'Marxism never stands against press freedom'

KATHMANDU, May 24: Politicians and media experts Thursday said that janatako bahudaliye janabad (People's Multi-party Democracy) recognised press freedom as an integral part of Marxim.They said that the communist regimes in former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe fell down as they tried to muzzle the press. "Late Madan Bhandari, for the first time, integrated the press freedom into his janatako bahudaliy janabad, which was a major shift from the dogmatic communism that offers little space for the media freedom," they said.They shared the forum at an interaction-cum-general assembly of the members of Press Chautari from Kathmandu Valley here.

Some of them noted that late Madan Bhandari theoretically linked the ides of press freedom with the social, economic and cultural justices. "Without the free functioning of media, economic freedom cannot be achieved."Minister for Education and Sports Pradeep Nepal said that Marxism was never against press freedom. Quoting the lines from Communist Manifesto he said that Marx always stood for individual freedom."We do not agree with those communists who want to turn the world into a prison house by curtailing individual freedom, " Nepal quoted the lines of Communist Manifesto authored by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1948.He claimed that the communist rulers in the past failed to grasp the spirit of Marxism and understood it only as a static formula. "Late Madan Bhandari embraced the essence of Marxism and catapulted the Nepalese communist movement to the world stage at a time when it was in moribund state," he added.

He said that rule of law, fundamental human rights, freedom of expression and associations are the basic ideals of CPN-UML. In an apparent indication to the Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist, he said, "Two major political parties, with their obstinacy and anarchism, have taken the country in hostage, creating political deadlock."Head of UML publicity department Raghujee Pant, presenting his working paper, said that janatako bahudaliy janabad had guaranteed press freedom and made it one of the basic tenets of state."Nepalese communist parties have been fighting for the loktantra since their inception. Thus, it is beyond imagination that communists will curtail press freedom when they go to power," said Pant.General Secretary of Federation of Nepalese Journalist Mahendra Bista said that at the moment the Nepalese media had only mission that is to establish democratic republic in the country."The idea of press freedom has been well anchored in Janatako bahudaliy janabad and democratic republic," he added.

General Secretary of INSEC Kundal Aryal said that a true press freedom could not be realised in capitalist countries like the United States and in those countries having totalitarian systems.Gopal Thapaliya, chairman of SAFMA Nepal said that late Bhandari had described press freedom as an addition of fragrance to the janatako bahudaliya janabad.A host of speakers including UML Central advisor Kamal Koirala, journalist Dev Prakash Tripathi and Press Chautari president Bal Krishna Chapagain also expressed their views on the relations between press freedom and communism.On the occasion, Minister Nepal released a book 'Mass Communication and Nepali Language' by Chapagain.The gathering also elected 15 central representatives of Press Chautari that is going to organise its central convention by mid June.

Source: The Rising Nepal, May 25, 2007

Unwanted action

It is unfortunate that Industry and Commerce Ministry took a departmental action against the Director General of Department of Industry just because he attempted to stick to legal proceedings and refused to comply with the minister's order. It is a shameful act, which could leave a deeper impact on the business world. For, the case has emerged over issuance of trade mark not registered here to a Nepali company. The minister ordered the department to cancel it for Indian companies, while the chief of the department refused on legal grounds. If the DG is proved wrong, none of the companies that have registered trade marks and designs would feel secure that their intellectual property will be protected.

Intellectual property right is protected through complex legal terms. Like every other cases, its battle has to be backed by a solid investigation. Cases related to counterfeiting of the property require proper investigation, and cannot be decided through minister's direct order. In the case that surfaced here, Sun brand of pipe fittings and Rajanigandha brand of pan masala were registered by the Nepali companies, whereas the companies that originally produced it bothered not to register here. So, the department's ruling that Nepali product is authentic and should be protected goes with the law. Now once the case was brought to the notice that the Nepali companies had counterfeited the Indian brands, the process should have been to conduct thorough investigation and deal with those legally. However, all that spirit of legal protection was flouted in the case.

However, Post's support for the legality of the case is not to undermine the ethics businessmen and companies must follow. Given that Nepal and India are not signatory of Madrid Convention that ensure global protection of marks once registered there, it is the responsibility of Indian companies to register their trade marks here. And it was also equally desired that Nepali companies stick to business ethics. Copying the trade marks of popular Indian and overseas brands just because those are not registered here is against business ethics. It is also cheating the consumers. Hence, the government must beef up the inspection process while granting trade marks to the companies. Strong mechanism should be developed to ensure that companies do not get hold of trade marks and designs of other companies. There must be hearing cells at the Department of Industry to facilitate original trademark holders to fight for their rights. Also the decades old Trade Mark, Patent and Design Act must be amended. Above all, the government must allow cases related to intellectual property rights to be addressed through due legal and administrative course rather than through discretionary decisions.

Source: The Kathmandu Post, May 25, 2007

Focus On MDGs

EVER since Nepal expressed its commitment at the United Nations Millenium Summit to meet the basic needs of the people by 2015, the government has taken a number steps to meet the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) within the stipulated time frame. The Millenium Summit set eight different development goals to be met by the developing world. These goals include, among others, alleviating poverty, ensuring universal primary education, reducing child and maternity mortality, ensuring gender equality and fighting the AIDS epidemic. Although the poverty alleviation programme and other issues contained in the MDGs have been the priority of the government for long, Nepal has been making extra efforts to achieve these targets since 2000. Poverty is the highest priority of the government. All economic and development programmes have been integrated with the poverty alleviation strategy, and Nepal has achieved significant progress on various fronts. Nepal is well ahead in reducing child mortality, which has been a lesson for other developing countries. In other sectors, too, Nepal's progress has been satisfactory. But resource crunch has put tremendous pressure on the government in carrying out programmes related to the MDGs. Moreover, the decade-long conflict seriously marred the development activities, which caused negative growth in some sectors. However, it did not deter the government from pursuing programmes designed to meet the basic needs of the people. The literacy rate has gone up, and student enrollment in the schools has been satisfactory. The poverty alleviation strategy is also gaining momentum and the efforts at gender equality and fighting AIDS have also been encouraging. All these developments have shown that Nepal is on track to achieving the Millenium Development Goals.

Nepal is a country with limited resources. But it needs huge funds to rebuild the infrastructure damaged during the violent conflict. For this, Nepal needs strong and meaningful support from the international community. So far, support from the donors has been encouraging. But such efforts should be enhanced if Nepal is to achieve its goal for development. In the light of progress and constraints towards meeting the MDGs, vice-chairman of the Nation Planning Commission Jagadish Chandra Pokhrel, at a meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council for Asia and the Pacific (UESCAP) in Kazakhastan recently, expressed Nepal's commitment to achieving the MDGs and called upon the international community, in general, and the United Nations, in particular, to increase the level of assistance to Nepal. As observed by vice chairman Pokhrel, Nepal would march ahead in achieving the development goals set by the United Nations in time only if the international community actively supports Nepal's bid.

Source: The Rising Nepal, May 25, 2007

Role Of Police

THE deteriorating law and order in the country has become a matter of immense concern. The country now after the post-conflict situation is in a transition phase. As such, due priority should be accorded to law and order or else the whole purpose of the Jana Andolan II could be derailed. Unless the law and order situation in the country improves it would be difficult to hold the Constituent Assembly that tops the agenda of the interim government. The police in particular have the onerous responsibility of maintaining law and order in the country. Thus, while inaugurating the "Senior Police Officials' Conference-2064" the other day, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has instructed the police administration to work with high morale taking into account the complex political situation obtaining in the country and the worsening law and order. No doubt, the police face an uphill task. As of now they are mostly involved in controlling dharnas, bandhs and strikes, thereby, obstructing them from carrying out investigations and in controlling crime. So that the morale of the police force remains high it is the need of the day to equip the police institution with new technologies and skills so that they may be able to deal with crimes, which are getting increasingly sophisticated day by day.

Prime Minister Koirala has assured the police of the support and full co-operation of the government to the extent that the government is ready to make the police administration more resourceful and effective so that they can maintain law and order. The security agencies are a vital pillar of the nation for the security needs stands among the first and foremost needs. It is highly essential to strengthen this body as per the democratic political system. The police force should work fearlessly and should receive all the support possible from the civil society too as they carry on with the task of maintaining law and order. The police personnel have distinguished themselves with many heroic deeds and even attained martyrdom, which is the ultimate sacrifice in the course of duty. The nation is indeed grateful to them and pays them homage. So that the police personnel are enabled to work with dedication and in an effective manner the need to keep their morale high cannot be overemphasized. The holding of the seminar should come up with suggestions as to how to make this possible in the greater interest of the nation. The people now want law and order for they have suffered enough.

Source: The Rising Nepal, May 25, 2007

Corporate social responsibility in Nepal

Siddha Raj Pant

Recently, a marketing manager of a distillery audaciously claimed to be evading tax to make up for extortion by various political outfits. Similarly, another owner of a popular low-cost liquor brand is absconding following charges of misappropriating millions from a bank against him. Likewise, the chairman of the FNNCI was arrested for fraudulent business practices.In this context, it was ironic that Kathmandu played host to “South Asian NGO Consultative Meet on Promotion of Corporate Social Responsibility”, a three-day regional conference from April 25 to 27. The message is loud and clear. Whether or not businesses abide by their responsibility towards the society, civil society represented by vigilante NGOs will continue to keep an eagle eye on the impact companies have on the society and other stakeholders. But without government help, NGOs can do no more than name and shame unscrupulous businessmen.

Originally, the companies were created by the governments to do essential public work. This practice gradually evolved into an economic model with enhanced efficiency and effective use of resources. This model of economic development is the best as it enlarges the size of the pie than seek a larger portion of a smaller pie. Philosophically too, a rational being will tend to go that extra mile only if there are incentives to do so.Even though political myopia in promoting unionism and barriers to entry into and exit from the market would remain for a while, it will be imprudent to think of life without private businesses for both their might and importance is increasing day by day (51 of the world’s 100 largest economies are corporations, not countries). The important task is to gauge socialdesirability of these institutions and determine the minimum acceptable ethical behaviour or social responsibility.

Caught in the dilemma of development imperative and amorality associated with private corporations, governments across the globe are changing their role from that of a competitor with private businesses to one regulating the private entities in favour of the consumers, the environment and the state.As the role of corporations is evolving from an immoral entity into a legal one, they will have to behave ethically as prescribed by the law. No country allows, by law, fraud and smuggling. This minimal level of ethics should be maintained irrespective of whether it makes an economic sense for a business. But some companies adopt high ethical standards if only to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

But does it pay to be an ethical business in Nepal? There is no definite answer. The level of ethical adherence depends upon societal expectations, institutional capabilities, economic freedom, awareness and education level of citizens. Other factors apart, in order to promote social responsibility of companies the state, along with watchdog NGOs, should strengthen the capacity to regulate businesses and benchmark good practices.

Source: The Himalayan Times, May 25, 2007