Govt forms task force to avert ‘bird flu’ threat

The Ministry of Health Thursday formed a high-level task force to fight the possible outbreak of bird flu in Nepal. The task force is headed by Dr D.B Chataut, director of the Department of Health Services. 

Reports said that the task force’s primary job would be to figure out sources that might assist in the spread the disease. Import of meat from foreign countries, especially that chicken, may be banned within a few days and quarantine posts will soon be set up at the Tribhuvan International Airport and major entry points elsewhere. 

A large-scale drive could possibly be lunched if the disease actually makes inroads into the country, it is learnt. 

Nepal shares direct air link with Thailand and Pakistan where the disease has hit. Thailand has already started massive drive after the disease reached an alarming scale. 

The World Health Organization had on Wednesday cautioned the Health Ministry through an emailed letter about the possible outbreak of bird flu in Nepal, urging for precautionary measures. nepalnews.com mbk Jan 29 04

NWPP raps King’s remarks

Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (NWPP) Thursday said the King’s views expressed in an interview published in TIME, an American weekly newsmagazine, would not help solve the existing political standoff. 

A meeting of the secretariat of the party this morning concluded that the King’s views were intended at protracting the problems rather than solving them.

“We completely differ with King’s views. He has hinted that he is up to sidelining the political parities,” Sunil Prajapati, secretary of the party, told Nepalnews. He informed that the party is firm on its demands that of the reinstatement of the House of Representatives as the first step to bring the ‘derailed’ constitution back on track. 

The instated parliament, if any, according to him, should form an all-party government which will hold a conference of all the stakeholders in the national politics to form an interim government comprising of the Maoists too. “Such a government can only decide whether to go for a constituent assembly, constitutional amendment or a referendum,” said he. 

Prajapati also said that the party has not yet made clear its stand on the Maoist demand of constituent assembly but was ready to go by the decisions of an interim government. nepalnews.com mbk Jan 29 04

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Partial impact of strike in Lalitpur, Banke

Students’ call for one-day strike in two districts on Thursday partially affected life in Lalitpur and Banke, security sources and other reports said. In Banke, police has arrested some of the student protesters, the reports added.

In Lalitpur, most of the shops and business houses were seen operating. When contacted, the security sources said there was minimum impact of the strike in the district.

“Except few buses, most of the taxis, tempos, motorcycles and private cars are plying,” Police Control Room told Nepalnews over telephone at 1:30 in the afternoon.

Asked about the operation of schools and educational institutions, police said they have no information to this regard. Guardians, at the same time, told Nepalnews that their children could not attend classes, as their schools told them to go back.

With regard to an unverified report which said the protesters pelted stones at school buses this morning, the police expressed its ignorance. “We do not have information on it, so far,” the police said.

Meanwhile, reports from Banke said some of the student leaders of Nepal Students’ Association (NSA) were arrested Thursday afternoon from Nepalgunj, the district headquarters. 

They were Prem Dhungana, Dipak Gurung and others, the reports said. In a statement, the NSA has flayed the arrests demanding immediate release of the students.

Meanwhile, student leaders have claimed that six of their colleagues were arrested in Lalitpur this morning. Talking to Nepalnews, secretary of the central office of Nepal Students’ Association, Ram Prasad Adhikari claimed that major parts of Lalitpur and Banke districts remained shut responding to the strike call. 

He further said students have vandalized some 20 vehicles in Lalitpur and have snatched away keys of another 25 vehicles. 

“We take responsibility of the destruction whatsoever occurring during Bandh (strike),” Adhikari said, adding that public response towards today’s Bandh was, by and large, encouraging. 

Students announced strike in Lalitpur and Banke following police intervention in their anti-King protests, according to the students. nepalnews.com mr/mbk Jan 29 04

1,270 Maoists, 118 security personnel killed: RNA

A total of 1270 Maoists and 118 security personnel were killed since the ceasefire ended on August 27, the Royal Nepali Army (RNA) said in a regular press meet on Thursday.

Over 200 security personnel were also injured in different skirmishes with the Maoists, RNA spokesperson Col. Deepak Gurung told the press meet.

To date, over 186 Maoist rebels have surrendered to the administration following the government’s announcement of amnesty and incentives to those who give up revolution, he said. ”Among them, two rebels surrendered with weapons.” 

The RNA further claimed that the army has penalized its staffers involved in the abuse of human rights. “We have ordered jail sentence of 3 to 6 years to 15 recruits, six staffers have been sacked from their jobs while one more has been demoted from his post,” he said. 

Some more cases of human rights violation from the army recruits have been reported, he said adding,” Investigations on these cases are going on.” nepalnews.com pd Jan 29  04

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Involvement of int’l community vital: Refugees 

Bhutanese refugee leaders Wednesday urged the international community for their involvement in resolving the longstanding refugee imbroglio, a daily said Thursday. 

They said this after a meeting with some high level officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Wednesday. The MoFA had invited the refugee leaders to discuss the recent developments in the matter. 

“We found Nepal very serious in the issue. Bhutan has ignored Nepal’s efforts to solve the problem,” said the leaders, adding, “Nepal has to call upon the international community to intervene the matter.” 

They also suggested the Nepali government to include members of international community in the verification of refugees. 

If members of international community were included in the verification process, some of the refugees might not have been categorized as the “non-Bhutanese”, they said. nepalnews.com pd Jan 29  04

All-party govt. can resolve crisis: Chandra Shekhar

Former Indian Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, in a meeting with PM Surya Bahadur Thapa on Wednesday, opined that an all-party government may end the present political turmoil, reports said Thursday.

After receiving the audience from the King on Tuesday, Chandra Shekhar told journalists that the king is very serious about the present condition of the country. He also said that if the King and the political join hands, the crisis can be resolved soon.

According to the published reports, Shekhar stressed the need to follow democratic way to resolve the crisis. Shekhar said that India wants to see constitutional monarchy and multiparty democracy in Nepal.

“Though my visit to Nepal is very personal, I have expressed my suggestion because of the worsening political condition of the country,” said Chandra Shekhar, who was here to attain the wedding of Nepali Congress leader Chakra Prasad Bastola’s daughter.

Chandra Shekhar also met with the leaders of political parties like President of Nepali Congress, Girija Prasad Koirala, General Secretary of CPN-UML, Madhav Kumar Nepal, and Speaker Tara
Nath Ranabhat, among others. nepalnews.com rs Jan 29 04

King promulgates two Ordinances 

His Majesty the King, following advice and consent from the Council of Ministers, has promulgated Education ordinance (8th amendment) and Land ordinance (6th amendment) on Wednesday, an announcement said Wednesday. 

The Royal Palace Secretariat made the announcement in a notice, according to RSS. nepalnews.com pd Jan29 04

Shailaja opposes anti-King slogans

Nepali Congress leader Shailaja Acharya, who has been opposing five parties' movement from the beginning, said Wednesday the street slogans being shouted against the institution of the Crown are not in the interest of Nepal and Nepalis.

"Democracy cannot be preserved through them (anti-King slogans)," Acharya told RSS, the national news agency.

"General public will not participate in the street movement if anti-monarchical slogans are chanted," she said.

The middle way enunciated by the late popular leader BP Koirala is the best way for resolving the present problem in the country, she said.

"Political parties are now oriented towards finishing off democracy which was ushered in through a lot of continuous pain and hardship for 30 years," she said.

The country itself might land in a big crisis if the middle path of the Nepali Congress becomes weak, according to her.

"No government will last in the present situation without the support and cooperation of the political parties and stressed the formation of a government with the support of all the political parties," she further said, according to the agency.

Shailaja, in her arguments to oppose the movement, has been saying that her party, Nepali Congress, should have launched the stir alone, instead of grouping with CPN-UML and other parties. nepalnews.com mr Jan 29 04

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HM inaugurates golden jubilee celebrations

His Majesty the King inaugurated the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Marwari Sewa Samiti Nepal amidst a function in the capital Wednesday.

Her Majesty the Queen was also present on the occasion. Their Majesties were presented the letter of felicitation by chairman of the Samiti, Chiranjilal Agrawal and the golden festival souvenir by Mannalal Chokhani, RSS said. nepalnews.com mr Jan 29 04

Capital's security under Unified Command

The security system in Kathmandu Valley has been placed and managed under the "Unified Command" to systematise the law and order situation and to curb Maoist activities, RSS said Wednesday.

Home Ministry spokesman Gopendra Bahadur Pandey revealed the launching of Unified Command in the Valley during a press meet, according to the agency.

Parties had once protested the concept of the Command, saying, it was a kind of "militarisation."

Ministry spokesman Pandey further said army has not been mobilised to contain the movement of the five political parties. Asked about the students' ongoing protest, he said the government will not stop arresting, "elements involved in anti-constitutional activities."

A total of 103 student protestors were arrested from different parts of the country on Wednesday, he said, adding that all of them were released after short custodies. nepalnews.com mr Jan 29 04

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