PM's India visit should be utilised fully

By a staff reporter

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala leaves for an official visit to India this Monday (July 31). This will be his first official tour abroad after he became the Prime Minister of the country for the fourth time.

Koirala : Long awaited visit

There had been much talk of this visit by PM Koirala, as there have been quite a bit of ups and downs in the relations between Nepal and India in the past year or so. While most of the ruffled feathers have been smoothened to some extent, yet, the opposition parties never fail to bring up some chronic issues, with which to beat the ruling party. Kalapani, DPR of Mahakali Treaty, the ever persistent 1950 Treaty and now the Laxmunpur Dam, they have been handy issues to beat the establishment with whenever Nepal-India ties are discussed.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala did not help matters, when in the heat of the moment he made a rash remark about not visiting India till the Kalapani issue was resolved. He apparently made this “vow” during the run-up to the last election and the opposition leaders have not failed to embarrass Koirala by reminding him of what he said.

However, it is high time both the ruling party leaders and also the opposition stalwarts look at India in a more broad-minded manner. Neither should the powerful neighbour be taken in a placid and complacent way, nor should it be treated as an arch enemy. India is a factor that Nepal can never ignore, no matter how some people may react to it..

There are many characteristics that guide and dominate Nepal-India ties. Not only does Nepal have unique social and cultural ties with its Southern neighbour, but it is also its biggest trade partner and Indian ports are used to bring goods into Nepal. Even the much debated open border, is a tie that binds the two nations in a strong manner.

Therefore, such an opportunity when the leaders of the two nations meet at the highest level, should not be wasted on mere formalities. The moment should be fully utilised so that any bumps in the relations between the two neighbours, can be smoothened and ways can be worked out to initiate programmes that will benefit both the nations.

Two programmes were organised in Kathmandu on Sunday, to discuss the visit of the Prime Minister. The programmes were attended by foreign policy experts and senior leaders of the different political parties.

Indian PM AB Vajpayee

It was indicated at both the functions that if for nothing else, just the fact that the present visit of PM Koirala comes almost four years after former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba went to New Delhi, is already important. Like mentioned by former Indian Ambassador to Nepal KV Rajan, “An issue should be made when leaders of the two countries don’t make regular visits, not when they make one”.

It is true, considering the extensive relations Nepal has with India, it is surprising why a Nepalese Prime Minister had not been able to go to New Delhi for so long.

Speaking at a programme on Monday, Former Nepalese Ambassador to India Dr. Lok Raj Baral quite rightly pointed out that the gap of the past four years has led to a “break in the preparation work over many issues”.

It is indeed true, that Nepalese officials and politicians make efforts to prepare themselves for such an important visits only at the last moment. This will always put them at a disadvantage.

Speaking at a programme organised by the Nepal Intellectual Council, main opposition party leader Madhav Kumar Nepal suggested that a “white paper” covering all aspects of the Nepal-India ties be prepared by the government and all discussion with India be based on it.

It is difficult to say how practical this idea is, but there is no doubt political parties here will have to learn to forge a consensus on important national or bilateral issues. There shouldn’t be different views regarding crucial matters like foreign policy, water resources policy or issues which can affect the nation’s status and stability. 

Keeping down electricity tariff A challenge to Khadka

By a staff reporter

There has been much talk of a whopping increase in the electricity tariff in the near future. Such speculations gained more ground when there were reports that the Asian Development Bank would not sanction loans unless Nepal Electricity Authority abided by certain demands, including a revise in the present tariff.

But now comes the good news that the government has no plans to raise the price of electricity, at least not until the next three months.

Replying to queries made by MPs in the House of Representatives on Monday, Minister for Water Resources Khum Bahadur Khadka informed that the government is not going to raise electricity tariff.

Minister Khadka explained that NEA has to first apply to the Electricity Tariff Fixing Committee if it wants to raise the price of electricity and it has not done this. Since just process of discussing the demand of NEA takes about three months, this means there is no chance of electricity price being hiked within that time.

However it is true that ADB had set certain conditions for it to provide future loans for several hydro-power projects here. It has mentioned that NEA will have to make timely adjustments in the tariff rates for it to achieve figures targetted for fiscal year 2001.

It may be recalled that there was a sharp increase in the price of electricity just about a year back soon after the KP Bhattarai government had come to power. “We will not make an unpopular move and put more burden on the suffering Nepalese people,” Minister Khadka said.

Yet, if control measures are not taken within NEA, the government may be forced to do as the ADB says. In this regard, it is encouraging that the present government is making efforts to bring reforms within the Electricity Authority, control leakage, recover money owed from defaulters and make more efficient the management there.

Like mentioned by Minister Khadka, much of the conditions set by ADB and even other lending agencies can be met, if the above mentioned measures are implemented effectively. But this is where the Minister should demonstrate his skill in “good governance” and also show to the people he means business. It is a challenge for him.

Ball in Deuba's court

By a staff reporter

Finally a breakthrough seems to have been made in the ruling party’s stalemate over who will hold talks with the Maoists. In spite of the fact that a high level eight-member team had been formed by the Krishna Prasad Bhattarai led government, convener of the group, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had been complaining he was not receiving any cooperation from the present government.

Deuba : Challenging task

There was confusion among the people when at a programme organised to mark the death anniversary of late BP Koirala, Prime Minister Girija Prasad lambasted Deuba and said he had given him full authority to initiate dialogue with the Maoists.

But the very next day, Deuba retaliated when he said at a function that a person like the Prime Minister should not belittle his image by making irresponsible remarks. The war of words heated up when Minister for Communications, Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, considered close to Koirala,  joined in the fray and blamed Deuba for delaying matters in beginning talks with the insurgents.

It is still difficult to declare in an outright manner who was telling the truth, but Deuba gained the upper hand when the Prime Minister was forced to send him a letter on Monday evening, asking him to make efforts to initiate talks with the Maoists, as per the decision made by the NC Central Committee.

It has been reported that Prime Minister Koirala had called both Deuba and Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi for a meeting at his residence on Sunday and the letter was sent as per the agreement reached then.

It was pragmatic on the part of the government, to have instructed Home Secretary Padam Prasad Pokhrel to also send an official letter to Deuba and inform him of the different decisions taken by the government regarding the creating of an environment for beginning talks. The Maoists had been demanding that the government should create a suitable environment, before talks could begin. The government has freed more than 100 people arrested on the charge of being involved in Maoist activities, it has been revealed.

The spectacle of top level leaders in the ruling party having a mud-slinging match on such an important issue, was not taken as a good thing by political observers and other concerned citizens. People quite rightly felt, if no agreement could be forged even while dealing on such a sensitive issue, then nothing much could be expected from this party which electorates had trusted.

Now in spite of the embarrassment suffered by PM Koirala, the ball is in Deuba’s court. He will not be able to make further excuses on the government not cooperating with him or he not getting instructions.

Deuba will have to make use of his connections and goodwill to bring the Maoists to the table as soon as possible. His credibility as an upcoming leader is at stake with this challenge before him.

The nation is suffering in many ways because of the insurgency problem that started with a whimper, but now is gaining ground with lot of bangs. In fact, the government is being seen as helpless against the insurgents, at least in more than a dozen districts. Apart from that, a huge amount of the national budget is being spent on security. Such setbacks are not good for anyone, leave alone the suffering public.

Therefore, it is the responsibility of the government, as well as leaders like Sher Bahadur Deuba, to try and find a quick solution to the problem and allow the country to take its normal course. r

Bangladesh Minister visits Norvic

By a staff reporter

Prof. Dr. M. Ammanullah, State Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh visited Norvic-Escorts Health Care and Research Centre on Sunday the 23rd July 2000, accompanied by the ambassador of Bangladesh.

An eminent cardiologist of Bangladesh, he took keen interest in quality patient care facilities at Norvic and expressed  deep appreciation of the high standards of cardiology being practiced at the centre.

He went around the centre’s ICU, CCU and general wards and enquired with the patients on their health conditions.

He compared the centre to some of the best in the subcontinent and expressed his views that such  speciality health centres in the SAARC nations could bring about a significant change in health management standards and South Asian countries will benefit if an order of expedient exchanges in health management and advanced research can become a reality between the countries.

He also emphasised on bilateral and multilateral initiative among the nations, stating that such unions could bring better self-sufficiency in advanced health management in the region.

Dr. Ammanullah is in the capital to participate in the SAARC Cardiac Society’s new executive committee meeting, heading the Bangladesh delegation.

Talking to a small gathering of  pressmen at the Bangladeshi ambassador’s residence in Kathmandu, Dr. Ammanullah said the cardio-vascular problems in the South Asian region are similar and the main aim of the society is to share the best practices in the cardio-vascular treatment.

He said the conference was important to increase care for fighting cardio-vascular diseases in the SAARC region.

“Cardio-vascular diseases are on the rise in the region and they often strike when a person is at his or her prime robbing the country off important manpower needed for development,” he said.

So, he said, the better off countries of the region should share training and treatment facilities to the countries lagging behind in expertise.

“The sharing of expertise could be done through on-the-job training on invasive and surgical techniques,” he said.

The Bangaldeshi minister also said the Society is preparing  guidelines applicable to all the countries and to have equitable service.

On SAARC, he said, although there has been some progress but it has failed to take off mainly because of the relations between India and Pakistan.

“All the groundwork and the rules are in place for the regional cooperation, and SAARC should have taken off by now.

He also informed that Bangladesh may increase medical scholarships to Nepalese students. Currently, Bangladesh provides 15 scholarships in medicine to Nepal.

On Nepal-Bangladesh cooperation the Bangladeshi minister said Nepal can export electricity to Bangladesh and get gas in return. Sharing of water is another area where Nepal and Bangladesh can cooperate.

The Bangladeshi Minister said Bangladesh has been saying  that Nepal should be involved in any deal about water between Bangladesh and India. “The present deal of water sharing between Bangladesh and India is only a temporary one.

Similarly, the Bangladeshi ambassador to Nepal C. Sikder also said Nepal has to have its right for its water being used by its neighbouring countries.

Escape from hell

By Sushma Amatya

Many tales lie untold in Kakarbhitta, Jhapa, a border district linked by a bridge across  the Mechi river to India. Needless to add, rampant trafficking takes place through this open border, one of the 16 major open border points linking Nepal to India. The inhuman flesh trade from Jhapa takes girls mostly to Silguri, Calcutta and as far as Bombay.

On this side of the bridge is a check post manned by girls from Maiti Nepal. Hariya (not her real name), 19 years old, an ex-victim of trafficking sighs, “I wish there were border guards when I was taken away.” She works hard to make sure other girls are saved in time. Hariya, who has been working in the border for a year now, is proud of her job.

The border guards intercept around 25 to 32 cases in a month. “The pimps try and escape when we approach the girls. In the beginning, the girls, ignorant of the facts protest that they are not taken to be sold. They later open up and tell us the stories fed to them. They are shocked when they come to know the facts.” - recounts the hardy girl braving the harsh afternoon sun.

Maru, 21 years old, another border guard wants to stay on in the transit home run by Maiti Nepal and continue with the work she is doing. The rescued girls are given shelther in the transit home till the time they are handed over to their parents/relatives. The girls work closely with the police that are stationed right across the street. They find the police cooperative who do help the border guards with their work.

With experience and exposure on their side, these girls can make out the future victims and the pimps with around 90 percent accuracy. “Many pose as relatives, as husbands and wives; many times pimps disappear from the area leaving  girls by themselves. Somehow there are always tell tale signs that do not escape our eyes.” There are times when they are mistaken but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Despite the vigilance by the police and the border guards, there are many loopholes; and this murky world that survives by catering to the baser instincts of men, lives on.

The transit home in the border provides temporary shelther to the rescued girls. Tilu, a 17 year old has been here for four months now. She was being taken to Silguri by a fellow domestic worker in Kathmandu; on the pretext of finding a job that would pay  twice the amount that she was earning then.

She was lucky to overhear a conversation between the pimp and his friend. “Words like Bombay and Calcutta alerted me and I managed to get down from the bus and report to the police. I knew girls are taken to be sold but did not know they are taken to Silguri to be sold.”

Tilu is afraid of going back to her parents though she is in touch with them by telephone. “I’m afraid to go back since I went away without asking them.” Her dream is to stand on her own using her sewing skills that she developed during her stay in the shelter. There are many like her who are trying to find their feet, come to terms with reality and make the best of what they are left with.

A primary health care centre in Satighatta is run by Maiti Nepal in Jhapa. Located at a distance from the town, it boasts of 5 Bigha land with a building. The building houses trafficked victims who are now suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Contrary to the scenario that one associates with the patients of HIV/AIDS, this place saw healthy girls busy peeling maize, tending to cows and chicken and working in the field. There are fifteen girls and 7 children living in the centre. Some children are lost and found cases and some belong to the girls. One little girl contracted HIV from her mother at birth.

Most of the girls do not like to go out for fear of what the people will say. They are mostly from far away places like Nuwakot, Dharan and Damak.

The girls are checked regularly by a friendly nurse, Sister Smriti, 22 years of age,  who has been here for a year. Smiriti says that the condition of the patients improve after staying in the centre. “They start to put on weight and feel better and get involved with the activities here.”

Linu, 16 years old, has been in the centre for four years. She was trafficked at the age of 8, given growth hormones, beaten up  and forced to sell herself. At 12, she was rescued from Tilla House by the police along with 10 other Nepali girls. She spent a month in a hospital, Deunath Ashram in India before she came here. Linu does not know what HIV/AIDS is and does not care much about it. According to the incharge of the centre, she was semi-paralysed when she first came here. Now she looks quite healthy and active. She was sold by her step mother for Rs. 25,000 and resold from the first brothel for Rs. 45,000 again. Fair and pretty, her eyes that have seen too much, suffered too much, look old and tired.

The girls seem to be secure in the routine life away from the jibes of the judgmental society. Here, they can stay as long as they want. Some girls have relatives who keep in touch but very few want to go and meet them. Those who go and meet their relatives once a year or so prefer to come back where they feel they belong. Here, they are taken care of and can live with dignity till their last moment.

Bookrack

Nhucche Man's story

Book: The Story of My Life, Written by: Nhucche Bahadur Bajracharya, Published by: Maitri Shishu Vidyalaya, First edition published on: 24 February 1998, Printed at: MASS Printing Press, Price: Rs. 200, No. of Pages: 192+

This book is an autobiography of a well-educated and widely traveled person from Nepal. Written in English, this book may serve readers with lessons of value of courage, perseverance and the unfailing quality of self-reliance.

There are not many men who have the tenacity to see through the fruition of the objective of neither their life nor the fortune to enjoy the fruits thereof. But, author Nhucche Bahadur Bajracharya’s case is a different one. 

Born in a traditional Newar family in Lalitpur in 1920 to father Jit Bahadur and mother Beti Maya, Nhucche saw many ups and downs, happy events and sad days during his lifetime. When he was barely one and half years old, his father died. Familial tradition and social customs of those times made life quite miserable for a child of that kind and his widowed mother.

However, he set out early in life in pursuit of education for himself and others. He went far away from home for the purpose and made a promise to himself and his friends abroad to share the knowledge and experience he has gained. He traveled to a large number of countries around the world and made thousands of friends in different countries. And, at the age of 77 years, he sat down and compiled his memoirs covering the major events his life and the developments that took place all around him dating as far back as his memory serves.

Confident as he is, Nhucche sat to write this book considerably at an old age. The outcome, in the form of the presented book, has become a matter of interest to many living in Nepal and abroad. It was published on the occasion of his Bhimratharohan, the first of the three traditional ceremonies related to the old age in Newar society. This tradition used to carry out to a person at the age of 77 years, 7 months, 7 days and 7 hours time. In case of the writer, this day was on February 24, 1998 on which this book was released. 

“The main reason behind it (this book) is certainly not to help or guide others, but to fulfill a desire of mine,” he writes at the Preface of the book. However, readers will certainly benefit from this book as it is a chronicle and a testament of his manifold experiences at home and abroad.

In order to share knowledge he has gained, the author had also established two schools in Kathmandu, namely Anand Kuti Vidhyapeeth in 1952 and Maitri Shishu Vidyalaya in 1985 both of which have already earned wide reputation in the field of education. This old man’s effort to compile such a write-up is indeed laudable and worth reading. 

— Reviewed by NV

Nepali cuisine goes Deutsch

By a staff reporter

Dal, Bhat, Tarkari, Masu and Achar now are no longer strange words to the beer and sausage palates, thanks to a cookery book on Nepali cuisine in German by Danda Raj Pahari. The handbook is a concise info-gateway to Nepal and its culture that basically stems from food. The basic dishes are described and illustrated with step by step guide to preparation.

This book stands out from millions of other books in one way. This book that was printed and sold in Germany has raised Rs 1 million, that has been invested in building a new school in Pokhara. Pahari, a mechanical engineer by training has also been involved in social work for 16 years. He was appalled by the state of the school he once attended and resolved to do something about it. The Talbarahi school (ward no. 6 in Baidam) founded by his grandfather 40 years back that is home to 1200 students mostly from the poorer section of the society, now can hope for a better future.

Though it is a state run school, there apparently is no help from the government. The total cost of the two-year project will run to Rs. 11 million. To fund the project, Pahari has formed a committee to raise the money for the building of the school. The committed social worker hopes to write more books that would benefit more people in need. The book,  Das Geheimnis der Nepalesischen Kuche, is a noble effort that places the cause of humanity above anything else. An act worth emulating. 

Barrage has not resulted in inundation:India

By a staff reporter

Amid reports in various sections of the media that the construction of the Barrage on the Rapti at Laxmanpur village in Utter Pradesh was against international laws, the Indian Embassy here has brought out a statement denying such allegations.

According to the press release issued on Tuesday, the construction of the dam was undertaken as part of the Sarya Canal Project. The construction of the main barrage structure, along with the guide bunds, was completed way back in early 1990s. The press release says, “this barrage has not resulted in, and is not likely to result in, any inundation or submergence of village on the Nepalese side”. This is obvious from the following facts:

The Laxmanpur Barrage is located 8 kilometers downstream of the India-Nepal border; the submergence is well within Indian territory.

The Barrage is a structure for diverting non-monsoon flows; it is not a storage reservoir. It allows for free passage of water during floods, and, therefore, there is no question of increase in the water level or of consequent inundation during such periods.

It may also be noted that the pond level of the Barrage is RL 127.60 meters while the general ground level on the Nepalese side is of the order of RL 131 meters, which is higher than the pond level.

The Barrage is not yet operational as its gates have not been lowered and, therefore the question of any submergence being caused in Nepal due to operations of the Barrage does not arise.

The main Barrage structure and its right afflux bund, also located well within Indian territory, have been constructed as per internationally-recognised technical norms; for instance, the alignment of the afflux bund is more than Lacey’s Perimeter at every place, thereby ensuring that there will not be any adverse impact on the river due to construction of the afflux bund and no inundation will be caused due to the structure.

It may be noted that there is a problem of flooding in this area, including flash floods in the river Rapti, on both sides of the border, which predates the construction of the Barrage and is unrelated to it. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that there will be any additional flooding on the Nepalese side due to the construction of the Laxmanpur Barrage or its right afflux bund.

All issues relating to the Laxmanpur Barrage and its afflux bund have been discussed in detail with Nepal in the Standing Committee on inundation and other forums, including before construction was undertaken. All queries raised by the Nepalese side have been responded to.

The Government of India have also taken note of apprehensions that the flood protection embankment constructed since November 1999 in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh may cause inundation or submergence within Nepal. It may be clarified that this newly-constructed stretch of flood protection embankment is located at considerable distance from the Laxmanpur Barrage and its right afflux bund. The Barrage and the embankment are not even inter-linked. The embankment is constructed entirely within Indian territory. It si not constructed “on” river Rapti, as reported, but at a considerable distance from the river. About 8 Nepalese villages are located in between the river and the embankment. If flash floods were to occur in the river, these villages would be affected, whether or not there is an embankment on the Indian side. It may be also noted that the general ground level of these villages is about RL 135 meters or above, whereas the general ground level at the embankment is about RL 132 meters, which is lower than the level at which the villages on the Nepalese side are located.

It may be pointed out that during the joint field inspection conducted by the experts of the two countries from 21 to 23 June, 2000, no submergence of any of the Neaplese villages was observed in the vicinity of the embankment (or of the Laxmanpur Barrage). The situation had remained unchanged when a team of officials from the Government of India visited the area on 12 July, 2000. There was accumulation of rain water along the embankment but it was mainly on the Indian side.

The government of India takes the Nepalese concerns on inundation seriously and is ready to address them. Differences on this issue should be resolved through dialogue and technical studies, in a constructive manner on the basis of facts as it behoves two countries like India and Nepal which enjoy the friendliest of relations.

Kamaiyas of Nepal: Bonded No More?

By Bipin Adhikari

The question - are Kamaiyas or bonded laborers no more bonded? - is a difficult one due to a number of other unanswered questions. No social system can be conceived as independent of culture, context or shared understandings. In fact, Kamaiyas owe their origin both to our feudal culture and lack of human rights consciousness down the years. It is often in the name of cultural integrity as well as social stability that authoritarian Governments resist democratic reforms based on human rights. That must precisely have been the reason for the continuity of the Kamaiya system in Nepal.

The recent declaration of the Government  that the bonded laborers are emancipated is a welcome move. But it is not enough. In the first place, the Kamaiya system relates with  exploitation of one class of people by the other.. A single stroke of governmental declaration cannot put an end to it. It merely highlights the government’s intention to give effect to the constitutional pledge made by 1990 Constitution; in response to the protest movement recently organized in the western Nepal.   At its heart there is no sense of empowerment and inner fulfillment. As such there is a deep sense of unease about the future.

The Kamaiya system refers to an inhuman modus operandi whereby adults and children work for the landlords in conditions of servitude to pay off a debt - usually incurred by a person’s relatives or guardians. The debt is rarely if ever paid off due to high interest rates charged by the lender. Moreover, the servitude engendered by the debt can be passed from one generation to the next within the same family. Additionally, the system may contain features of slavery, where landlords are allowed by the local custom to acquire or dispose of a Kamaiya with a view to selling or exchanging him. While this is the general formulation, the system also has sub-systems, peculiar to each geographical region of Western Nepal.

The Kamaiya system found in Kailali may be different from the system found in Dang in their minute details. Similarly, there are a lot of agricultural wage-earners, also known as Kamaiya, who work in the land of others on a pre-negotiated basis for the whole year starting from the Nepali month of Magh. It is a contract labor system, mutually decided between the landlord and the labor, and the parties to the contract are free whether to renew the contract or not for another duration. This arrangement is definitely different from what has been referred above. But even this form of contract labor may assume the character of bonded labor, when the laborer borrows money from the landlord for any reason and cannot pay on the due date, and in the process the contract acquires the nature of bonded labor contract. It happens frequently because the wage the Kamaiyas receive (whether legal minimum wage or otherwise) is not enough to meet their requirements, and they need loans from the landlord. 

It is also necessary to understand that there were plenty of cases where bonded laborers did not involve debt at all. They were chosen by the laborers on consensual basis, or on the basis of lucrative offers made by the landlords. Many laborers preferred to be a bonded laborer than an ordinary laborer. An ordinary laborer was not entitled to get additional support, love and care that a bonded laborer would deserve. It was the responsibility of the landlord to ensure proper level of housing, clothing, and food for the bonded laborers. The landlord also used to be under a duty to provide medical care, marriage expenses, cash or crops payment for death and birth rituals, and other contingencies. It is still not unlikely to find many bonded laborers in the Western Nepal whose alcohol or tobacco needs are borne out by the bonded landlord. The concept of minimum wage did not work there.

Even where debtor-creditor relations were involved, the bonded laborers enjoyed benefits unknown to others in the labor market. An ordinary agricultural labor is not entitled to these claims. He is entitled to minimum wage (at least in principle) and the landlord does not have any social or economic responsibility towards him. His life is in greater danger because he is without subsistence lands, without alternative economic security, and the state support system never existed in Nepal. Even now the change is very marginal. As such, the bonded labor system founded on feudal setting, had developed as an institution, in the course of many years. The traditional morality protected it, and the religious traditions of the landlords prevented them from doing injustice and excesses.

The law needs to be supplemented by a number of social engineering works to reach its social goals. The system of bonded labor in its present form must be understood in the overall declining economic context of Nepal which creates not only slavery and slave-like situation but also girls trafficking, debt bondage, aggravated daijo system in the Terai region, commercial sexual exploitation of children, the practice of untouchability, and governmental lawlessness and declining social sanctions. 

Apparently, the move of the Government seems to be a populist one, and its effect might be dangerous to the agriculture sector. The Kamaiyas said to be released need food, shelter, and job to be emancipated from their existing bondage. The human rights workers in the country are also curious about how the Government is creating alternative employment for them. There must be an alternative support system. It is strange that there is neither immediate relief measures nor assurances from the Government to provide them a life of dignity. They now do not have the protection of the landlords (no matter how feeble it was) or of the Government. 

 The present euphoria on the emancipation of bonded laborers is thus going to be rather short-lived.

 [Adhikari is a lawyer]