Rijal to take-up indefinite hunger strike

A noted human rights activist and Bhutanese refugee leader Tek Nath Rijal will take-up indefinite hunger strike if positive steps towards resolving the refugee problems are not taken soon, Rajdhani daily reported on Monday. 

Rijal had recently re-presented the written demand to the Prime Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNHCR. 

The report quoted Rijal as saying that if the demands are not addressed within 15 days he would go for indefinite hunger strike. “After the Nepal-Bhutan bilateral agreement to solve the refugee problem failed on December 22 there is no other way left for us to make them heed to our demands,” Rijal said. 
nepalnews.com rs Feb. 23 04

Nepal Bags the Best Stall Award at TTF

The Nepal pavilion won the Best Stall Award at the three day Travel & Tourism Fair and Outbound Travel Mart (TTF-OTM), Mumbai which ended on February 22, 2004, a press release by the NTB stated. 

Earlier, Nepal's stand won the first runner up in the best stall category amongst 550 exhibitors from 22 countries at Travel & Tourism Fair (TTF)-New Delhi. Nepal was also awarded with Group Participation Award, TTF-Delhi, 2004. 

Nepal Pavilion has been visited by thousands of travel trade visitors, and more than a hundred journalists from print and electronic media. Nepal Tourism Board led Nepal's participation at the TTF and TTF-OTM exhibition.

Meanwhile, Nepal Tourism Board participated in the World Travel Fair 2004, held in Shanghai, People's Republic of China from 19 to 22 February, 2004 as part of NTB's aggressive regional tourism promotion campaign. The Representative of the Royal Nepalese Consulate Office in Shanghai also attended the fair. nepalnews.com dr Feb 23 04

Maoists kill policeman

The Maoists shot and killed a policeman at Katahari area in Morang district on Monday morning, reports said. 

Suspected Maoists who came on bicycles gunned down police constable Umesh Mochi who has on his way to Biratnagar Jail where he worked at 8.30 in the morning,. He died on the spot, reports said. 
Meanwhile, a Maoist cadre lost his life while attempting to run away from jail this morning in Biratnagar. The Maoist named Dap Bahadur Poudel alias Dilip succumbed to injuries as he fell from the wall of Biratnagar Jail, reports said. He was transferred to the jail from police custody only the day before. 

In Tenhrathum, the ultras detonated explosives at a bus park at Myanglung Bazaar this morning. One was severely injured in the incident. 

Meanwhile, a group of armed Maoists has abducted five villagers including a woman at Deurali village in Nawalparasi district. Whereabouts of the captives remain unknown, reports said. nepalnews.com mbk Feb 23 04

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Nepal, India sign transport agreement

Nepal and India have signed an initial agreement for the Regulation of Passenger Vehicular Traffic that aims at connecting major cities of the two countries, an announcement said Monday.

Transport Secretary Narayan Silwal and Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Shyam Saran signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments at Shital Niwas, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Nepalese and Indian Foreign Secretaries Madhu Raman Acharya and Sasank.

“The proposed agreement will facilitate smooth flow of people,” Sasank, who is leading an Indian delegation to Nepal, told journalists before participating in a luncheon hosted by the Nepalese side at the ministry premises.

“We still have to finalize the protocol, which will be a detailed document (of the agreement),” Nepalese Foreign Secretary Acharya said.

As per the agreement, five Nepal-India border points will be used by the vehicles carrying passengers, read a statement distributed by the Indian Embassy on the occasion. “The provisions of the agreement do not apply to Cargo traffic plying between the two countries.”

On the question of India’s involvement in the Bhutanese refugee issue, the Indian Foreign Secretary said it was a “bilateral” issue of Nepal and Bhutan.

“We have taken note of the issue,” he said. “We will facilitate transit of Bhutanese refugees when they will be repatriated back to Bhutan,” Sasank said.

Asked whether there was any progress in updating Nepal-India Extradition Treaty-1953, he preferred only to say, “We discussed the matter.”

The Indian delegation is flying to the lake city of Pokhara this afternoon, according to an Indian Embassy official. 
nepalnews.com mr Feb 23 04

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NDYC-USA celebrates National Democracy Day

The Nepalese Democratic Youth Council in USA NDYC-USA on February 21 organized a program to celebrate the 54th National Democracy Day, a press release issued by NDYC-USA said. Around 150 Nepalis living in and around New York City and their American friends attended the program, the statement said.

On the occasion, the chief guest of the function, the Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Nepal to the United Nations, HE Murari Raj Sharma stressed the need to work together looking forward for the restoration of democracy in Nepal.

General Secretary of NDYCUSA Somnath Ghimire made a welcome speech by stressing on the restoration of democracy in Nepal without any conditions.  President of America-Nepal Friendship Association Kamal Kari said that the present situation in Nepal does not reflect a true democracy. Adviser of NDYCUSA Mr. Shailesh Shrestha was of the view that the real democracy will prevail in Nepal with a republican set up only.

On the occasion, other high ranking personalities also expressed their views on the present situation and democracy in Nepal. nepalnews.com rs Feb 23 04

33 inmates freed

On the auspicious occasion of the Subha Annaprasan (rice feeding ceremony) of HRH Yubarajkumari Kritika Rajyalaxmi Devi Shah, 33 inmates kept in various prisons of the kingdom are being released Monday, RSS said.

The releases were made in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990, the national news agency said quoting a statement by the Department of Prison Management.

Princess Kritika is the third child of HRH Crown Prince Paras and HRH Crown Princess Himani. nepalnews.com mr Feb 23 04

Cough, cold claim 12 in Mugu

An outbreak of cough and cold in some VDCs of Mugu district over the last few weeks has claimed 12 lives to date, reports said Monday.

Six of those died are from Karkibada VDC, three from Srinagar VDC and three others from Pirna VDC, the reports said.

Among the symptoms of the infection, fever comes first followed by cough, body pain and respiratory problems resulting finally to death, according to the villagers. nepalnews.com mr Feb 23 04 

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Pun ready to broker peace talks

Former peace talks negotiator and ex-minister Narayan Singh Pun said Sunday he is ready to broker the derailed Government-Maoist talks, provided, he gets the "authority".

"There is no need to give me any post," RSS quoted Pun, as saying in Birgunj. "I am ready to work if the government gives me the responsibility to bring the Maoists to the negotiation table."

"Solution to the present problems should be sought remaining within the framework of constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy," he said.

He was speaking at the inaugural function of Nepal Samata Party's district office in Parsa. Pun is the chairman of the party.

Pun, a minister of the then Lokendra Bahadur Chand Government, was behind bringing the Maoists to the negotiating table, after the rebels pulled out of peace talks with the then Sher Bahadur Deuba Government in 2058 B.S. nepalnews.com mr Feb 23 04

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'Maoists to recruit 50,000 child militia by April-May'

Maoist rebels will recruit school students to its militia to achieve the target of 50,000 child militants by this April-May, a news report from Nepalgunj said Monday quoting sources.

"The decision to raise child militia was taken on January 10-11 by the organisation's western sub-central committee," the report by The Himalayan Times said, quoting Kamal Shahi, a central secretariat member of Maoists' students wing, ANNISU-R.

Maoists intend to 'induct' 375,000 students by the end of Baisakh (April-May), Shahi further "disclosed", according to the daily.

"ANNISU-R members admitted (that) the students abducted from Holeri Secondary School were meant for the child militia," the daily said, adding that the Maoists want to counter the Royal Nepali Army (RNA) with the new recruitments.

The Maoists have "elected" to go to town, telling students and their guardians that the military training, to be provided to them by the Maoists, would stand them in good stead in case of an attack by the RNA, the daily added.

"There is no age limit for recruitment to the child militia but bonafide rules of war will apply," Shahi further said. "None will be coerced. One militia will be levied from each school."

Maoists' announcement to recruit children in the army has come at a time when voices are being raised to declare educational institutions, particularly schools, as the "zone of peace". nepalnews.com mr Feb 23 04

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Mid-Marsyangdi hydel project resumes work

The 70-megawatt Mid-Marsyangdi hydropower project, Nepal's second biggest hydel plant so far, has resumed its work after a gap of five months, reports said Monday.

The Lamjung-based project, which came to a closure on October 6, 2003, resumed its work on February 8, 2004, Spacetime daily said Monday.

The project was shut down due to a dispute among the project contractor (DDCJV), government and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the daily said.

The contractor then had expelled 1,200 employees working at the project. Even after the resumption, the contractor has recruited only 24 technicians renewing the appointments of 40 employees who were being paid only for four hours per day, the daily said.

The project, launched in June 2001, had completed around 35 percent of the total construction works to date, the daily further said.

The project, based in Udipur and Bhote Odar of the district, has investments from the government, NEA and German aid agency, KFW. nepalnews.com mr Feb 23

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