Cease-fire And After
The Wait Continues

By Prem N. Kakkar

THE glimpses for a return to lasting peace seems to be there with the underground leaders of the CPN-Maoist peace talks team making itself public. The almost seven-year long absence from public view has been broken. In fact, at the call and initiative of the government the cease-fire was declared with immediate effect on January 29 this year.

Adherence

In so far as the present situation is concerned, there has been adequate respect for the cease-fire from both the parties. That provided the breathing space for the people who were under much pressure prior to that. It was a big breakthrough and was welcomed by all.

The people living especially in the rural parts had much to rejoice about. It is difficult for development activities to move ahead at a rapid pace in the lack of peace and a sense of security. This provided the ground for many displaced people to return to their villages. But there is much more ground to be covered before real lasting peace can be ushered into the country.

It is true that labelling the Maoists as terrorists, fixation of prices on their heads and the red corner notice to arrest the Maoist leaders have been withdrawn with the declaration of the cease-fire, there are many other modalities to be fixed for the peace talks to go ahead. In between the Code of Conduct was agreed upon by the government and the Maoists to create conducive environment so that the peace talks could be held as early as possible. The 22-point Code of Conduct was signed On March 13, 2003, six weeks after the declaration of the cease-fire by Minister for Physical Planning and Works Narayan Singh Pun and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai on behalf of His Majesty's Government and the CPN (Maoist) respectively.

The implementation of the code of conduct was a necessity as it could give directions to creating the stage for the peace talks to be held. The Maoist peace talks team by making their public appearance seems to indicate that positive direction is being taken.

So far no date has been set for the peace talks. Setting a date for the goodwill talks is not easy as there has to be an agreement on the willingness to sit down as early as possible. But the Maoists have been saying that the government is acting very slowly. But, in fact, the government has all along been receptive in the need for sitting down for talks at the earliest. What is needed is political stability to give continuity to the all round development of the country, according to Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand while inaugurating the 50th general meeting of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce day before yesterday. This is a clear indication that the government wants an early start of the peace talks.

Everyone wants permanent peace to be restored in the country. The Maoists too must be sincere as well as the government. The adherence to the code of conduct is necessary by both the parties because that is the basis of finding ways and means to an amicable understanding.

The stage is set for the economic revival of the country which was in shambles for the past few years. The country belongs to the Nepalese people and it is the wish of everyone to see its prosperity which depends on how fast its economy records the desired progress. The path to be charted in the future should not get blocked just because of some small obstacle.

It is peace and stability that is necessary. The friends of Nepal want its prosperity and are willing to help. But there are matters wherein the Nepalese people themselves want to solve the problems. The people have become mature enough to realise what the needs are and how they can be fulfilled.
The Maoist leaders have come out and their reiteration for peace comes as a refrain. It is the translation of the genuine aspirations of the people into concrete results that matter. For this both the parties must work in the right direction according the national interests, the top priority.

Clarity

The agenda for the talks must be clear which means that there ought to be transparency. And it is also a trust on each other that counts. Allegations and counter-allegations do not work. This has to be understood.

The people are waiting for the day when everything moves in the right direction so that they will be able to continue their day to day life without any fear.

Price Hike, Costlier Living

By Narayan Upadhyay

THE heat of price hike is upon us. Nepalese, it seems, are doomed to live in a situation where perpetual price escalation has become a staple ingredient of their life.

Experience

The lure of living in big cities like Kathmandu, Pokhara and Biratnagar has become the most trying experience. If you have a minimal income, the regular price hikes have turned the cost of living at these places dearer over some years.

In recent weeks, A Nepali is bombarded with the price hikes caused by the second Gulf War. The impact of War on Iraq is felt here through hikes in the prices of petroleum products. No doubt, if the war is stretched for a longer period than expected, Nepalese certainly experience further rise in prices.

While the war in the Gulf has been a source of perpetual pain to a Nepali, any shake in the prices in India increases the prices here. The raises in international tariffs and also in the Indian Railway freight charges witness the sharp increase of the prices of many goods. Every increase in the prices on goods in neighbouring nations affects our economy and prices.

The graph of inflation in Nepal goes usually on upward swing. It refuses to come to a downward turn. It is saddening to see that prices do not fall even if they keep coming down in the international markets. One of the examples is the escalation in the prices of petroleum products. Despite the fluctuations in petroleum price in foreign markets, Nepal seems to be doomed to see the rise in petroleum prices, one of the basic reasons that shoot the prices of other goods. The final impact of every increase in the prices, needless to say fall on the Nepalese middle class people who live on a modest income throughout their life.

The frequent increase in the petroleum prices is sure to multiply the fares of the transportation. As soon as petroleum prices are hiked, the owners of means of transport raise the fare of the transportation. Consequently, the suppliers of the goods are in no way ready to bear the hike in the transportation fares. Ultimately, it climaxes in the rise of every goods that are carried to the different parts of the nation.

The common people, whose modest income is not increased in the same proportion as in the rise in the inflation, feel the heat of price hike. In many occasions, they are forced to live the life in perpetual pecuniary, thanks to the frequent rise in prices of goods of daily uses. There is no denying in the fact that lack of industrial and other steady agriculture back-up are reasons behind the fickleness of the Nepalese economy.

While some happenings in the international activities that force the price increase remains beyond our authority's control. There are man-made reasons such as hoarding, artitificial shortages, the vicious circle of commissions, corruption at different level while awarding contracts and licenses that shoot the prices of goods and services in Nepal.

It has become a common phenomenon that in the event of some crisis in the market, the retailers as well as whole-sellers stop selling the goods in higher demands so that they can hoard the things to sell them in high prices later on. Some of them even go further. With a keen sense of speculation that the prices of goods in future would certain to rise, these suppliers create artificial shortages of goods, so that the people will have to pay more to buy the goods of their use.

Hoarding, creating shortages and black marketeering are glaringly noticed during the time of crises such as bandhas created by political upheavals and in the events of natural calamities when the supply routes to the major points of the nation is disrupted.

The arrival of festive occasions of Dashain and Tihar also see the rise in the prices of commodities needed to the people so that they can observe the festivals as per the customs and tradition. The people have no other options but to pay whatever prices the retailers or whole-sellers demand during the time of festivals.

All these unsavoury activities of the Nepalese suppliers are again aggravated by some of our officials going for commissions and bribes. And, if the officials who are entitled to look after the matters of controlling prices engaged in taking grafts and commissions it, more often than not, give businessmen the leeway for increasing prices at their will. A graft taking official is tied by his own action and can do nothing but to watch in silence the guilty businessmen's action to raise prices.

The cost of living gets higher also due to the lack of good administration and financial discipline in some of the important service and goods providing organisations. Corporations like Nepal Oil, Nepal Telecommunications and Nepal Electricity Authority because of the afore-mentioned reasons are forced to hike prices of their services so that they can meet their financial demand. These organisations increase the prices of their services on a regular basis so that they can meet their rising administrative expenditure and other financial leakages of which impact is always born by the common citizens.

Discipline

Some times the authority cannot rein in inflation due to the external economic actitivities that are beyond its control. In the domestic front, however, it can effectively control the price rise. For doing so, it must effectively monitor the activities of the business community as well as control corruption at the offices and introduce effective measure for financial discipline in the government service sector organisations. It should always be on guard against those creating shortages and selling goods later on higher prices.

Pocket Calculators In Use

By Uday Lama

THE market is literally flooded with handy, compact calculators which can fit into a pocket. They are used for a quick calculation done on the spur of the moment and in certain places. These are shops, restaurants and business houses where the man at the counter sees to it that the billing is done properly and without any hassles.

These are regularly exposed to sunlight to charge and renew its functions which include division, multiplication, addition and subtraction. All it needs is a press of the button to set things in motion and make the figures stand out. Simple mathematical calculations can be done as well as more complex ones with more digits. It is a useful gadget to possess.

Calculators with brand names are of course priced in the higher ranges and last longer even with extensive use. Cheaper ones are also to be found sold by enterprising vendors on the footpath and are of dubious quality. But it does have a ready sale because of it popular usage and can be handled by all age groups. Paper work is relegated to the background and made redundant.

This also means a certain flexibility of the mind in figuring out the numbers. An offshoot made inevitable with the production and manufacture of pocket calculators. There is no question of limiting its use although this is an option which can be considered. But for the time they continue to render services as and when required.

As an essential item it serves its purpose and does not malfunction. Even though when this happens things can be righted at little cost to the owner. And in such a way that errors are reduced down to the nearest decimal point. While being upbeat means possessing and handling a calculator and getting away with it.

Totaling the prices of a list of goods can be done in a jiffy, thanks to this device whose shape and size has not changed an iota. It requires no maintenance apart from seeing to it that its inner parts are not jolted or shaken loose. Its relatively long life can be attributed to its sturdy nature and the manner in which it is handled.

Rough handling can damage its functions so it's best to keep it away until needed for a quick figuring out. And should not be allowed in the hands of an ignoramus who is liable to think of it as a plaything. School going children are apt to amuse themselves by playing with it which should be a strict no-no.
Pocket calculators are in vogue because of the fascination with numbers. They hold no secrets and are invaluable and come in handy during odd times of the day and in the most unlikely of places. Furthermore they assure a quick verifiable result and cut down on the time consumed. It's obvious that it may take some doing to try and replace it by some other means-mechanical, electronic or otherwise.

The cost factor should not deter one from buying one of these calculators because the advantages are many. It is an investment that guarantees results within certain limits. There are no trial-and-error methods here, only figures coming to the fore at the press of a button.