I n d e p t h    A n a l y s i s
Thapa may turn tables on King

Kathmandu: It dies not look like the Maoist-Government talks have begun on the right foot. One day after Minister Kamal Thapa proclaimed that government was ready for talks when the Maoists were, he had to write a hasty formal invitation to Dr.B.R.Bhattarai for the talks after learning that the Maoists virtually closed their Kathmandu contact office dismantling their office computers.

This regardless the knowledge that the Surya Bahadur Thapa government sends minds reeling. This is particularly so knowing that considerable path finding homework had been dome during Chand’s Nine months tenure and the Thapa cabinet had merely to pick upon it. The mystery behind the seeming attempt to begin anew with afresh negotiations is perhaps explained in the organizational politics of Surya Bahadur Thapa, particularly his politics with the RPP.

No headway moreover, seems to have been made in the other responsibility if wooing the participation and concordance of the agitating parties who oppose the King’s interpretations of Article 127. The agitation on the other-hand has entered its Sixth phase. The fifth phase was concluded with the participation of professional organizations linked to the parties. The sixth phase program envisages the widening of the movement. On short, it is now possible to conceive that the parties in desperation will now attempt closures of essential services in government and outside. This is largely because of the seeming public nonchalance on programs conceived so far under the agitation. Indeed, street rallies and relay hunger strikes have become the butt of jokes in the media and the public given the virtual lack of public strength and tremendous cadre hesitation in participation.

The lack of direction in politics is bound to turn public attention towards speculation on the shape of things to come. The widening of the dissenting triangle-namely, the Maoists, the agitating parties and the King- sets one askance at the seeming neutrality of the Thapa government. Both Maoists and the agitating parties continue to hit the King. The monarchy is no subject for defense in the Government comments. This public posture is topic for suspicion as a two-month deadline approach for Thapa. One is that Thapa after widening the Maoists-Monarchy rift and that between the agitating parties and the Monarchy could suddenly advise the King to restore the dissolved parliament. In keeping with his liberal pretensions Thapa might well cite his credential under the constitutional powers imbibed in article 35 to state that this advice is mandatory for the constitutional monarch.

Malinowski kills several birds with one stone

Kathmandu: Killing two birds with one stone is no news. However, what is news is when one stone kills several birds at a time.

The United States Ambassador Michael E. Malinowski falls under the second category for obvious reasons.

A letter signed by Ambassador Malinowski last week created ripples both in Kathmandu and Thimpu when it appeared in one of the broad sheet daily hinting both the countries, Nepal and Bhutan, that the United States was not that happy with the conclusions arrived at by the joint verification team, JVT, as it had so many "inconsistencies".

While the Ambassador’s letter has alerted the Nepali side to remain vigilant while arriving at any conclusion regarding the repatriation of the genuine Bhutanese refugees, the letter on the other has expressed its deepest concern for the security and the would be social integration of the refugees returning to their motherland.

The letter though is relatively small but then yet is full of meaning as it has touched all the possible aspects of the refugees from their safe return to Bhutan and their possible assimilation in the Bhutanese society albeit in a changed context.

In all, the letter has tried to pin point these shortcomings in the JVT report regarding the Khudnabari refugee camp.

Firstly, the letter points out to the glaring inconsistencies seen in the report. The Ambassador justifies the inconsistencies by citing one example that while the parents have been categorized as non-Bhutanese and therefore not eligible to return to Bhutan, whereas their children have been categorized as Bhutanese and eligible to return and reapply for citizenship.

Secondly, the letter expresses its fear and questions as to how the Bhutanese who have been denied return this time could appeal to the same authority which denied them their right to return to Bhutan? Pertinent question indeed. This means that the Ambassador is skeptical about the body reversing its own previous verdict which means that the Bhutanese will be allowed to appeal but the result will be a foregone conclusion.

Thirdly, Ambassador Malinowski has strongly hinted that the conclusions arrives at recently were not "transparent" as it should have been and hence he urges the countries concerned to "reexamine" the report’s conclusions and if possible "review" the entire decisions in the larger interest of the refugees and make the whole affair "transparent" so that the people within and without could believe in the outcome of the report that was full of inconsistencies.

Fourthly, the Ambassador suspects that the Bhutanese returning to Bhutan legally might not be treated in a fair manner and hence talks of the "absence of guarantees" to the refugees. This means that the Ambassador of the United States would like to get proper and genuine guarantees from the Bhutanese side that the refugees will be treated in a fair manner and that they will not be "terrorized" any more by the state security apparatus much the same way which made them to flee to Nepal some twelve years ago. The fact is that the Bhutanese side has yet to guarantee the safe and sound return of its own forcedly evacuated citizens.

Fifthly, the US has indirectly hinted the Royal government of Bhutan to allow the refugees to return to their own places from where they were forced to leave the country. The letter also expresses concern for the possible employment of the refugees upon return to Bhutan and suggests indirectly the Bhutan government to allow the refugees to reside in their original places so that they can resume their activities as usual. Here is presumably a humanistic approach of the United States government.

Sixthly, the Ambassador appears not convinced about the safe return of the refugees and their possible engagement in employment in their original place of residence and hence he says "with so many uncertainties facing the refugees’ future in Bhutan, I fear that many will be hesitant to return". This means that a considerable chunk of the Bhutanese refugees even if allowed to return to Bhutan will not do so unless they conclude that the "uncertainties" as mentioned by the United States remain have already become just the other wise. Its corollary would be that the refugees will apparently wish to live in Nepali camps until they are told from their compatriots that Bhutan had already become a heaven and advised to return. Sounds bit hollow!

Seventhly, Ambassador Malinowski has rightly tried to elevate the ranks of the UNHCR. In effect, the total neglect of the UNHCR by the Nepali side appears to have jolted the United States. The fact is that who else knows better, about the management of the refugees from providing shelter to the refugees to the process of safe repatriation, than the UNHCR--—a world body which according to the Ambassador is "uniquely qualified to assist in the verification and repatriation of the refugees". In saying so the Ambassador apparently laments the negligence exhibited by Nepal in particular and Bhutan in general in seeking the mediation efforts of the world recognized body. Its corollary would be that if the UNHCR were taken into confidence and asked to assist would have not brought the inconsistencies which have appeared in its absence.

The US Ambassador wishes to assist the refugees’ in collaboration with the UNHCR in their return and reintegration in Bhutan for it presumes that under the "current conditions of return, we believe, are unlikely to foster sustainable reintegration of the refugees back into the Bhutanese society". In other words, the Ambassador suspects that the refugees if back in their country might not be pleasingly accepted by the authorities there.

These were some of the points which our analysts analyzed. The gist is that the United States is not happy with the outcome of the latest report that had so many inconsistencies. The US also wishes the UNHCR role in the entire affair that is related with the refugees and has also more or less "instructed" Nepal and Bhutan to bring in the good offices of the UNHCR. The letter also suggests Bhutan to prepare conducive atmosphere for the refugees who wish to return to their motherland.

To recall, at the fag end of the Clinton Administration, Assistant Secretary of State, Carl Inderfurth, talking to a select group of Nepali media men at the Shangrila Hotel had warned Bhutan that if they did not exhibited their desire to take back their own nationals residing in Nepali camps, the US will be forced to convince international consortium assisting Bhutan to suspend their pledges for a while until the Druk regime heeded to the US suggestions.

Since then the US side more or less appeared reluctant in pressing Bhutan to take back its refugees. However, the fresh US overtures speak that the US is not only watching the events here but is also not happy with the manner the refugees are being verified by the JVT. Should this mean that the US would henceforth keep eyeing the procedures and the methods of verification currently being applied for the process of verification and for the repatriation of the refugees? Does this mean that the US thinks that the conclusions of the JVT have come as a sheer injustice to the refugees?

The Ambassador’s letter has come also at a time when Indian foreign secretary was in town last week in connection with the SAARC standing committee meeting. How India, a very very close friend of Bhutan could have "gulped" the underlying message ( bitter pill) contained in the said letter which presumably must have come as a "bomb-shell" to the Bhutanese authorities who have time and again "befooled" their Nepali counterparts at time of bilateral negotiations. Should this also mean that the letter has favored the Nepali side?

We haven’t ‘blackmailed’ SAARC movement, says Pak Foreign Secretary

Kathmandu: Pakistan’s foreign secretary Mr. Riaz H. Khokhar has said that the SAARC Charter must be honored and respected by all member states as it is "mandatory" to hold the Summits annually.

In saying so, the foreign secretary was certainly hinting that it was not his country that had stalled the convening of the Summits in the past but it were India which, in the words of Pak foreign secretary, had blackmailed and hijacked the entire SAARC movement.’

"Every body knows as to which country in the region has at different intervals of time has derailed the SAARC process", said Riaz Khokhar talking to the press.

" I refute the Indian allegation that the slow pace of the movement of the SAARC is due to Pakistan", but instead we are one of the "most active partners in the movement", added the Pakistan foreign secretary.

In effect, the Pak dignitary wished to summarily refute the charges made against his country a day earlier by his Indian counterpart in Kathmandu.

Pakistan though appeared pleased with the announcement of the dates for the next Summit in Islamabad but also concurrently expressed fears about its convening on the scheduled dates early next year.

"I am very satisfied with the outcome of the meeting and hope that the Summit will be held in Pakistan as planned. However, we have seen some media reports that suggest that lack of progress on SAFTA may be used at a later stage, as an excuse to postpone the Summit once again", continued Riaz Khokhar.

To a query of this scribe, the Pakistan foreign secretary opined that his country’s relations with the United States were "excellent and predictable". However, he did not divulge as to what he meant by the term predictable in their bilateral relations.

On yet another query, Riaz Khokhar said that if all the members agreed then China could be brought in the SAARC movement.

Telegraph adds: India’s prime minister has made it clear that his country will attend the next SAARC Summit to be held in Islamabad.

Piyush Amatya, the victim of a calculated conspiracy!

Kathmandu: The prestige and the very popularity of country’s oldest bank, Nepal Bank Limited, has suddenly touched a new low ever since the bank started its operation almost five decades ago.

The board of directors of the bank themselves confide that they fail to understand as to what is happening inside the bank or for that matter how the bank is operating since the Irish management took up the affairs of the said bank. According to them, it is the Irish people and their Nepali subordinates who dictate the matters regarding the affairs of the bank.

"Albeit we come to know about the ongoing affairs of the bank only after a fortnight or so", say the men housed in the governing board of the bank.

The manner Piyush Bahadur Amatya, a very serious industrialist and a top-class Hotelier was presented before the CIAA authority last week at the instigation of the bank itself has raised doubts over the visibly "biased" functioning of the Irish management.

Sources connected with the banking sector in Kathmandu say that the bank management should have pushed the names of those "defaulters" to the CIAA for proper interrogation who owe astronomical amounts of the bank and apparently exhibit their neglect in paying even the interests incurred on the principal amount.

"The Irish management has committed a crime by penalizing Piyush Amatya who has exhibited his willingness for the payment of the loans he drew from the bank and invested in one of the best hotels in South Asia—The Fulbari Resort, Pokhara.

The Chairman of the Nepal Bank, Mr. Bharat Karki was tight lipped in this case but then yet said that he came to know about Amatya being penalized by the CIAA under the direction of the bank itself much later. So say his other colleagues.

Talking to this scribe, Piyush Amatya revealed that he has appealed the bank authorities to grant him some more time for the repayment of the loans. According to Amatya, the Irish management also possessed positive views on his plea that he be allowed some time to settle the financial transactions.

What is surprising here is that how come the Irish management could act doubly: listening to Amatya’s plea positively and then suddenly pressing the CIAA to gag Amatya?

Questions are being raised as to which force on Nepali earth could have seduced the Irish people to go in for a chase of Mr. Amatya?

It would be advisable to the Irish management to forward the very good names of those SHARKS to the CIAA for interrogation who have practically looted the treasury of the Nepal Bank in the past and also appear not to be in a mood to repay the loans come what may. If the new management could do so would mean that the Irish people now looking into the affairs of the bank mean business.

Penalizing one of the most serious, clean and dedicated entrepreneur of the sort of Mr. Amatya will only contribute in damaging the ever down going prestige of the bank specially after the new management took over.

Needless to say, the entire business community in Kathmandu have not taken this episode in a pleasant mood.

The terror must stop.

Penalise the corrupts: Khetan

Kathmandu: Mohan Gopal Khetan, one of the industrial wizard of the country, has said that Nepal today do not need the existence of "frustrated and depressed brains" and hopes that those depressed ones will henceforth dedicate themselves in social activities and that what the nation needed today is the prevalence of clean and real social activists who could share the pleasures and the sorrows of the down trodden mass.

This he said while felicitating the constitutional monarch last week by the Agrawal Community based in Nepal.

On the occasion Mr. Khetan also appealed the King to look into the land owned by the community in Dev Ghat and right here in Maharajgunj which, according to him., were at the moment grabbed by a few greedy individuals thus not allowing the community to expand their social activities that were all aimed at the betterment of the poor section of the society.

Moreover, he assured the monarch that the members of his community were ready to offer their unconditional and prompt support to the monarch should he so desire.

Mr. Khetan recalled that his community had rendered its support at the time of Nepal-Tibet war in the 19th century by supplying the needed rations/food stuffs to the Nepali warriors. In the same vein, we also supported, said Khetan, at time of the Great earthquake of the 1990 B.S.

"We have a track record of supporting the victims of natural disasters as and such sad events have gripped the nation and its population.

"We who come from the lineage of Maharaj Agrasen and we who comply to the rules and procedures set by Shri Agrasen assure His Majesty that we will contribute to assist unconditionally the monarchy and the poor section of the society from our modest earnings", continued Khetan.

Concluding his remarks, Mr. Khetan lambasted at those who got lands from the Nepali Kings in the past but instead of supporting to the cause of the nation preferred to invite the alien forces. According to him, the King should be in knowledge of those that amassed wealth after the 1990 change and wished that they be penalized. (Excerpts only).

SID, Nepal Chapter organises a seminar on RH

Kathmandu: The Nepal chapter of the Society for International Development last week organised a talk program on "Policy Dialogue on Reproductive Health and Rights" in collaboration with the UNFPA, UNFPA-CST/SAWA, UNICEF and the WHO.

Welcoming the guests, the chairman of the SID, Nepal Chapter, Prof. Dr. B.K.Maskey said that the country’s condition of persistent poverty, growing violence and continuing conflict and insurgency, and the commodification of sexuality in the media are all leading to increased trafficking of women and girls and therefore the issue of Reproductive health and rights needs to be examined from a broader context of the emerging situation to find alternative solutions.

On the same occasion, J.Bill Musoke, the UNFPA representative in Nepal opined that the UNFPA stresses the universality and indivisibility of human rights, focusing on the sexual and reproductive rights of women and men and on the promotion of gender equality, equity and empowerment of women and we thus believe that this approach will bring about a more equitable and healthy society specially among the marginalised populations.

Dr. Sadig Rasheed, Member, SID Governing Council and Executive Committee and concurrently the Regional Director, UNICEF/ROSA congratulated the SID/Nepal for having taken up the relevant topic.

According to him, unless the civil society organizations and institutions like the SID do not take up the issues confronting the women folks in the developing countries, the illiterate women would continue to feel marginalised.

"It’s time that the women of the world assert their rights", said Dr. Rasheed.

He assured the SID that he would continue to extend his support in the future provided the issues were related to the marginalised groups and the guardian less children.

On the occasion, the WHO and the UNICEF Country representatives also shared their views.

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