COMMENT

Another hijack should be avoided

The hijack incident, which has greatly embarrassed Nepal even if it was because of speculative and irresponsible media coverage by foreign media persons, should not be considered a chapter closed just because the captives have returned home safely. Of course, we on our own part also should not make speculations, at least not before the findings of the high level probe committee is made public. But, there are some pertinent points, that should be raised and not forgotten. First of all, it must be made public as to what happened that day at the Tribhuvan International Airport, from where the Indian Airlines aircraft had taken off before it was hijacked. A passenger, who has flown the Kathmandu-New Delhi sector more than 50 times, informed that he found the security lax on that day. “They did not even check my bag,” he said to the media after going through the nightmarish hijack experience. In the past too, the only international airport of the country, has been seen as a hot bed of corruption. But before this hijacking incident took place, people thought only contraband items like gold and drugs were smuggled from there. Now doubts are being expressed as to whether security personnel compromised with terrorists too.

On the part of the political leaders and also authorities, it is good they have defended the security system of the country. But culprits must not be allowed to hide in the name of upholding the country’s pride and prestige. The authorities must go beyond just surfacial investigations and pretenses like suspending all the staff of the Airport. Such blanket punishment will be doing injustice to the honest workers and allowing the culprits to get away. Similarly, like we have mentioned in the past week as well, political leaders must also be accountable. Just mentioning that the government does not have to answer each time the media or the opposition says something, is portraying an autocratic image. When comments are made in matters of national interests, the government just cannot keep shut, hoping the issue will blow over. In a democratic set-up, the government is answerable to the people and this fact should not be forgotten by anyone, specially the ministers just because they may feel all too powerful. Also, if the present hijacking incident is also taken lightly by the government and other politicians, then what the hijackers said just before they freed the captives may come true. They had laughingly said they may be here to hijack another plane. Let us pray to God that that does not happen, but let us also hope that out leaders don’t depend on the Almighty alone for avoiding such man-made catastrophes.

A sign of a better century, hopefully

The much talked about millennium arrived with a bang and minus the disasters that had been a source of much anxiety for many around the world. A sigh of relief swept across the globe when the world did not come to an end as many had feared. The Y2K bug that had been a source of many sleepless nights did not strike after all. Planes did not stop mid air, there was no chaos in the banks and the medical operations did not go hay wire. Except for a few minor glitches, the much publicised bug did not bite till it hurt.  

The striking of the midnight gong and the rising of the same sun but on a different era was greeted with much fanfare around the world. The media, especially television, transmitted live, the energetic jubilations all around. Prior to the events, one could not be sure if it the events would not be marred by untoward acts of terrorism. Due to this and many reasons, many stayed home this new year’s eve. Perhaps we can take it as a good sign that all the celebrations went off smoothly.

For Nepal too, the end of the millennium was marked by much relief and thanksgiving to the gods. For, the ordeal of the 8 Nepalis on the hijacked plane ended on the day and they felt they were given a new lease to their lives.

Return of Stolen Heritage

Nepal witnessed the first ever voluntary return of three stolen statues and a fragment (a severed Saraswati head). The valuable artifacts were voluntarily returned by an American art collector, confronted with evidence of their theft.

Since the 1960s, thousands of stone sculptures have disappeared from temples, monasteries, fields and forests of the Kathmandu valley and nearby towns. Devotees will now have to travel thousands of miles to view them polished and alone in big museums and private collections around the world. Sotheby’s featured a 15th century Laxmi Narayan statue from Patko Tole in Patan, in its 1990 sales catalog and sold it for an undisclosed amount. An 11th century Uma Maheswar statue from Nasamana Tole in Bhaktapur is now a prized collection of the Musee National d’ Arts Asiatiques-Guimet in Paris.

The statues are stolen from the laps of the worshippers and their sites of consecration centuries ago. The worshippers’ grime that has accumulated from centuries are cleaned off to be sold. An object of worship is transformed into an object of art. Says Chandra P. Tripathy, a specialist at the Department of Archaeology in Kathmandu, “when a statue is displayed in a museum, it is converted into an archaeological item which has lost its current cultural value”.

The early visitors to Nepal found the Kathmandu valley like an open museum, populated by tens of thousands of gods and goddesses. There were almost as many temples as there were houses. Western collectors of oriental art came upon a valley which hosted a treasure trove of iconography in stone, bronze and wood. The process idol theft began with the end of the Rana regime. Lawlessness,  involvement of high officials and the indifference of the local people acted as strong catalysts to the process. Some now believe that almost all that was worth stealing from the valley’s open spaces have been stolen. There is nothing left to steal. It can be said with confidence that with hardly any exception, every ancient statue from Nepal currently adorning pedestals in the west has been the subject of loot.

Artist and art historian, Lain Singh Bangdel and Jurguen Schick, an art connoisseur from Essen, Germany, emerged as guardians of statuary in a valley where the effects of modernisation and breakdown of community spirit had left thousands of icons in the fields and neighbourhood orphaned. Bangdel and Schick photographically  documented hundreds of statuary in their original places and also took pictures of sites which had been ravaged. Bangdel published his book Stolen Image, while heading the Royal Nepal Academy. Schick published his book, The Gods Are leaving the Country, first in German and then later in English. Although Bangdel and Schick worked independently of each other, they were both racing against time and working against powerful thieves who had strong connections with high officials. Bangdel was threatened with his life and Schick was harassed with his visa and had to leave Nepal and could not return for a year. A positive result of their genuine effort to save a part of the heritage of Nepal finally showed when an unknown art collector in  the United States of America returned 3 stolen idols and a severed stone head of the goddess Saraswati unconditionally when he saw their pictures in Bangdel’s book, Stolen Images.

The loss of the stolen idols are still felt to this day. The empty pedestals where they were consecrated centuries ago still receive offerings and prayers while the gods are sitting alone in distant lands unable to receive the love and offering from their genuine devotees. The whereabouts of 4 stolen statues documented by Bangdel and Schick are known today. An idol lifted from Nasamana Tole, Bhaktapur is in the Musee Guimet, Paris. Similarly statues from Wotol in Dhulikhel and Ga Hiti in Patan are in the Berlin Museum Fur Indesche Kunst, and the Denver Museum. It is also known that Sotheby’s sold the Laxmi Narayan from Patko, Patan and therefore is dutybound to help trace it. If something is stolen, it must be returned.

- Vision

Talk Back

Zee TV for commercial purpose and not for public purpose?

Plane hijacking incidents can take place anywhere around the world whether it’s in America or Nepal. What I don’t understand is why the Indian media is attacking Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. You cannot conclude that the whole government is behind the hijacking just by the fact one of their nationals is alleged to be one of the hijackers, and that too with no concrete evidence.

Besides all this, I don’t understand the attitude of Nepalese government. They should speak out against the false allegation forged into them as it is giving a negative publicity.

The other sad fact was the coverage of Nepal television that was the worst I’ve ever witnessed. Everybody had to depend on the foreign media who were pointing fingers at Nepal.

It is still not clear whether security lapses at the airport was actually responsible for the incident. The claim of some so-called experts that in Thamel of Kathmandu, Pakistani terrorists roam around freely and that too with weapons is   ridiculous. I go to Thamel a lot and I’ve never seen people with arms. At one instance I heard one Indian lady from Kathmandu who telephoned the Zee studio stating the fact that Nepal cannot be blamed for the hijacking and they should not give false details about Nepal without proof. Zee studio hung up the phone in the middle of the conversation. This clearly states the fact that the channel is there only for commercial purpose and not for the public purpose.

James Jessie,
Kathmandu

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I read the news comment about Zee TV in your newspaper and appreciate your effort. The sad part is that even in Kathmandu more people see Zee TV than read your paper. Zee TV will do such things again and again and we will continue to admire them. If any of our politicians have any concern about this type of anti Nepali activities they should officially react to it and the credibility of such media should be made public “loudly”.

Prakash Neupane
Shreveport, USA
Via Internet

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The speculative and incorrect statements from the high ranking officials of the government of India as well as the Indian media (spear headed by Zee TV) concerning the hijacked Air bus have affected Nepal’s foreign trade.

At a time when Nepal is being seriously effected in the tourism sector, the businessmen of third countries have expressed doubts in view of the statements made by the high ranking officials of India and the news carried by the Indian media.

Following the suspension of Indian Airlines flights for an indefinite period, it has not only affected the Indian tourists and the tourists coming from the third countries, but also  affected the transportation of air cargo seriously. Nepal Freight Forwarders Association requests that the Associations/Organisations belonging to private sector and the representatives of His Majesty’s Government should take initiatives to sort out this issue as soon as  possible.

Rabindra Man Singh
President
Nepal Freight Forwarders Association
Kathmandu

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The Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) strongly deplores the “baseless, biased and exaggerated reporting” of Zee News regarding the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane on December 24, 1999.

Nepal has been internationally recognised as one of the safest tourism destinations in the world and the HAN deplores the way that Zee News  reported hijacking incidence based on false assumptions; that has tarnished  Nepal’s image as a secure destination. The HAN requests the government to look into this matter seriously.

The Tribhuvan International Airport has the same security arrangement as any other International Airport. Zee TV  misled its viewers about the security arrangement of Tribhuvan International Airport. Hijackings in an age of terrorism have taken place from some of the most security conscious airports in the world.

Hotel Association Nepal (HAN)
Kathmandu

(* Note: The above letters were received before the hijacking drama ended. -Ed)

Got excited!

I got excited when I found out about Nepal webstite and once again felt like I am not far from my homeland.

I found your publication most effective and have decided to take a look every day. I am a Nepalese student in CA,LA, attending  Academy of Entertainment and   Technology and looking forward to introduce Nepal to the American people. Hope Nepal is looking forward to new tech and wish all the Nepalese a happy new year and a millennium.

Sarala Rai
USA
Via Internet