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äääää nf special correspondent nf special correspondent nf special correspondent nf special correspondent nf special correspondent

Defiance and open criticism of the leadershipmarred the ‘extended meeting’ of the Maoists,still in session, with a minister turning down therequest of the Maoist chief to withdraw theresignation he tendered from the council ofministers.

Forest Minister Matrika Yadav returned theofficial vehicles, security guards, all officialbelongings including a laptop and vacated hisministerial bungalow even though the party’sofficial version quoting Prachanda claimed thathe had withdrawn his resignation. “News reportssaying I have withdrawn my resignation are justnot true,” Yadav said in a statement.

A sizeable number of those who participatedin the meeting criticised the leadership, especiallyministers, for their, “life of comfort,” and “defilingthe blood that martyrs shed during more than adecade long people’s war.”

In yet another jolt to the Maoists, LakshmanRajbanshi, leader of the Maoist-affiliatedTharuwan Mukti Morcha, joined hands withpowerful Maoist rebels like Rabindra Shresthaand Mani Thapa to open a front to, “oppose,expose and rebel” against the policy of compro-mise pursued by the Maoists. The group hasdecided to form armed battalions as well.

A Maoist source said it was hard forPrachanda to convince the participants whoasked pointed questions like whether Maoistsshould continue in the government or quit.Prachanda and Bhattarai were also accused ofcomplying with Indian interests and allowingthemselves to be dictated by it. However, allindications suggest Maoists are unikely towithdraw from the government immediately.

“Prachanda’s answers were wishy-washy andhis demand that only a republic Nepal will lead tothe constituent assembly on time was more of atactical stance,” a participant told newsfront.

But it was the resignation of Yadav and histurning down Prachanda’s request to withdraw itthat dominated the extended meeting, partici-pated by about 2,000 representatives fromcentral to district level of the party that followed atwo-day meeting of the central committee.

Yadav was miffed mainly with PM’s behaviourand also with Prachanda and Baburam Bhattaraiover his unceremonious removal as chief ofparty’s Terai wing last month. He also attackedHome Minister K P Sitaula, a close ally of theduo, for not cooperating in tracking down thesandal wood smugglers despite his repeatedrequests. He made it clear that all these need tobe rectified if he is to continue as a minister.

Yadav also made his reservations clear aboutMaoist leadership’s endorsement of the dialoguebetween the government and the MadheshiJanadhikar Forum led by Upendra Yadav, whohe described as the head of the criminal groupsbacked by India and the palace. ä

Discontent comes to the fore in Maoist conclave

Revolt anddefiance

InsideGovt-MJF talks put off

- page 2

Hold election timely -Pranab

- page 3

Finally, Nepal has a National anthem after a gap of more than a year. Parliament was the first forum where the National anthem was played on August 3. PoetPradip Kumar Rai alias Byakul Maila and Amber Gurung who composed the music for it, with Speaker Subash Nembang in pariament on the occasion.

2 6-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 2007 News

äääää nf correspondent nf correspondent nf correspondent nf correspondent nf correspondent

The government - MadheshiJanadhikar Forum (MJF) talksabruptly ended on Sunday with MJFobjecting to the inclusion of a Maoist

äääää nf correspondent nf correspondent nf correspondent nf correspondent nf correspondent

In a clear act of betrayal, thegovernment led by G P Koirala isall set to set up the proposedTruth and Reconciliation Commis-sion with the power to withdrawcases of violation of gross humanrights and that of internationalhumanitarian laws. The move hasbrought the government in directconfrontation with the Office of theHigh Commissioner for HumanRights in Nepal (OHCHR).

The OHCHR has objected tothe provisions of the draft bill thatempowers the proposed commis-sion to withdraw such cases.“OHCHR-Nepal is deeplyconcerned about provisions whichwould amnesty the perpetrators ofgross human rights violations andviolations of international humani-tarian law (IHL), includingextrajudicial execution, torture anddisappearances,” a statementissued on Friday said. “Theseprovisions which prevent prosecu-tion for these offences areinconsistent with Nepal’s obliga-tions under international law,” itadded.

The move, human rights groupssay, will only help in continuation ofthe culture of impunity, adding thiscan be used to absolve those whohave committed grave crimes ofhuman rights both from thegovernment as well as theMaoists’ sides. In fact, provisionsof the Comprehensive PeaceAgreement signed by PrimeMinister G P Koirala and MaoistChief Prachanda in the presenceof UN and diplomatic community’srepresentatives in Nepal inNovember clearly states that thecabinet will have the power to

withdrawany caseagainstanyone andsuchdecisionscan bechallenged

before any court of law.OHCHR also makes a point that

the provisions of the draft bill cameas a damper to what the UNSecretary General, Ban Ki Moonhad stated recently; that the UNneither had a policy of endorsing orcondoning amnesties for genocide,crimes against humanity, warcrimes or gross violations of humanrights; nor undertaking orencouraging activities that mightfoster them. It also says the draftbill does not guarantee enoughsafeguards for independence,impartiality and diversity of thecommission.

The government and theMaoists had earlier agreed to setup the TRC with a mandate toinvestigate violations of humanrights and crimes against humanitycommitted during the course of thearmed conflict between 13February 1996 and 21 November2006. The commission, which willconsist of up to seven commission-ers, will have two years, with apossibility of a 12-month extension.It will then provide the governmentwith a report of its findings, andrecommendations as to reconcilia-tion, prosecutions, amnesty andreparations.

“The creation of TRC is a veryimportant initiative that can assista nation in building a culture ofpeace and reconciliation basedon truth, justice and reparation,"it said. ä

Maoist inclusion in the official team irritates MJF

Govt-MJF talks put off indefinitely

minister in the official committeesaying it was aimed at disrupting thetalks. MJF and Maoists are engagedin bloody fights in different parts ofthe country with the latter calling MJFan Indian and palace sponsored

outfit.As a result, the earlier decision to

have the Terai issue resolved endedwith no solution in sight in near future.The government leader, peace andreconstruction minister, Ram

Chandra Poudel announced that thegovernment wanted to include threemore members in the team thatincluded Jhalnath Khanal of CPN-UML, Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat(Cong-D) and Deb Gurung (Maoists).

In fact, inclusion of the Maoistminister in the official team followsinsistence from the Maoist leadershipthat it cannot be excluded from theprocess of finding a solution to theTerai problems. But MJF is upset withGurung’s inclusion as the Maoistshave been regularly branding MJF ascriminals and India-palace sponsoredoutfit.

The meeting which was held in thePark Village resort on Sunday endedafter MJF leader Upendra Yadavdemanded to know the progress inthe 26-point demand that the forumhad put forward earlier. In addition,the forum insisted that Home MinisterK P Sitaula must own full responsibil-ity for the loss of life in Terai and quit.There is no point talking about the

Rayamajhi commission report, andnot holding any accountability of thekilling of Terai people.

“The talks are indefinitely post-poned,” Yadav told newsfront, adding“government does not seem to havedone its homework at all.” The 26-points submitted earlier demandsamong other things, a federal set-upwith full autonomy to the provinceswith the right to self-determinationand proportional representationsystem of election. Yadav said theforum also demanded that thecurrent parliament should bedissolved after the election processgets started.

Minister Poudel on his part tried toconvince the forum that they shouldnot read too much in the inclusion ofthe Maoists in the committee. “It wasincomplete and we had to give it awider representation,” he said. Headded that the government wouldsoon get back to the forum with itsresponse to some of the demands. ä

Mass breastfeeding at Kalanki, Kathmandu organised by Chhimeki, an organisation of community mothers (mostly withsmall children) is based on neighbourhood support principles. The NGO works on mother –child health particularly nutritionand is supported by Swiss NGO Terre des Hommes.

äääää nf correspondent nf correspondent nf correspondent nf correspondent nf correspondent

Nepal Airlines (NA) now facesdoomsday thanks to everproliferating corruption within itscorridors. Even though its externaloperation has come to a halt, amajor scandal that has alreadycost nearly 400,000 Hong Kongdollars has come into the light.

A spare engine of the Boeing, islying at a warehouse in HongKong for which Nepal airlines hasbeen paying around 1800 HKGdollar per day for the past eightmonths for storage and preserva-tion, according to NA sources.

Mystery shrouds the dealfurther as the decision to have itstored with HAECO in Hong Kongwas taken after the airlinescancelled its decision to send the

Commission ofcompromise

All season corruption in NA

engine for total overhaul to AMECO,a Chinese company, which had wonthe tender. The engine has remaineddefunct for the past eight months.

“May be because of the huge cost -around Rs 40 crores needed forengine overhaul, the airlines decidedto have it put in the storage, but eventhat has cost the company a fortune,”an official said.

NA which has suspended itsinternational operation now because ofwant of aircrafts is likely to press oneof its aircrafts back into the service

sometimes this week “We havegot the engine of the aircraft whichhas been sent for C-check toBrunei back here and are in theprocess of fitting it into anotheraircraft,” NA sources said.

But as another engine is alsodue for change in December, theNepal Airlines faces imminentprospects of shut-down that willresult in a huge loss to thealready sinking airlines during thepeak tourist season.

Moreover, the airline has beenregularly flouting the instructionsof the Boeing by flying the ageingaircrafts for extra hours. Againstthe instruction that they shouldnot fly more than ten and halfhour daily, the aircrafts here areflying in an average of 16 to 18hours. ä

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36-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 2007News

NTNC’sthird membersecretary

The NepalTrust forNatureConservation(NTNC) hasseen threemembersecretaries inless than six

months. The latest head that rolled was thatof Siddhartha Vajracharya who had replacedNiranjan Koirala less than a month after hewas appointed as member secretary of thetrust.

Bimal Bania, senior official in the NationalAgriculture Research Centre (NARC) hasbeen appointed as the new membersecretary with immediate effect. Themember secretary is the main executive postin the trust which has prime minister as thepatron and forest minister as the chairman.Before last year, the trust which used to beknown as King Mahendra Trust for NatureConservation (KMTNC) used to have KingGyanendra as patron and Crown PrinceParas as the chairman.

Frequent change of member secretary,according to NTNC employees, is areflection of politics dominating the trustwhich might ultimately discourage thedonors. Niranjan Koirala was removedmysteriously within a month of his appoint-ment following a feud over the post in theKoirala family. To appease a section of thecongress led by Ram Krishna Tamrakar,Siddhartha Vajracharya , a relatively juniorexecutive of the trust, was elevated to therank of member secretary. There is no wordyet officially as to why Vajracharya wasremoved.

E-fundpoached

Ministry foragricultureand environ-ment may notbe so visible interms of whatit has done inthe past oneyear after thegreat politicalchange. Butthe depletionof the

environment fund is something that is veryvisible in the ministry.

According to the information available,around two crore rupees have beendisbursed to various NGOs from the fundthat is meant to conserve environment andcontrol pollution. While about one crorerupees was spent during the first eightmonths after the political change, almost anequal amount has been disbursed afterMahantha Thakur took over as the ministerin April.

The fund disbursement to the NGOs isdone on the recommendation of a commit-tee headed by the ministry secretary whichhas members from the ministry of financeand planning commission. But there arequestions about the veracity and eligibility ofthese NGOs - who are they and whichpolitical party are they affiliated to? Thegeneral perception is that most of them areaffiliated to the congress party which MinisterThakur also belongs to.

Everyone is aware of the credibility andreputation that the Salt Trading Corpo-ration has earned over a period of time.The corporation, which has set quality,availability and low price as its aims, hasplans to improve its services throughoutthe country in future. But some peopleclearly busy rocking their own ship arebusy spreading false canards against thecorporation now.

An attempt is being made to defamethe iodised salt duly certified by the ap-propriate authority of the state, as ‘not fitfor consumption.’ The corporation hassupplied the salt to the market only afterthe authority of the state had issued cer-tificate about its quality.

Against the normal practice of having30-PPM iodine in salt in other countries,Salt Trading Corporation has been mix-ing 50-PPM iodine in the salt for sale inNepal. They are distributed among con-sumers through dealers and offices insealed packets.

It was solely with the intention of a con-spiracy against the salt, the then Execu-tive Head, after he had been divested of

An appeal to be aware of falsepropaganda and conspiracy against Salt

Trading Corporation Ltd.

all his executive authorities, raised ques-tions regarding the quality of the saltsthrough a circular sent to all zonal officeson 2064-4-6. We request to all our cus-tomers and authorities concerned to beaware of such conspiracies that claimeverything is right when in power, andnothing is right once out of it.

The Department of Food and Tech-nology and Quality Control of the Minis-ter of Agriculture and Cooperative (Gov-ernment of Nepal) had analysed the saltlast imported. Its report made public on2064-3-6 showed Sodium Chloride con-tent at 99.5 per cent and Iodine PPM at60.2 per cent. No salt has been importedafter that.

Therefore, we request all concernednot to give credence to the campaign ofconspiracy and defamation against theSalt Trading Corporation, a model of ex-cellence of public-private partnership. Wealso want to reiterate that we will con-tinue to give utmost priority to the issue ofpublic health as well the quality of salt andother commodities while conducting ourbusiness.

SALT TRADING CORPORATION LTD.

COAs meetThe Chief of Army staffs of Nepal and

India are likely to meet in Sydney this weekbringing the two face to face almost after agap of 28 months. Gen. RookmangadKatawal and his Indian counterpart J JSingh will be meeting at the Asia PacificSecurity Chiefs gala assembly at Sydney thisweek.

India not only suspended the supply ofarms and ammunitions to the Nepal Armyeffective from February 2005, it alsosuspended all normal and traditional

relationshipwith it. As aresult, therehave been novisits by thechiefs of twosides to theother side toreceive the titleof HonouraryGeneral -almost breaking

half a century old practice.COAs of India is believed to have sent

feelers to Gen Katawal proposing such ameeting when both of them are in Australia.Gen Katawal just completed his official visitto London indicating that business with theUnited Kingdom is as usual.

Calling it a dayRam Pradhan has decided to quit the

Himalayan Times as its founder editor.

"Ram Pradhan wishes to call it a day andretire", THT quoted him telling his col-leagues on August 2.

Pradhan, one of the seniormost journal-ists in the country, served as editor of theRising Nepal and Independent during hiscareer spanned over four decades. Hejoined the THT six years ago.

Dollar MD inKathmandu

ManagingDirector of DollarIndia (Bhawanitextile) Vinod Kr.Gupta visitedKathmandu thisweek for businessmeet. In themeeting with

business-persons in Nepal, he claimed thatdespite being a new brand in the market,Dollar is becoming a success as no.1innerwear and winter-wear in India andNepal. He added that due to its qualitymaterial and reasonable price, Dollarproducts are gaining popularity in Nepal.

As festival season is approaching inNepal, Dollar products will be coming inmore variety and at affordable prices. Guptaclaimed that their product is as popular andas fit as Salman Khan who is the brandambassador for this product. ä

A quiet move on the part of Prime Minister GP Koirala to have existing parliament convertedinto the constituent assembly has backfired.Koirala has been warned both from internationalcommunity as well as leaders from NepaliCongress and other coalition partners not tocheat people.

India has taken the lead in discouragingsuch a move. According to informed sources,India’s External Affairs Minister, Pranab

Mukherjee spoke to Koirala, NC (D) leaderSher Bahadur Deuba and some others overthe phone that such a move would destroylegitimacy of the political system and credibilityof the leaders entirely.

The move which Koirala discussed with someof the Maoist leaders and close aides in NepaliCongress, has also been criticised by seniorleaders like Arjun Narsingh K C. “I will join therevolt against such a move which seeks to takeaway people’s right to participate in theelection,” said he. Koirala’s assertion that he iscommitted to hold elections to the constituentassembly as scheduled in November comes inthe wake of disapproval of his move to short-circuit the CA poll.

“This conspiracy is on. And we cannotaccept it. This will destroy democracy for ever,”former PM and Janashakti leader, SuryaBahadur Thapa said. It is believed that whileKoirala discussed in details such a plan withMaoist leaders, Prachanda and BaburamBhattarai in detail, he only gave a broad hintabout this to UML Secretary General MadhavKumar Nepal. In fact, Prachanda’s latest pre-condition for CA election in November – aproportional representation system of electionand Republic Nepal soon - many believe,somehow reflects Koirala’s grand design toconvert existing parliament into the constituentassembly.

“We have been hearing such moves fromoutside. And it will be a total betrayal of thepeople and therefore (will) not be acceptable toour party,” Minendra Rijal, Member of theCentral committee of the Nepali Congress (D)told newsfront. ä

Hold CA election on time or you will be non-entity

Koirala warnedNewsbrief

Editor & Publisher : Yubaraj GhimireExecutive Editor : Sushma AmatyaNews Coordinator : Manoj DahalDesign: Sunil Khadgi, Kishor Raj Panta & Ramkrishna RanaAddress : PO Box: 8830, Lazimpat, Kathmandu, NepalTel : 4443888, Fax : 4421147 (Edt.), 4411912 (Mkt.)Email: newsfront@bhrikuti.com, marketing@bhrikuti.com (Mkt.)Printed by: Express Color Press, Buddhanagar, Tel.: 4781810, Distribution: Kasthamandap, Tel.: 2010821

6-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20074 Editorial

LettersShame, MrShame, MrShame, MrShame, MrShame, Mr. PM. PM. PM. PM. PM

Newsfront has made its mark on thepolitical circle. Its last issue revealed thatG P

Koirala, despite the public pledge hetook along with other leaders that theywould not repeat their past mistakes,has not changed a bit. He is conspiringto turn the existing un-elected parlia-ment into the constituent assembly.

This is a matter of shame that Koiraladoes not trust the electorate of thiscountry, does not reveal his plan tothem, but consults India and othercountries for endorsement of hisdictatorial ambitions. How is he differentfrom King Gyanendra?

ä Sudhir Dahalä Sudhir Dahalä Sudhir Dahalä Sudhir Dahalä Sudhir DahalGhattekulo, Kathmandu.

Undemocratic KoiralaUndemocratic KoiralaUndemocratic KoiralaUndemocratic KoiralaUndemocratic KoiralaG P Koirala may have fought for democracy, but he has

never been a democrat. He was almost going to join thePanchayat regime and was negotiating for that with KingBirendra. After his infamous Tanakpur treaty with India gotexposed and parliament discovered that he had signed thetreaty keeping Nepal in dark, he forced an unwarranted mid-term poll in the country in 1993. He betrayed K P Bhattaraiforcing him to quit as PM in year 2000.

In past 15 months, he has failed on all fronts. Corruptionand opaque deals have been made. He became the PMpledging that elections to the constituent assembly will be heldby June 2007. The date has now been postponed toNovember. And yet, he seems to be conspiring to stall thatelection. He can compromise and sacrifice every thing forpower. The man has just not changed.

ä Naresh Pradhanä Naresh Pradhanä Naresh Pradhanä Naresh Pradhanä Naresh PradhanJyatha, Kathmandu.

Interesting interviewsInteresting interviewsInteresting interviewsInteresting interviewsInteresting interviewsNewsfront has been bringing out interviews and profiles

of the people that are much morereadable than the politicians who get somuch media coverage in Nepal. What’sthe use giving them so much spacewhen all that our leaders have done isto plunder the country and betray thepeople?

The interview with DiamondShumsher Rana not only brings out thepersona that he is to the public, it alsoreveals what an amazing character he isat 90. His self-pride and respect, hiscommitment to democracy and hisuprightness are worth something andthe country should feel proud of it. Whycan’t our political leaders learn some-thing from him?

ä Srijana Sharmaä Srijana Sharmaä Srijana Sharmaä Srijana Sharmaä Srijana SharmaBaneshwar, Kathmandu.

Maina Sunwar caseMaina Sunwar caseMaina Sunwar caseMaina Sunwar caseMaina Sunwar caseIt was a bit disappointing to see the article of Kundan Singh

Khatri in newsfront. Was the author trying to justify what thearmy did to Maina Sunwar? Army Chief’s visit to the UnitedKingdom came in the background of many atrocities commit-ted by the ‘Royal Nepal Army’ in the years of conflict. But thearmy has to take accountability for the Maina Sunwar case aswell as other cases.

Of course, political leaders especially those who have beenprime ministers and home ministers have to take theresponsibility as well. But that does not absolve the army oftheir hands in gross violation of human rights.

ä Ram Wastiä Ram Wastiä Ram Wastiä Ram Wastiä Ram WastiKalanki, Kathmandu.

Nefariousdesign

A dictator is one who wants to rule without people’s mandate.An authoritarian government cares little about submitting itselfto the parliament. It would want to avoid elections, and yetwants to stick on like limpet, in power. By all definition, PrimeMinister G P Koirala, is behaving like an authoritarian. Thereare clear indications that he does not want elections to theconstituent assembly scheduled to be held in November.Instead, he seemed toying with the idea to convert the existingparliament into a constituent assembly after accommodatingsome Dalits, Janajatis and Madheshis in it.

If at all, his sinister design does not find any taker, the initialcredit for this should go to India which is quite involved inNepal’s peace process. India currently believes that legitimacyof the entire political system in Nepal will collapse if theelections are postponed or stalled. But this does not mean thatKoirala will give up so easily. He might try to rope in domesticallies to move on this design. Surprisingly, one can concludethrough conjectures that Maoists are equally keen to toe theKoirala line. By demanding that Nepal should be declared arepublic now, and that the model of elections should be basedentirely on proportional representation system, the Maoists areonly making elections in November impossible.

Secondly, both demands not only undermine the previouspolitical understanding between the Maoists and other sevenparties, but overrule them altogether unilaterally. It raisesenough suspicions that maybe Koirala and Maoists havereached a secret understanding to ensure that elections do nottake place in November under any circumstances.

No doubt, Koirala acted as an absolute PM under an ad hocarrangement in the past 15 months, but it would be a politicalsuicide on his part to try to continue as an authoritarian ruler.Past 15 months have seen Koirala totally undermining theparliament, being absent in it during crucial times. On Friday,he chose to fly to Biratnagar when the new national anthem wasbeing played and the Rayamajhi Commission was being tabledin the House.

Why does Koirala want to run away from elections? It is hightime that the constituents of the ruling coalition

warn him against stalling elections under any pretext.Maoists also owe an explanation if the central

committee’s demand for proportional system of electionswas an outcome of the pact with Koirala - to covert the currentparliament into the constituent assembly without facing the poll.It is time for Koirala to quit if he has lost courage to face thepeople.

YYYYYou will never do anything in this world without courage.ou will never do anything in this world without courage.ou will never do anything in this world without courage.ou will never do anything in this world without courage.ou will never do anything in this world without courage.It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honorIt is the greatest quality of the mind next to honorIt is the greatest quality of the mind next to honorIt is the greatest quality of the mind next to honorIt is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor

- - - - - AristotleAristotleAristotleAristotleAristotle

Point to Ponder

Sit and practiceSit and practiceSit and practiceSit and practiceSit and practiceDilgo KhyentseDilgo KhyentseDilgo KhyentseDilgo KhyentseDilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910 - 1991)

was a Vajrayana master, scholar, poet,teacher, and head of the Nyingma school ofTibetan Buddhism from 1987 to 1991.

He was born in the Denhok Valley at KhamDerge, Eastern Tibet in 1910 to a family directlydescended from the ninth century King TrisongDetsen. When he was seven years old, he waspublicly recognised as the reincarnation ofJamyang Khyentse Wangpo by ShechenGyaltsap Rinpoche (1871-1926) at Shechen,one of the six principal monasteries of the

Nyingmapa school. During the nextfew years Dilgo Khyentse receivedfull schooling from various tutors, inaddition to training in meditation,and in the study of the Dharma ingeneral, and of Tantra specifically.

Excerpts from his book:Enlightened Courage:

Consider all phenomena asConsider all phenomena asConsider all phenomena asConsider all phenomena asConsider all phenomena asa dream:a dream:a dream:a dream:a dream:

….If we have an understanding ofimpermanence, we will be able topractice the sacred teachings. But if

Spiritual Cornerthese so-called thoughts?...You can find outwhether the mind exists solidly or not by justturning inwards and reflecting carefully. You willsee that the mind does not begin, or end, orstay, anywhere; that it has no color or form andis to be found neither insider nor outside thebody. And when you see that it does not exist asa thing, you should stay in that experiencewithout any attempt to label or define it. Allsuffering comes through not recognising ego-clinging as our enemy. …It is thoughts like thesethat keep us so busy—and all so uselessly! Thisis the reason why we are not on the path toliberation and Buddhahood. ä

Readers, your reactions, criticisms, comments,Readers, your reactions, criticisms, comments,Readers, your reactions, criticisms, comments,Readers, your reactions, criticisms, comments,Readers, your reactions, criticisms, comments,suggestions are most welcome. Please ad-suggestions are most welcome. Please ad-suggestions are most welcome. Please ad-suggestions are most welcome. Please ad-suggestions are most welcome. Please ad-dress it to:dress it to:dress it to:dress it to:dress it to:

newsfront@bhrikutinewsfront@bhrikutinewsfront@bhrikutinewsfront@bhrikutinewsfront@bhrikuti.com.com.com.com.com

we continue to think thateverything will remain as it is,then it will be just like rich peoplestill discussing their businessprojects on their deathbeds!Such people never talk aboutthe next life, do they? It goes toshow that an appreciation ofthe certainty of death has nevertouched their hearts. That istheir mistake, their delusion.

The Mind:The Mind:The Mind:The Mind:The Mind:…What shall we say about

56-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 2007Debating Development

The Nepal government has an-nounced in its policy and programmedocument for the year BS2064/65. Itsays a new cultural policy will beimplemented for managing theprotection and promotion of tradi-tional rites and rituals, languages andcultures of all castes and ethnicgroups throughout the country.

This is not at all a new thing in thecountry. Since early 1970s threecultural policy documents have beendrafted and somewhat implementedas well. All the three above men-tioned cultural policy documents havegiven emphasis on these matterscategorically. But we all know that inpractice how the previous govern-ments have implemented them.

The politicians and ministers haveused the treasury of the country forthe benefit of their own constituencyand for the protection and promotionof their own cultural heritage or thoseof their masters for long. The annualprogramme prepared by thebureaucrat envisaging the over allbalance for maximum number ofdistricts and communities have alwayschanged its track on the whims of thepoliticians or ministers. How can abureaucrat challenge the politicians orministers who have been ruling thiscountry autocratically since long?

We should be clear that haste indrafting and implementing a newcultural policy at this juncture of timewill be useless and suicidal. Let theelection of Constitution Assemblyfinish and let a new constitution forNepal be promulgated. In this newconstitution certainly there should besome clauses which give guaranteefor the upliftment of language, culturaland traditions of all Nepalese.

In Nepal since the beginning of thefifth Five Year Plan period (1975)cultural heritage preservation hasbeen receiving some sort of recogni-tion from the government. Every yearin the official address of the king andin the budget speech of the financeminister; a line or two on the issuesrelating culture and cultural heritageare being mentioned and budgetallocated.

For a long time some acts like theAncient Monument Preservation Act,2013 and the Guthi Undertaking Acthave been fulfilling the vacuum of theabsence of cultural policy in thecountry. Till 1983 nobody gave anyattention and thought for the need offormulating a cultural policy for thecountry. That year a high levelcommittee called Cultural Policy andthe government formed ProgramDrafting Committee.

This committee submitted its reportand recommendations in the sameyear, which was not at all materialisedby the government. In 1991 thegovernment set up a NationalCultural Policy and Program DraftingCommittee under the chairmanship ofProf. Dr. Isvar Baral, the then vice-chancellor of the Royal Nepal

Academy. This committee hassubmitted its report and recommen-dations in 1992 but those recommen-dations are also not yet fully imple-mented.

Whether the officials of the Ministryof Culture have seen all these above-mentioned documents or not, is notknown. It is recommended they readthese reports before finalising theirplans and programs for this planperiod. Both culture and culturalproperties is the product of historyand time. Numerous generations ofrulers and people of our country havebeen contributing in enriching ourculture since ages. The KathmanduValley is the best example of it.

The valley culture is not only ourglory, prestige, and recognition in theinternational world but also our breadand butter through tourism industry. Ifwe open all the cultural assets of thisvalley to tourism, it would be easy togenerate employment to our youthsand develop home industries such asservice and handicrafts. What weneed is a broad national perspectiveand policy for developing culturaltourism in the country. This ultimatelydemands a broad cultural policy andrational plans and programs.

This century is the age of ethnicrevolution. Minorities and ethnicpopulations of every country arefighting for their recognition andcultural upliftment. This is a verysensitive issue. If we cannot satisfyand pacify them they can be thecause of national disintegration. Wehave examples of Soviet Russia,Yugoslavia and numerous othercountries.

In Nepal too, our ethnic minoritieshave been suffering a lot since ages.They are poor, illiterate, and havealways been dominated and deprivedof opportunities by upper classprivileged majorities. If we look into thecivil service cadre more than 80

Why another cultural policy ?

äääää Shaphalya Amatya Shaphalya Amatya Shaphalya Amatya Shaphalya Amatya Shaphalya Amatya

This supremacy and Brahmanbad attitude prevailed in the country till recently.

percent people belong to this class.This class has been controlling legalprofession, teaching profession, politicsand even businesses of the country.

History says that after theformation of unified Nepal in 1769 theThar Ghar who came to Kathmandufrom Gorkha with King PrithiviNarayan Shah became all-powerful.With the rise of the Thapas under theleadership of Bhimsen Thapa thefamily belonging to the Thar Ghargradually lost their hegemony inNepali politics. For many decadesNepali court politics entered into theperiod of turbulence or struggle forpower till the rise of Jung BahadurRana in 1848.

The Ranas and their kith and kinruled the country despotically formore than a century. During theRana regime the Brahmins receivedmaximum benefit. The Ranas ruledthe country arbitrarily with the help ofthe Brahmins. They were evenexempted from execution even if theyhad committed heinous crimes. Thissupremacy and Brahmanbad attitudeprevailed in the country till recently.

We should never forget that thewrong doings of previous politiciansand governments and their shortsightedness and narrow attitudetowards the culture of minorities havehelped in augmenting separatistmovement in the country in the namesof Newar Mukti Morcha, MadeshiJanaandolan, Chure-Bhawar Andolanand so on. A sensible democraticgovernment should always try tobalance this type of unharmonioussituation and establish harmony andpeace in the society.

The valleyculture

is not only ourglory, prestige,

and recogni-tion in the

internationalworld but also

our breadand butter

throughtourism

industry.

Bhas

wor O

jha

6-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076 Opinion

Nepal, the darling of neighbors and overseasfriends, particularly of the new actors which areever ready to promote their agendas vigorouslyduring internal strife, support timidly duringexecution of ideas, and ignore convenientlyafterwards, appears to be losing control ofeverything including its newfound freedom anddemocracy. The death of a small and insignifi-cant nation may not matter much to the globalactors as there is no dearth of activities thatpresent themselves on a daily basis owing to avariety of reasons, the foremost being the stateof poverty and deprivation.

It would certainly be an unfortunate event tothe common people of Nepal who have placedtheir trust unconditionally to the promises ofreform made by the major political parties inpower today. They have also believed fully in theassurances of the international community thatthe new Nepal would not only correct theproblem of exclusion but also give them fullpower to build their country in a free and fairmanner. So much so that they seem to haveburied their pains and sufferings of the past onedecade from the atrocities of the Maoistinsurgents and agreed to accept the CPN-Maoists as one of the saviors for the new Nepal.

What do they get in return for such an act ofmagnanimity and valor? In the domestic front,the old political parties in power seem to be

going their old ways of indifference and selfcenteredness. The new face (CPN-M) seems tobe following its own agenda without any regardgiven to the very people who have been pinningtheir hopes on them.

In fact, it appears that the most importantissue taken up by the Maoist leadership thesedays is not whether they can work together withthe other parties to conduct the CA elections ina free and fair manner but when to launch theirproposed ‘people’s revolt’. Besides, the signals

transmitted by the Maoist leadership on itsproposed foreign and economic policies seem tobe driving international financial institutions suchas the World Bank and Asian DevelopmentBank away from Nepal.

The lone global institution, the United Nations,still hopes to achieve its mission in Nepal despite

mounting odds. However, as the UN can be asstrong or weak as its member states want it tobe, waning interest of the lone superpower inNepal can change the entire equation overnight.A senior Maoist leader appears to have stated ina recent interview that “there are countrieswhich are doing fine even without US assis-tance”, indicating that if at all it came to that theMaoists in power would run the affair of thestate without the US.

Although it is hard to find an appropriate

example on this matter except a few countriesrich in oil resources, all other communistcountries following ‘proletariat internationalism’are prospering in large part owing to their closeeconomic relations with the United States,particularly trade and investment.

If the Maoists are serious in their intent, then

a free and fair CA election on time will not beable to help Nepal should they come to power.For Nepal lacks the important resources soughtout by the world at large—the oil and gas.

Nothing seems to be working smoothly inNepal today. This situation is totally incompre-hensible considering that the present govern-ment (and the parliament) is formed by theparties which also drafted the interim constitu-tion and later amended it. There are scores ofproblems still out in the open. The governmentdoes not find enough time to do things that mustbe done in time. Intra and inter party squabblesare symptomatic of the years of bad governanceof the 1990s. Armed gangs going afterindividuals, businesses and civil servants havebecome a symbol of new Nepal. It is preposter-ous to observe that such illegal behaviors arenot only defended by the parties in power butalso sanctioned frequently.

It is truly baffling to see that such problemsare not even noticed by the ever active civilsociety of Nepal, much less acted upon. Theexpression made public by a senior BJP leaderof India and his question posed to his country-men as well as Nepalis and the internationalcommunity, “How do you hold elections whenthe forces of law and order enforcement havethemselves been disenabled?” says it all. Are wecompletely blind to issues seen clearly byothers? ä

Are we dying ?It is truly baffling to see that such problems are not even noticed by the ever active civilsociety of Nepal, much less acted upon.

ä Binod PBinod PBinod PBinod PBinod P. Bista. Bista. Bista. Bista. Bista

The image of ‘our’ Nepal conveys a contradictorymessage, thanks to the contradictions proven in thespeeches and the actions of the political parties. Thesame ambivalence characterises the concept of a‘new-Nepal’. All political parties preach inclusivedemocracy but are doing the opposite in action.

At present Nepal is faced with thegreatest political challenge in her history.Every time Nepal is confronted with apolitical crisis, a new constitution has beentouted. However, given the prevailingpolitical fiasco and a crisis of confidence, it islikely at this stage that Nepal mighteventually miss yet another chance to drafta people oriented constitution. In fact, theMaoists, Nepali Congress and UML havemoved closer on agreeing to convene thepresent parliament into a ConstituentAssembly (CA) if the EPA (eight partyalliance) government fails to conductcredible elections this November.

Shyam Saran’s (former foreign secretary

of India) abrupt visit to Kathmandu hasenormous significance. First, Shyam Saranhas made it clear to the prime minister thatthe government must hold elections inNovember so that the option of conveningthe present parliament into a constituentassembly is erased out of the politicalequation. However, what India and theinternational community must clearlyunderstand is that if the law and ordersituation does not improve, and as aconsequence the government cannotconduct free and fair elections, the wholeelectoral process will prove to be futile.

It is inevitable that India is going to have a

loss of face given its present policy in Nepal.Now that Nepal’s politics is reaching aclimax, most Nepali citizens hope that Indiaand the international community will not

Therefore, the government must generatepolitical will if it wants to contain the Maoistswithin constitutional parameters and conductcredible elections in November.

It is up to us Nepalis to chalk out our own

destiny and build our constitution thatreflects our aspirations. At the end of theday, foreigners will just hop into aircraftsand wave goodbyes if the situation spiralsout of control leavings us alone to fend forour democratic rights. India’s support isparamount because of our countries’historic ties and also because they are aregional power. And China because theycannot be ignored geographically andAmerica because they are the only superpower in the world today preachingdemocracy aggressively while the othersmaintain a double standard.

On a domestic level, our politicians fromthe ultra left to ultra right must agree onconducting credible elections in Novemberby forging national consensus; there is noalternative to this. Therefore, we Nepalisfor a change must draft a constitution thatreflects the majority’s aspiration ratherthan inking a deal by ignoring the electoralprocess. However, a favorable environ-ment is an absolute pre-requisite forcredible elections. On the other hand, ifthe Nepali polity fails to conduct free andfair elections and convenes the presentparliament into a constituent assembly,democracy in Nepal will indeed suffer amajor setback. ä

remain silent about what they really visualise forNepal. More importantly, India cannot afford toremain in a gray area. It is imperative that thegovernment of India categorically states in itspolicy whether they want democracy orautocracy. Just maintaining the line, “we respect

the verdict of the people” will not suffice. Manyscenarios need to be considered here: what ifthe elections are fraudulent, what if the electionsturn out to be only reasonably fair and theMaoists won? Would India accept a totalitarianstate chosen by the people?

The fundamental problem plaguing Nepalese

politics is that the people have failed to takeownership of the constitutional drafting process.Be it 1950, 1959, 1990 and even 2006,

constitutions have been drafted as a compro-mise between two opposing sides that in effectwere said to be representing the people. Forinstance, in 1950 after the Rana regime wasoverthrown, a constituent assembly election waspromised but it never happened. In fact, ahandpicked team drafted the constitution.

Similarly in 1990, the agitating parties and thepalace inked a constitution but that too failed.And now although the present constitution is aninterim one, it has been amended twice. Thereal problem with constitutions that are draftedby a handpicked team is that the constitutional

forces responsible fordrafting the constitutionhave consistentlyabrogated theconstitution. Forexample, KingGyanendra’s misuse ofarticle 127 and evenelected prime ministershave all abrogated theconstitution in one formor the other for their

survival in the last sixteen years. There are gargantuan challenges to the

constitution drafting process. First, the ethnicviolence has to subside and the political issuesraised in the Terai should be solved sympatheti-cally. Second, the government must arrest thepresent situation of lawlessness. Third, thegovernment has been unable to assert politicalauthority and as a consequence the Maoists arestill operating as an extra constitutional force.

äääää Siddhartha Thapa Siddhartha Thapa Siddhartha Thapa Siddhartha Thapa Siddhartha Thapa

Common minimum program of the in-terim government seems to be morefocused on democratisation of Nepaliarmy and integration and rehabilitationof Maoist combatants andnationalisation of royal property, be-sides the conduct of CA elections.

Challenge for NepalisIt is up to us Nepalis to chalk out our own destiny and build our constitution that reflects our aspirations.

76-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 2007Interview

Patricia Atkins,Patricia Atkins,Patricia Atkins,Patricia Atkins,Patricia Atkins, 59, a natural resourceinstructor at the Blackfoot community collegewas here in Kathmandu on a study trip.Newsfront talked with her recently about her lifeexperiences as a member of Blackfeet, a tribe ofNative Americans.

The Blackfeet Indian Reservation or BlackfeetNation is an Indian reservation of the Blackfeettribe in Montana in the United States. It islocated east of Glacier National Park andborders Canada to the north. Studies show thatBlackfeet lived in an area west of the GreatLakes. They were partly nomadic and were partof the Plains Indians culture in the early 1800s.There is also evidence that they were near therocky mountain front for thousands of yearsbefore European contact.

How did you feel traveling in Nepal?How did you feel traveling in Nepal?How did you feel traveling in Nepal?How did you feel traveling in Nepal?How did you feel traveling in Nepal?Bandipur, Chiwan, Daman are the names of

the places I can remember now which wevisited. It was nice to see the country besidesKathmandu. It is a beautiful country.

TTTTTell us about your college.ell us about your college.ell us about your college.ell us about your college.ell us about your college.Blackfeet Community College is one of 31

tribal colleges in the United States and 1 of the 7in Montana. It was formed in 1974 by theBlackfeet tribe and the college became anindependent institution in 1979. It was fullyaccredited by the Northwest Association ofSchools and Colleges in 1985.

What is the meaning of Blackfeet?What is the meaning of Blackfeet?What is the meaning of Blackfeet?What is the meaning of Blackfeet?What is the meaning of Blackfeet?Where did it originate?Where did it originate?Where did it originate?Where did it originate?Where did it originate?

The Piegan Blackfeet are a tribe of NativeAmericans. It is one of the three tribes of theSiksika or Blackfoot confederacy. Manymembers of our tribe live in northwesternMontana, out population centered in Browning.The term Blackfoot is said to have originatedfrom our blackened soles of our moccasins afterwalking long distances. Now we have fourconfederacy tribes, three in Canada and one inMontana.

How many members of Blackfeet existHow many members of Blackfeet existHow many members of Blackfeet existHow many members of Blackfeet existHow many members of Blackfeet existtoday? What is their life situation?today? What is their life situation?today? What is their life situation?today? What is their life situation?today? What is their life situation?

We have 16,000 enrolled members out ofwhich 7,000 to 8 000 live in the reservations;where we suffer from domestic abuse, drugsand unemployment of 80 percent. Through arelocation programme, there is a number whohave left for big cities, went to good schoolsand hold good jobs. As for jobs in thereservations, during summer time we are ableto go fire fighting, or work in national parkservice.

What was your childhood like?What was your childhood like?What was your childhood like?What was your childhood like?What was your childhood like?I grew up with kerosene lamps and no toilets.

There used to be many trips to the river, fillingwater in cans, fishing. Nature was our teacherand the buffalo was our staple food. We werealways playing games outdoors. I see it in sharpcontrast to kids these days who just sit andwatch the TV. All the stories I heard, I’ve writtenit all in a book called, The Ways of the Blackfeet.

Did you face discrimination whileDid you face discrimination whileDid you face discrimination whileDid you face discrimination whileDid you face discrimination whilegrowing up?growing up?growing up?growing up?growing up?

Yes, it was hard growing up as a minority.White kids used to call us prairie nigger and

other names. Discrimination still exists.

How did you cope with changes, withHow did you cope with changes, withHow did you cope with changes, withHow did you cope with changes, withHow did you cope with changes, withwestern lifestyle?western lifestyle?western lifestyle?western lifestyle?western lifestyle?

It was very hard. They took our land,slaughtered our buffaloes, forced us to attendmission schools and took away our oral ways oflife. We were forbidden to speak our languageand follow our way of life. We had and have alot of depressed people.

How are you stopping from yourHow are you stopping from yourHow are you stopping from yourHow are you stopping from yourHow are you stopping from yourindigenous culture from dying out?indigenous culture from dying out?indigenous culture from dying out?indigenous culture from dying out?indigenous culture from dying out?

Blackfeet language and ceremonies aretaught in colleges. To preserve culture, it isimportant to preserve language. We are tryingto bring back our language. We also have atribal council set up in 1930s by the government.We have museums, colleges and have some oldways of life like the sweat lodges that are builtwith logs, covered with hides, a fire pit in thecentre and water is put on hot rocks to getsteam for steam bath.

Most of us still practice our traditional rituals.

One withnatureThere was a time when we believed that wewere able to speak with animals.

Preserving one’s culture is largely an individualeffort, it is developing one’s self awareness. Itdoes not depend on the government.

What challenges do you see theWhat challenges do you see theWhat challenges do you see theWhat challenges do you see theWhat challenges do you see theNative Americans facing today?Native Americans facing today?Native Americans facing today?Native Americans facing today?Native Americans facing today?

I see the population and the chaos prevailingall around us as challenges. I fear that whenone day survival at large is at risk, the day mightcome when our reservations will be the targetfor trees and wild animals for food to feed themasses outside. Present problems are gettinggovernment jobs and we are still fighting for oureducation and health care.

Are there any similarities you seeAre there any similarities you seeAre there any similarities you seeAre there any similarities you seeAre there any similarities you seebetween your community and those thatbetween your community and those thatbetween your community and those thatbetween your community and those thatbetween your community and those thatyou observed in Nepal?you observed in Nepal?you observed in Nepal?you observed in Nepal?you observed in Nepal?

Our colouring and sometimes features aresimilar. There are also similarities in the sense ofour values, especially that of respecting ourelders.

What values do you hold dear?What values do you hold dear?What values do you hold dear?What values do you hold dear?What values do you hold dear?Honesty, caring for others and treating others

the way you would like to be treated.

Do members of your community stillDo members of your community stillDo members of your community stillDo members of your community stillDo members of your community stillharbour any negative feelings towardsharbour any negative feelings towardsharbour any negative feelings towardsharbour any negative feelings towardsharbour any negative feelings towardsthose who invaded your land?those who invaded your land?those who invaded your land?those who invaded your land?those who invaded your land?

The feeling of animosity still exists. But we allhave to get along, adapt and forgive to survive.

TTTTTell us about the connection betweenell us about the connection betweenell us about the connection betweenell us about the connection betweenell us about the connection betweennature and the Native Americans.nature and the Native Americans.nature and the Native Americans.nature and the Native Americans.nature and the Native Americans.

There was a time when we believed that wewere able to speak with animals. We are closelyintertwined with nature. We have totems, justlike you have deities. Totems are our guides.Mine is grizzly bear and my brother has cat. Wefind it out through our dreams and interpret itwith help of medicine men and old wise men.The totems could be birds, moon, sun or star oranything in nature.

Are traditional healing, medicines stillAre traditional healing, medicines stillAre traditional healing, medicines stillAre traditional healing, medicines stillAre traditional healing, medicines stillin use?in use?in use?in use?in use?

Yes, we use traditional medicine along withmodern ones. ä

There was atime when we

believed that wewere able to

speak with ani-mals. We areclosely inter-

twined withnature. We have

totems, justlike you have

deities.

Sahpo Muxika, also known as Crowfoot,former Head Chief of the Blackfeet Nation

Piegan Blackfeet family

6-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20078 Perspective

Times of the dark ones came andpassed away -Gopal Prasad-Gopal Prasad-Gopal Prasad-Gopal Prasad-Gopal PrasadRimalRimalRimalRimalRimal

Over the past decade Nepal’simage has undergone a dramaticchange. Known as a little seques-tered kingdom and God’s own land,currently Nepal is known for itspolitical upheavals and makes newsworldwide everyday with its fastchanging political scenario.

Decades ago, poets like GopalPrasad Rimal heard the sound ofthe thunder of the forthcomingstorm and write succinctly about thedrama being enacted today in thecorridors of power. Rimal’s poetry isprophetic, like a true bard he spokeof what was to come to Nepal, thestruggle against undemocraticregimes and what shall follow - thedance of anarchy in the corridors ofpower.

Rimal’s love poem artistically bringsforth the events of 1950 revolutionending with the demise of Ranaregime and consequent corruptions

displayed by so called sham suitors oftrue democracy. Rimal’s epochmaking poem, ‘The Story of My Love’weaves this mysterious tales of hisaffairs with political parties of histimes. First, "the dark ones whocouldn’t dare to face the /magnificentdaggers of my gallant grace" andthen after 1950 revolution, "the whiteones who labored to save me frommyself, like in dreams they tried totame me."

This poem shows a poet’s life andhis nations interwoven in a highlyimaginative form. Rimal during hisadolescence came under theinfluence of revolutionaries who wereaspiring to overthrow the despoticRana rulers. Though Rimal began hiscareer in 1930 and as playwright in1940, it was in 1941 that the realRimal remerged on centre stage ofNepal’s literary and political arena.

In 1941, the brutal execution ofpatriot Dashrat Chand and his friendsfired Rimal’s imagination and thenrevolution became the bedrock of hiscreative imagination. He founded a

But from what I have known,the Laos and Sri Lankan and Thailineages are unbroken. Even SriLankan Theravadin scholars haveobjected that the Burmese SukkhaVipassana is the true teachings ofthe Buddha. But in spite of theseTheravadin scholars' objectionsthe Burmese Kalyanmitras spreadtheir system throughout the world.

These are facts most Nepalese,including those who are supposedto be experts in Vipassana, areblissfully unaware of. The wordVipassana in the Theravadinscholastic system means to 'see' ina special way 'Visesena Passati' orto see it holistically from manyangles 'Vividena Passati'. This isthe same definition found withinthe Mahayana tradition. Variousforms of Vipassyana (the Sanskritversion of the Pali Vipassana)exist in the Mahayana tradition tooand are equally pure teachings ofthe Buddha.

We shall deal with this matterwhen we come to theBodhisattvayana lineages. Alsowithin the Theravada system, theform of Vipassana whichemphasises looking at thesensations (Vedana) is only one kindof Vipassana and it is certainly notmore special than other forms ofVipassana which lay emphasis onlooking at the body (Kayanussati) ormind (Chittanussati) or mental –factors (Dhammanussati).

Nor is Vedananussati the onethat Shasta emphasised as theroot practice of all practice. Thereare no Suttas in the Theravadatradition to validate that. In fact, it

is stated that in theVisuddhimagga that the exerciseof mindfulness of the body hadnever been practiced before theadvent of the Buddha, nor does itcome within the scope of any ofthe other religious systems.

It is praised in various ways bythe Buddha in different Suttas; forexample, "there is one state,monks - which being developedand repeatedly practicedconduces to great religiousemotion, great benefit, greatfreedom from bondage, greatmindfulness and self-possession,the attainment of knowledge andinsight, the happy state in thisvisible life, the realisation of thefruit of knowledge and release.What is that one state? Mindful-ness of the body …"

Again, "those who do not enjoymindfulness of body do not enjoydeathlessness (Amata); those whoenjoy mindfulness of the body enjoydeathlessness. Those who havenot enjoyed mindfulness of thebody have not enjoyed deathless-ness; those who have enjoyedmindfulness of the body haveenjoyed deathlessness. Those whohave neglected mindfulness of thebody have neglected deathless-ness; those who have notneglected mindfulness of the bodyhave not neglected deathlessness."– (Anguttara Nikaya I 43-45).

Nagarjuna says thatKayagatanusmriti is the mostimportant meditation taught by theShasta. (To be continued.)

(Sridhar Rinpoche is aVajrayana Master.)

creative organisation called ‘PrajaPanchayat’ to raise voice against thesuppression of Nepali people byautocratic Rana rulers and wasimprisoned on several occasions forhis involvement in the movement.

Rimal played a pivotal role inmaking the 1950 democraticmovement successful but soon grewdisillusioned. His dreams of demo-cratic Nepal were shattered asharlots of anarchy in the garb ofdemocracy started dancing in thecastles of filth. Rimal lost his mentalbalance and was sent to an asylum inRanchi. There doctors pulled a ribfrom his back and Rimal was broughtback to Nepal to spend the rest of hislife, roaming insane in the streets ofKathmandu with the dream of truedemocracy seething in his heart.

Rimal foresaw Nepal’s strugglewith the political systems. His legacyshows how poetry and politics areinseparable in Nepali society. He alsosaw the inherent corruption in politicsand how writers become mere toolsin the hands of clever and corruptleaders and are often sidelined.Moreover, Rimal defines a writer’srole as an outsider, marginalised butsupreme, above all parties andpolitical systems. He sees writer as aseparate entity and an authorityabove all ideologies and that’s whatmakes him the greatest poet of thisbleeding nation in search of a trulydemocratic set-up.

I am thirsty of revolution.I am its ardent lover.Revolution has yet to make love tome.I am hungry.It has yet toserve the storms of my hunger –Rimal

(The writer can be reached atwriter@yuyutsu.de)

Rimal …spent the rest of his life, roaming insane in the streets of Kathmandu.

The harlotsof anarchy äääää Y Y Y Y Yuyutsu RD Sharmauyutsu RD Sharmauyutsu RD Sharmauyutsu RD Sharmauyutsu RD Sharma

MarshlandFlowersthose who enjoy mindfulness of the bodyenjoy deathlessness…äääää Acharya Mahayogi Sridhar Rana Rinpoche Acharya Mahayogi Sridhar Rana Rinpoche Acharya Mahayogi Sridhar Rana Rinpoche Acharya Mahayogi Sridhar Rana Rinpoche Acharya Mahayogi Sridhar Rana Rinpoche

96-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 2007Perspective

Friendship – what does it mean? Arewe prepared to spend the time,thought, energy and emotionnecessary to truly understand oneanother? What happens when webecome aggravated with out friendsor are misunderstood by them? Dowe give up, distance ourselves andrun away? Do we judge our friendsor ask ourselves what brought on themisunderstanding? If we only projectour ideals onto the other person, weprevent ourselves from perceiving

them. Therefore we inhibit our abilityto form a true, deep friendship. Letme give an example of what I mean.

When I came to Nepal many yearsago as an educational volunteer toBal Mandir, a new world lay beforeme that was strange, unexplainableand totally different from my previousexperience. I quickly realised that myearlier research of the country,culture and religion though helpful,had not truly reflected daily life in

In Nepal, as in my own country, manypeople are unable to develop their capacity forrespect, freedom and love.

Enduringconnections

ä ä ä ä ä Elsbeth WetzelElsbeth WetzelElsbeth WetzelElsbeth WetzelElsbeth Wetzel

Nepal. I walked as though in a dreamthrough Asan Tol, overwhelmed bynew and indescribable experiences,until reality called me back to mymission.

Of course I tried to change toomuch, too quickly, and this led tomany misunderstandings. Mycolleagues would agree to certaingoals in a limited amount of time, butsomehow these goals were neverquite met. I felt aggravated andfrustrated, because although my co-workers would say “Ho, Hajur,Memsab” to satisfy me, the wordswere empty of the will to turn myrequest into action.

Soon I understood that I wasoverwhelming my colleagues. “Whychange something that has beendone the same way all these pastyears?” If a VIP came to visithowever, disorder was quickly put inorder, the house cleaned andchildren freshly dressed. Superficialimprovements were made toimpress the higher-ranked people,but they were not prepared to makeprofound changes to improve on thework at hand, that most impacted ontheir lives.

Eventually I started to cut back onmy demands, and started to paymore attention to my co-workers asindividuals. I thought more abouthow they felt, having never beengiven the opportunity to developconfidence in themselves, only everto react submissively to the will ofsomeone stationed in a higher rungin life than them.

This realisation helped me tounderstand and change, mentally.Only through the awareness of myown thoughts and development ofempathy toward my colleagues couldI understand and work towardsdeveloping a connection with them. Itried hard to help them awakenabilities in themselves and raise theirlevel of self-confidence.

In Nepal, as in my own country,many people are unable to developtheir capacity for respect, freedomand love. A close human connection,however, can only be possible ifthese elements, as well as maturity,self-knowledge and courage arepresent.

Almost forty years have passedsince my first encounter with Nepal.My love and respect for this beautifulcountry has not diminished, but hastransformed due to the deepconnections I have developed withsome people there. We have learnedto be aware of ourselves, and ourfuture. We have shared happinessand grief. This kind of friendship endsonly with death.

(Elsbeth is a child psychologistbased in Zurich, Switzerland -

elsbeth.wetzel@bluewin.ch)

My love and respectfor this beautifulcountry has notdiminished, but

has transformeddue to the deep

connections I havedeveloped with

some people there.

Bhas

wor O

jha

6-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 200710 From the region

Nearly 25 million people have been displacedby flooding and 1400 killed in South Asia as theworst monsoon rains to hit the region indecades continued to wreak havoc on Saturday.

Northern India, Bangladesh and Nepal arethe worst affected according to officials dealingwith the crisis, with many people falling victim todisease.

In India alone, the number of dead topped1100 by late Friday, the United Nations' childwelfare agency said in a statement.

"According to government estimates, thecumulative number of human casualties standsat 1103 in 138 affected districts," said UNICEF.

Northern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states andnorth-eastern Assam were among the worst off,with 10-million people hit by floods in Biharalone, according to a Press Trust of India newsagency report on Saturday.

In Uttar Pradesh, 19 more deaths werereported overnight taking the toll there to 119,state relief commissioner Umesh Sinha, said.

Some 2400 villages are under water, he said,adding that boats were put into service to deliveraid.

Downstream in West Bengal state, "Largeswathes of land were flooded Saturday as tworivers breached their embankments," reliefminister Mortaza Hossain said.

Almost 16 000 people were suffering fromwater-borne diseases "as clean drinking waterhas become scarce in the flood-affectedvillages," Hossain said, adding that medicalteams have been rushed to the area.

In Assam state, 5.5 million were displaced in

26 of the state's 27 districts, chief minister TaunGogoi said.

"Teams of doctors and paramedics are on fullalert and visiting flood-hit areas, although thereare no reports of any major outbreak ofwaterborne diseases," he said.

Floods were also wreaking havoc for 1.4-million people in Uttar Pradesh, officials said,with further heavy rains expected.

The monsoon, which lasts from June toSeptember, regularly brings flooding to SouthAsia but this year has witnessed some of theworst conditions in living memory with the north

and east particularly hard hit."The situation we have now is unprecedented

in the past 30 years," A.K Chowdhury, Biharchief secretary, told AFP by phone.

Two Indian Air Force helicopters startedairdropping food to villagers marooned in Bihar'sworst-hit Darbhanga district.

As many as 24 people died in the state onFriday, PTI said, and early estimates fromofficials suggest losses of 450-million rupees($11-million) to the state exchequer.

Bangladesh said the situation this yearappeared to be worse than floods in 2004,

which inundated more than a third of thecountry.

"In the last 15 days, all major rivers roseabove danger levels and their water has alreadyinundated some 40 per cent of the country'stotal land area," said Saiful Hossain ofBangladesh's Flood Forecasting and WarningCentre.

Deaths from monsoon rains there topped 200on Saturday, with at least 16 more fatalitiesreported overnight, according to the Bangladeshfood and disaster management ministry, takingthe monsoon toll this year to 207.

"It's a major flood and one of the worse inyears. In some places the situation is far worsethan in 2004," said Hossain, referring to floodsthree years ago when 38 percent of land wasinundated, forcing millions to flee their homes.

This year, 7.5-million people have been eitherdisplaced or marooned in villages as the floodswashed away or damaged about 89,000 mud-built or tin-roofed houses.

Of those an estimated 255 000 have beenmoved to government shelters.

The government has mobilised thousands ofmilitary, public and private volunteers todistribute relief supplies including dry food andwater purification tablets, but a lack of boats hashampered their efforts.

In Nepal, the home ministry said the toll frommonsoon-triggered flooding and landslidesstood at 91 on Saturday, with most of the deathsin the Terai plains region on Nepal's southernborder with India.

(Iafrica.com)

South Korea said Sunday ithoped a meeting between theAfghan and US presidents couldbreak the apparent deadlock innegotiations for the release of21aid workers held hostage by theTaliban.

President Hamid Karzai leftearly Sunday for two days ofmeetings with George W. Bush todiscuss a range of issues -- fromthe US-led "war or terror" beingplayed out in Afghanistan to thecountry's booming opiumproduction.

But the Camp David meetingrisks being overshadowed by theSouth Korean hostage drama inwhich Kabul, apparently backed byWashington, is refusing theTaliban's demand for the releaseof jailed militants.

The hardline Islamic militia hasmurdered two men in the group ofchurch aid workers kidnapped involatile southern Ghazni provinceon July 19 and has warned morecould be killed. "We are hopeful ofany positive outcome from themeeting," an official at the SouthKorean embassy in Kabul saidhours after Karzai left for theUnited States with some of hismost senior officials.

"It is the decision of the Afghangovernment. We want to solve thisin a peaceful and constructiveway," the official said, requestinganonymity.

The official and families of thecaptives in Seoul refused tocomment on an emotional plea for

Asian floods displace 25 million

Hundreds of jubilant supportersof a top Pakistani opposition leaderyesterday chanted slogans againstPresident Pervez Musharraf asthey greeted him on release fromprison after serving around fouryears for sedition.

Javed Hashmi, a member of theNational Assembly and actingpresident of Nawaz Sharif’sPakistan Muslim League (PML-N),was sentenced to a consolidatedjail term of 23 years in 2004 ontreason charges for criticising thearmy. He had been accused ofdistributing a letter which he saidwas from army officers againstMusharraf.

A three-member panel of theSupreme Court, headed by ChiefJustice Iftikhar Chaudhry, onFriday granted him bail, sayingthat he had served enough time toqualify for release under prisonrules. Hashmi’s supportersshowered rose petals on him andreleased pigeons in the air as hewalked out of the Kot Lakhpatprison in Lahore, capital of centralPunjab province. They alsochanted slogans such as “GoMusharraf, go.”

“Our struggle for the freedom of160mn Pakistanis will continue tillwe get rid of the military dictator-ship,” Hashmi told the crowd. “Theprison bars cannot shake ourresolve to restore democracy inthe country.”

He was scheduled to lead a rallytravelling through PML-N-dominated areas of Lahore, whichis regarded as the power centre ofPakistani politics.

Hashmi’s release is read bymany as a sign of the growingindependence of the SupremeCourt, which recently reinstatedChaudhry by overturning hissuspension ordered by Musharraf.

The court can pose furtherchallenges to the embattledpresident, whose authority isconstantly being challenged by thegrowing Islamic militancy in thecountry, particularly in the North-West Frontier Province borderingAfghanistan. The apex court isscheduled to hear severalpetitions challenging the legitimacyof Musharraf’s rule in the comingmonths. In addition, Musharraf’sopponents say they plan to consultthe court on the president’scontroversial plan for re-electionfor the next term from the currentassemblies.

The rejuvenated judiciary hasalso encouraged exiled formerpremier Nawaz Sharif — whomMusharraf ousted in a bloodlessmilitary coup in 1999 — to petitionthe court to rule him eligible so hecan return home to contest nextyear’s general elections.

(Gulf Times)

help Saturday from a purportedhostage whom a Taliban spokesmanput into contact with AFP.

"I don't want to die. We want to gohome," the woman said by telephonefrom an undisclosed location. "I don'tknow how long we can survive."

There was no way to verify that thewoman in fact belongs to the groupseized 17 days ago on the Kabul-Kandahar highway, considered a no-go area by many foreigners amiddeteriorating security across thecountry. The call appears to havebeen aimed at intensifying pressureon the Afghan government as talkson the fate of the hostages seem tobe stalled.

Afghan negotiators again Saturdayruled out a prisoner exchange andsaid any deal to free the group wouldhave to involve a ransom payout.Talks were now being conductedmainly by a South Koreandelegation, said MahmoodGailani, a member of the Afghannegotiating team.

The South Korean embassyofficial said Sunday: "We havecontact but we cannot confirmthe channel. We are using allpossible means to mobilise helpor support from all over theworld."

Islamabad had been ap-proached for assistance, he said,but refused to comment on anallegation by Ghazni governorMirajuddin Pattan that Pakistan'spowerful state intelligence agencywas "interfering" in the crisis.

Afghan officials have longalleged that Pakistan's InterServices Intelligence agency isinvolved in the Taliban insurgency,having helped the Islamicorganisation to power in 1996.

The insurgency has grownstronger each year since it waslaunched soon after the hardlinerswere driven from power in a US-led invasion in late 2001 forsheltering the Al-Qaeda groupbehind the 9/11 attacks.

(Brisbane Times)

Crowds greet releaseof Musharraf foe

Karzai, Bush to meet amidSKorea hostage standoff

116-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 20076-12 Aug 2007Art & Society

äääää Sushma Amatya Sushma Amatya Sushma Amatya Sushma Amatya Sushma Amatya

Insight

A truck driver hits a scooter and the lady driver falls, recovers from theshock and tries to stand up. The truck driver reverses and runs her overand kills her. In another case, a man driving a motorcycle gets hit by awater tanker and falls down. Lucky for the man, there are students in anearby college watching the incident. The driver is quickly stoned by thestudents as he tries to reverse and the police called in. The motorcyclistescapes a certain death.

These are true incidents that took place in different parts ofKathmandu just a few years ago; seen by witnesses. In yet anotherrecent case, a young man riding a scooter back home late night was hitby a car. The car ran away leaving the victim unconscious. The driver isunidentified till date. The victim, a 30 year old man has already under-gone four throat operations in a hospital in N.Delhi since his case couldnot be handled by doctors here. He has a silicon pipe inside his throat tohelp him breathe and he is unable to speak normally since the accidentdamaged his voice box.

Accidents like these where numerous lives are lost or damaged; untoldsufferings caused to the surviving victims and their families are commonstories that are made on the highways of Nepal and roads ofKathmandu. Though these stories did not hit the headlines and thesurviving victims of such accidents did not take out rallies and call forBandhs; the fact remains that precious lives were lost or impactedadversely due to carelessness and callousness of the drivers.

Why are such drivers of bigger vehicles known to kill and not leave thevictims of such accidents alive? Because the law in Nepal states that ifyou kill, then you pay a fine of Rs.17,000. But if the victim is hurt you haveto pay the hospital bills and pay for the maintenance of the person ifmaimed for life. Since killing works out cheaper, they opt for it. After all,life seems to have no value here. Letting them survive would beexpensive. Just goes to show how direly we Nepalis are in need ofreviewing our justice system, the existing laws. We lack humanitarianlaws that value life.

Accidents do happen and it is not always the fault of the bigger vehicle,as is assumed here. But no matter whose fault the accident is, pre-meditated murder it is when someone comes back to kill a fallen victim.But these instances of cold blooded murder will not stop unless and untilthe law is changed. A thorough investigation as to whose fault it is needsto be carried out and the guilty duly charged, depending on the circum-stances and severityof such cases.

Drivers whoreverse and kill mustbe tried for deliber-ate murder.Simplistic lawslacking foresight,such as those wehave now, havehuge loopholesthrough which manymurders have beenand will be commit-ted. Vicious roots ofcorruption that has its grips at all levels is another major factor thathinders justice. Fear and intimidation keeps witnesses from speaking outor testifying.

Drivers of any vehicle, big or small, public or private, must be madeaware of value of life before they are given the permission to drive on theroads. It is imperative that they have full appreciation for lives of othersout on the roads as well as those they may be carrying in their vehicles.Without this sense of responsibility and without a sound training in trafficrules, it is lethal to let loose ignorant, untrained drivers out on the roads.

Rampant corruption prevailing in granting of driving permits must bestopped. Stringent rules must be imposed to stop license from being soldor obtained through the back doors. Violators of traffic rules must bebrought to justice and the law has to remain above muscle or moneypower. License of traffic rule violators should be revoked, withheld ordrivers disqualified as is practiced in western countries. It must be drilledinto the citizens’ minds that in case of accidents, no matter whose fault,the first step is to rush the victim to the nearest hospital. Only byimplementing firm measures can sanity in our roads be regained.

Granted that the present day chaotic condition in our roads reflects theattitude of the majority but there has to be a beginning to redeem what islost before it is too late. This starts with taking small steps. Just talkingabout it is not going to help. Starting by learning to treasure other’s livesas much as one’s own is the first step. ä

Hit and kill

My husband blames meMy husband blames meMy husband blames meMy husband blames meMy husband blames mefor my son’s addiction. Ifor my son’s addiction. Ifor my son’s addiction. Ifor my son’s addiction. Ifor my son’s addiction. Is its its its its itmy fault? What can mothersmy fault? What can mothersmy fault? What can mothersmy fault? What can mothersmy fault? What can mothersdo to prevent their childrendo to prevent their childrendo to prevent their childrendo to prevent their childrendo to prevent their childrenfrom being addicts?from being addicts?from being addicts?from being addicts?from being addicts?

ä Mrs. S. Bhatia, BiratnagarIt is not your fault. In our society, amother becomes a punching bagfor husbands and children whenanything goes wrong. But the factremains that despite any rolesaddicts’ families might have playedto contribute to problems of thepast, addicts know that drug useand destructive actions thataccompany drug use are not okand that their addiction is notcaused by their families.

Your son is responsible for hisown actions. However it is themother who can spot changes inher child first. Thus, it is veryimportant for mothers to watchclosely the actions of her childrenand be aware of any changes. Ifthere are signs of mood swings,dishonesty, lying to family andfriends, distancing from others,depression in your child,you should know that there is aproblem.

Some mothers get blinded bytheir love for their children andeven when she knows they aredoing wrong things, she tries to

protect them and hides it from others.By doing so, she pushes the ones sheloves the most onto a destructivepath. We should remember thatwhenever a child is not reprimandedfor his/her wrong doings, we areencouraging him/her to repeat themistakes and become worse.

Giving children more money thanneeded and getting them in companyof ‘spoilt’ kids could expose them tochances of addiction. It is easy forchildren to fall into promises of ‘funand pleasure’ by other addicts. Ittakes a lot of self awareness to resistsuch temptations.

What is hashish? What is hashish? What is hashish? What is hashish? What is hashish?ä Yadav Jha, Birgunj

Hashish (commonly called hash) isa form of cannabis produced bydrying the most potent material thatmarijuana plants naturally generateas part of their growth cycle. It is thencompressed into a variety of forms,such as balls, cakes or sheets. Piecesare then broken off, placed in pipesand smoked.

The female marijuana plants are arich source of THC (the primarychemical that causes intoxicationwhen ingested). Hashish is aconcentrated form of THC in whichmost plant matter found in cannabisplant is taken out. Therefore, hashish

is more potent than marijuana. Short term effects of using it

are muscular disorientation,slurred speech, nausea, vomiting,constipation, diarrhea andreddening of eyes. Concentration,short-term memory, balance,ability to process information andjudgment are all markedlyimpaired. Outside symptoms ofthe users is that they feel calm,relaxed, talkative and giddytemporarily.

Appetite, reaction time, pulserate and pupil size are increased.Sense of time and space aredistorted. Other symptoms arefearfulness, laughter, anxiety, anddepression. Hash users alsoexperience hallucinations,paranoia and panic reactions withlarger doses and symptomsworsen in persons with psychiatricdisorders. Long term effects ofhash increased risk of cancers inoral cavity, etc. It also affectsrespiratory system, menstrualcycle and sperm count adversely.There is a lot of damage to brainand nerves so a person will haveproblem while recalling things andwill have decreased motivation.

Please address any queries youhave about drug addiction to:

newsfront@bhrikutinewsfront@bhrikutinewsfront@bhrikutinewsfront@bhrikutinewsfront@bhrikuti.com.com.com.com.com (Youridentity will be protected.)

Blind love - dangerousCounseling by drug therapist, Ragina Shah

We lack humanitarian laws that value life.

Accidents do happen andit is not always the faultof the bigger vehicle, asis assumed here. But nomatter whose fault theaccident is, pre-medi-tated murder it is whensomeone comes back tokill a fallen victim.

Most of the female protagonists inJane Austen’s early 19th centurynovels were given poor circum-stances, complicated love lives andlast minute happy endings (mostly inthe form of successful marriages).But Jane Austen’s own life? Not somuch.

To most female literature lovers,seeing “Becoming Jane,” the newdrama about the early life of JaneAusten, will serve as the biggestliterary hard-on they’ve come acrosssince Colin Firth donned tights andfell head over heels for ElizabethBennet. (I don’t mean to leave thefellas out here, but let’s be honest-the only guys I saw at the movie’sscreening had that forced-dragged-kicked- “I better be getting laid forthis” expression on their faces. Andwho can blame them? Jane Austen isthe original, be-all-end-all of chick litlore.)

But “Becoming Jane,” while it livesup to the needs of die-hard literaturelovers and chick flick fans alike, variesfrom Austen’s own tried and testedform in one crucial way- there is nohappy ending.

I don’t feel I’m giving anything awayhere. Anyone who’s read JaneAusten in a ninth grade English classknows that while she wrote of greatromance and class divisions, in herown life she never married and diedat the young at of 41. The movie,being a biopic very loosely based infact, can’t change the prolific author’shistory, and thus “Becoming Jane”

sets itself apart from the “Pride andPrejudices,” or even the “BridgetJones’s” of the world because, well, itis based in real life. And real life (andlove) doesn’t always end happily.

The plot of the movie follows theloosely documented early years ofAusten’s life, right before she satdown to pen her first novel, “FirstImpressions” (later to become “Prideand Prejudice”). She is living in acountry estate with her family,including a deeply in debt reverendfather (James Cromwell), a mar-riage-minded mother (Julie Walters),an engaged sister and deaf brother.Jane, like many of her future literarycharacters, feels the pressure tomarry for money and help her familyout of their impending destitution. But,also like her characters, Jane refusesto marry without affection.

Enter the hero Tom LeFroy, oneIrish “whore-mongering layabout”(played by James McAvoy, whoseriously gives Colin Firth a run forhis money) who is sent to the sticksas punishment from his lawyer uncle.The cocky Mr. LeFroy and the witty(but naïve) Jane almost immediatelyshare a mutual dislike of each other,which of course develops into aromance.

But in 19th century England, havingundisputable good looks and amazingchemistry doesn’t necessarily providefor an easy engagement. Moneymatters, and unfortunately our twomain characters have none.Obstacles arise, and unlike in

Austen’s fiction or in the by-the-numbers romantic comedies of today,they are not so easily overcome.

Which gives rise to even moreinteresting insights into the life of oneof the greatest literary legends of alltime. That Jane Austen may havewritten love stories known the worldover, without ever knowing such athing for herself, offers great insightnot only into her own psyche but intothe heart of what writing is.

Is it necessary for Austen, or foranyone, to experience somethingbefore putting it on paper for theworld to experience as well? And ifreal life does not work out the way wewould like, is it okay to live throughfictional characters? The movie subtlyraises these questions and one more:If Austen’s own love story had endeddifferently, she may not haveauthored her classic works that haveaffected the lives of millions. But wasthat worth her own happiness?

(Lumino magazine)

“Becoming”a literary legend

6-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 20076-12 Aug, 200712 Makers

DNA testing on about a dozen people who claimsoul singer James Brown was their father hasfound at least two of them are telling the truth.

The numbers may rise as although severaltests have come back negative, others are stillpending, said Buddy Dallas, a former adviser tothe music legend.

Dallas refused to identify the two people whoseDNA showed they were Brown's children butLaRhonda Petitt, a 45-year-old retired flightattendant and teacher from Houston, showednewspapers a report thatsays there is a 99.99%probability she is Brown'sdaughter. She would be theoldest of Brown's children.

Brown picked out Petitt'smother from the crowd ata show in Los Angeles inthe early 1960s, and she became the singer'sgirlfriend, sometimes ironing his shirts beforeshows, Petitt said. But she became pregnant,split up with Brown and moved back to Houston.She would point to the television when Brownwas performing and tell her daughter the singerwas her father, Petitt revealed.

She added she had met Brown at concertsand spoke to him over the phone, but he neveracknowledged being her father. "I was angry

that he was out there making all this money, andhe wasn't doing anything for my mother andme," Petitt said. "I could have had a better life."

Brown died on Christmas Day last year ofheart failure, aged 73. His body was entombedin a crypt at the home of one of his daughters inMarch. Brown's will, which is being disputed incourt, names six children.

One possible child of Brown's who has notundergone a DNA test is six-year-old JamesBrown II, the son of Tomi Rae Hynie. Hynie

was one of Brown'sbackup singers andsaid she is the singer'sfourth wife. ButBrown's attorneyscontinue to dispute thatclaim, and the boy andhis mother are not in

the singer's will.Whether Petitt makes a claim to Brown's

estate will depend whether the will holds up,said her lawyer, Jim Griffin. He would at leastlike Petitt's two daughters to be eligible for atrust the singer set up to pay for hisgrandchildren's education, he said. Petitt saidshe has grown less bitter about Brown as theyears have passed.

(NEWS.scotsman.com)

Papa's gotDNA-testedchildren

A 45-year-old retired flightattendant showed areport that says there is a99.99% probability she isBrown's daughter.