It’s not that merry a Christmas for card shops

Perina Pathak

KATHMANDU, Dec 23 – The world over this is the gifts and cards season. With Christmas and New Year knocking at the door, it’s shopping time all around.

But the capital’s gift shops and department stores are not doing too well this year. "Our customers have declined by 70 per cent compared to last year’s Christmas week," says Bishal Khetan, owner of Hallmark Card and Gift Shop at New Road.

Proprietor Khetan blames this decline in business on the lack of tourists. He says tourists were his "main customers", but this time it is all "dry". Lack of tourists have also meant that the hotels and tour operators who used to get cards, gifts and even Christmas trees for their guests, are not in a position to do so.

But it’s not all about fall in tourists, says Khetan. He says people somehow seem to have lost interest in spending money on greeting cards. The E-card is the villain, say many shop owners.

"Now one can easily select and send a card through email, and it is not as expensive as the shops," says Khetan.

"Internet is the easiest and cheaper way to send messages and cards," says Ogita Kimiko, a Japanese tourist who was sending an e-card from Thamel to his family wishing them Christmas greetings.

But even the cyber cafes are not doing too well either this time around since there are not many tourists around who want to send messages and cards back home in this festive season.

"Last years in this season we could make upto Rs 96,000 daily, but this year our daily business is only Rs 15,000," says Praneem Pradhan working with ATM Telelinks at Thamel.

There are of course the die-hard card buyers, but this year they too seem reluctant to spend too much money on buying cards and gifts.

"Even till last year one customer used to buy 10-15 pieces, but now with a few days left for Christmas, the shop looks very empty," says Khetan. "The same people now buy only 2-3 cards."

"Earlier one person used to spend Rs 1000-1500 for a card but now it has gone down to Rs 100-500," says Amit Goyel, owner of Archies card and gift shop.

But as happens in the fag end of any year, the General Post Office at Sundhara is a busy place, and one can see tourists and expatriates milling around. "Last week the outgoing mail increased by around 60 percent," says Bhoj Raj Ghimire, a Section Officer.

Ghimire says this last week the mails to overseas countries have multiplied. Mainly the mail bags are heading for "Christian countries" like America, Britain, France and Switzerland, says the officer.

"I am here to send best wishes card for Christmas to my boyfriend living in Canada," says Jennifer Nimmer, an American tourist who spent the last month trekking in Nepal. "E-cards do not have a long life so I prefer the paper card, my boyfriend will decorate his room with these cards as he usually does," adds Jennifer at the GPO counter.

While sending the mails, it is a practice with the GPO to separate them into 30 kg bags each. This is considered a "normal bag" in postal parlance, and is send directly or via a transit country.

"In normal times the GPO sends 2-3 extra bags daily but from Monday the transit has increased to 8-10 bags," says Ghimire.

And at the government courier service, Express Mail Service (EMS), the items have increased by around 15 percent. "Whereas at the incoming section around 100 items used to arrive daily, from Monday this has increased by 25-30 more items," says clerk Purna K.C. Subba at the EMS.

Hatemalo’s 20 years

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 23 - Hatemalo Sanchar, an amateur attempt of several journalists to raise awareness on children’s rights have reached 20 years.

"We could not even imagine that a voluntary institution, started out of inspiration that any professional background could sustain for two decades, working on different aspects of the child rights issues," said Kumar Bhattarai, the programme director of Hatemalo Sanchar (HS), while addressing a programme organised to mark its 20th anniversary today.

HS was started by some enthusiastic radio journalists with a 5-minute long radio programme. After it, the pioneers brought upon the concept of HS and kept working continuously to give it a life.

"We need to give attention to the children’s ideas and pay respect to their feelings. This lacks in our general society. So we have been promoting children’s participation in practice," said Bhattarai.

Four children are executive members of HS who take part in decision making meetings. Similarly the organisation is now publishing Sunkeshra Children’s magazine and produce also a radio programme called Hatemalo.

The children participated in street dramas and also had won second prize in the last year’s Children’s Play Competition and bagged gold medal in International Drama Festival in 1999 in Delhi.

Representatives from different child clubs, child rights organisations and other sectors participated in the programme.

"The children are equally participant in Global Movement for Children too," said he.

The interaction programme was chaired by the general secretary of HS, Basudev Munal who has been anchoring children’s programmes for the last two decades.

Industrialists meet Bhattarai

LALITPUR, Dec 23 (RSS) -Ex-prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai held an interaction with the representatives from the private sector on "the problems arising in industry and commerce sectors and its solutions at his residence in Bhaisepati today.

During the discussions, industrialists and businessmen pointed out the need for the government to give special attention towards political stability and economic advancement of the country to do away with the uncertainties crippling the economic sectors due to the prevailing national and international circumstances.

Efforts are being made on the part of the government to ensure security in the industrial sector to address the problems that have surfaced in the present state of the emergency, they said and opined that the government could take decisions in order to create a conducive environment for the private sector in such a crisis-stricken situation.

"His Majesty’s Government should introduce a development package programme in the Maoists-affected areas so as to mobilise the people of these areas in the government’s development endeavour", said they, adding "the government should lay emphasis on creating new employment opportunities."

They were of the opinion that instead of injecting new investment in the industrial sector or establishing new industrial entity, a new economic reform policy should be formulated to rehabilitate the sick industries, boost tourism industry and export trade.

Pointing out that the model for economic development and good governance should be brought forward in a tangible form, they said that stringent measures should be taken to curb corruption and impose social boycott on the corrupt persons.

If the government devises a system under which the private sector will be made responsible and accountable and confines its role only to monitoring and supervision, the industrial sector will flourish, they pointed out.

On that occasion, ex-prime minister Bhattarai conceded that the shortcomings pointed out by the private sector is understandable. He assured the private sector that the suggestions would be put into action.

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Purna Bahadur Khadka remarked that the time has now come for industrialists, businessmen, civil society and the government to make an evaluation of the economic structure and the prevailing situation in the country.

Everyone should approach the authorities concerned if the commitment made by the government has not been fulfilled, he said, adding that one should not put the blame on the people and the government only.

He said that the private sector had turned a deaf ear on the misuse of the facilities and privileges provided by the government.

Efforts have already been made to resolve some of the problems raised by the businessmen, he said, adding that he would take action against any government employee who failed to discharge his duty on time.

President of the Federation of the Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Rabi Bhakta Shrestha said problems have cropped up in the industrial and commercial sectors because of the lack of coordination between the ministries.

President of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rajesh Kaji Shrestha asked the government to immediately scrap the self-assessment tax system which, in his word, is useless under the present situation. The government and the private sector should move ahead unitedly under the state of emergency, he added.

Ex-president of the FNCCI Pradeep Kumar Shrestha, CP Khetan of Khetan Group, third vice-chairman of the FNCCI Chandi Raj Dhakal also expressed their views at the interaction programme.

‘SAARC won't prosper if it does not take up bilateral issues’

How do you view the forthcoming 11th SAARC Summit?

Silwal: The 11th Summit should come up with an impetus to contain terrorism in the region, and it should adopt more comprehensive measures towards regional cooperation. SAARC, as you know, is working for regional cooperation but its functions have not been as effective as expected. It might be because of its traditional working style. Like other regional organisations like ASEAN and EEC that are doing pretty well in terms of regional cooperation, SAARC also can function to solve all major problems seen in the region.

What is the main hurdle against the effective functioning of SAARC ?

Silwal: According to the SAARC Charter, decisions should be taken on the basis of unanimity. Bilateral and contentious issues are excluded from the deliberation. Sticking tightly to these provisions is turning out to be a hurdle. If SAARC is to do something, these provisions should be made quite flexible. Now, you see, tension has risen between India and Pakistan, but the reason that they and the other nations are not settling the matter at a round table is because the Charter prohibits it. SAARC or any other regional organization cannot prosper if it never enters into bilateral issues. Now there is glaring need to combat terrorism jointly. One nation alone cannot combat terrorism as it is cross-border in nature. We should come up with an agenda to combat terrorism.

Could you elaborate on how to go about with the agenda to combat terrorism?

Silwal: First of all, the term "terrorism" should be well defined, and without any bias. We should set forth the grounds to distinguish terrorism from liberation movements. But there are times when the margin between the two is very thin. This should be done under the initiation of the United Nations itself. Measures for such an agenda could be chalked out at the government or non-governmental levels. People from different walks of life—journalists, diplomats and ideologues—can be involved in the task. Working unitedly in this manner, we can check cross-border terrorism.

The social, economic and political causes of terrorism should also be studied. Because, no one becomes a terrorist on his own. Some economic, social or political causes are always behind the growth of terrorism.

What should be the role of Nepal in SAARC affairs?

Silwal: First of all, we should have a strong national policy. Our foreign policy should be guided by the national policy so that we do not depend on ad-hocism. If this happens, our voice will be heeded more easily in the international fora. This would benefit the international community too. For example, when the Bamiyan Buddha statutes were demolished in Afghanistan, we did raise our concerns but it was done too suddenly and in our traditional manner of ad-hocism. The issue was not tabled even in the Security Council. If the international community had taken the matter more seriously and decided to take strong measures to contain terrorism at that time, America and the international community would have not been compelled to pay the cost of the September 11 destruction.

What else should SAARC do?

Silwal: We should change the traditional functioning style of SAARC. If this is not changed, it would be a zero-sum game. One more important thing is that everyone should be offered what s/he deserves. I mean the right man or woman should be in the right place. Then we can go ahead with the task of regional cooperation and combating terrorism. SAARC has also carried out some praiseworthy works in regional cooperation. We should keep that up, and then search for other areas of cooperation.

Security forces seize cache of arms

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 23 - The government’s security forces have confiscated a large cache of arms from Maoist hide-outs in various districts since the Royal Nepal Army was mobilised to quell the six-year-old Maoist insurgency about four weeks ago, according to reports received said here Sunday.

Our Jhapa-based reporter said that the security wings have been able to seize 24 home- made guns, seven camouflage uniforms and some gun-powder from various villages over the last four weeks, said officials at the district administration office. Meanwhile, a suspected Maoist named Pushpa Banjade was killed in a clash with local people at Satasidham village on Friday.

The officials said that of the 69 suspected Maoists arrested during the period, 25 people have been sent to jail while the rest released after inquiries. More than 50 Maoist supporters have surrendered to the government by Sunday.

A dispatch from mid-western Terai district of Bardiya states that Maoist rebels on Saturday made off with 70 quintals of rice after breaking the house of Ramesh Bahadur Shah, the former vice-chairman of the then District Panchayat, at Bagnaha VDC-6, about 25 kilometers away from the district headquarters of Gulariya. Police said that around 150 armed rebels carried away the rice on 10 carts. The rebels also plundered rice from the house of Kapil Gyawali at Motipur VDC-5, the police informed.

Meanwhile, the District Police Office in Makawanpur said that four of the 42 Maoists arrested over the last four weeks had been imprisoned under the Public Security Act and the rest were still under investigation. Makawanpur Chief District Officer, Sitaram Khanal, informed an all-party meet held today that 153 Maoists had deserted their party by Sunday.

Our Dhading-based reporter said that 26 people of three families have fled their home at Darkha VDC-4 for fear of their lives from impending Maoist retaliation. Currently, they are taking refuge in the district headquarters of Dhading Besi seeking a help of the local administration.

Amar Singh Tamang, one of the Maoist victims, told The Kathmandu Post that they had to flee their home after they were threatened to kill by the rebels for several times. The police on Thursday arrested seven people on suspicion of their association with the Maoist activities.

Role of local institutions mulled

BIRATNAGAR, Dec 23 (RSS) - Biratnagar sub-metropolis organised an interaction programme on the role of the tole sangathan (local institution) for urban governance and sustainable development here yesterday.

The interaction programme was participated in by the office-bearers and members of the 22 wards and 299 local institutions of Biratnagar sub-metropolis. On the occasion joint secretary at the ministry of Local Development Surya Saran Regmi threw light on the policy and programmes of the Local Development Ministry relating to urban governance and decentralisation.

Mr Regmi said that the people should identify local problems and carry out works for poverty alleviation, and upliftment of the women and backward communities.

National Manager of the village-town participatory programme Dr. Ramesh Bahadur Munkarmi said that His Majesty’s Government and United Nations Development Programme would sign an agreement to increase people’s participation for good governance and sustainable development of the localities.

Chief District Officer Dolakh Bahadur Gurung said that the Civil Society and the Local Bodies should extend cooperation to the District Administration in order to provide peace and security to the people.

Deputy Mayor Bhuraj Rai, District Education Officer Ashok Aryal, president of Morang district federation of non-governmental organisations Mani Kumar Aryal and managing director of B.M.C. American Corps Baburam Shrestha expressed their views on the objectives of the interaction programme, educational activities, the role of the non-governmental organisations and management of garbage. Chief of the Morang district Public Health Office Madhusudan Koirala, Food Research Officer of Biratnagar sub-metropolis Tara Niraula and chief of the Biratnagar Commerce Office Bir Bahadur Rai threw light on the public health position, the progress made by the food laboratory and the quality of food respectively.

At the interaction programme chaired by mayor of Biratnagar sub-metropolis Ramesh Chandra Poudel, Regional Manager of Nepal Bank Limited Mukunda Karmacharya and president of Morang District Consumers’ Forum Mahesh Lohani threw light on the procedure of forming local institutions and stressed the need for being conscious of consumers’ rights.

On the occasion the office-bearers and members of the local institutions had raised questions relating to its concept, existing problems and the cooperation to be received from the residents for the development of the locality.