Keep it up

One lesson that the golden jubilee celebrations of Radio Nepal has thrown up is that freedom has its limits. This limit is especially well defined in state owned media (SOM). Savvy state media people who recognise this fact know who belong to the sacrosanct class or, in other words, who are—to borrow from George Orwell—"more equal" and act accordingly. These people not only survive but do quite well because they know which side their bread is buttered and what pleases the political bosses. Some others in SOM survive precariously, writing or broadcasting as it were, on a razor’s edge. These people, who are obviously in a minority, continue to test the waters, but are always too timid to go all the way. They cannot be blamed; after all it is their job that is on the line. But once in a while, though rarely, there are those that make us recall the old proverb — ‘fools rush in where angels fear to tread’. This category are misfits in the SOM set-up where a lot of things happen to be taboo. So, it is not at all surprising that these people, through their indiscretions should invite the ire of the political bosses of the day upon themselves and seniors.

Radio Nepal’s 50th anniversary celebrations showed up this last category who provided their Majesties a treat in the form of a skit which, by use of analogy, depicted the new sacrosanct class of the post Jana Andolan era --the lawmakers-- as germs infecting the throat of the protagonist. Obviously, such sacrilege could not go without the retribution of the ‘gods’. So, exemplary punishment was quick to follow. The executive director of Radio Nepal lost his plush job. He was recalled to the Ministry of Information and Communications for allowing the skit to be staged. The writer, director and protagonist of the skit has been suspended and every one involved in the production of the skit is to be investigated.

Whether the 205 germs in the skit may amount to slander, half truth or truth is quite besides the point. The fact that the general perception about politicians is that they are corrupt is also irrelevant. The point is, state owned media have no business to depict the government in a negative light. Firstly, this is obviously not what they are paid for. More importantly, such portrayal, it should be understood, is the proper domain of the private media. At a time when even many of the private media and the so called ‘free press’ are showing reluctance to come down heavily on the government before the honeymoon period is over, how can Radio Nepal be so presumptuous as to depict our honourable lawmakers as germs ? It is the job of state owned media to sing bhajans, to justify and eulogise the government’s acts of commissions and omissions . Seen from this light, the skit performed on the 50th anniversary of the radio station is a grievous crime and the Minister of Information and Communications has done well to order prompt action against those who have deviated from the norm. Keep it up.

Socio-economic initiatives of REDP

By Binod Gupta

Socio-economic initiative, a major component of Rural Energy Development Programme (REDP/UNDP) is being implemented holistically in ten VDCs by the community to uplift their livelihood through community mobilisation process based on six basic principles, namely organization development, capital formation, skill enhancement, technology promotion, environment management and women empowerment.

In this regard, these principles have effectively contributed to forming social capital for undertaking various development initiatives, including not only energy, but also entrepreneurship development and environment management.

To initiate and expand economic activities at the community level, REDP has been organizing and implementing various skill and income-oriented short/long training based on agriculture, livestock, forestry and off-farm enterprises at local and district levels. As of Feb 2000 a total of 760 community people have received entrepreneurship-based training. After receiving the training, about 40 percent of trainees have engaged themselves in various income generating (IG) activities such as pig rearing, poultry production, nursery raising, vegetable farming, etc through formation of functional groups. In this line, a total of 10 IG functional groups were formed in the programme VDCs till February 2000 with participation of 3620 community members.

With the aim of enhancing various income generating activities, community members have utilised savings fund of Community Organisation (CO). In this regard, total of 278 COs consisting of 5909 community members including 3168 female in 144 female COs were formed in ten programme VDCs up till February 2000 with the provision of forming male and female COs in each VDC compulsorily. By February 2000, total of 10,29,237 rupees were saved by COs and the amount of 26,69,169 rupees were invested for various purposes, specifically for income generation.

Due to availability of electricity through Micro Hydro power (MHP), some community members and Micro Hydro Functional Groups (MHFG) are in the process of implementing end-use activities such as agro-processing machine (huller and grinder), photo studio, stone crushing bakery industries, vision hall, saw mill for furniture making, battery charging and computer operating, etc. These endeavours will make life of the people easier and enhance the economic sustainability of MHP. As of February 2000, total of 83 KW electricity from four Micro Hydro Demonstration Scheme (MHDS) at four VDCs namely Taman, Tangram Sarkuwa and Paiyunthanthap has been generated benefiting 906 households of the four VDCs from lighting at night time. Many school boys and girls have been getting more time to study.

Still, villagers are able to save money on kerosene for lighting. By the end of 2000, around 134 KW electricity will be generated from the ongoing four MHDS in four additional VDCs, namely Gwalichaur Bhimgithe, Rangkhani and Dudhilabhati.

From the income earned from various IG activities, community members will not only be able to pay the cost of electricity, but also meet other household needs like children’s education, medicines, etc. Except IG activities, members of male/female COs have been undertaking several social and environmental activities such as cleaning houses, trail road construction, water taps maintenance, pit latrines, expansion of the village road and plantation of trees in private and community forests. As of February 2000, various type of seedlings including fodder, timber fuelwood and non-timber forest products have been planted in 284 hectares of private and community forest land in all programme VDCs, and a total of 1589 latrines including permanent and temporary ones have been made by community members. Cumulatively, 70.3 kilometres of trail road have been constructed and rehabilitated at all programme VDCs.

Moreover, not males only but also females have been actively participating in development oriented activities at the programme VDCs. In this respect, some females are able to discuss specific problems faced by them in their communities and also plan the implementation of action. Some women have leading roles in this steering committee for development works. In advance, some women and men are literate through literacy classes. Specifically, some of the poor are able to earn their fooding and educate their children from the earned income.

REDP has contributed to alleviate poverty from the settlement level through the implementation of holistic packages including various activities, ie, not only micro-hydro power in particular, but also entrepreneurship and environment related training programmes to uplift rural livelihood.

My house beneath Bagmati bridge

By Manandhar

I swear, I belong to a family that is more indigenous than the indigenous people. My forefather
came here long before the Bagmati river started to find her way from Baghdwar. Can you imagine this? I know you can’t.

Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a legendary lake by the southern slope of the Himalayas. One day, Lord Manjusree of China came over that lake and sent all the water away. When he ventured on this heroic deed, my forefather was his personal secretary. By the grace of Lord Manjusree, our family has been living in the same place where our new building lies. Some other true residents also followed that great idea and settled in the fertile land permanently.

It was only after hundreds of years of our arrival that a river called Bagmati flowed by our land. The river was so naughty that it flowed just beside our parental property. ‘Poor river,’ we thought and pardoned her waywardness. We asked her many times to change route but she was stubborn and turned a deaf ear. We didn’t mind it for she looked chwank in those days. Then we slept Rip-Van-Wrinkle’s sleep for thousands of years.

We didn’t know how easily time passed. One after another, dynasties came over here to rule and proved themselves good. Then the Ranas came and again Kangresi Democracy followed. What next? The original Panchayati Democracy followed. We were still sleeping. Yet, we were not unconscious and had at least some idea that weird things were taking place now and then, here and there. Even in those periods, some of our comrades tried to "reclaim" their lawful property. It was not as easy as now. Some crossed the border and some failed.

Then came the 'topple-or-be-toppled' Democracy. Hooray! This was the golden chance to occupy the land that our forefathers left for us some thousand years ago. Since all the prime ministers and ministers can't see other things in this great country besides that hypnotic chair in Singha Durbar, we were free to claim the land of our choice.

But it was not so easy. Some low level officers objected when we tried to build a house on our land. No problem. This is democracy. Money is the only thing we have left to call our culture. A handful of money can hush them for sure. It is a matter of joy for us that this Kathmandu has become the centre of commotion for the whole country. And the environment is so romantic that you can claim any land in this lustrous city provided you know some officials personally. Let’s first build a house and then think whether people will believe in its legitimacy. What if the Bagmati bridge stretches farther than our land. As I have said before, we have been here even before Bagmati herself, let us leave that bridge alone.

So long as the government falls upon the hands of those who never care whether the Bagmati came first or we did, more and more houses will be built along the ever-narrowing banks of the poor Bagmati. Some day, one will have guts enough to build just under the bridge and even pull down the bridge itself. Just watch. And if you really have power or money in your pocket, join us. It’s far lucrative than crying out for stopping the pollution in the river.

The bottom line
Clintonji’s yatra : A flashback

By M R Josse

US President Bill Clinton’s recent six-day swing through India, Bangladesh and Pakistan has produced such an over abundance of verbiage, visuals and baloney that it is difficult for ordinary mortals to masticate and swallow it all, leave alone digest.

Snapshots: Nevertheless, an attempt is here made to ingest its Indo-Pak political segment, if only via a quick flashback of key audiovisual glimpses of Clintonji’s yatra, respectfully so dubbed by a normally cynical Indian media seduced by Clinton’s personal warmth, fluid body language and magical words.

Before that, it will be prudent to allow the passage of weeks — perhaps even months — before any final judgement is made on what his South Asian mission (read: actually, to India and Pakistan) was really all about, what it achieved and what it did not.

There is also the caveat of what value long-term commitments by a lame-duck American president have, specially if a Republican administration is sworn in, come January 20, 2001.

Also, one must not forget that White House spin doctors had so cleverly scripted Clintonji’s mantras in India that most are deliberately subject to varied even conflicting interpretations.

As much is reflected in American hard-sell on disputed Kashmir and the nuclear arms race, wrapped up in mushy paeans to Indian democracy, diversity, and IT with repeated renderings of the sweetest raga of them all: India as a great nation.

To begin, there is the macabre slaughter of 36 Sikhs in Indian Kashmir, a patently inauspicious start to Clinton’s official visit which not very surprisingly made it to Time magazine cover.

There is also the memorable sight of a sombre-looking American president at the forecourt of Rastraparti Bhavan, just prior to a ceremonial welcome. There is, then, the telltale spectacle of Indian reporters bravely but futilely trying to get the Big White Chief to blame Pakistan for the horrendous bloodbath.

(Clinton, as per PTI, not only disclosed that it did not come up for discussion with his Indian interlocutors, but, added, "we have to know who did it" before anything further could be said.)

Hard talk: By any account, the banquet for Clinton provided another gripping episode of the "Cowboy and Indians" epic.

Not only was the honoured cowboy rapped on his knuckles by the Indian chief — for accurately describing South Asia as "the most dangerous place in the world today" — but he was then taken over fiery coals for acting as "headman" of the "global village".

But, if, as The New York Times rightly said, such tough talk was out of sync with two countries trying to redefine their ties, American officials tried to downplay the contretemps by explaining that Narayanan was not a major player on the Indian political stage — another interesting sidelight to the visit.

Clinton’s address to the Indian parliament was, as expected, chock-a-block with fascinating audiovisual images, including the unforgettable near-stampede of MPs wishing to pump his hands and — horror of horrors! — the chief guest’s mentioning of General Musharraf’s name within its magnificent, hallowed confines.

Inside Clinton’s gift-wrapped package were generous capsules of hard talk, including: "A nuclear future is not a secure future. Most of the world is moving toward the elimination of nuclear weapons. This goal is not advanced if any country, in any region, moves in the other direction."

Equally potent were these bitter American pills: "In a nuclear standoff, there is nothing more dangerous than believing that there is no danger...For India to claim that mantle (of a great nation) and assert that status is to accept first and foremost that our actions have consequences for others beyond our borders...

"Both nations (India and Pakistan) should join the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty...If we make progress in narrowing our differences (on proliferation), we will both be more secure, and our relationship can reach its full potential...

"I hope progress can be made in overcoming a source of tension in this region, including the tensions between India and Pakistan...India has a special opportunity, as a democracy, to show its neighbours that democracy is about dialogue. It does not have to be about friendship, but it is about building working relationships among people who differ...You don’t make peace with your friends...

"I have not come to South Asia to mediate the dispute over Kashmir...But if outsiders cannot resolve this problem, I hope you will create the opportunity to do so yourselves, calling on the support of others who can help where possible, as American diplomacy did in urging the Pakistanis to go back behind the line of control in the Kargil crisis...I will continue to stress that this should be a time for restraint, for respect of the line of control, for renewed lines of communications..."

Stopover: The halt in Islamabad was remarkable, first of all, precisely for that: its duration was of just a quarter of a day. It must however be recalled that it occurred despite a massive Indian diplomatic and media campaign to thwart it.

No vignette of Clinton’s Pakistan stopover will be complete if one fails to recall his arrival in a decoy aircraft; that his motorcade hurled down the highways at break-neck speed; or even that the streets were virtually emptied of people.

Memorable, too, are the sounds and visuals of Clinton’s sweet ‘n’ sour TV address recalling Pakistan’s valuable help in the past and cautioning her leaders about the dangers of redrawing "borders with blood", bemoaning the fate of democracy in Pakistan and questioning whether nuclear weapons made her more secure.

However, two important photos of the Clinton yatra are missing: one, of the great Human Rights Chief mingling among representatives of the Kashmiri people, even if it were only at the American embassy in New Delhi where he met with the family of a victim of the Indian Airlines hijacking; and the other, of him in bleeding Kashmir, a key focus of his South Asian excursion.