Don’t hurt tourism

The other day, the Industrial Friendly Committee (IFC) took the abrupt decision to close hotels throughout the country indefinitely. The reason for this was that the Deputy Prime Minister and hotel union leaders agreed to extend the strike to resolve the problem of 10 percent hotel service charge. This, however, became a matter of serious concern because it came as a blow that threatened to cripple the tourism sector instead of resolving the deadlock between hotel workers and owners. The government had no right to take sides in the ongoing impasse. It is therefore to be blamed for this unfortunate state of affairs.

IFC, an association of 16 tourism-related organizations, closed their hotels with the threat that hotel workers must withdraw their demand unconditionally. This move could result in loss worth 500 million rupees a day. The closure could paralyze more than 2,766 tourism industries and keep over 1.5 million workers off work across the country. It could also hit financial institutions, horticulture, food product industry, fishery, poultry farming and so on which are indirectly linked to the tourism industry.

The tourism sector had maintained a growth rate of more than 7 percent for three years in a row. This was the only front in which the country had made economic progress. However, frequent political interference and the vested interest of some individuals have virtually slowed down the growth of tourism since early this year.

Differences between union leaders and hotel owners began since the former demanded 10 percent service charge. This was in addition to the already existing VAT. The situation turned from bad to worse mainly because instead of creating a congenial atmosphere to resolve the deadlock, the government seized the opportunity for political mileage. This is not the first time the political party in power has created such a mess. Earlier, the same Deputy Prime Minister, bypassing the Deuba-led committee to resolve the Maoist problem had attempted to bring Maoists across the table. Such attempts have damaged the government’s image instead of helping resolve problems.

The government should not take things for granted. It should have intervened to mediate. But apparently both the opposition as well as the government joined hands and pushed hoteliers to close down hotels indefinitely. This only exacerbated matters to the extent that the threat to the entire tourism industry loomed large. Obviously, there is too much at stake and hotel owners cannot afford to jeopardize a foremost forex earning industry. It is to be hoped that better sense will prevail. However, on the part of the government, its irresponsible behaviour must stop. It must now work with the interest of the country in mind rather than immediate political gains.

Drastic change in higher education ?

By Dr Alok K Bohara

I take the news of the laying of foundation stone for the Eastern University by the Prime Minister (Dec 2) as a beginning of a new era in our higher education system. Equally important is his admission that the education system in Nepal is need for a drastic change. I have argued elsewhere that the country does indeed need a publicly supported multiple university system, and the choice of Biratnagar is only appropriate. I would also argue that linking Dharan medical school to this new university system will give it the much-needed jumpstart.

Despite this positive element, I find much cause for concern. Central among my concerns is that this university is likely to be a clone of the Tribhuvan University system, unless the new university system is given autonomy to conduct its business free of political interferences. I had outlined some suggestions in the previous issues of TKP (Dec 14, 21, 1999). Most importantly, I would like to urge policy makers of the new university system not to select academic officers (eg, deans and rectors) based on political fiat, but to select them through a process of nationally advertised free competition. What better way to attract the best and the brightest other than through an open process?

With many more academic institutions sprouting all over the country, it is only appropriate to worry about their academic quality. Currently, my understanding is that Tribhuvan University does lend its "recognition" to new aspiring schools (eg, colleges, medical and engineering schools), but that begs the following question: Who "recognizes" Tribhuvan University? The Ministry of Education? What about Kathmandu University, or for that matter, who "recognizes" the Eastern University? After all, are they not competing against each other? As for the Ministry of Education, they should not be in the business of assessing academic quality.

I propose the following mechanism. Within a university system (or college), each academic unit (eg, department of electrical engineering) should be required to conduct its self assessment every 5-7 years, and subsequently a team of external experts (from outside the university) should conduct a thorough evaluation process. The dean then should rectify any deficiency and reallocate resources if necessary. This should be required of every college (eg, College of Arts and Sciences, Business School) within a university system. An outside independent body should then monitor all of these endeavours by each university. Such an outside independent watchdog can monitor any potential irregularities and can offer its own evaluation and suggestion. All academic institutions such as, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu University, the Eastern University and various independent four-year colleges and/or some of their faculty become members of this body. A representative of the Ministry may also be included as a member of this body.

I have no objection in allowing private academic institutions to operate for profit, but the current practice of "donation" system is nothing less than a form of academic pollution--just to be polite. Peer pressure and market place will eventually force fine institutions like Kathmandu University to embark on a similar path. An independently elected academic body will act as a watchdog and prevent such despicable practices from spreading.

Two-in-one democracy

By Tilak Pokharel

Iwas an adolescent when I heard about democracy ten years ago. Many people - seniors and juniors - used to chant pro-democracy slogans. I asked one of my seniors about what democracy was all about. He used to participate in mass gatherings and rallies actively. He replied that I was small and it was not necessary to describe to me about democracy, because I had no calibre to understand it. Since then, I always pondered over democracy until I understood it now. Finally, I have got it.

Like me, many of you may still be trying to understand it and may have failed. But, don’t worry. I am here to disclose the mystery. Have patience, that is all. Though it took ten years for me to understand it, I don’t hesitate to disclose the conclusion.

First of all, I want to start from its (democracy’s) type and go to further explanations. The typical Nepali kind of democracy is called - two-in-one. Nepal is the luckiest country in the world to have this kind of democracy. No other country has got this privilege in the world so far. So, we must thank God for giving us such a special privilege. Our country is unique and the privilege is also unique.

Our democracy is 2-in-1 because there are two governments in one country. The first kind of government is the formal and traditional-type led by a political party called Nepali Congress (NC). The second kind of government is led by the Maoists from the jungle. Maoists’ governing style itself is unique. I think I should not describe more about it because you may be aware of it.

Now, let’s look into the political parties which came into full operation after restoration of democracy. The first one is the NC. It is still "only one party" but has two parties within itself - one led by GP Koirala and another by KP Bhattarai. Next powerful party is CPN (UML). It is another "only one party" but also has two parties within itself - one led by MK Nepal and another by KP Oli.

Now, let’s go into another unique party called CPN (ML), which once was a part of the UML. It also proves that three-in-one democracy is not appropriate for Nepal. Now, there are two parties within ML also - one led by BD Gautam and another by CP Mainali. How interesting!

The democracy of 1990 was not only for politicians. It was also meant for others as well. Everyone can distinctly see the 2-in-1 democracy in sports-related institutions. Such a privileged institution is ANFA (All Nepal Football Association). It is "only one" government organisation to look into the development of football as a sport. But, ANFA itself has two organisations - one led by G Rana and another by G Thapa. After all, they also have the democracy to split.

At last, I request all fellow Nepalis to enjoy the 2-in-1 democracy fully.

Human rights in Nepal

By Naran Malla

In 1990, the King legalized political parties after which an interim government promulgated a new constitution. Nepal has made progress in its transition to a more open society with greater respect for human rights. However, problems remain, and the government has not been able to enforce all constitutional provisions regarding human rights. The police continue to abuse detainees, giving torture as punishment or to extract confessions. The government rarely investigates allegations of police atrocity or takes action against the accused police officers. There are allegations that police kill unarmed civilians in the course of operations against insurgents. The condition of prison is very poor. The juvenile home is also another problem due to which delinquents are forced to live with adult criminals. Judicial susceptibility to political pressure and corruption, long delays before trial, and arbitrary detention remain as problems. Lower caste and women suffer widespread discrimination. Trafficking in women and violence against women, forced labour, and child labour also remain as problems.

In February 1996, leaders of the Maoist United People’s Front (UPF) Baburam Bhattarai and Pushpa Kamal Dahal launched a "people’s war" in midwestern Nepal, which has produced incidents in 27 of the 75 districts. The insurgents were responsible for numerous abuses. Guerillas armed with homemade guns, explosives, knives attacked landowners, civilians, government officials and government facilities. The recent massacre of 14 policemen at Dunai by the insurgents proved their strength as well as the abuse of human rights.

In Rolpa, a police officer was killed in front of his wife and children. On January 11, Balaram Pokharel of the Chhoparak village development committee was attacked in his house by 10 suspected Maoist, who stabbed him to death in public. According to police records, 72 were killed at Rolpa, 64 were killed at Rukum, 54 were killed at Jajarkot, and 22 were killed at Salyan.

The police too have abused power by torturing to extract confession. According to a local NGO, three persons died as a result of torture, Til Bahadur Bhujel was tortured to death after he was nabbed cutting wood illegally; in Kathmandu, a woman died of wounds inflicted by the police who came to arrest her son, 19 people were killed in Maoist related encounters. The government has failed to take significant action on these incidents.

Human rights groups have reported examples of torture in areas affected by the people’s war. In Kabhre, according to a local NGO, five people were arrested and murdered in a suspected Maoist attack. Dozens of male detainees reported torture while women were sexually abused. In Rukum, a 13 year old boy was arrested and accused of being Maoist. Since the insurgency began, 1661 Maoist related arrests have been made, while 930 have been released and rest are in jail.

The constitution specifies that the state shall not discriminate against citizens on grounds of religion, race, sex caste, or ideology. Discrimination against lower castes and women is rife in rural areas. There is no law against domestic violence. In one study, 50 percent of respondents said they know someone who was a victim of domestic violence. Rape and incest are rife in rural areas. There is a law against rape of a non-prostitute that imposes a sentence from 3 to 5 years. In case of rape of prostitute, sentences range from a fine of 500 rupees to 1-year imprisonment. In a survey conducted by Saathi, an NGO, 42 percent of the respondents said that in their experience, medical practitioners were uncooperative or negligent in cases of violence against women and girls. The dowry tradition is strong in the Terai region. Killing brides because of default of dowry payment is prominent. More common is the physical abuse of wives by husband and the husband’s family to obtain additional dowry or to force the woman to leave the husband so that her husband may remarry. Superstitions such as belief in witchcraft have also taken the lives of many innocent women.

Trafficking in women and girls remains a terrible social problem. The number of Nepali prostitutes in India range from 40,000 to 100,000. The best available data suggests that approximately 5,000 to 7,000 girls between the age of 10 and 18 are lured or abducted into prostitution each year. Prostitution is also a problem in Kathmandu. A children human rights group in Nepal states that 20 percent of the prostitutes are younger than 16 years. In some regions of the country, the guardians are responsible for inducting the child in prostitution or as labour. The Bombay returned girls are not allowed to remain in their village due to fear of AIDS so they return to their previous occupation.

Maiti Nepal’s efforts to rehabilitate girls is not ample. Other NGOs should back them up. People view the female as a commodity, or as a burden. In some regions, marriage of girls before menstruation is considered sacred. As a result, child marriage is common. According to UNICEF, 40 percent of marriages are done before the age of 14. The age difference in a marriage is often cited as one cause of non-violence. Approximately 140 of 144 children considered delinquents or accused of public offences are incarcerated with adults because the government has not established juvenile homes. The trafficking of Nepali women in gulf countries has also increased. Lured to jobs in the Gulf States, many Nepalese women are being abused and tortured. Kamala Rai was sexually as well as mentally abused in Saudi Arabia, which was revealed after her pathetic return to Nepal. In fact, the Nepalese are going through lots of human rights abuses. Lack of surveillance of government as well as rocketing corruption has hindered the implementation of human rights in Nepal. I want to conclude with the quote of Andrei Sakharov. He once wrote from his internal exile in the former Soviet Union:

The ideology of human rights is probably the only one which can be combined with such diverse ideologies as communism, social democracy, religion, technocracy and those ideologies which may be described as national and indigenous. It can also serve as a foothold for those who have tired of the abundance of ideologies, none of which have brought simple human happiness. The defence of human rights is a clear path towards the unification of the people in the turbulent world, and a path towards relief from suffering.