Goodwill And More

WHEN Indian Minister for External Affairs and Defence Jaswant Singh arrives here today on a three-day goodwill visit, it affords an opportunity for Nepal and India to discuss mutual issues across the board. That he is making the visit despite his busy schedule signifies the importance India attaches to its relationship with its northern neighbour and its desire to build a more direct contact with the new government headed by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. Billed a goodwill visit, it should nonetheless help in developing an understanding on various differences that naturally crop up, as they have in recent times, between two close neighbours that Nepal and India are. By the very fact that it is a goodwill visit with no specific agenda, the two countries should be able to take up the issues that they think are crucial to discuss and arrive at a mutually satisfactory conclusion. On the discussion table should be all of the more important issues on which some differences of opinion have emerged between the two countries over recent times. The new government will certainly fully utilise Mr. Singh’s visit in laying on the table Nepal’s position on those issues. In his meetings with the Nepalese leaders, Mr. Singh is expected to likewise articulate India’s position on those outstanding bilateral matters.

One of the issues that is likely to dominate the discussions is the current Nepal-India Trade Treaty which is coming up for renewal. India the other day said it wanted to revise the treaty before its renewal. Whatever India’s concerns vis-à-vis the treaty, Nepal will do well to clearly put forward its position too and that is, as trade experts and industrialists here agree, that both Nepal and India have benefited from the treaty. Because a few Nepalese products are being exported in larger quantities to India than before should not come in the way of further strengthening the trade relations between the two countries. From the experience over the last five years since the treaty was signed in 1996, most independent observers credit it with creating a win-win situation in Nepal-India trade. The issue of value addition to Nepalese products should be solved in a spirit of give-and-take. It is redundant to say that such an attitude is essential in tackling any other issue as well, like the border flood problem. As the point of departure for any meaningful resolution of the outstanding issues, both sides must listen to each other with sympathy and then act accordingly. Nothing should prevent Mr. Singh’s goodwill visit to Nepal from promoting not only goodwill but also triggering off the process for even more positive, tangible results in furthering the cause of Nepal-India relationship.

Welcome Gesture

UNABLE to find work at home a huge number of Nepalese adults are turning to foreign employment every year. The numbers of those who are running from pillar to post are increasing every passing day. Almost every day young men and women in their most productive phase of life, the majority of them in their mid-twenties and thirties, come to Kathmandu in flocks and try to find their acquaintances who could send them to Malaysia or the Middle East. Some are lucky to get help either from their friends or relatives, and at times from their elected representatives, while others just scan the signboards by the roadside until they come across this or that manpower agency. Many end up with brokers who promise them the moon, but disappear as soon as they get hold of money. Their hopes to find some gainful employment abroad to be able to take care of the ailing parents, underfed kids and sickly wives turn into mirage. Often, these job seekers borrow money from commercial lenders and local merchants against their agricultural land or property at interests as high as 50 per cent. Such interests play a vital role in keeping the poor families poorer and many even lose the collateral unable to pay the principal that snowballs with compounding interests. To check such tragic incidents the state needs to develop a mechanism to make sure that those who need loans do not have to go to the greedy merchants, but get cash from financial institutions like banks. It is really heartening to know that the government has already worked out a provision for such loans to the needy, Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat informed the House of Representatives on Wednesday. Next, the government needs to launch a massive publicity campaign to ensure that the needy, the majority of whom reside in remote areas, get to know of the scheme that saves many families from becoming bankrupt. And, the bank officials also need to treat potential borrowers with respect, lest they might feel harassed and choose to turn to the commercial lenders. After all, the banks, often suffering from liquidity crunch, will benefit in the end when these workers start sending foreign currencies in remittances. The scheme, if implemented properly, will also channelise and regulate dealing in foreign currencies, which just trickle down to Nepal due to the intermediaries who offer hassle-free hoondi services.