All-Party Meeting
Chance To Suppport Peace

By Bishnu Gautam

ALMOST after a month of the much-expected cease-fire, heavy discussions over how the peace talks should be made effective and fruitful are taking place both in circles of the political parties and the civil society. Different organisations are holding seminars and interactions to discuss the issue and float the ideas expressed by the noted politicians and social experts on it to the public. All the participants ranging from the representatives of the major political parties to social workers to economists to social scientists to Human Rights activists express similar views that the cease-fire should be translated into a lasting peace by applying possible measures to make the peace-dialogues successful. The common people who have been affected by the violence to a great extent in the last few years, want the same to happen.

Boycott

However, it sees the major political parties represented in the dissolved House of Parliament are hesitating to support the government in its effort to restore peace in the country through dialogues. They boycotted the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand a few weeks back though they had welcomed the cease-fire announcement made by the government headed by Chand. But the individual leaders of these parties often urge their parties and the people to support the government's move to peace dialogues.

In Nepal Televison's Disha Nirdesh programme on Monday evening, Bam Dev Gautam, CPN-UML leader and former deputy prime minister made similar appeal to all. "If the political parties supported the cease-fire made by the government, they should not raise the question of constitutionality when the same government sits for peace dialogues," he argued in the TV show.

His arguments were directed towards the interest of the nation rather than on the petty interest of the political parties and their bosses. No leader of the major political parties had made such realistic comments on the ongoing peace process through public media in the recent weeks. Many people who watched the programme were found appreciating his bold arguments.

But the sad fact is that CPN-UML took action against Gautam next day by asking for a clarification from him for his arguments on NTV, which the party claimed, were against the party policy. This incident shows how the leaders of the major political parties are divided over the peace-dialogues. The situation of the Nepali Congress and Rastriya Prajatantra Party is not different from that of CPN-UML. RPP leader Kamal Thapa, in a programme reportedly criticised his party's decision to boycott the last all-party meeting called by the Prime Minister the other week.

It seems the political parties want to take the credit of the resolution of the problem and want an all-party government led by them to hold such dialogues. Otherwise, they should not hesitate to support the government's effort to free the nation from the clutches of violence.

Now the Prime Minister is reportedly calling an-all party meeting for the second time. This speaks of the government's will to receive political parties' support in the peace dialogues. Also, this shows the government is committed to translate the cease-fire into a lasting peace by holding successful peace-dialogues with the Maoists. On the other hand, the Maoists have become more liberal in their demands this time than they were during the previous talks, which they violated. Their open-mindedness regarding their demands indicates that they also want a peaceful solution of the seven-year-old problem this time.

As such, the people want that the political parties won't repeat the past mistakes by boycotting the proposed second all-party meeting being called by Prime Minister. The government also cannot bypass the major political parties while holding peace talks nor does it want to do so. The civil society wants the government should seek support from the political parties while holding peace-talks. In an interaction on Wednesday the representatives of the civil society expressed such views.

In fact, it is the common people who underwent several hardships due to the violence in the past. They were compelled to flee from their villages. Some of them lost their near and dear ones in the unnecessary violence. Others were kept behind the bars. As such, it is natural that they want a lasting peace, no matter how it would be restored.

The cease-fire has brought the rays of hope of peace to the affected people and they are returning home from safe cities of Nepal and India. Everyday we see or read about several people returning home from the cities and from India hoping for a permanent peace in the country. Even the Maoists are reportedly urging those who once left their homes for fear of the violence and started living in the district headquarters to return to villages.

Normalcy

Within a month of cease-fire the village people who have nothing to do with politics and power have felt a normalcy in their everyday activities. They are very optimistic about the restoration of permanent peace in villages. They cannot imagine that the present cease-fire will be violated like the last one because they have already suffered the consequences of the violation of cease-fire. As such no one should try to shatter the hopes of the common people by obstructing the peace process. The political parties need to realise what the common people want and cooperate with the government to restore a lasting peace in the country by keeping their petty interest aside.

Knapweed, New Herbicide

By Katherine Vogt

AN INVASIVE weed that has taken over vast swaths of grazing land in the West may hold the key to creating an effective, natural herbicide.

Toxic

A Colorado State University study found that a chemical compound secreted from the roots of spotted knapweed is toxic to surrounding plants and has potential to wipe out other unwanted weeds.
"This is a herbicide that is as potent as a commercial chemical but it comes from a natural plant," said study author Jorge Vivanco, an assistant professor of horticulture biotechnology at CSU. "It's considered an environmentally friendly herbicide." Vivanco's research - and a separate study at the University of Colorado in which bugs stopped the spread of diffuse knapweed - are among the latest efforts to find natural ways of controlling invasive plants that have bedeviled farmers and ranchers for centuries.

Eric Lane, who carries the unlikely title of "state weed coordinator," says there is a growing emphasis on nonchemical ways to fend off weeds. He called the knapweed study exciting because it would encourage others to try similar efforts.

At least three knapweed species are found in Colorado, and forms of the invasive weed have taken over millions of acres (hectares) in the West. The plant is capable of wiping out all other surrounding plants, effectively ruining grazing lands. Because they are not native to Colorado, they have few predators.

Originally from eastern Europe and western Asia, the most common knapweed species in the West are believed to have arrived in the late 1800s in contaminated crop seed or possibly discarded soil from ships.

Common forms feature tiny white or purple flowers on spindly, leafed green stalks.

Two years ago, Vivanco read about a knapweed species that invades and colonizes by secreting a toxic compound into the soil through its roots.

His team tried to become the first to isolate the chemical from spotted knapweed - a feat complicated by the complex jumble of contaminants, microbes and chemicals found in soil.

The team grew spotted knapweed plants in flasks in the lab. The roots were submerged in a water-based solution while the plant floated on top.

The plants secreted the toxic chemical compound into the liquid, making it easier for the researchers to isolate each compound in it.

They found nearly 30 compounds, including two forms of catechin. One type had antibacterial properties and the other had a toxic effect on other plants.

The researchers found that spraying toxic catechin on plants or adding it to soil was as effective against some weeds as common synthetic herbicides, typically killing the plants within a week.
Vivanco said no one previously knew about catechin's toxic effect on plants.

His findings were published in last year in the journal Plant Physiology.

Because there is no evidence that catechin is toxic to humans or animals, Vivanco hopes it will eventually be fast-tracked for approval by the Environmental Protection Agency.

CSU has licensed the catechin technology patent to a company, and Vivanco hopes to see it on the market in two or three years.

Ragan Callaway, an associate professor of biology at the University of Montana and a plant ecologist who specializes in invasive weeds, said Vivanco's research is exciting but should be carefully studied.
"Just because it's produced organically doesn't mean it won't kill you. On the other hand, I think that because Jorge is trying to use natural processes to control how plants interact with each other is fantastic," Callaway said.

Preventive

Vivanco said the discovery has several potential applications as a herbicide. In reduced concentrations the chemical only kills select plants while sparing others. That could allow farmers to protect a crop while killing a weed. Or it could be used as a preventive agent by mixing it with soil before weeds emerge.

(AP)

Singing Duets In Restaurants

By Uday Lama

LISTENING to duets or dohri geets in restaurants is fast becoming popular amongst the local clientele and catching on. In this event there are two groups of singers of either sex i.e. males and females. And leading each is a singer who vye with cerefully chosen wordings to win over the opposition. When one exhausts the reportoire of rhyme and rhythm then it is considered a lost case.

The gastronomic business like other trade and the local economy has yet to pick up and this is where a trend has set in to bolster it up. Dohri Geets are largely sung by folks coming from the outlying areas and partake of their flavour giving it a distinctive edge. And while before it was restricted as a genre elsewhere have begun to find favour in Kathmandu itself. For it does not only provide amusement but is a keenly contested event with either side trying to outdo the other.

The clients patronising the restarurants are given this treat as a special privilege and the management arranges for everything. And the evening is given over to these singers who never fail to entertain them with their performance. For this to happen one has to follow the wordings carefully lest the whole point be missed. The subtle innuendoes and reference to love leaves nothing much to the imagination and this is where the best part lies.

The public have been treated to dohri geets in the electronic and broadcast media and now they are afforded an opportunity to see it live. A chance not given elsewhere but where one can wine and dine at the same time. Added to the atmosphere is the ambience-the lighting effects, the potted plants and the clients seated just a few feet away.

The ancient lores and arts of love are given form and expression in discreet surroundings. For the singers there is much to be gained by way of a financial windfall. For it becomes a selling point as far as their verbal and vocal skills are concerned. Some may even go for a contract to sustain themselves in different times provided there are takers. But for the moment they are free to project an image of innocence and naivety.

Expressing a frank love through songs sung to evoke a response takes on new and fresh meaning. And even if it is to entertain with no serious undertones yet it packs a punch and can leave the listerners in a daze. Not only by the effrontery of it all but the way it is delivered. Once a proposal has been delivered there is no looking back until the final drama has been played out to the full.

For every point there is a counter-point and no moment is lost in pouring it out in a heartfelt manner. And of course all these are improvised on the spot giving the singer only a few minutes in which to come up with a suitable reply. If none comes then the case is closed with the proposal in mid-air for everyone present to speculate upon. This is but an avowal of love in the right setting and with nothing to lose. Only the credibility and singing prowess of the singer is at stake and of course whether the proposal goes through at all.

Dohri Geets have come a long way from being sung by simple hearted folks to the singers who enjoy a professional status. But the way it is sung and its sweet-souring nature has not changed. Although dohri geets have a headstart much has to be done by way of patronage to provide for a secure future.