People, by nature, tend to protect the integrity of the organization they work for. While I would love to do so, I also feel a social obligation to tell the truth.
In March 2008, there was a little commotion on the corridor outside my small office (Foreign Aid Coordination Division, FACD) in the Ministry of Forests (MFSC). It was comparable to times when forestry officials, particularly the District Forest Officers (DFOs), congregated to lobby around the ministry premises in the hope of getting favorable postings. This time, the concern was different. It was to do with ministerial nominations to attend the 22nd session of FAO’s Asia and Pacific Forest Commission (APFC): a mega event scheduled in Hanoi the following month. The next day, all was quiet. Scores of people, including the Minister of Forests and Soil Conservation Matrika Prasad Yadav, Secretary, and DG (Department of Forests) were nominated for the trip. [break]
When I found that the theme of the convention (Role of Forests in Changing World) was pertinent to my current assignment at the ministry I wondered if I was one of the lucky nominees. Unfortunately not! Tempted by the potential value of the workshop, I started looking for other options to attend the event. Thanks to a donor supported project, I was able to, though not in the capacity of a government nominee.
I was impressed by the Vietnamese hosts throughout the convention. The hospitality, service efficiency, and logistic arrangements were flawless. I felt pampered when smart and cheerful ladies honored me with badges for having been the first to register at the conference. Over 1,000 people from 33 countries of Asia Pacific Region were attending. I have reason to believe that every one of them felt as if they were given a special treatment. I could not help wondering how a war-torn country could host such a huge event so smoothly.
As envisaged by our event organizers, Minister Yadav was among the ones to give keynote address at the convention. Once he was in Hanoi, he wanted to look at the key-note address he was supposed to deliver. But alas! The text was prepared in English rather than in Nepali, which he preferred. One smart INGO participant from Nepali team managed to translate it under severe time constraint.
Early on the inauguration day, the minister had reached the convention center in our company. Confusion abounded, however, when we found that the organizers were not even aware of his participation, let alone allocating him a slot for keynote speech! To our surprise, the opening address was actually earmarked for Vietnam’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phet. Likewise, keynote slots were allocated to famed ecologist Norman Myres and Social Activist Sunita Narain. Consequently, our honorable minister was requested to sit in the front row with the audience, which did not sit comfortably with him. Humiliated, he decided to leave the place. The Department of Forests had to follow him almost by default. Apparently, the minister wanted to fly back immediately to Nepal, but difficulties with ticket formalities stopped him from taking this bizarre decision. The accompanying ICIMOD personnel succeeded in arranging some in-country visits for the minister instead, presumably by speaking to Vietnamese officials.
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At an important session that discussed illegal logging, I was sitting with my senior K Shrestha at the back bench. Shrestha had presumably decided to stay there because he believed his seniors would qualify for the front benches. I, on the other hand, chose it because I was not among the official nominees. However, we quickly realized that the seats allocated to Nepal were vacant, in contrast to those of other nations.
Awkward as it was, Shrestha gestured that I should move to the front in one of the seats set aside for Nepali delegation. I complied, despite some misgivings. The other delegates would whisper and sometimes even leave their chairs to discuss confidential country issues with each other. I had neither done any homework, nor was there anyone with whom I could share information. I simply followed my instinct when I had to intervene on behalf of the country. I remember emphasizing generic matters such as: “despite our success in rejuvenating forests in the hills, problems still exist in the High-hills and Tarai” and “Attributable problems were associated with confusion and governance crisis.” I honestly cannot say if I did justice to the topic. But I was glad when M Joshi (a forester from Nepal currently working for the UN) said I was doing all right.
After the workshop concluded and we reached Hanoi Airport, we found why Nepal desk had been vacant. A top official from the Nepali delegation was showing his colleagues the photos he had taken on his cruise in Ha Long Bay—probably the most attractive tourist destination in Vietnam. Evidently, his primary purpose of attending the seminar was to enjoy the trip rather than to contribute to the convention on behalf of his country. It was even more shocking that among those he was bragging to was my boss—the secretary who was eagerly listening to every word. He did not say a word in rebuttal, but instead regretted not making the best use of his time as well. My embarrassment probably climaxed when the Bhutanese participants conversant with Nepali language smiled knowingly at each other when they heard our discussion. It became apparent that we are a long way from making our participation at international conferences productive and engaging.
The author is former Joint Secretary, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation
baraljc@yahoo.com
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