Wednesday, August 10, 2005

In-depth analysis:
Whither Nepali civil society?

Kathmandu: A peculiar convention could be noticed of Nepali intellectuals and the so-called academicians that they exhibit as and when the nation is in crisis of the highest dimension.

To recall, during 1989 India imposed economic blockade when the nation demanded of them a sort of cooperation to thwart the India's malicious designs, the academicians toed more the Indian line rather than what should, as a matter of fact, have been the otherwise. In effect, Nepali academicians enjoyed their own country being penalized by the southern neighbor for a fault, which was admittedly not of Nepal's creation.

Now after a lapse of a decade and a half of the most infamous and ugly India's arm-twisting, the Nepali academicians appear hell bent on killing their own motherland by making irrelevant and irresponsible political utterances.

Analysts remain askance and ponder over whether such utterances were of their own making or were being made under someone's instigation or for that matter influence?

Question thus arises as to why a particular set of politically affiliated Nepali academia in collusion with the so-called civil society wage a sort of struggle with the State when the latter is experiencing a threat to its existence?

Mature political analysts opine that it could be the result of some soi disant political personalities projectised and properly disciplined by certain powerful NGO/INGOs who under the influence and dictates of those non-governmental institutions been talking sense and non-sense against their own country.

Political analysts prefer to dub such academicians who remain aloof from their own country's sufferings and act as per the wishes of aliens were a sort of burden for the History and thus nothing very concrete could be expected from such politically biased so called academicians.

Similarly, yet another unnecessary political weight are the ones who take pleasure in claiming themselves as the members of the civil society. Which civil society? Of the Congress'? Of the UML's? Of the RPPs?

Point to be noted is that those who once upon a time ruled the roost heavily crowd today's Nepali civil society. Consider a civil society housed by former bureaucrats, former police officials, former diplomats, former judges and more so former notorious brand of political animals.

It is this set that enjoyed perks and facilities when the country have had a government of their political affiliation. Now that their governments are not in power and hence this set prefers to remain in the political scene so that with yet another political upheaval they could bounce back to the Nepal's power corridor.

Furthermore, it is a set that is self-confused. AN already confused set can in no way act like a pressure group as per the definition of a civil society. Note that this set of special personalities would never wish to bring in their comity a son of a poor farmer or for that matter a truck driver or even a disabled Nepali. Why? Answers Are understandable and hence obvious.

Nepali civil society is a classic example of a group organized, managed and housed by white-collar personalities. No entry to the real sons of Nepal who live in cottages and have problems for two meals a day.

It is said that Nepal possesses about six hundred elites. It is from this number Nepal's political system survives. Others are not allowed to participate in the nation's affairs.

A sizeable chunk of this number ran the erstwhile regime. A different set is currently in the streets hoping that in the next political change they will get their shares in the system of governance. The fact is that the moment this set feels that the power is to go to the laymen, they come to the streets under one pretext or the other. What is painful is that they do so under alien's instructions presumably. They become tools of some alien nationals is what pains the general people.

Doesn't it look like our academicians and the members of the civil society to have already become lap dogs instead of being a watchdog which is what should have been in essence?

Analysts believe in the real strength of a civil society if it were a real one as per what the political scientists have defined the term as such. Nepal needed a strong and a vibrant civil society that acted as in effect like a watchdog but not what we have today close to lap dogs.

We need a civil society that acts on its own. We need a society that utilizes its own brain but not of those who appear inimical to this country and her people.

Koirala's political acumen to be tested during NC convention

Kathmandu: Nepal's oldest political paraphernalia is experience a threat of its very existence from within on certain crucial controversial matters whether the party should or should not raise at time of the NC general convention that is commencing soon.

While there are visibly two equally powerful lobbies in action, which wish to see their conflicting and contradictory ideas and views prevailing over the other during the convention, the population at large will ultimately entertain from the verbal speeches of the two diametrically opposing views.

The fact is that one lobby presumably under foreign instigation is lobbying for the congress activists to incorporate certain mechanism in the governance of the country that are alien to this country. Equally true is that there is yet another faction in the congress that would favor the status quo in the given scheme of things in the country.

To come to the point, the first grouping led by some frustrated congress brains, analysts say, have been advocating that the impending congress convention should focus its entire attention on whether Nepal as a nation-state needed the institution of the monarchy or not?

The other half of the status quoists maintain that if the congress abandoned the idea of having constitutional monarchy from its Charter under whims of some capricious brains then that would damage the image of the party that it has so carefully kept intact since five decades plus. They further say that the moment congress as a political party that adhered to a forward-looking mid-way politics since the very first days of its inception would collapse instantly. This particular set of congressites contend forcefully that it is these special political line acquired by the congress that has allowed and facilitated the party to grow by leaps and bounds over the decades and earn a place in people's hearts which others have so far not succeeded.

This set of the congress stalwarts' maintain that looking at the vulnerability and the geo-politics of the country and also taking into proper account of the malicious designs of one of Nepal's neighbors, it would be advisable to the party that it maintained the status quo which meant that the institution of the monarchy should not be brought into debate or whatsoever during the convention. This further meant that this set of the congressmen would love to keep intact the royal institution for long time to come for a variety of geo-political reasons.

The other set that advocates for a republican set up does so for reasons unknown at least to the Nepali population. Analysts presume that this special set is doing so in order to please some in the vicinity so that time permitting they could benefit from their own nation's total collapse of the Sikkim fame.

However, yet another section of the political analysts presume that those who have been championing the cause of republicanism were doing so in order to press the king hard and send threatening signals to the Palace so that the latter yielded to their political demands. But then yet some in this group comprise of those who have of late been influenced by the Maoists and prefer more to toe the lines of the Maoists who in turn appear to have been heavily influenced by those countries in the neighborhood who wish to see a weakened Nepali monarchy so that they benefit from the utter chaos that would follow in absence of the monarchy in Nepal if that unfortunate event happens.

The crux of the matter is that Girija Prasad Koirala is presumably playing double and thus playing with fire.

He is the one who actively favors the institution of the monarchy. Concurrently, he is presumed to be the one who has been pushing his activists to advocate the slogans of republicanism. He is doing the first because he from his inner hearts would wish the continuation of the institution. He does the opposite to terrorize the King so that the King finds no option other than to compromise with him.

This is dangerous, analysts say. He can't ride on two boats at a time. Either the boat or he will be drowned in a mechanism developed by him exclusively. More dangerous would be if he is doing the otherwise under the instructions of some anti-Nepal lobbies located here and there.

If he is being used by some alien forces and threatening the institution then that would tantamount to a Himalayan blunder on the part of a very seasoned and matured leader of the stature of Koirala.

Analysts hope that Koirala takes care of the rest. The population is eager to see his political maturity at time of the convention.

Ambassador Moriarty urges King Gyanendra and parties to reconcile

Kathmandu: The United States of America, the lone super power on earth, has in a roundabout way said that she remains distressed over the prevailing state of affairs of this Himalayan Kingdom.

The US has also pointed out that neither it would compromise with the restoration of the democratic order in Nepal nor tolerate the Maoists taking control over the control of the country.

Nonetheless, the United States of America continues to hope that a sort of reconciliation efforts come in the meantime that facilitated the way for political parties patching up their differences with the Palace.

The American Ambassador to the Nepali Court, James Francis Moriarty, made these annotations at a program organized by the Nepal Council of World Affairs in cooperation with the American center in Kathmandu, August 9.

"The people want reconciliation, they want peace and the way to achieve peace is with a democratic government united against the Maoists assault on Nepal", said the Ambassador hinting further that if the Palace (implied) offered positive gestures for talks with the now agitating parties, the parties "must keep an open mind and accept a hand".

In saying so the American Ambassador seemingly indicates that he would love to see an offer for talks coming from the Royal Palace itself to which the parties responded positively.

This concurrently means that the US would prefer reconciliation at the earliest in between the Palace and the parties in the larger interest of the country.

Ambassador Moriarty appears more concerned with the growing threats of the Maoists of late. That he is troubled of the eventuality of Nepal turning into a monolithic state under the control of the adherents of Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot becomes clear from his statement wherein he says, "theirs would not be a regime of benevolent socialism" and that if they came to power by chance the rebels would wipe out all the educated and free thinking people and might export their revolution which would be a disaster FOR THE ENTIRE south Asian region.

It is conceivably this threat that prompts the United States of America to urge the "legitimate political forces" to unite and frustrate the designs of the Maoists. "The continuing divisions between the Palace and the parties aid only the rebels and their plans to turn Nepal into a brutal and anachronistic state".

The Ambassador is clear in his contemplation that the Maoists have benefited a lot from the Palace-parties continuing rift.

The manner the American Ambassador expresses his revulsion towards the Maoists; what becomes pretty clear that he was not that happy or would take differently if that does happen if the political parties' initiate talks with the Maoists in order to have working relations with them. This is evident from his speech made at the NCWA meeting.

The American envoy in the same breathing wraps the palace and the political parties.

Talking circuitously of the Palace intents he questions the very credentials of some of the newly inducted ministers in the cabinet by the King. "How can the government (headed by the King implied) say it is imposing fiscal discipline when two of its ministers are loan defaulters"?

Likewise, the American representative says of the political parties that "parties while in power too have had certain visible shortcomings such as corruption, nepotism, lack of intra-party democracy and above all, lack of transparency".

However, the American envoy indicates that such shortcoming seen in the party does not mean that democratic system was not workable for Nepal but instead it glaringly demanded the holding of free and fair elections so that in his own words "people of Nepal can sit in judgment on their would-be-leaders"

In saying so the American diplomat presumes that if the elections were held as per the King's pronouncements, the derailed democratic system could be brought to its original track which is what was needed.

This means that he is urging the political parties to participate in the elections and allow the people to chose their representative. This amply hints that the US favored holding of the elections. This consideration might not come in good taste for the agitating parties.

Summing up, the American envoy in an explicit manner demands from the Palace concrete actions in the broader interest of the country. He says, " We call on the Palace to reach out to the political parties with sincere proposals that reflect their common agenda of multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy and a return to full electoral democracy". How the Palace reacts to Ambassador's fervent appeal will have to be watched.

This statement implies that the US would be more than happy if the King made positive overtures in order to seduce the political parties. Ambassador Moriarty also hints that his country would go in favor of the continuation of a constitutional monarchy as against some voices being made otherwise by some political leaders.

Summing up, the US envoy prefers reconciliation to confrontation. The US would want the King to take the initiatives for reconciliation with the political parties. He hopes that the political parties will respond to such gestures from the King. The US would wish the King to exhibit his commitments to democracy both in words and in deeds. The American envoy clearly hints that he was not happy with the selection of the ministers freshly inducted in the cabinet. He urges the government to restore civil liberties, including the freedom of the media and freedom of personal expression.

Nepal-China ties a model of state-to-state relations

- Sun Heping, Ambassador of China in Nepal

Kathmandu: Nepal's noted China experts last week eulogized the exquisiteness and glory of Nepal-China bilateral relations and concurrently scathingly criticized some of Nepal's friend for their having acquired double-standard strategies in the conduct of their bilateral relations with this country.

"Of late some countries have been found poking their nose in Nepal's exclusive internal affairs, which should be avoided in the conduct of a sovereign state-to-state relations," opined Dr. Mohan Prasad Lohani, a China expert in his own right, at a book launching ceremony, August 4, on Nepal-China relations published by the Institute of Foreign Affairs.

The Vice Chairman of the Confederation of the Nepali Industries, Rajendra Khetan, dwelt on the urgency of the dynamic leaders of the business community on both the sides to take "advantage of the excellent relations and cash it to bring in prosperity to the teeming millions on either sides of the border".

The Chinese Ambassador to the Nepali Court, Sun Heping described Nepal-China relations as " worthy model of state-to-state good neighborly friendship and cooperation". He further added, "Mutual respect, mutual trust and treating each other equally have become salient characters of Nepal-China relations".

The meaning underneath Chinese Ambassador's speech is significant.

IFA Director, Nischal Nath Pandey shed light on various facets of Nepal-China relations.

Ultra Rapid Detoxification can cure drug addicts in days

-Dr. sanjay Chugh, India

Kathmandu: Gone are the days when medical practitioners used to take years and years for the treatment of drug addicts.

Simpler and faster methods have come into offing, which have proved to be far efficient and result oriented than the methods acquired in the recent past.

"I have come to Nepal to explore the possibilities on how I could be of tangible support to the treatment of the Nepali drug addicts who, I suppose, are in quite sizeable numbers in the country", said a beaming and confident Dr. Sanjay Chugh, an Indian Psychiatrist currently in town to a select group of pressmen August 8, at Hotel Annapurna.

Dr. Chugh is the founder chairman of the International Institute for De-addiction Research and Therapy, IIDRT, based in New Delhi.

"Addiction is a biological disease and is associated with several structural and physiological changes in different parts of brain, especially in the area known as Reward Center, RC," said Dr. Chugh, adding that if some techniques could shield the reward center located in the brain from the effects of the drug would mean that the intake of the drugs by the addict has now ceased to have its impact on the centers that in effect get excited when drugs are consumed.

"We have some methods which have proved hundred percent successful", said a confident Indian Medical practitioner.

Dr. Chugh claims that his method of Ultra Rapid Opiod Detoxification detoxifies the toxic material from the body of the addict in matters of hours and at best days.

According to Dr. Chugh, at some highly specialized centers in the world, now in India as well, the problem of Opiate addiction is treated very successfully through the effective use of Ultra rapid Opiate Detoxification along with implantable Naltrexone pellets.

Addiction is defined as, according to the young Indian doctor, compulsive use of the drugs (intense craving for the drugs), and loss of control over the drugs and finally the presence of withdrawal syndromes.

Mr. Joy Dewan, the MD of the Zenith Travels and the Nepal GSA for the Qatar Airways introduced the Indian psychiatrist to the attending media men.

Dr. Chugh is intending to open a sort of Nepal Office of his Institute in collaboration with Nepal's one of the promising Travel /Trade entrepreneur, Joy Dewan, in order to support the country to get rid of this menace that is killing the vitality of the nation.

ENBREF:

RNA ineffective in curbing Maoists: Mukharjee

Kathmandu: While talking to the journalists in Calcutta, state capital of West Bengal, Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukharjee said that he was concerned the situation in Nepal could "go out of hand" because the Nepalese army's efforts to crush a Maoist rebellion are proving ineffective.

He added that the RNA is trying to contain the Maoists, but its efforts are not effective. He said that, We hope it successfully tackles them, otherwise, the situation will go out of hand.”

"We are trying to impress upon the Nepalese government to tackle the Maoists. But, unfortunately, certain recent developments in that country like the suppression of its constitution and the multi-party system had provided a set back anti-Maoist initiatives," he said.

Minister Dhakal urges diplomats to stick to norms

Kathmandu: While commenting on the recent remarks made by the British envoy to the Himalayan Kingdom, Information Minister and the spokesperson of the government Tanka Dhakal told that, “diplomats present in the country should follow diplomatic norms and the HMG/Nepal would like to urge the diplomatic community, including British envoy, to follow diplomatic norms”.

He was talking to reporters present at a press conference organized by the Department of Information. Adding further he said, every country has got its own political reality and we want the diplomats to be sensitive towards this fact.

$ 4.8 mn Chinese assistance

Kathmandu: The Peoples republic of China has announced a $ 4.8 million grant to Nepal for construction of a polytechnic in Banepa, (25 Km east of Kathmandu).

The construction the Polytechnic Institute will commence in November this year.

The Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, H.E Sun Heping after signing of the agreement told that, "China will continue to provide Nepal with various assistance as in the past".

A bilateral agreement was signed between China Heilongji ang International Economic and Technical Cooperative Cooperation (CHIETCC) on behalf of Chinese government and Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) on behalf of Nepal Government.

Food and water-borne diseases cause 3,000 deaths

Kathmandu: Talking to reporters an official at Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) of Nepal said that about 3,000 people, out of 20,000 people affected with food and water-borne diseases died last year in Nepal.

According to the EDCD about 20,000 persons are affected by food and water-borne diseases with around 3,000 dying last year in Nepal. The major food and water-borne diseases are cholera, viral gastroenteritis, typhoid, Hepatitis A, polio, worms and parasites and chemical toxins, and these diseases can be checked if proper precautions are taken in time.

A total of 6,803 cases of diarrhea cases with one death were reported in Kathmandu Valley, while 14,065 cases and 337 deaths were reported outside the valley in 2004, ECED declared.