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| MountainNet - October 2003 Welcome to the latest edition of MountainNet, the online newsletter of the International Mountain Explorers Connection (formerly the Himalayan Explorers Connection). Sadly, violence has returned to Nepal following the collapse of the peace talks. We also bring you information from Tanzania, where we run our Kilimanjaro Porter Assistance Project. We hope our readers in Colorado can join us at 7PM on December 11, 2003, for a fundraiser at the Boulder library. Chris Boskoff, owner of Mountain Madness, will be presenting a slide show about her Himalayan adventures. Look for details in November. Members are invited to post questions or announcements in MountainNet. If you would like to post a message, please send your message to info@hec.org with "MountainNet Posting" as the subject and remember to include your membership number. Amanda Daflos Director of Special Projects, IMEC IN THIS ISSUE: INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN NEWS NEPAL AND THE HIMALAYAS 1. NINE DEAD IN NEPAL REBEL ATTACK 2. PRACHANDA APOLOGETIC OVER BRITISH OFFICIALS' ABDUCTION 3. BILATERAL TALKS FAIL TO SOLVE REFUGEE BHUTANESE CRISIS 4. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR APPEALS FOR MISSING 5. EXPEDITIONS TO PAKISTAN BOUNCE BACK, PEAK FEES STAY AT 50% TANZANIA AND MT. KILIMANJARO 6. TANZANIA AIMS TO BOOST COFFEE TRADE 7. WFP APPEALS FOR HELP FOR TANZANIA DROUGHT VICTIMS 8. ANTI-AMERICAN DRINK HITS KENYAN MARKET OTHER 9. GLOBAL WARMING AFFECTS MOUNTAINS NEAR AND FAR INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN EXPLORERS CONNECTION UPDATES 10. CHRIS BOSKOFF TO PRESENT SLIDE SHOW FOR IMEC FUNDRAISER 11.IMEC IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS FOR BOULDER OFFICE 12. IMEC IN SEARCH OF KILIMANJARO OFFICE STAFF 13. IMEC PORTER ASSISTANCE PROJECT 14. IMEC AND THE EVEREST BASE CAMP CLINIC NEED YOUR HELP! MEMBER POSTINGS 15a. LOOKING FOR HELP IDENTIFYLING THIS QUOTE 15b. INDIAN HIMALAYA RECCOMENDATIONS 15C. GUIDE RECCOMENDATIONS MONTHLY FEATURES 16. INTERNET CONNECTION: PARTY NEPAL 17. UPCOMING EVENTS 18. OCTOBER FUN FACT: NEPAL'S FUTURE IS IN THE DUNG HEAP: SHINING LIGHT ON NEPALS CELEBRATION OF LIFE 19. TRAVEL ALERTS AND NEWS CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SECTION VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES HOW TO POST ON MOUNTAINNET INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN EXPLORERS MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION ********************************************************************** INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN NEWS ********************************************************************** 1. NINE DEAD IN NEPAL REBEL ATTACK Nine people have been killed in an attack by Maoist rebels in western Nepal, according to a security official. The official said more than 50 rebels attacked a police post at Susuwa, 200 kilometres (124 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu. Six policemen, one soldier, and two civilians were killed in the ensuing gun battle, he added. It is not clear whether there were any casualties on the rebel side. Correspondents say this is the third such incident in three days in western Nepal. The Maoists want to replace the constitutional monarchy in Nepal with a republic, and have stepped up attacks since ending a ceasefire in August. Eight thousand people are reported to have died in the eight-year-old insurgency. Press 'being targeted' Meanwhile, the international journalists' organization Reporters Without Borders has urged the Nepalese Government to act to end violence against journalists in the country. "We are very worried about the increasing attacks on media workers by both government and rebel forces which threaten the free flow of news," said the body's Secretary General, Robert Menard, in a letter to Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa. "Journalists are protected in wartime by the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, which considers them civilians, and the arbitrary arrest, killing and kidnapping of them are serious violations of international humanitarian law." Reporters Without Borders says nine journalists are currently being detained or are listed as missing in Nepal http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3221587.stm ********************************************************************** 2. PRACHANDA APOLOGETIC OVER BRITISH OFFICIALS' ABDUCTION The Maoists are "sorry" for "holding" British officials in Baglung by their party members recently, Maoist supremo Prachanda said in an interview on Monday. "We are shocked with the incident which is against the party-policy." "From policy level, we have been banning abduction or physical attack upon a foreign citizen, tourist or government employees," Prachanda said in an interview to Krishna Sen online news service, which is run by the rebels themselves. Elaborating the abduction, Prachanda said, "Following the incident, we immediately ordered the concerned command to release those with due respect and they were released within few hours of our direction." "We are sorry for what happened against the party policy. We will make the real facts public after necessary investigation." On the allegations that the grass-root level of Maoists do not obey their own party's policies, he said, "it is baseless that our party line is out of discipline. Once our directives reach the grass root level of cadres, they will know the party's policy." In the interview, the Maoist strongman has further cautioned all bodies of the rebels not to repeat any incident like in Baglung, that involves a foreign national, tourists or civil servants. He further said the Maoists have the policy of not attacking even the US nationals. On United Nations role in restoring peace in Nepal, he said, "It is positive that the UN has shown interest to give a peaceful outlet to the present problem. We welcome a creative role from the UN." On possibility of peace talks, he said, "We have not closed the door for talks. However, except defeating the old regime through people's war, there is no any possibility of peace talks for now. " On the Maoists' announcement of October 21, he said those decisions have no relations with peace talks but were taken "to get ready for retaliation against the enemies." http://www.nepalnews.com/ ********************************************************************** 3. BILATERAL TALKS FAIL TO SOLVE REFUGEE BHUTANESE CRISIS GENEVA, 29 October (LWI) - The latest round of talks between the governments of Bhutan and Nepal to resolve the Bhutanese refugee crisis has failed to provide a solution, a coalition of five leading non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have said. Donor countries should convene an international conference to devise a solution to the longstanding crisis. The two governments heralded the bilateral talks, held last week in the Bhutanese capital, Thimpu, as a "historic breakthrough." "These talks between Nepal and Bhutan were neither historic nor a breakthrough," said Rachael Reilly, refugee policy advisor at Human Rights Watch (HRW). "The bilateral talks have ignored the concerns of the international community and failed to provide a solution for the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. Donor countries must insist on the full involvement of the international community in solving the refugee crisis." The coalition of NGOs - Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Habitat International Coalition and the Bhutanese Refugee Support Group - called on donors to urgently convene an international conference involving the two governments, refugee representatives, the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and other relevant UN agencies to devise a comprehensive and just solution to the 12-year-long refugee crisis. More than 100,000 Bhutanese refugees - an estimated one-sixth of the population of Bhutan - have been living in camps in southeastern Nepal since the early 1990s when they were arbitrarily stripped of their nationality and forcibly expelled from Bhutan in one of the largest ethnic expulsions in modern history. In cooperation with UNHCR and other partner agencies, the Lutheran World Federation has provided assistance to the refugees in the camps since the early days of the crisis. After years of stalemate, the governments of Bhutan and Nepal in March 2001 agreed to conduct a pilot screening of the refugees in Khudunabari camp, which houses 12,000 refugees, to determine their identities and eligibility to return to Bhutan. The refugees were divided into four categories: Category I - bona fide Bhutanese citizens (3% of the refugees); Category II - refugees who supposedly "voluntarily" migrated from Bhutan (70% of the refugees); Category III - non-Bhutanese (24% of the refugees); Category IV - refugees who have committed "criminal" acts, including those who participated in so-called "anti-national" pro-democracy activities in Bhutan (3% of the refugees). In August, a group of NGO representatives visited Khudunabari camp as part of a joint international mission to Nepal and India. The mission expressed grave concern about flaws in the screening process as it excludes UNHCR, fails to comply with international human rights and refugee standards, and risks leaving tens of thousands of refugees stateless. The mission also identified the refugees' key concerns regarding repatriation to Bhutan. These include guarantees of safety and security, full citizenship rights, and return to original homes and properties for refugees returning to Bhutan. None of these conditions was addressed by the latest round of talks, said the NGOs. The NGOs had hoped that the 15th round of bilateral talks would answer some of the serious concerns about the ongoing screening of the Bhutanese refugees and plans for their repatriation. The two governments look set to repeat all the mistakes of the initial screening in Khudunabari camp," said Peter Prove, Assistant to the LWF General Secretary for International Affairs and Human Rights. "None of the fears of the refugees have been properly addressed, and the process could drag on for years, prolonging the suffering of the refugees." In cooperation with UNHCR and other partner agencies, the LWF has provided assistance to the refugees in the camps since the early days of the crisis. In a move criticized by the NGOs, UNHCR announced earlier this month that it would begin phasing out assistance to the refugee camps in the absence of a just and lasting solution by Nepal and Bhutan. The NGOs called on donors to apply new pressure to Nepal and Bhutan and insist the two governments uphold the refugees' rights and allow UNHCR to monitor the repatriation process. "For too long donor governments have offered tacit support to the bilateral process between Nepal and Bhutan," said Eve Lester, refugee coordinator at Amnesty International. "Now they must recognize that this strategy has failed and international efforts are needed to find a comprehensive solution for the refugees." http://www.wfn.org/2003/10/msg00297.html ********************************************************************** 4. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR APPEALS FOR MISSING Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of Ram Hari Kadel and Ram Prasad Tripathi who were arrested by army personnel on 12 and 13 September respectively. Their whereabouts remain unknown. It is not known why the army arrested Ram Hari Kadel and Ram Prasad Tripathi, though it is thought they both may be suspected of involvement with the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist). Relatives of the two men deny that either of them are involved with the Maoists and havewritten to senior members of the Rastriya Prajantra Party (RPP), some of whom are in the current government, to determine their whereabouts. They were given assurances that they would be released. However, to date neither has been located or released. Background Information Amnesty International has been concerned about a deterioration in the human rights situation in Nepal since the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist) launched a "people's war" in February 1996. Reports of human rights abuses by both the security forces and the CPN (Maoist) escalated after the army was mobilized and a state of emergency imposed between November 2001 and August 2002. Many people were arrested under the 2002 Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Control and Punishment) Act (TADA), which gave the security forces the power to arrest without warrant and detain suspects in police custody for up to 90 days. Scores of people are reported to have been held for weeks or even months in illegal detention in army custody without access to their families, lawyers or a doctor. In 2002 Nepal recorded the highest number of 'disappearances' of any country in the world. The CPN (Maoist) are also reported to have abducted scores of people.On 29 January 2003 both sides agreed to a cease-fire. Three rounds of peace talks were held - in April, May and August - between the government and representatives of the CPN (Maoist). The CPN (Maoist) had listed among their central demands a round table conference, the formation of an interim government and elections to a constituent assembly to draft a new Constitution. The CPN (Maoist) announced they were withdrawing from the cease-fire agreement on 27 August. Since then fighting between the two sides has resumed throughout the country, and Amnesty International has received reports of human rights abuses committed by both sides in the conflict. In particular there has been a rise in the number of 'disappearances' by the security forces and abductions by the CPN (Maoist). RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English or your own language:- expressing concern for the safety of Ram Hari Kadel and Ram Prasad Tripathi: - urging the authorities to make public their whereabouts, grant them immediate access to their relatives, lawyers and any medical attention he may require; - calling upon the authorities to guarantee that they will not be subjected to torture or ill-treatment while in custody; - calling for their immediate and unconditional release, unless they are to be charged with a recognizable criminal offence. APPEALS TO: Brigadier General B A K Sharma Head, Army Human Rights Cell Army Headquarters Kathmandu, Nepal Fax: 977 1 4 229 451/ 226 292 General Pyar Jung Thapa Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Army Headquarters Kathmandu, Nepal Fax: 977 1 4 242 168 ********************************************************************** 5. EXPEDITIONS TO PAKISTAN BOUNCE BACK, PEAK FEES STAY AT 50% >From American Alpine Club online newsletter, Oct 2003 Reports from Pakistan indicate that climbing expeditions to the country have begun to bounce back to pre-9/11 levels this year due to discounted peak fees and diminished fears of violence in the region. According to Nazir Sabir Expeditions, 56 climbing expeditions visited Pakistan in 2003, including six to K2 and five to Nanga Parbat. This is up from 29 expeditions last year though still down from the all-time high of 70 expeditions in 2001. Most of the expeditions reportedly are from Japan, Europe and Oceania; expeditions by North Americans remain below previous levels. The 50 percent reduction in peak fees, initially instituted in 2002 to celebrate the International Year of the Mountains, will continue for a third year as Pakistan celebrates the golden jubilee of K2's first ascent in 2004. Two Italian expeditions are scheduled to climb K2 simultaneously from Pakistan and China to celebrate the anniversary.The golden jubilee of Nanga Parbat's first ascent, originally scheduled for 2003 but postponed due to the Iraq conflict, also will be celebrated next year. ********************************************************************** 6. TANZANIA AIMS TO BOOST COFFEE TRADE Tanzania hopes that fresh investment will boost its flagging coffee industry. Nestling in the rolling foothills of Africa's tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, are miles and miles of coffee bushes planted in neat rows. This is the centre of Tanzania's coffee industry and it is not difficult to see why. The rich soil, good humidity, sufficient rainfall and correct temperatures make for perfect cultivation conditions, but despite all that, over the last thirty years the coffee industry in Tanzania has been in terminal decline. Now the industry is hoping to reverse that trend by world by embarking on an ambitious project to replace around 200 million bushes across the country. Leading producer It's hoped that in the next ten years Tanzania may become one of the leading coffee producers in the world. There is a lot of catching up to do. Tanzania produces between 40-50,000 metric tonnes of coffee a year, making it only the sixth largest coffee producer in Africa after Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya. The government wants to double Tanzania's output, but that will happen only after the entire coffee bush stock is replaced. The organization behind this huge task is the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (Tacri), an institute which was set up in September 2001 to kick-start the industry. Twahir Nzallawahe, Tacri's head of research, said it is a drastic but necessary move. "The coffee bushes which are growing in Tanzania are very susceptible to disease, especially leaf rust and coffee berry disease. "In some cases, farmers have lost up to 90% of their crop as a result of theses diseases, so we are trying to find new varieties of disease resistant coffee bushes. "When we have found the best varieties we will attempt to replant every bush in the country," he told the BBC. Small producers The diseases, of course, affect bushes across Africa, but what makes Tanzania's industry so vulnerable is the fact that 90% of coffee production comes from smallholders who cannot afford the costly pesticides and fertilizers which are used on large estates in other coffee producing countries. Augustino Kishumba is one of around 400,000 smallholders in Tanzania. His 20 acre farm is buried deep in the lush vegetation in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. Towering banana trees jostle for space with cassava plants, flowers and a new variety of coffee bush developed by Tacri. The branches of his coffee bushes are laden with the bright red berries from which coffee beans are harvested, showing that this particular variety is flourishing. "These bushes grow well and have a higher yield than the ones I grew before. So far they have not caught any disease, so I am confident that I will be able to make money," Mr Kishumba said. Searching for profits Over the past few years, making money is something that has not been easy for coffee farmers, large and small, wherever they are in the world. Coffee prices have been at historically low levels, driving many smallholders in Tanzania to subsistence farming or to grow other more profitable crops like flowers. The price of coffee is not an issue that worries Tacri's Twahir Nzallawahe. "This is a long-term project as we plan to oversee the replanting of around five million bushes a year. "So hopefully by 2010 when we are hoping to produce 100,000 metric tonnes of coffee a year, the price will have improved," he says. Trump card Tanzania also has a trump card in that it is one of only three coffee producing countries in the world which grows Colombian Mild, which is a highly prized Arabica bean; the other two are Kenya and Colombia. "Arabica is a finer coffee bean than the more common Robusta variety and as a result it gets a better price on the world market. So even if we do not produce as much coffee as Cote d'Ivoire or Cameroon, we can still have a highly profitable industry," says Mr Nzallawahe. There is clearly a lot of work to do before that vision becomes a reality. The demand from Tanzania's two biggest export markets, Germany and Japan is strong, but that demand will only be met once Tanzania has replaced its ailing stock of pest-prone coffee bushes. http://www.tanserve.com/news/media/national.html ********************************************************************** 7. WFP APPEALS FOR HELP FOR TANZANIA DROUGHT VICTIMS The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has appealed to the international community for $17 million to help feed nearly 2 million people battling to stave off the effects of severe drought in central and northern Tanzania. More than half of Tanzania's 34 million people live on less than USD1 per day. Compared to a normal year, food and cash crop production in the drought-affected areas has fallen by 30 to 50 per cent, seriously damaging the food security and incomes of the poorest farmers who depend almost entirely on subsistence agriculture. Some districts have recorded crop losses of more than 70 per cent of normal production, a statement issued by WFP yesterday said. "Already, the drought has caused livestock prices to tumble while maize prices have been steadily rising since August, when usually at this time of the year, maize prices are at their lowest level," said Nicole Menage, the WFP Country Director, in a statement. Food shortages, affecting all major food staples, have been caused by below normal and poorly dispersed rainfall in the 2002/03 agricultural season. The government is subsidizing grain sales until the end of next month. This will benefit those fortunate enough to have income, savings or other coping mechanisms such as the sale of livestock. "WFP's assistance will dovetail with the government's action plan to feed the most vulnerable people between December and the end of the March next year," Menage said. "However, we only have a small window of opportunity in which to get food aid positioned in time for the leanest months to support those worst affected by the drought." Compounding the effects of the drought is the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which has played a significant role in reducing Tanzania's agricultural productivity as well as undermining the coping strategies of affected populations. Tanzania has an adult HIV prevalence rate of about 12 per cent and there are more than 800,000 children who have been orphaned by AIDS, according to the statement. WFP plans to feed 2 million people over a six-month period starting in December, by providing 45,000 tons of food, it said. Maize is the staple food in Tanzania, but production levels have been adversely affected in recent years by a series of drought and floods. This has made thousands of households vulnerable to food insecurity. To help address the issues, it said, WFP had joined forces with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to provide seeds to all those receiving food aid, thereby creating a "food for farming" package that would help optimize production levels in the next farming season. http://www.tanserve.com/news/media/national.html ********************************************************************* 8. ANTI-AMERICAN DRINK HITS KENYAN MARKET A soft drink, largely aimed at cashing in on anti-American sentiments around the world, has hit the Kenyan market. Launched mid last week, Mecca-Cola, which will be produced by Softa Bottling Company (SBC), is expected to rival the giant multinational, Coca-Cola, in the Kenyan market. >From its plant base in the Capital City of Nairobi, the soft drink is destined to extend its market share very soon to Tanzania. Marketing officials at SBC hope to start a similar plant in Tanzania in the very near future. The Tanzanian market, they claim, is strategic for Mecca-Cola partly because of its proximity to Kenya and the relatively higher population of Muslims. Named after a Holy City among the Muslims that also serves as an annual destination for pilgrims, the Mecca-Cola soft drink has almost everything to do with Islam. According to the French entrepreneur behind the drink, he hopes Mecca-Cola will be the soft drink of choice to all Muslims and thus push out of market Coca-Cola that is believed to be the American icon of capitalism. Little wonder, its launching ceremony in Nairobi was presided over by a Muslim Cabinet Minister, Mr Najib Balala, whose docket is not even Trade, Finance or Labour but in fact Gender and Sports! Also in attendance were several Muslim leaders from across the country and foreign envoys from Islamic nations including Saudi Arabia. Currently the drink is sold in Europe, Middle East and in North African countries. It is particularly popular in Senegal and Egypt. Kenya serves as the drink's entry point into the East and Central African region. Indeed, the anti-American feelings and sentiments are high in the country for the Mecca-Cola bottlers and distributors to effectively cash in on. In fact some Islamic preachers say they will proclaim as fuatwa (a religious decree) the drinking of Mecca-Cola by all Kenyan Muslims. Currently, SBC enjoys a market share of 20 per cent of the soft drinks in Kenya and hopes to automatically win over an extra estimated six million Muslims of the 30 million Kenyans as customers. http://www.tanserve.com/news/media/national.html ********************************************************************** 9. GLOBAL WARMING AFFECTS MOUNTAINS NEAR AND FAR From American Alpine Club online newsletter, Oct 2003 The past summer's record heat wave in Europe brought significant attention to the impact of global warming on mountains worldwide, while recent research shows climate change is having a mixed impact on glaciers in California. As we mentioned in the August issue of E-News, more than 70 people had to be evacuated from the Matterhorn after massive rock avalances swept down several of the mountain's faces during a record heat wave. The event could not have been better timed for political impact as it occurred in mid-July on the eve of the International Permafrost Association's quadrennial conference in Zurich, Switzerland. In late August, Mount Blanc was unofficially closed by the Office de Haute Montagne due to high rockfall danger caused by the retreating snowline. Though rockfall is common on the peak, melting permafrost caused ice holding rocky portions of the mountain to shrink, which fueled large rockslides all over the mountain. Research by Swiss glaciologist Bruno Messerli indicates that in the 130 years leading up to 1980, alpine glaciers lost half of their pre-1850 volume; a further 25 percent of the pre-1850 volume was lost in the 20 years between 1980 and 2000. "There will still be a bit of the 23km [14-mile]Aletsch glacier left at the end of the century, because it is 900m [2,952 feet] deep in places," Messerli was quoted as saying on the UNESCO website. "But a lot of other areas will disappear." Ohio State University's Lonnie Thompson claims that Kilimanjaro has lost 82 percent of its permafrost since 1912-fully 33 percent of this in the past two decades-and will be snow free by 2015 if current predictions are maintained. Closer to home, the glaciers of California are showing mixed impacts due to climate change. According to a report in the "Los Angeles Times," several Sierra Nevada glaciers have retreated substantially since early 1990, including the Darwin Glacier near Bishop and the Lyell Glacier in Yosemite National Park. However, all seven of the glaciers on Mount Shasta, including the three-mile-long Whitney, the state's longest, are actually growing due to increased precipitation. Three of the glaciers have doubled in size since 1950. However, this glacial advance on Mount Shasta may be a temporary phenomenon that reverses once the increased warming overcomes the increased precipitation. ********************************************************************** INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN EXPLORERS CONNECTION UPDATES ********************************************************************* 10. CHRIS BOSKOFF TO PRESENT SLIDE SHOW FOR IMEC FUNDRAISER Join us on December 11, 2003 at the Boulder Public Library at 7PM for an IMEC fundraiser. Chris Boskoff, owner of Mountain Madness, will present a slide show of her Himalayan adventures. Scott Dimetrosky and Amanda Daflos will also present slides and video about IMEC projects in Nepal and Africa. The event will include a drawing for great door prizes. Look for more information in November. ********************************************************************* 11.IMEC IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS FOR BOULDER OFFICE IMEC is in search of two volunteers to help the Boulder staff launch several new projects. If you live in the Boulder area and are interested in volunteering up to 20 hours a month, please email Amanda at amanda@hec.org or call 303-998-0101. ********************************************************************* 12. IMEC IN SEARCH OF KILIMANJARO OFFICE STAFF Position available with International Mountain Explorers Connection to manage Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (beginning March 2004). Duties include managing Porter Assistance Project office in Moshi, Tanzania and field offices in other areas. Will manage clothing stock, provide clothing forecasts, evaluate program status, manage budgets, develop new projects in new locations, hire and manage local staff. Applicant should be fluent in Swahili, highly motivated and energetic. We are seeking a creative individual who is reliable and able to work on their own in remote areas. Applicant must have previous experience in Tanzania, be committed to living in Tanzania for at least one year, and have experience in the development or eco-tourism industries. Computer knowledge a plus. Send your resume to Amanda at Amanda@hec.org if you are interested. ********************************************************************* 13. IMEC PORTER ASSISTANCE PROJECT Nepal The Nepal office has seen a sharp increase in activity as the trekking season is now underway. Over 60 porters have been outfitted in the last month. Local companies continue to sign up as members, paying a small annual fee in support of the equipment resources offered to them. Recent members include Africa As the summer Kilimanjaro climbing season winds down, the Kilimanjaro Porter Assistance Project has shifted attention from loaning equipment to sponsoring English language and first aid classes. In the last week alone there were 77 porter visits for English language classes and 32 porter visits for first aid classes. Peter Ling, Angelina Morgan, and Zamoyoni Selestine continue to do a great job in expanding the project. Clothing Couriers - Porters for Porters If your planning to be in Nepal, Africa or Peru and can carry an extra bag of supplies or clothing for the Porter Assistance Project, please contact us. We have a generous supply of clothing stored in Oregon/Washington and Colorado and can arrange for pick-ups. Contact Ken Stober at ken@hec.org or Amanda Daflos at amanda@hec.org. ********************************************************************** 14. IMEC AND THE EVEREST BASE CAMP CLINIC NEED YOUR HELP! The International Mountain Explorers Connection (www.hec.org) and the Everest Base Camp Clinic (www.BaseCampMD.com)are partnering to raise money to purchase two Oxygen Concentrators. These concentrators, first used this year at the Everest Base Camp Clinic to help porters, guides, and climbers needing oxygen in case of illness relating to altitude. The oxygen concentrators allow patients much needed oxygen without the need of carrying, storing and refilling oxygen bottles. This portable device runs on batteries and can be charged through solar cells thus allowing it to work in the most remote areas. Except for descending, additional oxygen is instrumental to the initial treatment and stabilization of patients with serious altitude sickness. One oxygen concentrator will be used at the Everest Base Camp Clinic which was set up last year to help treat patients at Everest Base Camp.The second oxygen concentrator will be used at the new Machermo Porter Rescue Post that was opened by the International Porter Protection Group (www.ippg.net) Both clinics provide fee-based first aid to climbers and trekkers, any money raised goes to provide first aid and care to porters, guides, and locals. In the spring of 2003, the Machermo Porter Rescue Post treated 92 patients, 50 were porters, 21 trekkers and 21 were locals or guides. We need to raise $3000 for each concentrator and we need your help. If you, your company, an organization would like to help, please send tax-deductible donations to IMEC. Pleease specify that it is for the Nepal oxygen concentrator project. Thank you in advance for your support. ********************************************************************** MEMBER POSTINGS ********************************************************************** 15a. Looking for help identifying this quote, or something similar to it. It may be Rick Ridgeway. "there are places in the world that when you see them for the first time they change your life forever." Please email repyke@infionline.net 15b. Indian Himalaya Recommendations: I am planning to trek in Nepal in October and November. If the security and safety situation worsens, I want to have a backup plan for exploring the Himalayas. If anyone has been traveling or trekking in the Indian Himalaya, either east (Darjeeling area, Sikkim) or west (Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal), I would enjoy knowing about the places you visited, and your recommendations and experiences. I am getting an Indian visa before I leave as I plan to travel there after Nepal. Please email: wbur@ix.netcom.com 15c. Local Guides, Annapurna and Everest areas? I plan to teahouse trek in the Annapurna area and the Everest area, and to hire a local guide for each trek, preferably one who speaks some English and knows the local area well (to make it an enriching cultural experience as well as an outdoor adventure.) I know there are many people who provide this service, but I'm looking for personal recommendations. If anyone has names and contact info of local people you hired and trekked with, I would appreciate any info you could share. Please email: wbur@ix.netcom.com ********************************************************************** MONTHLY FEATURES ********************************************************************** 16. INTERNET CONNECTION: HTTP://WWW.PARTYNEPAL.COM With the club culture entering Nepal from the west, "more and more people have started to go out and look for the parties." This site gives a taste of the clubbing scene in Nepal. ********************************************************************** 17. UPCOMING EVENTS THREE CUPS OF TEA: CROSS-CULTURAL LESSONS FROM THE KARAKORAM, BOULDER, CO, NOVEMBER 6, 2003 Through insightful commentary and stunning photography, Greg will share his extraordinary journey in a decade-long effort to assist indigenous mountain communities with educational and environmental projects. Held at Neptune Mountaineering, Nov 6, 2003, 8PM INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER DAY, DECEMBER 5, 2003 Every 5 December, International Volunteer Day (IVD) is celebrated; promoting volunteerism worldwide and drawing global attention to the work of volunteers. As part of this year's IVD preparations, the WorldVolunteerWeb.org site launched a new and highly interactive IVD web section. It hosts a vast information pool, which will provide volunteer organizations from around the globe more resources to help them plan their own national events. Learn more at http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/ivd IMEC PRESENTS CHRIS BOSKOFF, BOULDER, CO, DEC. 11, 2003 Join IMEC for our annual fundraising event in Boulder, Colorado. See Chris Boskoff of Mountain Madness present an exciting slide show and answer questions about her adventures. Event will take place on December 11th and promises to be an exciting evening of Nepali food and fun. For more information and tickets, email Amanda@hec.org or call 303-998-0101. HIMALAYAN LANGUAGE SYMPOSIUM, MYSORE, INDIA, DEC 9-12, 2003 The Himalayan Languages Symposium is an annually meeting, open forum for scholars of Himalayan languages. The Himalayan Languages Symposium serves as a podium for contributions on any language of the greater Himalayan region. Linguists as well as specialists from related disciplines like philology, history, anthropology, archaeology and prehistory are welcome. For more information contact J.C. Sharma at sharma@ciil.stpmy.soft.net or sharmaciil@hotmail.com. THE GREAT HIMALAYAS: CLIMATE, HEALTH, ECOLOGY, MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION, KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY, NEPAL, Jan 12-15,2004 Sponsored by Kathmandu Universtiy, Himalayan Resources Institute and The Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society, the conference will cover several topics that are important to the survival of the Himalayan Ecosystem. For complete details on the conference, visit http://www.aehms.org/hima01.html or email kuhimal@ku.edu.np. AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB ANNUAL MEETING, LAS VEGAS, NV FEB 2004 The 2004 American Alpine Club Annual Meeting is scheduled for the weekend of February 27-28 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino on the famed Vegas Strip. Several speakers have already been confirmed, including Greg Crouch, Tomatsu Nakamura, Roxanna Brock, Erik Weihenmayer and Timmy O'Neil. Look for complete registration information at www.americanalpineclub.org. CLIMB RAINIER WITH ALPINE ASCENTS FOUNDATION AND RAISE FUNDS FOR SHERPA EDUCATION, MT. RAINIER, AUG. 2004 Alpine Ascents Foundation will be holding a sponsored climb of Mt Rainier in August 2004 to raise funds for schooling Sherpa children. Slots are on a first-come first-served basis. Dates (subject to slight change):Climb - Monday August 23rd thru Thursday August 26th 2004. Cost:$5,000 per participant. 80% of total is tax-deductible. Participants may elect to get sponsorship for the climb - (raising money for the climb). www.alpineascents.com/cascades-rainier.asp THE GO ABROAD FAIR, TORONTO, CANADA, OCT 2004 Students have the opportunity to learn about ways to go abroad! For more information see http://www.goabroadfair.ca ********************************************************************** 18. OCTOBER FUN FACT: NEPAL'S FUTURE IS IN THE DUNG HEAP: SHINING LIGHT ON NEPALS CELEBRATION OF LIFE Two weeks after Dasai winds down, Nepalis are gathering second wind for the next big festival: Tihar. This harvest festival is a celebration of life-animals are worshipped instead of slaughtered. Though many of the rituals remain intact, the origins of Tihar are murky. Theories abound that it is most likely rooted in animism associated with ancient harvest festivals. As the story goes, there was once a king whose demise had been foretold. Following the advice of court astrologers, the king lit oil lamps through the night. Death, arriving in the form of a venomous snake, extinguished the flickering light. When the queen went out to appease the snake, he was so flattered, he decided to grant the king a longer life. Humbled, the king decreed a annual festival of lights. Today, the festivities are an elaborate five-day affair. Yama Panchak, as Tihar is also called, began with Kag Tihar on Thursday when crows, who are considered pesky scavengers 364 days a year are worshipped as the vehicle of the God of Death. If unplacated, these messengers of Yama Raj are believed to be harbingers of bad news. Friday, Kathmandu's dogs have their day. It is Kukur Tihar, the day dogs are gods. Even street mongrels sport elaborate marigold necklaces and vermilion on their heads. As Yama Raj's gatekeepers, they ensure the soul's journey to judgement. Goddess Laxmi, guardian of wealth, is venerated on Saturday. Cows, worshipped as her earthly manifestation, are bathed, blessed and the sacred thread of protection is tied to the tail. "On our farms, a cow that gives milk and manure brings wealth, which is probably why they became symbols for Laxmi," explains Saraswati Jirel a self-proclaimed expert on Tihar. Women devote Laxmi Puja to cleaning house and replastering walls and floors with a mixture of rato mato and gobar. Tradition has it that the goddess deigns to visit only the cleanest homes and come evening, its time for oil lamps and leaving the doors open for the goddess and wealth to glide in. Saturday is also the night of women's bhailo songs for blessings, money and sweets. The men have their deosi on Sunday. In the old days perfect strangers would call in at all the big, well-known families but in these troubled times, both bhailo and deosi are restricted to families and close friends. Word has it that groups have to formally register with the police and send out notices to the houses that they intend to visit. Sunday is celebrated by various communities in their own way. Farmers worship their tools and their bull to keep the working animal healthy and safe. Most households perform gobardhan puja on a mound of cow dung which symbolises the mountains, and farmers pray for rain, fertile fields and an abundant harvest. Sunday is also the Newari New Year, which began in 880AD, and the day of Mha Puja when we worship oursleves because each individual is believed to be an embodiment of the divine. Bhaktapur resident Janak Kakshyapati describes the scene in at home on Mha Puja. "My immediate family members sit in a room, each with their individual mandap in front of them for a ceremony which can last for hours. We offer auspicious foods like boiled eggs and fish, fruit and decorations, first to the mandap, then to ourselves." This ritual of self-purification is performed in the same room as other family members, becoming a ritual that celebrates individualism, while strengthening kinship within families. On Monday is Bhai Tika, the day sisters and brothers bless each other with long life and happiness symbolised by long multicolour tikas and chrysanthemum garlands. It is also a time for siblings to offer each other presents. In the past decade or so, Nepali Tihars have begun to take on shades of India's Dipawali. While purists frown on the old ways not remaining sacrosanct, the kernel will survive and continue because Nepalis are resilient and hopeful. This Tihar, all over the country, the lamps that are lit will also be for peace. ********************************************************************** 19. TRAVEL ALERTS AND NEWS General Info: http://travel.state.gov/ http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html http://www.fco.gov.uk Nepal: http://www.crisisweb.org/home/index.cfm?id=2328&l=1 http://www.thenepaldigest.org http://www.kantipuronline.com http://www.nepalnews.com http://www.friendsofnepal.com/index.cfm http://nepalnews.net/ Africa: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/eafrica.htm http://www.africasunnews.com http://allafrica.com/tanzania/ http://www.tanserve.com/ http://www.africaonline.com/site/Articles/1,3,393.jsp http://travel.state.gov/tanzania.html Peru: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/default.stm http://www.einnews.com/peru/ http://www.limapost.com ********************************************************************** CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SECTION (UPDATED OCTOBER 2003) ********************************************************************** EDUCATE THE CHILDREN Make a difference in Nepal! Scholarships, literacy classes and more. Work with Educate the Children (ETC), a small, award-winning nonprofit working exclusively in Nepal. See www.etc-nepal.org or contact: info@etc-nepal.org or (607)272-1176. Please join our efforts! NIMA SHERPA: READY AND ABLE TO GUIDE YOU IN NEPAL AND BEYOND! If you are looking for a reliable and professional guide, Nima Sherpa comes highly recommended. For details and information on how to book Nima, contact Eckart Lemberg at 303-499-4455, everestrunner@aol.com. Eckart will provide free slide shows and videos in Colorado of Nima's incredible work and extensive information on how to book Nima for a trek in Nepal. Explore Himalaya offers legendry adventure holidays to all destinations in Nepal, Tibet, Sikkim, and Bhutan. Hard or soft Himalayan treks, mountaineering expeditions, mountain biking, Mt. Kailash pilgrimage and Tibet overland by 4WD Jeep. Special discount for IMEC members. Fax: +977 1 252115, Tel: +977 1 25299 sales@explore-himalaya.com www.explore-himalaya.com Join the International Mountain Explorers Connection in the Himalayas and Africa! In March 2004 Pemba Sherpa leads an Everest trek with Island Peak with an excursion "off the beaten path" to Sewangma. Join Pemba for a climb of Kilimanjaro and African safari in January 2004 and July of 2004. And Pemba will lead a Lhasa-Kathmandu mountain bike adventure in September 2003. Phone: 303-998-0101 info@hec.org NEW INEXPENSIVE HIMALAYAN CLIMBING AND TREKKING with Daniel Mazur. Prices reduced due to recent events. Full service low cost expeditions inside Nepal, Tibet and China: Amadablam, Pumori, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna. Check out our NEWEST "LOW-BUDGET" TOURS: Mustagh-Ata, Cho-Oyu, Everest, Mt Kailash, Tibetan 7000 meter peaks, and 6000 meter trekking peaks in Nepal and Tibet. Phone: 206-329-4107 summitclimb@earthlink.net www.summitclimb.com NEPAL, SIKKIM, BHUTAN & TIBET. Scheduled treks & tours with USA leader of 33 Sierra Club Himalayan trips. From $425. Custom itineraries too. Off-the-beaten track areas. Environmentally sensitive and porter friendly. Peter Owens' Asian Treks. Phone: 800-223-1813 or 510-222-5307 petertrek@worldnet.att.net http://www.instantweb.com/p/peterowens Discover the Himalayas with local expert Pemba Sherpa at Sherpa Ascent International. Mountain bike from Lhasa, Tibet to Kathmandu, September 2004. Proceeds also support IMEC projects. Phone: 888-568-8924 pemba@sherpaascent.com www.sherpaascent.com World of Wonder Adventures, Inc. - The adventure travel specialists that personally take you to the places you've always wanted to go, to do the things you have always wanted to do. Visit our website at http://www.wowadventure.com for upcoming adventures including Everest Base Camp and Mt Kilimanjaro - Africa. 888-4-WOW-FUN wowadventure@earthlink.net ********************************************************************** TRAVEL Himalayan Treasures and Travel. We have seats to Kathmandu all the time. Call us for the best price and best service. We book for many IMEC members and give discounts! Call 800-223-1813 or 510-222-5307. govindsh@himtrek.com http://www.himalayantrekking.com. ********************************************************************** VOLUNTEER/STUDY ABROAD Volunteer Nepal Himalaya offers participants a unique opportunity to teach English in Sherpa villages in the Himalayas, near Mt. Everest. Accommodations are with local families. While not teaching, participants work on community service projects or explore the endless trails and villages of the Khumbu region. For more information, please contact the International Mountain Explorers Connection at info@hec.org or call (303)998-0101. The IMEC Nepal and Kilimanjaro Volunteer Handbooks offer potential volunteers everything they will need to know about volunteering in Nepal and the Kilimanjaro region, including a personal skills assessment, background on the history of foreign assistance, tips for ensuring a worthwhile experience, and information on over many local and foreign organizations that are looking for volunteers. Contact the IMEC at (303)998-0101 or info@hec.org. Explore Himalaya has launched a community service project in Nuwakot, 75km northwest of Kathmandu. We are looking for English and science teachers. We are also seeking support to develop a science laboratory. Please e-mail suman@mail.explore-himalaya.com or visit http://www.explore-himalaya.com/community_service.htm for more information. ********************************************************************** HOW TO POST ON MOUNTAINNET (1) Send your MountatinNet postings to himalayanet@hec.org Be sure to include your membership number in your e-mail. Only members can post on MountainNet. If you've lost your membership card, E-mail the IMEC at info@hec.org. (2) Put your E-mail address at the bottom of your posting. (3) Send responses to postings directly to the author at the address listed. (4) If you receive responses to your posting, please send the moderator (himalayanet@hec.org) a summary if the topic is of general interest so it can be sent it out to all subscribers in the next issue. ********************************************************************** INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN EXPLORERS CONNECTION MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION The International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC) is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks to promote a responsible and sustainable connection between travelers and the people of developing mountain regions of the world. IMEC provides and coordinates education, assistance, and cross-cultural experiences for members, volunteers, trekkers, and local communities. Members can receive e-mail and postal mail, store luggage, use our internet phone to call the U.S. (no cost), and browse through trip reports at our Clubhouses in Kathmandu, Nepal, Islamabad, Pakistan, and Moshi, Tanzania. In addition, members receive discounts with many hotels, restaurants, shops, and travel agents. Members also receive our hardcopy newsletter, Kangri News. Corporate memberships are also available. For more information about the IMEC please contact us at: International Mountain Explorers Connection PO Box 3665 Boulder, CO 80307 Phone: (303)998-0101 Fax: (303)998-1007 info@hec.org http://www.hec.org |
