Received: from mp.cs.niu.edu (mp.cs.niu.edu [131.156.1.2]) by library.wustl.edu (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id WAA19725; Thu, 8 Jan 1998 22:28:23 -0600 (CST) Received: by mp.cs.niu.edu id AA07440 (5.67b/IDA-1.5 for nepal-dist); Thu, 8 Jan 1998 21:30:22 -0600 Received: by mp.cs.niu.edu id AA07436 (5.67b/IDA-1.5 for nepal-list); Thu, 8 Jan 1998 21:30:21 -0600 Date: Thu, 8 Jan 1998 21:30:21 -0600 Message-Id: <199801090330.AA07436@mp.cs.niu.edu> Reply-To: The Nepal Digest <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu> From: The Editor <nepal-request@cs.niu.edu> Sender: "Rajpal J.P. Singh" <A10RJS1@cs.niu.edu> Subject: The Nepal Digest - January 9, 1998 (25 Poush 2054 BkSm) To: <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu> Content-Type: text Status: O X-Status: X-Keywords: X-UID: 252
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The Nepal Digest Fri Jan 9, 1998: Poush 25 2054BS: Year7 Volume70 Issue1
HAPPY NEW YEAR 1998!
Today's Topics:
Poems by Seetashma Thapa
Re - Women Traficking
Constitutional Framework
JAN_KARI: Homestay Program in Nepal
Nepali women in development
Martin Chautari discussions
Volunteer work in Nepal
Talking about expat's role in Nepal
Nepali News
Re: Talking about expat's role in Nepal
Visit Nepal 98 and the Nepalese economy
Exchange rate
402 MW Project
******************************************************************************
* TND (The Nepal Digest) Editorial Board *
* -------------------------------------- *
* *
* The Nepal Digest: General Information tnd@nepal.org *
* Chief Editor: Rajpal JP Singh a10rjs1@mp.cs.niu.edu *
* (Open Position) *
* Columnist: Pramod K. Mishra pkm@acpub.duke.edu *
* Sports Correspondent: Avinaya Rana avinayar@touro.edu *
* Co-ordinating Director - Australia Chapter (TND Foundation) *
* Dr. Krishna B. Hamal HamalK@dist.gov.au *
* Co-ordinating Director - Canada Chapter (TND Foundation) *
* Anil Shrestha SHRESTHA@CROP.UOGUELPH.CA *
* SCN Correspondent: Open Position *
* *
* TND Archives: http://library.wustl.edu/~listmgr/tnd/ *
* TND Foundation: http://www.nepal.org tnd@nepal.org *
* WebSlingers: Pradeep Bista,Naresh Kattel,Robin Rajbhandari *
* Rabi Tripathi, Prakash Bista tnd@nepal.org *
* *
* +++++ Food For Thought +++++ *
* *
* "Heros are the ones who give a bit of themselves to the community" *
* "Democracy perishes among the silent crowd" -Sirdar_Khalifa *
* *
******************************************************************************
*************************************************************
Date: Fri, 02 Jan 1998 13:02:58 +0500
From: S Thapa <sangeeta@isb.compol.com>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: could you please publish these two poems in Tnd.
REFUGGES WORDS
--------------
As
I sat clutched to my brother because
I did not have a father and mother.
All that I could hear was shooting
and bombs blasting. Which made
people cry as they can see their
families die.
I could feel the bullets which hit
my house and the bombs which
echoed and vibrated in my heart.
My country, my home,
But when there is a war I am
driven out of there and I am all
alone.
It is dark.
It is scary.
And thousands of living souls are
hiding who are separated
Who are dying because of bomb shelling.
Our lives matter.
But they are already in shatters.
So come on all the lucky ones.
Give us a chance
Because we are not bad but only sad.
We need your helping to get back our land.
Seetashma Thapa
Mayo Girls College
Eight Grade
Rajasthan, India
SHEBA
-----
I got you when you were small.
Like a little stuff dolls your eyes glowed
And your long nose poked every where you went.
You became big. I left you.
You became blank and your heart sank.
I came back. You turned your back and made my heart go a back.
It did not take long before your love made us go along.
One fine day you felt sick which I felt by your lick.
You looked dull, lost, and pale.
As if your heart was out for sale.
You lay on the matters while you were at rest, you closed your eyes and
slept.
I was beside you and seeing this I began to weep.
Your ears down.
Your eyes slightly closed looking at this it pierced my heart with the
dart.
I looked at you.
I kissed you fur.
And said good-bye to my best friend with a silent purr.
-------------
Author's Note:
I hope this poem inspires you to help the unlucky ones and make life
better for them.
*************************************************************
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 22:19:11 -0600
To: The Editor <nepal-request@cs.niu.edu>
From: Janak Koirala <jkoirala@uic.edu>
Subject: Re - Women Traficking
Dear Editor,
In the recent TND there is an article about women traficking in Nepal and
it gives a linkage to the 'www.blue-fox.com/Nepal' site. If you visit that
internet site you will find that it gives a very bad impression of Nepal to
an extent that it seems like Nepal is full of rapers and it is dangerous to
the tourists. The whole story is based on one rape story in 1993 and the
internet site gives the image as though all Nepalese tourist industry and
government is behind it. I think Nepal is still one of the safest country
in the world for tourists as well as for Nepalese. I do not think the
linkage to the misleading internet site should even given a place in the
TND.
Janak Koirala
*************************************************************
From: a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu (Rajpal J.P. Singh)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.nepal
Subject: Constitutional Framework
Date: 20 Dec 1997 08:54:52 -0600
Hello,
Is this in par with the spirit of a true "Constitutional Monarchy"
as exercised in other similar nations? There seems to be a wide open
window for multitude of self-serving interpertaitons for the
following articles of the constitution.
I'm rather curious if this
is any diferent from the absolute and autocratic days.
I also see that the content of "National Anthem" has no mention of
glorification of the nation and its people and ligioncy of the
people towards the nation.
Am I missing something here?
So long,
RJPS
"Democracy perishes among the silent crowd!" -sirdar_khalifa
-----------------------------------------
Source: The Constitution of Nepal
---------
Article 29. Expenditures and Privileges relating to His Majesty and the
Royal Family:
Expenditures and privileges relating to His Majesty and the Royal Family
shall be as determined by law:
Provided that no law shall be made having the effect of reducing the
expenditures and privileges being provided by the existing law.
----------
Article 31. Question not to be Raised in Courts:
No question shall be raised in any court about any act performed by His Majesty:
Provided that nothing in this Article shall be deemed to restrict any
right under law to initiate proceedings against His Majesty's Government
or any employee of His Majesty.
-----------
Article 118. Provisions Regarding the Royal Nepal Army:
(1) There shall be a National Defence Council of Nepal consisting of the
following as Chairman and members: -
(a) the Prime Minister Chairman;
(b) the Defence Minister Member, and
(c) the Commander-in-Chief Member.
(2) His Majesty shall operate and use the Royal Nepal Army on the
recommendation of the National Defence Council.
(3) The establishment and management of the Royal Nepal Army, and
other matters relating thereto, shall be as
determined by law.
(4) The National Defence Council shall have the power to regulate its
working procedures on its own.
-----------
Article 119. Supreme Command of the Royal Nepal Army and Appointment
of the Commander-in-Chief:
(1) His Majesty is the Supreme Commander of the Royal Nepal Army.
(2) His Majesty shall appoint the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Nepal
Army on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
-----------
Article 120. Royal Nepalese Ambassadors and Emissaries:
(1) His Majesty shall appoint the Royal Nepalese Ambassadors.
(2) His Majesty may designate a Royal Representative for representing Him
on special occasion, and may appoint a
Special Emissary for a specified purpose.
-----------
Article 122. Pardons:
His Majesty shall have the power to grant pardons and to suspend, commute
or remit any sentence passed by any court, special court, military court or
by any other judicial, quasi-judicial or administrative authority or
institution.
-----------
Article 123. Titles, Honours and Decorations:
(1) The titles, honours or decorations to be conferred on behalf of the
state shall be conferred by His Majesty.
(2) No citizen of Nepal shall, without the approval of His Majesty,
accept any title, honour or decoration from the
government of any country.
*************************************************************
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 02:15:49 -0500
From: Rajendra Pokharel <rpokharel@collegeclub.com>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.nepal
Subject: Re: Constitutional Framework
I agree with Mr Singh's views here about "Monarchy" then and now.
However, it can be stated that the King is below consitituition, but in
practice, there has been no reduction in King's authority in the so
called "constitutional monarchy" compared to that of absolute monarchy
in the past. The King still holds the supreme authority of the Army
(which is called Royal Army, not Nepal Army), and is beyond the reach of
court of law.
The constitution clearly says that there can be no question made about
Royal family , neither in the court, nor in the parliament. I can not
agree that King is just like figurehead queen of England, infact, the
monarchy now, is just a polite form of "Autocracy".
Like Mr Singh said, there is no single word mentioned about
glorification of the nation and its people, and ligioncy of the people
towards the nation in the content of "National Anthem", rather it prays
the King exactly the same way Hitler, Stalin and Mao used be treated
with enforced prayer in their regimes.
Last summer, I was in Nepal, a Royal family member Paras Shah killed an
innocent poor Nepali, and no law of the country was used against this
crime, and no lawmaker of the country spoke a single word about it.
******************************************************************
From: <for246@abdn.ac.uk>
To: The Nepal Digest <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: Re: The Nepal Digest - December 20, 1997 (7 Poush 2054 BkSm)
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 1997 14:57:31 +0000 (GMT)
The editor, all the columnist of Nepal Digest and its readers.
Merry Christmas and Happy New year 1998. Thanks for all your
contributions towards healthy and lively discussions. Hope this
continue in New Year.
a.das@abdn.ac.uk
Annapurna N. Das
Dept. of Forestry
Univesity of Aberdeen
AB24 5UA
Aberdeen, UK
*********************************************************
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 1997 10:38:29 -0600
From: <gdahal@puccini.crl.umn.edu>
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu, urayamajhi@npl.healthnet.org
Subject: JAN_KARI: Homestay Program in Nepal
Dear Netters,
One of my colleague in Nepal (Mr Uday Raymajhi) has been running a homestay
program for Nepal Visitors. I am mailing the following msg on his behalf for
posting since he has no access to TND (but has applied for subscription). If you
are interested in this program, please feel free to contact him in the following
address. I could also provide some information regarding his program.
Regards
Ganesh Dahal
E-mail: gdahal@puccini.crl.umn.edu
---------------------------------------
Dear Readers,
Why not you visit Nepal in the visit Nepal Year 1998. I run a HOMESTAY
PROGRAM in Nepal.If you are planning to visit Nepal and interested in our
Homestay program please feel free to communicate with me on the following
address:
Mr Uday Rayamajhi,
P.O. Box 1312, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Phone 977-1-410319/427658
Fax 977-1-222904
Email:urayamajhi@npl.healthnet.org
We will take care of your logistics for your travel to Nepal. You are most
welcome to stay with us in a homely atmosphere in the heart of Kathmandu city
very near from the Royal Palace at Lazimpat.We provide airport transfer to and
from as well as breakfast and dinner enriched with Nepali tradition and culture
(optional).The room is comfortably furnished facing the green cultivated land
overlooking the Shivapuri hills with breathtaking mountains on the horizon.We
have an attatched bathroom too with hot and cold shower system.Through the
travel agency associated with us we can easily arrange for plane tickets,tour to
various parts of Nepal,hiking,trekking,Jungle safari,rafting etc.
You will certainly feel the homely environment with us and surely get a chance
to see Nepal and Nepalese in a different aspect.Including all facilities of
fooding and lodging it will cost you $40 per day. There may be some discount for
budget travellers and/or meals options.
So why don't you give us a chance to guide you around in this country where
nature has so lovingly gifted us with things to see and show. Please feel free
to communicate to us through any means convinient to you.
Thank You
Uday Raymajhi
E-mail: urayamajhi@npl.healthnet.org
******************************************************************
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 1997 03:12:39 +0000
From: darai@worldnet.att.net
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Nepali women in development
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing my Master's thesis on Nepali women in development. Could you please suggest places on the Internet or libraries (in Washington DC area) to quickly locate this information? I have a deadline of January 15, 1998 to complete this draft of my thesis.
I lived in Nepal for several years and my husband's home is near Dumauli, Tanahu district. We are starting a new nonprofit organization, Nepal Foundation for Indigenous Communities. We hope to have it incorporated in the next couple months and receive funding for our indeavors also. Would you give us suggestions for how you became a nonprofit with tax exempt status??
Thanks so much. Our email is <darai@worldnet.att.net>
Yours truly,
Sonja Darai
****************************************************
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 15:24:36 +0545 (NPT)
From: sinhas@mos.com.np (Pratyoush Onta)
Subject: Schedule of Martin Chautari discussions
Please announce and Post
Schedule for the Martin Chautari Discussion Series
Centre for Social Research and Development (CSRD)
Mangalbare Discussions and Nepal Studies Group's Research Discussion Series
meet EVERY TUESDAY at 5:30 pm at the premises of Martin Chautari in
Thapathali, Kathmandu (tel: 246065; behind VS Niketan School's first
building when going from Thapathali towards Babarmahal - past the Maternity
Hospital, turn left, turn right after passing the NEFEJ office, not towards
UMN and St. Xavier's College; on electric poles you will see a sign for
"Friend's Colony" as well as for "Martin Chautari"). Discussions are held
in Nepali or/and English
All are welcome!
Time for all discussions: Tuesdays, 5:30 - 7:20 pm.
30 December
The Role of PRA in Community Development
Kamal Phnuyal, NEPAN
6 January 1998
Some thoughts on Nepali Nationalism
Pratyoush Onta, Martin Chautari
13 January
Intellectual Property Rights in Nepal
Surendra Bhandari, lawyer
20 January
'Nepal Mandal' in the history of Newar identity
Kashinath Tamot, Patan Campus, TU
27 January
The Janajati Movement in Nepal: An Evaluation
Suresh Ale Magar, Chair, Akhil Nepal Janajati Sangh
Bal K Mabuhang, Secretary, Nepal Janajati Mahasangh
For further details on CSRD's activities including the journal Studies in
Nepali History and Society, please check our home page at
http://jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu/~deschene/sinhas/index.html
***********************************************
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 10:15:12 -0500 (EST)
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
From: "Tom O'Neill and Tina Moffat" <tandt@interlog.com>
Subject: please post
Namaste!
We are writing to introduce you to the Canadian Nepal Education Foundation.
Canadian Nepal Education Foundation (CNEF) is a non-profit organization
which assists in the development of educational projects through direct
involvement and funding. Simply put, its mandate is to help children obtain
a basic education. CNEF is run entirely by a volunteer Board of Directors
and other interested individuals. Since 1989, CNEF has enjoyed charitable
organization status in Canada and issues tax receipts for all donations
received.
CNEF was developed in response to a direct request for assistance from the
principal of a new primary school in the crowded outskirts of Kathmandu.
The principal, Fulmaya Lama, started the school for children whose families
could not afford their education. In response, a group of interested and
involved Canadians formed CNEF in the mid 1980's to provide much needed
assistance to the school and became its founding directors. A small number
of children were initially sponsored to attend the school through Canadian
donations.
Since its inception, CNEF has maintained links with the school and the
sponsorship program still continues to help children obtain an basic
education. A sponsorship of $110CAN provides a full year of education for a
child who would otherwise not be able to attend school.
In the last thirty years, the literacy rate in Nepal has risen from 4% to
over 20%. However, along with this improvement, dramatic problems have
arisen. Schools have become overcrowded, and opportunities limited, making
it virtually impossible for students to gain the basic education their
parents seek for them. Although the number of schools in Kathmandu has
increased, there is ongoing competition amongst schools to obtain fee paying
students. This has lead to expanded programs, higher costs and even less
opportunity for poor children to attend school.
CNEF is interested in maintaining our current sponsorship program. We are
also in exploring new opportunities which will help children in Nepal to
obtain a basic education. To help us achieve these goals, we are interested
in hearing from people who have an interest in education, in development and
in Nepal. If you support our mandate, have some ideas and have some time to
participate in our organization, we would like to hear from you.
If you are interested but don't have time to participate, but would like to
support our work, donations are certainly welcome at any time.
Please use the e-mail address below to contact us for more information. We
look forward to hearing from you.
Tom O'Neill, Ph.D
238 Markham St.
Toronto, Ontario
M6J 2G6
tel (416) 968-2117
"We need an account which does not view knowledge as matter of getting
things right, but...as a matter of acquiring habits of action for coping
with reality."
-Richard Rorty
*******************************************************
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 08:36:54 -0500
From: cbuck <cbuck@preferred.com>
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: climbers
Please send me any information you have on "all" of the persons who have
been missing and reported to have died, but no bodies found from
climbing in Nepal. My studies are on all missing persons from 1930 to
this date and will cover conditions, age and contributing factors.
This total report will help hundreds to survive in the future.
Thank You,
Please mail hard copy to:
Carl Edward Buck, Project Manager
14061 Brynwood Dr
Bristol VA 24202
*************************************************
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 09:52:50 -0700
From: steve-k@ix.netcom.com
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Volunteer work in Nepal
I am planning a trip in Nepal in August for about three months and think
it would be very interesting to do some type of work while over there.
The Himalayan Rescue Association interested me as I am an avid
outdoorist and have take Wilderness First Responder with Outward Bound.
Other things that I might be interested in doing are working at an
organic farm, Leading Treks, Environmental Studies or Research. If you
have any suggestions or volunteer offerings in these areas please get
back to me at kearney@lclark.edu. Also if you know of any other
organizations that might be able to help I would appreciate it. Thanks,
Angela Kearney
***************************************************
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 16:57:19 +0530
From: Rahul Rawail <rahulr@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: THE LIVING GODDESS
Dear Sirs,
Please e-mail me some literature /articles or other source of
information on THE LIVING GODDESS (KUMARI).
***********************************************************************************************
***********************************************************************************************
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 1998 12:42:32 -0600
From: "Padam P. Sharma" <sharma@plains.nodak.edu>
To: Nepal Digest <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: Talking about expat's role in Nepal..
I read with great interest the letters and counter letters by Ms. Greta
Rana, Mickey Veich, and an unknown friend from Philadelphia published in
recent issues of TND. Being a lost soul from Nepal myself (what do I
know anyway?), I can only imagine the level of frustration Ms. Rana
feels at the "downhill" way things are going in Nepal. She is very right
to arouse a sense of nationalism among us or lay a guilt trap on us,
whatever way each of us may perceive from her message. Her message is
very clear that we (Nepali diaspora) should do something for Nepal.
As our "straight-shooter" friend from "city of liberty" correctly
pointed out, it is upto the individual to do whatever one wants to do
vis-a-vis one's relationship with Nepal and rest of the world. After
all, it is the basic premise of independence to "pursue life, liberty,
and happiness" and why should a Nepali be denied that God-given right.
Simply stated, guilt-trap and blame-game would not work.
Ms. Rana's article was successful to arouse the feelings of veteran
Peace Corps volunteer like Micky Veich and bring out the best of
"straight talk" from Philadelphia about the dilemma of Nepali diaspora
here in the US. Our friend from Philadelphia further states, "You can do
something for your country, without ever going back. ...sometimes, i get
the feeling that the Nepali expats are better able to help Nepal from
their pulpits in Boston/DC/NY/ LA/Denver... if they are better
organized." I concur.
As many of you TND readers are aware, two contemporary "networking for
Nepal" organizational attempts were made during 1997. One of which is
"The Nepal Digest Foundation" by Rajpal Singh in White Plains, NY which
brings us the Nepal Digest. TND Foundation is a global non-profit
information and resource center committed to promoting issues concerning
Nepal, Nepalis and Friends of Nepal. Further information about TND
foundation can be obtained from their website at:
[http://www.nepal.org].
A group of Nepalis and friends of Nepal in Minnesota (why? because we
happenend to be here in pursuit of our academic and professional
goals!), have started a non-profit organization called, "Empower Nepal
Foundation". The mission of ENF is to develop a global network of
individuals and institutions, pool resources from network participants,
and disseminate the pooled resources to support people of Nepal improve
and sustain environment and quality of life. ENF intends to support 4-E
activities in Nepal related to Education of children and adults,
Environmental restoration, Economic empowerment,and Enlightenment of
individual's role to sustain a democratic society.
During 1997, ENF has constituted a board of directors, passed bylaws,
printed foundation brochures, and is currently disseminating information
and collecting resources (money and volunteered time) through network of
friends here in Minnesota and around the world. As a first project, we
are developing "stay-in-school scholorship" fund for economically and
socially under-previlaged children (with emphasis on minority girls) in
Nepal. Depending upon the progress we make, our goal is to start
contributing to the development of Nepal by 1998. A preliminary text
version of the foundation information can be obtained at
[http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/9831]. A formal website is due to
be released soon at its temporary site at:
[http://www.geocities.com/southbeach/sands/2795].
Both TND and ENF are attempts to bring together the ideas and resources
of concerned individuals around the world towards Nepal. The advent of
cyberspace communication technology has made these networking attempts
feasible and "helping Nepal" from anywhere in the world is within
"finger-tip" reach of individuals. We all love Nepal in our own ways.
Both TND and ENF are attempts to facilitate this process of converting
our love for Nepal into deeds that improve the quality of life of one
individual, one family, one community, and one watershed at a time.
Individually, we may do somethings on our own. Collectively, we make a
big splash of difference.
We don't have to feel guilty or blame anybody else for Nepal's
predicament. Neither, do we have to be frustrated at the state of
affairs in Nepal. If Nepal is at the bottom of the totempole, the only
way out is to go up and start climbing Himalays of human dignity.
Whether you are a pizza-delivery boy or a top-notch academician, and
wherever you are in this world (in Kathmandu or Timbuktu), bring
together our volunteered resources, and do the right things to help
Nepalis help themselves.
Helping Nepal can be fun and enjoyable. Let us hook up with each other,
set aside our egos and pathos ( or bathos!) and bring together our
collective wills and resources. As a Nike commercial, let us "just do
it" for Nepal.
Padam Prasad Sharma, President
Empower Nepal Foundation
2000 Como Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108.
Phone:(612)646-3733
Email:psharma@soils.umn.edu
******************************************************************
Date: Sat, 3 Jan 1998 22:30:36 +0545 (NPT)
To: The Nepal Digest <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu>
From: sinhas@mos.com.np (Pratyoush Onta)
Subject: Re: The Nepal Digest - December 28, 1997 (13 Poush 2054 BkSm)
Source: The Kathmandu Post, 2 Jan 1998
The Politics of Knowledge
English in Development
by Pratyoush Onta
A few weeks ago, some friends who do not speak or write English with ease
received a phone call from a major donor agency in town. In characteristic
donor-voice, they were told, "We have heard that your organization is
interested in doing a 'gender' project. Please send us an appropriate
proposal as soon as possible so that we can give you the money under the
1997 budget." Before the conversation ended, they were also told, "Make
sure that you have the proposal written by so-and-so." What went unsaid was
that, of course, the proposal had to be written in English. My friends tell
me that such a specific command - "make sure the proposal you submit is
written by a specific person if you want the money" - is neither the first
of its kind in their experience not do they expect it to be the last.
Other bikas-wallas tell me that such a scenario is rampant within the
development industry in Nepal. Since many small and medium size development
organizations are staffed by Nepalis who have no or little access to
English as a written language, a new breed of professional proposal writers
in English has now taken strong roots within Nepali society. As writer and
social worker Sharad Poudel has recently argued in an essay in the
semi-annual journal Bikas, if you are competent in the English language and
if you also know the current development jargons, you can be a hero in the
development industry which despite its mouthing of 'participatory' rhetoric
is very much a top-down, money haves-move have nots type of bureaucracy.
Some among these proposal writers, I am told, have a standard non-written
agreement with organizations (on whose behalf they write the proposals)
regarding their remuneration: it is a fixed x percentage of the total
amount budgeted in the proposal. Reportedly, the program officers within
donor-agencies who decide what projects are provided funds, cultivate
special relationships with specific proposal writers. This is, in part, a
case of some English-fluent Nepali person becoming the darling of a major
donor-agency as the latter tries to outcompete other similar players in the
cultivation of deep patron-client relationships here. But it is also, I am
told, a part of the commission racket whereby proposal writers and
organizations seeking funds give kickbacks to donor-agency personnel who
have the authority to decide just how such funds are disimbursed.
I am willing to acknowledge that reports about how certain Nepali
English-fluent types become active in the proposal writing circuit or about
the pervasiveness of kickbacks associated with donor funding might be
slightly exaggerated. However, I am convinced that within the current
dominant development regime in Nepal, the pervasive use of the English
language for all kinds of communication, has become a major barrier for
many Nepalis for whom English is a difficult foreign language. Routine
correspondence, proposals for funding, project evaluations, project reports
and other such activities are all done, except for some exceptions, in
English within the development sector in Nepal. Many a time, even manuals
that are supposedly meant for field workers, are written in English. All
this opens up opportunities for language trafficking for a relatively small
number of English-fluent smooth operators.
It is not very difficult to understand this situation historically. Good
English learning in Nepal, even for those seeking secondary school and
higher education, is a luxury item. The relatively late arrival of English
language teaching in our country and the characteristic failure of our
education system when it comes to the competent teaching of languages have
meant that we now have two generations of Nepalis who have learnt English
as a foreign language for over twelve years in formal institutions but who
can hardly express themselves coherently in that language in spoken or
written form. The small number of Nepalis who have had opportunities to
master the English language here by attending English-medium schools or
similar institutions in other countries have hence benefitted
disproportionately from our dismal state of English-competence and from the
development industry's emphasis in the use of this language.
There is no doubt that we need to make drastic improvements in our general
ability to use English for all kinds of purposes. Nepali social workers,
journalists, researchers, analysts, bureaucrats and other professionals
need to improve their capacity to use the English language if they are to
benefit from and participate in the unprecedented worldwide explosion of
information and knowledge production in the English language . However this
is a project that can go on concurrently with a demand for the reduction
of the use of English in the Nepali development world. Various
participatory approaches to development is the most current jargon doing
the development rounds these days. Hence a minimal commitment to what is
being said in the name of participation would require that the English
language barrier be broken to enable a larger number of people to
participate in the development sector.
I suggest that this subject be discussed amongst all the bureaucrats of the
donor agencies located in Nepal immediately and some concrete
across-the-board changes be made in the way in which development
communication happens here. These agencies should begin by asking just how
much of a barrier English really is for many of the personnel in the
partner organizations with whom they are working currently or intend to
work with in the future. They should then seek out ways to break this
barrier. One obvious thing to do would be to begin accepting routine
correspondence, proposals and project reports in Nepali and have in-house
Nepali staff prepare short summaries in English (or whatover language the
respective donor headquarters demand) of the most important documents.
Further reflection and discussions on this subject, I am sure, will reveal
other ways to tackle this problem.
***********************************************************************
Date: Jan 6, 1998
To: The Nepal Digest
Subject: Nepali News
Source: The Rising Nepal
Poverty alleviation
TODAY a major problem facing the country is that of poverty and the resulting
anomalies in the society. In fact, as rightly pointed out by Prime Minister Surya
Bahadur Thapa while addressing a massive public rally in Janakpurdham the other
day, poverty alleviation is possible only if democracy takes firm root in the nation.
Nepal being one of the least developed countries in the world, a large proportion of
the people live in abject poverty and deprivation. The fruits of development has yet to
reach a large number of the people. Among the measures suggested to ensure that the
people are benefited is the strict adherence to the Constitution. The Nepalese
Constitution is said to be among the best in South Asia capable of tackling the
problem of poverty. Also requisite in alleviating poverty is the establishment of the rule
of the law. Raising high sounding slogans and activities like looting and killing are not
going to be of any help in solving the problem of poverty. To alleviate poverty efforts
to do so must begin from the grassroots level through the decentralisation process
which envisages the active participation of the people. The people must be made
aware of their rights provided by the Constitution and also their responsibility and role
in nation building. Intimidation and threats from any quarter should be opposed by all
possible means.
As mentioned by Prime Minister Thapa, there is a need for constituents of the present
government to maintain goodwill among themselves so that stability is maintained so
that the fruition of all development plans is possible. Meanwhile, continued efforts are
being made to bring the backward people from various linguistic and ethnic
communities into the national mainstream so that everyone benefits. There are many
communities in Nepal that are backward in comparison to others, so steps must be
taken so that progress percolates to them too. To forge ahead, Nepal ought to
develop the water resources, agriculture and the tourism sectors, the mainstay of the
country's economy which can bring about a drastic change for the better in the quality
of life of the people. Similarly, a stable and capable administration providing prompt
service is required to root out poverty. Thus, a sustained drive should be made in the
fight for poverty alleviation which has rightly been accorded priority in the Ninth Five
Year Plan.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
Talking trash
Alex McKinley is talking trash (Response, December 31, 1997), here are some reasons why : Only an
ignoramus can attempt to compare the religions of the Omkar family (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and
Sikhism) with any of the faiths of One Prophet, One Book.
Learning new ideas, thinking for oneself and making ones own decisions are the inherent characteristics of
Omkar religions. Prophet based faiths are never so tolerant as to allow such critical assessment of their
beliefs.
Proselytizing in poor countries often takes place through bulldozing (Christian Crusades and Islamic Holy
Wars), blackmailing (East India Company in India, Opium lords in China, Muslim rulers and employers in
West Asia), badgering (The Bible and land analogy in Africa, dream merchants of Latin America) and bribing
(missionaries in tribal belts of India, Muslims in Kerala, Christians extension workers in Nepal). Conversions
seldom take place through a well debated change of heart by true free will. Does not that negate the whole
concept of freedom of religion?
Any civilized nation, and we are one despite our poverty, must see to it that its system fosters true "freedom"
and not a free-for-all socio-religious environment. Vitiating this atmosphere through motivated proselytizing
often through questionable means should never be allowed.
Both the proportion and the absolute numbers of prophet-based faiths proselytizing efforts are staggering
(2,49,000 Christian missionaries alone in 1986, according to mission handbook). On the other hand, Omkar
religions are reflective by nature and organizations like Chinmaya missions are exceptions rather than the rule.
Most Hindu thinkers, including Mahatma Gandhi - the prophet of religious tolerance, believe that the ground
for true religious discourse can only be prepared by liquidating the missionary apparatus of Christianity and
Islam first.
In the end, only a highly hypocritical American can talk about religious freedom in America. They dont even
allow the entry of religious workers that they dont approve of ! So much for freedom.
In my attempt to be an honest member of the Omkar family, allow me to wish McKinley and his community a
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. We have no difficulty in accepting their God as another name
for the Truth. There is but one Truth, the wise speak of Him in many ways, say the scriptures, "Ekam satyah
biprah vahudha vadanti...". Om, Peace be, Peace be, Peace be.
C K Lal,
Kathmandu
Source: The kathmandu Post
Child porters & tales of their misery
By Dil Bhushan Pathak
SURKHET, Jan 3 - Twelve-year-old Luro Sarki checks every bus the moment it arrives Surkhet. If he finds
some load to carry, he is happy. If not he burns the old tyres and warms his body with the black smoke all
day long.
Three years have passed since the day Luro Sarki, resident of Chisapani VDC-5, has started to carry loads.
"Initially, I used to carry only light luggage. But now I can walk for the whole day carrying a load of 50
kilograms," Sarki says.
Luro voices his misery very candidly, " My father died when I was 6 years old. My mother works as a
labourer since then. I had one sister who also eloped with someone. I work at the bus stop to meet the
household expenses."
I can hardly earn 20 rupees. I have never been to school. I had joined child education class but stopped
going there after I lost the book. Then I came to bus park. If I earn money, I drink alcohol, otherwise I
dont," adds Luro.
Bishne Nepali is one year older than Sarki. He had deserted his school when he was studying at class one
because his female teacher used to beat him very often. He works as a porter over the last one year.
Grown-up porters snatch the luggage from them. They carry loads themselves at long distances. We have to
bear the high-handed behaviour of others for most of the time than earn money, complains Bishne.
Almost a dozen children who work as porters at Surkhet bus park have similar tales to narrate. These
children who can hardly earn two square meals a day during bus strike have no other options.
About 20 buses arrive here daily from different places including Dhangadhi, Nepalgunj, Mahendranagar,
Kathmandu and other places. These buses decide what is in store for the child porters.
About 200 child porters are busy in Surkhet and bus park areas. Some of them carry luggage of passengers
coming to the bus parks while others await customers to come to the shops of the businessmen to buy goods
intending to carry the goods to customers homes.
Bir Bahadur, a porter working at the bazaar area, is preparing to go to India next year. "
There is not much income in Nepal. India is better," says Bir Bahadur who had returned
here four years ago from the Himachal Pradesh where he had worked on a road project.
******************************************************************
From: greta@icimod.org.np
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 09:25:25 +0000
Subject: Re: Talking about expat's role in Nepal..
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
Response to Padam Sharma
Thanks for the information , but you read me wrongly or
you didn't read all my points. However, you are not alone. Much of
the response I have received has drilled home the importance of my
English profs favourite admonition, "Read ,mark, learn , and inwardly
digest-then think before you ink." My frustration was with the young woman who
asked"Why do foreigners do good things for Nepal and why is it that
Nepalis don't-why do som many run away?" my point was that foreigners who do'good things ' for
Nepal(and whether they do or not -are successful or not- is a moot
point- are paid plenty to do so whereas Nepalis are treated as third
rate even in their own country. At the same time we are encouraged to
think that foreign aid is doing us a big favour. Look at the
facts.Following the second world war the "iron curtain: as Winston
Churchill so ominously put it descended over Europe and with it the
Cold War. In most cases, for less than half a per cent of their GNPs
, western nations "gave" aid. the aid was one of the new combatting
fronts against communism.Communist nations also gave aid.The west won
out, now all of a sudden their citizens ask what developing nations
are doing with their hard-earned taxes.The fact is in terms of GNP it
never was a whole bundle of money. It certainly cost a heck of a lot
less than bombs and in light of the fact that it brought down the
"iron curtain" ( and now capitalism is making inroads into the bamboo
curtain) appears to have worked. the big mistake that western
citizens make is in confusing aid with philanthropy.for one thing
much of what western governments give is in the form of loans with
low rates of interest- but still loans. much of what is given in aid(
and there was a study on this by the National Planning Commission of
Nepal) manages to filter back to the country of origin in one form or
another. So it is not philanthropy by a long chalk. My concern is to
to end the myth of aid as philanthropy because most of it is coming
with a hidden agenda. (Incidentally , Sadam Hussein was nurtured by
the west in the fight against enemies real and imagined), so I think
you will now understand my frustration at the original young lady's
rather naive comment.
If you got my point about the Statue of Liberty you would realise that as far as immigrants to the States
are concerned I consider that the U.S. in particular , when it comes
to immigration, is not doing a favour,merely fulfilliung an ancestral commitment ,and that too by chososing the
best from other nations. I don't think- and please read what I write
not what you think I write- Nepalis outside are under any obligation
,especially if they went on their own financing. The British
Government doesn't ask me to contribute to the U.K. and I have now
lived in Nepal longer than I lived in my motherland .Please don't
put words into my mouth. I am not a rampant nationalist.I rather
think that the sooner borders come down and identity is based on
individuality and culture rather than on the false boundaries of the
nation state ,the better. I am quite a complicated individual and am
certainly not calling upon ex-pats to do something for Nepal.They'll
do what they want to do and that's how it should be.That
was the call of the original young lady.I am not a young lady ,just
one who is sick of the fact that in this country 'an expert is just
some guy from out of town."
Regards
Greta Rana
Senior Editor
email: greta@icimod.org.np (off.)
grana@saligram.mos.com.np (res.)
Tel: 977-1-525313 (off.)
977-1-538001 (Res.)
Fax: 00977-1-536747
00977-1-522346
***********************************************
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 09:48:24 GMT
To: The Nepal Digest <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu>
From: wings@gn.apc.org (S Barton)
Subject: Visit Nepal 98 and the Nepalese economy
I have sent this message to every Nepalese official for whom I
can find an e-mail address. I must add that I am convinced of the
good nature of the majority of ordinary Nepalese people.
Dear Sir,
I am aware that the Nepalese economy is heavily dependent on
tourism. The income of many wealthy men in Nepal is allegedly
dependent, unofficially, on illicit profits from trafficking.
May I respectfully remind you of the United Nations Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, to which Nepal is a signatory,
and which is reflected in the Constitution of Nepal, which I have
studied on the World Wide Web.
In view of these statutes, how is it that so many thousands of
innocent Nepalese girls are sold into sexual slavery without
there being any reported action by the Nepalese government
to help them, or even to rehabilitate them on their return? In
addition, how is it that innocent women tourists are sexually
assaulted without the perpetrators being removed from positions
in tourism?
I am a man who supports the human rights and equality of
women. Therefore I will not visit Nepal until these situations
are rectified. I am also posting this message on the Internet
I await your response.
Yours,
S Barton
wings@gn.apc.org
******************************************************************
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 1998 11:02:53 -0500
Subject: VISIT NEPAL YEAR 1998
From: diwask@juno.com (diwas khati)
VISIT NEPAL YEAR 1998, SOME MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
Is this another "fulfillment of basic needs/necessities by 2000"?
In my opinion, VNY'98 is simply a waste of taxpayers money to pay for new
cars and free air fares for the top ranking officials in the country.
Every government branch and the top brass in there are taking turns in
getting their share. Remember the Sharad Chandra era of Sports council,
the Congress people with their free Willies from India for elections, and
even the stage show of the Royals in their regional tours?
This is what needs to be done to attract the dollar spending
tourists - close down the child labor intensive carpet factories, make
mass transit more people oriented, and promote marijuana in the Kathmandu
Durbar Square Area (just a thought).
BTW you might want to get serious with the idea of marijuana
promotion. That is where the big money is. If this is done, I bet at
least 500 thousand more people will visit Nepal during '98. And if each
spends two weeks with non-pleasure related activities and is down 500
dollars excluding airfares, that is already 250 million dollars right
there. consequently there will be almost no panhandlers in town. All of
them will carry a tag showing their trade "the marijuana dealers". best
of all, the product is locally available. Will some econo-theorist join
me here in elaborating on the effects this will have on the nation's
economy/ Again, this is just a thought, and I may be dead right.
Diwas Khati
diwask@juno.com
(617) XXX-XXXX
******************************************************
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 09:19:03
From: <bbista@usa.net>
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
Dear Rajpalji,
I wish all the editorial board of TND and it's members a very happy new
year and along with it, I would like to thank you for keeping me abreast
with the news of all Nepal related friends. I hope during this year,
TND achieves more of it's goal to make Nepal known about more in the
outside world. I have now been subscribing to The Nepal Digest for
about 6 months, and during then have been very privileged to read the
news and views of Nepalese from all over the world. There have been
many articles which has kept me reading for many hours. I hope
that during the coming year, there will be many such articles.
I have been in Philippines for the past few years and during then have
lost contact with many friends from my student days in Nepal. I will
be going to America to further my education and would like to hear from
anyone who knew me during my school days, specially my friend Sampurna
(the 'Honda' friend) whose mailing address I seem to have lost. We spent
2 h years in the same school while I was doing my 10 + 2 and used to
hang around together in the evening at Kupandole Last time that I knew,
he was in India. So if anyone knows him, then could they please let me
know or inform him of my search.
Thanks in Advance
Bhola
**************************************************************
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 12:05:23 -0700
From: comartad@centro.ru
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: exchange rate
dear sir ,
happy new year &merry x'mass. actually we want to know about exchange
rate in nepal.so if it is possible please send us daily exchange rate
at following e-mail address:
thank you
sergi bavrin
moscow ,russia
************************************************************
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 1998 07:43:03 -0000
From: Balmukund Joshi <B.P.Joshi@btinternet.com>
To: tnd <tnd@nepal.org>
Subject: Happy New Year Greetings
Dear Editor,
On behalf of Sagarmatha Times, the only Nepalese newspaper published from
the
UK in Nepali and English, we would like to wish you and your readers a Very
Happy and Prosperous New Year 1998.
We would also like to take this opportunity to inform your readers that
Sagarmatha Times home page at :
http://www.btinternet.com/~sagarmatha.time/menu.htm has now been updated
and
redesigned so that readers using the Netscape browser are also allowed to
view
the pages.
Regards
Mr B.P Joshi - Editor-in-Chief (b.p.joshi@btinternet.com)
Mr S.R Panta - Editor (sohan.panta@btinternet.com)
Sagarmatha Times
WWW :- http://www.btinternet.com/~sagarmatha.time/menu.htm
Email :- sagarmatha.times@btinternet.com
*****************************************************
Date: Thu, 08 Jan 1998 11:45:10 -0500
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
From: "Atout Affaires inc." <atout@videotron.net>
Subject: 402 MW Project
To whom it may concern,
We are a Canadian company based in Quebec interested to participate
to the construction of this 402 MW hydro project in Nepal. But we do not
have much information. Can you help? Please send me information regarding
this 402 MW project. Documentation, news, etc,
Ren=E9 Fortin,
Atout Affaires inc.
810, De Nemours, suite 106,
Charlesbourg, (Qu=E9bec)
Canada, G1H 7B3
T:418-622-5158
F:418-622-1631
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