Their Majesties’ China visit

The weeklong state visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen to the People’s Republic of China, starting today, is highly significant for both countries. This visit, at the invitation of Chinese President Jiang Zemin, marks yet another exchange of visits at the highest level. This is the third state visit of His Majesty the King to China and attempts to further strengthen the relationship between the two close neighbours - Nepal and China. The first state visit to China took place in December 1973, a year after His Majesty the King ascended the throne. The second was in September 1993. These state visits certainly underline the fact that the ties between Nepal and China can never be ignored at cost to political ideology. China has no doubt helped Nepal as much as other countries to develop infrastructure as well as to improve this country’s economy. They have also helped to further the economic cooperation between Nepal and China.

Formally, Kathmandu established diplomatic relations with Beijing based on the principles of Panch Sheel in 1955. However, this does not mean that Nepal had no relations with China prior to that. In fact, right from Hieun Tsang and Arniko, there had been many exchanges of visits both at the diplomatic and political levels between the two countries. This is not to speak of visits by the ordinary peoples of the two countries. This apart, both countries share common border, culture and religion that brought the peoples of two countries closer. This is the main reason why China has considered Nepal a bridge between the East and South Asia. China has always respected the sovereignty of Nepal.

China has made rapid progress in economic development after it started adopting opening-up policies. The state visit of Their Majesties comes at a time when the country is facing an economic slowdown. Besides, this state visit comes less than three years after India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests, putting the whole region in a state of insecurity and uncertainty. The fate of the SAARC lies in limbo, following India’s objection to General Parvez Musharraf coming to power after a bloodless coup in Pakistan. Given these factors, it is absolutely necessary for Nepal to strengthen its relations with the northern neighbour for economic cooperation. Though political leaders may not quite agree, Nepal has been unable to benefit from the regional cooperation. Rather, it has become more dependent economically on one single country. The state visit should not only further strengthen the four-decade-old political and ageless informal ties but should also foster fruitful economic cooperation between the two countries.

Strengthened Maoists : Is democracy in peril ?

By Praveen Upadhya

The Maoists’ "People War" has now completed almost five years. As the Maoists have completed their five years of People’s War, it is believed that they may increase their activities. At the time of launching the People’s War, it was thought that after thirty-three years of the abortive Jhapa Andolan launched by the then Marxist-Leninist party to eliminate the "class" enemy, a radical communist group had called the "People’s War" against Nepal’s new democratic system, with the dubious goal of turning the kingdom into a Republican Communist State.

PM Koirala, instead of searching for peaceful ways to resolve the Maoist issue, has chosen to suppress them by constituting an armed police force through an ordinance. It should be remembered that within a day of announcement of the appointment of the IGP of the Armed Police Force, the Maoists attacked the Chief Justice. This incident also denotes how the state of governance is in the country and how much strength the Maoists have gained over the years.

More than 1500 people, including the police personnel, have been killed in the last five years after the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist), a radical leftist group, started the "People’s War."

Koirala is holding the position of the premiership and party presidency with three agendas- resolving the Maoist problem, maintaining peace and security and curbing corruption. He had publicly announced that he would not run away from the government without resolving these issues. However, all know that the situation is out of Koirala’s hands and has become even worse in recent months. Koirala is still claiming that he will resolve these issues. Even if the situation does not improve, he will not quit from the post. The Maoists have declared a month-long programme of violence to celebrate the sixty year of their insurgency. According to weekly papers, the Maoists said they had planned to increase activities in the eastern and mid-western regions of the country. They also said that the special rebel task force deployed in these areas would be upgraded to the company and that they might attack any strategically and geographically weak district headquarters. Likewise, the campaign against the mandatory teaching of Sanskrit in schools and the singing of the national anthem, already on in the far-west, will be extended to the eastern regions once the insurgency enters its sixth year.

The party leadership is in constant touch with all the developments and is in full command of the situation right from the beginning to the later stages. Despite the desperate attempts of the enemy to capture the leadership and nip the war in the bud, the party leadership from the centre down to the regional and district levels have been successfully preserved, and the safety of thousands of revolutionary cadres has been ensured through a vast underground organizational network and a correct implementation of its policy.

Countering armed police force: Under the Armed Police Ordinance 2057, promulgated by His Majesty the King on January 22, 2001, the armed police forces will be mobilized to contain armed struggles, armed insurgency or sensational activity, terrorist activity, religious and communal riots taking place or likely to take place in any part of the country. This ordinance, with the consent of the Council of Ministers, was designed to immediately institute an armed police force and make arrangements for its functioning. Moreover, the ordinance states that the armed police can be mobilized in supporting rescue work in any party of the country at times of natural calamity and the epidemic, in rescuing any Nepalese citizens or other nationals if they are abducted, controlling crimes or serious nature and disturbance of high magnitude and pre-empting such incidents, ensuring security at times of paramilitary and local elections.

The American ambassador to Nepal says the armed police might bring the Maoists to the table. He is of the view that both sides have to negotiate to solve the problem.

The leading political leader of the Communist party has said the Mafia has contacted the rebels with an intention of selling them modern weapons. As per the communist activist, if there are no talks before the armed force is sent to action, a civil war will break out in the country. The rebels, entering their sixth year of insurgency, are also preparing to end the government administration in Rukum, Rolpa, and Jajarkot and start their own rule. One Frequency Modulation (FM) radio station is on its way to announce the formation of the insurgents’ government. But the leaders are discussing the issue. It is quite notable here that since the start of the insurgency on March 13, 1996, the Maoists have been stepping up their activities every year.

At the international level, it seems that the Maoists are following the direction of RIM (Revolutionary International Movement) based in London. The Nepalese Maoists believe Mao of China and Shinning Path of Peru's idea of the "long term People’s War". Three types of reactions have been expressed to this development. Some say it is "terrorist" in nature and, therefore, undesirable and must be suppressed. Others opine that it is hasty and reckless, and therefore, wrong. The third type of reaction is that it is a revolt of the people against the ruthless repression by feudal, democratic, and capitalist government and, is therefore, natural.

Demonstration effect at work

By Koshraj Koirala

Some leading economists of this era believe that underdeveloped countries are lagging far behind in terms of development due to what they call the ‘demonstration effect’. People of the underdeveloped countries are much influenced by the people of the developed countries in this ‘gilded age’. They feel prosperous and happy by consuming luxurious goods, consumed by the people of the developed countries. This is what economists call the ‘demonstration effect’.

This leaves adverse effects on an economy, resulting in low savings, investment, employment opportunities and the level of income simultaneously.

Our country Nepal, an underdeveloped country, is also experiencing the same effect causing some more than 40 per cent people to remain below the absolute poverty line.

It is the tendency of people to own expensive things though they contribute to vanity and ostentatious lifestyle. People of developed countries, who are economically far better off than us, consume expensive things for which we are incapable of. The tendency to follow the lifestyle of foreigners has, thus, proved to be a menace for our fragile economy.

This effect is not just related to economic problems alone. It has now started to figure in other aspects of our lives as well. It has even left our political, social and cultural aspect paralyzed.

For instance look at our youths, the pillars of the nation, what do they look like? You may see earring hanging in their ears, with long hair like ‘Rapunzel’s, decorated with the tattoo of ‘I Love You’ on their hands, not to mention their tattered jeans.

Even the toddlers today are inclined to following suit. Well, what about girls! They are also not immune to this phenomenon. Majority of them seem to be trying their best to look as their male counterparts, or in the words of D H Lawrence, to look like "cocksure women". It is surprising why both the sexes are 'pining for what is not?'

We can find plenty of street Romeos, Michael Jacksons, Charlie Chaplins, Jennifer Lopezs, Madonnas and other outstanding personalities in every nooks and corners. We can also see the replica of all the cinestars ranging from Hollywood , Bollywood to Kalliwood, and their language is barely intelligible. Is it a matter of great pride that our country is making tremendous progress in making us hybrid in terms of culture, custom, costumes, language and life style?

You may not agree with me! Well, I will give you a few examples. Look around and alert your ears. You may find almost all native speakers speaking Nepali mixing English words invariably in every sentence. And you may not to be an exception.

It seems the air of ‘demonstration effect’ has not even spared our Parliament The Parliament, the platform for voicing peoples’ grievances, hopes and aspirations, has now turned to be a wrestling house. The country is reeling under a myriad of problems, where law and order situation has become very poor. Forget about poverty alleviation, unemployment problem, existing anomalies and overall development of the nation do not seem to get into our thich-headed parliamentarians.

I think the parliamentary crisis which has come forth recently is due to the ‘demonstration effect’. It seems that some of our parliamentarians have watched the wrestling channel with an avid interest! What a demonstration effect!

The burning water

By Basanta Lohani

Does water burn? Before my mind hovers and brain starts simulating, it raises another question. Of all the things on earth, why this burning water? A little patience may clear it. Everybody knows that water is a compound consisting of two parts of hydrogen to one of oxygen. However, this fact was something that the scientists were unaware of until the early 18th century and considered it as an element sharing the view of the philosophers. It is a liquid that constitutes 50 to 90 percent body weight of all living organisms and covers three- forth of the world surface as lakes, rivers, and oceans. When it boils it evaporates forming gas. Apart from these two forms, it can also freeze and be as solid as ice. However, in none of these forms, does water burn. But in Kathmandu, our Kathmandu, it did. So is this question of burning water.

A news item published in the Kantipur Daily took the life out of me when I read the story of burning water. An employee of the Drinking Water Supply Corporation saw the water that caught fire and the flames were leaping from the burning water. His discovery almost coincided with the signing of an agreement between the Asian Development Bank vice- president and our finance secretary in the ‘benevolent’ presence of its chairman and our finance minister. The package consisted of over 10 billion rupees soft loan to bring Melamchi water to Kathmandu. God alone knows where all and what all will melt by the time the snowmelt- water of Melamchi flows out of Kathmandu taps after five years. But now our man was scared to death when he saw the leaping flames.

The water is burning, he exclaimed like the way Archimedes jumped out of his bathtub naked, yelling "eureka, eureka!". He was a great mathematician born over 22 hundred years ago in Italy and educated in Egypt. Our man was born four decades ago and secondary educated in Nepal. He could not theorize it as a principle like the way Archimedes did. Archimedes had discovered that a body immersed in the water loses weight that becomes equal to the weight of water so displaced. This is called the law of hydrostatics or Archimedes’ principle. Had Archimedes been alive, I wonder what he would have come up with this time.

When our man went to open the main water supply pipeline to the city, he saw the fire leaping. He jumped out in the Archimedes style yelling, "The water is burning! The water is burring!" People around the area rushed to the spot. By that time, he had already stopped the water supply in the pipeline, causing the fire to be extinguished. He breathed a sigh of relief, showing the burnt wire to those who had assembled there. Water is the universal solvent and could also work as a catalyst. So if anything burns, it ought to be an outside substance trying to homogenize with water. What was that highly inflammable? The answer is simple. Anything that is inflammable. It may sound like tautology, defining matter as where force acts upon and force as that, which acts upon matter. But bear it in mind, tautology, at the starting point, is the foundation of scientific reasoning. So when the water is burning in our country, it is burning not because of our water but because of inflammable something that is contaminating our water. What is that contaminating our water flowing down from the purest origin of the Himalayas?

Its answer is dicey. Better be aware of it, my brethren and sisters, if we love this country of ours so much. Water does not burn. It’s got to be some outside stuff burning on the outer layer of our own water, begetting the leaping flames in this land of Buddha. Chetana bhaya, if we are aware of what our great king said two hundred thirty years ago. The age of global village does not mean that we lose our own village. Just as there can’t be a golden deer that Lord Ram chased, there can’t be the burning water with leaping flames. Ram lost Sita in that process and what we are loosing is our ability to manage our affairs independently. This process that is disabling us is what I call ‘dependency syndrome.’

This brings us into both politics and economics. On the political front, we have democracy. Likewise, on the economic front, we have liberalization and privatization. The rule of thumb is that that if it is pure water, then it becomes odourless. Also, its colour becomes bluish. But we can get that quality of water only when we go pretty deep. Otherwise, it is the contaminated water. And then what remains to sort out would be only the degree of contamination. The democracy we have is not odourless. Instead, it is made to stink so much now because of the filth that our politicians all consigned to it. The reason why our politicians could do so is: our democracy is not allowed to go deep. It is not in the interest of those who championed the cause of democracy. This is the best way in which they can draw the vital fluid out of democracy before it could find its depth. So it is shallow.

This shallowness has become hollow when it comes to our economy. Perhaps, knowing the dictum that ‘beggars can’t be choosers’, we are more than happy to pursue any policy and accept anything that we get in charity. Thus our development has become a cocktail. Liberalization and privatization policy is the new begging bowl, handed over to us by our coordinator so that we could sustain democracy by sustaining our economy. It is so wonderful that there is no need to open it like the Pandora’s Box. Our leaders find it so convenient because it is an open container like the democratic transparency, accommodating almost all policy initiatives on earth to propel our economy to growth. Our economic pundits have managed to have them all under, shall I say, ‘integrated policy development’ for ‘structural adjustment’ of our economy so that our development can choose its own path, the way it likes it. It is sure to be zigzag but direction does not matter so long as it is moving. The movement is the cardinal principle. This is how we are growing in all direction, including the backward direction that is now gaining more momentum because of increasing rate of inequality.

The problem with this container is that it leaks like the water leaking inside the porous ground. Politicians are happy about it. In fact, they want it hollow so that their destiny becomes all the more bountiful to sustain the shallowness of democracy. Just like the water flowing through the porous path increases underground water level, the underground resource of the politicians increases in a similar way. Those managing the state have to loot the Nepal Bank and Banijya Bank transparently, unlike the Maoists looting at gunpoint. This is the difference between aboveground and underground activities.

In this process, they are in the buff but not their bank accounts. One more Marxist revolutionary as a self -appointed guardian-president is dead. That is Kabila of Congo. One more democratically elected president, securing the highest record votes in the country’s history, is out. That is Estrada of Philippines. They came to power almost together and were moved out almost at the same time. The difference is that one is dead while the other is alive. Still, water will not burn. It can only boil, so do emotions forming people power. Better watch out. The reason, among other things, is that, in the days to come, water is going to be less affordable and accessible to the common people in Nepal because of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) reform of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) requiring privatization or full cost recovery and the ‘Cross Conditionally’ of World Bank that is engaged in ‘structural’ issues. Still, the water will not burn but the emotions will, the way it is engulfing Girija Prasad Koirala’s fifty-year-old political career because of his all -surpassing greed and a vision that could not extend beyond himself.