Save Tourism Industry

THE COUNTRY’s tourism industry seems to be heading towards disaster as the hoteliers have decided to close down their hotels despite the hotel workers’ decision to call off their strike.The hotel workers had announced the strike from December 11 demanding a ten per cent service charge, which hoteliers have refused to implement. The hotel workers called off their strike following an understanding reached with the government to look into the issue relating to service charge within the period of two months. As the government wants the issue to be resolved amicably so that the country’s tourism industry may not be affected, it formed a high level Commission headed by Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission Prithivi Raj Ligal to look into the issue. The Commission is working to find a dignified and amicable solution and the hotel workers also accepted the proposal of the government and called off the strike. However, the hoteliers and other travel-related entrepreneurs have remained adamant, and decided to close the hotels demanding an "unconditional withdrawal of strike and amendment in some provisions of the Labour Act". This act seems to have invited a crisis of confidence and confrontation, which is not in the interest of the hoteliers, workers, the tourism industry and the country as a whole. If this impasse continues for some time more, Nepal’s tourism is likely to suffer immensely. As the tourism industry is the backbone of the nation’s economy and the largest foreign currency earner, it is the duty of all to save this industry from such a predicament and to solve this crisis as soon as possible. Although the problem started with the ultimatum from the hotel workers, they have now agreed to call off their strike in order not to affect the industry. Now, hoteliers also need to show flexibility and a liberal attitude to give a dignified outlet to the present crisis. There might be some elements who want to instigate and create chaos in the country from which they can fulfill their vested interest. It cannot be said that hoteliers are not aware of this situation. They also need to wait, as the hotel workers have done, for at least two months when the government’s high level Commission comes up with the plan for the solution relating to the service charge problem. In a democracy and open society, anything can be solved through dialogue. The problem also can be easily solved provided all sides show some sense of flexibility and commitment to end the crisis. Conflict only invites conflict. The best way out is compromise and flexibility, which all concerned sides need to show in order to end the present impasse.

Implementing HR Laws

SUNDAY was Human Rights Day. Expectedly, there were several organisations holding events, including talks, to commemorate the day. Passing through the phase where human rights violations are a growing concern, Nepal’s situation does offer a lot of things to talk about vis-a-vis human rights Nepal has become an increasingly violent society, a fall-out of both the Maoist insurgency and the general rise in crimes engendered by, among others, poverty and urbanisation. So, it is not without reason that a sort of a human rights movement is also here to stay. Concerns over human rights violations frequently find expressions in the media and among the larger civil society. One of the concerns has to do with the fact that we may not have adequate laws to protect human rights. But an even bigger concern is whether the laws that we have are implemented in letter and spirit. Speaking at a programme organised by Amnesty International, Nepal Section, to mark the 52nd World Human Rights Day Sunday, Finance and Defence Minister Mahesh Acharya did acknowledge that recent years have seen human rights violations and gave the government’s assurance that, if need be, it would enact other necessary laws to safeguard human rights situation in the country. The government was effortful in making, revising and implementing the acts and laws regarding the protection of human rights, he declared. Implementation is the key here. For instance, the Act relating to compensation of the victims of torture, which was the topic of the workshop, is a case in point. After much pressure from the civil society and legislator’s efforts, the Act on compensation of victims of torture was passed by the parliament four years ago. It was rightly hailed as a major step towards establishing a society that adheres to human rights principles in totality—not only in preventing human rights abuses before they occur, but also in taking care of those who have unfortunately been at the receiving end of the human rights violations. Formulating laws, however well-drafted, the aim to safeguard human rights, are not enough. The laws need to be practised. The Act in question and other human rights laws, needless to emphasise, have to be a reality at the ground level, if human rights situation of the country is to improve.