2 EDITORIAL
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
DECAY OF DEMOCRACY History keeps coming full circle, and is repeated as a farce.
D
emocracy and press freedom are two sides of the same coin: while they strengthen each other, undermining one weakens the other. But western parliamentary democracy has a design flaw, it allows unbridled freedom to express the most outrageous views, which in turn permits populist politicians to propel themselves to power. Usually, this happens during times of economic turmoil or conflict, when the mass media can be used to whip up the electorate by chauvinism, xenophobia, ultra-nationalism, religious bigotry, racism or identity politics. Modern history is replete with examples of democratically elected demagogues who, after coming to office, dismantle the very institutions that got them there. History keeps coming full circle, and is repeated as a farce. Just look at the rise of the racist right in Europe. Or the terrifying prospect of Americans electing Donald Trump as their next president. In the Philippines, itself a former American colony and a country made in its image, foul-mouthed mayor Rodrigo Duterte who once led death squads, was elected executive president this week. In Nepal itself, the exhilaration of democracy after the 1990 movement is now a distant memory. The hope that political competition through elections would usher in a spirit and practise of accountability has long since evaporated, as political leaders who suffered under dictatorship and devoted their lives for the struggle proceeded to squander hard-won freedoms. Twenty-six years later, Nepal is still in political transition — having lived through war, a royal massacre, a military coup by the king that led to his ignominious downfall, and the endless political upheavals after that. A constitution that was supposed to end this instability is still contested, and the squabbling continues. More than 17,000 people were killed in a pointless and misguided war. Millions were displaced, thousands were tortured and disappeared. Nepal’s fledgling democracy was violently uprooted, and development set back decades. In 2006, the rebels and government found neither side could win, and signed a peace deal. They
then ran the country under a quasi-democracy so a political cartel could divide up the spoils. The Madhes Movement represents the frustration of leaders from the plains that hillbased parties have monopolised power, but only because they also want their hands in the till. Nepal’s rulers have given each other amnesty for war crimes, and left the bleeding to bleed. They watch as millions work in slave-like conditions in the Gulf and Malaysia,
often exploited and robbed by Nepali recruiters who enjoy political protection, in return for a share of the loot. They treat the treasury as their personal piggybank, plunder our forests and rivers, and poison our people. The rulers still rule, but they stopped governing long ago. Earthquake survivors are left to their own devices as they prepare for their second monsoon out in the open, and western Nepal reels under a drought that threatens an unprecedented food shortage. Inside Singha Darbar, meanwhile, they go about the business of 'politics' without any sense of urgency, trying unsuccessfully to topple each other every so often at the behest of external powers and agencies. The most recent 'coup' attempt last week by Sher Bahadur Deuba to get his Nepali Congress to team up with Madhes-based parties and the Maoists backfired when Prime Minister Oli deftly out-maneuvered him in a countercoup. Suspecting that the Indian establishment had had a hand in it, Oli cancelled a visit by President Bidya Bhandari to India and abruptly recalled our ambassador in New Delhi. This petty tit-for-tat approach has unnecessarily ratcheted up tensions between Nepal and India at a time for muchneeded healing after New Delhi’s grave blunder in foisting a five-month border blockade on Nepal. It would be naïve to assume that this latest spat is only about strained relations between India and Nepal. Actually it is the result of intense political polarisations within India itself between the BJP and the rest, and within Nepal between the NC and the UML. Prime Minister Oli has found it convenient to once again play the nationalist card and gain stature by being seen to be standing up against India, while in New Delhi the anti-BJP forces are using the Beijing bogey in Kathmandu to embarrass Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The sooner we get out of all this populist posturing, the better for the peoples of both countries, who have not given up hoping for good governance, people-centred development and a better quality of life. The media in India and Nepal would do well not to fall into the trap set by politicians, by fanning the flames of conspiracy and intrigue at the behest of demagogues.
YOUR SAY www.nepalitimes.com
THIS WEEK
NOT SILENCED It is clear that the CIAA case against Kanak Mani Dixit is an act of vengeance (Not Silenced, Editorial, #807). I don’t know what promises he made before he was elected as the Chair of Sajha Yatayat, but I think he surely revived it. The way he turned around Sajha should be replicated to save other dying institutions like Nepal Airlines. Bal Yonjan Tamang Karki seems more powerful than
GOPEN RAI
Most reached on Facebook A time to every purpose Many traditional occupations are on the verge of vanishing forever in Kathmandu. (31,254 people reached) Most shared on Facebook A time to every purpose by Sahina Shrestha (35 shares)
Most popular on Twitter A time to every purpose by Sahina Shrestha (50 retweets, 98 favourites)
Most visited online page It’s about us by Puru Shah (1,180 views)
Most commented More exercise, less soft drinks… by Sonia Awale
Nepali Times on Facebook Follow @nepalitimes on Twitter Follow @nepalitimes on Instagram
Prime Minister and ministers. Where does he get so much power from? To find the answer, we need to understand that ours is a banana republic. The silence maintained by our politicians over the Dixit case proves they are corrupt too. Narendra Basnet MORE EXERCISE, LESS SOFT DRINKS It is a simple but great article on public health (‘More exercise, less soft drinks’, Sonia Awale, #807). There is a need to create awareness about how harmful sugary drinks are. Equally important is to regulate the companies who produce and advertise these products. Rajendra Bhadra
Everything in moderation! Even
beneficial medicines will be toxic, and can kill, if the recommended doses are exceeded. Common sense should prevail. Do not overindulge, and don’t be a couch potato. A Nepali
tell them to not pursue modern professions. With the passing of this generation, our knowledge about pottery may be gone, but there is nothing we can do. Krishna Tamrakar Our intangible heritage is
PULLING THE RUG Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal appears to be a winner, but he is a loser (‘Pulling the rug’, Kunda Dixit, #807). Even after overthrowing the KP Oli government, he would not have become the PM. And even after signing a deal with the UML, he is not going to be the PM. Hira Pradhan Last week’s political drama surely
provided entertainment for a few, but it always diverts our attention from the real issues. Amulya R Tuladhar A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE I enjoyed reading this article (‘A time to every purpose’, Sahina Shrestha, #807). But this is how things should be. We cannot tell the children of a potter to learn pottery. We cannot
indeed on the verge of vanishing forever, but our political leaders are obsessed with just themselves. They do not care about us, let alone our intangible heritage. Sudha Raut
Weekly Internet Poll #808
Q. Do you think Nepal as a state is growing more intolerant? Total votes: 306
Weekly Internet Poll #809 To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com
Q. Should UML and Maoists scrap their nine-point deal?
Publisher and Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Associate Editor: Tsering Dolker Gurung | Online Producer: Ayesha Shakya | Design: Kiran Maharjan Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu editors@nepalitimes.com | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005601-08 Fax: +977-1-5005518 Marketing: Arjun Karki, Surendra Sharma rachanas@himalmedia.com | Advertorials: Ram Krishna Banjara | Subscriptions: Santosh Aryal santosha@himalmedia.com Printed at Jagadamba Press | 01-5250017-19 | www.jagadambapr.com
OPINION 3
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
Tweet that T
witter is an odd phenomenon. It is a sinking ship and Silicon Valley predicts its imminent downfall. Around the world Twitter’s use has already peaked and is slowing down, and in the Nepali perspective it will be gone before most Nepalis even know what it is.
Politically-charged predators on the prowl to pounce on the next prey with 140 characters
ONE TO MANY Bidushi Dhungel
What a shame. People here are only just finally getting the Twitter groove on. Unlike Facebook, this is not the platform for posts about birthdays and anniversaries or the mediocre accomplishments of one’s kids (‘My 6-year-old can use the loo’) but a repository of comments on current affairs. One might say that for Nepal, social media has been filtered to create an online space for political activism via Twitter. The street may remain eerily quiet, but Twitter is the new hotbed for political activism. It has brought to surface the most scathing criticism: of the state, of the left, of the right, of opinion pieces, of people and personalities. No stone is left unturned. Who knew people who didn’t write columns even had
CARLOS LATUFF
opinions? Well, now we know. Unfortunately, however, the real-world polarisation of public opinion manifests itself on Twitter in an even more wretched manner. We all know this, and yet we continue to egg on our preferred sides and actors with a 90:10 ratio of negative to positive energy. Since people no longer even bother to have real conversations with people they disagree with, Twitter happily accommodates these fierce
debates in a warped way. Fundamentally, when we have a heated debate face-to-face with someone we generally are guided by a code of conduct that is based on the overall demeanor of the person/group that one is debating — the gestures, tones, facial and body expressions. On Twitter, you take away all of that and throw in intolerance in 140-characters. Being accountable to one’s opinions, choice of words, or tone is almost impossible. In real conversations
you are forced to at least listen to the other side’s arguments, and choose your reaction strategically. It’s a jungle out there on Twitter, and politically-charged predators are on the prowl for the next prey to pounce on. No wonder that even with a plethora of ‘discussion’ on Twitter, nothing ever really changes in real life. And yet, even the ‘best and brightest minds’ spend so much time and energy tweeting, mostly just calling other people out but with little to no positive result – only screen-shot tweet rebuttals. With everyone so interested, no wonder that Big Brother is watching the Tweetosphere so astutely. In the case of our Oligarchic state, Big Brother has ventured beyond cyberspace and into real lives. And at that point,
again, one’s opinions simply do not matter and the issue of democracy and free speech must indeed be brought up. Robert Penner’s arrest and deportation is a result of the shrinking democratic space in Nepal, there should be no doubt about it. Penner was targeted under the guise of immigration control. Needless to say, the right to voice opinions, counter-opinions and scathing rebuttals (better known as ‘trolling’) on Twitter, however fruitless it may be, is no crime at all. Sure, trolls are annoying. But, more importantly, they become ‘trolls’ only when they disagree with you. In reality, most active Twitter users, who do more than just tweet the news, are ‘trolling’ one school of thought or the other and victims emerge left right and centre. One would think the Nepali and foreign intelligentsia at least would be above all this, but sadly, Twitter brings out the worst in us all. Maybe it’s best if Twitter folds up soon.
4 NATION
SAHINA SHRESTHA
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808S
BUSINESS 5
6 OPINION
GUEST COLUMN Puru Shah
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
KATHMANDU
TSERING DOLKER GURUNG IN KAVRE
NEPAL WHEREVER YOU ARE. in your lap or palm. w w w . n ep a litimes . com
LIEW YU WEI IN LANGTANG
ARILD MOLSTAD
Arild Molstad is a writer, photographer, and consultant on sustainable tourism to governments and institutions such as National Geographic and Unesco.
10
MISS MOTI-VATION
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
KRIPA JOSHI
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
TRIBUTE 11
12
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
CAPTAIN AMERICA:
CIVILWAR T
he thirteenth film in the Marvel cinematic universe, Captain America: Civil War, is miraculously substantial, choosing to engage in matters of friendship, loyalty, and most riskily for a film about
MUST SEE
Sophia Pande superheroes, in “feelings”. Perhaps the reason for the success is the strong ensemble cast that have all, to date, been allowed to develop into complex characters with priorities and agendas and deep, dark pasts, saving this film from descending into the posturing frat boy antics that made Batman v Superman (also released earlier this year) so wince-worthy.
Yes, Iron Man (reprised with the usual verve by Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans) go head-to-head, but not in the same flash of humourless, over-pumped male egos that reduced Batman v Superman to such a bore. This clash between Tony Stark and Captain Steve Rogers is not just about their differing opinions. It involves addressing the very issues at the crux of humanity such as accountability, respect for one’s fellow creatures, and a few ethical issues that are exclusive to the fictitious Marvel universe, such as the extra-legal privileges accorded to the Avengers because of their powers, and dealing with the very real insecurities that can embitter even a super-hero. Fortunately, the plot too is fairly captivating aside from the emotional intricacies. The
Avengers team, minus Thor, the Hulk, and Iron Man storm a building in Lagos, trying to stop a biological weapon from being stolen by an old nemesis. They recover the weapon but Wanda (Ashley Olsen), a young Avenger with telekinetic capabilities, accidentally blows up an entire building while trying to save the Captain from a bomb that he missed seeing. On the heels of the destruction in Sokovia (the plot of last year’s Avengers film Age of Ultron) the world is aghast at the impunity that these potentially dangerous superheroes apparently enjoy. Tony Stark, himself, haunted by his missteps from past films, and the (surely temporary) loss of his moral anchor Pepper Potts (played in previous films by Gwyneth Paltrow) feels compelled to err on the side of the United Nations, who proposes that the Avengers be managed by a committee – a vast encroachment on their powers, and a restraint that Captain America does not take well. As the Avengers split over these crucial decisions, the Captain is further torn by the framing of his boyhood friend Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), a super-soldier manufactured by Hydra, who also happens to be the dear friend of Steve Rogers from way back when he was a skinny lad in pre-World War II Brooklyn. What ensues is a fine film with amusing surprises, stunning action sequences, and a bit of real heart.
HAPPENINGS
BIKRAM RAI
HEAD OF THE STATE: President Bidya Bhandari takes the army salute before entering parliament to present the government’s policies and programs on Monday.
ANANDA RAM DANGOL
HUSH-HUSH : PM KP Oli with Indian Ambassador Ranjit Rae after briefing Kathmandubased diplomats in Kathmandu on Wednesday.
nepalitimes.com Trailer
ELITE JOSHI
EMIRATE EMBASSY: Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Thapa and UAE’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan inaugurate the UAE embassy in Kathmandu on Sunday.
BIKRAM RAI
TRANSITIONAL INJUSTICE: War victims and human rights activists protest against the UML-Maoist deal on dismissal of conflict-era cases in Kathmandu on Wednesday.
GOPEN RAI
HERE COMES THE RAINGOD: Devotees pull the chariot of Rato Machindranath on the first day of a month-long festival in Pulchok, Lalitpur on Tuesday.
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
MOVING TARGET Foreign Hand
OPINION 13
14 NATION
OM ASTHA RAI IN KUALA LUMPUR
SONIA AWALE IN KUALA LUMPUR
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
NATION 15
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
AS IT HAPPENS Om Astha Rai
16 BACK SIDE
13 - 19 MAY 2016 #808
The Ass