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The Nepal Digest Tuesday 10 Jan 95: Push 26 2051 BkSm Volume 35 Issue 6
Note: There was a file update problem on the system last week. If
you or one of your friends are not getting TND, please re-subscribe!
Apologies for the inconvinience.
Today's Topics:
1. TAJA_KHABAR UML Budget Summary
2. KURA_KANI
Economics - Re: Foreign Aid
Emerging Economics Philosophy
Re: Ethnic Bias in NPC?
Tourism - Re: Toilets
Politics - Figures
3. KATHA_KABITA
Poem - Manifesto
4. KHOJ_KHABAR Looking for Bhanjas
5. Entertainment
Humor - Religion
6. Immigration - Article on NY Times
******************************************************************************
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Date: Mon, 9 Jan 1995 14:55:01 -0500 (EST)
From: Neal Cohen <ncohen@usaid.gov>
Subject: The 1994/95 UML Budget
SUMMARY
The Minister of Finance, Bharat Mohan Adhikari, presented the new
Government's first Budget to Parliament on December 26, 1994. While the
Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) does not have a
majority in Parliament, the Budget was approved by Parliament. Because
this is only for seven months, and had to be done quickly, it does not
fully reflect UML priorities. It does begin the process of implementing
the programs outlined in the King's Speech to Parliament which outlined
the new Government's proposals.
Overall spending is increased by 7% over the Caretaker Government
budget (which was an increase of 17% over the 1993/94 budget. Projected
additional increases in taxes and foreign assistance will result in
increased foreign indebtedness but local borrowing will not increase
beyond levels already agreed to as part of structural adjustment.
The major new initiatives are
. "Build Your Village Yourself" where the central Government provides
a block grant of Rs300,000 ($6,000) to each Village Development Commit-
tee;
. price controls through supply management (imports and reduced prices
of state corporations), Fair Price Shops;
. co-operatives to play a leading role in rural development;
. development of a model village and small farm market development;
. end of bonded labor;
. study to eliminate feudal land holding system; land reform;
. life care centers for the destitute elderly;
. public works schemes for employment generation;
. free secondary education from next fiscal year;
. two new Rural Banks (Grameen Bikas Banks) and an Urban Development
Bank;
. initiate Kali-Gandaki A, access road for Khimte, no word on Arun 3.
For tax policy they propose to increase tariffs on a number of imported
goods to protect local producers, reduce duties on some other items to
support local producers, reduction of the export service fee from 2%
to 1.5%, reductions in land tax, and end of the two stage sales tax.
They will initiate a major review of all taxes, including the proposed
VAT.
Privatization can continue for those industries that are not making a
profit, and where there is not an overwhelming national interest. The
process will provide greater support to national investors and workers.
COMMENTS
Many of the proposals in the budget might be changed somewhat before
being implemented. At this point there appears to be a good reason to
be concerned and worried, but additional details on how programs will
be implemented is needed.
There have been number of major sources of corruption in Nepal: import
duties, income taxes, state corporations, the cooperatives and the
contracting process. This budget started the movement back to protec-
tionism on import duties; they propose to rely more on income taxes,
state corporations are less likely to be privatized; and cooperatives
will play a leading role in development. No mention was made of the
contracting process. The VAT, an attempt to introduce a less corrupt
and more elastic system, does not appear to be preferred at this time
(but they propose to study the issue further). Privatization, an effort
to eliminate the corruption inherent in state ownership of corpor-
ations, also appears less favored. They feel they can revitalize the
corporations without privatizing them.
Price controls combined with an emphasis on cooperatives are poten-
tially the most damaging item in the budget. These will reduce incen-
tives to the farmer and make it harder to develop new products and
markets. The cooperative movement has not been dynamic in Nepal, has
not served as a dependable, non-corrupt, source of inputs, nor as a
useful output marketing agent.
The "Build Your Village Yourself" program, and a number of the social
welfare measures are good, the reduction in import duties on bangles,
tikas, etc., are likely to be very popular.
It would appear that the process of economic liberalization and
increased reliance on the private sector is not favored by the new
government. They feel greater government intervention in the economy
is more likely to accelerate development.
Neal
************************************************************************
Date: Mon, 09 Jan 1995 13:26:58 GMT
To: nepal-request@cs.niu.edu
From: an71101@anon.penet.fi
Contrary to popular belief more Illegal Immigrants come from Europe,
than from Mexico or any other part of the world. Read on...
Reproduced without permission from the New York Times.
GREETED AT NATION'S FRONT DOOR, VISITORS ARE STAYING ON ILLEGALLY
By ASHLEY DUNN
c1995 N.Y. Times News Service
NEW YORK - In the comfort of a KLM flight from Belfast, Francis and Theresa S.
arrived in the United States three months ago as tourists. But they had no
intention of returning to their home in Northern Ireland after their sightseein
g
in New York was over. They were coming to stay on as illegal immigrants.
Unlike the thousands of Mexicans and Central Americans clambering over the
flood-lit fences of the southern border, the couple merely walked through an
inspection booth at Kennedy International Airport. An immigration official,
checking their passports and plane tickets, smiled and waved them in.
``It was that easy,'' said Francis, who along with his wife did not want to be
fully identified for fear of being uncovered. ``They just stamped our passports
and that was it,'' he said as he sat in a bakery in Woodside, Queens, taking a
break from moving into a new apartment with his wife.
Slightly more than half of the nation's illegal immigrants, including the vast
majority in the New York area, casually enter the country as tourists, students
or business people, and then simply overstay their visas.
And although the Immigration and Naturalization Service spends millions to
patrol the southern border, the agency virtually ignores those illegal
immigrants who, like Francis and Theresa, have walked in through the nation's
front door.
``There is absolutely no deterrence,'' said David Simcox, a senior fellow of th
e
Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, which favors restrictions on
immigration. ``There isn't much there to stop anyone.''
In fact, the INS has no specific programs aimed at seeking out and deporting th
e
150,000 visitors a year who end up illegally settling here. Last year, only
about 600 people were deported for overstaying their visas, out of 39,000
deportations.
The estimates on illegal immigrants come from an INS study that uses air
passenger data, census surveys and immigration service statistics. While the
numbers provide only a rough approximation, they point out in broad strokes the
magnitude of the problem with illegal immigrants who overstayed their visits.
Of the 4 million illegal immigrants in this country, about 2 million first
arrived as visitors. Unlike those who sneak across the border, those who enter
as visitors come from a broad range of countries, including Italy, the Bahamas,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Poland and the Philippines.
^^^^^^^
Together, they comprise a far more diverse population than the public debate,
focused on the border, tends to include.
In fact, outside of the border areas, Mexicans and Central Americans often make
up only a small part of the illegal immigrant population.
Cecilia Munoz, a deputy vice president of the National Council of La Raza, a
national Hispanic lobbying organization, said the government's focus on the
border has distorted the debate on how to control immigration, turning it
instead into a blind bashing of Hispanics.
``Ninety-nine percent of enforcement efforts are directed at Latinos when, in
fact, illegal immigration is far more diverse,'' she said. ``The border does
need to be controlled, but it is just half the problem.''
In New York, which has the largest illegal immigrant population - 529,000 -
after California, the biggest groups are from Italy, Ecuador and Poland.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Mexicans are barely noticeable at just 2 percent of the state's illegal
population.
Similarly, in New Jersey, with its population of 137,000 illegal immigrants, th
e
three top groups are from Portugal, Poland and Italy.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Indeed, for illegal immigrants from the vast majority of countries, the most
popular method for moving to the United States has been through overstaying a
tourist or business visa.
Nuccio R., for instance, a 24-year-old illegal immigrant from Sicily, still
marvels at the ease with which he came to the United States.
When he arrived at Kennedy four years ago, he simply collected his baggage and
headed for his uncle's house in Brooklyn.
He had just graduated from high school and only planned to stay for a few
months. But as he began to settle into life in America, he decided to stay for
good. He has a full-time job in a relative's delicatessen, a car, a driver's
license, credit cards and his own apartment in New Utrecht, near Bensonhurst.
``My life is pretty normal,'' he said. ``Everybody knows I'm illegal. It's not
a
big deal.''
And the chance of Mr. R ever being caught in this country by immigration
authorities is virtually nil.
The immigration service's efforts to arrest illegal immigrants outside of the
border areas largely concentrates on workplace inspections.
Under the requirements of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, employer
s
are required to check the immigration status of all employees, and are subject
to penalties for hiring illegal immigrants.
The theory behind the act was that the flow of illegal immigrants would slow as
it became more difficult to find work.
But the law has proven easy to circumvent through the use of fraudulent
documents or through work in the small shops and family businesses that ignore
the law.
And the INS also devotes few resources to enforce the law. In the New York area
,
15 agents are responsible for investigating workplaces in 14 counties with over
12 million people.
Chip Bogdanski, spokesman for the INS's New York district, said that, in many
ways, the agency can do little more to screen visitors as they arrive. Of 22
million visitors yearly, only a tiny proportion, less than 1 percent, end up
staying in the country, he said.
``That's not a bad ratio,'' Bogdanski said. ``I mean we can't detain people
arbitrarily and sit them down for four hours until they break. If their
documents are in order, they have the money and they have reason to come here,
what are you going to do?''
In theory, visitors who are likely to stay in the United States are screened ou
t
overseas by consular officials, who are responsible for issuing entry visas.
U.S. law requires that visa applicants be viewed as intending to permanently
immigrate unless they can prove sufficiently strong ties, such as steady
employment, family and property ownership, to their home country to ensure
return. A round-trip ticket is also required.
Nyda Novodvorsky Budig, spokeswoman for the State Department's Bureau of
Consular Affairs, said that each year about a quarter of all visa applications
are denied, although the rate can shoot well over 50 percent for some countries
,
including Bangladesh, Sierra Leone and Syria.
But even with the State Department's screening process, thousands still enter
the country and stay on illegally. In the case of some countries, including
Poland, Sierra Leone and Liberia, the overstay rate can shoot up to a quarter o
r
more of all visitors, according to INS estimates.
Visas have also proven to be fertile ground for a variety of smuggling schemes.
In the past year, for example, federal agents have discovered the growing use o
f
temporary business visas by Russian illegal immigrants, who bank on the lesser
scrutiny of visitors at ports of entry.
The problem with the screenings is that much of the consulate's decision is
based on what applicants themselves present to their interviewers. Fraud is
rampant and difficult to catch given the enormous number of applicants each
year. And even such close ties to the homeland as children provide no guarantee
that a visitor will return home.
Entering the country is even easier for residents of 22 countries in the
so-called visa waiver program. All they need to come to the United States for u
p
to 90 days is a round-trip ticket home.
The countries, largely from Western Europe, were selected for the program based
on their low rate of visa denials.
But the list also contains some significant abusers of the system, including
France, Sweden and Italy. According to INS statistics, between 1988 and 1992
about five to 10 percent of illegal immigrants who overstayed their visits came
from visa waiver countries.
Some of the illegal visitors eventually come to the attention of immigration
authorities when they change their immigration status in some way, usually to
become permanent residents through marriage, work or the visa lottery.
But even then, few suffer any serious penalty because of the difficulty in
proving that they intentionally lied in coming to this country.
Deportations for overstaying a visit are virtually unheard of. For example, in
1993, just 29 Polish nationals, out of a total illegal population of 107,000,
were deported for violating their nonimmigrant status.
Many of the illegal visitors simply melt away into American society and bide
their time until they can become legal residents, primarily through marriage,
work or the visa lottery. Over just a four-year period surveyed by the INS
study, 246,000 visitors who overstayed their visits became legal residents.
About 332,000 of those who overstayed their visits eventually returned home.
Francis, 26, and Theresa, 22, like many of those who want to stay, have pinned
their hopes on the visa lottery and intend to apply every year until they win.
``If we got green cards, we'd be paying our taxes,'' Theresa said. ``We only
came to work and give our children a better future.''
But even if they fail, they said, it is no problem for them to continue living
as illegal immigrants. They both have jobs, he as a construction worker and she
as a bakery worker, and have settled comfortably into their new home in
Woodside,
***********************************************************************************************
***********************************************************************************************
From: "Raj Kumar Dubey" <RAJ@caedm.et.byu.edu>
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 1995 15:42:07 MST
Subject: Re: The Nepal Digest - Jan 6, 1995 (22 Push 2051 BkSm)
Comment on Amulya Tuladhar's article on ethnic bias in NPC.
Amulyaji,
It is true that the brahmins/chhetries had and continue to have advantage of education and power
in Nepal. They continue to play a dominant role in the country's
politics. They continue to dominate the government bodies. They
dominate the cabinet. And now, as you pointed out they dominate the
planning commision as well. The current situation has arisen due to
our millenia old culture (religion). It is definitely frustrating.
However, in
although this vast inequalities exist, all Nepalese have a common
future. If Nepal does good, Nepalis do good (only some Nepalis do
good right now-- that needs to be changed). Planning commision is a
national policy making body. Its actions affect all nepalis of all
ethnicities. Therefore, the planning commision should consist of
those who are best "qualified" for the job, regardless of the
ethnicities. Magar, Tharu, Newar or anybody. Now, comes the blatent
question of qualification. Just because somebody is from a brahmin
he/she is not qualified to serve in the planning commision (I don't
think that was one of the criteria established by the Adhikari govt.
while choosing the planning commision appointees.)
Conversely, just because somebody is a newar or chepang he or she is
not qualified to sit in the NPC. I realize that a person from a
disadvantaged ethnic background can have different priorities than
brahmins. However, right now I think there are enough common
problems for all Nepalis for us to be thinking about rather than
along narrow ethnic lines. If a brahmin, chettri, newar
and thakali have the same ability then I do agree with you that
thakali should be appointed.
Let's fight against the government if its policies discriminate
against a specific or a group of ethnicities. Let's fight against
the government if they favor a specific geographical area. Lok Seba
Aayog still tests examinees on nepali literature which obviously
favors the brahmins and chhetris and which is not even related to
their ability to do a good job; lets fight against that.
On a final note, Amulyaji, there are problems in proper
representation of minorities in Nepal. However, basing the
recognition purely on ethnicity is not the solution. The long term solution can only be
achieved by appointing most qualified people. Ethnicity should come
second.
Sincerely,
Prakash Bhandari
**********************************************************************
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 01:27:46 -0500
From: rshresth@black.clarku.edu (RaJesh B. Shrestha)
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Toilets and Tour-errism
Cross-posted from SCN:
---------------------
Has it ever occurred to anyone that the viewpoint of the Nepali people
(and
government) is that anything that can be done to discourage Western (and
Eastern) tour-errism is, in the long run, what will save Nepal and her
people from the fate of, say, Hawai'i and the indigenous Hawai'ian people?
Is it conceivable that the Nepali people and government regard the tons of
mountaineering and trekking expedition-discarded crap (organic and
inorganic) gracing their land as a glimpse of the future, and that they
have made a conscious, albeit quiet decision to delay that future as much
as possible?
Many people may find this absolutely inconceivable, but everybody in the
world is not overjoyed at the prospect of their native, often sacred lands
being buried under a tide of hard currency.
The obvious solution for those who would drag Nepal into the Club Med of
the 21st century is to sub-contract it out to China as a southern
extension of their franchise in Tibet.
Be careful what you wish for, mates....it might come true.
Namaste.
Jeff
PS - Hello Panther! Fancy seeing your signs here!!
*************************************************************************
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 01:29:16 -0500
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Toilets and Tour-errism
From: tiwari@fas.harvard.edu (Ashutosh Tiwari)
jgm001@aol.com (JGM001) writes:
>Has it ever occurred to anyone that the viewpoint of the Nepali people
>(and >government) is that anything that can be done to discourage
Western (and
>Eastern) tour-errism is, in the long run, what will save Nepal and her
>people from the fate of, say, Hawai'i and the indigenous Hawai'ian people?
Save Nepal? Save from what? Conservative Nepalis and liberal westerners
may bemoan about the loss of "native values and culture in Nepal" due to
tourism. But the fact remains that tourism IS, for better or worse, a huge
money-spinning industry in Nepal. When you are as cash-starved as Nepal
is, you do not even worry about the going the Aloha way. That, however,
is not necessarily a bad thing.
I think that the challenge facing the Nepali government and the people is
this: How to turn the money raised from tourism into more necessary public
investments (such as higher standards of public health, emphasis on
recycling, cleaner, safer trekking trails and so forth). In this, there
needs to be more debates, proposals and finally concrete public achievments.
Otherwise, tourism would be, as is widely perceived, an industry
that haphazardly prostitutes Nepal's beauty for the benefit of a private
few in Kathmandu. And those who all the hard physical work -- the Tamang
porters, the Sherpa guides, the Magar rafters and so on -- would continue to
get a pittance each from this much-touted money-spinning industry.
namaste
ashu
********************************************************************
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 01:31:52 -0500
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Emerging Economic Philosophy of Political Parties in Nepal
From: bohara@unm.edu (Alok Bohara ECONOMICS)
Emerging Economic Philosophy of Our Political Parties
Alok K. Bohara
Party philosophies of the political parties in Nepal were generally shaped
by their views on geo-political realities. For many, major parties in Nepal
were generally known as pro-India, pro-China (anti-India), or pro-palace
(nationalists). Consequently, they spent much valuable time trying to stick
these labels to each other.
Due to these superfluous debates people never got to understand their
philosophy regarding the economic development of the country, until
recently, that is.
After a few misleading statements, the minority government of the Communist
party has clearly expressed its position on how to approach the economic
development of the country. Doing so, they have helped the Congress party
clarify their position as well. If I were to look for a bright spot in this
expensive midterm election, this would be it. This is the first time we are
looking at these parties beyond the catchy slogans such as pro-India and
anti-India.
For better or worse, the Congress party has already established a constituancy
with the business sector. Now, the Communist party will attempt to be the
champion of the common people, and they will use economic policy tools to
achieve this regardless of the ramification.
The Communist party will favor government interventions rather than the
free market approach of the Congress party. To me, the stage is set.
The government intervention approach will include price control which
will result in many ills, including black markets. The Communist
government will follow a protectionistic approach by providing subsidies
to targeted sectors in forms of lower interest rates and perhaps lower
import and expost duties.
But, who makes the decision about these sectors? And, how many sectors and
for how long? Are we better than the market to identify our comparative
advantage? Maybe not. My own guess is that this list will be motivated by
politics rather than efficiency and comparative advantage.
>From various experiences, once the subsidies are extended it will be
very hard to lift them. Take for example the Japanese agriculture
sector, which is highly protected and is one of the most inefficient
one in the world. As a result, Japanese consumers pay exuberant price
for food products in Japan. And yet, it took many years and tremendous
international pressure to lessen farmers' political clout in Japan.
Similarly, thanks to the Senator Bob Dole, the U.S. farmers keep
getting billions of dollars of taxpayers' money.
Whereas, India is moving toward becoming an economic giant in South
Asia through the policy of economic liberalization, our own economic
policy seems ill-timed. We are going to miss out on all the economic
boom that is taking place in India which is likely to spread in the
region. Most importantly, the lack of commitment toward free market
economy and privatization will not help us attract much needed
international capital.
**********************************************************************
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 01:35:06 -0500
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: MANIFESTO: MFLF
From: jgm001@aol.com (JGM001)
MANIFESTO: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front
Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.
And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.
When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.
So, friends, every day do something
that won't compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.
Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.
Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.
Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.
Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.
Listen to carrion - put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheap
for power, please women more than men.
Ask yourself: Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Will this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?
Go with your love to the fields.
Lie easy in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn't go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.
- Wendell Berry
COLLECTED POEMS 1957-1982
Copyright (c) 1973 by Wendell Berry
....On this eve of the first New Moon after the Winter Solistice,
I offer this reading of this poem as a wish that you, and those
that are pleased to be yours, be well.
Namaste.
Jeff
*****************************************************************************
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 01:36:04 -0500
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: foreign aids in Nepal.
From: cheung@CAM.ORG (Shirley Cheung)
Dear all netters.
I recently read few books about the culture, and the development of
Nepal. I am aware of a great number of NGO's and other organized project
teams present in Nepal today. However, due to the deep attachment of
Nepalis to their religion and the bureacracy existed in both the Nepal
government and the NGO, I wonder if Nepal will be able to accelerate its
pace of development to match the Southeast Asian levels, ie. Vietnam,
Thailand, etc.
I do not want to be too pessimistic on this. I only want to have some
NGO's and other concerned ppl to comment on this issue.
Religion is LIFE in Nepal. Certainly, religion has its own philosophy and
cannot be viewed as "good" or "bad" through a foreigners' eyes. However,
certain detachement from religion is necessary to deal with some issues.
For example, if Hindu Nepalis do not change their religious beliefs, how
can we, NGOs, help to alleviate the women issues there? how about the
overpopulation issue? It is only a marginal help to help women there. The
real NGO effort should be directed at educating BOTH males and females
(It is the males who do the repressing, they should need 2-3 times more
education than females). However, doing so involves changing their
religious beliefs which is not a simple/pleasant tasks for any NGO to do.
This is only one of the many Nepalis problems there. Yes, "education" is
still a fansy word for average Nepalis; they barely have time/money to
afford to be educated...
If no NGO can grasp and solve the ROOT cause of all these problems,
Nepali will only progress at a snail pace.
Any comments on this is welcome.
reply to: cheung@cam.org
shirley
******************************************************************
From: "KARKI KRISHNA" <H310P8@edv1.boku.ac.at>
To: Nepal@cs.niu.edu
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 10:09:53 MET
Subject: Looking for the Bhanjas
Dear Editor
Would you please, oblige me including this message in your coming
issue of the TND. Thanks.
I am looking for my two bhanjas. They are Binod and Sagun Rayamajhi.
They went to USA for study. Latter, I heard, Binod was studying
computor science somewhere in Texas but nothing was heard about
Sagun. If anybody knows them, please forward my address and ask them
to call or write. Thanks.
Krishna B. Karki
Tuerkenstrasse 3/405
1090 Vienna, Austria.
Phone: res. 0043 1 3108522 405
inst. 0043 1 47654 3106
Fax: 0043 1 3106027
**********************************************************************
From: tuladhar@unixg.ubc.ca (Anil Tuladhar)
Subject: Mis-interpretation of religions
Date: 9 Jan 1995 20:07:53 GMT
MIS-INTERPRETATION OF RELIGIONS
NOTE: The following story is just to illustrate the wrong interpretation of
religions. It is not intended to hurt any religion. I love all the religions,
but I hate all the wrong practices of the religions.
Once a man was roaming in a village. There were many uncovered wells.
He was not aware of this fact so fell in one of them. He, however, managed
to grip the wall of the well and remained hung there.
A Buddhist monk was walking near the well. He heard someone
screaming for the help. He saw this poor soul and asked, " Why are you crying?"
The man said, " O venerable monk, have pity on me, help me to get out
from here. It is very miserable here." The monk gave a flashy smile and said
calmly,"Do not worry, Lord Buddha has said that there is misery everywhere
so even if you come out, you can not escape the misery. Better you meditate
there and attain Nirvan. Lord Buddha also says that everything is
transient so is your this misery. So do not worry it won't last for ever." The
monk left peacefully.
After a while a Hindu priest passed near the well chanting Harerama
harekrishna. The man started to scream aloud. The priest heard and peered
down the well. The man broke into tears and requested to help him out.
The priest grunted,"You the fool! You must have pushed someone to a
well in your previous life. You are a sinner. Lord Krishna says no one can
escape the karmic cycle. You have to reap what you sow in your last life.
Who am I to help you? Even Lord Krishna could not save the sinners(kaurabs).
God has said somewhere in Vedas that it is a sin to help a sinner. So I
can not help you."
The poor man kept waiting. Suddenly a melodic sound resounded the whole village.
"Allah....ihhalla .......blah blah...allah". A muslim was approaching him.
He started to scream as loud as he could. The muslim gazed at him and asked
"Are you a muslim?" He answered " I do not know, I am just a man, that's all
I know." Then the muslim asked again " Do you worship an idol?". The poor
man said," Please take me out first then I will tell you everything." The
muslim friend got upset and said "I can not help any non-muslim people. Koran
forbids this." He left again chanting the name of allah, the empty.
Then a Christian saw this poor creature. He wasted no time. He took a rope
out from his bag and dropped down the well for the man to cling on. The man
came out and fell on the feet of this gentle Christian. He asked the Christian
why he was so much helpful. The Christian answered proudly," Well, Jesus
Christ has mentioned somewhere in Bible that if I help out someone from the
trouble the Lord will make a room for me in the heaven. You know, my reservation
is now confirmed. BTW do you have any sons " The man got puzzled and noded,
"yes". The Christian fellow looked very happy. He said, "Well then please
do me a favor. I also have a son. Please tell your son to jump to a nearby
well whenever my son is around so he could save your son and secure a place
in the heaven for himself."
-ANIL
*******************************************************************
From: neup2011@mach1.wlu.ca (Bhanu Neupane u)
Subject: Woo! look at these figures
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 1995 20:47:16 GMT
The title may have misled many of you, but the figures, although have
nothing to do with 38-24-38, I bet, will equally fascinate you all.
Although belated, I'm posting the detailed DECLARED property of Samyabadi
Mantri Haru (intentionally written in Nepali, why would non-nepali
speakers know what is on the discourse?? sorry! I'm a bit old fashioned
and hide a lot of things in cup-cakes). Please, compare these figures with
per capita income of meagre Rs. 10000 and conditions of over 50 percent
of the total population living their lives in abject poverty. Is this a
PROXY indicator of why Samyabadis are carrying over the privatization and
liberal economic policies?
Pradhan Mantri Manmohan Adhikari:
Rastriya Banijya Bank(RBB), Pulchowk: 7 lakh 14 hazzar
Agriculture Development Bandk, Ringroad: 2 lakh
RBB, Maharajgunj: 3 lakh
in other banks (how many..??) 20 hazzar
House in Biratnagar - Pukka
House in Kathmandu- Pukka
another Plot in kathmandu
Gold- 20 tola
(god only knows if he was doing any other business (?) beside politics)
Upa-pradhan Mantri Madav K. Nepal
2 story (sp?) House built in 2 katthaa 7 dhur in Rautahat, Gaur
1 kattha 12 dhur plot in Chandranigahapur
4 dhur plot at Birgunj, Parsa
2 story house built in 11 Aana in Koteshwor, Kathmandu
6 Aana Plot in Kalanki, Kathmandu
Shares (irony is he holds Rs. 2500 worth of share of disputed Harishidhhi
brick factory ha!)
Bank balance - Rs. 20,000
Gold - 10 tola
(I would not be surprised, if he also was a real state broker)
MAntri Bharat M. Adhikari
2 story House built in 5 kattha in Biratnagar
6 bigha and 10 katthas of land
Gold 15 tola
Bank Balance - 25,000
Mantri CP Mainali
1 ropani plot at Lubhu in Kathmandu Valley
6 Anna plot at Swayambhu in Kathmandu Valley
6 anna plot at Koteshwor in Kathmandu Valley
12 bigha and 2 kattha land in Jhapa (common)
Gold 10 tola
Silver 100 tola
Bank Balance Nepal Bank (?where) 4 lakh 64.6 hazzar
Mantri RK Mainali
House built in 4 bigha (Ranch??) at Surunga, Jhapa
House (pukka- under construction) in 1 ropani at Sitapaila,kathmandu
Gold 10 Tola
Silver 50 Tola
Mantri Kadaga Prasad Oli
I bigha 14 kattha 15 dhur land in Jhapa
4 Anna plot at Gatthaghar, Bhaktapur
gold 7 tola
Bank balance and bonds - 50, 000
Mantri Padhma Ratna Tuladhar
1/2 of 2 story pukka house built in 1 ropani 12 anna in Kathmandu
1/3 of 2 shuttered, 4 story building in Asan kathmandu (the rent exceeds
15, 000 a month and he never paid any kind of taxes on it ? sure, the
laws and regulations are not made for INFLUENTIAL people)
1 ropani 3 anna plot at Dhapasi
plots of 2.4 ropani in other parts of the valley
printing press
Gold - 30 tola
Silver - 554 Tola
Bond and bank balance - 31.5 hazzar
Mantri Pradeep Nepal
House under contruction in 8 anna at Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
Gold - 4 tola
Silver - 12 tola
Motorbike (still paying the installments)
Mantri Modnath Prasit
House built in 1 kattha in Rupandehi
10 kattha land
House (9 rooms) at Swayambhu, Kathmandu
Gold 0.5 tola
Rajya Mantri Ashok Rai
50 ropanis of land at Chisapani, Khotang
House + cattle shed at Chisapani, Khotang
2 bigha 10 kattha land in Udayapur
House in Udayapur
7 kattha land at Tapeshwari, Udayapur
Gold- 10 tola
Silver- 100 tola
Bank balance- 40 hazzar
Rajya Mantri Salim Miya Ansari
1 bigha 10 kattha plot at Parwanipur, Bara
12 bigha land in Makawanpur, Rampur and Birgunj
1 Tractor (puts him in .05 percent of the farmers)
2 Thresher
2 Chrushers
6 fish pond (size not stated)
Bank balance- 7 lakh
Rajya Mantri Prem Singh Dhami
1 bigh 13 kattha land in kanchanpur
1 ropani land in Darchula
Gold- 1.5
Bank balance - 30 hazzar
Share- 26.5 hazzar
The Rest three rajya mantris, Subash C. Nembang, Bhim Rawal (I wish, he
would reveal what he earned as a UN volunteer in Cambodia) and Hari P.
Pandey have yet to declare, how much do their booty worth.
No kidding, but if you have so much in being a Samyabadi, I wish I were a
samyabadi too. A second thought is, if one can amass so much in Rajniti,
why the hell we are spending our precious time and effort in distant
countries?? The third issue is, are these figures declared correctly?
what about the "other" which they may have decided to hide????
Egad!! I'm getting confused!!
Bhanu
=====
PS: I'll be posting the estimated property of "Kangresh ka Mantri haru Ko".
If you don't want such things to be posted, please let me know.
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