The Social Welfare Council (SWC) is organizing “Social Organizations Development Exhibition” on February 28 and March 1 with the objective of bringing together the activities and the products related to social welfare and development.

One hundred and three organisations, 81 from within the country and 22 from international non-governmental organizations are participating in the exhibition.

This is the first exhibition of its kind, which brings together the activities and the products related to social welfare and development operated in Nepal by the different national and international social organizations at one place.

The SWC Council stated that the income generated from the exhibition would be used in the service of the destitute and helpless persons and in increasing the Welfare Fund.

The index of Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) continued its bullish trend posting increment of 7.65 points over the week.

The weekly share trading at the country’s sole secondary market reached to 333.03 points on the last day of trading under the regular lot from 325.35 points of Sunday.

The Nepse index posted a growth of 7.17 points in previous week.

A total of 99,312 units of shares worth Rs 49,849,953 were traded through 991 transactions over the week. A total of 305,740 units of shares generating a turnover of Rs 98,553,860 were traded last week through 1,723 transactions.

Leading groups including commercial banks, development banks, and manufacturing groups maintained growth and the trade group remained constant while the finance group index declined during the week.

Group-wise share trading data shows that commercial banks group registered a significant rise of 9.6 points over the week reaching its index to 368.53 points from 358.93 points.

Likewise, indices of manufacturing, insurance and development banks group rose to 283.32 points, 342.05 points and 278.38 points respectively, up from 278.20 points, 337.19 points and 267.35 points.

The others group saw a robust growth of 13.7 points. Its index that opened at 331.69 points soared to 345.39 points. The hotel group posted a marginal increase, its index inching up to 183.55 points from 182.60 points.

The finance group became the sole loser at Nepse floor over the week. Its index decreased to 248.93 points, down from 249.07 points.

The weekly trading report shows that index of the trading group remained constant at 148.07.

Of the total transactions that took place over the week at the Nepse floor, the commercial banks group continued to capture the lion’s share of 82.88 percent. The share of finance group comprised 6.39 percent of total transactions, while the development banks group followed it at 6.35 percent. Likewise, the manufacturing group consisted of 2.41 percent, hotels 0.32 percent, the other group 0.01 percent and trading group 0.12 percent of the total transaction.

Maoists have abducted around 150 students and teachers from various VDCs in Dhading district.

The students and teachers were abducted four days ago from secondary and lower secondary schools in various VDCs including Dhuakot, Katunje, Budathamu, Basari and Mulpani, reports said. The condition of about 125 students and 25 teachers who were marched to an unknown location by armed Maoists still remain unknown.

Human rights organisations based in the district and various political parties have urged the Maoists to release the abductees immediately and unconditionally.

Nineteen people were injured when a passenger bus met with an accident at Bhansi area of Mahendranagar on the Mahendra Highway on Sunday morning.

The ill fated bus with registration number MA 1 KHA 229 heading towards Belautibound from Mahendranagar of Kanchanpur district skidded off the road near Jhansi petrol pump.

Keshav Bhattrai, police constable at the District Police Office informed Nepalnews over phone that the injured people were taken to Mahakali zonal hospital for treatment after the security personnel and locals rescued them.

One passenger Jyu Lal Chaudhari, who was seriously injured in the incident, was sent to India for further treatment after primary treatment at Mahakali zonal hospital, Bhattrai added.

As tens of thousands of devotees from within Nepal and neighbouring countries queue up to have a ‘darshan’ of Lord Pashupatinath on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri—one of the biggest festivals of Hindus—on Sunday, Nepali travel trade operators admit that the only Hindu kingdom in the world– that also hosts birth place of Lord Buddha– has failed to tap the immense potential of religious tourism in the country.

Shiva Ratri

Shiva Ratri. nepalnews.com/rh
It may be because most of the visitors—holy Sadhus and Saints– who come to our eyes do not have anything to spend.

When approached by Nepalnews on the eve of Shivaratri at the Pashupatinath temple premises, a saint who describes himself as ‘Shiva Baba” said, “I have determined that my life would be spent participating in prayers to Shivaji. “I have come here from Varanasi three days ago to have a ‘darshan’ of Lord Pashupatinath,” he added.

What makes it come alive is participation; to mingle amidst those engaged in worship: the act of bowing, playing cymbals, chanting hymns, touching an icon, or to see Babas showing acts in half naked, rubbed with ashes and Chilims of gaza (marijuana). To be a witness to the faith, simplicity and unity of religion; this is what religious tourism should be about — and this was what seemed lacking in the fanfare surrounding the sights of holy places in Nepal.

“There are alternatives to adventure and mountaineering but visiting the birth place of Buddha and Hindu holy places like Pashupatinath or Muktinath will never have alternatives.” – Banbari Lal Mittal
Spokesperson of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Aditya Baral, admitted that religious tourism has not been the foremost priority for tourism entrepreneurs in the country. “The reason is that tourism in Nepal began from the attraction towards mountains—mainly the highest peak in the world, Mt. Everest. “So far we have not calculated how many people come to Nepal for visiting religious places, which is obviously difficult to do so,” he said.

According to Baral, most of the tourists visiting Nepal describe adventure as their main objective of travel. “It’s only on major festivals that religious tourists visit Nepal,” he added.

Coordinator of the publicity committee of the ‘Maha Shivaratri’ festival and a member of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), Ram Prasad Dahal, said the Trust expected that over 250,000 devotees would visit the temple on the occasion of the Maha Shivaratri festival this year. He, however, did not have any idea how may of them would be foreigners.

The main source of religious tourists for Nepal is India and South East Asian nations. India occupies around one-third of the total tourist arrival every year. According to Baral of NTB, over 95 percent visitors from India are assumed to be Hindus but they anyhow visit holy places in Nepal despite theirs target of adventure and sight seeing. “Probably around 10 to 15,000 religious tourists come to Nepal annually except during festive season,” Baral said.

Travel trade entrepreneurs, however, complain that the NTB is mainly focusing on European and western tourists and has failed to incorporate one of the most promising sectors like religious tourism in its calendar.

Ravi Rimal

CEO of Incentive Tours and Travels Hariman Lama (File Photo)
“We don’t need to go too far to bring in religious tourists. At a time when there is resurgence in religious activities, Nepal is well placed to attract both Hindus and Buddhists for pilgrimage,” said Hariman Lama, CEO of Incentive Tours and Travels—who organized a religious trip of over 400 high-end Hindu devotees who visited holy Rakshyas taal of Tibet via Nepal to listen to reciting of ‘Ram Katha’ by noted Hindu Saint Morari Bapu two years ago.

“By inviting noted Saints and placing ads in Indian channels like Astha and Sanskar TV, Nepal can attract religious tourists who have also the capacity to spend,” added Lama.

A leading businessman and social worker, Banbari Lal Mittal, too agrees that religious tourists spend more than the adventure tourists. “There are alternatives to adventure and mountaineering but visiting the birth place of Buddha and Hindu holy places like Pashupatinath or Muktinath will never have alternatives,” he said.

“Religious tourism only becomes a reality when believers participate with an intensity of conviction that can be experienced and shared — that is to say, when the aim of the trip is not merely to fulfill touristic interest, but a mission of faith,” said Mittal.

It is often said that in the cathedrals of Europe the power of God can be felt in the prayer-soaked walls. “Only when a visitor to Nepal’s religious sites can look beyond historical and architectural detail and begin to share the liturgies of the faithful, can religious tourism take on meaning. Then reputation of these places would spread far and wide to attract more visitors,” said Mittal. “If religious tourism is to have any spiritual meaning, it should combine a reverence for the past with participation in the present,” he added.

Reports say over 900,000 people visit Vaishno Devi temple in conflict-hit Jammu of India annually. Then, why not in Nepal that boasts of Pashupatinath, Janakpurdham Lumbini, Muktinath? Tourism entrepreneurs say Nepal is yet to explore and ‘market’ exotic religious destinations like Damodar Kunda (in northern district of Mustang), Gosai kunda, Bhairav kunda, Tilicho lake, Sworgadwari, Kakbhusundi sarovar and birth place of Lava and Kush—the twin sons of Lord Rama—to name a few.

nepalnews.com/rh
“As there is fierce competition in one’s profession and business in the modern world, people are turning to religion for solace and to find answers to their questions. By developing packages connecting India, Nepal and Tibetan autonomous region of China, we can promote religious tourism as a major area of activity,” said Lama of Incentive tours. “But, the initiative must come from the government and NTB,” he added.

Rich in pristine combination of Hindu and the Buddhist culture and traditional heritages, and known for religious and communal harmony since ages, Nepal may be best placed for religious tourism. But the million dollar question is — how to transform ‘dharma’ (religion) into ‘artha’ (money) that may boost economic activities and generate employment in the country.

Probably what is needed is wild imagination and concrete plans to sell the Nepal Inc.

Former premier and NC (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Deuba (File Photo)

Former premier and NC (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Deuba (File Photo)
Former prime minister and president of Nepali Congress (Democratic), Sher Bahadur Deuba, has alleged that His Majesty King Gyanendra wants to rule the country by installing a rubber-stamp parliament.

In his February 1 statement, His Majesty said elections to all popularly elected bodies will take place within mid-April 2007.

In an exclusive interview with Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post dailies on Sunday, the former premier who was freed after nine-month-long detention early this month—alleged that the king did not want to remain as a “constitutional monarch.” “He has got ill intention; he is not committed to democracy. The word ‘democracy’ used in the Democracy Day message delivered by the king was merely a formality,” said Deuba, who was sacked twice by King Gyanendra over the last four years. “There is no way. This king is not going to give us the Constituent Assembly,” he added.

Elections to the Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution has been one of the major demands of the Maoist rebels.

During his two-hour long interview, Deuba—one of the leaders of the seven party alliance that has inked 12-point pact with the CPN (Maoist)—was equally critical of the Maoist leadership.

“The Maoists should prove their commitment to peace and understanding by their deeds, not only by lip service,” said Deuba adding, “ (Maoist chairman) Prachanda needs to clarify his stance on the fundamental right of the people. You know how they killed Ganesh Chiluwal (president of the Maoist Victims’ Association) for burning Prachanda and Baburam’s effigies.”

“The king should be thanked since the Feb. 1 move helped the seven parties to come together (and) helped patch-up within the (CPN) Maoist that was on the verge of vertical split.”
“If we are not compromising with the king on the basic issues of democracy, why would we do so with Prachanda?” Deuba asked.

When asked if he was overtly influenced by the USA, particularly ambassador James F. Moriarty, Deuba said that he was only being thankful to the USA and all other friends who supported him when he was in prison.

“Wasn’t the king unfair to me? They arrested me at midnight, this house of mine is mortgaged to a bank, my joint family can be ruined. In such a situation, Senator (Patrick) Leahy passed a resolution demanding dissolution of the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC), Tom Daschle and Christina Rocca visited here and demanded my release. Shouldn’t I be thankful to them?” he retorted.

Deuba was freed on February 13 this year after the Supreme Court held the formation of the RCCC as an ‘unconstitutional’ move and declared all its previous decisions “null and void.” In a case involving the multi-million dollar Melamchi Water Supply Project, the Commission found Deuba and his colleague Prakash Man Singh, among others, “guilty of corruption” and decided to jail them for two years each besides imposing a fine of millions of rupees.

“I don’t mean that we should just obey whatever the US has been saying. In fact the question being put to the Maoists is the question of all the Nepali people. Everybody is apprehensive how it will be under the Maoists? All the international community has the same question. It is just that the US gave an audible voice to it,” Deuba said.

According to Deuba, the Maoists need to clarify whether they would allow a free and vibrant press or not, whether or not they would support free radio and television. “Will they allow competitive and free business? Will they allow private property? Will parties be free to protest against the government? Will they also interfere in the judiciary like the king has done, or won’t they?” he asked.

“My one-point agenda is the restoration of the fundamentals of democracy in this country. For this I won’t compromise with anyone. Prachanda says if a Constitution Assembly chooses absolute monarchy, he would support that, but I don’t support any absolute system, no matter how it comes,” Deuba asserted.

Deuba also defended the Royal Nepalese Army that is fighting against insurgency for the last five years.

“I don’t believe the Royal Nepalese Army is a royal army. The suffix ‘royal’ doesn’t signify anything. It’s a national army, though it helped the king arrest me twice when I was prime minister. It is under the prime minister through the Security Council,” he said.

When asked why he is supporting the army that arrested him, he said, “The army is ours, we cannot dismiss it. Of course, we need to improve it.”

“I feel for them. They are doing very hard work. I even asked them to keep two helicopters each at all five regional headquarters. You cannot believe it, I gave the army anything they asked for. We need to convince them that they should not listen to whatever the King says,” Deuba added.

When asked about the prospect of unification of his party with the parent Nepali Congress led by G P Koirala, he said unification was an arduous task though at the leadership level the relationship had been patched up to a certain extent.

“I don’t want to confuse people. If both the parties had not held their general conventions, things would have been different. Now there are committees from the grassroots to the center in both the parties. It will be difficult to find an amicable solution among all the rank and file of both parties.”

Deuba also said that he will put his reservation regarding the 12-point pact with the Maoists in the meeting of the seven party alliance first. He also demanded that the king should hand over power to the alliance. “The king should be thanked since the Feb. 1 move helped the seven parties to come together, helped patch-up within the CPN (Maoist) that was on the verge of vertical split and helped myself and Girijababu (G P Koirala) to come together,” said Deuba. “All this would not have been possible if the king had not taken direct control of the government,” he added.

Over 100 free expression activists from around the world, who took part in the annual general meeting of the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) in Brussels, have expressed extreme concerns towards the press freedom and freedom of expression situation in Nepal since the royal takeover on February 1, 2005.

Adopting a resolution on Nepal, the four-day conference (Feb. 20-24) noted with concern what it called the incidences of on-going attacks, threats and detention of Nepali journalists and free expression activists in the country over the last one year.

Free expression activists staging a protest in front of the Council of European Union protesting against on-going attacks against media around the world (Photo courtesy: www.ifex.org)

Free expression activists staging a protest in front of the Council of European Union protesting against on-going attacks against media around the world (Photo courtesy: www.ifex.org)
Hundreds of journalists were detained last year by the government for protesting the royal regime and demanding for press freedom and freedom of expression in the country, the conference said. The authorities imposed strict censor during the three-month-long state of emergency (Feb-April 2005) and there was no marked improvement in the situation even after the state of emergency was lifted, it noted.

Expressing its wholehearted solidarity with Nepali journalists and free expression activists in their fight for democracy, human rights and freedom of expression in the country, IFEX has called upon the royal government to lift all types of restrictions on media including ban on airing of news from FM radio stations. Similarly, the IFEX has called upon the Nepal government to cease all direct and indirect forms of censorship on media, instruct security personnel, especially the Royal Nepalese Army, in clear words to respect freedom of expression and press freedom across the country, immediately abrogate the controversial Media Ordinance and not to draft or promulgate any new legislation including Broadcasting Authority or Media Council through ordinances so as to further limit press freedom and freedom of expression.

We hold the view that the royal government doesn’t have any right to issue new legislations through ordinances at a time when the parliament remains dissolved, the statement said.

Similarly, the gathering also called upon the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) rebels to respect pluralism and freedom of expression and not to target media personnel and free expression activists under any pretext, and not to damage, shut down or remove media facilities and infrastructure. The IFEX has also called upon the international community to reaffirm their support to peaceful pro-democracy movement in Nepal and pressurize the royal government to respect people’s right to peaceful assembly and other fundamental rights and return to broad-based and inclusive democracy at the earliest.

Hosted by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the conference welcomed the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) as new member of the IFEX. The Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES)—a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group, which is already an IFEX member—was elected as the council member.

General Secretary of the FNJ, Mahendra Bista, and vice chairperson of CEHURDES, Khadga Sen Oli, took part in the conference and also presented a paper on the challenges to press freedom and freedom of expression in Nepal.

Leading free expression groups around the world are members of the IFEX.

The new League Champions Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) barely survived Armed Police Force (APF) scare as Cheering’s boys defeated the latter 2-1, to enter the semifinal of 4th Aaha Gold Cup Football Tournament here in Pokhara on Sunday.

The champions, who were bereft of several first eleven players due to close camp set by ANFA for the preparation of AFC Challenge Cup, performed sluggishly in the first quarter, but started to get momentum with Nigerian import Nurudeen’s attack.

MMC’s Uttam Gurung got a chance to score in the 30th minute but APF lanky goalie Samit Raj Bhandari stopped him brilliantly. Finally, Ritesh Thapa, former NRT player, broke the deadlock in the 35th minute capitalizing the cross off stand-in skipper Basanta Gauchan. Thapa collected the high elevated cross from the right flank and managed to flick the ball straight into net. MMC took lemon tea up 1-0.

After the lemon break, APF boys were back on track and were also awarded in the 59th minute through Ganesh Lawati. Lawati flicked the ball utilizing the cross off Ajaya Silwal’s cross. Nurudeen Olawale, who score the lone goal to beat Nabil Three Star Club in the recently held “A” Division League, struck the match winning goal in the 88th minute to save Manang’s prestige.

Olawale didn’t miss the target after Ritesh Khadka set up him a superb chest-pass off Basanta Gauchan’s cross. Olawale was upbeat to show his somersault after scoring the decisive goal.

“I am happy with my boys’ performances as we are missing several players in the squad,” MMC Coach Cheering Lopsang told Nepalnews. Lopsang’s counterpart Noble Rana looked distressed with the results. He said, “We could have beaten them easily but boys showed a sluggish game throughout the match”.

On Monday, Indian invitee Eastern Railway will vie against Knight Chess Club, who had defeated Tribhuvan Army Club in the quarterfinals.

Latest reports say heavy fighting is going on between security forces and Maoist rebels at Chaudhamara forest area bordering Palpa, Rupandehi and Arghakhanchi districts in Western Nepal from Sunday afternoon.

Security sources in the western town of Butwal confirmed the incident and said at least half a dozen security personnel were injured during the clashes. They said huge casualty may have been inflicted on the part of the rebels.

The Royal Nepalese Army has launched an aerial attack against the rebels in the area.

Clashes took place after a security patrol that had left from Saljhundi of Rupandehi district encountered with the rebels.

Details are still awaited.

– By Preeti Koirala

Preeti Koirala

Author
The US ambassador James F. Moriarty makes headlines whenever he makes statements. His speech delivered at the Ganesh Man Singh Foundation early this month was symbolic in a sense that late Singh was a selfless leader who didn’t crave for power for the sake of democracy and freedom. Our contemporary leaders both of the NC and the UML never followed the path of Ganesh Man. Girija Prasad Koirala even went ahead to minimize Singh during his own life time by actively conspiring to defeat Mangala Devi Singh (Singh’s wife) and Prakash Man Singh (Singh’s eldest son) in the general elections of 1991. Therefore, by choosing to speak at the forum of a Foundation named after late Singh, the U.S. envoy sarcastically called for inner party democracy and selflessness to nurture democracy by recalling what Ganesh Man had done but apparently what all leaders of today have forgotten.

His contempt and dislike towards the 12-point agreement between the parties and the Maoists supposedly reached at the behest of Delhi has come up as a surprise to everyone. This agreement was reached months ago and neither the U.S. government nor Moriarty had spoken anything grossly negative when the agreement was actually reached. But it seems now that the Bush administration has realized how awful and dangerous the 12 point understanding actually is. The parties are where they were in front of the people but the Maoists have got huge gains out of the agreement. It has become very easy for the present government also to tell to the people that “See we were always telling you, these seven parties have been tacitly aiding the Maoists”.

The fact remains that the Maoist movement started when there was full-fledged multi-party democracy and that the insurgency actually spiraled out of control when the Nepali Congress and the UML were in power. This theory of party leaders like Bam Dev Gautam and Khum Bahadur Khadga tacitly aiding the insurgency during their respective tenures as Home Minister proved right when the same bunch of leaders signed the agreement with the Maoists. Therefore, this agreement was defective, shady and flawed from the day it was inked as has been realized by the envoy of the world’s only superpower.

Now, if the present government bans the political parties and declares those that tie nuptial knots with the Maoists as “terrorists” themselves, it seems that there won’t be such a degree of international criticism as one would like to imagine. The publication of a caricature of prophet Mohammad by a Danish newspaper has already started global debate on whether the press should be allowed to publish anything in the name of press freedom. The Malaysian government immediately banned a 60-year-old newspaper for re-printing the same cartoon. In our case, those newspapers that openly favor the Maoist propaganda have been allowed to operate and yet the government continues to get the blame for harassing the media.

The second element of Moriarty’s statement is overtly directed towards India. Every sane mind knows that top Maoist leaders live and give out their directives to their cadres from within the Indian territory. Lately, several interviews have been taken of the Maoist leaders from the Indian capital. It is anybody’s guess that India very well knows where Prachanda and Baburam are hiding but does not want to arrest them for some future usage that they have vis-a-vis the give and take that may take place between the monarchy and the Government of India. The 12-point agreement definitely had the tacit Indian consent. Some reports even suggested that the Government of India itself had engineered the understanding in order to pressurize the King.

But ambassador Moriarty’s compos mentis speech suggesting that the agreement was “ill-intentional” clearly indicates that the world’s only superpower is against India’s unnecessary meddling inside Nepal’s internal affairs. The publicity that the U.S. and India were in tandem in their respective Nepal policies has fallen flat after Moriarty’s speech. It has obviously embarrassed Delhi to a great deal. Everything that was “achieved” in the post February First period has been lost by a single statement. India has thus wasted one full year in Nepal which could have been well used in nurturing the present government and in achieving concrete things in security, political and economic areas. Besides, it now seems that the US has started looking Nepal from the Chinese window as they have been doing as regards to other countries in the region.

After all, Moriarty is a known China expert in the State Department and speaks fluent Mandarin, he has years of experience in Beijing and Taipei. This will be dangerous to India’s long-standing unique bond with SAARC countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. With Pakistan, the American policy is exactly the same as that of the Chinese policy. What is even more astounding is that the Chinese ambassador in New Delhi openly said that his government is ready for assisting in the peace talks with the Naxalites of the entire sub-continent who use the name of Mao-zee-Dong. Therefore, from every rational standpoint, Delhi should not delay in keeping the Narayanhiti royal palace in good humor before it is too late and before the U.S-China axis from within Nepal begins to take shape of the Pakistani variety.

His Majesty the King, on his democracy day message, called for reconciliation but the 7 parties, obdurate and inflexible as they are, have rejected his call for a dialogue. It must be well understood that the product of reconciliation is a change of the government not the other way around. Former M. Ps. who were last elected 7 years ago do not represent the will of the sovereign people and if they claim that they still do, they must cave in their over-sized egos for their own common benefit or else have the fortitude to contest the general elections.

Moriarty has thus told clearly to every power centre in Nepal that terrorists everywhere whether it is Osama Bin laden and al Qaeda, LTTE, Hamas or the Maoists of Nepal are basically the same. Their tactics of terror and intimidation are the same. They kill civilians and give the pretext of “empowering the people” in the name of violence. They are all terrorists and one should not negotiate with them until they give up arms. America has been utilizing a military solution to the al Qaeda problem and Nepal should also do the same by requesting for necessary arms and ammunition to defeat terrorism within Nepal. If peace can only be achieved by “talking” with the Maoists, then a good example must be set by those that preach this noble idea. There should be no double standard.

If Nepal should negotiate with the Maoists by agreeing on a 12 point understanding, the EU also should first formally invite Osama Bin Laden to Brussels to hear his genuine concerns and problems. If Nepal Television should not try to interview Prabhakaran and his gang of murderers or the leaders of ULFA and BODO; then The Times of India, The Hindu, BBC and other media should also not publicize Prachanda and his idiotic verse of nonsense that everybody finds insane.

Will the Government of India allow Nepalese journalists to interview and thereby mystify the terrorists who planted bombs in the parliament of India? What will be the Indian reaction if Nepalese media start writing editorials that it is high time that Delhi begins realizing that without an independent Kashmir, the problem of the people of Kashmir will not be resolved?

Therefore, it is now Delhi’s turn to follow-up on Moriarty’s genuine and truthful statement and not embrace the Nepali Maoist leaders as if they were different to its own Naxalites running wild from Bihar to Chattisgarh and all the way to Andhra Pradesh. Since its ambassador at the India House has already said that “political parties in Nepal can use the Indian card”, Delhi must clearly tell the political parties that if they are to co-exist and survive, they must reciprocate the call of the monarch for a reconciliation.

Nepal established diplomatic relations with the United States of America before it did with India and China. Sometimes, we are forced to appreciate the Ranas for some of the far-sighted decisions that they took during their 104-year rule.

(An insurance executive based in the U.S, Ms Koirala writes on contemporary issues. Nepalnews believes in variety of opinion and does not necessarily subscribe to the views expressed by Guest Writers. Please send your comments to [email protected] or [email protected]—Ed.)

(Editor’s Note: Nepalis, wherever they live, as well as friends of Nepal around the globe are requested to contribute their views/opinions/recollections etc. on issues concerning present day Nepal to the Guest Column of Nepalnews. Length of the article should not be more than 1,000 words and may be edited for the purpose of clarity and space. Relevant photos as well as photo of the author may also be sent along with the article. Please send your write-ups to [email protected])