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telelogo4.jpg (7056 bytes)   Kathmandu,Wednesday, 20 February 2002

S E C O N D   I M P R E S S I O N


Why not to utilize the potential of Nepali ghosts?

Once the Nepali ghosts in the Nepali territory of the heaven de cided to converge for an intellectual debate on the topic whether Nepal's democracy was bleeding; had sustained minor injuries or badly injured.

The newly elected chief ghost sent his juniors for the distribution of the cards to his colleagues in the heaven. The card was a dictatorial one for it had no RSVP provision, which meant that those who had received the cards for the debate had to turn at the meeting.

On the scheduled day, a sizeable chunk of Nepali ghosts arrived at the meeting venue and the meeting was brought to order.

Chief ghost: Well dear friends! The meeting has been summoned to debate over the current deteriorating situation in our motherland for whom we could do little while we were ourselves alive. I feel shame that I too could do nothing for the sake of my Nepal when I was a minister there. I only looked for my personal interests as many of you would have done. Any way, let's discuss today about the recent sad events in Achham district that happened last Saturday and its would be impact in our Nepal's "nascent democracy"'. The floor is open. Proceed!

Ghost number 1: Well I'd say Nepali democracy is bleeding. For so many pint of blood have been shed over these years. It is bleeding because one Nepali is causing other Nepali to bleed. I see blood everywhere in my motherland so it is a bleeding democracy. That's all.

Ghost number 2: I differ with the previous speaker. It is not a bleeding democracy but instead we can call it a democracy that has sustained minor injuries. Consider the size of the population of our country. It is swelling every minute. It would swell more because we have constructed "WEL-COME" pillars at the international borders which means that until the pillars are there, immigrants will be most welcome. More over, I believe in Malthusian theory in economics. The great economists believed that at time nature itself balanced the population. However, it is really sad that our nationals are dying and the aliens have been replacing them. But yet we have nothing to panic. In the nation-building process such sad events do happen. This would not weaken the Nepali democracy. Such minor injuries could be treated. I suggest let's send one ghost-surgeon from the US to treat democracy which has sustained minor injuries.

Ghost number 3: What nonsense you all have been talking? The whole country is weeping because of the Saturday's carnage in Achham district. We must send a special emissary who would deliver our collective condolence to the prime minister.

Ghost number 4: I liked the idea of the previous speaker. However, I wish that the message of condolence be sent to Girija babu because he has become suddenly important in Nepal. Prime Minister Deuba is a sinking horse now. He could resign any moment from now and hence sending condolence message to him would be simply waste of our precious time and energy.

Ghost number 4: Well I agree to the previous speakers to the extent that the message of condolence is sent. But whom it should be addressed to? In my opinion Madhav Nepal or even Bam Dev would be the best choice for it is these two personalities at the moment who were in the limelight. More so, after the unification the UML is already acquired the status of a government in waiting should the elections are declared.

Ghost number 5: Why wasting precious time in such meaningless things. Let us decide the condolence be sent straight to media personalities who will print or even air our joint statement contained in the condolence. By the way the Radia Nepal,NTV and some other FM stations too have in the recent months increased their transmission power which means that our message would reach to almost all corners of the country.

Chief ghost: I sense that we have derailed from our main topic. Let's us all concentrate on the topic given to you today.

Ghost number 6: My contention has been that the leaders manning the system in our country firstly caused minor injuries which the people accepted. Later when the leaders bought free PAJERO/PRADO, that shocked the national population and the nation suffered major injuries. And finally the present situation forces me to dub it that our democracy is a bleeding-democracy. Look at the killings! Thank God that "abject poverty" killed us much ahead of such would be sad events back in our country.

Ghost number 7: Abject poverty? What you mean by this term? I never felt that Nepal was a poor nation when I was myself alive. Yes! We were made poor by our leaders who pocketed all the money(s) that we received as donations from friendly countries. The leaders pocketed it only because we never came to the streets chanting slogans against their corrupt behaviors. It is high time that we also send one special letter to the NDF partners and tell them not to send the money unless the already received money gets utilized in the project(s) for which they have sent the money. I remember how one of my relative who became minister of local development grabbed the money thus received from the donors for a water-resource project in the Western region.

Ghost number 8: It is not a question as to who pocketed it. It is the question what to do with such men pocket such money?

Ghost number 9: All that we can do is to penalise him when that errant minister or say the leader joins us all in the heaven.

Ghost number 10: That would be nice if we could penalise those when thay are here amongst us.

Ghost number 11: But who will bell the wild cats? For, one way or the other we all assembled here were aligned to some political parties and had been in power when we had been alive. Have you all forgotten that the chief ghost himself who was a ruling party member did all the crimes against Nepali democracy when alive? I see some ghosts who were in the mainstream UML been squeezing the nation out of the China SouthWest air deal and bla bla abd bla!

Ghost number 12: If we go on talking like that then the objective of our today's meeting will go to the dogs. Talk sensible things only.

Ghost number 13: I propose that we must talk with the fresh arrivals to the heaven. I mean those who lost their lives in Achham last Saturday.

Ghost number 14: Good idea indeed.

The fresh arrivals are summoned.

Ghost number 15: I reached here only late Saturday evening. I was in the police. Since I had no leader at my back hence I was sent to Achham to die. Source and force only in Nepal.

Ghost number 16: The previous speaker is true, I'm myself also the victim of the same malaise.

Ghost number 17: Digging out the past will serve no purpose. Let us talk on how to save and build Nepal.

Ghost number 18: I propose a team of ghosts be sent to Nepal. The team should be on a study-tour which will submit its report prior to any sad events rocks Nepal. Later the chief ghost would allocate fellow-ghosts to do this or to do that in Nepal.

Ghost number 19: I would suggest the distinguished ghosts converged here the following: A group of ghosts be sent to Nepal to check the illegal immigrants from alien lands. The second group of ghosts would be ordered to construct the bridges which linked villages and districts in the far western region. Likewise, the third group of ghosts be told to frighten the smugglers/ corrupt ones to the extent that they themselves out of fear report to the voluntary declaration of their illegal incomes. The fourth group of ghosts is sent abroad so that they could enhance the sinking image of Nepal's diplomacy. In the process this group will initiate talks with friendly governments regarding economic diplomacy. Yet another group be sent to Nepal to tame the errant leaders in the Congress, the UML and the RPP in order that they all concentrate their efforts in saving the nation from the approaching crisis instead of playing foul games against Deuba.

Ghost number 20: I propose a team of ghosts be also sent to meet the Maoists stalwarts. This group would meet comrade Prachanda and Dr. Bhattarai in person and would try to convince them saying that it does not look nice a Nepali being killed by the other Nepali.

Chief ghost: Before I adjourn the meeting, I too have a proposal. My proposal is that one more group of ghosts be sent to Europe. The duty of this group will be to convince the Europeans that Nepal was safe for tourism activities. What a chaotic experience the Europeans will have when our "invisible" ghosts will make lectures being in their front on the scenic beauties of my Nepal? Perhaps out of ecstasy, the European will rush to Nepal and thus my Nepal will earn dollars.

Before the chief ghost adjourns the meeting, one security guard in the heaven lit his cigarette. Looking at the fire-flames all the assembled ghosts took to their heels.

When they will meet next no body knows.


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