A TASK FORCE HEADED by Appellate Court judge Lokendra Mallik, on Sunday (April 8), suggested the Supreme Court issue directives to the government to enact a retrospective law ending impunity and to punish security personnel involved in disappearing people in the past. The task force submitted its report to the SC after a five-month-long investigation on four missing persons. The panel has indicted army, police officials and former assistant CDO of killing one and says there is no hope of finding three others alive.
THE DISTRICT EDUCATION OFFICER of Saptari district has been abducted by Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (Goit faction). DEO Nibharaj Joshi was abducted from his residence – on the top floor of the building where the district education office is located – at 3 am on Saturday (April 7) morning. The district security council meeting was held following his abduction. Joshi has been abducted at a time when School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exam is going on. A person named Shyam claiming to be an activist of Goit faction of JTMM had telephoned local media owning up the responsibility of his abduction. Meanwhile, in Siraha district, unidentified persons shot to death one Thakur Koirala. Districts in Terai are still reeling through unchecked violence and unrest.
THE NEWLY CREATED MINISTRY OF PEACE and Reconstruction will act as a focal point and single door for all the activities related with peace and reconstruction. “All peace and reconstruction activities being carried out by various ministries will be integrated and this Ministry will carry out peace campaigns and reconstruction efforts together,” said Ram Chandra Poudel, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction. At a press meet, Friday (April 6), it was informed that the Ministry will collect data on the conflict-victims; and damaged infrastructures. All party peace committees will be created in districts. The management of the government Peace Trust Fund will also be shouldered by the Ministry, Poudel said. “Peace trust fund, camp management, reconstruction, rehabilitation and coordination with other agencies will be done by the Ministry,” he said.
SITASHMA CHAND HAS BEEN CROWNED Miss Nepal 2007 at a Beauty Pageant held on Saturday (April 7) evening at Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC). Bandana Sharma and Shweta Shah were crowned first and second runner-ups, respectively. Likewise, several title awards were also given away. Chand also won the title of Miss Personality and Miss Best Walk. Likewise, Sharma also bagged the title of Miss Photogenic while Reecha Sharma bagged Miss Beautiful Smile and Sabitra Shrestha won Miss Natural Talent titles. Earlier, activists and women leaders close to Maoists staged protest in front of BICC. They said that women were being exploited for commercial purposes in the name of beauty pageants. A few persons were even injured in a scuffle with the police.
EXPRESSING ITS WILLINGNESS TO HELP resolve refugee impasse, India has proposed that Nepal allow those refugees who want to be resettled to United States or Australia . According to Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told her that ‘repatriation could be considered after the number of refugees comes down to size.’ “After the refugees go to US and Australia , their number will come down to size. Then after, we will help repatriate the rest,” Pradhan quoted Mukherjee as telling her during the meeting between the two. Pradhan said she told Mukherjee that the issue of Bhutanese refugee was a trilateral one involving Nepal , Bhutan and India and it deserved trilateral initiative.
THE BRITISH EMBASSY IS OPENING a new Visa Application Centre (VAC) at Lazimpat in Kathmandu from 26 April. A press release issued by British Embassy in Kathmandu said, the VAC will provide a convenient, fast and accessible way for applicants to apply for visas for the United Kingdom . "From 26 April the VAC will be the only location in Nepal where visa applications for the UK may be made. Visa applicants in Nepal will be required to make their applications in person at the VAC," the statement added. The UK is also introducing biometric data collection in Nepal from April 26. Applicants will be required to provide their biometric data for collection (finger scans and digital photographs) when submitting their applications. The VAC will forward all applications to the Embassy where, as now, Embassy Immigration Officers will take the decision on whether an applicant qualifies under the UK Immigration Rules for processing, the statement added. "I am delighted that we can now offer our Nepalese clients an even higher standard of service. Having a well designed and fit-for-purpose building will make the whole application process simpler and smoother and a pleasanter experience for the applicant," the statement quoted British Ambassador Dr Andrew Hall as saying.
