In depth Analysis

Threatened government seeks quick cash!

Kathmandu: The country’s transport industry has announced its opposition to government’s decision on 20 years old vehicles. Flags apart, at least Katmandu’s Taxi-Trade is expected to allow the agitation to take a more serious turn. It is they who are likely to be the more affected by the banning of the Japanese taxis that ply Kathmandu roads better than the Maruti’s which will remain totally unaffected by the government decision. Clearly, Commission-Cracy in government provokes a dangerous flirtation with brinkmanship at the crucial juncture when government seems to be antagonizing the non-agricultural sector precariously.

Only weeks after shaking the very foundations of Nepal’s important tourism industry, the homegrown transport trade is to be shaken on the flimsy grounds of Kathmandu traffic burden and pollution. The fact that substandard imports encouraged over the decade, poor road standards and the flaunting of traffic rules contribute to this have been ignored makes the commission-cracy too blatant to the public eye. That this is to the extent of affecting the bread and butter of many in the valley makes it a convenient point for yet another agitation of yet another organized sector.

This becomes only one of the many agitative sources in Kathmandu. The schools remain closed on grounds of Maoists’ threats. The campuses have been asked to close down yet again. And the consumer at large is being asked to cope with unexplainable shortages. Nepal’s Sugar mills are curiously closed. Sugarcane producers meanwhile find no markets. Nepal’s sugar consumers have no sugar or expensive ones. And government wants to cope with this with sugar imports from middlemen. This is yet another example of commission-cracy at work.

Among many such examples is government’s fuel policy. Now that India has become the net supplier of fossil fuel to Nepal-India is itself an importer. The effects of international vicissitudes in OPEC pricing have hit Nepal hard. Monopoly Indian trade on the commodity prevents Nepal even to look as far as Bangladesh, which is seeking markets for its newly discovered gas resources. Katmandu’s gas market is being held at ransom.

At a more grass roots level is the inability of government to provide a sustainable price for the newly harvested winter crops. A glut in the Indian market is being cushioned by the Indian government’s food pricing policy while Nepali middle men would like to dictate prices and take benefits of Indian pricing from the Nepali farmers at large.

The result is chaos in the economics of the country affecting the lay person hard. It is these that contribute to an overall sense of skepticism on the government’s will- much less the ability to perform. The prioritization evidently of the commission has perverted policy in such a manner as to deviate from the actual deliverance of governance to the people.

The fact that these can only have short-term benefits is surely not lost upon government. It is this that underscores government’s perception of its longevity. A government beset with internal strife, having basic law and order problems provokes agitation on its own with flimsy but widely affecting policies. Surely, there is no mystery then.

Russian Federation attaches great importance to its relations with South Asia

Kathmandu: The Russian Federation, the de facto successor to the then Soviet Union as it prefers to call herself, apparently has shown its interest in the expansion of her relations with the countries of South Asia.

The Russian Federation, to recall, continues to have very "friendly" ties with neighboring India. As a matter of fact only recently the Russian President Putin concluded his India visit.

That the Russian Federation wishes to have very good relations with South Asian countries got reflected last week when the visiting RF parliamentary delegation told this scribe that " we attach big importance to our relations with the SA countries".

Talking to this scribe exclusively on 15 December evening last week, the leader of the Parliamentary delegation, Mr. Sholban V. Kara-Ool, however, expressed his concern over the present tense situation in this part of the world and said that " we are in favor of a constructive dialogue in between India and Pakistan on issues including the Kashmir as well".

"Their responsibility (implied India and Pakistan) towards the world is even greater because they both were equipped with nuclear weapons", added Sholban who is also the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of TYVA Republic.

The Russian dignitary at the moment holds the post of the deputy chairman of foreign affairs committee of the Council of the Russian Parliament as well.

"We wish them to become the participants to all the international treaties that govern nuclear proliferation matters.

Perhaps he was hinting both the countries to come to terms with the CTBT arrangements to which the two almost warring archrivals were yet to sign.

Regarding the spread of international terrorism, the Russian leader opined that he discussed all these matters in details with the "Nepalese" leaders.

"’What we both concluded is that though the act of terrorism might appear to be a local and internal problem of a particular country, however, the whole affair takes another dimension and becomes a real threat when it is ‘supported’ by some outside forces.

The Russian parliamentary delegation met Narayan S. Thapa, foreign secretary of Nepal and a hosts of other leaders such as Mohammad Mohsin, Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi and more importantly with Nepal’s foreign minister at the reception held in their honor by the Ambassador of the RF, V.Ivanov on 15 December evening.

The delegation, however, admitted that in the recent years, Nepal-Russia ties had taken a back seat for which he forwarded the reason to be the "transitional phase" in the system what both had acquired in the recent years.

However Shloban made it clear that the closeness what we possess in so many international world issues forces us to conclude that "we still have the same freshness and vibrancy’ in our bilateral ties to which we enjoyed till some decades back.

To recall, prior to the disintegration of the then USSR, Nepal was one of the major recipients of aid from that country.

"Bilateral ties should be based on equality and reciprocity and I’m happy to note that our two countries adhere to this policy", added Mr. Sholban.

Concluding his remarks, Mr. Sholban said that he wished Nepal developing into a strong economy over the years.

The parliamentary delegation has already left for New Delhi.

Distribution of ‘global wealth’ to the poor is an issue says Papandreau

Kathmandu: The first ever visit made to this Himalayan Kingdom by a minister from the Hellenic Republic of Greece has been described as a "successful" one.

This was communicated to the local media men Tuesday morning at a press conference jointly addressed by Nepal’s foreign minister, C.P.Bastola and his visiting counterpart from Greece, George Papandreau.

"My country is interested in South Asia which possesses abundant potential and opportunities. This trip will enable me and my country to understand the functioning of the democratic system, state of the environment and more particularly the existing regional situation in South Asia", said Papandreau in response to a query of the Telegraph weekly.

He however said that though his country had tremendous interest in South Asia, but the trip could materialize only this time.

George Papandreau has already visited India and is leaving Kathmandu for Dhaka today.

Regarding the talks on the enhancement of Nepal-Greece ties, both the ministers apprised the media men that "some mechanism would be developed to regulate our further contacts in sectors that were yet to be identified.

However, sources at the Shital Nivas said that Greece had exhibited its eagerness in joining hands with Nepal on projects related with hydropower generation and tourism sector.

The Greek foreign minister exhibited interest in providing few scholarships, to begin with, in the sectors such as tourism and also hinted that she could support Nepal in her bid to preserve the old monuments.

"We discussed international, regional and bilateral issues and had almost convergent views on the issues raised", asserted both the foreign ministers.

On yet another query of the Telegraph, George Papandreau opined that he could "just learn about Nepal’s refugee problem". He however declined to make any comment on that issue since he was "just briefed".

This notwithstanding, George Papandreau made it apparently clear that as a member of the European Union he was well aware of the EUs recent concern over "refugees" languishing in Nepali camps since a decade or so.

Talking on the great North-South divide, Papandreau maintained that it was "a matter of concern" and that with the advent of globalization, many opportunities and "inequalities" too had accompanied.

"’How global wealth could be fairly distributed in and among the poverty stricken people in the world is the real issue before us", maintained Papandreau.

The visiting minister told that his country agreed in principle to accept some identified Nepali goods.

Nepal’s FM to visit Dhaka

Kathmandu: Nepal’s foreign minister Chakra Prasad Bastola is visiting Bangladesh early next year.

The visit is scheduled from January 7-10, 2001, it is learnt from Nepal’s foreign ministry sources.

The fact is that B’desh foreign secretary was to make an official visit to Nepal prior to Bastola’s trip there. However, this could not materialize because the present B’desh foreign secretary is soon to retire and has commitments abroad for such similar visits.

Shital Nivas sources opine that Bastola’s visit to Bangladesh will in all probability set the tone for the exchange of visits at the Prime Ministerial between the two countries.

However, the high level visits are supposed to be accompanied either by Kathmandu-Dhaka Bus linkages or at the least through the commencement of container services.

If every thing goes fine by then, it is expected that about 25 percent of the total volume of Nepal’s export/import trade will be channeled through MONGLA port.

Bastola’s visit to Bangladesh is being taken by the Nepali intellectuals in a very positive manner in the sense that this trip will prepare the grounds for the initiation of the much publicised bus service which would link the two SAARC capitals with each other thereby providing the people of either countries to understand each other better.

Administration of rule of law a must in democracy

Kathmandu: The Asia Foundation and the Center for Legal Research and Resource Development or otherwise the CeLLRd, organized a working lunch, Tuesday, with the visiting Judge J. Clifford Wallace at the Shangrila Hotel in Lazimpat.

The topic was "How Countries Combat Judicial Corruption and Misconduct".

Dwelling on the subject Judge Wallace opined that "no man was above the law and conversely no man was below the law".

"It is the rule of law that dictates and directs the movement of a particular society", said honorable Wallace who is

The Judge at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Elaborating it further, Judge Wallace said that the administration of the rule of law assumes more significance in a democratic system and it is the judiciary, which has to administer the rule of law in a free and frank manner.

"Low salary perhaps causes some judges to seek bribe", added Judge Wallace.

To a query of the Telegraph, Judge Wallace said that a robust press could investigate the misconduct and acts of corruption in the judiciary. However, the judicial council is the ultimate body, which possesses the right to penetrate into such matters. The "body", in the opinion of Judge Wallace, can even forward proposals for the impeachment of the judges found indulged in acts of corruption or for that matter the misconduct(s).

He cited his own example in having been dragged by the media on alleged acts of misconduct. "However, I talked to the editor about the reporting and later the editor found that his reporter had "misreported".

There have been some instances in the US that the appropriate law authorities have tried some judges, divulged Judge Wallace.

However, the press must investigate in details the facts prior to passing on any negative comments on the judiciary, judge Wallace advised.

At the beginning of the program, Nick Langton , the Asia Foundation Representative in Nepal, introduced Judge Wallace to the attending participants.

Yubraj Sangroula of the CeLLRd made brief comment on Wallace’s remarks.

Deuba yields: Congress is Girija and vice versa

Kathmandu: Suddenly the warring factions in the Congress have changed their mind.

The change in the mind apparently has come after one key man in the Deuba camp "changed" his allegiance from Deuba to Koirala.

The change in mind in the Deuba camp has also come after they were ethereally given to understand that till "Koirala" was alive and kicking, no force on earth could destabilize the latter and that Koirala’s maneuvering and manipulating capabilities were simply superb as compared to the men manning the former’s camp including the main engineers of the "get rid of Koirala campaign, Sher Bahadur Deuba and mastermind K.P.Bhattarai.

The sudden change of the camp by Khum Bahadur Khadka on whom the Deuba camp wished to throw Koirala out at the Pokhara convention has forced the opposition camp to reassess their numerical strength which in fact came out to be much less that what their media propagated.

Now that President Koirala is equipped with Khadka’s support, the Pokhara meet will just be an affair and thus no tussle as such would happen in between the two aspirants of the congress presidency.

The nervous breakdown seen in the Deuba camp apparently indicates that Deuba is about to yield to Koirala’s dictates and perhaps will console himself whatever his former arch rival will provide him at Pokhara.

However, sources close to Khum Bahadur Khadka bluntly admit that in power-games no one puts his bet on "sinking horses" and that Deuba was definitely a sinking horse and thus the change in camp had become all the more urgent.

This notwithstanding, Deuba sources maintain that Khadka continues to be their "man" and that Khadka’s new allegiance towards Koirala has been deliberate to manage some "concessions" from him at the Pokhara meet.

Unconfirmed reports have it that Khadka has requested his new mentor-read Koirala- to bring Deuba to the GS post and that some of the main supporters of Deuba be inducted in the cabinet.

How Koirala responded to Khadka’s "maiden" request will perhaps take some time to come to the open.

However, what is for sure now is that Deuba has yielded or surrendered himself to the mercy of his main rival-Koirala.

This automatically means that Bhattarai’s clandestine wish to unseat Koirala from one of the posts will perhaps not materialize in his lifetime.

It also finally means that Koirala is the new party president and by the same token the next prime minister.

To sum up, congress is Girija and vice versa.

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