Nation Weekly

w w w . n a t i o n . c o m . n p
COLUMNS
11 Unchain My
Education
By Suman Pradhan
I happen to be one of those growing
number of people who do not see any
meaningful purpose the politicians-instudents’-disguise
serve.
28 Rape Seed
By Samuel Thomas
As the west rejects genetically modified
crops, they are being dumped in
the South. This is one such story. Of
how canola, the Canadian oilseed, is
invading our own Khokana, once
famous for its mustard presses.
MAY 30, 2004
VOL. 1, NO. 6
COVER : Kishor Kayastha (98510 52778)
COVER STORY
18 Collateral Damage
By Sushma Joshi
The repercussion of bandas goes far beyond economics.
While television footage of truckloads of okra being
discarded by farmers in protest on our highways capture the
level of damage to the national economy, what goes
unreported are the small, micro-level effects on Nepal’s
most vulnerable citizens—women, children and old people
34 Of Witchcraft
And Witches
By Deepak Thapa
It is a thin line to cross from believing
that the stars rule our lives to being
convinced that someone is the cause of
our misfortunes.
36 Objection Overruled
By Jogendra Ghimire
Appointments of Anup Raj Sharma
and Balram K.C., none of them
Appellate Court judges, to the
Supreme Court Bench have come
under fire from the establishment.
But Sharma and K.C. both have solid
track records.
16 ON TENTERHOOKS
By Suresh Pradhan
But it took 14 days after Prime
Minister Thapa’s resignation
for the King and the parties to
start talking. First, though,
came the frantic rounds of consultations
with everyone—from former prime
ministers to diplomats to civil society
representatives to Palace insiders.
24 All’s Not Well
In Mao-land
By Binaj Gurubacharya in Musikot
In Rukum, one administrative
chief is only 20-years old but
rules 35 villages. He says he was
elected district chief in a ballot.
All the candidates, however were believed to
have links to the Maoists. This, after all, is
the Maoist heartland; there is no political
opposition.
26 Withdrawal
Symptoms
By John Narayan Parajuli in Damak
UNHCR has made it clear that come what
may, any likely extension of its December
2005 deadline for the pullout from the
camps may be stretched by six months at
most. But refugee leaders are apprehensive
about the proposed pullout.
ARTS & SOCIETY
30 Worldly-wise
Compassion
By Tiku Gauchan
Arya Tara School takes in girls from poor
families, ordains them as nuns and
provides them with both a Buddhist and
a secular education.
32 Tell Me A Story
By Satish Jung Shahi
Maithili storytelling culture is still
vibrant, primarily because women
storytellers have kept up the tradition.
DEPARTMENTS
6 LETTERS
10 PICTURE OF THE WEEK
14 CAPSULES
35 CITY PAGE
40 KHULA MANCH: MILAN RAI
41 BOOKS
42 LAST WORD
5