LOCAL NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

'Promotion of anti-AIDS plans must'

Bishnu Gopal Shrestha, a national soccer player and boxer of the past is now active in different sectors. A dynamic personality with much will power, Shrestha now heads Nepal Motion Picture Association (NMPA) and six other organisations. Currently, he is planning to involve himself in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Last week he talked to Bishnu Gautam of The Rising Nepal on different issues. Some excerpts:

How were you involved in sports?

I was greatly interested in social works from my student life in Hetauda. I wanted to be a person who could do something for the society, the nation and its people. And I concentrated my interest in sports so that I could contribute to the nation. I was in the national soccer team for eight years and participated in various national and international meets within and outside the country. I also became the Light Welter Weight boxing champion. Later, His Majesty late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev appointed me the treasurer of the National Sports Council in 1977. I worked there for 11 years. I was the chairman of ceremony committee during the first SAF Games in 1987. I also led a number of international sports organisations. I am now the vice- president of Asian Boxing Council.

A soccer player, boxing champion and an official of Sports Council, you now head NMPA. How was it possible for you to switch roles to Nepalese films?

I got involved in films upon my friends’ advice. We formed Om Trinetra Production, a film production company. I was the chairperson of the company that made Chino and Ranko. Later I became the chairperson of Nepal Film Producers’ Committee in 2054 and now I am the President of NMPA.

What did you do for the promotion of Nepalese film?

I first initiated the tradition of Motion Picture Awards in Nepal. We aimed at promoting Nepalese film, art and culture, honouring artistes and making inroads in the international market, through these Awards. However, we have stopped the tradition for various reasons. In fact, the artistes for whose welfare we had introduced the programmes failed to understand its importance and created unnecessary controversies over the awards.

Why is the film industry not doing well at present?

The increasing activities of Maoists and the low quality of films are the main causes behind the fall in the film market. Unhealthy competition among the Nepalese films is also responsible. In the past, Nepalese films had to compete with Indian films and they could do good business. But now most of the halls do not screen Indian films. How can Nepalese films make a good business when five different films are screened in the five different halls at the same time in a city?

What are your views about the current reconstitution of the Film Development Board?

The formation of the Board is balanced and good. All the personalities appointed in the Board are capable, but they need to work without any prejudice.

You were the chief coordinator of the programmes during the last World AIDS Day. Are you willing to get involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the days to come?

Certainly. On the request of Health Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari, I became the Coordinator of the World AIDS day programmes. The programmes happened to be very effective. International communities appreciated the programmes. Now I realise whether the ultimate goal of my life will be to promote the anti-AIDS programmes.

What are the most effective programmes to control HIV/AIDS in Nepal?

I think we should give top priority to awareness generating programmes. We should launch awareness generating campaign throughout the Kingdom at the same time. Sector wise or area-wise awareness programmes, which we have been launching till now cannot give effective results. Therefore, we need to launch awareness programmes in all five development regions at the same time. We can launch such programmes through street dramas, radio and television programmes. Such awareness programmes help the people understand the causes and consequences of AIDS and change their attitudes and behaviours. Also a quarterly review of such programmes is highly essential. Follow-up programmes can be done by mobilising the local students. If a million students are mobilised and each student watches four houses once every three months, we can cover four million houses. Except in 17 districts, we can easily conduct follow-up programmes with the help of the local students.

Indeed, our investment in HIV/AIDS controlling programmes is haphazard. Different organisations have been launching similar programmes. They lack coordination. There are a number of organisations active in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the country. HIV/ AIDS and STD Centre and other INGOs are working to control HIV/AIDS in the country. But they are in confusion and are failing to achieve their goals.

Likewise, HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign-2002 introduced recently under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is functioning well. People have expected much from the Campaign. However, the working pace of the Campaign seems to be very slow.

If we bring all the organizations working in the field of HIV/AIDS and their programmes in a single channel, the results will surely be more effective. Also we do not have to beg for international assistance to conduct any anti-AIDS awareness campaign in the country. However, we should bring all the programmes related to HIV/AIDS under one umbrella as soon as possible. And it must be done during the tenure of the present Health Minister.

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