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 QAA21757; Fri, 26 Jun 1998 16:18:45 -0500 (CDT) Received: by mp.cs.niu.edu id AA16018 (5.67b/IDA-1.5 for nepal-dist); Fri, 26 Jun 1998 14:08:37 -0500 Received: by mp.cs.niu.edu id AA16014 (5.67b/IDA-1.5 for nepal-list); Fri, 26 Jun 1998 14:08:36 -0500 Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 14:08:36 -0500 Message-Id: <199806261908.AA16014@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 - June 26, 1998 (16 Ashadh 2055 BkSm) To: <NEPAL@cs.niu.edu> Content-Type: text Status: O X-Status: X-Keywords: X-UID: 269
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The Nepal Digest Fri June 26, 1998: Ashadh 16 2055BS: Year7 Volume75 Issue3
Today's Topics (partial list):
Re: Housing Request by panthi family
A Bird in the Tree for the Hunter
A Nepali young scientist is ill
Volunteer work
News from Canada
Gopal Shivakoti Chintan - Temporary Release
Wanted: Panelists For Youth Forum!!
******************************************************************************
* 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) *
* Editorial 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: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 08:35:57 +0530
From: "F. A. H. ('Hutch') Dalrymple" <hutch@wlink.com.np>
To: The Nepal Digest <tnd@nepal.org>
Subject: re: housing blurb
"APPEAL FROM THE PANTHI FAMILY (FROM KATHMANDU) FOR A FAMILY(S) IN THE
N.Y.C. AREA TO 'HOST' THEM!
Please consider 'hosting' my family: me and my wife Janaki, and our
children Gokul, Parbati, Santoshi, and Roshan while we are in the N.Y.C.
area (after attending 'Camp Sundown' at the XP Society, Poughkeepsie,
N.Y.).
We are arriving N.Y.C. on July 19th, and attending the 'Camp,' in
Poughkeepsie from the 22nd through the 26th.
Thus, will need a place to stay with a family(s) (having never been to
America and speak little English) from July 27th to August 15th (roughly
two weeks). We understand hotels/motels in the N.Y.C. are very
expensive, and we're on a limited budget!
Now, we realize it's a challenge to take on an entire family of six, so
possibly there are two families that would 'host,'/ and we can divide
our family in half, and three stay one place, and three another.
We are in America to attend 'Camp Sundown,' run by the XP Society of
Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and to seek medical help/advice as to a solution to
this disease (Xeroderma Pigmentosum) that struck three out of four of my
children (Rajan died May 18th).
Thanks so much for any consideration! We look forward to meeting our
American friends! Namaste! Narayan Panthi"
I hope the above suffices. And I will pray for your success on Saturday
night!
Namaste!
hutch@
******************************************************************
Date: June 25, 1998
To: TND Foundation <tnd@nepal.org>
Subject: Charity for a worthy cause
From: RJ Singh <a10rjs1@cs.niu.edu>
Dear Friend,
TND Foundation is initiating a charity dinner to help the Panthi
family when they come to New York for their treatment in July 1998.
The charity dinner will be hosted at the following address:
Whittier Cafe
1230 Amsterdam Ave
Teacher's College
Columbia University
New York, NY
Date: June 27, 1998 (Saturday)
Time: 6:30PM
Contact phone number: 914-421-9129 (Rajpal J. Singh)
212-678-3504 (Tara Niroula)
Email address: tnd@nepal.org (TND Foundation)
Charity dinner donation: $20 per person. Approximately 60% will cover
the cost and 40% will go towards helping the Panthi family. The amount
will be donated to them "On behalf of Nepali Community" when they arrive
to New York in July 1998.
If you can not attend the charity dinner, you can send your donation
(payable to RJ Singh - Panthi fund) to following address:
TND Foundation
P.O. Box 8206
White Plains, NY 10602
"A one hour Kura_Kani session (to be held once every two month on issues
relating to Nepalis and Nepal) will be held on the same day at the
same address at 5:00PM"
Following donors' contributions are thankfully recognised for this
noble cause:
Mr. Umesh Giri, Colorado, USA
Mr. Gopal Thapa, UN-Nepal Mission, New York, USA
Mr. NK Ranjit and Mrs. Kopila Ranjit, Deleware, USA
Ms. Sabina Thapa, New York, USA
Anonymous graduate students, Bronx, USA
Mr. Rajpal JP Singh, White Plains, USA
Mr/Mrs Pawan and Nilima Agrawal, California, USA
Nepal Mission - United Nations office, New York, USA
Bhakta Gubhaju, Conneticuit, USA
Regards,
TND Foundation
http://www.nepal.org
tnd@nepal.org
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 17:20:14 +0530
From: "F. A. H. ('Hutch') Dalrymple" <hutch@wlink.com.np>
To: The Nepal Digest
Subject: Sad departure - Panthi family appeal
AN APPEAL FOR HELP FROM NARAYAN PANTHI!
Rajan, my eldest son died, May 18, 1998. He was 24-years old. But, there
is still hope for my two other children, Gokul, 19, and Parbati, 21. Please
help us if you can! (please see attached photograph)
My family is besieged by a deadly, genetic disorder, a virulent form of
cancer called, Xeroderma Pigmentosum, made worse by exposure to the sun
(and other UV sources).
Most children can go outside and play in the sun. My children have to hide
indoors in the daytime and can only go out at night (after sundown).
The sun, giver of life to most, is the taker of life to my child.
We have searched far and wide for help, treatment, and a solution to this
situation... from Nepal to India and back, and finally, in America, we think
we have found one!
We, the Panthi family, have been accepted into a special ('Sundown') camp,
the Xeroderma Pigmentosum Society of Poughkeepsie, N.Y./U.S.A., operates
every summer.
But, that addresses only part of our problem. First, we have to finance a
great part of this expensive trip to the U.S. (in July) ourselves, plus meet
additional medical expenses.
We have determined that we need to raise nearly one-million rupees
(almost $16,000U.S.).
Fortunately, God has blessed us with friends, near and far: from Japan, to
Alaska in the U.S. and to the U.K..
We have raised almost three lahks/rupees to date:
The Swablambi Pariwar Sangh/Nepal has donated one lahk/rupees and is raising
more, the XP Society is donating one session of camp, plus $2,250U.S.,
Royal Nepal Airlines is donating three free tickets and three at
fifty-percent off between Kathmandu and London (still have to fund the
London to N.Y.C. portion of the trip), Nepali students in Japan have donated
20,000 yen (10,000 rupees), and friends in the U.K. have donated 40,000
rupees.
But, we still need to raise seven lahks/rupees more, or 700,000 rupees
($11,000U.S.).
Thus, we (my wife Janaki and me) ask for your help! Please consider this
appeal!
I have worked all my life to support my family. I owned a successful
business, a small hotel here in Kathmandu until my children were stricken
with this almost unknown illness (we have been to doctors and hospitals
from Kathmandu to the south of India).
Now, we live on the rent from our stores below, roughly 10,000 rupees per
month (roughly $125U.S.). I have had to devote all of my time and energy
to trying to find a solution to this disease that's devastating my family!
Now, our only hope now lies in America, where it is said they have the
facilities and possible treatment for such an unknown form of cancer,
Xeroderma Pigmentosum. Please, if you have access to a computer/Internet,
check out a WEB site: www.xps.org for information about this disease, and
the XP Society.
And we would also like to thank the following individuals, and organizations
that have been involved with helping us in some fashion over the past years.
Without them we could not have made it!
BANK ACCOUNT FOR DONATIONS (IN NEPAL):
'Rajan and Gokul Panthi' #555555 'J'
Himalayan Bank, Thamel, Kathmandu
Namaste!
Narayan Panthi
Anamnagar, Kathmandu, Nepal
(+977+1) 227311
WON'T YOU JOIN THE FOLLOWING LIST:
Mr. C.M. Yogi/Hindu Vidyapeeth-Nepal
Mr. Lakshmon Pandey/Nepal Student Union
Mr. Robby Khanal
The Nepal Digest
Ms. Kay Wilson, Fairbanks, Alaska/U.S.A.
Mr. I.W. Strong/Penwood Inc., Denver, Colorado/U.S.A.
Ms. Uma Shrestha, Bay City, Michigan/U.S.A.
Mr. Shailesh N. Gongal, Cambridge, Massachusetts/U.S.A.
The XP Society, Poughkeepsie, N.Y./U.S.A.
Swablambi Pariwar Sangh (Independent Family Organization of Nepal)
Nepal Cancer Relief Society, Kathmandu
Royal Nepal Airlines, Kathmandu
Bir Hospital, Kathmandu
T.U. Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu
Anuradha Koirala/MAITI NEPAL
Matthew S. Friedman/USAID
Dr. Shyam Thapa/USAID
The American Society of Clinical Oncology, Chicago, Illinois/U.S.A.
The Swiss Cancer League, Bern/Switzerland
The International Union Against Cancer, Geneva/Switzerland
The B.P. Koirala/Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Mr. Rajan Rayamajhi/Sangrilla Business Group, Kathmandu
Mr. F.A.H. ('Hutch') Dalrymple/writer-poet, Kathmandu
Mr. S.K. Gautam/Industrial Service Bureau, Kathmandu
Mr. Raj Kumar Basnyat/Diyalo Quarterly
Mr. Bijay Shivakotee/songwriter
Mr. Punya Prasad Regimi
Mr. Bindu Lal Shrestha/Peace Corp, Nepal
Mr. Munish Bhattarai
Mr. Ngima Gyalgen Lama/Kyusha University
Graham and Colleen Misbach/L.D.S. Charities
Mr. Mahesh Gautam
Mr. Santosh Sharma/Music Nepal
Mr. Kumar Basnyat/folksinger
Mr. Sandeep Singh Mahat/#1 table tennis player in Nepal
Rajesh and Anuja Agrawal/Creative Minds & Travelation
Bogdan Holeiciuc and Cristina Armengol-Dalmau, Kathmandu
Mr. Chandra Bhandari/former General Secretary, Nepal Students Union
Mr. Bijay Kumar Kidia/Kedia Organization
Melody Magazine
Dr. Bhakta Man Shrestra/cancer specialist
Mr. Himal Rajbhandari/Treasurer, Social Welfare Council, HMG, Nepal
Mrs. Kamal Panti/Assistant Minister of Women and Social Welfare, HMG, Nepal
Dr. Padam Prasad Paudyal, Salisbury, N.C./U.S.A.
Dr. Dinesh Kumar Dalbir, Oklahoma City, OK./U.S.A.
Dr. Sharad Kumar Sharma, N.Y.C./U.S.A.
Dr. Ram Saran Mahat
-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 11:32:57 +0530
From: "F. A. H. ('Hutch') Dalrymple" <hutch@wlink.com.np>
Reply-To: hutch@wlink.com.np
Subject: press release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1 JUNE 1998
XP SOCIETY ACCEPTS PANTHI FAMILY IN JULY!
The Narayan Panthi family of Kathmandu has been accepted into 'Camp Sundown,'
by the XP Society of Poughkeepsie, N.Y./U.S.A.
The XP Society was started by Dan and Caren Mahar to help those (their daughter
Katie) stricken with Xeroderma Pigmentosum, a virulent form of incurable cancer
made worse by exposure to the sun (nee 'Camp Sundown' - a camp for children of
the disease where activities commence at sundown).
The Panthi family of Anamnagar has long been seeking help for their three
(out of four) children, Rajan, 24, Gokul, 21, and Parbati, 19, afflicted with
this genetic disorder.
The XP Society has accepted the Panthi family into session #3, 22-26 July in
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
His Majesty's Government, the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Anand
Dhungana, has graciously offered three free tickets and three at fifty-percent
off via Royal Nepal Airlines to help defray travelling costs. This will get
the family to London and back.
The XP Society is contributing, besides the Camp facilities for 5/4 days and
nights, $2,225U.S. to help defray airline expenses from London to N.Y.C.
Other fund raising activities are in progress to help with travel and medical
expenses: a benefit concert in July which will help, not only the Panthi
family, but the Sushma Memorial Hospital.
Ram Krishna Dhakal and Bijay Shivakotee have agreed to perform (more on this
as it develops).
A bank account (555555'J') at the Himalayan Bank in Thamel has been set up for
those who would like to contribute to this humanitarian effort!
Please do... Donate rupees, or volunteer to help!
For more information contact:
F.A.H. ('Hutch') Dalrymple (English) 410319 (Lazimpat) or hutch@wlink.com.np
Rajan Rayamajhi (Nepali) 256701, 245780 (fax)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 07 May 1998 11:23:31 +0530
From: "F. A. H. Dalrymple" <mailto:hutch@wlink.com.np>
To: editor Contributions <mailto:nepal@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: Rajan Panthi and Xeroderma Pigmentosum (horrible form of cancer)
Because I first discovered the plight of the Panthi family in The Nepal
Digest (when I was in the U.S.), I thought you'd like an update (three
'pieces' attached, plus a photograph).
I'm now in Kathmandu, dealing with helping the Panthi family firsthand.
We are raising money, both here in Nepal and the U.S. to send the
family, Rajan including, to the XP Society's 'Sundown Camp,' in
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. in July. Please help!
Check out their WEB site: www.xps.org (for more information on the
disease)
We are producing a benefit concert here in Kathmandu (in July), and also
urging, those who can, to make a donation (have a bank account both here
and in the U.S.), to please do so. God will bless you!
And if you need further information, please contact me:
F.A.H. ('Hutch') Dalrymple
mailto:hutch@wlink.com.np
Namaste! and thanks!
Bio article for Melody, by F.A.H. ('Hutch') Dalrymple - I ask only one thing
from you for this article... That you will
ublish this in both English and Nepali. And this might be a suggestion for
all you text... That way both cultures can
learn each other's. Make it a bi-lingual publication.
I pray that the pain I am feeling lessens Rajan Panthis'! I pray to God that
'he' (who knows maybe a 'she') will give m
Rajan Panthis' pain. That I might have it and he not. I pray than I will see
a little less that he can see more! I
pray that he can hear more, and that I will hear less. I pray that he can be
in the sun longer, and me less! I pray that
his face be restored and mine disfigured.
I've lived my life, Rajan Panthi is dying at age 24!
And the next time you're feeling sorry for yourself, go see Rajan Panthi here
in Kathmandu! He is all alone in a room a
ove his parent's house. He waits to die in the dark. Bring him hope, talk to
him, give him your strength... If you can
do nothing less, like donate rupees. There is an account set up in Gokul
Panthi's name at the Himalayan Bank! So, if
you have more money than time (think yourself very important) contribute
rupees. You will be blessed!
The reason we are having this benefit music/humor concert is to raise money
for this family and the Sushma Memorial Hospital.
This publication is a proud sponsor of the event! So, support this
publication, Melody too! Buy from their adverisers!
Become an advertiser!
HE WAITS IN THE DARK TO DIE!
Rajan Panthi lies in his bed in Kathmandu, shrouded by death, waiting to die!
His face horribly disfigured, he is blind,
the Xeroderma Pigmentosum 'eating' away his flesh! The sun, usually a life
giver, his enemy, the darkness his 'friend.
How can we understand such agony? Karma? Fate? Is it the inexplicable
deadly mixture of genes? Evolution?
There is no cure! Rajan Panthi waits for the darkness to swallow his body
whole, for his mind to be made whole again!
"Out of the night that covers me,
As black as pitch,
>From pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be,
For my unconquerable soul!"1
I hold his hand! I squeeze it! I ask God for a miracle (I believe in and
have seen miracles!)
This kid is only 24-years old, his life a living hell from two years on!
What goes through his mind?
Not the usual things a 24-year old young man might dream about... There are
no thoughts of career. There are no thoughts
of getting married (to a beautiful girl), no thoughts of having children, not
thoughts of getting a job, of recogniting,
of security, of old age... Of a life lived, even!
He wants only that his body to be used so that medical science can find some
solution to this disease, so that no one might
have to suffer as he has!
How lucky we are to be healthy! How lucky we are to think we have a future!
Rajan Panthi waits in the dark to die,
sentenced to death from birth, by chance! How cruel fate can be!
How lucky are we to live a life!
He waits in the dark to die!
I ask God for a miracle everyday now! Or, at least some explanation...
Rajan Panthi lies in pain in the dark alone (for near death we are all
ultimately 'alone').
Below, one level, at the Panthi house, his parents, Narajan and Janaki, live
with hope... How else could they survive,
wo of their other children, Gokul, and Parbati have the same dreaded
death sentence hanging over them.
The expressions on their faces tell the story... These two children have
tried to commit suicide a couple of times!
Parbati, in her white dress, knows she will never have a man interested in
her disfigured face, Gokul, in his Nike baseball
cap, knows the same fate awaits him as upstairs, where...
He waits in the dark to die! He waits for death with no eyes, the look of a
leper!
I pray for a miracle! I ask God for a miracle!
How lucky we are to have a life, to walk in the sun, to enjoy a bird's song,
a lover, a restaurant meal, a job, a future
To see, to hear!
Oh, how lucky we are!
He waits in the darkness to die!
Like a building storm it comes!
First, it begins to rain... Yet, rain brings life! I want to bring him music,
life, hope! I want my friend, another
Rajan, who is healthy and attractive with a bright future, to read to him from
Sogyal Rinpoche's, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying!
I think of making a video... No, I cannot exploit this man's agony!
He waits in the dark to die!
How lucky we are!
Oh God, I ask, what can I do for this boy turned into an 'Elephant Man?'
The thunder answers through the valley!
"I speak to you through the thunder and lightening, be still, know I am God!"
Across the way, through an opened door, a bottle of Champagne sits in an ice
bucket. A man and a woman embrace!
Below there is laughter, a group of people having a party.
I kill a mosquito that buzzed in my ear last night!
He waits in the darkness to die!
How lucky some creatures are...
It is Saturday, a holiday in Nepal.
I see a rainbow! Has God answered my prayers?
"I speak to you through the mysterious rainbow. Be still know that I am God!"
Why Rajan Panthi? Why not me? Why not you?
How lucky we are to have lived a life with hope!
He waits in the dark to die!
You can see the pain on their faces, the Panthi family!
How lucky we are not to be in pain!
We think we suffer, and have problems.... Next time you start feeling
sorry for yourself, go visit Rajan Panthi (or someone like him)!
Be thankful for what you have, whatever that is. Be thankful you don't have,
three out of four of your children suffering
from this version of hell (in front of you everyday). Be thankful you can
see, or hear, or can sit in the sun!
Oh, how lucky we are!
He waits in the dark to die!
POSTSCRIPT:
Some people have an amazing capacity to avoid; ignore, or otherwise
rationalize how not to get involved, or how not to
contribute to relieving the plight of their fellow human beings. I
see it demonstrated everyday, and I hear the plausibl
explanations. In some ways, these people are lucky, because I cannot do
the same! I cannot ignore, any longer, another's
pain, another's need. Maybe it's my age, maybe it's what I've been through
in my life...? But, I know that, "There,
but for the grace of God, go I..."
F.A.H. Dalrymple
Kathmandu, Nepal
24 April 1998
1 Gerard Mandley
AN APPEAL TO HELP!
Take a good look at the photograph of the three Panthi children, Rajan aged,
24, and his sister and younger brother, 21
and 19 respectively... They have all been diagnosed as 'terminal' from
the voracious, disfiguring cancer, Xeroderma Prigm
ntosa! That's three children in the Panthi family, and all dying of cancer!
But, let me have Rajan Panthi, the oldest tell their story...
I am Rajan Panthi, a twenty-four year old resident of Anam Nagar, Kathmandu,
Nepal. I have a serious, debilitating
cancer called Xeroderma Prigmentosa, and am nearing the end! One of my eyes
has been removed and my other eye is so badly sollen
that I am now blind! My whole body is badly infected and is completely
covered with sores that ooze a puss. Black scars can be seen to cover my body.
My whole body aches with severe pain, sometimes its almost unbearable.
I have to remain isolated in a room. But, despite all of this I am still alive!
With the little money that my father earns from his small shop, we have made
it this far...
My youngest sister 21, and my younger brother, 19, both are also suffering
from the same disease. They are also disfigured and are suffering.
I have been from different hospital to hospital, both inside and outside of
Nepal, but with little in the way of positive results. A large amount of
of money has been spent at several types of treatment, but there is no sign
of improvement or recovery.
I'm sure too that the three of us have become an unbearable burden on my
parents. The stress has caused them to become ill themselves.
I am under the impression that there is a recent invention and/or discoveries
in the field of science and medicine that
may help people like us...?
I, from the bottom of my heart, want to stop financially burdening my parents.
My last desire is that this will all be
or nothing, that an institution will take on the responsibility a solution to
this horrible disease. I solemnly pray that
no other single human being will have to suffer from such a deadly disease.
It will make me personally happy and grateful for any assistance from
individuals or institutions. I am willing to donate my body for
investigation, so maybe my sister and brother might be saved.
Thanks a lot for your compassionate consideration.
Rajan Panthi
Kathmandu, Nepal (011+977+1+227311)
Thus, anything you can donate will be gratefully accepted, as we are planning a benefit concert here in Kathmandu.
Anything... As small as $1U.S. dollar... Anything, as it all goes to
producing this concert which we hope will raise a substa
tial amount of money for the Panthi family, as well as, call attention to
this type of dreadful cancer.
Contact F.A.H. Dalrymple in Kathmandu as how you may contribute, and/or
otherwise help
011+977+1+410319 or via the Internet
mailto:hutch@wlink.com.np
P.S. There is a XP Society in the U.S. available at: www.xps.org to learn more about this form of cancer
******************************************************************
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 00:21:36 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Pramod K. Mishra" <pkm@acpub.duke.edu>
To: The Nepal digest Editor <nepal-request@cs.niu.edu>
Subject: A Bird in the Tree for the Hunter
In my first year in college on the banks of the Ganges, I visited
an ashram. And in order to get there, I had to go through the whole
length of the east-west town, including the prisonhouse. It was partly
loneliness and partly this urgent desire to figure out the ways of God and
man that made me walk those miles to the sedate monastery that sat on the
cliff overlooking the expanse of the Ganges.
Even otherwise, since childhood, I always sought out gurus,
shadhus, pirs, monks, saints, maulawis, ministers for discussion on religious
matters. Ethics and metaphysics had gripped me as early as I could
remember. Ever since I had broken the tulsi-bead that had been thrust
upon me and that hung around my neck like a wooden log around a recalcitrant
calf's neck and eaten fish, and my mother had beaten me for disappointing
her life's mission to make me a monk of a particular Hindu sect, I had
been curious about the metaphysical world that existed in the invisible
realm but affected tremendously the mundane lives of people around me. In
fact, all along growing up, I had been surrounded by ghosts and Rajbanshi
spirits, some benevolent, others malevolent. Every mango tree in the
village hid a ghost; every slippery mud-ridge a Saitan. The "pithari"
tree on my way to school was thought to be a choice nest of ghosts. The
river where the villagers buried and burned their dead, a village of
ghosts was said to live and prosper, invisibly. But I thought it like real.
In short, I had gone through Rajbanshi rituals, devoted much time
and effort, all clandestine, to becoming an Ojha; gone to bhajan-kirtan,
dancing and singing "Hare Rama, hare Krishna" around the idols of Krishna
and Radha in a fresh-smelling bamboo and hay hut; chanted "Kalma" taught
by the village Maulawi to whom my father had sent me to learn Urdu,
Arabic, Persian and Bengali; and of course gone to the "satasangh" of a
vegetarian sect organized by Sundar Rajbanshi whom I called Mama, my
mother's social brother, in a nearby village. I was in search of answers,
I guess, as a child. And I believed when I heard from the mouth of the
damai monk, "Saat sworg, upwarg sukha; dhariya tula ek unga; tule na tahi
sakala mili, jo sukha lubha satsangha" 'Even boundless joy together with
seven heavens fail to compare the happiness of Satsangh." So I went.
All along this other domain that had such control over human life
and that enabled a few edowed ones to have such power of the word over
others had instinctively fascinated me. But now, I had left the jungle
village and had gone to college on the banks of the Ganges on my own
insistence, where I knew nobody; and my particular condition made it
difficult to make easy friends. And with the on-rush of puberty a few
years back, my questions had become too many and the answers I got about
that world had dwindled. With people whom I knew I argued about it as
though my life depended on it. I had heard that the head-shaven,
saffron-garbed monks who gave talks to the vegetarian Rajbanshis once a
year came from a place called Kuppa Ghat, and this fabled place was in the
same town where I went to college. At least something in the town I knew
that came from Nepal.
So one Saturday morning, I set out to find the place. In my five
or six mile solitary walk across town, I had plenty of time to look
around--up, down and yonder--and wonder about the buildings, localities, and
things. I passed through a Muslim section of the town, rumored to have
narrow, dirty lanes and dangerous men with cutlasses. I turned my steps
into a trot. Then I encountered Kotwali, the town police station, where
legendary police inspectors said to be working with the criminals who
lived in the wild of the Gangetic basin. I pased that, too, looking up
toward it from time to time. Then came the Cinema hall with fierce guards
with wooden battan twirled up moustache. I had already heard that the
talkie belonged to the town's most notorious gangster of a particular
caste. Then I past through the town's infamous district, and I straitened
my gaze like a village maiden or a tonga horse with blinkers and hurried
past, snatches of words about mother's and sister's private parts
terrifying, more than shaming my ears.
When I passed the courts and the parade grounds, a huge boundari
wall with layers of barbed wires on top and guards stationed in the towers
greeted me. A boy of fourteen or fifteen coming from a jungle village, it
was the first time I got to examine a town and its buildings. The
villages had no such history enshrined in concrete blocks; they had only
generational memories. The architecture of this building mystified me; I
had never seen a prisonhouse before; I had only heard about. After this
structure, there was a large mango grove that stretched all the way to the
Ganges, and on one corner stood a sky-kissing, bald water tank. Only then
could I reach Kuppa Ghat, the monastery of celibate, vegetarian monks.
Of all the monuments and institutions of that Indian town, the
jail house fascinated me the most. My conscience was young, buried
in taboos, and libido undeveloped to be fascinated by the brothels.
Curious I was; fascinated I was not. But the prison-house was a different
matter. Weren't my villagers taken to jail in Biratnagar on trumped up
charges and subjected to inhuman tortures? Wasn't Babaji, my childhood
hero, had been taken from the Nepali village to the Indian jail on charges
of robbery, where he had died, and the Dom had dragged the body, spitting
on his arse, a necessary ritual for such unclaimed bodies? Jailhouse held
no glory--only terror. I hadn't yet read Nehru and Gandhi's prison
accounts. For me, the prisonhouse held disgusting looking, inhuman
criminals with fangs and claws, humans who loved to tear the entrails of
their fellow-men.
Yet unlike the crowd and abusive invitation of the brothel, the
sudued goings-on of the police station in the heating sun, I could see
nothing behind the rising walls and the barbed wires, save an occassional
glimpses of the guard, sauntering in his tower with a rifle. I conjured
all kinds of scenarios of the inside, and moved on to the habitat of the
celibate monks built on the jagged cliff on banks of the Ganges. Standing
there on the open balcony of the courtyard, you could see the dark foliage
and the stretches of water and sand across, and a vast expanse of the
fertile land, now green with crops.
Every year, they said, the holy river brought plethora of black
mud and sand; and every year, the farmers lost track of the boundaries of
their land. But they slid on the rich mud in gigantic pitchers and sowed,
and when the crops ripened, feuds began. The rich mud claimed human blood
every year, and the stretch of the Ganges, flooded in the monsoon, and
fertile rest of the year, bred criminals like flies. So I imagined, not
without reason, that many of these criminals were housed there in the
prisonhouse as well.
Then one day when I returned to my village, I heard that one of
the dreaded bandit named Gaina Miyan had been taken to the notorious jail
of my college town. We had spent countless nights in the Rajbanshi
village awake and ready to flee home for fear of these raids from across
the borders in the summer and monsoon months. And Gaina was only second
to Bechana, both endowned with legendary powers and ways to raid villages
across the border from India. For example, I knew that Bechna could climb
up a straight wall, his paws stuck like magnate on iron. His Arabian
horse could hear his secret call and get to him to carry him and his loot.
The stories sounded like those I had read in Bengali about the Arab world.
Now when I returned to college and traversed the miles to the
monastery, I knew that there was at least somebody in town whose name I
had known from my village. When I passed the jailhouse, I stared at its
walls with more intensity now. And its rising walls, the barbed wires,
the guards, and the unseen inmates got itched in my memory.
A couple of years passed; my irreverence grew; my loneliness
shrank; I made friends. I gave up those long walks across town. Among my
friends was Arun, who lived with his professor father. Actually, he was
Chandar's classmate; both were history honors. And Chandar and I lived in
the hostel now, where Arun visited us whenever he could. Arun wore
feminine, delicate features on his high cheeckbones--soft comely face,
well-shaped, attractive nose, hairless face, curly hair. In places, where
girls are allowed to be attracted to boys of delicate build, soft face,
and feminine features, he would have been a sensation. But on the banks
of the Ganges, only boys had the freedom to do so. His father, who taught
history and was not my teacher, was almost ugly. His hair was crow-black,
cheeks slabs of ebony on a round face. He always wore, unlike most
professors who wore shirts and pants, cheap but clean dhoti and kurta. On
the whole, his ugliness, cleanliness, simplicity enhanced the grimness of
his face. It was not a smiling simplicity that you see in Gandhi's
photographs.
One day, Chandar said that Arun had three brothers, one in medical
college and two in engineering. "Good for his father. Lot of dowry," I
said, without even thinking. But Chandar said, no, all of them were in
prison. One of them in fact in the town penitentiary where Gaina was
lodged. Gaina Miyan and Arun's brother living side by side! The same as I
had passed by every Saturday a couple of years ago? And I felt like
getting hit on my head by a rock. I soon learned that all Arun's brothers
were Naxalites, followers of Kanu Sanyal and Charu Majumdar, the Bengali
gentlemen of Naxalbari, not far from Nepal's eastern border. These two
men had started militant communist movement in the sixties, and a landlord
and a few peasant had been killed and the incident had spread like
lightning all over Bengal and other provinces of India. It had inspired
quite a few Nepali youth as well. C.P. and R.K. Mainali, among others, in
Nepal had allegedly joined the movement and spent a large chunk of theri
youth in Nepali prison. In India, the movement had drawn extraordinarily
talented young men, mainly from highly competitive science, engineering,
and medical colleges and from middle class homes. At one time, Calcutta
had become the hotbed of such violence, and in pockets of Bihar,
Madyapradesh and the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, the movements had
concentrated among the peasant and dalit villages. Violence, both from
the landlords and the militants, had become widespread.
But the volatility of the movement hadn't remained had in time
dwindled and localized. Indira Gandhi had gotten her first taste of human
blood at this time. She had launched a massive campaign of repression in
Bengal, killing, torturing in unspeakable ways. Numerous brilliant young
men, driven by youthful zeal and idealism and high I.Q., had taken to the
movement in the hope of realizing a utopia by wiping out feudal
institutions through bloodshed. Hadn't Mao done the same thing in China
not long before? And Lenin before that? But the repression had taken its
toll. Countless young men had been killed in false encounters; and
women's genitals had bled when their interrogators had plunged their
battans to make them confess and inform. Mahashweta Devi in Bengali,
Bhisham Sahani in Hindi, and many others wrote graphic description of such
tortures in their angry fiction.
And then came the student movement and the Emergency. One stormy
morning, Chandar told me that (his brother was a lawyer in the same town)
a jailbreak had occurred that morning. The prisoners had killed a guard
and mutilated another, and when the guard came to the rescue, he, too, had
been killed. And the prisoners had taken the ladder of the guards and
quite a few had jumped off the wall and fled toward the Ganges under cover
of the mango grove and rains. There was a massive manhut going on all
over town. And we feared that a few might head toward our hostel, for we
had by then known that the hostel had become a den of criminals who took
shelter from Indira Gandhi's MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act),
called Kala Kanun.
That night I thought a lot about Gaina Miyan and Arun's brother.
Did Gaina, too, escape with others? Did Arun's brother, too, escaped or
did he stay? The next morning I heard that prisoners had managed to
escape to the Gangetic wilderness, save two. One had climbed up the water
tank and had been killed. And the other had climbed up a mango tree and
hid himself in its thick foliage to seek the cover. He had perhaps
planned to escape to the anonimity of the Ganges under cover of darkness
at night fall. But the police party had combed the area and found him
seated up the tree. And soon he fell on the thin grass of the ground like
a bird shot by a hunter.
I didn't see Arun much after that. But I heard that his father
said that he had three other sons left to go. And when the exams were
over, his father sent Arun to JNU, Delhi, where they wrote papers on
Marxism, rather than getting shot like a game bird. Charu Majumdar and
Kanu Sanyal were realeased from prison years later, and both spent lives
as common politicians, admired by distant sympathiers, frowned upon by
their more successful colleagues, hated by opponents and cursed perhaps by
the mothers of those brilliant young men and women who had lost the hopes
of their future in this blood feud.
It's not that violence itself is bad. History is witness to its
numerous blood rivers. Wars, revolutions, colonizations have demanded
blood, and societies and nations, calling themselves civilized, have given
blood--a form of civilized human sacrifice. But unnecessary and untimely
blood sacrifice hasn't brought any desired results; it has only wasted
precious lives. And when the same causes could be accomplished through
peaceful means, blood sacrifice does nothing but fulfill some
inexplicable, deep-seated urge in human nature. In the geopolitics of
Nepal, only a peaceful revolution can accomplish results, a revolution
that comes through the participation of majority of its people and through
their political education. Only education can drive fear out; blood will
only silence even those who want to learn and speak out and vote and
transform and abolish.
But then any such movements are hardly the handiwork of an
individual; they result from the force of circumstances--despair,
uncertainty, corruption, decay, deafness and blindness, the talk of cake
where bread is needed. They result from the complacency and opportunism
of the privileged; the arrogance of the powerful and the misery of the
powerless, the hungry and the humiliated.
***********************************************************************************************
***********************************************************************************************
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 11:32:12 -0400
From: Lokesh Shrestha <shrestha@princeton.edu>
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: Racist remarks
This is just to let you, Mr. Tiwari, and the TND subscribers know that
Budhanilkantha graduates did not just sit and observe the "racist"
remarks thrown at Paramendra dai, a fellow Budhanilkantha graduate.
Paramendra dai had sent a copy of the posting that he posted on the TND
(May 18) to a selected bunch of Budha graduates. Some of us had replied
to him stating our concern on the matter defiling the perpetrators. I,
on one hand, had felt that the comments posted on Paramendra dai's web
site were more of an expression of personal antipathy towards him rather
than the ethnic background that he represents and felt that the matter
should have been resolved on a personal basis rather than by creating an
impression of a racial crisis on the TND. I am pretty sure that
Paramendra dai knows who the perpetrators are and what their intentions
were. So, as an reply to Mr. Tiwari's concern Budhanilkantha graduates
knew better than just to "to swiftly denounce such acts of blatant
racism in the strongest of terms" as you have suggested. One thing that
we, the graduates of Budhanilkantha, cherish more than anything else is
the opportunity that we had to interact with students from all sorts of
background. We know the difference between expressions of personal
antipathy and "acts of blatant racism".
Lokesh.
http://www.princeton.edu/~shrestha
******************************************************************
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 11:16:39 -0700
From: Pawan Agrawal <pawan@cisco.com>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Nepalese in Bay area
Hello,
My name is Pawan Agrawal and I live in San Jose, California.
This place is commonly known as "Bay Area" or "Silicon Valley".
I am looking for more Nepalese families in this area.
If you are one or know some one, pls drop me a line.
Thank you.
Pawan.
******************************************************************
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 21:49:59 -0000
From: Kailash & Debbie Dewan <connect@mos.com.np>
To: webmaster-tnd@nepal.org
Please include Campion Academy ( 10+2), Campion College affiliated to
Tribhuwan University BBS, B.Sc Computer Science and BA ( mass
communication), National Computer Institute, Diploma in Computer Technology
(CTEVT/HMG recognized).
Connection fortnightly newspaper covering political analysis, social issues
and entertainment news. Publishing for the last 9 years with over 3,000
member subscribers.
Connection Yellow Pages, publishing its 7 edition.
Connection Yellow Pages 1999 will be out on January 1999.
Many thanks
Debbie G. Dewan
Managing Director
*************************************************************
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 19:10:55 +0100
From: XFULL_NAMEX <aacha01@dcs.bbk.ac.uk>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Addresses in Canada
Dear editor,
I would appreciate very much if you could publish the following message
in the forthcoming issue of your popular TND publication.
"I am trying to find out the contact address of my friends who are
working in CANADA. If anybody knows about them please send me their
contact address.Their names are as follows:
1. Mr. Dhana Bahadur Angdengbey, Programmer,
(from Terhathum District, Nepal) He used to work at Data System
International (DSI),
Durbarmarg, Kathmandu
2. Mr. Parashuram Mishra, Computer Consultant
He used to work at Asia Foundation, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu"
Thanks
Madhu Sudhan Acharya
Department of Computer Science
Birkbeck College
Malet Street
London WC1E
UK
email: aacha01@dcs.bbk.ac.uk
******************************************************************
Date: Sat, 20 Jun 1998 19:12:40 +0100
From: RAJ BAHADUR SHRESTHA <h9640486@edv1.boku.ac.at>
To: TND@NEPAL.org
Dear friend
I am looking e-mail address of Mr. Suraj Shrestha. He is now in USA,
doing his Ph.d.
Thanks for the help.
Raj Bahadur Shrestha
*****************************************************
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 11:50:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: Anil & Jasmine Tuladhar <tuladhar@unixg.ubc.ca>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: A Nepali young scientist is ill. Let us help him.
Here is a sad news about the illness of one of the brilliant Nepali
scientists. Let us think a way to help him. How can we set up a fund to
raise money for his treatment? I wanted to hear from Rajpal dai,
Ashutosh and others on this issue.
Anil
Young scientist ill again
By Khemraj Rijal
KATHMANDU, June 9 Young scientist Bijaya Adhikari who has =
come on struggling with penury and deprivation for quite long has once =
again fallen ill.Born in Bhadrapur-15 of Jhapa,twenty-three year old =
Adhikari had developed brain tumour and become ill when he was only =
twelve years old.
When he only recovered to some extent from the disease after =
operation at West Bengal Medical Institute,Calcutta,he suffered from =
ulcer.Once again both the diseases have surfaced on him.
Entered in the field of Science and Technology with the =
desire to devote his entire life in this area,young scientist Adhikari =
not only have studied but also done research on how electric charge is =
generated from the heart,its reasons, advantages and the working of pace =
maker.
In his experiment Adhikari has generated electric charge by =
using the heart of a frog.From this he discovered that artificial pace =
makers could be produced on commercial scale.Adhikari says that he =
studied and brought about the conclusions regarding the experiment in =
RONAST. For this he studied and done research in RONAST for three =
months.
"Despite desire to continue in this field, illness and =
economic deprivation have become a hindrance," laments Adhikari.I =
don=92t even have money for treatment.
He has been assisted with some money by INSEC,GRINSO,Nepal =
and Lumbini builders.Although the then Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka =
had also ordered the local administration to provide Rs 5,000 to the =
young scientist as help for his treatment,he has not received the amount =
after the change of the government.
Presently, he and his father are busy collecting money for =
the treatment.
*************************************************************************
Date: Fri, 05 Jun 1998 20:30:09 PDT
From: Sagar Onta <s_onta@hotmail.com>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Looking for Nepalese in Purdue
Namaste everybody,
I am looking for any Nepali in Purdue. I might be joining the
university for my masters and would like to have some information about
the place. If anybody know anybody there, pls reply asap. I need to find
them urgently. Dhanyabad.
Sagar Onta
BEng,Civil (1st Class Honors)
SIIT, Thammasat University
Thailand
*********************************************************
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 23:11:48 +0900
From: Al Dionne <dionne@shinbiro.com>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Information
Hi,
My name is Alan Dionne. I'm an English (ESL) teacher currently working
in Seoul, South Korea, but I'm looking for opportunities to teach in
Nepal. I'm Canadian and I've been in Korea for 15 months. I would
greatly appreciate any information you could give me about
working/living in Nepal.
Thank you very much,
Al Dionne
***********************************************************
Date: Tue, 02 Jun 1998 19:44:19 +0900
From: Takafumi Mugii <tmugii@nsknet.or.jp>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Volunteer work
Hi. I am interested in voulnteering in Nepal and Vietnam, both for
short
term periods of 3-4 weeks. I am finishing up with a job overseas and
will
be traveling home the long way and stopping off in a few places. I am
interested in doing any number of things such as building work,
education,
or unskilled labor. I have had expereince working for a volunteer
medical
group in Tanazania, administering vaccinations and weighing infants. If
you have any information that would help me in my search, it would be
much
appreciated.
I'm sending this mail from my friend's computer. Please mail me tha
e-mail address below.
Shannon Crawford
e-mail:scrawdad@po3.nsknet.or.jp
******************************************************************
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 21:52:58 -0800
From: akin@halcyon.com
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: volunteering
We are a mother and daughter 54 & 17 who are considering volunteer
opportunities in the himalayan area for about 6 weeks in July/Aug 98. We
would be very interested in your ideas for us. Thanks so much
Teri Akin akin@mail.halcyon.com
************************************************************************
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 1998 22:58:08 +0800
From: "Dir.Rebecca \"Becky\" V. Polestico" <rabica@skyinet.net>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Volunterr services
Hello guys,
Your website is good , however, I missed the mountain ranges struggling
around the himalayas. But I heard and I heard it most often of her
beauty, of her tranquility and her silence.
What volunterring services you wanted? I can do writing, research and
conducting trainings. I have done it to other Asia-Pacific regions
already. I am also teaching Math, Physics and Chemistry. I am also
excelling in how to use SPSS a Statistical Software for Research
purposes. If you want, those type of services, I would submit myself for
free.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rebecca V. Polestico
Philippines
Nepal has been equated to Mt. Everest.
********************************************************
Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 23:25:36 -0500
From: Dorje Holistic Yoga Tantra Institute <dorjeinstitute@geocities.com>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: Request for more information
Dear friend,
Please send us more information about your institution, its teachings,
programs and activities. Include free literature. Also, we would like to
receive your mail on a regular basis, so please put our address on your
mailing list. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Uma
Public Relations
mailto:dorjeinstitute@geocities.com
Dorje Holistic Yoga Tantra Institute
P.O. Box 4, Stn. R
Toronto, ON M4G 3Z3
Canada
Dorje Holistic Yoga Tantra Institute was established to promote
historical, philosophical, and literary research on the Yoga and Tantra
traditions, and also to conduct scientific research on the physiological and
psychological effects of Yoga and Tantra practices.
Dorje Holistic Yoga Tantra Institute
P.O. Box 4, Stn. R, Toronto, ON M4G 3Z3, Canada
E-mail: mailto:ldorje@yesic.com Website: http://www.yesic.com/~ldorje
****************************************************************
Date: Sun, 08 Feb 1998 19:21:54 +0800
From: Shalini <shalini@ciemed.nus.edu.sg>
To: tnd@nepal.org
Subject: volunteering in nepal
Hi,
Could you give me some information on volunteer work in nepal.
I'm a 23 year old female working as a software engineer in the National
university of Singapore. I hold a bachelor's Degree in Computer Science.
Thanks much
V Shalini
Software Engineer
Centre for Information-Enhanced Medicine
National University of Singapore
shalini@ciemed.nus.edu.sg
Tel: (065) 872-7640
Fax: (065) 775-6721
******************************************************************
From: greta@icimod.org.np
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 09:57:55 +0000
Subject: Re: Cherchez la Femme
Dear Nepal Digest,
Can anyone help me get in touch with Jamuna
Kayastha who used to teach Nepali to Christian Haberli in the 80s?
Mr.haberli is anxious to get in touch with her and has lost her email
address. I 'm using all methods of searching but experiences in the
last few months would indicate that it sometimes helps to send the
message outside Nepal first. Contact me at greta@icimod.org.np or
977-1-525313 if you can help.
Thanks
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, 22 Jun 1998 21:27:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ashutosh Tiwari <tiwari@fas.harvard.edu>
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Subject: re: Racism II
What follows was sent to me by a Kiran Sitoula. I appreciate the
fact that Sitoula is against racism.
That said, someone should inform Sitaola that PUBLIC acts of racism
need to be dealt with PUBLIC denunciations, and NOT -- as Sitoula
suggests -- (presumably, discreet) on-the-side PRIVATE investigations
or PRIVATE queries or PRIVATE fact-finding missions.
My original letter to TND (re: Parmendra Bhagat) was laced with
outrage (a public act, by definition) and disappointment (a private
emotion).
Sitoula and others are free to misinterpret the intent
of that original letter for purposes they see narrowly fit.
Personally, I'd have preferred Sitoula et al's showing timely
outrage by PUBLICLY defending Mr. Bhagat against racial attacks.
For anyone who may stupidly think that expressing disappointment
with BKS grads' ko somnolent attitude (re: Mr. Bhagat)
is a 'school thing', my readers well know that I have been equally,
if not more, critical (publicly, of course) of the failures of
STX School (despite its high-minded motto) to produce leaders
who matter.
So, there.
namaste
ashu
******************************************************************
To: nepal@cs.niu.edu
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 16:53:28 EST
Subject: News from Canada
From: Anil Shrestha, TND Canada Chapter
A new publication titled "Everest" was recently launched by the Nepalese
Community in Canada. The editorial board of "Everest" includes:
Paras Parajuli - Toronto, Canada
Prakash Gautam - Toronto, Canada
Pramod Aryal - Toronto, Canada
Dr. Ram Raj Upadhyay - Winnipeg, Canada
Dr. Surendra Sharma - Toronto, Canada
The first issue published this Spring contains articles and essays by Dr. Ambika
Adhikari, Pramod Aryal, Devu Lohani, Surhid Gautam, Dr. Surendra Sharma,
Shaubhagya Lal Shrestha, Prakash Gautam, Janet Robins, Sagun Lal Shrestha,
Sandip Baral, Pragya Gautam, Bibek Adhikari, and Pratiksha Adhikari. The
articles cover a wide range of subjects like economic development, wireless
telephone, air pollution, capital markets, local government in Nepal, and basic
accountancy.
I wish the publication a great success!
Further inquiries about the publication can be directed to:
pgautam@sprint.ca
paryal@clearnet.com
rupa646@juno.com
ssharma@sprint.ca
******************************************************************
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 07:14:25 +0530
From: Mary Des Chene <deschene@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu>
Subject: Gopal Shivakoti Chintan - Temporary Release
To: NEPAL@cs.niu.edu
24 June 1998
Dear Friends,
We are very glad to be able to bring you news of the release today of Gopal
Shivakoti Chintan. However, please be aware that this is not necessarily
the end of the campaign against him, and he may be subject to rearrest. We
also wish to draw your attention to the conditions inside Hanuman Dhoka
jail that he describes. And, as Chintan himself is already pointing out,
during the time he was under arrest in the city, atrocities were being
committed in the countryside. Those continue, and we will continue to seek
effective ways to protest these inhuman and destructive governmental
policies. We hope you will join us in those efforts as you have done in the
fight to keep such practices from being enshrined in law. Meantime, as
Chintan can happily now speak for himself, we send you a letter from him.
Mahesh Maskey
Mary Des Chene
Chitra K. Tiwari
*****
June 24, 1998, Kathmandu.
First of all, I, on behalf of INHURED International and National Concerns
Society, would like to express my sincere thanks to all the human rights
groups, peoples' organizations and friends in Nepal and abroad, for
organizing letter-writing campaigns and appeals, including series of
protest letters and delegations to Nepali government authorities/embassies
against the ban on holding a public discussion forum on the issue of
"Suppression of Maoist Insurgency, Legal Compliance and Free Flow of
Information" on June 14 as well as my illegal arrest and detention on the
very same day following illegal search of documents and information in our
offices. I was released today, June 24, after serving 11 days of solitary
confinement in Hanuman Dhoka Police Office in Kathmandu under the suspicion
of my involvement in the Maoist and terrorist movement. This decision came
today from the Kathmandu District Prosecutor's Office to release me for an
indefinite period of time since the police have not yet been able to
establish sufficient grounds of proofs to file a case against me before the
Kathmandu District Court under the Crimes against State and Punishment Act
of 1990 (which was revised just before the 1990 Peoples' Movement it is the
new amendment/addition in the same law that we all have been fighting for
more than a year). It means the investigation against me will continue and
I may be called upon again anytime for further inquiry or arrest to face
the said charge. They are trying to bring the charge as a crime against the
government, national sovereignty and regional harmony and so on under which
one can be punished up to three years of imprisonment or Rs. 3,000 (about US
$55) or both.
Today, I only would like to say that I had a great opportunity, after the
restoration of multi-party system in 1990, to visit the most notorious
police detention centre right in the middle of Kathmandu where I met with
the hundreds of victims of illegal arrest and detention, the continuation
of the most brutal and inhuman practice of torture and degrading treatment,
the cry and testimony detainees tortured at the middle of the night by the
drunk police officers, children handcuffed with no food supply and
guardianship, and about 200 detainees, both men and women, sharing just
four dirty toilets. Furthermore, at 10 to 15 detainees are forced to share
one dark room about the size of 8/14 square feet with no proper sleeping
arrangements - children, drug addicts, drunkards and criminals altogether.
They all are locked from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. with no permission for
urination or other toilet purposes except in case of serious emergency. The
beating of the crowds is very common phenomenon by the police guards to
bring them under the discipline. Since I was locked 24-hours in a small
dark room, I had no permission to talk to anyone inside the custody. I feel
sorry to those who have been beaten up by the police guards who attempted
to see or talk to me with curiosity or for help!
This shows how bad the detention centres and prision conditions are in
Nepal even after the political change eight years back. I found no
significant change or reform in the Hanuman Dhoka Detention Centre which
has now become more crowdy, brutal and inhuman than the situation in 1985
when I was put in custody for 25 days under the State Offense Act (now the
Crimes against State and Punishment Act).
Coming back to my own case, I have been repeatedly asked by the District
Superintendent of Police (DSP) about why I was active in opposing the
anti-terrorist bill (the amendment in the Crimes against State and
Punishment Act which may be presented again in the forthcoming session of
the Parliament beginning from June 28) and engaged in encouraging Maoist
insurgency in association with Revolutionary International Movement (RIM).
I had a long discussion with him against the anti-terrorist bill but with
the total denial of my involvement with the Communist Party of Nepal
(Maoist) and RIM. About 20 questions were asked around these issues during
my testimony before the police which I have completely denied claiming that
our main concerns have been the full respect of legal and constitutional
rights of any citizens of Nepal, including the Maoists, and the compliance
with international human rights standards and the Common Articles 3 of the
1949 Geneva Conventions on the Laws of Armed Conflict in dealing with
domestic insurgency. Nepal has ratified all major international human
rights instruments of the United Nations and the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
These treaties create binding obligations for compliance upon Nepal in any
situation.
Based on the local news coverage and other sources of information, the
conspiracy against me has been planted by the Nepali Congress government,
CPN-UML leadership and some pro-CPN-UML "human rights groups" to stop
INHURED International and National Concerns Society in holding such public
meetings and discussions around the issue of Maoist insurgency and human
rights as well as blocking us from disseminating information on the
violations of human rights due to the recent crackdown on Maoists and
innocent persons to the human rights bodies of the United Nations and other
international human rights organizations. Thus, the charge the police were
trying to frame was my "involvement" in support of the "terrorists" and
"spying activities" against the national interest by spreading information
abroad "in favour of terrorists". However, it was never the case and so far
they failed to prove it.
Talking about the current human rights situation in the country, the
indiscriminate killings of innocent persons outside Kathmandu is enormous,
Maoists (we do not know whether they really are) are brutally shot to death
and killed in fake encounters and even after their capture which is not
allowed under any national or international law, the cases of arrest
without warrant, rape and torture. I think it is high time to mobilize all
our international human rights contacts to save the lives of innocent
peoples and the proper treatment of Maoists insurgents under the
international human rights law and the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Our failure
to do so may invite further chaos, anarchism and state terrorism.
Well, this is a very short update for today. I am glad that I am back to
work again with your tremendous support and solidarity. Otherwise, they
would have done anything to me and my colleagues. But the threat of arrest
is still there and the case may be filed anytime! I think, your letter of
concerns will extremely help us further in our fight against the misuse of
draconian laws.
Will remain in touch!
Mailing Address:
Gopal Siwakoti 'Chintan'
Executive Director, INHURED International
General-Secretary, National Concerns Society
P.O. Box 2125, New Plaza, Putalisadak, Kathamndu, Nepal
Tel: 0977-1-429741 * Fax: 0977-1-419610
E-mail: inhured@gopal.mos.com.np
****************************************************************
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 08:40:30 -0500 (EST)
From: Bimal Adhikari <BADHIKARI@UBmail.ubalt.edu>
Subject: Wanted: Panelists For Youth Forum!!
To: Nepal@cs.niu.edu
Dear Friends,
The Nepali Youth Organization (NYO) is conducting a Town Hall Meeting
at the 16th ANA Convention in Greensboro, NC during the week of
July 4, 1998. We are looking for 4-6 panelists to initiate the
discussion. Here is the detail:
Topic: Is it Better Here?/Cultural Freedom and Youth Issues
Language: English & Nepali
Purpose: The Town Hall Meeting, the first of its kind aims to explore
whether it is better for Nepali students and immigrants in teh United
States. Rather than a formal debate on teh topic, this is more of a
group simulation to promote awareness about the many issues confronting
the new entrants to the US. The audience is encouraged to participate
and we expect high degree of interaction. The discussions will be
distributed to the Internet community and the edited transcripts of the
forum will be provided to the Nepali press.
Format: A NYO spokesperson will welcome the participants and introduce
the panelists and moderators. 4-6 panelists varying in age, religion and
educational background will discuss their opinions and experiences on the
topic. More like a consensus meeting, the moderator will allow the attendees
to comment or question the panelists.
Time: The Program itself will be 11/2 hour(approx) depending upon the
flow and involvement of the attendees. However it will not exceed more
than two hours.
Moderator(s): Nepali Youth Organization
-Simon Dhungana
-Nima Puri
-Anil katwal
Penalists: To be finalized by June 28, 1998
Content: Any returning Nepali can attest that second thing they are
asked by anyone meeting them is to facilitate entrance to the US. This
applies to anybody from teh established professional to the unemployed.
The glorified image of being in the most dominant country in teh world
masks the bitter truth among teh arrivals. Just by the virtue of being
in the US, the aspiring immigrants think their life would be better
automatically. It might hold true for the most it is very misleading.
These people find themselves in a different social system where if
unable to compete with rest of the population they are doomed betraying
their dreams. It will try to address some of the following issues, but
in no ways is confined to them:
- Employment and Educational opportunities in the US for new immigrants
- Overcoming Social and Emotional Adjustments
- Learning new systems and barriers overcoming them
- Challenges in maintaining immigration status
- Discrimination--is it a hoax or reality?
- What does success means to most Nepalis? Is it simply achieving American Dream
Along with these issues, the forum will try to address some of the definition
of cultural freedom and their application to our culture, in Nepal and the
United States. It will try to address some of the following issues:
- Male-Female relationships
- Role of parents
- Intercaste/inter-racial marriage and the overall institution of marriage
- Advantage and Disadvantage of choices
- Our roles in promoting Nepali culture
To be a participant or for further information about the program, please
contact Bimal Adhikari. The deadline to submit your name is June 28, 1998.
E-mail: Badhikari@ubmail.ubalt.edu
Phone: 1(800) 704-4063(W)
(410) 461-2609(H)
Look forward to hearing from you all!!
Bimal Adhikari
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