real users for a long
time, and land not
previously registered and village blocks would likewise be
registered.
Unnecessary expenditures would be cut and a policy of
austerity adopted in
government expenses, fiscal discipline would be
implemented with vigour, the
present slackness in internal revenue intake and financial
mobilization would be
ended and foreign aid mobilized further by cultivating
international credibility, he said.
Referring to the ideals of the rule of the people and an
impartial administration,
PM Thapa said political interference would be kept out of
the civil service and
the police, the military would be freed from political
pressure and transfers,
promotions and appointment brought in line with
administrative regulations, values
and ideals, arbitrary administrative decisions taken in
the past would be corrected
and purity brought to the administration.
The educational sector would be kept free of political
pollution, quality levels would
be improved to make education more modern and in keeping
with the times so that
it will be able to cope with the challenges of a changing
world, and the products of
the educational system would be made more responsive to
the needs of the market,
he said, adding that the government would take necessary
measures to bring about
basic and structural changes in this sector.
The present government will increase employment
opportunities in the rural areas
for educated youths who are unemployed and an effective
campaign for skill
development, training, self employment and productive
employment would be
launched, he said, adding that it will also give
continuity to programmes for
institutional loans, training, skill development and
employment generation initiated by the previous governments.
The present government will also stress the continuity of
allowances for the old,
helpless, disabled and widows initiated in past years and
make these programmes more effective, he said.
The Prime Minister said this is what the present coalition
government envisages for
the days ahead and on the basis of this a wide-ranging
programme will be brought out in the near future.
out in the near future.
Security and stability: Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa
has said that the main
commitment and responsibility of the present coalition
government will be to end
insecurity and instability, give priority to local
self-governance and empower the
institutions, dynamic economy, rural development,
employment promotion, social
security, responsible, honest and effective government,
people's rule, impartial
administration and national coordination, goodwill and
consensus.
The Prime Minister made these remarks the other day at the
meeting of the House
of Representatives while tabling a motion at the House of
Representatives to the
effect that the House has confidence in him.
In the past the politics of the country was heading
towards seriousness, uncertainty
and crisis because of the widespread violation of the
constitution, parliamentary
democracy and human rights, Mr. Thapa said, adding the
present government has
been constituted as a result of the commitment of the
Nepali Congress, Rastriya
Prajatantra Party and Nepal Sadbhawana Party to work
unitedly for the sake of
constitution and parliamentary system.
The first priority of the present government is to protect
the life and property of the
Nepali people and to free the country and the people from
the dark shadow of
violence and terror, the Prime Minister said and vowed to
immediately launch an
effective programme for protecting the life and property
of the people and to free
them from Maoist terrorism.
Mr Thapa made it clear that as it is necessary to deploy
the police administration to
resolve these problems, the present government considers
it necessary for the political
parties and enlightened people to express their commitment
to defeat the politics of
violence and reach national consensus. Another important
responsibility of the present
coalition government is to consolidate the self governance
through decentralization of
powers, means and resources and the commitment of the
Nepali Congress, RPP and
the NSP towards empowerment of the local bodies and
decentralized system of
administration is deep and firm. Prime Minister Thapa
said, adding that though the
pervious coalition government said that local bodies will
be empowered, the main
constituent of it exhibited undemocratic behaviour by
capturing the local bodies for
the political purpose and being indifferent toward the
impartial election system.
His Majesty's Government will make effort to correct this
distortions and aberrations
of the past and bring to book the persons found guilty of
the crimes during elections.
He made it clear that the present coalition government
will punish the actions against
the law, policy and the by laws seen during the time of
the last local elections and
shoulder the responsibility of holding the remaining
elections in a fair manner.
Another important responsibility of the present coalition
government is to give special
emphasis on stable policy, administrative simplicity,
encouragement and follow up by
making the liberal and competitive economy consolidated
the effective and to take the
fruits of economic development to the houses of the poor
people, Mr. Thapa said,
adding that the present coalition government is committed
to utilize the skill,
entrepreneurship, capital and managerial expertise of the
private sector to the
maximum possible extent in the country within the liberal
economic structure.
As it will not be honest to speak of economic development
unless the living standard
of our villages and the rural people burdened with poverty
and unemployment is
raised, rural self-reliance programme including roads and
small irrigation along with
the provision of school, health services, drinking water
and the campaign of the
previous government to provide the powers of the villages
to the villages is given
continuity, he said, adding that the effectiveness of
these programmers will be enhanced further.
As the unemployment problem has been a challenge for our
social and economic life,
the present coalition government will start effective
campaign of skill development,
training, self-employment and productive employment in the
rural areas for the educated youths, he said.
The present coalition government will provide continuity
to the programmes, of
institutional loans, training, skill development and the
work initiated by Employment
Promotion Commission, the Prime Minister said.
The programmes started in the past to provide grants to
the elderly, helpless, widows
and the disabled persons will be provided continuity and
made more effective and
arrangement will be made to provide direct benefit to the
poor families through such
programmes, Prime Minister Thapa said, adding that special
attention will be given to
provide essential commodities to the people easily, price
rise will be closely observed
and effective steps will be taken to check it, and the
government will be sensitive
towards the problems of the indigenous, oppressed and
backward ethnic groups.
He said that the progress made so far for resolving the
problems of the landless
settlers will be reviewed, genuine landless settlers will
be identified and an effective
programme will be initiated within the next two months for
the distribution of the land.
Prime Minister Thapa said that the policy of austerity
will be followed and the
government will prevent extravagant expenditure, financial
discipline will be pursued
strictly, the government will be committed to financial
mobilization by ending the
deficiency and weakness in internal revenue and
mobilization of foreign aid will be
enhanced by promoting international credibility. Stating
the ideals of the impartial
administration as the government of the people, Prime
Minister Thapa said the
interference in the civil service and the police service
and political pressure on the
army will be prevented and the appointment, transfer and
promotion will be done on
the basis of the administrative regulations, norms and
values. The unilateral
administrative decisions of the past in contravention of
the rules and regulations will be
rectified and administration will be made clean, he added.
The education sector will be freed from political
pollution, its quality enhanced and
modernized, Prime Minister Thapa said adding that the
government will take
necessary steps for the structural and fundamental changes
in this sector to meet the
changing demand and requirement of the production aspect
of the education sector.
Necessary steps will be immediately taken to keep the
process of selection and
appointment of the teachers under the Public Services
Commission to discourage the
politicization of this sector, he added.
Necessary infrastructure will be created to provide
administrative and financial
autonomy to every campus for conducting higher education,
Mr. Thapa said adding
that the policy of the present government is to encourage
competition and excellence in institutional manner.
Every Nepali living at any place from mountainous to Terai
region or from Mechi to
Mahakali must be able to believe that the state has
utilized the available means,
resources and opportunities for the progress and
prosperity of the Nepalese in a just
manner and the present government has adopted this point
of view, Prime Minister
Thapa said adding that the government will be dedicated to
progress and prosperity
of various ethnic groups, backward classes and regions
including the Terai and special
initiative will be taken to resolve the problems of
citizenship of the Terai.
The present government will make attempt to hold talks
with all the political parties
including the opposition to resolve important issues of
the national development and
burning issues of the people, the Prime Minister said,
adding that the opinions,
suggestions and criticism of the opposition will be
respected and the government will
remain committed to enhance the democratic norms and
values.
Prime Minister Thapa made it clear that the bill designed
to curb the terrorist activities
is not necessary and the laws under the present
constitution are sufficient to curb such activities.
Custody: Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa has said that
the political workers
being held in custody under false charges would be
released soon after fulfilling necessary legal procedures.
Mr Thapa also had informed the House that directives have
already been issued to
the district administration and police to remain aloof
from politics.
Referring to the possibilities of incidents likely to take
place in the process of
celebrating the Dashain and Tihar festivals as well as
anger out of the change in the
government, Mr Thapa called on all the leaders and workers
of political parties to
move ahead with tolerance so that people can feel secure.
Earlier in his concluding remarks, leader of the Nepali
Congress Parliamentary Party
Girija Prasad Koirala said that the new coalition
government should give priority to
make the people feel secure and release all the political
workers being held under false charges.
Stating that the government should make the people its
focal point to maintain its
image, Mr. Koirala said that the Nepali Congress would
extend full cooperation to
the government in works aimed at safeguarding the country,
people and democracy.
President of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and MP
Narayan Man
Bijukchhe said that the Parliament would only be a formal
meeting place if the bills
passed by it (parliament) were not implemented.
Mr Bijukchhe said that the government should make the
people feel the change in
government by carrying out good works.
MP Navaraj Subedi said that the government should
implement the bills passed by
the parliament and carry out development works in
accordance with the aspirations and wishes of the people.
Earlier the House of Representatives had approved the
proposal made by the
National Assembly to discuss the Offshore Financial Centre
Bill -2054 B.S.
The replies of the ministers concerning their ministries
were also tabled at the meeting.
Source: The Rising Nepal
Thapa commits to competent bureaucracy
BY A STAFF REPORTER,
Kathmandu, Oct. 20
Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa said "The challenge before us today is to
build a strong normative framework for institutional development of
parliamentary democratic ideals and values."
In an exclusive interview with The Rising Nepal Sunday. Thapa who clinched the
prime ministerial post for the record fourth time bouncing balk from
political oblivion of
14 years just a fortnight ago asserted "Only an unflinching conviction to
and unflagging
adherence of constitutional values and norms can provide a sense of security
and impartiality in bureaucracy and allow for self-sustained growth and
development of democratic institutions".
Responding to a query about the parameters of the incumbent coalitional
arrangement Prime Minister Thapa observed "The coalition partners-Nepali
Congress, RPP and
Nepal Sadbhavana Party-share identical views and perceptions in the
consolidation of parliamentary democratic values".
The policy pronouncements in the Parliament right after the ascendancy of new
coalitional government reflect the spirit of core arrangements of
coalitional tie up", he added.
Allocation of ministerial portrolios and other relevant issues which underpin
the coalition relationship shall be carried out pursuant to the spirit of
understanding, he clarified.
He said "We have acquired some experiences on coalition building in the past.
the lessons can be some help to us in alleviation strains fany, in the
arrangement". In his characteristic tone Prime Minister Thapa articulated" The
functioning of the
coalition government will be reviewed from time to time and necessary changes
can be contemplated to lend succour to the coalition performance".
When his attention was drawn to the political polarisation seeped in all ranks
of bureasuracy Prime Minister Thapa retorted "It is not due to ideological
convictions or
affiliations that civil servants work at the back and call of political
parties. It is for fear
of losing job or being disfavoured in promotions or opportunities that they
are forced to do it".
I am committed to impart a sense of security to civil servants, Prime Minister
Thapa remarked.
Theachers' recruitment shall also be kept under the purview of Public Service
Commission to warrant that the job becomes more dignified, competitive and less
politicised, he stressed.
Referring to his pledge in the Parliament not to introduce the the much
controverted
anti-terrorism bill Prime Minister Thapa emphasised "The existing legal
provisions are
provisions are adequate enough to deal with the challenges posed by terrorist
activities." Country's
intelligentsia is against such 'draconian' measure, he said.
We should enforce the existing laws fully to counteract such activities, he
said. When asked to shed light on the government stand on decentralisation and
local governance Prime Minister Thapa said "Local bodies should be made fully
competent and autonomous. Local institutions should be so streengthened as to
integrate the wishes and aspirations of multicultural ethnic groups".
To a question relating to foreign policy thrust of the coalition government
the head of the government explained "Our foreign policy is guided by some
salient geostrategic realitities".
Intensified ties with our neighbouring countries-India and China is a matter
of our priority, he added.
Referring to the outstanding issues to be sorted out with India like Detailed
Project Report (DPR) and Kalapani, Prime Minister Thapa pointed out" We are
committed to resolve the issues in a cordial and friendly atmosphere to the
mutual advantage of both
the countries". We will sateguard our national interest, he assured.
The refugee issue should be duiscussed with Bhutan and "I am for repatriation
of the Bhutanese refugees to the country of their origin", he emphasised.
Prime Minister Thapa talked about the need of consensus of political parties
on the issues of national importance and observed "I shall seek to develop
rapport with the
major opposition party in the parliament and other smaller parties.
Fielding a query concerning the forthcoming RPP convention the RPP President and
Prime Minister exuded confidence and said" RPP shall emerge stronger after the
party convention."
The central Council meeting held in the past has given clearcut direction to
reorient the tenor of party organisation, he added.
In response to a question about what he felt after assuming the post of prime
minister in a different political context the Prime Minister said"
Parliamentary political process
attached crucial role to the post of Prime Minister. I have taken it as a big
responsibility entrusted to me and prepared to undertake it".
Meanwhile Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa today briefing the media persons
pledged that his government would give top priority to control corruption and
other irregularities.
Transparency in bureaucracy is very essential to give continuity to the
development activities. Premier Thapa at the first press confernce orgnaized
after the assumption of his high office nearly two weeks before.
Elaborating the programmes of the RPP-led three party government, Mr. Thapa
said, the government is also taking the issue of the landless settlers more
seriously and has
brought out programmes for the uplift of the weaker sections in the society.
Mr. Thapa
said backward sections of the society will be given opportunities for education
and employment."
In a question about the government's approach to the detailed Project Report
(DPR) related with Mahakali Project and the step taken by the previous
government on 1950
Treaty. Mr. Thapa assure the new government's stance to safeguard the 'national
interest'.
When asked about the inclusion of the Nepali Congress in the cabinet, he clearly
mentioned that Nepali Congress-the main coalition partner-can join the
government at "any time they like".
When will the government conduct the election in areas where the voting could not take
place? "It would be done through the consultation with the Election Commission," said Mr. Thapa.
In reply to a qeustion relating to the violation of the Anti-defection law by his own party
Mr. Thapa said that the decision was taken on the basis of the decision made by the
majority. However, Mr. Thapa ruled out the possibilities of the party's splinter in the future.
*************************************************************
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 97 00:36:40 UT
From: "Himal Ghimire" <himalghimire@classic.msn.com>
To: "Nepal Digest" <nepal-request@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: Reminder
Dear Sir/Madam:
I sent you an e-mail few weeks ago. I though that the address which I sent
might be wrong so I am sending the same context again.
I am a Nepali student studying in USA, California.
Few day ago I was going through the Internet. I say an old Issue of your
Newspaper. I got Interested in reading through it because I saw an article
related to Jagdish Ghimire (I am his son).
The more I read your newspaper, the more I felt interested in reading it.
Now I an so interested in your Magazine that I am interesting in subscribing
it. I would be grateful if you could let me know how I could receive it (Via
e-mail or postal service). I would also like to know what you terms and
conditions are.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Himal Ghimire
******************************************************************
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 13:08:49 -0500
Forwarded by: "Rajpal J. Singh" <a10rjs1>
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Re: Nepal: Problems...
>
>Of course government corruption and stabilty affects a country's progress.
>I don't deny that. But it is also true that the main thrust for
>development comes from the people (the business community, the
>intellectuals, the social workers, the industrialists etc. etc.). Blaming
>the government for all our problems is like a donut: looks nice, feels
>nice...but it's got a big hole in the middle!
>
>Look at Italy....they have had 40 governments in 50 years (or may be 50
>governments in 40 years....I can't remember, it does not matter). It was
>one of the poorest countries in Western Europe for the better half of
>these fifty years. But while the governments were busy getting drunk in
>power and corruption, the nation marched along. Forza Italia!
>
>Take just two examples of Asia: Taiwan and South Korea. By any standards
>of the world these two countries had very corrupt governments during the
>Seventies and Eighties..and all the while they were developing
>economically at historically unprecedented rates!
>
>Let's go to Latin America: Argentina and Brazil probably have the most
>monstruous/corrupt bureaucracy in the region. But in the last ten years,
>both of these countries have posted better economic progress than any
>other Latin American country (except perhaps Chile).
>
>The point is clear: while a good stable clean government would help, it is
>neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for development. Had the
>people of Taiwan, Italy, South Korea, Chile, Argentina, Brazil (and there
>are numerous other counrties) waited until their government became stable
>and/or clean before they did their own part, they would still be waiting.
>Just like you, me and the rest of Nepal.
>
>Rupesh Pradhan
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