Members of the Nepalese Woman Everest expedition team photographed in Syangboche on Saturday.

CPN-UML names top corrupt faces

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, April 8 - At a public rally organized here today to mark the 10 years of the restoration of democracy, the main opposition CPN-UML claimed that around 2500 people have involvement in corruption. One of its leaders read out the names of at least 18 of them.

Khum Bahadur Khadka, Yama Lal Kandel, Bam Dev Gautam and Keshav Sthapit were among the most notable names in the list read out to a packed audience at the Open Air Theatre. CPN-UML had bussed about 50,000 party workers from around the country for the purpose.

Pradeep Nepal, Director of UML’s Peoples Volunteers, came down heavily against what he termed "corrupt" ruling Nepali Congress party which’s remained in power most of the time in last ten years and disclosed the names of "heavily corrupt" politicians, businessmen, government officials and general public.

"Because corrupt people haven’t been punished since 2029 BS (1973), the list is too long to be read out here," he said, adding that his partymen will take the list of "such corrupt ranging from the ones who walked with sandals in Itahari ten years ago to the ones who are out to buy airplanes" to each and every doors across the country soon.

Of the 2,788 billed as corrupt, 1,488 have already been proven to be corrupt, he said, adding that his party was investigating into 1,300 of them as to whether or not they are corrupt.

In the last ten years, 321 people were involved in revenue leakage, 130 in smuggling, 56 in land-mafia even as 350 have already been found guilty by Commission of Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), according to Nepal.

He named two directors of custom department - Janardan Sharma and Yuba Raj Bhusal - as "two of the most corrupt government officials". Other corrupt people, he claimed, were Sita Ram Giri, Sita Ram Nepal, Dipak Malhotra, Nakim Udin, Prakash Tibrewal, Prakash Bhattachan, IL Pradhan, Tek Bahadur Gurung, Dhojendra Gautam, Chabi Lal Bhusal, Shankar Golyan and Hongkong Rana.

"Khum Bahadur Khadka in a face-to-face programme last year said that he paid `Rs 180 million to split CPN-UML’...Where did he get the huge amount from if he were not involved in the acts of corruption?" he questioned. "How appropriate it is on the part of ruling Nepali Congress to continue inducting such tainted faces into the cabinet? It is insult to the nation."

"This is not UML which is labelling them as corrupt but the revenue leakage reports," he added.

He alleged that former Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Yama Lal Kandel together with Hongkong Rana, the then Executive Director of RNAC, "paid Rs 31.5 million 54 thousand 500 as advance to the U.S.-based Chase Air, which never supplied the kind of aircraft ordered by RNAC".

In the case of his former comrade-in-arms Bam Dev Gautam, Nepal said Gautam, during his deputy premiership in 1996, "provided immunity to Sita Ram Giri of Khotang, Simpani, who imported five jeeps by air. The vehicles contained 1638 kg of gold worth Rs 1 billion 169 million 25 thousand 6 hundred 75 and 60 paisa, which was later smuggled into the country."

And Kathmandu Metropolis Mayor, also his former comrade-in-arm but now with CPN-ML, "swindled Rs 40.43 million", Nepal said, calling upon Kathmandu residents to probe into Sthapit’s wrongdoing "evidences of which are still safe at Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA)".

He however claimed that CPN UML did not, and does not, have any corrupt faces, and added that "the party will not spare those involved in the acts of corruption". He vent his fury only on the ruling NC party and UML’s splinter faction CPN-ML, terming them "the party of corrupt" and "the party of criminals", respectively.

The UML spokesman also expressed concern that "the country has been seeing roughly one third--Rs 11 billion 800 million--of its over 40 billion average annual revenue earnings leaked regularly for the last three years.

He added, "If NC has guts it should be able to form a probe commission and punish all political appointees, senior police officials and government officials implicated as corrupt."

UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal blasted the ruling party for congressization of administration, flayed underground Maoists, and claimed that CPN-UML was the only political force capable to make drastic changes in the country. UML standing committee member Ishwor Pokharel chaired the People’s Movement Day function.

Koirala stresses anti-graft stance

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, April 8 - Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today expressed his commitment to "curb corruption" and expel any of the ministers of his cabinet if they are found involved in "irregularities".

At a seminar "Achievements of People’s Movement and Present Challenges", organised by Tarun Dal, a youth wing of Nepali Congress, Koirala asked his ministers not to offended if he takes some "harsh decisions" to check corruption.

Immediately after his appointment as the Prime Minister, Koirala had placed "resolving Maoist insurgency, checking corruption and ensuring good governance", high on his agenda.

Koirala added that he would activate the National Defence Council (NDC) to resolve the Maoist problem. "If I cannot ensure law and order I would not remain in the Prime Minister’s position," said Koirala.

The Constitution of Nepal 1990 has empowered NDC to regulate its working procedures on its own. The NDC headed by the Prime Minister consists Defence Minister and Commander-in-Chief as its members.

Koirala further said he would study the recommendations made by Administration Reforms Committee - 1992 and Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the reform of civil service and implement the appropriate ones in order to ensure good governance.

In its Action Plan for Civil Service Reform made public yesterday ADB proposed for merger of some of the ministries to reduce the size of the cabinet and recommended establishment of anti-corruption prosecution team in the Attorney General’s Office and anti-corruption court in the Supreme Court.

Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi also said he would take action against anybody under him if they are proved to be involved in any "irregularities". "I am ready to leave even my own position if I am found involved in the irregularities."

He conceded that the government failed to convince people that nothing would happen during the armed bandh called by the underground Maoists. The "armed shutdown" on April 6 passed off peacefully than what was expected.

Joshi also said that the Maoist movement is being run by "a different force that intends to abolish democracy".

Chief Justice admits inadequacies

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, APRIL 8 - Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya today said the judiciary has largely failed to deliver justice in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution.

"Many of the laws stipulated in the Constitution are still untouched," said Upadhyaya. "Similarly, many innocent people are suffering and the convicted are penalised more than they deserved just because of our inefficiency. Our inefficiency is defaming and weakening our institution."

He was addressing an interaction programme "Capacity Building of Judges", jointly organised by Judicial Council Secretariat and Rural Development Foundation/ Nepal, an NGO working on good governance.

"I feel all of us are committed to judicial reforms," said the Chief Justice. "Lets sit together and pave a way out of these irregularities for the betterment of judiciary and for all."

"If judiciary is incapable, the justice is delayed," said the Justice at the Supreme Court Laxman Prasad Aryal. "People tend to link it with corruption in judiciary defaming the institution."

Justice Kedar Nath Upadhyaya said unlike most of the countries, "our law regarding penalties are not crime specific." "There are so many cases where the criminals face different penalties for the same crime," said he. "In this context it is essential that the judges should depend more on their conscience and work at high gears to deliver individualised justice. Generalised justice may be easy to deliver but it may be misleading."

Militancy will bleed economy: Deuba

By Akhilesh Upadhyay

KATHMANDU, April 8 - Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba believes that resolving the five-year-old People’s War will be a draining process, given the complexity of the Maoist problem but continuing the fight against insurgents will bleed the nation’s economy.

Deuba, who chairs the high-level Consensus Seeking Commission on Resolving the Maoist Problem, said the new Prime Minister, Girija Prasad Koirla had asked him to hold talks with Maoists.

"Talks are the only way out," said Deuba, who chairs the high-level Consensus Seeking Commission on Resolving Maoist Problem, adding he was keen to engage Maoists if the new Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala so wants.

Former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai late last year appointed Deuba as the chairman of the six-member Commission, giving him sweeping powers to hold talks with political parties, human rights groups and Maoists.

Following suggestions made by the Commission, the Bhattarai government early this year released some prominent Maoist leaders from prison. Days before the fall of the Bhattarai government last month, Deuba held the much-publicized talks with one Comrade Ashok of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to "ensure a minimum atmosphere" for further talks. He said he wasn’t aware Comrade Ashok’s position in the party hierarchy, adding he lost contact with Maoists after the fall of the Bhattarai government.

"It (fall of the government) has obviously been a setback," he told The Kathmandu Post late Saturday. "I met the new Prime Minister yesterday. Girijababu has asked me to go ahead (as Chairman of the Commission)."

But party insiders say even if Koirala does decide to retain Deuba as the chairman of the Commission, it is unlikely that Deuba would enjoy the same level of confidence he commanded during Bhattarai’s Premiership, a crucial factor in deciding the outcome of the high-stakes talks with Maoists. "Should the talks succeed, the credit will of course go to Koirala since he is the Prime Minister," said a Deuba loyalist. "But it remains to be seen whether Koirala wants to share the political limelight with Deuba."

Given the politics of one-upmanship, the reasons are obvious, argue analysts. After a more-than-creditable showing in the contest for the Nepali Congress Parliamentary leader last month, Deuba has unequivocally established himself as a strong contender for the party presidency. The Nepali Congress elects its new president later this year.

Playing down his presidential aspirations, Deuba today stressed that Maoist problem is "a major problem before us now. It has taken a form of insurgency. I therefore don’t see it being immediately resolved."

The Commission has been given a May 2 deadline to submit its recommendations. It has already met political parties and human rights groups. "There is consensus that violence must be stopped from both the sides (Maoists and police) and talks must be held to resolve the insurgency."

Maoists go techo-savvy

By a Post Reporter

NEPALGUNJ, April 8 - The underground Maoist guerrillas threatened the police through the latter’s communication set for the first time in the region ever since the Peoples War was launched in 1996.

According to Superintendent of Police Basant Kunwar of the District Police Office Surkhet, the warning through the wireless came at a time when the police were raiding the rented room of Bindaman Bista of Birendranagar municipality 10, Surkhet.

The police have confiscated a Chinese pistol from Bista’s room, a student of Education Campus, Surkhet.

"Earlier a month ago, the Maoists had stolen the pistol bearing 2201972 registration number from Binayak Police Office, Achham," said Deputy Inspector General of police Rajendra Bahadur Singh, Regional Police Office, Nepalgunj.

According to SP Kunwar, the police also unearthed 2 blank covers of large revolvers, 80-90 units of electronic detonators, over 400 photographs and Rs 33,000 in cash.

"Besides order letters, pamphlets and posters, the confiscated photographs were also planned to be distributed at all the Maoist affected districts," said SP Kunwar.

Meanwhile, the police have intensified the search for the caller in the areas within the range of the wireless. Police claims the walkie-talkie used by the Maoists was stolen from the police post.

No one has been arrested so far.

Timber growers losing

KATHMANDU, April 8 (PR)- The actual farmers of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) presently earn much too less compared to what larger companies earn by producing products from them, said forestry experts today.

Speaking at the inaugural function of a two-day workshop on Community based NTFP Management, Secretary at Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation Rabi Bahadur Bista said: "The actual farmers who harvest NTFP get hold of only a few crores annually while such products worth some Rs. 4 billion (400 crore) are presently exported at throw away prices across the border due to bad management of NTFP in the country."

He also said NTFP management could help in poverty alleviation if the government gave more priority to such programmes.

"We have been turned out empty-handed when we go for funding in spite of our forestry programmes being well activated and the people involved trained in the best universities in the world," said Bista. "In fact, apart from controlling soil erosion and landslides, it also helps in poverty alleviation by uplifting the rural economy."

Abhoy K. Das, Dean of Institute of Forestry (TU) - Pokhara, the organizers of the workshop, said the recommendations made in the workshop will be distributed to various forestry related policy makers. The next SEANN workshop is slated to be held in Philippines on March 2001.

According to the organizers, around 100 participants from 10 countries including United States, Russia and Denmark will discuss conservation and management, resource assessment and sustainable harvesting practices, and processing and marketing of NTFP. The workshop is a continuation of the attempts being made by South and East Asian Countries NTFP Network (SEANN) for the better management and promotion of NTFPs, they said.

Hillary feted

KHUMJUNG, April 8 (PR)- Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Mt Everest with Tenzing Sherpa, yesterday received a warm welcome from the locals and students at Khumjung School, the only school in the village, which he founded forty years ago.

Every year Hillary visits Khumjung village, which stands at a height of 3490 meters at the base of Mt Everest in Solukhumbu district.

Hillary, who first scaled Mt Everest in 1953, has opened the school in the Sherpa settlement to "open the eyes" of the Sherpa children.

"I will keep on visiting this place and help for the improvement of the school," said Hillary. "After I become incapable, my wife and friends will help the school through the Himalayan Trust." Principal of Khumjung School Mahendra Bahadur Katheth said the credit for the improvement in the living standard of the villagers goes to Sir Hillary.

At present the school has 337 students, mostly from Namche and Khumjung VDCs.

Consolation lies in the details

By Suman Pradhan

KATHMANDU, April 8 - Ten years may be a lot of time for us mere mortals, but in the life of nations, the time flies in a jiffy. All you need to do is to go back in time to this day, ten years ago. How was it then?

To recall, today a decade ago, we were in the climax of a long and bitter struggle to establish democracy. Just two days earlier, hundreds of thousands of people were converging at the city centre, demanding political freedom and multi-party democracy. Well, we got those tonight, ten years ago.

Dozens of deaths later, the political parties which spearheaded the movement and King Birendra agreed that the time had come to take Nepal into a modern era. In the late hours of this April night in 1990, political parties were unbanned, an interim government formed, and the ball was set rolling towards one of the most sweeping changes in the history of modern Nepal.

Now a decade later, we are still in the throes of change. The momentous decisions taken that day in April 1990, still reverberates in all walks of Nepali life. Many may ask, as they have so often asked these days, was it all worth it? Is the brand of democracy we have today worth the blood of martyrs spilled?

To be sure, it has not been rosy all the way. Corruption stares us in the eyes in every facet of public life. So do illnesses, illiteracy, undernourishment and the plethora of other ills which we ought to have tackled in earnest in the early days of democracy.

Above all, the tranquil almost sanitized life of the bygone Panchayat era, which ruled with an iron fist, may be missed by some. In contrast, the law and order situation today is a mess. We have a dangerous uprising in our hands, and crime and robberies in this once quiet corner of the Himalayas have increased ten folds since the advent of democracy.

But consider how it might have been if the Movement to Restore Democracy had failed. We probably would have a semblance of peace at the outset, but boiling resentment within. There would still be an uprising, the difference is that it would be carried out by the people and the political parties who are at the helm of power today.

Nepal would still be a poor and corrupt nation, have no doubts about it. There would still be unaccountability, illnesses and illiteracy. Decisions affecting millions would still be made by the few inside darkened rooms.

Well, they are still being made inside dark rooms today, you may say. What about Tanakpur, or Enron or RNAC’s jet leases, or the development projects being selected today? Where is the transparency, which was promised in the beginning?

There is one big difference today, however. Unlike ten years ago, the common man or woman can demand to know about decisions affecting them. While the answer may not come handily, there are ways to constitutionally pressure the rulers for information.

There is a truly elected parliament, a free and vibrant press, hundreds of citizen’s forums and the ubiquitous NGOs, which by the way, do serve a public purpose however much we like to hate them.

As a result, a small village today can fight the power of the centre. Just consider how Syuchatar is fighting against the government’s decision to convert their village into a dumping ground for Kathmandu. Individuals, who once couldn’t raise a finger against rulers, can now drag a Prime Minister to court to answer charges of slander. Talk of empowerment.

Yes, there is still a long way to go. And, with unrelenting public pressure and visionary political leaders, we will reach there. It is democracy that makes it all possible. While it may be an imperfect system with warts, wrinkles and all - there is no alternative to it.

So dear readers, let us toast this first decade of democracy then, and hope that this imperfect system of ours will last forever.

Remaining political sufferers to be paid out

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, April 8 - Political Victims Relief Committed (PVRC) has paid out Rs 100,000 each to 290 families of martyrs since the restoration of democracy

Issuing a press statement here today, PVRC added 2733 political sufferers have received Rs 151.57 millions till date.

The committee intends to finalise its work by paying out to all the remaining political victims within the next three months, the release states.

The committee headed by former Prime Minister Krishana Prasad Bhattarai was established 1990, just after the restoration of democracy.