Caught in Indo-Pak rivalry, is SAARC dying?

By Damakant Jayshi

KATHMANDU, Dec 22 – The bilateral tension between India and Pakistan all through the last decade and more has cast its shadow on the effectiveness of the SAARC movement that was launched with so much fanfare when its Charter was adopted at the first Summit in Dhaka, December 1985.

At the fag end of 2001, with the 11th Summit knocking on the door, the experts who have been watching the movement closely are saying that the seven-nation regional grouping, which once held great promise, has lost much of its significance as it has hardly delivered anything substantial.

Prof. Lok Raj Baral of Tribhuvan University and expert on South Asian geo-politics says "that the biggest achievement of SAARC is that it has survived for 16 years". A telling comment that.

With BIMSTC-EC, another Asian regional grouping on economic co-operation formed in June 1997, significantly without Pakistan, making news, Nepal seems to have woken up to the reality of not putting everything in the SAARC basket. BIMSTC has Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Nepal was granted observer status by the second Ministerial Meeting in Dhaka in December 1998.

Does this indicate that SAARC is dying and will exist only on paper?

Though late, Nepal seems to have realised that SAARC has not been as effective as it should have been. Thus, the major agenda to be discussed during the forthcoming SAARC Summit is the future of SAARC itself.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gyan Chandra Acharya, revealed that as host country, Nepal would push through this agenda and seek the co-operation of other six nations on this. "In the changed context since 1999, we all need to work together to give impetus to the regional movement which has somehow got derailed," said Acharya.

The Spokesperson said that all other issues could prove meaningless if the seven- member SAARC loses its significance.

Prof. Baral says that Nepal alone cannot bring SAARC "back to the track". "All the seven countries, especially India and Pakistan, must try to revive the spirit of SAARC," said Prof Baral.

That, at this moment, seems near impossible. Indeed, with India’s allergy to all things Pakistani, the 16-year-old regional body has lost its momentum. Reports from New Delhi Thursday said that Indian Prime Minister A B Vajpayee would not meet Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf on the Summit sidelines.

And Pakistan was quick to react. Pakistani officials on Thursday said that Pakistan would not even ask for a meeting of Gen. Musharraf with PM Vajpayee in Kathmandu.

If SAARC does not work as envisioned decade and a half ago, it is countries like Nepal that could be the loser. Prof. Baral also said that Nepal should instead take initiative to form a sub-regional grouping consisting of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal. "This is not unusual as the Male Summit has approved formations of such sub-regional bodies."

Prof. Baral was, however, quick to add that that such a body would not jeopardise the SAARC movement nor bypass SAARC. "It will only complement the SAARC process."

Deuba summons all-party meet, Koirala calls NC meet

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KATHMANDU, Dec 22 - The government has called upon an all-party meeting on Sunday to win the opposition’s support on re-allocating the budget and over promulgating an ordinance on controlling corruption.

And on the same day, ruling Nepali Congress President, Girija Prasad Koirala, has called a meeting of party’s powerful Central Working Committee member’s informal meeting, alongwith other party departments.

"The government is seeking the opposition’s support as a big portion of the budget is going for defence after the State of Emergency was declared. The meeting will discuss on social and economical reformation programme that will focus on sending aids to Maoist-affected areas though the development budget is cropped," said a minister today.

This is the second all-party meet being held after the emergency was declared. The government would also brief the parties about the ongoing operation against by the security forces against the Maoists tomorrow.

The minister added that the meeting would bring conclusions to long-debated issues on Commission for the Investigation on Abuse of Authority and on corruption. "Probably, these ordinances will be issued on this week," said the minister.

Meanwhile, party President Koirala today called upon an informal meeting among the central members, department heads and its members.

Koirala recently expressed his interest to build a "national government" to handle the present development of the country’s political situation.

"The meeting will discuss on how the party activists could go to the people during the state of emergency period," said the party spokesman Arjun Narnsingh KC.

KC said Koirala is working on making a common mechanism and coming to a national consensus by maintaining the minimum compromise among the national parties for a grand democratic front.

"There has not been any move to form a united or national government," said KC, adding that that could be thought about only after programme-based unity among the parties.

Koirala’s sudden move comes at a time when a verbal duel has erupted between and his successor. On Thursday, Koirala even indicated that he was open to the formation of national government under the alliance he had been proposing of late. The very next day Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba fired a salvo at his predecessor by terming his call for consensus as an untimely ploy to grab power.

The whistle is out for jaywalkers, careless drivers, stray cattle...

By Seema A Adhikari

KATHMANDU, Dec 22 - So if you thought the zebra lines on the road are just artwork and the overhead bridges just useless engineering, better check your wallet again. The Valley Traffic Police Office (VTPO) has begun fining all those violating road rules, both errant drivers and jaywalking pedestrians.

The discipline on Kathmandu’s roads is reflected in the fact that in the week following the new operation, the VTPO has been able to amass a fine-revenue of more than 2.80 million rupees, while 1,000 vehicles of all types have been hauled up for violations.

Apart from signalling a long-run measure to smoothen traffic operations, the present drive is also part of the preparations for the upcoming SAARC Summit.

"Though it may look like the traffic operation is linked with the up-coming SAARC Summit it is not true. This is part of the long-term plan of the VTPO to create awareness among road users about the necessity of traffic discipline," says Senior Superintendent of Police Keshav Prasad Baral.

The move is also meant to minimise road accidents. Across the country, every year, around 600-1000 people get killed in motor accidents, says the figures available with the VTPO.

In the case of the capital’s road users, Officer Adhikari thinks Kathmanduites lack discipline. "We have taken this step to teach Kathmanduites road discipline and road safety. Kathmanduites have no such discipline at all," he says.

The 15-day first phase of the operation began last Friday. In these two weeks or so, traffic cops on their beat are expected not to show any lenience on those breaking the rules. Not only are they pulling up erring divers, motorists and jaywalkers, they are also taking action against the likes of vendors and furniture mart owners who allow their wares to stray onto the road. The cops have removed some of the ‘traffic-blockers’ such as tyres, and constructions encroaching the road from New Baneshower, Tundikhel, New Road, Tripureshower and Putalisadak.

Stray cattle, too, are being rounded up.

The pedestrian and the motorist are the ones under close scrutiny. The cops have been making sure that the walkers use the zebra crossings and the overhead bridges to get to the other side. They are also not allowing vendors to put up their stuff on the overhead bridges. Motorists violating rules such as making the wrong U-turn are being slapped with fines.

And it’s not just the VTPO that is carrying out the new operation. It is being helped by other offices: Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office, Chief District Office, Department of Transportation Management and Nepal Bureau of Standards and Meteorology. All these other offices plus the Road Department have a role in traffic management, although there has been talk that these offices have not been able to coordinate with each other.

The works such as drawing the zebra crossing, setting up traffic lights, traffic signs and road marks, are carried out by the Road Department as well as the metropolitan and municipal offices.

There are over 170,000 vehicles crowding the Valley roads that can actually accommodate only around 120,000 vehicles, says the VTPO. Lack of proper parking facilities is another key problem. Havoc is also wrought by drivers ignorant of traffic rules, or drivers who simply ignore them.

As part of the overall operation, the cops are also checking the meters of taxis and tempos. In case they find that the meters have been tampered with, the culprit is taken before a mobile court run by the VTPO and related offices.

Poverty reduction plan to be presented at donors’ meet

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KATHMANDU, Dec 22 – The government is all set to present the Tenth Plan and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) as the main policy document during the forthcoming meet of Nepal Development Forum (NDF) scheduled to be held from February 4-8, for the first time in Nepal

The meet, organized under the joint convenorship of the Nepal government and the World Bank, will be attended by over 30 donor countries and agencies. The meet will focus on the overall development policies and programmes of the government.

The World Bank is expected to present a comprehensive report on Nepal’s development scenario, outlining its shortcomings and suggesting corrective measures, during the meet.

The four-day meeting will also make a thorough review of the implementation of the programmes and policies adopted during the last meeting of NDF held on April 17, 2000 in Paris, France.

The meeting, which typically takes place every two years, is being held after an interval of 18 months, and is expected to be attended by high level officials from the donor countries and agencies.

Among others, the Foreign Aid Policy of the government that is currently being prepared, will also be presented on the occasion. "The aid policy would be completed before the meeting and would be floated then," informed Madhav Prasad Ghimire, Chief at the Foreign Aid Division, Ministry of Finance.

He also said that donors are positive towards the development policies adopted by the government and expressed optimism that strong support shown by the donors in the development endeavours of Nepal would be further strengthen in days to come.

"We will concentrate on winning donors’ confidence in our policy of development and priority for reforms in various areas including financial sector and civil service," he added.

The upcoming NDF meeting, formerly known as Paris Aid Group meet, marks some deviations from its past footprints. Unlike the last meeting, donors will also present a paper focusing on their accountability while financing development projects. Donors have clearly said that they are also ready to change their aid policy to make outcomes of the projects more effective.

The meeting will also be attended by the domestic stakeholders to make the decision-making process more transparent.

During the deliberations, Nepal will also present a number of sectoral papers pledging for much-needed reforms, which includes accelerating the reform process in the finance and civil service sectors, as well as speeding up the processes of decentralization and privatisation. The government will also present its various programmes related with budgetary reforms including the recently introduced medium-term budgetary framework.

The delegation will also present a time-frame for the completion of reforms in each of these sectors. The government will also, for the first time, pledge include the civil society as a partner in the development endeavours.

A detailed discussion on the various anti-poverty programmes will be another important part of the meet. Some leading donor communities have been showing serious displeasure over the less-than expected outcome of Nepal’s project-based poverty alleviation programmes and have urged for a comprehensive and integrated approach capable of attacking the core causes of poverty.

Among other things, the donors are expected to reiterate their concerns over the weak implementation of government policies and programmes, and will also urge the government to improve its monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

Poudel wants Deuba-Koirala war of words to end

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KAVRE, Dec 22- Ram Chandra Poudel, Central Working Committee member of the ruling Nepali Congress, today urged both NC President Girija Prasad Koirala and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to resolve their differences in the interest of the party and the country.

"They should sort out their differences immediately and work unitedly," said Poudel while addressing a meeting of party workers here.

The former Deputy Prime Minister also supported Koirala’s recent call for consensus to form a broad national alliance.

"The President has taken the right decision to call for a consensus towards a broad national alliance. The present crisis can be resolved only if a national government under such an alliance is formed. It is high time all the political parties worked out their differences and moved unitedly," Poudel added.

The NC leader also said that for the national consensus to take place, it is necessary to resolve the internal conflicts within the Nepali Congress. "The problem of Maoist terrorism will automatically be resolved if the members of the party are united," he said.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had on Friday lambasted Koirala’s call for a national alliance, saying that it was simply a ploy to grab power. He had accused Koirala of conspiring to wrest power during a time of crisis for the country.

Poudel assured all NC activists at the meeting that the joint security forces of the Royal Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force will end the chaos created by the Maoists. "Peace will be restored soon in the country. The Maoists should lay down their weapons and join mainstream politics."

Army arrests more suspects

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KATHMANDU, Dec 22 – The army on Friday arrested more than 24 suspected people from various parts of the country, a Defence Ministry communiqué said.

Those arrested include nine at Lamahi of Dang district, four persons each at the capital’s Bijeswori and Thankot, three at Khalanga of Darchula district, one each at Jogbuda and Navadurga of Dadeldhura district. Two others have been arrested at Jiri of Dolakha district and Hajariya of Sarlahi district each. Meanwhile, our reporter from Melamchi said that the army arrested seven persons, including two women, with explosives in Sindhupalchowk district.