Sino-Nepal Relations
Depict True Friendship 

THE Chinese premier Zhu Rongji and Madame Lao An paid a three-day official visit to the Kingdom of Nepal on May 14 at the invitation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. The Chinese Prime Minister, who is on a whirlwind tour of South Asia including Thailand, arrived here lost Monday from Pakistan. After his three-day visit to Nepal, he will leave this country on May 16 for Maldives and move on to Sri-Lanka on May 17 and will complete his tour in Thailand from May 19 to 22.

Premier Zhu, who is accompanied by his spouse Lao An, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and Foreign Trade Minister Shi Guangsheng is the first Chinese Premier to make a trip to the countries in the South Asian region after a hiatus of 12 years.

Zhu’s visit is the fourth visit of the Chinese head of government after Chou Enlai’s first official visit to the Kingdom of Nepal in 1957. This is Zhu’s first visit to this tiny Himalayan Kingdom since he became the Prime Minister of China. It is also the first visit by a high-ranking Chinese Official in the beginniing of the new millennium.

This visit of the Chinese Premier has come soon after the successful state visit to China by Their Majesties the King and Queen which took place earlier this year. This important official visit to the Himalayan Kingdom by the top Chinese leader has taken place following the Chinese President Jiang Zemin’s landmark visit in 1996. The visit will add momentum to the good neighbourly partnership between China and Nepal in the new century.

In the backdrop of centuries old cultural, historical and archaeological relationships strengthened by exchange of visits and noble deeds of Princess Bhrikuti and Arniko of Nepal, Manjusri of China including other great scholars and historians, China and Nepal have been maintaining frequent high level exchange of visits particularly since the establishment of diplomatic relations 45 years ago in 1955. His late Majesty King Mahendra was the first Head of State of Nepal who had visited China since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Other Nepalese leaders and high ranking officials have also made frequent visits to China to consolidate the friendly ties and to expand trade as well as to increase Chinese investment in the country. Similarly Chinese leaders and officials at different levels had paid visits to Nepal on a regular basis. Also visits of business communities of both countries have taken place regularly, which have made significant contributions to the sustained and smooth development of bilateral relations. In addition there exists a geo-physical proximity. The geographical link has established a common border of over 1400 kilometres across the Himalayan Range which cements the ties between the two friendly nations.

China and Nepal are close neighbours and true friends who trust each other. The bilateral relations between the two countries may be described as excellent and problem-free since time immemorial and such exchange of visits at the high level will help to enhance friendship and cooperation in all fields. Both at the official and the people’s level the friendly ties between two neighbouring countries are strong and cordial. Hence both the countries have carried out fruitful cooperation in many wide areas.

The Chinese aided projects have served as the basic infrastructure of development which have made due contribution to the economic and social development of Nepal. Some of the projects accomplished under Chinese assistance in Nepal include the 114 km long Arniko Highway stretching right from Kathmandu to Kodari, the Prithvi Highway, the Kathmandu-Bhaktapur Road, the Mugling-Narayanghat Road, the Majhuwa-Khaireni-Gorkha Road, the Kathmandu Ring Road, Kathmandu-Bhaktapur Trolley Bus System, Pokhara-Baglung Road and the Seti Bridge. The Chinese aided projects in the industrial sector are the Bansbari Shoe and Leather Factory, Harishiddhi Brick and Tile factory, Hetauda Textile Factory, Bhrikuti Paper Mill, Lumbini Sugar Mill and the Gorakh Kali Rubber Industry. In the water resources sector the Sunkoshi hydel plant, Pokhara Water Conservation and irrigation project and the Sunsari-Morang irrigation project are the major projects. Besides, the construction of B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, International Convention Centre at Baneshwor, the city Hall as well as the providing of scholarships for training Nepalese doctors and engineers at Chiense institutes of higher learning are some of the notable examples of Chinese aid and cooperation to our country.

China being a developing country, its foreign policy has always been directed towards the peace and prosperity of the Third World. She has made rapid progress in the field of economic development in the past two decades especially since she adopted an open door and reform policy in 1978. Thus China is emerging as one of the global economic powers due to her tremendous economic and industrial development. Especially in the poverty eradication campaign China has achieved unprecedented success. Economic development and poverty alleviation have stood as our prime concerns. In this context Nepal can learn and benefit a lot from the Chinese experience.

The Sino-Nepalese friendly and good neighbourly relations are based on five principles of peaceful coexistence which can serve as a model for relations between any two countries. The relations can be characterised by mutual respect and trust and friendly cooperation on the basis of which both the countries treat each other as equals. Nepal has been a consistent supporter of ‘one China policy’ regarding Tibet and Taiwan. This stand of Nepal is highly appreciated by the Chinese government. Moreover, Nepal has reiterated that she will never allow her soil to be used for any hostile activities against China.

The issues high on agenda for the Chinese Premier’s visit include construc-tion of Syabrubensi-Rasuwagadi highway, setting up of a hospital for civil employees, establishment of a polyte-chnic institute at Banepa and technical cooperation in agriculture sector as well as avoidance of dual tax system.

In the changing context Sino-Nepal relations should take into account factors like globalisation, information technology and the massive infrastructure development projects that China is undertaking with a view to integrate its western region, including the Tibet Autonomous Region in the economic development process. China is constructing a broad gauge railway linking Lhasa and Gormo in its North-West province. The railway line will be 1,118 km long connecting Tibet with other parts of China. It will be the longest highland railway in the World. The multi-billion dollar project is expected to be completed in 2010. China is anxious to expedite progress in Tibet through this railway project.

The prospective railway line between Lhasa and Gormo would further extend up to Shanghai and it could provide good opportunity for Nepal to reach the far eastern sea-port that would help promote trade and other economic activities in Nepal’s most inaccessible areas adjoining Tibet.

Recently the Chinese government enlisted Nepal as one of its outbound destinations for Chinese tourists. It is certainly a goodwill gesture of the Chinese government towards Nepal. Through tourism Nepal’s trade deficit with China can be reduced to a great extent. But efforts should be geared towards attracting Chinese tourists.

China has acknowledged in principle to provide two additional border points in Kimathanka and Mustang for Nepal to transport food grains to its remote areas through Tibet.

Nepal-China Non-governmental cooperation was set up in both the countries in 1996 to boost the private sector’s participation in economic activities. If Chinese and Nepalese joint-venture projects come up, they would certainly contribute to the long-term and sustainable economic and social development of Nepal.

The recent official visit of the Chinese, Premier has brought the two neighbours a step closer and into building a fruitful relationship in the 21st century. The official visit has, thus, been successful to further consolidate the age-old friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.

Media Should Rise Above Politics

By Ramesh Sharma

IT WAS not that easy to dismantle the erstwhile monolithic system that was introduced into this Himalayan kingdom in the early 1960s. The so called panchayat order as was ushered in by the monarch himself, had tried its utmost to entrench itself in the traditional Nepalese society. The royal system by virtue of its strong aversion to political organisations had deviously prevented the Nepalese from venting their grievances and sufferings. The Nepalese, for 30 years, had been subjected to virtual slavishness.

Since the royal system strongly denied the existence of political organisations, it was excruciatingly difficult for political parties to function even covertly. The activities of political parties were likened to a direct threat to the sovereign existence of the state. This sort of situation had renedred the banned political parties almost non-existent in those days. As a consequence, it was natural to result in the ruthless suppression of popular distress and grievances. Amidst such an ominous ambience, the media in this country had provided a silver lining.

Frankly speaking, it was primarily because of the media that the existence of oppositional voice had received an enduring sustenance even during the 30 years of monolitchic panchayat system. It can hardly be denied that various political parties that are functioning today directly owe their existence to extraordinary resilience and perseverance of the Nepalese media. But for the Nepalese media’s unswerving commitment to the ideals of liberal democratic order, political organisations under the callous onslaught of erstwhile political system would have already been consigned to the dustbin of history.

No less worth mentioning is the substantial role that the Nepalese media had played during the 1990 mass movement that resulted in the restoration of multi-party parliamentary order in this country. While fighting for democracy and human rights scores of journalists had been subjected to untold sufferings and torture. Despite heavy odds, Nepalese journalists never yielded to the nefarious designs of evil forces. Finally, their will that represented the aspirations of millions of Nepalese, triumphed.

Inspite of such a glorious history, Nepalese journalism over the last ten years or so, seems to have gone adrift. Virtually guided by partisan interests, media in this country have begun to relegate themselves to a subordinate role of playing second fiddle to some political organisation or leadership. They feel confortable in identifying themselves with some political organisations or corporate agencies. They seem to have already lost their independent identity. Even worse, having lost the sense of purpose they have also been a hostage to disorientation. True, a jaundiced eye cannot see the reality.

Political parties and their leaderships are also no less responsible for this decadence. Their ostensible commitment to the ideals and principles of democracy notwithstanding, they are least bothered about the dignity of the fourth estate. More often than not, they are found to have been using the media as a means to camouflage their indulgement in sleazy deals and obscene activities. Because a section of the Nepalese media is, at the moment, hellbent on covering up certain scandals involving the patent embezzlement of national exchequer. Moreover, their complicity in the misuse of authority is also equally regrettable.

Succeeding governments’ patently malicious approach to the media constitutes one of the most distressing aspects. Non-conformists are invariably subjected to psychological torture and physical torment. Apart from this, the attempt at asphyxiating the press seems to have become one of the priority areas for them. Surprisingly, they are also found sometimes to have gone to the extent of identifying certain journalists with violent Maoist rebellion without any substantial documentary evidence. There are a plenty of instances that reveal governments’ unwanted encroachment on the constitutional provision guranteeing the right to information.

Against this backdrop, it is incumbent upon the journalists to create a conducive atmosphere where genuine professionalism reigns the most. Journalism sans professional commitment and integrity will always have a lethal impact upon the psyche of entire society. Without unflinching commitment to professional ethics, one cannot even imagine effecting a change in one’s surroundings. Nor can the ideals and principles of liberal democratic order and globalisation be materialised in the absence of free press.

Journalists particularly in the present context should remain alert as to thwart any attempts at curbing free press and free speech, the fundamental fulcrums of liberal political system. In the meantime, congenial atmosphere should be created for a vibrant pluralistic media order. Because, it is rightly believed that only on the foundation of such dispensation can an institutionalised and consolidated edifice of egalitarian society be erected.

Democracy presupposes an abiding commitment to ethics and morality. Only a principled behaviour can provide adequate oomph to a democratic order. Politics sans character tends to erode democracy as a system of governance. But the ‘ignoble acts’ to which the law makers of both the ruling and main opposition parties resorted to during the parliamentary session has made a flagrant mockery of this solemn
truth.

Nepalese politics at the moment has been a pastime for vandals, goons, buffoons and charlatans. They are consciously bent on assassinating parliamentary discipline and decorum. Most regrettaly, they have not only been an anathema to present parliamentary democracy but also proved the worst enemies of the people and nation.

To borrow some words from Hans F. Sennholz, politics in Nepal has become ‘an art of promises, evasions, and systematic pursuit of expedience making the body politic the primary source of social conflict and strife’, Since all democratic societies, according to Sennholz, have foundered on the rocks of moral decay and domestic strife, it is imperative that journalists wage a concerted attack against the forces that are bent on upholding expedience and demagoguery. It is high time that journalists of this hapless kingdom shouldered onerous responsibilities in the comprehensive interest of social order and cohesiveness.

Private Schools

By Bijay Aryal

ONE of the most burning issues at present is the fees charged by the privately run schools often known here as boarding schools. Boarding schools have been closed for seven days. Some schools have even gone a step beyond by announcing a summer vacation of three weeks or so –but all because of the students who have launched a movement for reducing the fees of the boarding schools. Several student organisations have taken the road of agitation to get their demands met, but one or two have come out more prominently because of their straight and more confrontational strategy.

It is this strategy that has drawn the serious attention of the parties concerned and that has set the talks in motion to resolve the problem. It is best if peaceful means brought about a solution to any problem. Major demands of the students include a slashing of the admission and tuition fees being charged by the schools.

People may differ in their views about the ways adopted by some of the students to emphasise the seriousness of their demands. But the demand for a sharp reduction in the fees has won wide sympathy. Hundreds of thousands of parents across the country have always been worried about the ever-increasing fees of the boarding schools, which vary in their price ranges. The hikes made by the schools in the fees almost every year often have no justification. But, ke garney? There has never been a redress of the injustice being perpetrated.

Parents have been too powerless to do anything about it. Their desire for giving their children a reasonably good education on the one hand and the high charges of the boarding schools on the other have put tremendous burden on them. Even a person earning three or four thousand rupees a month tends to send his ward to a boarding school, in most cases, though this would mean a heavy burden on his family budget.

All this has resulted from the deterioration in the standard of the government schools over the years. And no one has paid any serious attention to improving the condition of these schools. If these were improved, no low or lower middle class people would send their children to expensive private schools. Some of the middle class people would also opt for the sarkari schools.

Ever since private schools were allowed to operate for profit, but with the benefits of a charity organisation such as tax exemption, no government has been able to exercise a reasonable degree of control over the private schools for the public good. The dealers in education have formed their own organisations like PABSON and NPABSON to promote their own vested interests. But who will protect the interests of the general public and the lakhs of parents and students across the country who are always at the receiving end of the injustice?

Govt Schools

After the restoration of democracy, the government declared free education for up to Class Ten in all government schools throughout the country. It was a populist measure. The monthly fees were eliminated. But most of them were made up for by a drastic increase in admission fees. So, it is legitimate to question the practice of collecting high admission fees from students in government schools, which are meant to provide free education. If it is not possible to provide free education, it should be called so clearly.