Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Conserving Mountain Environment

By Ek Raj Sigdel, Nepal

Having immense natural and cultural value, Nepal's Mountain can be termed as the `Epitome of Paradise' for tourists, trekkers and expeditionary. Fragile mountain environment and subsistence agriculture are contributing to the degradation of the mountain ecosystem. The consequences are aggrandizing the poverty situation in the mountain regions. In order to address these diverse issues, development of sustainable tourism base would be the only viable option for the long-term conservation of environment and thereby contributing to betterment of the mountain communities.

The mountain environment of Nepal, by virtue of their inaccessible nature, has narrow scope for modern development in a cost effective way. Subsistence agriculture and livestock are the main economic source of mountain people. Migratory works elsewhere in Nepal and India is the complementary source of income to these people. The economic condition of the majorities of people in mountain is marginal. Likewise, the agriculture land is limited by the steep topography.

Including the Mt. Everest, Nepal houses eight of the world's fourteen highest mountains. The country has 79% of its area under mountainous topography. Similarly, out of 118 Nepal's ecosystems, 38 are in Mountain region. The mountain region is the meeting point of the major geographical realms of the world - the palaearctic and Indo-Malayan.

The series of the mighty Himalayan ranges separated by some of the deepest gorges are the striking attractions for tourists. While trekking in Nepal, one can see the fantastic snow capped peaks along with the beautiful lakes and smile faced people. Unique flora and fauna are other potential tourist attractions in the mountain environment. Moreover, traditional village, historical sites, culture and architecture of local people deserve special attractions for tourists.

Realizing the higher tourism value, the government of Nepal opened its border for foreigners in 1950s. Since then, the flow of tourists has been in an increasing trend. No doubt, the growing tourist number has contributed a lot to local and national economy of Nepal. For instance, people in Khumbu, Annapurna Conservation Area and Langtang National Park and adjoining areas have been enjoying significant tourism benefits for many years. It has been reported that, because of well­ managed tourism, once declined cultural value of Sagarmatha region has been revived through local initiatives. Monasteries Management Committees, Youth Group, and Youth Club are actively engaged in conserving cultural and natural heritage in this region. Because of the concerted efforts; the environment of Sagarmatha National Park seems to be improving for the last few years.

Yet against this backdrop, concentration of tourism pressure in limited mountain areas has been posing various challenges. Every year hundreds of tons of firewood are used for cooking and campfire. Signs of massive deforestation in some of the trekking sites of Nepal are evident. The destruction of scant vegetation in the alpine regions of Nepal also leads to frequent mudslides, landslides, creep and rock falls as well as silting of the river. The country is experiencing severe inequalities of wealth, low living standards, high unemployment, uneven economic development, as well as heavy dependence on foreign investment and foreign aid. Some high altitude plant species, such as Abies spectabillis, Tsuga dumosa and Rhododendron nivala, are under intense economic pressure aggravated by the tourist pressure. If the present trend continues, the degradation of the mountain environment may cause irreversible damage to the mountain fragile ecosystem and lifestyle of the people.

Recognizing the higher conservation value of mountain ecosystems, His Majesty's Government of Nepal has established 7 Protected Areas (PAs) all along the border of China, covering 78.54% of total PAs in Nepal. These PAs represent 30 on of the 38 ecosystems of the highland. Though, it is relatively less diverse in flora and fauna, they possess a significant number of endemic species. Mountain, endowed with the rich biodiversity, provides an excellent source of revenue for His Majesty's Government of Nepal through eco-tourism management. The most important regions for mountain tourism in Nepal are Annapurna, Khumbu, Sagrmatha and Langtang-Helambu. The three regions, namely Sagarmatha, Langtang and Annapurna Conservation Area combined accounts around 95°l0 of all mountain trekking permits issues and the remaining 5% of trekkers visit Rara National Park, Dolpo, Humla, Makalu and Kanchanjunga. Similarly, about 43% of all international leisure arrivals in Nepal go for trekking.

The relationship between tourism and environment is that of a delicate balance between sustainable community development and safeguarding the environment. Tourism where it has been allowed to run free, has caused more disaster to the natural beauty of the surroundings, destroyed traditional value system, greatly helped accelerating the deforestation and has not really helped population in true, rather it has exploited unmercifully.

To maximize the tourism benefit to the Mountain people and environment, the government should undertake various activities in a planned way. Firstly, locals should be trained on

lodge management, tour guide and interpretation skills. Secondly, in order to develop appropriate tourism facilities and services, a credit facility for local entrepreneurs should be in place. Most importantly, locals should be aware on the importance of maintaining the village architecture, traditions, and wildlife management. Finally, trans-boundary tourism across the trans-border areas, such as Nagpa­la, and Chhentang - Kimathanka should be promoted.

The efforts of HMG of Nepal in establishing the National Parks and Wildlife Reserves in the country are very appropriate strategies towards developing sustainable tourism in Nepal. Integrated mountain environment conservation, community development and tourism promotion is the only option for the betterment of people. It warrants the immediate need of formulating Integrated National Tourism Master Plan and a separate Mountain Development Policy.

Text courtesy: NTTR July 04 - 10, 2005. The Telegraph thanks the publisher of the NTTR.and the author of the article.

Nepal Participation In The Un Peacekeeing Operations

- Lt.General (retd.) Krishna N. S. Thapa

Nepal became the member of the UN in 1955 and this year it completes fifty years of its membership. Therefore on the occasion of commemorating the Fiftieth Year of Nepal's membership of the United Nations, it would be worthwhile to walk into the memory lane of the past fifty years in the UN, evaluating our commitments and contributions to this Worldwide Intergovernmental Organization. Amongst other contributions of Nepal to this worldwide organization, peacekeeping stands out as the most honored and distinguished one. Before going into the subject matter of participation in the UN peacekeeping operations it would be worth while to go through the process of evolution of this Worldwide Intergovernmental Organization called the United Nations (UN) and its responsibilities to maintain the World peace and Security.

Immediately after the First World War an organization called the League of Nations was founded to maintain the international peace and security. Since the League of Nations failed to prevent the Second World War its methods were discredited and seen ineffective. But the need for an organization to maintain the international peace and security was felt more now than ever before, therefore the UN was founded at the close of the Second World War. Its Charter came into force in 1945 after a majority of the 51 signatory nations ratified it on October 24, a date since commemorated as the United Nations Day. The very first sentence of the UN charter starts like this "we the people of the United Nations determined to save the succeeding generations from the scourge of war which twice in our life-time has brought untold sorrow to mankind". Although the UN has not often proved capable of preventing military conflicts, it has expanded its functions and membership to become an influential organization in all aspects of international relations.

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE UN

The UN Charter created six principle organs for this World body: Security Council, General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of justice and the Secretariat. The Charter also provided for the creation of subsidiary bodies by the general Assembly and Economic and Social Council and for the assembling of the Peacekeeping forces by the Security Council.

SECURITY COUNCIL: The UN Charter created the most powerful Security Council of 11 members, five of which China, France,Great Britain, the United States, and the USSR became the permanent members and 6 were elected members. ln 1965 an amendment added four more elected members in the Security Council increasing the size of the council to 15 members. Nepal in its 50 years of membership in the UN has already been elected twice in the council, which in itself is great achievement. The small size of the Security Council reflects its importance in the eyes of those who created the organization. The Charter vested primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security In the council, including peacekeeping actions and the use of sanction against tile aggressor ranging up to collective military force.

UNDERSTANDING THE UN PEACEKEEPING: Peacekeeping is a way to help countries torn by conflicts and create conditions for sustainable peace. UN peacekeepers-soldiers and military officers, civilian police officers and civilian personnel from many countries monitor and observe peace processes that emerge in post conflict situations and assist ex-combatants to implement tile peace agreements they have signed. Such assistance comes in many forms, including confidence-building measures, power sharing arrangements, electoral support, strengthening the rule of law, and economic and social development.

The Charter of the United Nations gives the UN Security Council tile power and responsibility to take collective action to maintain International peace and security. For this reason, the international community usually looks to tile Security Council to authorize peacekeeping operations. Most of these operations are established and implemented by the United Nations itself with troops serving under ('N operational command. In other cases, where direct UN involvement is not considered appropriate or feasible, the Council authorizes regional organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Economic Community of West African States or coalition of willing countries to implement certain peacekeeping or peace enforcement functions.

NEPAL'S PARTICIPATION IN UN PEACEKEEPING

Soon after Nepal became the member of the United Nations in 1955, it was requested to take part in UN peacekeeping operations, hence for the first time Nepal sent five member military observers team to UNOGIL (United Nations Observer Group in Lebanon) in 1958. The team was made of five officers of the rank of Major from the UN, has been continuously providing troops to UN peacekeeping. With the evolution and the expansion in the UN peacekeeping operations Nepal's participation has also grown from a small team of five officers in 1958, to a large contribution of 3016 personnel including officers and other ranks in 2005. From 1958 till now Nepal has contributed 46,063 personnel in various places and positions, including the Force Commanders and some senior Staff Officers in the UN HQ New York.

During the period of 47 years UN peacekeeping participation, Nepal has dispatched Royal Nepalese Army personnel to the above-mentioned 29 different UN peacekeeping missions. It has also sent Civilians and Civil Police personnel to various places for UN peacekeeping operations.

Since 1958 to this date Nepal has sent some 47,000 personnel from the Royal Nepalese Army alone and the figures from the Nepal Police and the civilian though not mentioned here must be in a very substantive figures also.

In the line of duties for the UN peacekeeping operations the Royal Nepalese Army has suffered 45 fatalities and another 45 personnel have been disabled.

CONCLUSION

Whether the UN will continue to expand its peacekeeping, and International security role and grow into the kind of worldwide organization envisioned by those who drafted its charter depends on several factors. First and fore most of them is the continued willingness of the great powers to co-operate and to do so in all manners that will not alienate less powerful members of the organization. Second one is the funding the need for which has expanded greatly with the increase in the UN peacekeeping activities. A third in the support of the emerging powers notably Germany and Japan, which will require finding a large voice for them in the UN, perhaps by reorganizing the Security Council to make them permanent members, with or without the Veto Power. But the contenders for the prestigious permanent seat in the Security Council is increasing by the days as the efforts to expand the Security Council continue. Whatever the out come the next few years will be decisive ones for the United Nations. In the mean time Nepal must continue its participation in the UN peacekeeping operations and always prepare itself to fulfill its commitments for international peace and security with more vision, preparedness and effectiveness. As always Nepal must consolidate its well- established track record in UN peacekeeping and further enhance its peacekeeping capabilities.

The author presented this paper at an IFA/NCWA/UNAN seminar held recently in Kathmandu. Thanks the organizers of the seminar/ Excerpts only-ed.

ADB Perspective:Development in Conflict

The 9-year-old insurgency waged by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has worsened Nepal's security situation and development chal­lenges. With the breakdown of the cease­fire in August 2003 and the escalation of confrontation between the government forces and the insurgents, the outlook seems bleaker. In many villages severely affected by conflict, all stakeholders ­including development workers, political party activists, civil society groups, and farmers-have been operating insecurely.

More than 10,000 lives have been lost since 1996. While casualty figures and infra­structure damage have been comparative­ly well reported, the impact of conflict on development and poverty reduction pro­grams has been difficult to document.

Stakeholders in the mid- and far-western regions-where conflict has been most acute-identified lack of employment as the main factor behind the conflict. The lack of connectivity and livelihood opportunities and a sense of isolation among the disad­vantaged community were also identified as causes of conflict.

In various parts of the country; the conflict has fueled migration-both internal and external-with only the elderlies, women, and children left behind in villages. The agriculture sector, the economic mainstay of the country, is severely affected. In many households, farming activities have stopped. Farmlands are left fallow as able-bodied men and women migrate to India or urban centers in Nepal. "There is an acute shortage of farm hands in our com­munities. People, especially the able­ bodied men and women, are fleeing in huge numbers to Malaysia, Arab countries, India, and Kathmandu," said Bishweshwor Kattel, former mayor of Prithabinarayan Municipality, Gorkha. "If this trend I have witnessed in the last one-and-a-half years or so were to continue, I deeply fear for the future of our communities."

Although many returned home during the 7­month cease-fire in 2002, a growing number of migrants may never return, said stake­holders. While the cease-fire renewed hope for peace and development, the breakdown of the peace process has resulted in the most intense violence in 9 years of conflict.

The locals have to deal with three "powers" in the far western region-the Government, NGOs, and the insurgents, according to Chitranga Thapa, a journalist from Kanchanpur and President of the Federation of Journalist Association. "NGOs have been operating with the pro­tection of local insurgents," he said. "In some areas the State exists in the district headquarters and during daytime only."

The insurgents raise tax in their villages, others said, adding that teachers are forced to pay a quarter of their monthly salary to the insurgents. Villagers have to share their harvests with both the insurgents and the government security forces. "We have to share our farm harvests with both sides of the conflict," said Shanti Chaudhari, an NGO worker from a village in Dang. "I fled from my house in the village, leaving my rice harvest behind." Her village is now controlled by the insurgents.

Development activities are possible with some level of cooperation from the insur­gents. "In 43 village development commit­tees (VDCs) in Rukum and Rolpa, it is almost impossible to carry out any kind of development activities without the cooper­ation of insurgents," said Nawaraj Cautam, a lawyer from Musikot, Rukum.

In both districts, where the majority of the populations are Magars (ethnic communi­ty), the Government enforced the Prohibition Act in 1977 to ban poppy culti­vation, a major source of income for many families. But no alternative forms of employment were created. "This led to the loss of an important traditional source of

income with no other alternatives," said Gautam. "Many such people joined the insurgents later."

Stakeholders in the Nepalgunj consulta­tions (where mid- and far-western regions' consultations were held) demanded imme­diate relief packages to help conflict-affect­ed people. A large number are now living in Nepalgunj, the unofficial regional hub.

The security situation in the eastern region is comparatively better than other areas, although many hill districts-Bhojpur, Dhankuta, and Ilam-in the region are increasingly affected by the insurgency. The conflict had widely destroyed parts of Sankhuwasabha, where development needs of local communities had been over­shadowed by security concerns, according to a stakeholder.

Stakeholders in the central region expressed fear that destruction of expen­sive infrastructure, abductions of develop­ment workers, and widespread extortions will increasingly drive development work­ers and experts away from the villages. Some participants said that the security sit­uation was getting uncontrollable and the lifeline of the rural economy-the link to the urban centers-was being severed due to travel-related problems, such as curfews and frequent transport bandhs (general strikes) imposed by insurgents. Narayanghat-once the country's transport hub with hundreds of buses and trucks plying its roads-was almost deserted by 7 P.m. in late December 2003, and a dusk-to­ dawn curfew was in place.

Many stakeholders were also deeply con­cerned about political instability, which, in turn, destabilizes the local administration and security agencies. More often, this also leads to policy changes, they said.

"Poor security condition has already brought development projects to a stand­still," said Narbada Chhetri of Himright, a Hetauda-based human rights group. "Due to conflict, we have already witnessed a general exodus of the young population, which is vital to any development pro­gram. Rural banking has also collapsed because of poor security and frequent loot­ings in many areas."

Likewise, stakeholders in Kathmandu expressed concern that the protracted con­flict had drained the national budget. The investments that could have gone into open­ing schools and operating health posts are now spent in buying arms and ammunition.

The levels of violence may vary with the region and the village, but the causes were consistent, stakeholders disclosed. Lack of employment opportunities, social exclusion (women constitute a large part of the insurgents guerrilla force), and neg­lect of a relatively literate young crowd were cited as factors contributing to the insurgency.

All consultations, however, concluded that development can proceed even in a conflict environment if the right approach, such as implementing pro­grams that either ensure local participa­tion or are demanded by local organiza­tions, is adopted.

Text courtesy: Voices from the field, an Asian Development Bank publication in Nepal. Ed.