NTC turns into private company

Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC), the country's biggest and the most profitable public enterprise, has turned into a company from Tuesday, April 13, 2004, reports said.

The privatisation of the NTC has taken place in accordance with the government's plan of gradually handing over public enterprises to private hands.

The NTC will now be called Nepal Telecommunication Private Limited, The Rising Nepal said. But even after becoming a company, it will continue to run as a government entity until its shares are floated by year-end, the daily said.

The NTC has a total asset of Rs.25 billion, and it had made a profit of Rs.2 billion last fiscal year and a profit of Rs.1.74 billion the previous year. nepalnews.com pd Apr 13 04

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Nepalis celebrating 'Naya Barsa 2061 B.S'

Nepalis in and outside Nepal are celebrating the Naya Barsa (New Year) 2061 B.S., on Monday (last day of 2060 B.S.) and on Tuesday (Baisakh 1 or first day of 2061 B.S.) amid cheers and reunions. 

Nepalis observe two New Years every year - one, the Julian New Year on January 1 and the other the traditional New Year based on Bikram Sambat (B.S.) calendar.

In Nepal, the traditional New Year is more popular, as most of the Nepalis use the Bikram Sambat calendar in their day-to-day businesses. It is also the official calendar of all government offices.

On Monday night, large crowds of people were seen sharing light moments at different restaurants, bars and popular destinations in Kathmandu. Reports from major cities like Pokhara, Dharan, Biratnagar and Nepalgunj, among others, say that the New Year celebrations are now in full swing in those parts of the country.

As usual, Nepalnews.com has expectations that reports of New Year celebrations by Nepalis living abroad would start pouring in within the next few hours or days. nepalnews.com mr Apr 13 04

His Majesty's message on New Year's eve

Beloved countrymen,

On the auspicious occasion of the advent of the New Year 2061, we extended our best wishes to all Nepalese, living in the country and aboard, for happiness, good health, and prosperity.

It's clear that peace and security are the Nepalese people's prime desire as well as the nation's necessity. Since realizing the people's aspiration is of paramount importance in a democracy, fulfilling this desire and activating, at the earliest, a representative from of governance in accordance with the norms and values of multiparty democracy must now be at the top of our national agenda. Highest priority must, therefore, be accorded to the creation of an environment wherein the governance of the country can be handed over to elected representatives by initiating elections to the House of Representatives within the current year 2061. All those who have faith in multiparty democracy must be able to participate in these polls without let or hindrance.

Any issue can be resolved with patriotism as the meeting point and acceptance of the people's verdict expressed through free and fair elections. Therefore, to ensure that the New Year 2061 is made beneficial in the overall interest of the nation and people, all those who believe in these ideals must pledge to uphold our positive culture of understanding and consensus, pursuing a way of life that is both constructive and democratic. Let us make 2061 a meaningful year in the well being of the country and people; let us make it a year of peace.

May Lord Pashupatinath bless us all!
Jay Nepal !

Polls on top of priorities: King

King Gyanendra, in his New Year 2061 BS message to the nation on Tuesday, has said that the top priority must be accorded to the creation of an atmosphere where parliamentary polls could be held.

"The highest priority must be accorded to the creation of an environment wherein the governance of the country could be handed over to the elected representatives by initiating elections to the House of Representatives within 2061 BS," the King said, according to RSS.

The King said that all those who have faith in multiparty democracy must be able to participate in these polls without let or hindrance, the national news agency (RSS) added.

"Peace and security are the prime desire of Nepalese people as well as the nation's necessity," the King said. "....people's aspiration is of paramount importance in a democracy." Fulfilling this desire, the King said, polls were necessary.

"Any issue can be resolved with patriotism as the meeting point and acceptance of the people's verdict expressed through free and fair elections," the King said.

"All those who believe in these ideals must pledge to uphold our positive culture of understanding and consensus, pursuing a way of life that is both constructive and democratic." 

Full text of the King's message

nepalnews.com mr Apr 13 04

Blast kills three civilians in Jajarkot

Three members of a Dalit family were killed as explosives left carelessly by the Maoists went off inside a house at Paachkatia VDC, Jajarkot on Sunday. 

Reports said Narsingh Nepali, 28, Kali Bahadur Nepali, 16, and 6-year-old Kishor Nepali were killed in the blast. A 2-year-old child who was severely injured is undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The Maoists had left a container filled with explosives a few weeks earlier, saying it was deactivated. nepalnews.com mbk April 12 04

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Police round up dozens of protestors

Police rounded up dozens of protesters belonging to the five parliamentary parties on Monday, the 12th day of the continued protest against "regression", witnesses and reports said.

Five party supporters vandalizing ....      (More)

Leaders such as Yuvraj Gyawali, Basanta Nemwang and Sukra Raj Sharma, among others, were arrested in course of the protests. In a statement, the Home Ministry, however, claimed that only five people were detained on Monday.

As earlier, students continued pelting stones at police burning tyres at different places. Police were also seen baton-charging the students.

Nepali Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala, meanwhile, is known to have gone to various detention centers to meet colleagues detained in course of the agitation. Koirala, on the occasion, said that the five parties' movement is becoming more effective and result-oriented.

According to countrywide reports, various professional groups Monday took out rallies in Dharan, Pokhara, Nepalgunj, Jamakpur, Siraha, Mahendranagar and other parts of the country, extending support to the five parties' agitation.

A meeting of the five parties' student organisations being held at the central office of Nepal Students Union was still underway at 6:30 pm Monday. 

The meeting was summoned to discuss the future course of agitation and "massive mobilisation" of students in the agitation, it is learnt. nepalnews.com mr Apr 12 04

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NHRC asks Maoists to free Ilam captives

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Monday asked the CPN-Maoist to release all 42 policemen captured during the  attack on the Area Police Post in Pashupatinagar Ilam on April 8. 

Issuing a statement today, the rights watchdog said the Maoists should immediately free the captives on humanitarian grounds. Reminding of the commitments expressed by the Maoist party on international humanitarian laws, the NHRC has called on the rebels to turn their words into deeds. 

“NHRC appeals the Maoists to immediately release the captives as per the Article 3 of the Geneva Convention,” the statement said. nepalnews.com mbk April 12 04

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'Pro-democracy' protests begin

Supporters of five parliamentary parties have begun "pro-democratic" protests from early in the morning, hours before the scheduled protests, which will start after 2 pm on Monday.

They took out mass rallies from different parts of Kathmandu Valley, chanted anti-King slogans and burnt rubber tyres in course of the protests, which they say, "is for the sake of democracy."

According to reports, hundreds of the protesters took out rallies in Rana Mukteshor area of the Valley. A group of yet another protesters vandalised two government vehicles at Thamel and Khicha Pokhari areas of the capital. Areas in front of Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus and Min Bhawan Campus were all covered with black smoke of the tyres burnt by the protesters.

Reports said the traffic police has started blocking public vehicles from entering the core protest area of the capital -- the Ratnapark area - from around 12 pm Monday. As a result, most of the vehicles have been compelled to ply only on the ring roads surrounding the capital.

Reports at 12:30 pm said, the student affiliates of the protesting parties were undergoing a crucial meeting at the central office of Nepal Student Union to discuss the future course of the protests for today and upcoming days. nepalnews.com mr Apr 12 04

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Maoists torch another Indian truck 

Suspected Maoists Sunday evening torched an Indian truck at Jyotinagar of Kurdiya VDC, Rupandehi district, Kathmandu newspapers reported. 

The truck with an Indian Uttar Pradesh license plate was carrying cement into Nepal. Eyewitnesses said that Maoists forced the driver and conductor out of the vehicle before setting it ablaze and the truck was completely destroyed. 

Maoists on 03 April torched 18 Indian oil tankers in Dhangadi, after which the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu put out a strongly-worded statement against the attacks. Sunday’s attack came despite Maoist spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara’s commitment last week that the rebels would not attack Indian interests. nepalnews.com pd Apr 12 04 

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Christians celebrate Easter 

Christians in Kathmandu celebrated Easter Sunday by feasting, singing hymns and reading from the Bible at various local churches.

“We came to church early and sang in the choir to honor this holy day,” Dr Rajendra Rongong, an elder of the Protestant church in Gyaneswor told the Kathmandu daily, The Himalayan Times. Later, the community organised a procession around the city and a gathering at Tundikhel. 

The government has banned all gathering of more than five people inside the Ring Road, except religious processions. The Christian procession was therefore technically not illegal. nepalnews.com pd Apr 12 04