In-depth Analysis

Bhattarai retains initiative in Congress squabble

Kathmandu: - The infighting in the Nepali Congress now leads to a test of strength said to be in a signature campaign against Prime Minister K.P. Bhattarai. The move is a safe one since the signatures will actually test the loyalty of each of the two camps –Bhattarai's or Girija's. As of the moment, Bhattarai is comfortable in numbers but a Koirala led move in this direction will serve to expose duel and there will be members hesitant to antagonize Koirala through reluctance to sign. Both camps, however, claim that there is no bid to divide the party.

This is significant in the sense that the Congress is aware of irreversible setback in case any move to grab power serves to fragment the organization. In this sense, both K.P and G.P need each other and so the repeated claims of Congress Unity.

It is not for anything then that the UML is launching its move against the recent price hikes, which have proved highly unpopular at the local levels. Given that its competition, the ML, has already begun its movement in this direction, the UML has to catch up as the largest party. And so call for a special session and agitation. The other parliamentary parties, the RPP for example, make noises against the current state of things but prefer to wait and watch the UML.

Indirectly perhaps the UML moves seek to strengthen K.P. Bhattarai. Bhattarai can call for the need for party unity amidst external threats and seek to postpone the inner squabbling. At another end, Bhattarai can seek to cement his interests with the UML claiming the need to accede to popular demand weakening any Girija initiative.

Whatever the cold season normally slackens politics in this country. And it is clear that politics will center on Bhattarai performance. The economy usually becomes the issue.

Strip News
State of the Nepalese Women: Respondents say no to abortion

Kathmandu, November 22: An overwhelming majority (72.5%) of Nepalese citizens is against the idea of legalizing abortion. Those polled by the Media Services International (MSI), a prominent non governmental organization, between September 7 to 19, 1999 said that abortion was unacceptable to them on socio-cultural and religious grounds.

However, those supporting the idea (19.6%) argued that right to abortion for Nepalese women was long overdue as it would shield them from likely reproductive health hazards and unwanted 'economic burden'.

Only 7.8% of the respondents didn't volunteer any opinion on this vital but controversial Nepalese issue.

With respect to another important question of whether the daughters should be given the same rights and opportunities as given to the sons, 90% came out in favor of giving daughters equal rights in all areas. Over 64%, for instance, of those polled said the daughters should have equal claim to parental property. Only 32% of the respondents spoke against letting the daughters have any claim whatsoever on the parental property.

When the daughters are deprived of the right to inherit any part of the parental property, why shouldn't the sons too be debarred from getting it? Over 58% of the respondents rejected the idea outright as being impractical in the Nepalese context. Only 37.3% of the respondents spoke in favor of the idea.

A nationwide opinion poll survey on the State of the Nepalese Women reconfirmed the general view that level of women's empowerment has been substantially raised since the restoration of democracy in Nepal nine years ago with 56%of those queried saying that women's participation in politics was essential. However, interestingly, over half of them tended to believe that the election of more than 40,000 women to the local bodies some two years back has had no perceptible impact on governance vis-à-vis the overall status of women in the society.

Asked to comment on the on-going debate regarding the right marital age for the girl, as high as 76% of the respondents thought 18 years and above was the ideal marital age for the girls. Those advocating 20 years and above as the right marital age constituted a cool 56% of the respondents.

On the issue of whether the Nepalese society accords social respect and recognition to the women, over 70% replied in the negative. The respondents said this denial has considerably restricted the women in developing a sense of self-esteem. The poll clearly identified access to education and awareness raising programs focussed specially on women are the most effective means of winning social status for women in Nepal.

Additionally, 32% of the respondents were of the view that female members of the family were generally discriminated against one way or another, whereas 10.1% of those surveyed said the female members were not at all treated equally by the male members of the family.

Summary of the findings:

·     Women in Nepal have not been accorded social respect and recognition.

·     Education and awareness raising programs are appropriate means for winning social      respect for Nepalese women.

·     Female members of the family are not treated equally.

·     Majority wants the daughter(s) to be provided rights equal to that of the son(s).

·      Daughters should also be given equal share of parental property.

·     Sons may not be deprived of parental property at the present time when daughters are eligible for equal right to parental property. However, the specific case of unmarried women and widows should taken into account.

·     Marital age for girls should be 18 years and above.

·     Nepalese women should not have the right to abort. Educated group however has a more positive attitude on the matter.

·     Political participation has helped the cause of women's liberation and empowerment in Nepal.

·     Impact of women's participation in local elections has been positive, if not to the extent desirable.

·     Women's rights have increased since the restoration of democracy.

The survey had enjoyed the support of London-based Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).

Box news:
CASAC Seminar on 'South Asia 2010:Challenges and opportunity' begins today

Kathmandu: A galaxy of South Asian as well European scholars is converging in Kathmandu to attend an International Conference on "South Asia 2010:Challenges and Opportunities".

The main organizer of this international gathering is CASAC or otherwise the Coalition for Action on South Asian Cooperation.

The conference begins today.

Those who are expected to attend the conference were Inder Kumar Gujaral, Muchkund Dubey and K.K.Bhargava from India; Ambassador Niaz Naik, Javed Jabbar, Pakistan; Ambassador Abul Ahsen, Farooq Sobhan and MP Abdul Moyeen Khan, Rehman Sobhan , Bangladesh and Ibrahim Hussain Zaki from Maldives.

Apart from these South Asian luminaries, others who will be attending the three day international conference in Kathmandu are Mr. Dick Gupwell, Director for European Institute for Asian Studies, Horst Mund, FES Representative Nepal, Mr. Onder Ozar, the Secretary General of the ECO and Dr. Azizul Islam, the ESCAP Director.

According to Mr. Sridhar Khatri, the co-convenor of the CASAC in Nepal, the conference that takes off today will focus primarily on  # sequential steps towards a South Asian Economic Community; # Social cohesion in the region; # environmentally sustainable development; # cultural dimensions of cooperation; # cooperation in the field of energy; # role of the parliamentarians and political leaders; and # improvement of political understanding through comprehensive and regular consultations among South Asian countries.

"At the end of the three day deliberations here in Kathmandu, the Conference is expected to formulate comprehensive recommendations which will be transmitted to the policy and opinion makers in South Asia for their consideration and implementation", added Sridhar Khatri.

The three day Kathmandu conference, however, appears to have minimized the role of the media in attaining the goals that it has set to achieve. Media is a sector that has ever been neglected by the leaders and the scholars of South Asia albeit during lectures the participants inevitably laud the contributions of the media.

Miscellaneous
Wildlife exhibition concludes

Kathmandu: Wildlife art exhibition from Nepal and Pakistan was organized at the premises of the IUCN last week that lasted for three days.

Hundreds of lovers of nature conservation and school children from various schools in Kathmandu are learnt to have watched the wildlife exhibition.

The co-organizers of the exhibition were WWF, IUCN and the Pakistan embassy based in Kathmandu.

Education minister Y.P.Upadhyaya inaugurated the three-day wild life painting exhibition.

On the occasion, Ms.Fouzia Nasereen in her welcome address said that conservation for achieving sustainable development remains vital.

C.P.Gurung from the WWF, Nepal hoped that such similar events will be held in Pakistan.

Dr.Ambika Adhikari, the IUCN country representative Nepal, opined that exhibits of such sorts arouse passions among the citizens, which ultimately helps conservation efforts.

K.M.Bhattarai of the IUCN offered his vote of thanks.

Similarly, at the closing ceremony Ambassador Fouzia distributed certificates to the persons involved in the successful completion of the wildlife exhibition.

Dr. Adhikari, IUCN, maintained that the exhibition had been a grand success and thanked all the artistes who had put in their support for the materialization of the exhibition.

SAATHI initiates media campaign

Kathmandu: SAATHI, a non governmental organization initiated by informed women of Nepal has begun a media campaign to let the people of the nation know about the various inequalities, torture, misbehavior and other family related violence's which the Nepalese women of late were subjected to face.

The SAATHI hopes that with this media campaign the Nepalese women will benefit immensely as it would help educate the men folks who basically torture the women folks in their private homes and elsewhere.

November 25 has been declared a day dedicated for the women who have to face violence right inside their own family.

A press release issued recently by the SAATHI says that this year's priority they have focused on two topics: firstly, the active participation of the men folks for the eradication of such violence against women and secondly 'a women too possesses her human rights right inside her home'.

A youth camp is being organized by SAATHI in districts such as Kathmandu, Makwanpur, Bhairahava and Dhangadhi that will call upon the attending youths to be of help in eradicating the problems of the Nepalese women.

The SAATHI is led by a big shot, Arjoo Deuba, the wife of the former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Nepal hosts regional media workshop

Kathmandu : A two day media seminar on the 'indigenous and regional press from South Asia' concluded in Kathmandu ,Tuesday, after the participants from India , Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal vowed to encourage the leaders of the press and the media to increase and intensify the promotion of peace, friendship, and collectively beneficial development across the region and to reduce and prevent the promotion of tension and discord.

The two-day workshop had been organized jointly by the International Center for Peace Initiatives, Mumbai; Citizens Media Commission, Karachi, Pakistan and SAMA-South Asian Media Association, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Sundeep Waslekar from the International Center for Peace Initiatives and Javed Jabbar, SAMA were the two leading figures who dwelt at length on the aims and the objectives of the seminar held in Kathmandu.

The Kathmandu workshop is the second in series to have been organized by the above said organizations.

The first workshop had been held in Colombo this June. The Colombo meet of the three nation journalists (India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) had also formed a South Asian Editor's Forum.

The South Asian Editor's Forum was set up to interact from time to time so that correct perspectives and facts about the other side can be exchanged and prospects of cooperation can be explored. The Colombo meet also had formed a steering group to work out the modalities on how to proceed with the aims and the objectives of the newly established Forum.

Nepal's Speaker of the Lower House Taranath Rana Bhat addressed the workshop. Sundeep Waslekar describing the forum journey from Colombo to Kathmandu gave an introductory remark.

Javed Jabbar, the founder Chairman of the SAMA chaired the inaugural session.

Later, Shauna Sylvester of the Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society, Vancouver gave her remarks on the topic, 'Media and Peace: Some experiences from outside South Asia".

Javed Jabbar presented a concept paper of the Editor's Forum at the first working session.

The Kathmandu conference is expected to bring the media men of the SAARC nations closer.

Seven media men attended the workshop from Pakistan; nine from Nepal; two from Sri Lanka and seven from India. Outside the region, Canada

Maoists' issue warnings on eve of by-elections

 Kathmandu: The government has seemingly hinted that it was ready for a dialogue with the Maoists' insurgents provided the defiants shun the path of violence.

Prime Minister Bhattarai better late than never made this call from Rajbiraj, a town in Eastern Nepal, last week. He even went to the extent that a general pardon could be bestowed upon them if the rebellions accept to abide by the constitution now in force.

Bhattarai's enthusiasm for the talks with the Maoists' has come at a time when the nation was given to understand that if necessity arose, the Royal Nepal Army could be well ordered to proceed with full force to contain the threat of the Maoists who have, a rough assessment revealed, spread their influence in over sixty plus districts of this Himalayan Kingdom.

Premier Bhattarai's call to the Maoists has also surfaced at a time when only recently the Military chief hinted that the Army could easily contain the ever-growing intimidation of the Maoists provided Nepal's major political parties gave the Army a nod to proceed.

To recall, Prazwal Rana, the chief of the armed staff's statement invited mixed reactions from the political parties and the Nepalese media as well.

Insiders of the congress say that the two top congress strongmen still differ on the question of mobilizing the Army to control the Maoists'.

Whether the Maoists' would heed to the Premier's fresh call or neglect the same is yet uncertain. However, our Biratnagar correspondent says that on the eve of the impending by-elections, the local Maoists' have issued hand written leaflet that urges the local voters not to go to the election booth on that particular date. The pamphlet also says that " we have already sent our commandos to that part of the nation and would penalize those contestants who have been found safeguarding the interests of the fascists and capitalists".

Telegraph adds: The whereabouts of a kidnapped high ranking police official, Thule Rai, is still unknown to the general mass. The Maoists' prior to the Dashami festivals had kidnapped DSP Thule Rai. Since then neither the government nor the Maoists' have talked about Thule Rai. However, the Maoists' sources had made it known earlier that Rai was safe and sound in their custody.

Radisson honors young achievers

Kathmandu: Immediately after the grand opening of the Radisson in Nepal, the Hotel began a series of events aimed at recognizing the talents of the Nepalese youths and children as well.

Perhaps any such other Hotels in Kathmandu have never tried such efforts in the past.

The Radisson has vowed to appreciate the hidden skills residing in the Nepalese "Young achievers", through Radio programs and the likes. In the process the Radisson has discovered already scores of such Nepali talents who have been duly honored by the Hotel management.

"It is interesting to know that Nepal has so many budding Achievers, who have achieved so much, whether it is in the field of academics, designing, sculpture, arts, etc", says the Radisson management.

According to Radisson, there were 8 outstanding Achievers selected this round from which judges will be selecting the First, Second and Third according to the nature of their Achievement in their respective fields.

The Final is taking place today at the Olive Garden at the Hotel itself at 2.30 PM.

The Hotel has invited a few noted Nepalese journalists to see the final event and wish the young achievers a success.

"Better infrastructure is a precondition for broad-based growth in Nepal, says World Bank

Kathmandu: The World Bank last week announced a US$ 54.5 million equivalent credit to Nepal to support the government's Road Maintenance and Development Program.

The five-year project aims at substantially improving mobility and access in the poorest regions of Western Nepal and supporting sustainable funding and management of road assets in the country.

"Better infrastructure is a precondition for broad-based growth in Nepal, says Hans M. RothenbFChler, World Bank Country Director for Nepal. Without better road maintenance and a more comprehensive priority feeder road network to provide access to education, health care and modern agricultural inputs

 and markets, economic development of poor rural areas will continue to be greatly constrained.  Our assistance strategy for Nepal also emphasizes that, in pursuing this objective, capacity building of the implementation agencies as well as involvement of beneficiaries and the private sector will be of

key importance. The project approved today very much reflects these considerations. As a result of increased mobility, the project is expected to generate economic opportunities and reduce the vulnerability of excluded groups.  Greater participation by local communities in the design, construction and maintenance of roads will assist in building capacity among the poor to take decisions that impact their lives.  Building capacity at the local level, improving capacity at the central level, and connecting remote areas to a national network will go a far way in supporting decentralization, which is a central theme of the Bank's Country Assistance Strategy for Nepal.

 World AIDS Day message

Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator, UNDP

Over 34 million people around the world are living with HIV and AIDS, the majority in developing countries, where infection rates continue to rise. Hundreds of millions are directly affected. HIV/AIDS threatens not only the health and well being of people living with HIV and AIDS, and those close to them, but also their human rights and dignity. The epidemic has been recognized as a crisis of "catastrophic"

proportions in Africa, south of the Sahara. With just l0 per cent of the world's population, over two-thirds of people living with HIV and AIDS make their home in this region. HIV-related illnesses are placing

enormous stress on families and households. Family income and savings are being diverted to pay for medical care, funerals and support to extended family members who have lost young adults to the epidemic.

Children are leaving school to care for dying parents or because families can no longer afford school fees and other family members are leaving jobs to care for the sick. The epidemic is decreasing the pool

of qualified teachers, health professionals, business people, civil servants. In some countries, it is estimated that between one-quarter and one-half of the total personnel in specific sectors such as education, health and the military, will have died within the next five to l0 years.

It is not possible for any one country or organization to know how to deal with every challenge posed by the epidemic. Strategic partnerships that cross borders, disciplines, and diverse spheres of activity are

needed to address both the immediate needs of the epidemic as well as those required to strengthen development systems to cope with the social and economic consequences of HIV/AIDS. Strong leadership, bold actions, compassion and solidarity are required if effective strategies against HIV/AIDS are to be implemented in all countries. These challenges can be met if strategic decisions are made to re-examine national and international policies and strategies now.

Fourteenth anniv. of SAARC Charter

Kathmandu : Undeterred by the abrupt postponement of the eleventh SAARC Summit scheduled in Nepal, the Kathmandu based SAARC Secretariat is all set to celebrate the fourteenth Anniversary of the signing of the Charter of the South Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on 8th.December, next week at its premises.

Nepal's Prime Minister Shri Krishna Prasad Bhattarai is expected to address the function organized by the SAARC Secretariat-it is learnt.

Intellectuals here are eagerly waiting to the December 8th. Celebrations as to what would be Nepal's Prime Minister Bhattarai's remarks regarding the postponement of the Summit that was to be held in Nepal, last month.

In the meanwhile, former SAARC Secretary General Shri K.K.Bhargabha, currently in Kathmandu, said that the Summit should have taken place as per schedule.

Ambassador Bhargabha divulged his

Book Of The Week.