| Username |
Post |
| HahooGuru |
Posted
on 06-May-02 12:41 AM
KOL reports : GAESO members and its lawyer Gopal Siwakoti “Chintan” who had manhandled Magar during a question-answer session ...
---
Gopal Chintan is said to be one of so called human rightists who
bring huge amounts of money in the name of human right activities
and funnels the money for his private use without paying
taxes. Can any one confirm whether this rumor is true or not?
Peoples were surprised a few years back when he took
a few guys in Britain to demonstrate (like Nepal ka political
leader bring peoples from villages in Trucks to KTM to show
their strength) and he got a huge sum of money to his
NGO, that is never transparent in money transfer activities.
Peoples were surprised how he got that much of money to
bring those skin heads to England?
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| ananta |
Posted
on 06-May-02 01:49 AM
First of all, I would like to say that such persons like gopal siwakoti"chintan", padma ratana kind people are not real human rightist. In fact, they are more dangerous than maoists. Here, it is worthy to remember that padma ratna said" maoists are free to do anything because they do not accept present constitution". These so called human rightist are just making cash of nepal's present deteriorating situation, but not human rightist in their character. It is really sad to call them human rightist.freedom of expression in our democracy is "bandarko hatma nariwal" for them.
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| ashu |
Posted
on 06-May-02 03:14 AM
I was extremely surprised to read this morning that GSC manhandled a Kantipur
journalist yesterday. GSC is a professor at the Nepal Law Campus.
I was very surprised, because GSC -- a maverick, iconoclastic human rights lawyer with a first-rate mind, and I'll say that even when I do NOT agree with most of his way-left-of-the-center views -- has always struck me as someone who would never use force to get his ways.
He is a sharp debater, and usually seeks to win by using convincing arguments, thereby driving his detractors/enemies/opponents mad with envy and rage. [Anil Bhattarai, you can surely add more details here!]
Recently, GSC brought out a small booklet -- detailing his life and various works
so far, and spelling out, in clear Nepali bhasa, issues surrounding the 'laws of war',
Geneva conventions and so on.
Because of his outspokenness and his willingness to take risks to push for issues he cares about (regardless of whether you agree with those issues or not), yes, GSC has earned many enemies in Nepal, and that there are many people -- including a number of other human rights activists in Nepal -- who would be
more than happy to see his downfall.
I, for one, have always felt comfortable to confront him in person, and
therefore have NEVER believed any rumors/gossips/innuendos about his
work as a human rights activist.
And so, besides being very surprised to learn of this attack by GSC, my only one-sided explanation is: This is NOT GSC's pattern of work. Perhaps the inexorable stress of doing too many law-related things all the time is taking its toll on
Chintan, and perhaps he needs to rest for a few days.
Again, though I do NOT share GSC's political outlooks, I respect him enough to
call him a friend, and we all know that when a friend is behaving in an erratic manner, as in this case, you don't jump in to slam him further in public and you certainly don't seek to distance yourself from that friend by abusing your
years of friendship to spread false rumors/gossips/innuendos about him.
Chintan made a mistake.
Knowing him, I would think that he has the courage, the humility and the
good sense to issue unconditional apologies to the journalist, Mr. Ujir Magar.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| theba |
Posted
on 06-May-02 09:39 AM
I think there is more to this than what meets the eye. So far, all we have been told is that some ex-servicemen and Mr. Siwakoti were party in manhandling a Kantipur journalist. Under what circumstance did this happen... what was the journalist's question that prompted the assault (if it was an assault)... what level of manhandling was it, merely a push & shove or dhobi-dhulai... etc. etc. There are lots of questions that need to be answered and analysed before Mr. Siwakoti's and GAESO's reputations are irreparably sullied.
As for the allegation of Mr. Siwakoti's misdeeds raised by HahooGuru, I would not give it a second thought unless a hard evidence is brought to light. This
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| theba |
Posted
on 06-May-02 09:39 AM
I think there is more to this than what meets the eye. So far, all we have been told is that some ex-servicemen and Mr. Siwakoti were party in manhandling a Kantipur journalist. Under what circumstance did this happen... what was the journalist's question that prompted the assault (if it was an assault)... what level of manhandling was it, merely a push & shove or dhobi-dhulai... etc. etc. There are lots of questions that need to be answered and analysed before Mr. Siwakoti's and GAESO's reputations are irreparably sullied.
As for the allegation of Mr. Siwakoti's misdeeds raised by HahooGuru, I would not give it a second thought unless a hard evidence is brought to light. This "so & so funnelled so much money at such & such situations" is like the articles in tabloid newspaper and we Nepalis seem to be given to these rumor-mongering, especially about people who have come into the lime-light for undertaking a high visibility, worth-while projects.
We as educated members of the society need to look beyond the printed words and gossips before we form our opinions.
Thanks.
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| Koko |
Posted
on 06-May-02 10:30 AM
This brings just devastates the people who actually want to help Nepal.
aLL NGO'S in Nepal are a scam. I genuinely feel that if we put up with this sort of behaviour pretty soon No one will be willing to give us a hand. All I see are all these Sachib and Haakim's filling their pockets. What about the actual people ? If this allegation is true then the Govt. should confiscate anything of his of monetary value and give it to the poor. Thanks to people like him that we have this Mao problem today.l
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| Nepali2 |
Posted
on 06-May-02 01:29 PM
I agree with Hahoo guru,
Mr. Siwakoti is well known in Nepal as a one of the corrupted People in NGO. There are number of NGO's in Katmandu do nothing instead having good time and sources of family employment. They raised thousands of money abroad and build own home. There are Big $$ NGO in nepal who does work related human rights. 1] Pyakurel & Co. INSEC, 2] Dr. Bhgendra & Co; CVICT 3] Chintan & Co Human Rights Org. etc.
They all burn foreign donations for name of human rights, but we all know what they are doing, Seminar in Tare Hotels, Published big report.
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| johnnie cockroach |
Posted
on 06-May-02 02:39 PM
if the cuffs don't fit, YOU MUST ACQUIT!!! ;)
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| HahooGuru |
Posted
on 06-May-02 06:43 PM
Theba,
We all know Khum Bahadur Khada is corrupt?
But, we don't have proofs, so is he Minister. Well, Himal Patrika
writes that Home Minister can give Rs. 20,000. ek choti ko
cheque ma, without any need of receipts. The annual budget
is 70,00,000. Sattari lakh, but, they spent Rs. 6 crore only in
one year. This is why everyone wants to be Home Minister,
Himal writes.
Why there are so many human rightists? There are so many
NGOs with almost same theme, just the way there are so many
communist parties?
Its all they smell money. Its unfortunate that we don't have
direct proof, but, were they transparent? Why they don't let
others to succeeed, but, occupy the position for years? When
they have to leave the post, they move to create a new one?
Its primarily because they know how to make money from the
organization and they feel crawled without the money. Its true.
All NGOs should make their accounting public and transparent
and accessible to everyone. But, its not happening.
Well, lets talk on Man Handling. GSC as so called human rightists
should not man handle in any case. Not in any circumstances,
the man handling is not acceptible. If you think there was a
situation that he had to abuse, then, the things done by government
against Maoists are all justified, because, the situation arised.
We can not have double standard. As Ashu said, he should
have avoided, but, now GSC's name is black named, and if he
feels great he should immediately ask for unconditional apology
and resign from the human rights organization's current posts
if he occupies. I mean he should take responsibility, but, he will
not do that beause he will loss money and without money he
is nothing.
GSC has proved himself as an idiot in the name of human rightists
just the way Padma Ratna justifed Maoist atrocities.
Well, every bad person have some good sides, and similarly,
GSC has some good sides, but, he now does not fit in the
community of REAL HONEST human rightists. He is at the
bottom in the yard stick.
HG
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| ashu |
Posted
on 13-May-02 07:28 AM
It was very hard for me to believe that the lawyer Gopal Siwakoti Chintan -- whose political views are quite different from mine -- actually manhandled Mr.
Ujir Magar, the Kantipur journalist, as reported in the newspaper a few days
ago.
Still, at the time, I sort of went along with the Kantipur report, thinking that perhaps Chintan, being the indefatigable Chintan that he is, had too much on his plate, and that he probably lost control, and I had sort of, you know,
sympathy for him. (see my posting above!)
Well, how WRONG I was!!
Now, after having spoken with others who were ALSO at that gathering and had witnessed the whole thing, I have found out that the entire story is/was a
FAKE (or more charitably, a slanted, exaggerated) one.
The truth: Chintan never even touched Mr. Magar at that public fundtion, let alone ever manhandled him.
According to at least 5 DIFFERENT eye-witnesses -- and I can name their names to Mr. Magar's editors if I have to -- happened was this.
Mr. Magar, one of the journalists there, was asking too many questions, practically monopolizing the press conference.
The organizers, including Chintan, answered his questions, and then, at one point, requested him to refrain from monopolizing the press conference so that his other colleagues from the press would be able to ask questions too.
Apparently, Mr. Magar flew off the handle at this, and there were some fiery words exchanged between him and some of the ex-Gorkha people.
That was that.
No one beat anyone up.
There was no scuffle whatsoever.
Chintan, by all accounts, was up the dais, up on the platform -- physically too far from where Mr. Magar was standing or sitting.
So much for this 'manhandling' business.
Interestingly, people who were in that public event
have sent in LETTERS to editor, providing "khandan" of the
report, and Kantipur has NOT run any of those
khandans.
*****************
I mean, as a reader, I wonder: what the hell is this?
First, sure, Chintan may be a hated figure in some circles.
Fine.
But that does NOT mean that he needs to be bashed up by
false accusations in a so-called national newspaper.
Second, why try to defame Chintan by publishing provably FALSE
report?
Third, playing hardball, one can ask: Where was any of that 'third-party verification' stuff that should be the the sine qua non of any journalistic
report?
Kantipur's editors: Come on!! You guys can do better than this!!
For the record, I have my own intellectual disagreements with Chintan, but, as a citizen, I utterly resent the way members of the Nepali media sort of stupidly pick up on somebody like Chintan to show ITS own ugly side, which can, as in this case, easily be exposed with a little bit of research.
If I am going to be attacked for this, well, so be it.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| HahooGuru |
Posted
on 13-May-02 08:02 AM
Well, third party (an independent third party ) verification ?
is what I tried to locate i.e. to find the reporting in other papers.
No one dared / cared to report the incident. If it was FALSE
(lets say), why Kantipur Pub. rivals did not run the news agaisnt
Kantipur, accusing the incident? Why Press ... club has to
defend Kantipur publications? I would have trusted if Ashu was
there, Ashu is reported based on some witness that he knows
personally, thats fine. But, we need comlain against Kantipur
Publications by other news media, if it was really FALSE
charges? Why Chintan himself did not defend using another
press conference after the reporting. So, its getting complicated.
and Truth untl proven guilty. So, Kantipur news is true for
me and many others because Press ... club also criticized that
event and no defense on behalf of Chintan so far appeared
or I have read (within the internet based news papers or
magazines).
Hawa na-aai paat hallidaina. There was something wrong, that
you me and others will agree. As Kantipur wrote, the problem
arised when Mr. Magar asked a particular question, about antoher
BHu PU Gorkha ... organization, to go together. This part did not
appear (any indication) in Ashu's witness based story. So, we
still have some doubt about those witness.
I guess there must be someone having video camera (out of the
bhid) and if some independent third party bring some conclusion based
on the Video, I will trust provided there is no selected picked up clips
to prove or justify things, I mean there should be full coverage of
the video. Otherwise, ... HO IN kura sacho ho, as suggested by
MAHA will apply (HO ra In ko bichama ma FULL STOP narakhnu,
kinaki situation anusar interpret garna. . . . .).
Thanks to Ashu for his great effort, but, we need more solid evidence
to clear the cloud.
hGxP
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| ashu |
Posted
on 13-May-02 08:33 AM
GP-ji wrote:
>is what I tried to locate i.e. to find the reporting in other papers.
>No one dared / cared to report the incident. If it was FALSE
>(lets say), why Kantipur Pub. rivals did not run the news agaisnt
>Kantipur, accusing the incident?
Exactly.
Don't you find it interesting that ONLY Kantipur reported
the manhandling stuff, and NONE of its rivals did?
After all, this manhandling stuff was supposed to have happened in a
PRESS CONFERENCE -- in a room full of VARIOUS journalists --
right? How come only Kantipur saw the manhandling, and none of its
rivals saw it?
>But, we need comlain against Kantipur
>Publications by other news media, if it was really FALSE
>charges?
Does NOT happen in Nepal.
Look, this is a very small place.
Everyone knows everyone else here.
The tendency here is 'not to rock the boat', not to be the trouble-maker, not to
stick out like a sore thumb, to conform to traditions and be one of the guys, and even to accept khattam-ness on your friends' part.
The press people, by and large, have a professionally incestuous relationship
with one another, and that's that.
And that's Nepal's mainstream press for you.
That is why, it's up to readers like you, me and many others to play our small, small democratic role by detecting the bullshit and by being sceptics of the
"official news", if you know what I mean in general.
>Why Chintan himself did not defend using another
>press conference after the reporting. So, its getting complicated.
>and Truth untl proven guilty.
Well, for a start, the khandans have NOT been published.
Chitan is and was busy preparing his briefs for London, where he is now,
pushing -- together with Cherry Boothe, Tony Blair's wife -- the case of
the ex-Gorkha through the British legal system.
>So, Kantipur news is true for
>me and many others because Press ... club also criticized that
>event and no defense on behalf of Chintan so far appeared
>or I have read (within the internet based news papers or
>magazines).
Look, I am NOT saying that Chitan is a saint, and don't touch him.
That's not what I am saying. I well understand that some people
have this visceral dislike of Chintan, and that's fine.
What I, as a reader, am saying this: If you, as a journalist, are going to report X, Y and Z, be sure to provide evidence, and don't MISLEAD your readers by talking
about things that really did not seem to have happened.
As a reader, and even as a well-wissher of Kantipur, surely I have my
right to say this, right?
That's all
>Hawa na-aai paat hallidaina.
You know, this kind of proverb is great for Nepali sahityik guff-suff over a
bottle of San Miguel and a plate of chicken chillybut, let's face it, it's totally useless in the world that requires hard evidence. As an engineer, you know this well.
Yes, in PUBLIC LIFE, even without hawa, paat does hallan.cha.
And that's the risk of one assumes in one's PUBLIC avatar.
Don't you read PEOPLE magazine? :-)
>There was something wrong, that
>you me and others will agree. As Kantipur wrote, the problem
>arised when Mr. Magar asked a particular question, about antoher
>BHu PU Gorkha ... organization, to go together. This part did not
>appear (any indication) in Ashu's witness based story. So, we
>still have some doubt about those witness.
Fine.
***********
>I guess there must be someone having video camera (out of the
>bhid) and if some independent third party bring some conclusion based
on the Video, I will trust provided there is no selected picked up clips
to prove or justify things, I mean there should be full coverage of
the video. Otherwise, ... HO IN kura sacho ho, as suggested by
MAHA will apply (HO ra In ko bichama ma FULL STOP narakhnu,
kinaki situation anusar interpret garna. . . . .).
**************
Well, too late for the video thing, don't you think?
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| ashu |
Posted
on 15-May-02 06:47 AM
This is getting really interesting.
Later on the day that this GAESO event took place, the Kantipur journalist Mr.
Ujir Magar complained to the Federation of Nepali Journalists that he was
manhandled, and demanded that the Federation should issue a statement
against Chintan et al.
The Federation agreed.
The Federation, then, WITHOUT investigating into the matter as good journalists are supposed to do but taking only Mr. Magar's words at face value,
publicly denounced Chintan's supposed misdeeds.
Now the 'ouch' part.
The Federation later found out that Mr. Magar was NOT exactly telling the
truth, but is now too shame-faced to issue an apology to Chintan.
Ditto for Kantipur.
**************
Chintan may be a hated man in some circles.
That's fine.
Even, hey, even hated men and women in Nepal DESERVE protections against FALSE attacks in public, especially when those attacks come from such a big federation and from such a big newspaper.
Hence, this unrelenting defense of Chintan, whose ideas I do NOT share.
On a larger note, when we as citizens fail to protect someone like Chintan -- no matter how much some among us may hate him or hate his ideas -- against these sort of ganging up by powerful players in the media and the industry, then, something about our democracy dies and becomes a farce.
You know, it's really nice to talk about democracy in abstract terms, quoting all those theorists and all that. But I, for one, now starting to get my kicks out of seeing -- with solid evidence of small newsy examples -- how this process of checks and balances actually functions or does not function in Nepal.
Finally, to expand on Pahade Keta (aka Anil Bhattarai)'s words in another thread: The challenge for anyone concerned about Nepal's democracy is NOT to look for ONE SOLUTION that makes logical, rational sense, but to work in small, small ways, in steady, incremental, cluster-like measures, in one's one personal and professional speheres, to help build, OVER TIME, thriving democratic,
accountable institutions.
Doing that, alas, takes years, is unglamorous, is a matter of routine grind, and
is totally drab and not so sexy.
Admittedly, not an attractive proposition at a time when people are looking for quick-fix, specious solutions.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| villageVoice |
Posted
on 16-May-02 09:43 AM
I just couldn't resist this comment.
I have known Chintan for the last 10 years or so - more on a professional level than personal.
And I certainly stand by Ashu on this one. It's very, very unlikely that Chintan would get physical to sort out his differences. He is a passionate debater. Indeed, he is articulate, too, though he gets very boring in his routine govt-bashing at times. And he seldom loses his cool during these public debates. At least I have never see him do that yet - and as a vocal critic of big dams, megaprojects, Arun III, etc, he has had many critics to contend with over the years.
There has been many wishpering campaigns, paperbaji - and some pretty noisy ones too - against him by fellow NGOwallahs. The split within his own human rights group INHURED was a much publicized story some three years (?) ago.
I have had strong professional differences with him over the years on more than one count, but I always like the way he makes his point: cool in the face of crisis. Is he a warrior? I bet. Does he keep the warrior's honor. I think he does.
Let me add, Chintan is one of a kind. A new breed of nepali ngo worker, he knows how to court the press (he holds a Masters in Law from American University, DC, by the way), opinion makers, etc. Does he live publicity? He thrives on it.
That said, I have no knowledge - neither the access unlike Ashu - to verify what actually transpired between him, and the said reporter during the fateful press conference. I am in US now.
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| villageVoice |
Posted
on 16-May-02 09:47 AM
Pls read above: Does he like publicity...
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| ashu |
Posted
on 16-May-02 10:48 PM
Thanks V V,
On a larger note, I think we all have to work very hard to create a culture in Nepal and among Nepali communities in general -- a culture which allows us to work with other professonals who think and do things differently from us, and be able to respect those professionals, even when we do NOT agree with those professionals' views in personal spheres.
In other words, keeping in mind that the disagreements -- even strong,
vehement and thunderous disagreements -- on issues need NOT lead to a collapse of personal relations.
Thanks,
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| ashu |
Posted
on 17-May-02 04:08 AM
THough some parts of this essay are dated, the parts of Chintan are quite relevant and well-worth reading again.
This was published in The Kathmandu Post, January 26, 2001
*****************************************************
‘Chintan’, IT and growing intolerance
By Pratyoush Onta
It is the month of Magh now. It means that the marriage season is going full swing. One mahamela, of the Nepali Congress, is over but another one - on information technology - has just begun. Between expensive marriage parties in Kathmandu, the NC meet in Pokhara and the IT tamasha, there is no dearth of analyses regarding what is ailing our country and what the medications are to make ourselves rich and ‘developed."
It happens to me every marriage season. Relatives and friends who I do not get to meet that often but who know that I live a life dedicated to the mind take pleasure in lecturing me about how "talking and writing will not take us anywhere!"
Last Saturday, for instance, when 20 fellow graduates met in Kathmandu to celebrate the marriage of one member of the St. Xavier’s class of 1981, two of my school friends told me point blank that generating conditions that would enable us to do better analyses of our present situation - my long-standing project in life - is futile.
"What we need," they continued, "is a benevolent dictator". I have heard this before. However I continue to be amazed by the consensus on this subject between Panchayati ideologues such as Dirgha Raj Prasai, supposedly liberal Green Party member Maitalal Gurung (who emphasized this point in a radio interview with me in 1999) and my car equipped friends who live comfortable middle-class lives!
The desire to grow under the benevolence of a dictator is an indicator of the authoritarian streak that is pervasive amidst members of the comfortable classes in Nepal. Hence it is no surprise that there is so much impatience with reasoned talk, informed arguments and the need to build intermediary networks and institutions that would actually democratize our society.
This is precisely why my relatives and friends provide me unsolicited advice on how a life dedicated to the mind is not very useful. It is also the reason why the likes of lawyer-activist Gopal Sivakoti ‘Chintan’ get beaten up.
Whatever might be his faults, personal and professional, Chintan has done a lot to raise issues regarding the right of all Nepalis to live with dignity. He has been a pioneer in the right to information movement. He has forced various big players - our governments, our corporate bosses, our donor maliks including the World Bank - to seriously consider issues related to distributive justice regarding the benefits of development projects.
He has helped to form networks of numerous activists who want their voices to be counted in the national and international arenas where decisions affecting them are routinely made.
As a teacher of law and legal practitioner, he has contributed significantly to the movement of public interest litigation in Nepal. Through all of his activities, he has tried to give the culture of open and reasoned discussions a firm foundation in our otherwise closed society. Of late, he has forced the debate that it is not the job of NGOs to deliver bikas. A one-time left-party worker himself, he has openly criticized the Maoists for their murderous ways.
Perhaps more than anybody else I know, Gopal Sivakoti ‘Chintan’ has continuously shown a mirror to those who have claimed to lead Nepali society and forced them to see their ugly selves in it. That is precisely why he has earned the wrath of so many people in our country.
For years, members of the media have routinely published unsubstantiated charges against him. The Police once fabricated a false case against him and locked him up for a few days. And just some days ago, unknown assailants attacked him, causing severe bodily harm. Had it not been for the timely intervention of passer-bys, Chintan would have perhaps been killed.
The attack on the likes of Chintan is unfortunate and it must be condemned in the strongest terms possible. However the incident also shows that precise analyses and network building - hallmark of Chintan’s portfolio of activities - done to provide a life of human dignity to all Nepalis do matter.
It matters at a time when tolerance toward dissenting views is increasingly being dealt with in the safaaya model by the Maoists, violence against Nepali Madhesis is being justified in terms of vacuous nationalism of Panchayati vintage, and individual greed has overtaken the majority of the comfortable classes of Nepal. And this brings me to the last argument of this essay.
In all the hype about the Computer Association of Nepal Info jatra, I am yet to hear one well-argued case about the links between information technology and the institutionalization of democracy in Nepal. IT-enabled services, e-commerce, exporting software worth so many billion rupees a year - we have heard these mantras for some time now. We have even been told about e-governance!
But where is the IT-talk that would increase the diversity (in class, ethnicity, and gender terms) of those who have access to instruments of information technology in Nepal? Through the work of cyberactivists elsewhere in South Asia, it is now clear that the one-machine, one-account, one-user model (the dominant model in the US) cannot work in our part of the world.
Low infrastructure density, relatively very high hardware expenses, and expensive connectivity suggest that IT discussion in our country must be geared toward promoting one-machine, one-account but many users type of models. This requires the innovation of courageous individuals and intermediary institutions.
Is there a single Gopal Sivakoti Chintan amongst Nepali IT activists? If so let us hear from him or her regarding how IT can be used to increase justice and human dignity in Nepal. And please do not give us e-cliches!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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| ashu |
Posted
on 17-May-02 04:15 AM
>> the parts of Chintan are quite relevant
Not parts of Chintan, but parts about Chintan :-)
Sometimes, the damage one does to grammar and spelling on fast-typed Web postings is both amusing and shocking :-)
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| villageVoice |
Posted
on 18-May-02 12:37 AM
Pratyoush and Ashu:
Excellent remarks. Was it Voltaire? "I may not agree with what you say. But I will defend your right to say it till my dying day."
I see light at the end of the tunnel.
Just a thought. I see in government's anti-Maoist rhetoric what I see in Maoists themselves: both are extremists who shun dialogue. Then, is the government, embodiment of peace-loving Nepali public, any better than Maoists who kill those who don't agree with them?
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| ashu |
Posted
on 19-May-02 10:40 PM
Hi all,
The following site is of Inhured International -- an NGO still being run in Kathmandu by GSC.
It's well worth visiting the site.
http://www.inhurednepal.org/
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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