Their Majesties in Nepalgunj

His Majesty King Gyanendra and Her Majesty Queen Komal Thursday left for Nepalgunj to participate in a civic felicitation to be offered to them by the people of Mid-West region on Sunday. 

Their Majesties have reached the western city of Nepalgunj and are staying at the regional headquarters of Royal Nepal Army in the city, reports said. 

Meanwhile, the local administration in Banke district has imposed a ban on the use of masks and helmet visor by the bikers and pillion riders in Nepalgunj and vicinities. 

The move aims at reducing possible risks of infiltration by the Maoists to foil the felicitation program, the reports added. 

Maoists have already announced a strike (bandh) on Sunday to disrupt the royal felicitation program. Security bodies, however, have been reiterating that the strike will not affect the scheduled program. 

A foolproof security arrangement has been enforced in the city, according to them. nepalnews.com Feb 05 04

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Nepal-related travel book launched in London

Friends of Britain and Nepal - Nepal Tourism Organisation (FBNNTO), UK, hosted a Nepal-related travel book launching evening at the Ealing Town Hall, London on 3rd February 2004, a statement said Thursday.

The hosts also held a reception while launching the sixth issue of the book titled "Kingdom in the Himalayas, Nepal", the statement said adding that the organisers have been publishing such books (brochure) bi-annually. 

Sir Jeffrey James, United Kingdom special envoy to Nepal was guest of honour at the reception. He said, "Such type of efforts made by Nepali in UK to promote Nepal is highly appreciated, specially in this difficult time." 

He further said Nepal is a world-class destination for travellers who wish to visit Nepal.  

Speaking at the function Dipendra Bista, Minister-counselor of Royal Nepal Embassy UK said, "FBNNTO established just five years ago, has substantially contributed in promoting tourism in Nepal.  

Lord Mayor of Ealing Gurucharan Singh said, "Nepal is still a virgin land, which draws people from around the globe due to its unique features."

Keith Bloomfield, the British Ambassador to Nepal, who is also the Honorary President of FBNNTO UK, sent a special message for the function, the statement added. 

"Those of us who live in Nepal can testify, there is no significant danger to foreign tourists. The county remains as welcoming, as beautiful, and as culturally interesting.  There is particular warmth towards Britain and British People," Bloomfield said in his message. nepalnews.com mr Feb 05 04

Key parties express guarded views over Maoist statement 

Leaders of major political parties Thursday said they were positive about the statement of Maoist supremo Prachanda who revealed that his party was ready to accept UN mediation “to make an environment conducive for a peaceful process to get people’s mandate”. 

Parties at the same time expressed doubt whether the Maoists were as earnest as they claim to be in their statements. 

“The statement as such is positive but we are not quite sure about their intentions,” Bharat Mohan Adhakari, Standing Committee member of the CPN-UML told Nepalnews.

Adhikari was of the view that the UN mediation was something the UML has also been calling for. “Our 9-point roadmap also talks of UN mediation for the peaceful settlement of the Maoist conflict. 

UN mediation or monitoring, according to him, was not something that would happen early. “First of all, there should be a ceasefire between the warring sides,” he said. 

While saying this, he however lauded the Maoist statement for stressing on the need for an intensive agitation to retrieve the achievements of 1990’s popular movement. 

He maintained that one should not be ecstatic about the words of the Maoists, as they have hardly been true to their words.  

Earlier, speaking at a program organized by Reporter’s Club, Nepali Congress spokesperson Arjun Narsingh K.C said that his party has taken the Maoist statement in positive light. 

“The Maoist statement is positive in the sense that it is in favor of preserving the gains of the 1990’s movement. He, too, said that the Maoist statement was not something that could be trusted.

Addressing the media gathering, Shyam Shrestha, a leftist intellectual, said that chances of a dialogue between the Maoists and the government at the earliest was a distant possibility in the present context. 

“They are not ready for anything less than constituent assembly and the other side is dead against it,” Shrestha said. He maintained that it is the government that should take an initiative for dialogue. nepalnews.com mbk 05 04

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Govt. orders bikers not to use helmet visor, masks

The Home Ministry Thursday banned the use of helmet visors and masks while driving motorbikes in Kathmandu valley. The rules will be applicable to pillion riders also. 

Issuing a press statement today, the ministry said that the directives has to do with security concerns in the capital. 

It reasoned that since the Maoists were making use of masks and helmet visors while carrying out assaults on individuals and public installations, its use should be avoided so as making it easy to identify such disruptive elements. 

According to the statement, the masked assailants use motorbikes and scooters in groups of two.

The directives will be applicable from Friday onwards in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts. The ministry, however, has not clarified how long the provision will remain effective. nepalnews.com mbk 05 04

Amnesty suggests ‘20 steps’ to stop human rights abuses

Amnesty International (AI) has suggested “20 steps” to be implemented by the government and the Maoists to prevent the country from “sliding towards a human rights catastrophe,” an AI statement said Wednesday.

A delegation of the agency, at the end of a two-week visit to Nepal, suggested the steps and urged the government to take immediate measures to stop human rights abuses, the statement said. 

The delegates conducted on-site investigations in Dhanusha, Sarlahi, Kavre and Nuwakot districts where they investigated reports of extra-judicial executions, arbitrary arrests and ‘disappearances’ by the security forces and reports of human rights abuses by the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN (Maoist), the statement added.

”...Amnesty International concluded that elements of the armed forces seem to be pursuing a strategy of "disappearances" and extra-judicial executions as part of their counter-insurgency operations,” said the statement. 

AI also strongly condemned abuses by the CPN (Maoist), including the abduction and killing of civilians and the forced recruitment and indoctrination of school students, the statement said. 

Some of the recommendations the AI suggested to the government were signing a human rights accord prepared by the National Human Rights Commission and investigating the cases of disappearance independently, among others.

Likewise, the AI has also urged the Maoist leadership to sign the same accord to stop cases of rights abuses. 

It has further called upon the rebels to cease the policy of abduction and killing of civilians, make a commitment not to recruit or otherwise use children in the conflict-related activities and respect the humanitarian missions of all humanitarian agencies, including NGOs, the UN and relief missions.

The AI has also pleaded to the international community to take steps to prevent the human rights catastrophe continuing to unfold. nepalnews.com mr Feb 05 04

Maoist call to the UN a ploy: RNA

The Royal Nepal Army (RNA) flayed the recent Maoist’s call 'to the UN to conciliate an environment for a peaceful process to get people’s mandate' in Nepal as a “ploy.”

“The RNA has regarded the recent call by the Maoists to the UN to conciliate an environment for a peace process as a ploy to strengthen their weakened force” RNA Spokesman Col. Dipak Gurung said during the regular press meet on Thursday.“However, RNA is never against dialogue to solve the ongoing violence,” Gurung added.

Col. Dipak Gurung said a total of 1280 Maoists and 118 security personnel have been killed since the ceasefire ended on August 27 2003. According to him, over 200 security personnel were also injured in different skirmishes with the Maoists during the period.

Gurung also talked about the active participation of the public in combating Maoists in different places. He said, “Rebels who planted explosives in the house of former Sudama VDC’s chairman Sitaram Singh were chased away by the public and security forces.”

The public has handed over a .303 rifle and bullets from the hideouts of the rebels in Kusum, Lamjung while 2 rebels were handed over to the security forces by the public in Parsa, Gurung added.

Speaking in the press meet, Brigadier General BA Sharma informed the RNA has freed people arrested after investigation.

Regarding the list of arrested people forwarded by the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) and Amnesty International (AI), Sharma said, “The process of recording missing people in the NHRC and AI is sometimes unfounded.”

“It is ridiculous to find people who go to India or somewhere else in the missing list of AI and NHRC,” he said. nepalnews.com Feb 05 04

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Pokhara marathon from February 18

Nepal Ex-Sportsman Forum is going to organize the 'Nepal Commercial Bank 3rd Pokhara Marathon' on February 18 on the occasion of 54th Democracy day.

It was stated in a press conference called by Nepal Tourism Board 
(NTB), the promoter of the event, on Thursday.

The event is going to be organized with the concept of a ‘City 
Marathon’ like London marathon in Britain and Tokyo marathon in Japan. The event has the support of the National Sports Council, Nepal Olympic Committee and Nepal Amateur Athletic Association.

Speaking at the function, Manager of Tourism Product and Resources 
Development Department of NTB, Hikmat Singh Ayer said that the main aim of the event is to boost the declining tourism industry of the 
country. “NTB is committed to support every activity that helps in the 
development of tourism in the country,” he said.

Briefing about the event, Coordinator of the event Dr. Birendra Singh 
Gurung said that the participation is open for everybody. About 
1000-1500 athletes including both Nepali and foreigners are expected 
to participate in the event. According to Gurung, the expected budget 
for the event is Rs.594,000, which will be sponsored by Nepal 
Commercial bank.

The winner will be awarded a cash prize of Rs.30,000 while the second and third athletes will bag Rs.20,000 and Rs.15,000 respectively. The fourth and fifth places winner will be given Rs.5,000 each as consolation prizes.

Gurung further said that as an additional attraction, a 10 km race has 
also been included in the event in which the athletes from Kaski 
District will participate. The athletes standing in the first, second 
and third positions will be awarded with a purse of Rs.3000, Rs.2000 
and Rs.1000 respectively.

Talking about the objective behind Nepal Commercial Bank’s involvement in the event, Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Gopal Prasad Rajbakah said, “Besides, promoting the tourism of the country we also aim to promote ourselves.” “We want to be back in the top market position,” he added. nepalnews.com rs Feb 05 04

Int'l mountaineering museum opens in Pokhara

Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa Thursday inaugurated the International Mountaineering Museum in the lake city of Pokhara amid presence of famous figures from around 150 countries across the world, reports said.

The museum, which is the first of its kind in Nepal, offers visitors the various aspects of mountain-related tourism and makes them aware of ecological factors surrounding the mountain region, the reports said.

Addressing the inaugural session, PM Thapa said the museum is a "treasure" of the nation. "The museum will help national as well as international researchers to carry out their work here," the PM said.

Terming the museum a "model", Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Jenji Kaminaga said the museum will be a major attraction for tourists visiting Nepal. "It will increase the number of tourists coming here," the envoy said.

The museum, which was built with an investment of Rs.100 million, is spread over 100 ropanis of land in Rato Pahiro area of the lake city. nepalnews.com mr Feb 05 04

High security for civic reception

In a press conference called by the mid-western region administration on Wednesday, the chief administrator said all security arrangements are in place for the upcoming civic reception of their Majesties.

The Space Time report quoted chief administrator Rabindra Man Joshi as saying, “Tight security has been arranged focusing on the reception. Intensive patrolling will begin in the area from Thursday."

Next weeks civic reception of their Majesties in Nepalgunj will not be affected by the strike called by Maoists, he added. The general public can be assured about their safety during the reception, he further said. 

Chief District Officer (CDO) of Banke, Dilliraj Joshi said focusing on the security of village areas, mobile patrolling teams will be deployed in intervals of 20 minutes. nepalnews.com rs Feb 05 04

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Respiratory infection kills 8

8 people have died due to severe cough and cold in Achham district with 90 more people affected in Dolakha, Nepal Samacharpatra said Thursday.

According to the report, the disease has spread in four VDCs of Achham district affecting many people.  The public health office in Achham has denied knowledge of the spread of disease in the area, while the district hospital informed that the hospital is looking after 30 such patients daily, the report said. nepalnews.com pd Feb 05 04

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