For Regional Trade

THOUGH the real, discernible growth in intra-SAARC trade and investment may come about only after a significant measure is in place like SAARC Free Trade Area (SAFTA) as called for by successive SAARC summits, activities like holding regional trade fairs do contribute in their own ways to explore possibilities for boosting regional trade and investment. The SAARC trade fair after being held one each in New Delhi, Islamabad and Dhaka over the past years has come to Nepal. The Fourth SAARC Trade Fair is being held in Kathmandu from October 25 to 29 where six of the seven South Asian countries, except the Maldives, are participating. Such fairs do hold significance in promoting intra-regional trade and investment with the lofty goal of higher economic growth in the region, especially when moves towards SAFTA seem to be time-consuming. To recall, the 11th SAARC summit held in Kathmandu in January earlier this year had instructed the governments to chalk out a framework for SAFTA before the next summit to be held in Islamabad in 2003. It is easy to imagine how far we may be away from a SAFTA reality when the formulation of the framework itself takes such a long time. The proposed framework will finally be discussed on October 26 and 27 in Kathmandu when SAARC commerce secretaries meet. SAFTA is an important goal to strive for because it is meant to be a lot more in terms of promise to expand regional trade which SAPTA, the South Asian Preferential Trading Arrangement, in place since the past seven years has not been able to do satisfactorily. Though there are some 5,500 plus products given preferential treatment under SAPTA, only 200 products so far are able to benefit from this trade regime.

Given this background, there is an urgent need for the governments, traders and businessmen in the region to come together to explore ways to expand the trade even under the present systems. In this connection, the coming trade fair could be an avenue to make such an exploration. The fair, according to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, will have more than 200 exhibitors who will display various products such as machinery, vehicles, agricultural handicraft products and so on. Traders and investors of the six countries have an opportunity to foster mutual relations and seek ways to strengthen the trade and investment ties. But, all said, the benefits to an appreciable degree will come towards the least developed countries of the region only when the larger trading nations in the SAARC conclave viz. India and Pakistan become large-hearted. That fact should not be lost sight of when SAARC nations collectively strive to put in place a SAFTA framwork.

Promote Culture

A NEWS story has it that many people living away from home would not be able to return to their villages for Dashain this year simply because of the threat from Maoist terrorists. Reports are that terrorists in different parts of the country, especially in the rural areas have threatened the people not to celebrate Dashin, the biggest festival of all Hindus. People are afraid of being a target of terrorist and inhuman acts of they celebrate Dashain festival. Moreover, terrorists continue to resort to exortion, kidnapping and killing innocent people in the villages. They have unleashed a reign of terror in the villages. There are reports that those who cannot give cash and kind as demanded by the terrorists have often been kidnapped, tortured and killed. Dahsain is the festival in which all family members get together and receive tika and blessings from their elders. Now many people are hesitant to go to the villages for Dashain because of the fear of Maoist threat and terror. This act of the Maoist terrorists is, no doubt, a terror against Nepalese national culture. Nepal is a multi-cultural country. Different ethnic communities celebrate their own festivals and cultures. Culture is the identity of a nation and communities. Dashain is Nepal's national culure. That means it is our national identity. Since terrorists have threatened people not to celebrate Dashain, they seem to want to destroy our national culture, by which they want to weaken our national idenity. It is said that if a nation has to be destroyed, its culture first needs to be destroyed. Firstly, the violence and killing the Maoist terrorists have unleashed is against the interest of the nation, which must be stopped. Nothing can be achieved by killing a Nepali by another Nepali. National interests can be served and pace of development can be accelerated only when all Nepalese people work collectively and peacefully. Secondly, politics and culture are two different things. Politics should not be mixed with culture. A nation can be stronger and nationalism can be strengthened only by promoting all cultures of the country equally. Thus, it is the duty of all Nepalese who want Nepal's development and prosperity to promote the country's diverse culture. Therein lies the national interest of Nepal.