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Women celebrating international women's day |
THE BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS, on Thursday (March 8), announced that Gurkha soldiers who had joined the British armed force after July 1, 199 7 would get pension equal to their British counterparts. Pensions for riflemen with 15 years' experience will increase by five folds -- from £1,200 to at least £6,600. Persons serving in senior ranks will get more than 7,000 pounds a year or considerably more depending on the time they have served. Gurkhas joined British Army in 1815, with 110,000 enlisted in World War II. They fought in the Falklands War, both Iraq invasions and are currently serving in Afghanistan as well. There are currently 3,500 Gurkhas in the British force, the majority of whom have served on all overseas operations, especially Afghanistan and Iraq . The number was as high as 110,000 during the World War II. Meanwhile, in Nepal , although ex-servicemen welcomed the announcement of the British parliament they expressed dissatisfaction over the cut-off date. President of Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organization (GAESO), Padam Bahadur Gurung, termed it the victory of the Gurkha soldiers. However, he said the announcement was biased. He said the current decision will only benefit about 600-800 retired soldiers. “Whereas there are over 40,000 of retired Gurkha soldiers in the country,” Gurung said. He vowed to continue GAESO’s agitation until full parity is reached. “The dedication and loyalty of Nepali soldiers to the British Crown has been unquestionable all through history, but the issues of the Gurkhas who joined before 1997 have been ignored,” he added. Likewise, Prem Rai of United British Gurkhas Ex-Servicemen’s Association Nepal said that the organization will continue protest for equal benefit to all ex-Gurkhas. Another organization of Gurkha Soldiers, British Gurkhas Welfare Society (BGWS) also said that the announcement is partial victory of the ex-soldiers as it failed to address their demands. Chairman of the BGWS, Tikendra Dal Dewan said that they will continue their movement as the announcement failed to incorporate Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997.
THE INDO-NEPAL TRADE TREATY has been automatically renewed from Tuesday (March 6) for the next five years. As per the Clause 12 of the treaty, it has been automatically renewed, according to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies. The Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) have welcomed the renewal of the treaty. After its renewal, Nepal ’s products – apart from those under quantitative restrictions and three in the negative list - will continue to enjoy free access to Indian market. Although there were talks to refine the treat by including Nepal ’s demands, it was later decided that Nepal ’s concerns will be separately dealt with soon. Nepal had been raising concerns about non-tariff barriers and quarantine issues. Earlier, the treaty had been renewed once in 2002. The treaty was initially signed in 1996.
THE US EMBASSY IS CHANGING ITS non-immigrant visa application system effective April 1, 2007 . According to a press statement by the American Center , the change will enable applicants outside of Kathmandu to submit their applications from five Nabil Bank branches across Nepal , thus eliminating the need to travel to the capital. Applicants in Kathmandu , also using the new system, will continue to apply from the Nabil Bank, Maharajgunj. Beginning April 1, all applicants for non-immigrant visas (tourists, students, etc.) will be required to submit Electronic Visa Application Forms (EVAF) when applying for an interview appointment through Nabil Bank. Typed or handwritten applications will no longer be accepted. The EVAF forms are available online at http://evisaforms.state.gov They must be printed using a laser printer or a high quality ink jet printer and all printed pages must be included with your application. The Electronic Visa Application enables the Embassy to offer a more convenient option for applicants. Instead of traveling to Kathmandu early, as has been the case, applicants residing outside Kathmandu can now submit their application for a visa appointment at one of the five Nabil Bank branches throughout Nepal – in Biratnagar, Birgunj, Butwal, Pokhara, and Nepalgunj. Besides introducing the new EVAF forms for non-immigrant visa applicants, the Embassy urges all visa applicants other than students to apply at least 30-60 days before planned travel. Based on increasing numbers of student visa applicants over the past year, the Embassy expects a significant increase in applications in the summer of 2007. The waiting time for all visa appointments will likely increase. Students should apply as early as possible, up to 120 days ahead of the reporting date listed on the I-20.
SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT will provide Rs 10.6 million worth of IT equipment to Nepal through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to support the peace process. At the Donation Ceremony held at the Election Commission on March 7, 2007, the Korean Ambassador to Nepal , Nam Sang-Jung stated that ensuring a free and fair election of the constituent assembly in June is crucial for maintaining peace and stability in Nepal in the future. In this context, the Korean Government, as a part of its efforts to support peace process in Nepal , provided 95 multi-function laser printers and 57 portable hard disk (worth Rs 3.6 million) to EC. The Korean Government also plans to provide computer equipment (worth Rs 7 million) to police through the Ministry of Home Affairs to beef up security capacity of police. In addition to this, 5 military officers of the Korean Army will be dispatched to Nepal early April as UN Arms Management Observers. The Korean Government will continue to support Nepal not only for economic cooperation but also for peace building, and thus contribute to the latter's national development, says a statement issued by Korean Embassy.
