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Gurkha activists barred from welfare centres

Kathmandu, April 5: Gurkha veterans agitating for equal benefits with their counterparts in the British army have been barred from collecting pensions from 24 welfare centres in the kingdom beginning 1 April. “In response to continued Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organisation (GAESO) activities, I have decided that their committee members and known activists will no longer be allowed to collect their pensions from area welfare centres,” a notice signed by the Military Attaché at the British Embassy Col Mark Dowdle read. “Those who live in areas where payment is not effected from area welfare centres will not be allowed to collect their pensions from pension paying offices and have to arrange payment through a bank,” the same notice said. The GAESO has been agitating for equal pay and pensions for the last six years. Three pension offices are located in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Itahari. The GAESO Thursday called the new arrangement “inconvenient”. Nepalnews.com/br/at

19th session of Parliament prorogued

Kathmandu, April 5: In accordance with the Constitution of Nepal, King Birendra prorogued the winter session of Parliament beginning Thursday evening. Speaker of Lower House Taranath Ranabhat and Chairman Mohammad Mohasin of the Upper House announced the decision in the meetings of the respective Houses Thursday.

The 19th session of Parliament which began on 8 February, 2001 has not seen any regular proceedings except on the opening day due to continued protests and disruption of ht house by opposition parties demanding Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s resignation over his alleged involvement in the Lauda Air scam. The two-month long protests continued today as well. Both Speaker Ranabhat and Chairman Mohasin announced the prorogation of the 19th session at the absence of opposition lawmakers. Two ordinances related to the establishment of the Armed Police Force and creation of five regional administrators have not been approved by the Parliament yet although the government has already appointed officials to these posts. Analysts however say the government with the King’s cooperation could issue fresh ordinances to keep the ones not yet approved active for an additional six months. Nepalnews.com/yl/br/at

No trace of abducted policemen

Kathmandu, April 5: Police have still not been able to find any trace of the 23 policemen abducted by Maoists after they attacked and killed 31 policemen in Rukumkot on Sunday night although they have succeed in digging out bodies of six rebels killed in the same incident from a nearby grave Thursday, police said. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Kathmandu, April 5: In new clashes between police and Maoists, one rebel was shot dead while several others were injured at Laxmipur in Ilam district, east Nepal, Wednesday. Police said the surviving insurgents managed to flee with their injured colleagues.

News reports quoting unidentified Maoists sources confirmed that seven rebels were also killed on Sunday’s attack on Rukumkot. In a statement issued after the attack Maoist strongman Comrade Prachanda said, "The attacks were a historic success reflecting the high quality and ability of the rebels." Meanwhile, a Home Ministry source said security forces have been put on high alert ahead of Friday’s strike call. Nepalnews.com/br/at 

Nepal to open embassy in Copenhagen

Kathmandu, April 5: Nepal has agreed in principle to open an embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark. Visiting Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola conveyed the decision to his Danish counterpart Mogens Lykketoft at a meeting in the Danish capital Wednesday, the Royal Nepalese Embassy in London said. A statement released Wednesday read, "Nepal is opening the embassy in view of the growing ties between the two countries and to make use of the potential to further expand ties in the Scandinavian countries in the years ahead."

The two foreign ministers reviewed bilateral ties and expressed satisfaction at the progress of ongoing cooperation. Bastola met separately with Minister for Development Co-operation Anita Bay Burdeggard and discussed Danish aid in priority sectors like natural resources management, energy, human rights and good governance. Bastola is visiting Denmark and Finland, some of the major aid donors Nepal. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Germany to fund Food Project

Kathmandu, April 5: Germany has agreed to give an additional DM two million equivalent to Rs 67.7 million for the Integrated Food Security Project, a Finance Ministry announcement said. The announcement was made Wednesday after a two-day development cooperation consultation. 

"The Federal Republic of Germany has pledged its continued support for Nepal’s development endeavour," the Finance Ministry said. Both countries agreed to assign programmes in focus areas like health and family planning, promotion of local self-government and civil society and renewable energy. 

Finance Secretary Dr Bimal Koirala headed the Nepali delegation while the German delegation was led by Jochen Kenneweg, head of the South Asian Division, Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development. The next round of talks will be held in February/March 2002. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Pokhara, Komagane to establish sisterly ties

Kathmandu, April 5: Pokhara and Komagane city of Japan will establish sisterly relations on 18 April, an announcement said. A 33- member delegation led by Mayor of Komagane will be arriving in Pokhara in a few days to sign the accord.

Komagane will help Pokhara in city planning and construction of an old people’s home and a maternity hospital. "Exchange of volunteers, construction of a friendship park, a water treatment plant and the establishment of a welfare centre are also in the pipeline," said Mayor Krishna Thapa. In return, Pokhara will provide assistance to Japanese research students and free medical treatment to Japanese visitors. Nepalnews.com/br/at

No trace of abducted Policemen

Kathmandu, April 4: There was still no trace of the 23 policemen abducted by Maoists from a police post in Rukumkot 72 hours after their kidnapping, Home Ministry spokesman Gopendra Bahadur Pandey said Wednesday. Police reinforcements sent to Rukum, 280 kilometers north west of the capital are combing the forests of the district to trace the missing policemen.

The police death toll in a rebel attack on the outpost reached 31 as a body of an abducted policeman was found nearby, officials said. Rebels killed 30 policemen in Rukumkot Sunday in the biggest operation so far in a communist insurgency that entered its sixth year February. Many Maoists were killed and injured in the Rukumkot assault, Pandey said.

Maoists have stepped up attacks on targets ahead of a nation-wide strike Friday to protest what they call police excesses. At least 50 police and rebels were killed Sunday and Monday in
clashes and related developments. Nepalnews.com br

Meetings of both Houses adjourned

Kathmandu, April 4: Meetings of both Houses of Parliament were adjourned until Thursday as opposition parties continued to walk out of the House demanding  the resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. As soon as the meeting of the House of Representatives began, CPN-UML lawmaker Raghuji Pant announced the decision of five opposition parties to boycott Wednesday’s meeting, as “the Prime Minister did not step down as per opposition demand”.

Following the walk out of the opposition parties, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat then adjourned the meeting of the Lower House until Thursday. Similarly, Surendra Pandey of CPN-UML announced, on behalf of all opposition parties, the decision to walk out of the meeting of the National Assembly, Upper House of Parliament. Upper House Chairman Mohammad Mohsin then adjourned the meeting of the Upper House at the absence of opposition lawmakers.

Five opposition parties- CPN-UML, RPP, United People’s Front, National People’s Front and Nepal Majdor and Kisan Party—have been disrupting the House right from the beginning of the 19th session of parliament. Nepal Sadbhavana Party’s lawmakers were conspicuously absent in today’s
meetings of both the Houses.

Opposition parties have accused Prime Minister Koirala of being involved in the controversial deal between Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation and Austrian Lauda Air to lease a jet aircraft for 18 months. They have vowed not to allow parliamentary meetings unless Prime Minister steps down.
Prime Minister has denied any involvement in the deal and said he would not step down under pressure. The 19th session of parliament began almost two months ago. Nepalnews.com/yl

Quake rocks Dolakha

Kathmandu, April 4: A quake measuring 4.53 on the Richter scale rocked Dolakha district 80 km from the capital at 4.53am Wednesday, the Department of Mines and Geology said. The epicentre was around Chilakhe village in the district. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The trembler was also felt in the capital. Nepalnews.com/br/at

5th National Games rescheduled

Kathmandu, April 4:  The 5th National Games that were to be held in the capital from 7-14 May have been rescheduled along with the regional games, National Sports Council Member Secretary Binod Shanker Palikhe said Tuesday. The annual School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations, which will be held during the same dates, is said to be the main cause for the rescheduling. The Council also attributed release of only Rs 9.2 million of the earmarked Rs 20 million for the games by the Finance Ministry as one of the other reasons for the postponement. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Kumari Bank Ltd begins operations

Kathmandu, April 4:  Noor Pratap Rana, chairman of the new Kumari Bank Ltd launched the bank’s operations in the capital Tuesday. The bank has an authorised capital of Rs 1 billion, issued capital of Rs 50 million and a paid up capital of Rs 350 million. The bank currently has 40 employees. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Strike called off

Kathmandu, April 4: The All Nepal National Free Students' Union (ANNFSU) called off this week’s planned protests and strike to press their demands for a 50 percent concession on transport fares for students after the government agreed to give a 33 percent discount for the present, an announcement said. The union affiliated with the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) had planned to disrupt traffic Wednesday and Thursday and called a strike Friday to press their demand. Students will be given rebate on presentation of identification cards.

A meeting of government representatives, students and transport entrepreneurs Tuesday formed a committee to study concessions for students and facilities for transport entrepreneurs and report within one month. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Tourist arrivals up 15.73 percent

Kathmandu, April 4: The Nepal Tourism Board has stated that tourist arrivals by air shot up by 15.73 percent in March compared to the same period last year and that the increase is a "very positive growth". Total arrivals for the first three months of 2001 were 95,550—up from 82,562 the previous year. Arrivals from India jumped by 13.49 percent while arrivals from other countries went up by 62.25 percent. Nepalnews.com/br/at