German embassy deplores threats against Marsyangdi Hydro project

The Kathmandu based German Embassy issuing a press communiqué Wednesday evening has deplored the repeated threats directed by Maoists against the companies involved in the Middle Marsyangdi Hydroelectric Power Project (MMHEP). The MMHEP, a major hydro-power project in west Nepal has been closed down amid Maoists threats. 

In the communiqué, the Kathmandu based German Embassy has said that the forced closure of the MMHEP was against the interests of the Nepali people and the embassy considered the Maoist threats an irresponsible act. 

Saying that the project was largely financed by the German government for the benefit of the Nepali people and development of Nepal, the embassy has said that closure of the construction site will cause hardship for the large number of Nepali employees and their families. 

Citing basic operating guidelines established by a general donor group of development agencies operating in Nepal, the embassy has said that the guidelines were based on international agreed principles, apply to all development and set out the parameters with which the development agencies work in the current conflict situations. 

Earlier, the rebels had asked a huge amount as ‘donations’ from the project, according to reports. However, the multinational contractor, DDC JV, reportedly, had refused to pay `donations’ to the Maoists. According to the embassy, no multinational contractor could make any forced contributions in cash or kind as the basis operating guidelines was clearly against contributions to political parties in Nepal. nepalnews.com pd Aug 25 04

Related News
- Mid-Marsyangdi project closes down

Int’l Red Cross urged to help free Nepali hostages in Iraq

Nepalese ambassador to Pakistan Puskarman Singh Rajbhandari has said efforts are underway to rope in the International Red Cross to negotiate with Ansar Al Sunna militants who have taken 13 Nepali workers hostages in Iraq.

Radio Sagarmatha Wednesday quoted Rajbhandari as saying that the Red Cross is being called in as diplomatic efforts have failed to get the militants to free the Nepali hostages.

The Pakistan-based Nepalese embassy oversees the diplomatic affairs with Iraq. Two days ago, the government had directed the embassy to keep track of the hostage issue. nepalnews.com mbk Aug 25 04

Related News
- Minister Mahat appeals on al-Arabia TV for the release Nepali hostages in Iraq

Govt mulls another price hike in petroleum products

The government is planning to announce another price hike in petroleum products very soon.

Hinting at a fresh round of price hikes, commerce minister Ishwor Pokhrel said Wednesday at a program in Dharan that the government is working on restructuring prices as they still are not in proportion with the oil prices in India," he said.

On Tuesday, he had said in a program in Biratnagar that the government was set to increase the petroleum prices despite opposition from the consumers. "If the prices are not increased, the oil corporation will certainly be in the red," media reports today quoted him as saying.

Citing increased oil prices in the international market, the government had on August 12 announced minor price hike in petrol, kerosene, cooking gas and aviation fuel. nepalnews.com mbk Aug 25 04

Related News
- NC protests price hike in capital
- Petro-product prices go up

British law books handed to TU

British law books were distributed to law faculty of the Tribhuvan University amid a function at the British Embassy in Kathmandu Wednesday, the embassy said. The books were sent from the Statute Law Revision Society, London to Nepal’s oldest and biggest university.

The books, according to the embassy, comprise a full set of the official law reports of England and Wales, the weekly law reports and all the English law reports.

Professor Kanak Bikram Thapa, Dean of the law faculty, TU, formally received the books. Charge d’Affairs of the embassy, David Ward, presided at the hand over ceremony.

The British Embassy paid the freight costs of NRS 500,000 for the consignment. nepalnews.com pd Aug. 25 04

India grants Rs 11.3m for eye-care

India has agreed to provide grant assistance of Rs 11.3 million for promoting eye-care facilities in the rural areas of Nepal.

According to a press release issued by the Indian Embassy Wednesday, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed between the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh (NNJS) and Kathmandu based Indian embassy recently.

The release added that the grant assistance was provided to NNJS for conducting cataract operations at various rural parts of Nepal. A total of 10,000 cataract operations will be held between September, 2004 to February, 2005. 

India had provided grant assistance of Rs 6,167,100 for the construction of a school building and boundary wall in Rautahat Tuesday. nepalnews.com pd Aug 25 04

Related News
- Indian grant for school building

Govt dissolves Employment Promotion Commission  

At a time when thousands of Nepalis are fleeing abroad in search of work, the government has dissolved the Employment Promotion Commission (EPC), the only body to promote employment in the country. 

According to Kantipur daily, the government dissolved the EPC on Monday accusing the commission of being ‘inefficient’. The commission was established in 1996 with the aim of promoting youth employment in the country.

The government had allocated RS 40 million for the EPC for the fiscal year 2061/62 a month ago.

Saying that the commission was ‘inefficient’ and ‘was not able to meet its goal,’ Minister Raghu Panta said that the government would itself handle the EPC-run projects effectively, according to the Kantipur daily. He further added that the commission causing an annual loss of RS 40 million to the country. 

There were 25 employees working in the commission office. nepalnews.com pd Aug 25 04

VDC secretaries resign en masse in Parbat

All secretaries working in 51 Village Development Committee's (VDC) of Parbat district resigned en masse citing security reasons, reports said Wednesday. The Maoists accused them of misusing the VDC budgets and warned them to resign. 

According to reports, the secretaries collectively handed their resignation to the Local Development Officer and Board chairman of the District Development Committee. 

Following the resignation, all works such as verification of relations, recommendation for the citizenship, details of elderly allowance, marriage registration, birth and death registration among others have completely stopped, creating a lot of inconvenience for locals.

Parbat district is situated in the western hills. 
nepalnews.com pd Aug 25 04

Related News
- VDC secretaries resign en masse in Rautahat
- VDC secretaries of Sarlahi, Dhading resign en masse

Minister Mahat appeals on al-Arabia TV for the release Nepali hostages in Iraq

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat Tuesday made a fresh appeal to the army of Ansar Al-Sunna, Islamic insurgents for the release of 13 Nepalis hostages in Iraq on al-Arabia Television.

Minister Mahat had made a similar appeal on al-Jazeera television station over telephone on Monday. 

Talking to al-Arabia television station over telephone Tuesday, Minister Mahat made the appeal saying that the Nepalis who had been taken hostage were innocent and had no security connections in Iraq.

Meanwhile, the Royal Nepalese ambassador in Saudi Arabia Shyma Nanda Suman Tuesday said that Nepal had not received any response from the Iraqi militants regarding its appeal for the release of the Nepalis workers abducted in Iraq. 

Similarly, parents and relatives of the families of the abducted Nepalis in an interaction program in the capital on Tuesday appealed to the captors for an immediate and safe release of their family members. 

Ansar al Sunna Army, an Iraqi militant outfit, took the Nepalis hostages on Friday accusing them of "helping the US crusader forces to fight Islam." nepalnews.com pd Aug 25 04

Related News
- Diplomatic efforts on for release of Nepali hostages: Minister

Political parties welcome Maoist move, urge for peace talks

Major political parties in the country have welcomed the Maoists’ decision to call off the `blockade’ of Kathmandu from Wednesday.

Talking to state-run Radio Nepal, general secretary of the CPN (UML)—a major coalition partner, Madhav Kumar Nepal, said Maoists have felt the problems being faced by common people, which is a good thing. He said the act of killing people and making people ‘disappear’ after detaining them is not appropriate whoever does it.

Mr. Nepal said in order to avoid militarization of the country, the Maoists should take initiative towards peace negotiations and take their next step with due seriousness.

Similarly, a senior leader of the opposition Nepali Congress party, Ram Chandra Poudel, said the Maoists’ belated decision to call off the ‘blockade’ is a welcome move. He called upon the rebels to end the on-going war as soon as possible since nobody in the country wants the war.

In his preliminary comments, government’s spokesman and Minister for Information and Communications, Dr. Mohammed Mohsin, said Maoists have exhibited their strength and preparedness to sit for negotiations simultaneously. He said their position was not clear as they were still indulging in bomb explosions. 

Kantipur daily quoted Dr. Minendra Rijal, spokesman of the ruling Nepali Congress (Democratic), as saying that the Maoists called off their agitation as they were not in a position to continue their ‘blockade’ for long. nepalnews.com by Aug 25 04

Related News
- Maoists call off their 'blockade’ for a month

Armed Indian dacoits rape women in Morang

Armed Indian dacoits raped a dozen Nepali women in Dainiya VDC of Morang district since Monday, reports said Wednesday. 

Among the victims, six were married women aged 27 to 35 years while the rest were unmarried girls between 15 to 18 years of age, reports citing local police said. 

The looters raped them, as they did not find costly goods in their houses, according to the victims. Victims were gang raped in front of their husbands and parents, it is reported.

Earlier, one Babaita Devi, 18, of a village neighboring Dainiya VDC was murdered after she was raped by a group of dacoits. nepalnews.com pd Aug 25 04