NE - Nepalese readers not amused with goat sacrificing airline

[Guest guest]

Letters can be send to prateek and narayan

 

 

*Nepalese readers are not amused when NAC sacrifices goats in order to solve

technical problems.*

 

http://kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php? & nid=121644

 

*Letters to the editor

*

 

*That's Murphy's law

 

*The sacrifice of goats as an offering to Akash Bhairav, the god of sky by

NAC staff is too shameful to be true. NAC can neither buy a single Boeing

nor can it maintain the condition of a rented Boeing. A machine requires

regular check-ups and maintenance. Sacrificing innocent goats forgetting the

norms of a machine is very ridiculous.

 

This is the 21st century. Such activities can be taken as normal if it were

a traditional religious group instead of NAC. Every Nepali knows that the

Boeing 747 became grounded due to the ignorance of NAC and the government. I

wonder how the NAC staff managed to fetch their engineering degrees.

 

Rudra Prasad Poudel

 

Chitwan

===========

 

NAC and its aging planes—and, of course, its corroded management—have become

the recipes for spicy and hot news these days. While the general public is

concerned about the fate of our only pride, the government, on the other

hand, is not even concerned on addressing the situation or on rectifying the

pathetic state of the Corporation. The party politics played within the four

walls of the office itself have marred the reputation of the airlines even

further and added to the disgrace of how the airline has been managed and

operated.

 

At present, the whole establishment has become the topic of mockery and

charade of everyday conversations and an unbearable embarrassment to the

loyal and sincere employees of the company. Even the general populace who

are not all illiterate can figure out the problem plaguing the airlines.

 

And now the staff are acting in desperation: the hypocrisy of sacrificing

innocent goats to rectify a technical problem. This is totally absurd and

laughable. Why can't these people realize that they are not fooling others

but themselves?

 

Top-notch executive, the MD, who does not have the moral courage to speak

out, is shamelessly sitting on the hot seat without the feeling of remorse

for not addressing the situation and the carrier's safety issues. It is

highly unprofessional on his part and he should be sacked from his post at

once.

 

Whatever the reason, one thing for sure is that the carrier needs to go

through a thorough check-up. The government, too, must stop interfering with

its managements and convert it into a private company by permitting it to

sell its shares, especially among its staff members, private companies and

individuals. As Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh

rightly puts it, " Business shouldn't be the government's business. It should

be in the hands of private sectors which generate revenues, jobs and

services to the people. "

 

Sheela C Rana

 

Kathmandu

===========

 

The picture (TKP, Sept 4), which captured the sacrifice of goats openly

under a Boeing 757 at the international airport by the NAC officials praying

the god to free the plane from the jinx so that it could resume flying to

international destinations, is unpleasant.

 

The superstitious act is ridiculous and is neither scientific nor is

supported by any divine scripture. It is a pity that NAC is left with only

one Boeing jet which remains grounded all the time. On the other hand, take

for instance, Thai Airways, established in the same year as NAC, has become

one of the world's best international airlines.

 

It may be a point of caution that the news of animal sacrifice for avoiding

jinx associated with the aircraft may damage international image of NAC, as

it may have adverse implication among people who are not familiar with the

Nepali culture or even dislike sacrifice of animals in the pretext of

correcting technical flaws, and may therefore not prefer to fly aboard NA

carrier.

 

Instead of sacrificing animals, the benevolent god, who is omnipresent,

omniscient and omnipotent, would like to see 'commitment and hard work' as

well as 'effective and efficient management system' which can only free NA

from the so-called jinx infecting its aircraft or progress.

 

It could be quite beneficial for NAC to thoroughly diagnose inherent

technical as well as management flaws and apply 'total quality management' –

an effective management tool applied widely in every development sector,

including service industry.

 

Let us hope, the NAC authority, including the concerned government

department overseeing its affairs, will correct anomalies impeding the

progress of NAC in time, or else privatize it to let flourish its business

in the local as well as international market of air services.

 

Niranjan Mani Dixit

 

Kathmandu

 

===========

 

I must thank and congratulate TKP and the photographer for the picture of

goat sacrifice to NAC Boeing plane, which I have been waiting to see for

more than twenty-five years.

 

It was in 1978, I with my wife and two little kids was going to Darjeeling

to celebrate Dashain. When we reached TIA, we were stunned by the scene of

the airport. The hangar was reddened with blood. The blood stains clearly

indicated that after slaughtering the goats the bodies of the goats were

dragged around the planes. Pieces of meat with hair from goat's neck were

stuck like tika at the front part of the planes. I did not have camera with

me. Even if I had one, I guess, I would not have been allowed to take

pictures.

 

When I came out of the airport and hired a taxi to get into the city I saw

almost all taxis were smeared with blood. It was quite a new experience for

me.

 

Despite increased level of awareness and education, this blind tradition has

not decreased. People have started sacrificing animals even to the

computers! It is not because they believe in this blind faith, but because

they need some pretext to celebrate and eat. As Nepali saying goes: Dhunga

rato, pet tato [Coloring stone (idol of deity) and filling stomach].

 

The picture will certainly open eyes of thousands of Nepalis and help

understand why we are so backward. The picture shows to the world how far we

are from the 21st century. The world community got a solid proof about how

peace-loving people we are!

 

Vinaya Kasajoo

 

Kathmandu

*Fuss over a non-issue

 

*Congratulations on publishing the picture that portrays the NAC engineers

" appeasing the god of sky " . I suppose the Post will also publish pictures of

the people sacrificing goats and cocks to our vehicles next month on

Dashain. In our culture we give sacrifices to shakti deities and have been

doing so for centuries. We offer sacrifices to our cars and motorcycles. So,

what's the big deal when we give sacrifice to Lord Bhairav, the god of sky?

 

We all know that NAC is riddled with incompetence and corruption. Instead of

reporting on that why are you making a fuss over a non-issue?

 

What happened after that day? Who will follow up? Did the NAC engineers just

stop working and left it to the God to take care of the technical problem? I

suppose not. Is the plane now flying or is it still grounded?

 

I am more worried at the appalling state of the security at TIA. If the

photographer were a terrorist in disguise, things would be much different. I

think the media should concentrate on real news.

 

I believe all those people who are protesting against the sacrifice, will

not hesitate to give sacrifice on Dashain.

 

Shekhar Basnet

 

Lalitpur

 

 

--

Lucia de Vries

Freelance Journalist

Bagdol, Patan, Nepal

Wijk 4-47, 8321 GE Urk, Holland

 

 

 

--

Lucia de Vries

Freelance Journalist

Bagdol, Patan, Nepal

Wijk 4-47, 8321 GE Urk, Holland