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FOLLOWING UNABATED PROTESTS IN TERAI, the government has said that it is ready to amend the interim constitution. On Friday (Feb 2), government spokesperson and Minister of State for Information and Communication Dilendra Prasad Badu has said that the government is ready to amend the two-weeks-old interim constitution. “The government is willing to ensure the addition of electoral constituencies based on population and geography and adoption of federal system via Constituent Assembly by making necessary amendment in the interim constitution,” Badu said. He elaborated further saying that the current number of electoral constituencies where elections will be held as per the existing First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system will be increased to accommodate the increased population along with considering other factors like geography. “Similarly, the seats allocated for Proportional Representation-based election will also be increased in the same manner,” he added. In his address to the nation on January 31, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had said that the CA will restructure the country on federal basis. Badu added that the PM has also stated that the government will go for inclusion of all communities including Madhesi and indigenous in all organs of the state including army. Badu informed that the government has expressed sincere regrets over the loss of precious lives in the ongoing unrest in Terai. “The government wants to appeal to all concerned to settle their grievances through talks and help in maintaining complete peace and communal harmony,” he said. Meanwhile, in order to sort out the growing trouble, the government has formed three-member committee headed by Agriculture Minister Mahantha Thakur (including two other ministers Rajendra Pandey and Gyanendra Bahadur Karki as members) to initiate talks with the agitating groups of Terai. Thakur has been instructed by PM Koirala to immediately start the talks with Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF) and Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM).
THE OFFICE OF HIGH COMMISSIONER for Human Rights (OHCHR-Nepal) has asked the security forces to stop using lethal force. The Office issued a statement calling for the refrain following growing number of deaths and injuries due to police firing in Terai unrest. “The OHCHR-Nepal reiterates its call for urgent measures to be taken to stop the violence and prevent further death and serious injury in the Terai. Today (Feb 4), an OHCHR-Nepal team has again witnessed the serious consequences of the use of lethal force by the security forces during a curfew in Birgunj, Parsa District, which has resulted in life-threatening injury after police fired at a crowd. Sixteen deaths and a high number of serious injuries have been confirmed by OHCHR-Nepal since 19 January, many shot by police. OHCHR is continuing its investigations into the circumstances of the incidents in which they were shot,” states a press release issued by the Office.
THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAM (WFP) in Nepal has appealed to all concerned to ensure free passage of its vehicles and trucks transporting food aid in the Terai. The world body’s regular food aid deliveries have been affected due to the ongoing unrest in the region threatening the livelihood and health status of hundreds of thousands of people. “It is unfortunate that during this historic time of peace in Nepal, our humanitarian operations are being disrupted, which prevents us from providing an adequate supply of food aid to needy beneficiaries,” the statement quoted WFP Nepal’s Deputy Country Representative, Dominique Hyde, as saying. “Despite bandhs and political instability during the years of insurgency, WFP was able to transport enough food aid to continue all of our programs. I appeal to all parties to ensure safe passage of WFP food convoys and the free and safe movement of WFP staff so we can continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable populations in Nepal ,” Hyde added. In Nepal , nearly 1.5 million people receive WFP’s food assistance. WFP’s programs include supplemental nutritional support to 64,000 breastfeeding women and their children, mid-day meals to 450,000 school-going children and vegetable ghee rations for girls’ families, daily rations to over 100,000 Bhutanese refugees and supplemental rice rations through food-for-work programs to over 800,000 people.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEPAL, commodities can now be brought and sold like trading of securities in the stock market, thanks to an initiative of Commodities & Metal Exchange Nepal Ltd (COMEN). COMEN, Nepal ’s first and only commodities exchange center, provides a platform for investment where consumption asset converts into investment asset, said Vijay Satyal, executive director at COMEN, which began trading in agro products from Monday. “It’s a platform where a wide range of commodities will be available for trading as financial instruments,” he added.
New Cooperatives Launched
With the objective of serving the financial needs of consumers, Birat Saving and Credit Cooperatives Limited has been set up. A group of like-minded professionals including doctors, engineers and bankers have come together to float the company, which started its formal transactions beginning February 3. The company was jointly inaugurated by Saroj Devkota, president of Nepal Engineers’ Association, and Dr. Sudha Sharma, president of Nepal Medical Association. According to member of board of directors of the company Pralhad Raj Panta, the share capital of the company stands at Rs 60 million. He said in future, the company will venture into other financial areas by launching Birat Finance Company, Birat Development Bank, and Birat Commercial Bank. The company plans to invest in hydropower and public health, according to chairman Dr. Durga Prasad Sangraula.
