Monitor the border

Indian law enforcement personnel crossing over into Nepal in hot pursuit is nothing new, although none the less objectionable for that. It is more rare for the law on both sides of the border to team up in a particular assignment on our soil, and even rarer for this to happen on the other side. A joint police team of the two countries is currently pulling a drag net through the Birgunj area in search of suspected killers of an Indian police officer. The killing took place in India some 30 km southwest of Birgunj and the perpetrators are then said to have fled into Nepal by motorbike. It all sounds rather familiar. This incident is quite typical of the heists that take place in the border area with disturbing frequency, although the killing of law enforcement personnel is not frequently involved. The wide open border between the two countries is the reason behind this state of affairs in more ways than one. Because of the open border, it is terribly easy for criminal elements on both sides to operate on either side. They can always just step out across the border and beyond the immediate reach of the law while the law enforcement bureaucracy on one side liaises with its counterpart on the other. This has been aggravated by the poor state of law and order in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, making these two the most economically backward of Indian states. Economic backwardness has further fed the crime curve. It’s a vicious circle in its own right. Then there are the smugglers who thrive on the porousness of the border. They have helped make the underground economy too big to ignore and, for a poor country like Nepal, impossible to regulate.

Over the past few years allegations of Pakistani-ISI activity across that same border have been used by India to needlessly needle Nepal. This has been done without, however, bringing up the question of whether the open border should not be closed like almost all other genuine international borders. The open border has likewise been blamed for what has been described, not inaccurately, as demographic and cultural aggression against Nepal. Too many people from the south have been moving into Nepal to make economic planning here meaningful. That is saying nothing about the long term threat to the majority status of the indigenous Nepalese. Although the l950 India-Nepal treaty of Peace and Friendship, itself an anachronistic document, arguably provides for free movement of peoples across that dividing line which increasingly fails to divide, it does not take into cognizance the vastly unequal populations on the two sides. It also does not explicitly state that the border should be kept open. It can be closed, at least for purposes of monitoring all movement across it. And that is where the beginnings of a solution might well lie. Our own government has on occasion professed inability to seal the border without India’s help. India for its part has no intention of helping, for reasons best known to itself. But monitor it we can and we should. For all these reasons and more a
sober and purposeful look at what to do about the open border is long overdue.

Lumbini in new millennium

By Dr B P Shrestha

For the second time, I had the opportunity to refresh my knowledge and understanding of Buddhism as a lay man when I was assigned to Japan as Royal Nepalese Ambassador. I devoted considerable amount of my time to visiting Buddhist temples, meeting Buddhist monks and priests and leaders of Buddhist associations and organizations for mobilization of funds for implementation of the Lumbini Development Master Plan. I met several times Prof. Tange, the author and architect of the Master Plan as well. The impression I have had is that Buddhism has great impact on Japanese culture and Japanese culture also has equally great influence on Buddhism. This is very well reflected in Japanese art and architecture, literature, education and social activities. Even today, there are many universities, colleges, high schools and even kindergartens sponsored and administered by the various Buddhist denominations. In the past before the Edo period, Buddhist temples and Buddhist priests in Japan used to spend their time and resources on numerous social welfare works such as charity hospital, orphanage, old people’s home and even construction of irrigation canals, roads, bridges and embankments. Even today some Buddhist denominations are engaged in social activities. Probably the Japanese experience or the experience of other countries may be helpful in rejuvenating the Buddhism of Nepal in the changing context of our time and situation. After all, the role of community in Lumbini cannot and should not be considered in isolation without reference to Buddhism, simply because Lumbini is the fountain head of Buddhism.

Buddha devoted his life to seeking truth and enlightenment as much for himself as for entire humanity, because Buddha believed that all human beings are equal and have the potential of becoming Buddha or attaining enlightenment. In other words, Buddhism, as I understand it as a layman, is based on the cardinal principle that all human beings are equal and have potential to become Buddha. After attaining enlightenment, Buddha, therefore, engaged himself to lead his fellow human beings to the path of enlightenment through his teachings. In this sense, Buddhism may be treated as synonymous with humanism - humanism in the sense that it is concerned with human beings and it is all about human beings. Buddhism happened to be so simply because Buddhism originated from a human being like any one of us.

For saints and seers, for monks and scholars, reading and research materials on Buddhism are abundant. But to transmit and disseminate the message of truth or teachings of the Buddha to the grassroots level, something like the layman’s version of Buddhism as a way of life in various languages may be one way of addressing through Buddhism the basic human concerns and problems of communities such as ignorance, moral decadence, violence, sufferings and unrest. Buddha’s teachings need not be limited to monks and priests within the four walls of temples and monasteries. More than anything else, Buddhism in Nepal is not perhaps so well organised as it should be for further promotion and propagation of Buddha’s teachings. In the earliest times, Buddha’s teaching used to be transmitted through "Sangha". We probably need today more than before such "Sangha" in large number at the community level, more so at the grassroots level to mould the day-to-day life of the people into the Buddhist way of life. If we are inclined to understand life, its purpose and problems along the lines of Buddha’s teachings, it is better for us to know and much better to practice the noble Threefold Learning, namely, Sila (Precept), Samadhi (Concentration) and Prajna (wisdom). This is regarded as the foundation of Buddhist ethical life. Based upon this foundation, one can try to mould one’s daily life into a truly Buddhist way of life.

In my humble opinion, Lumbini should be developed not only as a holy place of pilgrimage, but also as the fountain-head of Buddhism, a unique centre for promotion, propagation and radiation of "Sila", a place of peace and tranquillity for "Samadhi" and "Prajna" with necessary facilities and opportunities for profound study, research and interactions on Buddhism. So the cultural complex of the Lumbini Development Master Plan with a library and museum as its core components deserves the most serious attention. The Master Plan, even if implemented as it is at present, remains incomplete unless it is expanded to develop the sacred historical places like Kapilvastu, and Devadaha - Ramagram as its integral part. Establishment of the Lumbini International University of Buddhism is one of the many laudable recommendations of the first World Buddhist Summit held two years ago. All this is not certainly an utopian vision. Vision is always like telescoping the pre-conceived future, apparently unattainable and yet most desirable. If I were an architect and a Buddhist scholar, I would have even tried to recapture and replicate the original setting and surrounding in which Shakyamuni Buddha was born here in Lumbini more than 2,500 years ago. This would be the most sacred part of the Sacred Garden as envisaged in the Master Plan. On all these considerations also, the present Master Plan needs review as suggested by the World Buddhist Summit.

The experience of Japan and other countries may be helpful in mobilizing local community cooperation in Lumbini development as well. But cooperation without participation is like a one-way traffic. Cooperation should always be a two-way traffic for its sustainability. Attempts should, therefore, be made to enlist community participation in whatever way possible so as to create a sense of belonging, not the feeling of isolation as at present, among the local communities. One could think of several ways of enlisting the meaningful participation and cooperation of local communities. Local community representation in the decision making process at appropriate levels, tree-plantation, environmental conservation, primary education, drinking water supply, sanitation, basic health care, transportation, employment facilities and opportunities at and around Lumbini area with community participation and cooperation as an integral part of Lumbini development plan may be suggested as some immediate possibilities for creating something like a "Great Sangha Paribar" in Lumbini for forging partnership with local communities. Cooperative community response to Lumbini should not, however, be limited to such physical and wordly aspects alone, no matter how important they are to the local community. Attempts should also be made to bring about attitudinal and spiritual change through regular organization of "Sangha" of local communities for interactions, among other things, on relevance of Buddha’s teachings in day-to-day life for peace of mind and freedom from tensions, if not for more ! After all, Buddhism, for that matter any "isms", is for human beings. If we can first wake up the mind of man, then, we can certainly open up everything - cooperation, participation, devotion, dedication and what not. If the Lumbini Development Master Plan means only the concrete buildings, structures and physical paraphernalia, then, I am afraid, it will be like a body without soul. And we shall be feasting the body, while fasting the soul.

Material advancement is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for human happiness. Material possession and affluence made possible in our time by science and technology in some parts of the world is no compensation for the growing feelings of tension and insecurity even in poor countries with very little of the benefits of science and technology. In poor countries like ours, life is getting harder under heavy incidence of poverty, disease and squalor. Should such inequitably growing material prosperity supersede or contaminate all spiritual values, the poor already without the material means to sustain their physical existence will even loose their spiritual values which have enriched their inner life. It is in this wider context, Buddha’s teachings should be propagated for peace and happiness of man at large.

The world we live in today is one of extremes. Extreme poverty and prosperity have their impacts on both human and natural ecosystem with far reaching implications for global environment. Indiscriminate use of technology and industrialization, ostentatious consumption patterns and lifestyles - both heavily dependent on non-renewable resources - have much to do with environmental degradation on the present scale including global climate changes. The basic needs of the poor for food, fuel and fodder for bare physical subsistence are also responsible for environmental degradation in poor countries.

If the rich countries continue to consume more and the developing countries also follow suit, the resources of Mother Earth cannot sustain such level of consumption and lifestyles for long. The problem of sustainability will hit the poorest countries hard. It is not true that greater material possession and consumption will also enrich the inner life with peace of mind, and freedom from tensions and insecurity. So moderation in lifestyle as against the vulgar display of wealth and ostentatious consumption should be the choice of the presently poor and developing countries. This can be done not by imposition and direction but by persuasion and preference for "Madhyam Marga" as propounded by Buddha. In my opinion, moderation in all aspects of life should be a humble beginning for moulding the life of a man into a Buddha’s way of life. (Excerpts from comments on the theme paper at the International Buddhist Conference held in Lumbini on February 1-2, 2001.)

University weddings

By Arun Gupto

Contemporary university pedagogy has been highlighting two major components in its curriculum: interdisciplinary nature of study and professional education. These two major issues enable students merge traditional academic knowledge with professionalism. Such methods of study cover whole of the Humanities to develop the students’ overall competence.

The nature of higher studies had been parochially concentrating on specialized courses, so specialized that a physicist or a sociologist blindfolded himself or herself into strict disciplinary pockets of study. This does not help a specialist to be a true specialist. Specialization, many modern educators think, do not have utilitarian values without interdisciplinarity or a sense of proportion.

University education is rethinking literature studies recently. Many believe that literature programs do not mean studying John Milton, WB Yeats, Laxmi Prasad Devkota, poetry and fiction only because by nature literature is not a single compartmentalized discipline. Courses in such departments range from religion, cultural, media, the visual arts, gender issues, environment, computer education, politics, diplomacy, anthropology and many other integrated areas.

University is not meant to colonize its programs to certain selfish ends and seek knowledge in disciplinary ghettos like departments of Economics, History, Literature, Microbiology and so on. Each discipline has priority of its own but this does not mean that for the sake of specialization, you exhaust the intellectual energy of the student within a limited space. A student specializing in some area of "deforestation" fails to justify his or her research if he or she does not have political awareness and some aesthetic sense about environment, a sense of history, the knowledge of medicine. If s/he lacks interdisciplinary perspective the specialization becomes a narrow field of study.

A study from a wide range and perspectives can bring finally a serious specialized research. Who can deny that all the major breakthroughs in the field of medicine came because medical scientists took help from other disciplines? The methods of teaching of Sciences and Humanities could be and should be used to examine and comprehend all aspects of life even to reach to a specialized conclusion.

Interdisciplinarity does not mean corrupting disciplinary structure of university system. Mastery or specialization is required but who is a master then, a physicist with no knowledge of the Humanities or a master who understands the nuances, subtleties and peculiarities of other fields?

When TU English department introduced such programs from undergraduate levels to master’s, many traditionalists raised their eyebrows. Why does literature department need to study feminism, popular culture, environment and human rights? Literature means poetry, imagination, novels and essays. What is "pollution" doing in literature curriculum? But the interesting fact was that "pollution" had long stayed in Biology departments in our traditional education structure. University had forcefully wedded "pollution" to such physical sciences and the marriage had failed because such issues do not and can not live in one home. Such forceful marriages do not work in modern education system.

Many traditionalists grumbled a lot when some Tribhuvan university departments had tried to break disciplinary boundaries in their programs, a couple of years ago. And same orthodox questions were asked again from few corners when Pokhara University, through its affiliated college, recently introduced a research oriented M Phil English program. Such programs are to make students competent in research education with interdisciplinary awareness so that their specialization in higher research do not turn into narrow provincialism. Such studies are stepping steps. Leave the successful wedlock for wives and husbands only to sustain, and knowledge, on the other hand, works through romances: mind is such a glorious space where infinite Radhas and Krishnas meet to comprehend erotics and to construct a Bhagavatgita.

Quake prediction through animal behaviour

By C B Dahal

Everyone is aware of the horror of the earthquake that hit the Indian State of Gujarat on the morning of 26th January 2001. The nearly 8 point Richter scale earth-shiver left a trail of unprecedented devastation. Larger earthquakes might have been recorded before but one to leave such a trail of destruction may never have happened before at least in the Asian region.

Earthquakes are bound to happen again and again. Therefore, would it possible for us to be warned in advance. Scientists don’t have a definite answer. If they did, the Gujarat quake might not have taken so many lives.

Studies have shown that animals do have a sixth sense about when an earthquake is likely to hit. News reports published after the Gujarat quake too have detailed a case of a lady who was pulled back by her two dogs as she tried to take a flights of stairs minutes before it collapsed. There have been reports that domestic and wild animals fled the forest to converge on open grounds. And in another bizarre incident; a caged parrot made such a racket that the owner took the cage out of the house. At that very instant the quake stuck, leaving his house in rubble, but he lived to tell the tale.

No one has really been able to say how animals get their pre-warning. A complete study has not been done on this aspect of animal behaviour. One gentleman, David Jay Brown, has tried to compile animal behaviour indicative of pre-earthquake warning.

It is a fact that animals do have powers of sensory stimuli detection beyond human ability or even better than the most sensitive technological instruments. Not only do many animals have access to a perceptual range exceeding those of humans, but it also appears that many of them have sensory abilities not currently explained by traditional science.

One of these scientifically unexplained examples is a videotape by some British biologists of a dog anticipating the arrival of its owner irrespective of the time. The other is homing pigeons, which unfailingly reach their destination despite erratic weather conditions or the point of release.

Some people even claim that their pets have precognitive abilities, while others say that animals behave in certain peculiar ways just before an earthquake strikes.

David Jay Brown claims that just before the 1990 Los Angeles earthquake, three calm rabbits at a research centre became visibly agitated. They started hopping around wildly in their cages for around five minutes before a 5.2 magnitude earthquake made the whole building sway.

The Chinese and the Japanese have been using animal behaviour patterns for hundreds of years as an important natural earthquake warning system, and with quite a bit of success. The Chinese in 1975 were able to evacuate almost all the people in the city of Haicheng several hours before a 7.3 magnitude earthquake razed 90% of the city, but with minimum loss of life. Since then China has been using animal behaviour predictions to keep themselves prepared for any eventuality.

Helmut Tributsch, writing on the subject, details numerous accounts of animal behaviour from all over the world. Even though the scientific community has not been fully convinced for lack of concrete evidence, there have been lore and tales confirming animal ability to predict earthquakes.

James Berkland, a retired US geologist, claims to be able to predict earthquakes quite accurately simply by counting the number of lost pet-ads in the daily newspaper, and correlating this with lunar-tide cycles. He claims that the number of missing dogs and cats goes up significantly for as long as two weeks prior to an actual earthquake.

In unusual behaviour in domestic animals, resembling intense fear, some animals appear to cry and bark for hours, while others flee in panic. In the wild too animals roam around confused, disoriented, without their usual fear of people. In some cases the animals appear agitated, excited, nervous and excessively aggressive, or try to hide. The majority of the odd behaviour patterns have been seen in domestic animals and fowl, but there are many stories about other animals in the wild and in zoos including fish, reptiles and even insects. It is also seen that a few days prior to an earthquake, deep-sea fishes have been caught close to the surface.

A catfish is reported to have become agitated and actually leapt out of the water onto dry land. Snakes are known to leave their underground places of hibernation. Mice reportedly become dazed and allow themselves to be caught easily. Homing pigeons are said to take much longer time to navigate to their destinations. Hens laying fewer eggs, or no eggs at all, and pigs aggressively trying to bite one another have also been reported before earthquakes. It has been noted that bees evacuate their hives in panic, minutes before an earthquake, and return fifteen minutes after the quake ends.

These strange behaviour patterns among animals generally occur up to a week in advance of a quake. But most of such behaviour is seen within twenty-four hours prior to the quake. This happens possibly because animals can pick-up tremor signals as they possess auditory capacities beyond the human range, or they could be reacting to the ultrasound emitted by fracturing rock and fluctuations in the earth’s magnetic field. Animals have also been observed acting unusually prior to thunderstorms due to their sensitivity to electrical changes in the atmosphere.

Brown also reports strange behaviour patterns in humans. Many people say that they feel an uncomfortable pressure in their heads, or even persistent headaches for weeks, which suddenly disappear moments before an earthquake. In last month’s earthquake a number of people reported dizziness and disorientation during the quake. This could possibly be a reaction to certain changes in the earth’s electromagnetic field.

Besides animal behaviour, other mysterious phenomena have also been reported prior to an earthquake. The regular eruptions of geysers (underground hot-water springs) have been interrupted. Water levels in wells have changed and magnets have been said to temporarily lose their power. Strange lights are seen and unusual fog has been reported. These changes also corroborate the notion that the odd animal behaviour could possibly be due to changes in the earth’s electromagnetic field in the lead-up to an earthquake.

Kathmandu has been designated a potential earthquake disaster zone. An earthquake of the intensity of Gujarat this January or larger could cause even more destruction here. Many of the buildings may not withstand the intensity but lives could be saved if we do watch the animals in our neighbourhood for some inkling of the impending doom.