Was Bhattarai's visit successful?

New York, It was the second time a Maoist Prime Minister from Nepal visited the United States—which still places the party on the watch-list under the title Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons—to make an address at the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Apart from the address, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai who has been a favorite of many including the non-Maoists delivered a talk on Marxism at the New School University; listened to the issues of Nepali diaspora where black flags also greeted him; and managed to meet his teachers after 30 years.

Concluding his US visit, at the office of the Nepal's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, he said his visit was successful. But what did he mean by 'success'? At the General Assembly, he said he brought "the voice of the voiceless of the world". The United Nations has very well heard the voice of the Nepali people, if by the word 'voiceless', he referred to the citizens of Nepal. It was the UN that supported the Nepali people in getting their leaders come to an agreement to end an era of war and autocracy and create history—especially by writing a new legal document and addressing the issues brought forward by the 10-year war.

When then Prime Minister Prachanda addressed at the UNGA three years ago, he assured the representatives of the world that he would do justice to their votes. He had said: "People have overwhelmingly voted for my party and made us the single largest political party in the Assembly with great hope and expectations." He still had eight months before he resigned from the government but the 'people' (in whose name he had taken his oath) could not see significant change. Yes, they saw the exit of a monarch (which was actually before Prachanda became the prime minister) but they saw most of the time controversies revolving around Pashupati's priests, PLA's number, and later on the Nepal Army issues which led to the fall of their government. The governments formed subsequently couldn't do much either except for extending deadlines.

So, this time Prime Minister Bhattarai did not give many hopes to the international community that they can build peace by themselves, rather 'voiced out' to the UN that it needs to provide "comprehensible package" and a "new Marshall plan" to post-conflict countries such as Nepal. Lip-services and symbolic supports, he warned, are not enough.

Three years on since the first Maoist's address and two years beyond the intended timeline of the interim constitution, the peace process and a new constitution still remain to be completed. But why hasn't this constitution, which the PM Bhattarai claimed at the UN assembly would be 'life-changing for all', been written? Professor Andrew Arato at the New School University, who is also a constitutional expert, says Nepal is "caught up in a situation in which government and constitution-making process are too mixed up with each other" in a way that they are "incapacitated or weakened." He points out at the loopholes in the interim constitution that has allowed the governments to keep on extending the deadlines in such a manner that "the punishment's going to be very grave" and that it could lead to "the rejection of all parties eventually". But does it make it easier for the Maoists to complete the peace process, as claimed by the Maoist leaders, when they're leading the government? Prof Arato says it could've helped well if it was a national government but the present one could help only the former Maoist combatants to have faith in their party for their integration and rehabilitation.

Was the visit successful? Some determinants:
Taking part at the UNGA alone cannot be termed successful as Professor Arato says, "Nothing really happens this way with the big and important powers" which seems true as the US President for instance has met Maoist PMs twice yet the delisting hasn't taken place. Fixing a visit to the big power next door shows some support though. In terms of US, if the delisting happens during PM Bhattarai's tenure, it would be an achievement for the party.

More important to him as a government head is the drafting of the constitution, which if could be completed during this year, if not during his tenure, then whoever would address at the UNGA next year would feel proud and then the real notion of 'setting example and drawing lessons from the Nepali experience' would materialize.

When PM Bhattarai met his former teachers in Connecticut during this US visit, people spoke highly of him. But student leaders belonging to the Maoist party in Nepal oftentimes smear the faces of campus chiefs and deans black. In one of the instances, his own daughter was involved and when this scribe had asked about it, Mr Bhattarai did not deny or denounce the act. Well, the word 'success' could find its connotation if his followers can abstain from conducting such acts and not turn into near criminals from students.

Finally, if the PM was able to get commitments from the Nepali community to invest in Nepal, rather than donating hundreds of dollars, then the visit would have been really productive as he said before heading back to Nepal with the message of 'successful visit'.

A version of this article appeared in the Nepali Times on September 29, 2011.

Prabal, another pride of Nepal

It's definitely not easy to make yourself known to the world. Prabal Gurung has turned that difficulty into a reality and set positive examples not just for the Nepalis but the whole world that a country known for its mountains, poverty, and conflict could also have fashion designers.

I hope a day comes soon when Prabal Gurung's name would be as famous as Calvin Klein.

Watch his interview on CNN

Anuradha Koirala is the CNN Hero 2010

Her work has now been recognized by the world. Read this
I hope more Anuradhas emerge in Nepal.

Let's not make it a meaningless stay

The United States of America! Almost every single person in my country harbors a dream to come here. Many want good higher education, many others want better lives. Some come from rich families, some even sell properties to buy a life here. I was one of the fortunate ones, who despite coming from a middle-class family, came here without spending a paisa.

My experience so far in this country or at least the part of the city where I am living, New York, has shown me different faces of Nepali people. I met someone who had a school in Gokarna, a suburb of the capital, Kathmandu, who came here on a DV (Diversity Visa). He was a principal of that school, and has two houses in Kathmandu, meaning he is rich enough. Here, he works at a subway, a sandwich-making store in other words, 12 hours daily. He is about 50 years' old.

I met another woman who came here 13 years ago, leaving her 7 years' old son with her husband. She had come on a tourist visa but did not want to remain a tourist; she overstayed. She even married an American, hoping for a Green Card. She didn't go back to Nepal, not even once.

Here, it took her years to pay the American guy, who had just done a paper marriage with her, in exchange of a large sum of money. Back home, her relationship with her husband worsened. Her son started living with her parents. Later the parents died and she sent the kid to Kalimpong for his studies. When I asked her what he was studying there, she said, "I don't know". It's not that she is illiterate and did not know, she said, "I have never asked him". Now she wants her son to come and stay with her. I wonder if, after all these years, they would have the natural bond of a mother and a son! She was not the one to raise him. She must have sent money for him but her physical presence was not there.

Then, I heard about some of my friends' stories. Despite coming from well-to-do families, they had made up stories about poverty and displacement in Nepal that wouldn't give them a space to live, therefore the asylum! I felt bad as they bad named our country. Many of the asylum seekers even today, after almost four years since the war ended in Nepal, tell the authorities that the Maoists won't let them go back and live in their homes. They would be pitied and granted asylum here. This means getting an American life, trampling on the dignity of a Nepali citizenship; citizenship of a country that has always been sovereign and never colonized.

These three cases are enough in explaining how people are forgetting their country. They ask a simple-sounding uncomfortable question: What did my country give to me? They fail to see what brought them here. Was it the money alone that they paid at the US Embassy in Nepal and the flight tickets that brought them here? Did their education not count? If they were not educated, would they be here? Their parents who sent them to schools, did they send them to manufacture ready made products for the US? Certainly not.

As a commonplace, I would also say--no job is a low job, however I say it with reservation. The school principal who came here is not doing what he is better skilled at. He did not have the education to make sandwich in a subway. He could have been inspirational in a country where half of the population is still illiterate. The woman who now has a green card doesn't have a job now. She is obese and diabetic, and she herself told me that she wasn't even getting a job to wash the dishes.

Apart from these depressing cases, I have however seen positive faces too. I met a group of people who live here, raise money here but build schools there. They identify villages where school buildings are needed and get the community work for it. They are not just creating jobs for locals but also making use of the natural resources available. For example, they use a mix of mud and cow dung for plaster. They said they want to make use of the locally available resources.

Whenever I introduce myself as a Nepali with foreigners, especially, the Americans, they have one 'as if a ready-made comment' about Nepal--a beautiful country. When I combine these comments and the sad stories, I realize Nepalis are coming here and the Americans are going back to Nepal. John Wood, for example, left his job at Microsoft to build schools and libraries, and he changed his mind to change the world when trekking in Nepal.

One girl from New Jersey who used her savings, when working as a babysitter here, to build a school in Nepal. She was barely 20 when she did that. My country people come here to work as babysitters to live a life here.

I am not sure whether these comparisons are sensible or not, but one thing for sure is we, the Nepalis, must do whatever we can to make our country better. If everyone comes here, with no intention of going back, it might be beneficial to the individual but not for the people who largely live in poverty. Besides, we need to know if we are living a kind of lifestyle that we 'deserve' rather than 'want'. Finally, if we don't want to be known as people of one of the poorest countries in the world, we need to change it. And it's only us who can do that.

Indrajaatra 2009

Controversies from Day1

Nepal's first Vice President, Mr Paramananda Jha was caught up in controversies since Day 1 of his office, for not taking his oath in Nepali language, the official language of the country and not wearing the official dress for men--daura suruwal. While the dress issue did not bother him that much, the oath certainly did, with the Supreme Court asking him to take it again, in Nepali or be prepared to leave the job.

Well as of August 28, he is adamant on not re-taking the oath. It's only a matter of days now to see what Republic Nepal's history has got in its store for its first Vice President.

'Let the Maoists sit in opposition’

photo by: Prerana Marasini

In an exclusive interview to The Hindu on the eve of his first official visit to India as Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Madhav Kumar Nepal spoke at length about the problems the peace process is facing. Read the interview

Nine-month gestation—election to resignation

Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' who became Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal's First Prime Minister resigned just a day before a videotape in which he had revealed plans of staging coup and capturing power was released. While announcing his resignation he said he could not accept President's move to reinstate the Army Chief he had sacked, and could not either lower his head before the 'foreign gods'.

In the picture above: Two happy supporters of the Republican Nepal; Prachanda defeats Sher Bahadur Deuba and becomes Prime Minister of Nepal; he sacks Army Chief, UML pulls out of the government, the President decides to keep the Army Chief, and then the PM resigns; former Supreme Commander of PLA Prachanda at the 8th PLA Day in Haattikhor; while working as the PM, the Maoist Chairman in the House reiterated many times his commitment to return seized properties; an Indian writer wrote a biography of the rebel leader; the clip of the videotape in which he tells his cadres the party's plan of staging coup and capturing power, admitting that the PLA's number had been increased five times by the party; then he clarifies about it at a press conference…

What do you want--Jhinga or laddu?

A plate full of flies on display at one of the shops at Suryavinayak Temple

WOMEN'S DAY?

Everybody talks about women's rights, their backwardness, and their miseries, but when it comes to trusting women's potential, we think twice..we ask--will 'she' be able to do that? This is because we always think women are vulnerable.

This Women's Day, let's just do one thing--let's start to trust women and their potential..Let's support women!!

History now in Museum

This is the palace where king Birendra lived for 28 years until June 1, 1001 when he was killed, along with his family members in a Royal Masaccre.

Some said "Garib deshko dhani raja (rich king of a poor country)" some said "buddhi puryaayeko bhaye yo sab aafnai hunthyo (it'd have remained his if he had been wise enough, hinting at former king Gyanendra shah) while some said "khaasai ta kehi rahinachha" (there's nothing something of great speciality) duriing my first visit to the palace museum.

The Royal Red Carpet

Naraynhiti Palace is converted to Narayaniti Palace Museum and now open to public. If you are a Nepali citizen and a student, just pay 20 bucks and see all that you ever imagined what could be inside a palace. If you are from SAARC region, pay 250 and if from outside, get a 500-ticekt and get in.

Two photographers fancy the ribbon, which when cut gave entry to the public to see the palace.

I personally, did not find anything out of the world kind of thing in the palace. It's anythig as a rich man's house. If you see the royal bedroom, perhaps you'd say---mine is better..

A Maoist CA member Vikshu Ananda does not miss an opportunity to be photographed on the red carpet.

However, what was interesting to see was the books the royal family used to read...there are books by Charles Dickens and Swami Vivekananda; books like World's Great Events, and History of the Great War are in the book shelves..

Pick the odd one out--Er, Minister Kirati? What's the harm in wearing Daura Suruwal, people?

Who's smarter, appearance wise?

Everybody wants a pic, although it's against the rules to take cameras inside.

Ribbon photography again.

There is also the Tribhuvan Sadan where king Birendra's family was killed in a masaccre in 2001..however, the palace where the incident occured is demolished and construction for something else is takiing place..

well, go visit the palace yourself and know what we used to think of the palace and what it is like..

Prachanda claims the move to open the palace for public is a right step toward making a New Nepal.

The 8th PLA Day, Haattikhor, Nawalparasi

Priority: First PLA then the country



PLA performs Commando Operation


Loyalty to Comrade Prachanda

Yo PLA ko khukuri ho

Pyaara Desbaasi haru Part II


More instructions


Kids wonder what PLA is all about

Inclusive Nepal

Pasang, the next Army Chief to be???

So Unpredictable...

CONDOLENCE

Last time I had written about Indra Lohani...this time, i'm writing about him again...the only difference is, that time he was alive and now he is not......

i had written about his questioning style which i quite didn't like...yes, at times, he used to be harsh on his guests, but he had the courage to ask tough questions, a quality which no other interviewer had shown...

now that he's passed away, i really feel our country has lost a bold presenter, a tough questioner, and above all a gutsy lawyer and journalist ....i also feel Nepal is having an 'alachhin' time, as they say in nepali, in the field of journalism..

my heartfelt condolence to his family.....

may Late Lohani's soul rest in peace

but i still can't believe he's no more....oh god, what life we have...we're here today, YOU only know whether we will still be here tomorrow or not...

He knows all...

Mr Know All

When Kantipur TV's popular show Bahas comes on air, I make it a point not to miss it. It's a great program, with such a bold presenter who does not hesitate to ask any kind of questions to anyone, especially the politicians. But no matter how I try not to be disappointed, Mr Indra Lohani disappoints me eventually, with his humiliating questions.

His latest guest was Rajiv Kafle, one of the bold men who did not fear the stigma and publicized his HIV-infected condition at a time when only a certain population was aware of it. For thousands of Nepalis, he has become a role model, and when I saw this guy on Bahas, I thought Kafle's boldness and dedication would be respected.

But no, the first question he is asked is: "Do you have AIDS or HIV?" Maybe Lohani wanted to show the public what the difference between the two was through Rajiv, but he did not think how the guest would feel. And he was not an ordinary guest—a person who dared and challenged the mentality of people that even HIV-infected could stand up from the crowd.

In the course of interview, Rajiv said how his dream to be a pilot could not materialize. He also talked about a donation-based hospital that he was running. Also, he shared he spent a lot of time with around 40 children—some whose parents had died of the infection and some who had the infection.

Listening to all these, Lohani fires another question: "Don't you think HIV-infection gave you an opportunity to be popular?" For a moment, I myself was hurt. How could he ask such a question to a person who has been fighting the condition to live a better life? A person has to positively take all kind of facial expressions when people know of the infection...

Rajiv Kafle is not my relative or my friend or anyone linked with me. But since my school days, I have known him as a bold guy who publicized his condition irrespective of the isolation he was bound to face and then began working for people like him, to protect them. So, I respect him.

Mr Lohani may have all the knowledge in the world but that knowledge would do good to no one if he invites people in his show just to show them he knows better. One may think I am no better either as I am publicly criticizing someone, but there is a difference. I am a nobody but Lohani and Kafle both are public figures, and both of them should be respected in their own ways.

Kafle & Lohani on 'Bahas'

A positive sign

"Nepal has come a long way, but the journey continues, as there are still a number of challenges to overcome. The people of Nepal have taken a stand for democracy and it would be especially inspiring for the entire world to see Nepal, which already makes such a tremendous difference in peacekeeping for others, overcome its own conflict and achieve lasting peace at home." ---United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said at a press conference in Kathmandu on November 1.

Ban's visit to Nepal is a great sign of how interested UN is in our peace process. Though it might have been coincidental to his South Asia tour, his visit to Nepal is the appreciation of a country that saved itself from going downhill.

However, like Ban said the challenge for the political parties is to gather consensus on prime issues like constitution writing and the integration and rehabilitation of the Maoists' combatants.

Let's hope, we Nepalis can actually make Prachanda's vision of a "model for peace" come true. All the best to all parties, regardless of their political affiliation.

A Communal Communist

This was the Greeting Card sent by Ms Hisila Yami Bhattarai to my dad on the occasion of Mha Puja and Newari New Year.

At a time when the Nepal Sambat or the Newar Sambat has gained national recognition, it is indeed a matter of pride for the Newars to celebrate the festival.

However, I expected the Tourism Minister would also remember Dashain and Tihar, the two biggest festivals in Nepal celebrated by the majority of the people. It's easier to remember Tihar as it falls somewhere around the Newari New Year and Mha Puja. Why, then Ms Yami Bhattarai did not wish people a happy Tihar?

Two questions came in my mind, both of them contradictory:

1. Communists don't believe in celebrating traditional culture. If so, why is she printing colorful cards, with her pp-size photo and a signature beneath it??

2. Their Great and Glorious (Mahaaan tatha Gauravsaali) party talks about respecting everyone's religion, caste..If so, why did she willfully forget to mention Tihar, which is celebrated by a very large population, including Newars?

I guess, next time, if she stands in elections, she will ask for votes from only one community.

जहाँ जहाँ जान्छौ तिमी...

कथा दाहाल दम्पत्तिको

प्रचन्डजीको प्रचन्ड पत्नी माया देखेर नयाँ नेपालका लोग्ने मान्छेले केही सिक्लान् जस्तो लाग्या छ मलाई । छायासरी वहाँकी पत्नी जतिबेला पनि साथ साथ देखिनुहुन्छ, चाहे त्यो राजनीतिक कार्यक्रम होस् वा अराजनितिक । चाहे त्यो दाहालजीकै शब्दमा भनिएको 'सम्राज्यबादी' अमेरिकामा होस् वा 'शारिरिक र मानसिकरूपले आशक्त' गिरिजा प्रसाद कोइरालाको चियापानमा--सर्वत्र छाउनु भएकै छ सितजी । त्यसैले त पत्रकारहरुको घम्साघम्सिमा च्यापिदा पनि दु:ख मान्नु भएन वहाँले । हुन त एक हिन्दू नारीको धर्म भनेकै पतिको खुशीमा साथ दिनु हो । तर ....

तर हामी जनतालाई भने यी कुरा चित्त नबुझ्ने रहेछ, किन भन्देखीन न त सिताजीले कुनै मन्त्रिपद सम्हाल्नु भएको छ न त वहाँनै हो प्रधानमन्त्रिको औपचारिक अङरक्षक ... त्यसो भए के का लागि सधैं अघी पछी लाग्नु हुन्छ त वहाँ लखर लखर, दाहालजीको ? शुभचिन्तकहरुको नमस्ते र पुष्प गुच्छा थाप्न? कि पुष्पक बिमान चढ्न ? बरु साचिकै पुष्प प्रेमी हुनुहुँदो रहेछ वहाँ त । यता पनि पुष्प उता पनि पुष्प, जताततै पुश्पै पुष्प ।

तर एउटा कुरो भने दाहाल दम्पत्तीले चटक्कै बिर्सिनुभएछ है! त्यसरी नै जनता को पैसामा राजारानीले मोज गर्दा आज ऊनिहरुको ठेगाना दरबारमार्ग बाट वनमार्ग भईसक्यो । त्यस्तै हो भने त कमरेड दम्पत्ती पनि बालुवाटार बाट बालाजुटार तिर लाग्नु पर्ला, होस् गरौ है ...

सोचौं है सोचौं !!

Report'ing or Eat'ing?

They say one can't concentrate while eating but i've seen so many reporter friends here who make an excuse of reporting for eating. Free lunch!

A reporter friend asked me whether i would be attending a press meet somewhere in Kathmandu. I had some other things to do, so i said no. In response to my negative reaction, the friend sent me a text message: "Let's go, they are serving good food." I wondered whether the journo friend was going for a reporting or for a free lunch. Maybe for both but the msg surely disgusted me.

Imagine, you are speaking something important at a press conference and the media people gathered turn into 'chewing and drinking faces'. If you are hungry, perhaps you would also like to eat but considering the mike in front and a topic in your mind, the distracted faces savoring the taste of Real Juice or cookies irritate you...

I've come to know about 'bhaatay patrakaars'--those who find out the daily engagements in the city from a newspaper like Gorkhapatra, and then pick the ones being organized in big Hotels. They don't even have to be a reporter as no one asks them about their cards at the programme. If, in case, they are asked to 'register' their names, they would do under somebody else's name..

they don't care what happens in the programme, all they care is what they get after the programme. They help thesmelves very well..and pamper their insatiable appetite with second and third helpings....(Sadly, i don't have their pictures, next time, maybe i will try to get some and post here.. )

You can't really control these kind of circumstances but you can definitely take precautionary measures:

1. If you are an organizer--i) If you "have to" provide food, do that only at the end of the program, not when the program is taking place, like it happens at our famous press clubs.

ii) ask your people at the 'registration' to look for valid ID cards of the bhaatay patrakaars in disguise.

2. If you are a reporter--Take notes or get your querries answered first. When everybody is done with speaking and questioning and the stage is cleared, then only help yourself. That way, you will save yourself from critics like me. :)