Several newbies in the cantina wanted to know more about Nepal. I have also received several emails asking me details about my job (as describded in my profile): International Crisis Management and Security Consultant . Below is the latest assesment for Nepal
DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to be as well verse in Nepalese culture as someone like Uncle Bill who took the time to go there to find out about the people who live there. One of the function I provide to multinationals is travel advice for frequent travelers and risk assesment for expats, based on in-country sources as well as various "intelligence"sources, some privates, somes official. This is not "Spooks and Dagers", but simply a service that evolved from the "GLOBAL MARKET" economy we all enjoy. So don't crucifie me if you disagree.
Country Summary
Evacuation Risk:HIGH
Personnel Risk: HIGH
Population:25284463
Size: 140,800 sq km
Capital:Kathmandu
Government
arliamentary democracy
Currency:1 Nepalese rupee (NR) = 100 paisa
GDP (per Capita):US$1100
Independence:1768
Region:Asia
Background
In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy.
Risk Assessment
While there have been no recent attacks specifically directed at foreign travelers or expatriate personnel, Nepal's government has been battling a Maoist rebel insurgency since 1996 that has left nearly 3,000 people dead. Consequently, Nepal has been under a State of Emergency since November 2001. In late March 2002, the rebels issued a communiqué warning of certain risks to foreign tourists and threatening to disrupt the tourism industry. In light of this specific threat against foreign visitors and increasingly frequent bomb attacks in the capital, Kathmandu, travelers are advised to avoid all but the most essential travel to Nepal at this time.
Travelers who must visit Nepal should avoid travel to rural areas outside the Kathmandu Valley, particularly in the western provinces and the districts of Banke, Dang Syangja, Surkhet, Rukum, Kalikot, Achham, Jajarkot, Rolpa, Salyan and Gorka, where police patrols and civilians have increasingly come under attack from the insurgents. In addition, the locally owned Coca-Cola bottling plants in Kathmandu and in Bharatpur were the targets of bomb attacks in November and January respectively. Visits to businesses with high public visibility, as well as to government offices should be kept as brief as possible.
Official and unofficial curfews are in force in many parts of the country, including an unofficial curfew in Kathmandu where bars and restaurants are being encouraged to close well before midnight. Countrywide night time curfews are being declared in a number of towns and districts on short notice. Army and police checkpoints are frequently encountered. Visitors should abide by these curfew restrictions and follow the instructions of security forces.
King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ascended to the throne in January 2001 after his brother King Birendra was murdered in a shooting incident at the royal palace. He was crowned king after Birendra's son, Dipendra, who had been declared king immediately following Birendra's death, died of injuries sustained during the palace shooting. Survivors have blamed Dipendra for the rampage that nearly wiped out the royal family. The palace murders led to several days of widespread rioting in Kathmandu.
However, King Gyanendra appears to have overcome a shaky accession to establish de facto supremacy over Nepali affairs. A remarkable achievement, many feel, considering he rode to the throne against a popular wave of mistrust and antagonism triggered by the Birendra family massacre. The King has expressed is commitment to maintaining the constitutional monarchy and has named his son, Prince Paras as successor.
Nevertheless, Gyanendra is faced with an increasing violent Maoist rebel insurgency that is inherently hostile to the constitutional monarchy. The Maoist withdrew from a four-month cease-fire with the government in late November 2001, but said they will keep the door open for talks. In earlier talks with the government, the rebels had insisted on the creation of a new constitution. But the government rejected the demand, apparently leading to the rebel decision to resume hostilities. The leader of the Maoists, known as Prachanda (real name Pushpa Kamal Dahal), said in a statement that there was no reason to continue the cease-fire. After the Maoist resumed attacks against police, Gyanendra declared a nationwide State of Emergency and for the first time deployed army troops to aid the out manned and outgunned police. Overall, the combined Maoist factions are believed to number between 3,000 and 4,000 insurgent fighters.
The political front of the now non-existent communist party of Nepal (Unity Center) broke into two before the 1994 midterm elections, renouncing parliamentary politics and boycotting the elections.
One faction of the party headed by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, now the political front of the underground communist party of Nepal (Maoist) is providing support to the "People's War." The CPN (United Marxist Leninist) disagreed with the violence and terrorist activities launched by the NCP(M) in the name of "people's war." In December 1998, a group in the NCP(M) revolted and broke away and accused the Maoists leader Prachanda of imposing dictatorship and suppressing any criticism within the party Mr. Bharat Dahal, conveyor of the Patriotic communist league said that Prachanda had placed himself above principles and the people which had promoted extreme individualism and anarchism in the party had launched the "people's war." As many as 24 Maoist-supporters openly revolted and deserted the party to form the league. It is said that Prachanda & Dr. Bhattarai have differences but when Comrade Wagle was killed they decided to get together.
The "people's war" according to Prachanda, who is Secretary General of CPM (M), is in pure Marxist-Leninist-Maoist terms, one which is directed against feudalism and for establishing a People's Republic. They believed their principle provided the scientific tools to emancipate the suppressed working class. The 'people's war' is directed against the 200 year old coalition between feudalism and imperialism which would ultimately lead to the establishment of the "Peoples Republic."
The Maoist do not appear to have external support( while China is clearly suspected of at least partially funding the rebels), but the movement uses extortion to raise funds. Letters were initially sent to businessmen and contractors to donate money and later they made it mandatory that teachers, civil servants, contractors and other professionals living in the villages to pay a certain amount of money to the Maoist administration as revenue.
Public demonstrations and strikes are popular forms of political expression in Nepal, and they may occur on short notice. These demonstrations are usually nonviolent and not directed towards foreigners. On occasion, however, rock throwers have targeted vehicles, and acts of intimidation by strike supporters have been reported. During a general strike (called a "Bandh" in Nepal), many businesses close, and transportation and city services may be disrupted. Visitors should exercise caution and to avoid travel from the evening immediately preceding a strike through the evening of the strike.
Nepal's relations with India have improved in recent months. In March 2002 India decided to provide helicopters and other aid to the Nepali government to fight the Maoist insurgents. It remains to be seen whether this external aid will prompt the Maoist leadership to take a more liberal stance on attacks against foreign targets.
Business Practices
The main language is Nepali. However, many businessmen can speak both Hindi and English. Suits or shirt and tie are typically worn to business meetings. Office hours are 0930-1700 Sunday to Thursday. Government offices are open 1000-1600 (winter) and 1000-1700 (summer) Sunday to Thursday. The common greeting is "Namaste" (Hello), pronounced NA-MAS-TAY. Shaking hands is not a common form of greeting; the normal greeting is to press the palms together in a prayer-like gesture. A gift given to a host or hostess will probably be laid aside unopened; to open a parcel in the presence of a guest is considered uncivil.
Crime
Street crime is prevalent in Katmandu as well as in other areas frequented by foreigners. While the rate of violent crime has been historically low in Katmandu, there has generally been a significant increase in armed robberies and violence associated with Maoist guerrilla activity. On several occasions western tourists have been the victims of violence, robbery and in one case murder. Incidents of Maoist violence have also occurred in the past in the districts of Kavre, Sindhuli, Sindupalchowk, Dolaka, Dang, Dolpa, Ramechap and Kavrepalanchowk. To avoid falling victim to crime, visitors are advised to travel in groups, avoid carrying large sums of cash, exchange money only at banks and hotels, and limit shopping to daylight hours. Travelers should be especially alert at or near major tourist sights, where most pickpocketing occurs. Passports and cash should be carried in a protected neck pouch, not in a backpack.
Transportation
Nepals national airline is Royal Nepal Airways (RA).
Katmandu International Airport (KTM) (Tribhuvan) is 6.5km (4 miles) east of the city (travel time 20 minutes). There are full duty-free facilities at Katmandu airport. Buses and taxis to the city are available. There is a departure tax of NRs700 for international flights (NRs600 within the Indian sub-continent). Children under two years are exempt. There is a network of domestic flights linking major towns, radiating from Katmandu. Helicopters can be chartered from the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation. There is an airport tax between NRs20 and NRs50, depending on point of departure.
There are 12 possible points of entry. New roads have been built linking Katmandu with India and Tibet. The road system is of unpredictable quality. Traffic drives on the left.
There are bus services operated by the Transport Corporation of Nepal and also by private operators. Cars can be hired from the Hertz representative and Gorkha Travels, or from the Avis representative and Yeti Travels, both in Katmandu. Chauffeur-driven cars can only be hired in the Katmandu Valley. An International Driving Permit is valid in Nepal for 15 days after which a local license is required. Travelers should be extremely cautious when traveling overland in Nepal, especially by bus. In general, roads are in very poor condition and lack basic safety features. Many mountain and hill roads are impassable during monsoon season (June-September) due to landslides, and are very hazardous even in the best weather. Avoid travel on night buses - fatal accidents are frequent. In the Katmandu valley, roads are congested. Not only is traffic badly regulated, the volume of vehicles on the roads is increasing by 15 percent a year. Many drivers are neither properly licensed nor trained. Vehicles are poorly maintained. Sidewalks and pedestrian crossings are non-existent in most areas, and drivers do not yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. Of the 4,500 traffic-related deaths in 1997, two-thirds were pedestrians
There are bus services are available in the areas around Katmandu, which include the neighboring cities of Patan and Bhaktapur. A trolleybus route provides frequent journeys over the 11km (7-mile) KatmanduBhaktapur road. Private minibuses feed the trolleybus route from nearby villages.
Metered taxis are plentiful in Katmandu; at night the meter reading plus 50% is standard. Private taxis are more expensive and fares should be agreed before departure.
Hotels
Katmandu has an increasing number of international-class hotels which are particularly busy during spring and autumn, when it is advisable to book well in advance. Comfortable hotels can also be found in Pokhara, and the Royal Chitwan National Park in the Terai Jungle. A government tax is added to bills, which varies according to the star rating of the hotel.
Besides the officially recognized hotels, there are a number of lodges or hostels. In Katmandu these are located in the old part of the town, in the streets around the Durbar Square or in the Thamel district. The Lukla Sherpa Cooperative offers lodging to mountaineers in Sherpa country and accommodation at Paplu in the Sagarmatha zone can be provided by the Hostellerier des Sherpas.
Communications
Telephone IDD service is available to Katmandu only. All other calls go through the operator. The country code is 977 and the outgoing international code is 00. The Telecommunication Office, Tripureshnawar, deals with telephone calls and cables. The International Telephone Office is open 1000-1700 Sunday to Friday, but international telephone connections are very difficult. Many travel agents and a few hotels have fax services. The Nepal Telecommunications Corporation booth at the airport has fax services. The Central Telegraph Office offers a 24-hour international telephone and telegram service seven days a week. Postal services are available in most centers. Make sure that letters are hand-cancelled at the post office (post boxes should not be used for important communications). Main hotels will also handle mail. Post office hours: the General Post Office in Katmandu is open 1000-1700 (1600 in winter) Sunday to Friday. Electricity is 220 volts AC, 50Hz. There are frequent power cuts.
Media
English-language dailies available in Nepal are The Commoner, The Motherland and The Rising Nepal. The Independent is published weekly. The International Herald Tribune, Time and Newsweek can all be found in Katmandu. Himal is a magazine published six times a year, devoted to environmental issues throughout the Himalayas. At certain times of day there are radio and television news broadcasts in English. BBC frequencies are MHz 17.79; 15.31; 11.75; 9.740. A service is also available on 1413kHz. Voice of America frequencies are MHz 21.55; 15.40; 9.645; 7.125. These are subject to change.
DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to be as well verse in Nepalese culture as someone like Uncle Bill who took the time to go there to find out about the people who live there. One of the function I provide to multinationals is travel advice for frequent travelers and risk assesment for expats, based on in-country sources as well as various "intelligence"sources, some privates, somes official. This is not "Spooks and Dagers", but simply a service that evolved from the "GLOBAL MARKET" economy we all enjoy. So don't crucifie me if you disagree.
Country Summary
Evacuation Risk:HIGH
Personnel Risk: HIGH
Population:25284463
Size: 140,800 sq km
Capital:Kathmandu
Government
arliamentary democracyCurrency:1 Nepalese rupee (NR) = 100 paisa
GDP (per Capita):US$1100
Independence:1768
Region:Asia
Background
In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy.
Risk Assessment
While there have been no recent attacks specifically directed at foreign travelers or expatriate personnel, Nepal's government has been battling a Maoist rebel insurgency since 1996 that has left nearly 3,000 people dead. Consequently, Nepal has been under a State of Emergency since November 2001. In late March 2002, the rebels issued a communiqué warning of certain risks to foreign tourists and threatening to disrupt the tourism industry. In light of this specific threat against foreign visitors and increasingly frequent bomb attacks in the capital, Kathmandu, travelers are advised to avoid all but the most essential travel to Nepal at this time.
Travelers who must visit Nepal should avoid travel to rural areas outside the Kathmandu Valley, particularly in the western provinces and the districts of Banke, Dang Syangja, Surkhet, Rukum, Kalikot, Achham, Jajarkot, Rolpa, Salyan and Gorka, where police patrols and civilians have increasingly come under attack from the insurgents. In addition, the locally owned Coca-Cola bottling plants in Kathmandu and in Bharatpur were the targets of bomb attacks in November and January respectively. Visits to businesses with high public visibility, as well as to government offices should be kept as brief as possible.
Official and unofficial curfews are in force in many parts of the country, including an unofficial curfew in Kathmandu where bars and restaurants are being encouraged to close well before midnight. Countrywide night time curfews are being declared in a number of towns and districts on short notice. Army and police checkpoints are frequently encountered. Visitors should abide by these curfew restrictions and follow the instructions of security forces.
King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ascended to the throne in January 2001 after his brother King Birendra was murdered in a shooting incident at the royal palace. He was crowned king after Birendra's son, Dipendra, who had been declared king immediately following Birendra's death, died of injuries sustained during the palace shooting. Survivors have blamed Dipendra for the rampage that nearly wiped out the royal family. The palace murders led to several days of widespread rioting in Kathmandu.
However, King Gyanendra appears to have overcome a shaky accession to establish de facto supremacy over Nepali affairs. A remarkable achievement, many feel, considering he rode to the throne against a popular wave of mistrust and antagonism triggered by the Birendra family massacre. The King has expressed is commitment to maintaining the constitutional monarchy and has named his son, Prince Paras as successor.
Nevertheless, Gyanendra is faced with an increasing violent Maoist rebel insurgency that is inherently hostile to the constitutional monarchy. The Maoist withdrew from a four-month cease-fire with the government in late November 2001, but said they will keep the door open for talks. In earlier talks with the government, the rebels had insisted on the creation of a new constitution. But the government rejected the demand, apparently leading to the rebel decision to resume hostilities. The leader of the Maoists, known as Prachanda (real name Pushpa Kamal Dahal), said in a statement that there was no reason to continue the cease-fire. After the Maoist resumed attacks against police, Gyanendra declared a nationwide State of Emergency and for the first time deployed army troops to aid the out manned and outgunned police. Overall, the combined Maoist factions are believed to number between 3,000 and 4,000 insurgent fighters.
The political front of the now non-existent communist party of Nepal (Unity Center) broke into two before the 1994 midterm elections, renouncing parliamentary politics and boycotting the elections.
One faction of the party headed by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, now the political front of the underground communist party of Nepal (Maoist) is providing support to the "People's War." The CPN (United Marxist Leninist) disagreed with the violence and terrorist activities launched by the NCP(M) in the name of "people's war." In December 1998, a group in the NCP(M) revolted and broke away and accused the Maoists leader Prachanda of imposing dictatorship and suppressing any criticism within the party Mr. Bharat Dahal, conveyor of the Patriotic communist league said that Prachanda had placed himself above principles and the people which had promoted extreme individualism and anarchism in the party had launched the "people's war." As many as 24 Maoist-supporters openly revolted and deserted the party to form the league. It is said that Prachanda & Dr. Bhattarai have differences but when Comrade Wagle was killed they decided to get together.
The "people's war" according to Prachanda, who is Secretary General of CPM (M), is in pure Marxist-Leninist-Maoist terms, one which is directed against feudalism and for establishing a People's Republic. They believed their principle provided the scientific tools to emancipate the suppressed working class. The 'people's war' is directed against the 200 year old coalition between feudalism and imperialism which would ultimately lead to the establishment of the "Peoples Republic."
The Maoist do not appear to have external support( while China is clearly suspected of at least partially funding the rebels), but the movement uses extortion to raise funds. Letters were initially sent to businessmen and contractors to donate money and later they made it mandatory that teachers, civil servants, contractors and other professionals living in the villages to pay a certain amount of money to the Maoist administration as revenue.
Public demonstrations and strikes are popular forms of political expression in Nepal, and they may occur on short notice. These demonstrations are usually nonviolent and not directed towards foreigners. On occasion, however, rock throwers have targeted vehicles, and acts of intimidation by strike supporters have been reported. During a general strike (called a "Bandh" in Nepal), many businesses close, and transportation and city services may be disrupted. Visitors should exercise caution and to avoid travel from the evening immediately preceding a strike through the evening of the strike.
Nepal's relations with India have improved in recent months. In March 2002 India decided to provide helicopters and other aid to the Nepali government to fight the Maoist insurgents. It remains to be seen whether this external aid will prompt the Maoist leadership to take a more liberal stance on attacks against foreign targets.
Business Practices
The main language is Nepali. However, many businessmen can speak both Hindi and English. Suits or shirt and tie are typically worn to business meetings. Office hours are 0930-1700 Sunday to Thursday. Government offices are open 1000-1600 (winter) and 1000-1700 (summer) Sunday to Thursday. The common greeting is "Namaste" (Hello), pronounced NA-MAS-TAY. Shaking hands is not a common form of greeting; the normal greeting is to press the palms together in a prayer-like gesture. A gift given to a host or hostess will probably be laid aside unopened; to open a parcel in the presence of a guest is considered uncivil.
Crime
Street crime is prevalent in Katmandu as well as in other areas frequented by foreigners. While the rate of violent crime has been historically low in Katmandu, there has generally been a significant increase in armed robberies and violence associated with Maoist guerrilla activity. On several occasions western tourists have been the victims of violence, robbery and in one case murder. Incidents of Maoist violence have also occurred in the past in the districts of Kavre, Sindhuli, Sindupalchowk, Dolaka, Dang, Dolpa, Ramechap and Kavrepalanchowk. To avoid falling victim to crime, visitors are advised to travel in groups, avoid carrying large sums of cash, exchange money only at banks and hotels, and limit shopping to daylight hours. Travelers should be especially alert at or near major tourist sights, where most pickpocketing occurs. Passports and cash should be carried in a protected neck pouch, not in a backpack.
Transportation
Nepals national airline is Royal Nepal Airways (RA).
Katmandu International Airport (KTM) (Tribhuvan) is 6.5km (4 miles) east of the city (travel time 20 minutes). There are full duty-free facilities at Katmandu airport. Buses and taxis to the city are available. There is a departure tax of NRs700 for international flights (NRs600 within the Indian sub-continent). Children under two years are exempt. There is a network of domestic flights linking major towns, radiating from Katmandu. Helicopters can be chartered from the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation. There is an airport tax between NRs20 and NRs50, depending on point of departure.
There are 12 possible points of entry. New roads have been built linking Katmandu with India and Tibet. The road system is of unpredictable quality. Traffic drives on the left.
There are bus services operated by the Transport Corporation of Nepal and also by private operators. Cars can be hired from the Hertz representative and Gorkha Travels, or from the Avis representative and Yeti Travels, both in Katmandu. Chauffeur-driven cars can only be hired in the Katmandu Valley. An International Driving Permit is valid in Nepal for 15 days after which a local license is required. Travelers should be extremely cautious when traveling overland in Nepal, especially by bus. In general, roads are in very poor condition and lack basic safety features. Many mountain and hill roads are impassable during monsoon season (June-September) due to landslides, and are very hazardous even in the best weather. Avoid travel on night buses - fatal accidents are frequent. In the Katmandu valley, roads are congested. Not only is traffic badly regulated, the volume of vehicles on the roads is increasing by 15 percent a year. Many drivers are neither properly licensed nor trained. Vehicles are poorly maintained. Sidewalks and pedestrian crossings are non-existent in most areas, and drivers do not yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. Of the 4,500 traffic-related deaths in 1997, two-thirds were pedestrians
There are bus services are available in the areas around Katmandu, which include the neighboring cities of Patan and Bhaktapur. A trolleybus route provides frequent journeys over the 11km (7-mile) KatmanduBhaktapur road. Private minibuses feed the trolleybus route from nearby villages.
Metered taxis are plentiful in Katmandu; at night the meter reading plus 50% is standard. Private taxis are more expensive and fares should be agreed before departure.
Hotels
Katmandu has an increasing number of international-class hotels which are particularly busy during spring and autumn, when it is advisable to book well in advance. Comfortable hotels can also be found in Pokhara, and the Royal Chitwan National Park in the Terai Jungle. A government tax is added to bills, which varies according to the star rating of the hotel.
Besides the officially recognized hotels, there are a number of lodges or hostels. In Katmandu these are located in the old part of the town, in the streets around the Durbar Square or in the Thamel district. The Lukla Sherpa Cooperative offers lodging to mountaineers in Sherpa country and accommodation at Paplu in the Sagarmatha zone can be provided by the Hostellerier des Sherpas.
Communications
Telephone IDD service is available to Katmandu only. All other calls go through the operator. The country code is 977 and the outgoing international code is 00. The Telecommunication Office, Tripureshnawar, deals with telephone calls and cables. The International Telephone Office is open 1000-1700 Sunday to Friday, but international telephone connections are very difficult. Many travel agents and a few hotels have fax services. The Nepal Telecommunications Corporation booth at the airport has fax services. The Central Telegraph Office offers a 24-hour international telephone and telegram service seven days a week. Postal services are available in most centers. Make sure that letters are hand-cancelled at the post office (post boxes should not be used for important communications). Main hotels will also handle mail. Post office hours: the General Post Office in Katmandu is open 1000-1700 (1600 in winter) Sunday to Friday. Electricity is 220 volts AC, 50Hz. There are frequent power cuts.
Media
English-language dailies available in Nepal are The Commoner, The Motherland and The Rising Nepal. The Independent is published weekly. The International Herald Tribune, Time and Newsweek can all be found in Katmandu. Himal is a magazine published six times a year, devoted to environmental issues throughout the Himalayas. At certain times of day there are radio and television news broadcasts in English. BBC frequencies are MHz 17.79; 15.31; 11.75; 9.740. A service is also available on 1413kHz. Voice of America frequencies are MHz 21.55; 15.40; 9.645; 7.125. These are subject to change.
