Demand for Joshi ouster puts Koirala under pressure

By a staff reporter

PM Koirala : Facing rebellion from within?

Even as the Maoists are mounting pressure on the government, Prime Minister Koirala is facing an upheaval from within his own party as well. Quite naturally, former Prime Ministers Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Sher Bahadur Deuba are adding fuel to the fire by abetting the restless MPs.

The MPs in turn are showing concern about the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, specially in the Maoist affected districts, which have seen a spate of attacks against policemen and also innocent villagers.

Yes, it is also true that this time, the insurgents too have suffered heavily, not in terms of loss of lives, but in the way their image has been tarnished. The heart wrenching photographs of young children being killed have been splashed in most of the local media and the people have squarely blamed the insurgents for the death of such innocents.

In the meantime, the people have lost faith in the way both the government and the Maoists have been promising only in the media, of how they are ready to hold talks, but no side has initiated any step for such a development to take place. Both the parties must first agree to a cease fire and then only an environment for holding dialogue can develop.

Meanwhile, the MPs who had been asking for the ouster of Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi, are now starting a signature campaign demanding the same. “We have given a time limit to Prime Minister Koirala to sack Minister Joshi,” one Congress activist told this reporter. He added, “If he does not do anything even after this, then we are going to start a campaign against the Prime Minister himself,”.

There are also rumours that close aides of former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka have held talks to make a move against PM Koirala. A source close to both the camps revealed that MPs like Sharad Singh Bhandari and Hari Sapkota are also supporting such talks.

But Minister Khadka himself has not publicly said anything regarding his present stance. Though those close to him acknowledge that he is not happy with the way PM Koirala is moving ahead. Even in the way the government is dealing with the Maoist issue, Khadka has differed with the Prime Minister and also Home Minister Joshi. “I am firm in the belief that this problem should be solved through talks,” he told this reporter.

However regarding his talks with former PM Deuba, Khadka declined to comment, saying, “time will reveal what is happening”.

Even such non-committal reaction from the man who played a crucial role in making Koirala the Prime Minister this time, indicates that Koirala is facing political challenges from within his own party as well. Maybe he will have to take immediate steps to pacify his critics within the party, even before he goes on his much touted tour of the Maoist areas. Danger lurks for him politically here also, as much as it is there in districts like Jajarkot, Rolpa, Rukum and Gorkha.

RA lease deal flounders once more

By a staff reporter

The way the country’s Flag Carrier Royal Nepal Airline Corporation has been floundering in rough skies, maybe a time has come to ground it altogether.

After months of delay and much nitpicking in the local media regarding the leasing of an aircraft for its long haul flights, the Corporation still has not been able to come to a final deal regarding the same. In this past month alone, announcements have been made three times saying the Corporation had come to an agreement about leasing a Boeing 767. First with Babcock and Brown of the United Kingdom, then later with Ansett of Australia.

But while Babcock and Brown informed that it could not provide the said aircraft because RNAC had taken too long to decide on the global tender, Ansett also has defaulted twice. The latest, after an agreement had been arrived at between Ansett and RNAC  to provide a Boeing 767 for US $ 3400 per hour, once more it is informed that the said aircraft is not coming.

According to reports, it is said Royal Brunei Airlines, which would have provided the maintenance of the leased aircraft, has said it will be unable to provide the services. Otherwise, aviation experts had commended the present RNAC management for leasing an aircraft for a very competitive price, as compared to what had been quoted in the global tender.

But going back to overhauling the way RNAC functions, the question does arise on why lease an aircraft at all, when the same is being used to service routes that are causing heavy losses for the Airline? The Corporation loses money while leasing the aircraft and then also while flying it to service destinations in Europe.

We had mentioned just a few weeks back that policy makers in the Tourism Ministry and also in the Corporation, should contemplate whether the European routes should be abandoned for the present. At least till the time the Corporation does not have enough aircraft or when it can lease a plane in a more relaxed way without any time constraint hounding it.

For now, with scheduled flights to destinations as far as Europe in the West and Japan in the East and only two Boeing 757s in hand, it is difficult to see RNAC flying out of the rubulant days it has been seeing, unless some bold decisions are taken by the policy makers.

I feel happy my tenure has been successful: K V Rajan

By Neeraj Vajracharya

One of the most successful Indian envoys to Nepal, K. V. Rajan, after completing his five years tenure, is returning back today (Wednesday).

Ambassador Rajan : Successful stint.

Ambassador Rajan, who joined his office in Kathmandu in March 1995 during which he himself calls “the most difficult time”, has been successful in maintaining a good, friendly relationship between Nepal and India. It was during his tenure as Indian Ambassador to Nepal that both the countries registered a number of bilateral milestones, namely, the Mahakali River Treaty, Power Purchase Agreement and a liberalized Trade and Transit Treaty between the two countries.

Now, at the time of his pack-up, he feel himself “a happy man” for being successful in playing a key role in building confidence not just in the government and in the opposition of Nepal but also in the people-to-people level.

“When I came here directly from London in March 1995, it seemed to me almost like a fantasy,” Rajan, 59, told journalists at his office on Monday morning. He was referring to the political changes that occurred in Nepal due to the UML’s victory at the general election.

“At that time, the political atmosphere was very complicated. Not just in India but in the media in England and the USA  too. They were also not sure about the direction where the Nepal-India relationship was moving forward in that changed context,” the outgoing Indian envoy said. “Political instability was there in both the countries. We cannot also ignore public opinion in the multi party democracy,” he pointed out and added that the real challenge he considered at that time was to find out ways to create an environment for a long-term cooperation between the two countries.

“I am sure that I have been successful in building confidence, goodwill and congenial atmosphere, which are most important factors in the bilateral relationship,” he said.

Despite all the controversies raised time and again in the Nepal-India relationship regarding bilateral treaties, border conflicts and also during the recent hijack of Indian Airlines plane and most recent India Today report on the secret report prepared by the Indian intelligence, Rajan stood firm and every time he was able find out an amicable solution to those problems.

Rajan personally played a key role in maintaining an equidistance in the relations with the successive governments and the opposition in Nepal, which is considered by many as the key to his success. Beside that, he always showed a great respect for the Nepalese Monarchy, which was a very rare case in case of other Indian envoys.

“There are number of milestones being reached. But, participation of His Royal Highness as the chief guest during India’s Republic Day was a historic moment,” he said while asked about the high points during his five-year tenure in Nepal. “This has helped a lot in consolidating people-to-people relationship between Nepal and India,” he opined.

“We have greatest respect in institution of monarchy in Nepal and His Majesty’s role in strengthening relationship between the two countries,” he said.

Miss Nepal Beauty Pageant 2000
In search of beautiful inside and out

By a staff reporter

Greek mythology records that the first beauty contest in the universe centered around a golden apple. The three contenders were Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love, Hera, the wife of Zeus, and Pallas Athena, the goddess of war.

All three wanted the apple, so they called upon a young shepherd, Paris, to decide the winner. Aphrodite, bribed him and said, “I will make you the son of a king and get you a beautiful wife.’ She won.

Clearly, all the past winners of Miss Nepal title did not need to bribe anyone to win the golden apple. They did so through their hard work and their all round personality. They won because they deserve to. To most people, beauty pageant is just a celebration of beauty. But many aspirants to the Miss Nepal Crown insist they should be admired as much for their brains as for their looks. Perhaps, the thinking of 20 aspirants of Miss Nepal 2000 Beauty Pageant which is slated to be held here July 12, 2000, at the Birendra International Convention Centre, are similar.

This year out of a total of 30 participants, The Hidden Treasure, the organizers of Miss Nepal beauty pageants have selected 20 participants and are putting them through 5-weeks of rigorous training schedule under the guidance of professional trainers, concentrating in areas such as confidence building, public speaking, catwalk, beauty tips, proper dressing, etiquette and aerobics. An 11-member panel of judges   from different walks of life will judge the beauty pageant. It is hoped that the judges will not only be looking for the most beautiful girl with the best figure but the most beautiful of those who have brain, talent and personality opined an official of The Hidden Treasure. Beauty is more than just skin deep.

As in the past years Mt. Everest Brewery (P) Ltd, producer of the famous San Miguel beer is the main sponsor of the pageant. Royal Nepal Airlines, Radisson Hotel, Club Himalayan (Nagarkot), Ishani Club and Chhahat Boutique have also extended support as sponsors to make the millennium’s first beauty pageant here a success. 

IEWON meetings concludes

By a staff reporter

The thirteenth Indian Army Ex-servicemen Welfare Organization in Nepal (IEWON) meeting held under the aegis of Military Wing at the Indian Embassy, Kathmandu concluded here on Sunday, a press release said. The IEWON is an organization designed to look after the welfare of Indian Armed Forces ex-servicemen in Nepal.

The meeting was attended by senior officers of the Indian Army and senior HMG officials headed by the Defence Secretary. The delegation from India led by Maj. Gen. Purushottan Dutta called upon Keshab Raj Rajbhandari, Defence Secretary of Nepal and discussed on cooperation in successful execution of welfare schemes. The delegation attended the Annual Welfare Meeting held under the chairmanship of K V Rajan, Indian Ambassador to Nepal.

The press statement released on the occasion also said that India distributes Rs. 5.95 billion as pension to 107,000 pensioners in Nepal every year. India has also earmarked Indian rupee 25.5 million annually on various welfare schemes for Indian Army ex-servicemen residing in Nepal. Highlights of the welfare schemes are periodic visits of medical, eye and dental teams of interior areas of Nepal, financial assistance to schools, scholarships to children of ex-servicemen including scholarship for professional courses like MBBS, BE, MBA and MCA, Drinking Water Projects, Medicine Packet Scheme and other such schemes.

An insight into Rana rule

Book: A Chronicle of Rana Rule. Written by: Pramode Shamshere Rana. Published by: R. Rana. Printed at: Nepal Lithographing Co. Ltd., Kathmandu. No. of Pages: 208. Price: Rs. 450 (in Nepal), I. Rs. 300 (in India) and US $ 15 (in other countries).

The book in review is an intriguing and fascinating historical account of the aristocratic reign of the Rana regime in Nepal. Author Pramode Shamshere Rana’s third and latest effort “A Chronicle of Rana Rule” is a smooth flowing narrative which gives the reader the feeling of being taken back in time on a virtual historical tour of the richly woven tapestry of Rana aristocratic life.

Earlier the author had written two books on Rana rule, namely, “Rana Nepal - An Insider’s View” and “Rana Intrigues”. The present book is an expanded version of the old books by bringing in many details of Rana life under the various powerful men who ruled Nepal for almost one hundred and three years.

Being the great-grandson of Bir Shamshere Rana, the Prime Minister and Maharaj during 1885-1901 and the only member of his grand-father’s branch of the Rana family to remain in the Kathmandu valley after the purge of 1934, Pramode Shamshere Rana has been able to throw light on some facts which will be otherwise unknown. This very fact has made the book very interesting to read.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this book is the account of how the members of the Rana families, who on the face of it seemed so powerful, faced constant threats. Roughly speaking, the closer a man was related to the Rana Prime Minister, the more likely he was to be whipped, assassinated or sent into exile in some remote parts of the country or even to India.

Indulgence in women, smoking and taking aphrodisiacs were trifling sins compared to the terror the Rana family exercised during their rule in Nepal. A unique insight into this is the author’s analysis of the role of the subservient king, together with the royal family to the ruling Prime Minister and Maharaj. Ranas were also involved in internal feuding among themselves. To support this point, the author pointed out Prime Minister Chandra Shamshere’s sponsorship to Parceval Landon for the publication of History of Nepal, in which divided Ranas into A, B and C class.

Another interesting aspect of the long Rana hold on Nepal was the relationship with England, which was instigated by the first Rana Prime Minister Jung Bahadur. It was Jang Bahadur’s alliance with the Britain that made possible the recruitment of the Gurkha soldiers, and made Gurkha a synonym for bravery.

The book is indeed an impressive work and it is highly recommended for all who are interested in the true account of the Nepalese history. However, it would be better if the author paid little attention to some simple aspects of editing.  

 —Reviewed by NV

Because it's there

Within reach: My Everest Story, Mark Pretzer & Jack Galvin, Puffin Books Penguin 11, Community Centre Panchsheel Park, New Delhi - 110017, Pp 225, $ 4.50.

Within Reach: My Everest Story, tells the story of the 16-year-old Mark Pfetzer, who with limited resources but unlimited power to turn his dreams into reality. He allowed nothing to come between him and his dream.

Written with a restless passion, he describes experiences of climbing mountains in United States, South America, Africa and Asia with a special emphasis on his expeditions to the Mt. Everest. The Everest experience, as perceived by a boy - right from taking permission from his school, arranging finances and getting sponsors, to actually setting off on the expedition - is undertaken with the expertise of a seasoned adventurer.

Mark’s adventures, starting from the base camp to the unpredictable Khumbu icefall, makes engrossing reading. As one turns the pages of the book, one can feel the enthusiasm popping out from each of his descriptions.

A simple narrative style makes the book comprehensive for young readers. Being the youngest to reach the summit does not upset Mark’s level-headedness. He maintains his mental balance throughout, learning from his experience and planning his next action.

Mark Pfetzer’s book (written with Jack Galvin) presents Everest, through a different perspective: it is within the reach of a young boy who has the will to climb it. The book is a saga of determination, endurance and the ever-exploring human spirit.

— Reviewed by HPS Ahluwalia

"Nepal Gameplan" must be investigated

By a staff reporter

It was a bombshell that India Today, the popular Indian newsmagazine, detonated in Nepal’s political and business circle through its June 12 issue.

India Today, citing a secret report, which it has said was prepared by the Indian intelligence agencies, has indicted hundreds of people, who it said are agents or have links with Pakistan’s ISI in anti-India activities.

Moreover, the 78-page report, entitled as ‘Nepal  Game Plan’ was also put on the website by the Indian newsmagazine.

The names included in the report include such prominent persons as Nona and Sushil Koirala, who are supposed to be the Nepalese Prime Minister’s closest advisors, ministers Khum Bahadur Khadka, and sitting and former MPs like Birendra Kannudia, Bijay Gachhadhar, Bamdev Gautam of CPN-ML, Salim Miya  Ansari, government officials Lok Man Singh Karki, special secretary at the Finance Ministry, Prem Bahadur Bista and Abdul Rais Khan, former chief immigration officer at TIA and under secretary at the Home Ministry, and customs officer Mohammad Shoib Azad.

It also included businesspersons, hoteliers, airline entrepreneurs and others. The list also contains small businessmen and even common people and persons who are alleged to be smugglers such as Prakash Tibrewala, Deepak Malhotra, Anil Jatiya and I.L. Pradhan.

Meanwhile, it may not be a coincidence that the publishing of the report was timed with the visit of Brajesh Mishra, the special secretary to the Indian Prime Minister and his chief security advisor, to Nepal.

Although, Mishra in Kathmandu denied the India Today report and said that the Indian government has no such report, it has not said it would make any enquiry about how the magazine got hold of such a sensitive document, which, if it were not between Nepal and India, could have flared a major diplomatic row.

Even in Kathmandu, the Nepalese political circle, including Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala rebuffed the report as totally false and with malacious intention to damage the relations between the two countries. But the report published must not be brushed off as a simple jest by the media.

What is more important is that only denying the report will not be enough. The government must look into accusations, which is as serious as putting the relations between the two countries on the rocks, seriously and handle it with kid gloves.

The report has clearly alleged not only the politicians and the businesspersons, but also the common people of being involved in the covert war between India and Pakistan. This should also serve lessons to our politicians that their innocuous but wrong steps, for example having contacts and links with shady characters, could have such a consequence - politically and diplomatically. Moreover, the Nepalese government (and also the Indian side) must see that these allegations even false ones, do not come between the relations between the two countries.

Dr. Lohani could come up winner yet

By a staff reporter

After the sample counting of votes in three booths of Nuwakot’s constituency No. 1 confirmed irregularities, chances of Dr. Praksh Chandra Lohani being elected to the parliament has become real.

The Special Election Court at Lalitpur on Monday ordered the recounting of all the votes of the constituency from where RPP’s Dr. Lohani had lost to Rajendra Lohani of the CPN-UML by a wafer thin margin of 15 votes in last year’s general elections. The recounting of votes of other booths will start from today (Wednesday).       

After the defeat, Dr. Lohani had appealed to the election court alleging that fraud took place during the counting and his valid votes were counted as invalid.

In his appeal, Dr. Lohani had said that during the final phase of the counting, the representatives of all other parties and candidates, except the UML, were forced out of the counting place and that election officer had unilaterally declared the UML candidate as winner.

The sample counting held on Thursday and Friday has added 8 votes to Dr.Lohani. But after the UML candidate and his supporters hindered counting of the other votes saying the court order was only for the three booths, the court again had to make a decision ordering the counting of all the votes of the constituency.

This is the first time in the last ten years the recounting of all the votes in a constituency is being done. If the recounting overturns the earlier result, it will also be the first time that an election result will be nullified.

Meanwhile, there is also the question of whether or not the election officer will be punished according to the election rules and regulation for indulging or corroborating in such irresponsible work and irregularities in duty.

Belgian using Nepal for garment trans-shipment

By Neeraj Vajracharya

At a time when the garment industry is bidding to become the number one export industry of the country, controversies regarding illegal trans-shipment of garments to some European countries seems to grip it. If the present controversy of trans-shipment of garments to Europe is proved, it will throw light on how a well-managed gang has been involved in deteriorating one of the top foreign currency earning industries of the country.

Its implication may be even serious because the European Community (EC) may withhold the facility given to Nepal under the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) for quota free export of garments to Europe.

While the curtain raiser to this controversy is yet to come, there are some evidences that imply this case is  quite a serious one. It is serious not only because the prime suspect of the case is a Belgian citizen but also because of some initial indication that some of the government officials are involved.

According to sources, Luc Vossen, who is presently living in Nepal with a business visa obtained with the recommendation of the Department of Industry, has been involved in trans-shipment of garments to Europe under the documents proving them to be made in Nepal. Sources assert that Vossen’s business network extends beyond his home country to many countries in Asia including Nepal.

Vossen, who owns a garment company called Male Fashion, has been regularly exporting garments to Europe for the last one year. He has been maintaining a good volume of garment exports to Europe. His association with similar companies scattered in Vietnam, Bangladesh, Singapore, Belgium and Switzerland seem to play an important role in his success.

However, people in the same trade here in Nepal sensed some foul play being undertaken by this person. According to the regulations, anybody can get the license for operating a garment factory even before setting up of the factory. Vossen took advantage of this facility and bought Male Fashion from Mrinalini Giri. But, he never bothered to set up the factory at Tikathali village, Lalitpur, as per the agreement.

The first suspicion came to his fellow garment exporters when they identified a simple difference at the invoice of Male Fashions. A former employee of Male Fashion, who asked for anonymity, also made a full investigation in this case. “Male Fashion is using Invoice number in the format of Male/Number/Date for genuine exports while it is using MFH/Number/Date for others, where H stands of Ho Chi Minh city of Vietnam” he pointed out while explaining about the evidences he obtained.

According to this person’s findings, Vossen has been found to be manufacturing garments at his industries in Vietnam and Bangladesh and trans-shipping them to Europe with the privileges being offered to Nepal. “Documents for these garments made in Vietnam or Bangladesh are made in Nepal stating that these garments are made in Nepal. No garments actually leave Nepal as none were made in the first place,” he said.

This person also managed to get the invoice, bill of landing and packing list of goods being shipped from Vietnam to Belgium via its consortium Sedi (Singapore) Pvt. Ltd. in Singapore (See accompanying documents), the description of goods, no of pieces, size and quality of fabrics mentioned on that invoice are all same to that of the so-called shipment being made from Nepal under the invoice number MFH/06/00 dated 05/05/2000.

After suspecting foul play, the Garment Association of Nepal (GAN) denied to certify the application submitted by the Male Fashion on June 1, 2000 along with three invoices numbered MFH/07/00, MFH/08/00 and MFH/09/00. GAN also went for a surprise inspection of Male Fashion on June 3, 2000 to check whether it has been manufacturing the said items in its factory or not. But surprisingly, the GAN inspection team didn’t find the factory. They also confirmed that no fabrics mentioned in those invoices are being manufactured in Nepal. The total amount indicated in these three invoices exceeds US $ 37,000, which clearly shows the volume of trans-shipment.

In response to GAN’s stance, Male Fashion sent a letter to GAN on June 7, 2000 stating that “in the owners absence my staff submitted an application for invoice number 07,08 and 09 dated 01/06/2000, which are wrong. This was a mistake and we ask for cancellation of this application.” This letter was signed by Govinda Pokharel of Male Fashion.

“It is true that we have no factory,” said Govinda Pokharel to this scribe during a telephone conversation. “We are a trading house and we have a number of factories under our franchise,” he made his point clear.

Only last Friday, a joint team comprising members from GAN and Department of Industry once again went to Male Fashions for inspection and fact finding. “GAN is submitting a report to the Ministry. But I am unable to say anything about its contents before it is submitted to the Ministry,” Binod Shrestha, chief executive at the GAN told this scribe. Likewise, D. L. Shrestha, concerned official at the Department of Industry also refused to make any comment before submission of the report by GAN.

In the meantime, sources say that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has also asked the Department of Industry to clarify why they still continue to give the license to Male Fashion to operate an industry when after one year of exporting garments it still does not have a factory.