We say no to yellow journalism!

During my trips to foreign countries I have met Nepalese nationals who love to listen to the achievements and the developments and the progress their own motherland made after they left Nepal. I have also seen Nepalese nationals forming a group or say some sort of alliance and meet at regular intervals to talk and react to recent events happened in Nepal. Their love and respect for their motherland is quite understandable. As it is the smell of the soil that keeps them tied with their land of birth. I think this also speaks of their concern they possess as and when some incidents do occur that damaged the prestige and honor of their beloved nation.

A Nepali friend living abroad has blasted at the Telegraph for printing Pakistan embassy clarification in the last issue of this newspaper. Mr. Kiran through electronic mail dubs the printing of the Pak embassy clarification as 'yellow journalism'. His letter will follow verbatim after I finish my explanation. I believe in transparency and hence there is nothing to panic the manner the letter has been addressed to my newspaper.

Firstly, as a journalist we have to honor the comments of our readers. Secondly, without knowing the details of a particular event, perhaps it would not be proper to offer comments. Thirdly, we have to honor the press statements or for that matter the press releases that come from the embassies, be it India or even Pakistan. After all it is through the press that they can ventilate their feelings no matter we agree or not. Fourthly, the profession of journalism is so vast that it takes decades and decades to learn and we are yet in the learning process.

Regarding Nepal Pharkera Ke Paincha, I think that if qualified persons like you abandon your country for good, the country suffers the most. The country needs persons like you who could through the acquired advanced knowledge guide the media, scholars, leaders and the men manning the system. Qualified persons are definitely the assets of the nation. Forget that nothing will you achieve if you are back in your own nation that is imaginably still so near and dear to you. Firstly, you will be among your countrymen. You will be among your old friends. By being inside the nation you can fight the evils that have gripped the nation. Never forget the fact that we all have to combine our efforts in the nation building process. Never ask what the nation gave to you. Ask your own conscience what services you gave to the nation.

Also regarding the fake currency business, the person has been declared persona non-grata. No body on earth will commend such unethical practices and so do my newspaper and I. However, the Nepal government is yet to furnish the details. As regards the IA 814 hijacking the Nepalese media is doing their job effectively even if the Indian media continues to defame Nepal. Similarly, your concern regarding disappearance of Professor Suresh Ale Magar is genuine. From the available media reports, the government is learnt to be in a mood to release him from custody. However, there are so many persons like Mr.Suresh who were disappearing and the media in Nepal have raised concern about them as well. Finally, we assure you that we have never practiced yellow journalism. Thanks for your prompt comments.

The letter follows: "A smuggler with Pakistani nationality covered with a diplomatic mask in Kathmandu has been declared persona non grata by the Nepali government. It's definitely a good job. But Telegraph weekly believes that it is its duty to cover up the scandal. How colorful (yellow) journalism we do in Nepal? Do the Nepali journalists believe that readers are so stupid?

On the one hand, Indian press is busy to splash mud over Nepal on IA hijacking episode even if there is no proof. Nepali press on the other hand thinks it is their duty to counter the Indian propaganda. A lively laughable "subjective journalism" (tug of war) is going on in the region. As the AI

took off from Kathmandu, a lurking suspicion always remains on Nepal whether the Kathmandu airporters were involved in helping the hijackers or not.

Other important issues such as police DSP Thule Rai's release and disappearance of lecturer Suresh Aale (lecturer of English at Law Campus) and a Manka-khala leader in police custody have been shadowed. I believe that disappearance of academia like Mr. Aale is a big loss for our country.

But who cares? Media has some other things to "chant" about. Maybe, these are some answers to Kanak Mani Dixit dai's workshop titles "Pharkera ke Painchha" which is to be held in the USA. Nepal's situation is truly frustrating just like Dixit's title. Sachhai, saathi ho, Nepal pharkera ke painchha hann (what we achieve by going back home?). Some more frustration?

Kiran

Fake IC currency scandal

Ramesh Sharma

Nepal has since long been enjoying good neighborly relationship with both India and Pakistan, the two prominent states of South Asia with nuclear power. The longstanding tension and hostility between the two countries which is believed to be an ominous legacy of the partition that took place in 1948 has not left even our relationship with them unscathed.

In retrospect, the way India tried to make a subtle interference in our national politics particularly in the post 1951 era was not digestible for the nationalist elements of this kingdom. "The Nepalese politics," says Dr. Sanu Bhai Dangol,  "during King Tribhuvan's reign was much interferred by India. The Indian ambassador Chandreshwar Prasad Narayan Singh not merely attended Nepal's cabinet meetings but equally decided its policy matters" (The Palace in Nepalese Politics, 1999). The situation had worsened to such an extent that King Tribhuvan had virtually 'become a pawn at the hands of the Indian Prime Minister'.

Against such backdrops, it was natural for King Mahendra to adopt an ultranationalist posture vis-a-vis India. After having ascended the throne, King Mahendra, in what is taken as a subtle diplomatic rebuff to India, nominated Tanka Prasad Acharya who was believed to have ideological affinity with Communist China, as the Prime Minister. Acharya's nomination represented an explicit departure from the past practices wherein pro-Indian elements could only make it to that coveted position. Barring a few exceptions, King Mahendra, unlike his predecessor, tried to remain assertive throughout his tenure when it came to dealing with the southern leviathan. In the process, he had demonstrated an overt proclivity towards cultivating relationship with India's arch rival Pakistan. For Pakistan, it proved a good opportunity to explore the possibilities of embarrassing India obviously at the connivance of the erstwhile monolithic system. King Birendra's foreign policy had also been profoundly influenced by this legacy when, despite being a non-aligned country, Nepal under his active leadership was found sliding towards the so-called Cold War axis consisting of US, China, and Pakistan. King Birendra's Zone of Peace proposal was primarily responsible for exuding this sort of impression. The dismantling of the Royal system with subsequent restoration of parliamentary democratic order in 1990 was the logical culmination. India's role in that historical incident is more than obvious.

Following the 'controversial handling' of the Indian Airlines hijacking the BJP government of India is trying to deflect the attention of the masses from its criticisms. In what is taken as a customary practice in Indian politics, Prime Minister Vajpayee has already begun to jab accusing fingers at Islamabad. "Pakistan's active and sustained role in fomenting terrorism in India is now too obvious to be overlooked by the international community," said Vajpayee. "India therefore, strongly urges major nations of the world to declare Pakistan a terrorist state."

It is most unfortunate that Nepal has been unnecessarily dragged into India-Pakistan hostilities primarily because of the latter's tendency to use Nepalese soil for creating destabilisation in India. It has also been reported in the Nepalese media time and again that Pakistan is continuing to elaborate ISI (Inter Services Intelligece) network in this kingdom by facilitating a nexus between politicians and the underworld. The mysterious assassination of sitting MP Mirja Dilsad Beg in the recent past is widely taken as a glaring testimony.

Pakistan Embassy's involvement in such a criminal activity has been exposed at a time when the dust of Indian accusation regarding their complicity in the Indian Airlines hijacking couples of days ago has yet to be settled. The most ominous aspect of these two episodes is that we, as a nation, have also not remained unscathed. However, India's subtle indication with regard to our 'collusion' with Pakistani ISI is still inexplicable.

Nepal should always try to desist itself from the bilateral tension between India and Pakistan. Because, Nepal as is beseiged by a host of constraints that have limited her diplomatic options to the minimum, can hardly afford to get embroiled in their longstanding impasse. In this context, since Pakistan is well aware of our vulnerable position, it must also learn to honor our susceptibilities in a spirit of friendship and cordiality. At least in the comity of nations, we don't want to be exposed as a nation providing covert support for a 'rogue state'. Nor are we prepared to emerge as a satellite of any country as contemplated by self-styled pro-Indian Prime Minster KP Bhattarai, whose mindset was clearly exposed in his recent capitulation with regard to 'security lapses'.  

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In the wake of Indian Airliner's hijacking, Nepalese living in Meghalaya of India are reported to have been rampaged. According to a vernacular weekly, they have also been subjected to police firing. One is reported dead and several others injured.

Local Indians are said to have spread a hate campaign against the Nepalese who have been living there for decades, on the alleged grounds of a Nepali's involvement in the hijacking of their airliner. The blatantly false information with regard to Gajendra Tamrakar's complicity with the hijackers has led to the current situation wherein Nepalese have been subjected to wanton beating, firing and violence. Massive pamphleting and posterings against the Nepalese have also served to perpetrate this sort of  atrocities. Most regrettably, our government is seen to have been least concerned. Should the Nepalese take recourse to reprisals the situation might turn very serious. The government needs to be alert.

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