Government serious in forming armed security force immediately: Joshi

By Gunaraj Luintel

KATHMANDU, April 10 - Home Minister Govind Raj Joshi today said the government is serious in immediately forming the armed security force as per the recommendations of the Armed Police Service Task Force formed two months back.

Accepting the report of the task force headed by former Home Secretary Khem Raj Regmi today, Joshi said it is necessary to implement the recommendations of the task force to free the country from terrorism.

"If we were to take it to the parliament in the next session and wait for it to get passed it might take a year," said Joshi. "The situation is such that we cannot wait for a year...We have to think about short-term strategy to implement it immediately."

The task force has recommended forming a 15,156 strong force with an Inspector General of Security heading the force.

The government will have to spend a huge portion from the state coffer if it establishes the armed security force. "The government will have to spend Rs 1.4 billion annually for the armed force," said Regmi. If we transfer the existing police and army personnel the cost might go down."

The government had formed the task force on January 31 to consult experts and submit report on armed police.

According to recommendations submitted by the task force, the armed security force will be a separate entity under the Home Ministry which will be governed by separate Acts and regulations.

The report also proposes developing it in a para-military form and arming it with automatic and semi-automatic weapons.

According to Regmi, the government might have to spend more than estimated cost while preparing infrastructure and setting up office. The report proposes taking 50 percent of the officials from the Royal Nepal Army and the remaining 50 percent from Nepal Police.

The proposed report has arranged for regional brigades in five development regions and nine battalions in different parts of the country. The task force has taken the policy of developing it as an attractive service with attractive perks and incentives. The report recommends facilities at par with the army.

The task force has also recommended a separate Security Service Commission to ensure entry of qualified people. Besides, the report also proposes merging the existing riot police, special task force, Police Training Academy Kakani and Police Training Academy Dandapakhar with the armed security force.

There is a provision to mobilise the armed force by the decision of Central and Regional Security Committee upon request from District Security Committee.

The report also proposes using the force to keep vigil on border areas during normal period, assisting police during general and local elections, assisting Royal Nepal Army in the rescue and relief operations during natural calamities.

The recommendations also propose establishing regional administration office, appointing of Chief District Officers from select group only, improvement in the performance of National Investigation Department, regulating the number of police force and appointing a security expert at the Home Ministry.

The taskforce comprised former Inspector General Moti Lal Bohara, Additional Inspector General Pradip Shumshere JB Rana, former Additional secretary at the Home Ministry Ramanand Vaidya, Joint Secretary at the Defence Ministry Yubraj Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Office of the Attorney General Chet Nath Ghimire and Joint Secretary at the Home Ministry Dr Madhav Ghimire as the member secretary.

Minister Joshi requested the members of the task force to give suggestions on what should be done to immediately implement the recommendations.

"The report will be implemented soon," said Home Secretary Padam Prasad Pokhrel. "But we have to study the report first."

When asked if terrorism could be controlled just by establishing armed force, Regmi said, "If our report is implemented definitely yes."

"This report has been planned with long term strategy."

Police asked to boost intelligence

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, April 10 - Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today sought suggestions from police personnel to make the intelligence department of police more efficient and effective.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day seminar of senior police officials, Koirala said the intelligence department of the police is in a poor state and needs to be activated.

"Our main weakness lies with a very weak and almost defunct Intelligence Department," said Koirala. "There is an urgent need for it to be activated."

"I want you (police officials) to come up with some concrete suggestions within a week to make the intelligence department efficient."

PM Koirala said, "Their intelligence is far better than ours," said Koirala. He, however, did not elaborate who he meant by "they". "The government is giving special attention to the intelligence. I want the proposals for its betterment immediately, within a week."

He added that he would keep the doors open for dialogue with the underground Maoists while at the same time carry on with the actions against the rebels.

He also urged the police officers to boost up their morale and work towards improving the law and order situation in the country. "I have taken your (police’s) responsibility. You all work without fear."

Koirala said that the government was taking three measures to "dissuade terrorism in the country".

"We are seeking political consensus on how to tackle increasing terrorism," said Koirala. "We urge all the parties to keep aside their political ideologies for a while and work for the development of the country."

He pledged that the government will increase the facilities for the police personnel. "The government will take care of the families of police personnel -- the children’s education and employment."

Koirala also said he was going to launch a political campaign against smuggling and urged the police to cooperate. "The intelligence department should also work to find out about smuggling, its routes and people responsible for it."

He reiterated his commitment to work on the three agendas he set out when he was appointed the Prime Minister three weeks back. Koirala had pledged to resolve the Maoist insurgency, check corruption and ensure good governance immediately after coming to power.

Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi said, "The police force will be properly mobilised keeping in view that those police personnel working in remote and Maoist affected districts would get a transfer to a better place after their tenure there."

Inspector General of Police, Achyut Krishna Kharel stressed on the need to equip the police force with modern weapons. According to Kharel, 165 police personnel had lost their lives in clash with the rebels since the underground guerrillas launched their movement in 1996.

Thirty-four police officials deployed at the different parts of the country are participating in the conference that will focus on the changes to be carried out in the police force to combat the insurgency.

US ambassador-designate labelled ‘racist’

By Akhilesh Upadhyay

KATHMANDU, April 10 - The appointment of Thomas Furey as the US Ambassador Designate to Nepal has outraged Nepalis and Americans alike for his alleged racist background.

A career diplomat, Furey adopted a Nepali infant from Kathmandu’s Bal Mandir when he was posted in the US Embassy here way back in the ’80s but later handed back the child to the shelter home because of its dark skin, according to an American who was then working in Kathmandu’s World Bank office.

Robert Cardinalli, who now occupies a senior position at USAID office in Cairo, has appealed to the US Senator, Jesse Helms, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee urging him to block the appointment.

Furey’s appointment has yet to be approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before it is put to the customary vote in the Senate.

"During their tour of duty (in Nepal) Mr Furey and his wife adopted a Nepali infant," writes Cardinalli in his letter to the Senate Committee. "Approximately 6 months following the time they took possession of that infant, Mr and Mrs Furey returned the infant to the government-run orphanage agency, stating that they had changed their mind about adopting the child..."

"It soon emerged that the infant was returned because of its ‘dark skin color’", observes Cardinalli, who today e-mailed to this reporter copies of his letters to the US State Department and Senator Helms.

He has also forwarded a number of names - many of them retired US government officials, World Bank officials and a professor - who, according to Cardinalli, are "working hard to keep this nomination from being confirmed."

Horrified, many people -- both Americans and Nepalis -- are said to have tried to dissuade the Fureys from giving up the child after they had kept the baby boy six months in their custody.

"Many people spoke with the Fureys, both from within the Embassy and outside. What they told most people was that their (Fureys’) parents had paid a visit to Nepal, took one look at the new `grandchild’ and made it clear that were the Fureys to return to the USA with that ‘dark thing’ they would be disowned from the family and disinherited," writes Cardinalli in his letter.

Many people were shocked by the Furey’s decision back then. One such person is Barbara Adams, a newspaper columnist. "A lot of Americans living in Kathmandu were appalled. Now Americans are saying ‘how can such a man be appointed as the Ambassador!’ They are embarrassed," said Adams, an American lady who has adopted Nepal as her home.

"Since Furey has already insulted Nepal by withdrawing adoption after six months of a Nepali Magar or Gurung boy," said B K Rana Magar, Convenor of Society of Nepalese Intellectuals, "We do not want him as an Ambassador to Nepal. How can Nepalis trust such a man in so responsible a position as the Ambassador of America?"

Rana Magar said he had sent letters to various groups and individuals in the United States, including the US Senate and government, appealing them to block Furey’s appointment. "This is a gross act of racial discrimination. Worse, if there wasn’t enough outrage back in the ’80s in Nepal, it is because the child belonged to an ethnic community."

Americans in Kathmandu fear once publicized the incident is going to give "us all a bad name." But they hope that Nepalis don’t perceive America as a monolith and that Furey’s alleged action is not representative of American values.

"We don’t want Nepalis to think that we adopted Nepali children considering colour of their skin or caste," said Polly Fabian, an American woman who adopted two Nepali infants. "If he (Furey) wants to come here as the Ambassador, he requires to at least give some kind of public explanation. I would not like to think that he is representative of American values."

The Fabians are currently in Kathmandu as tourists and will be trekking with their eight-year-old daughter and two and a half year old son.

"If allegations against Furey is true, it’s outrageous," said another American, insisting that his name "never be disclosed in any condition to anyone". "It’s outrageous...a callous disregard of the child, Nepali sentiments and family values."

Industry-Commerce Day celebrated

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, April 10 - Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said we should learn from the past mistakes and formulate policies and implement people-centered programmes to advance economic growth of the nation.

Inaugurating the first Industry-Commerce Day today, Premier Koirala reiterated that he would attach high importance to improving the law and order situation, administrative reforms and corruption control.

"Economic development is not possible without good law and order situation," he said.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala receiving a souvenir from FNCCI President Pradip Kumar Shrestha at the inauguration of the Industry-Commerce Day organised by FNCCI in Kathmandu on Monday.

"Trade and industry is one of the pillars of the nation. If it is weak, it weakens others too. I have directed the council of ministers and the National Planning Commission to formulate polices to strengthen all these pillars of society," said Koirala. He also pleaded consensus between the business community and the government on economic issues.

"Due to lack of planning, anomalies cropped up after the Nepali Congress came to power in 1990. Therefore, we could not deliver the goods to the people. But the mistakes should not repeat," he pledged.

Pradeep Kumar Shrestha, President of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) speaking from the chair said vision and commitment are but the most important factors for economic upliftment.

Arguing that industry and commerce sector cannot ignore its social obligations, Shrestha urged the government to tap the potential in tourism. He also informed that FNCCI would give ‘Nepal Quality Award’ to enterprises attaining excellence in their production.

Minister for Industry and Commerce Ram Krishna Tamrakar said liberalization does not mean that the government is trying to shy away from its responsibilities.

Due to lack of proper assessment of the future prospect prior to their establishment, some industries are either ailing now or have been shut down. As the least developed countries enjoy some facilities after joining WTO, we should work to take advantage of such facilities, said the minister.

Takashi Tazima, General Secretary of Asian Productivity Organization (APO), speaking as a keynote speaker on the occasion, said, "Market economy has resulted in widening the gap between the haves and the have nots. Time has come to review our system to achieve higher economic growth rate. The entire world has been digitalized and information technology has begun to change the whole spectrum of the society. Therefore, Nepal should also think of capitalizing on this potential," he said.

Dr Mohan Man Sainju, former NPC Vice-Chairman urged the government to make an honest evaluation of the liberal economic policy adopted in post-democratic period. He also stressed that government should incorporate the private sector while formulating economic policies and it should act as a regulator.

Chief guest Koirala also gave away letters of honour and commendation to Nepali and foreign nationals and organizations making significant contribution to the economic front.

He also distributed letters of honour and commendation to the past presidents and other personalities making contribution to the trade and industry sector including National Sports Council for its contribution to the Eighth SAF Games.

Rabi Bhakta Shrestha, First Vice-President of FNCCI, stressed the need to effectively implement the policies. The role of private sector in the economy of the country is vital yet it alone cannot accelerate the growth of economy. Therefore, to create an environment conducive to the trade and industry sector, we are marking our first Industry -Commerce Day with the theme-Partnership for Prosperity-thereby increasing national productivity, he said.

FNCCI has said that it would celebrate Industry - Commerce Day on April 10 every year.

‘IA flight dialogue has ended’

KATHMANDU, April 10 (PR)- Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Tarini Datta Chataut and officials from the ministry today said that the dialogue with the Indian team for the resumption of the Indian Airlines flight had ended since the Nepali team refused to allow Indian officials to do the final check of the passengers and the baggage.

The officials of the ministry told this at a meeting of Human Rights and Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament. The talks between the Nepali and Indian teams had ended ten days back without making much headway.

According to a member of the committee, the Indian team had proposed to keep x-ray machine and its officials at the airport for final check of the luggage and the passengers. The Nepali team had taken stand that it would install the x-ray machine itself and not allow the Indian officials to do the final security check-up.

According to Navaraj Subedi, a members of the committee, the lawmakers inquired about the planes that are to be procured by the Ministry.

They sought "clear views" of the government on the issue of privatisation of Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC). "We have asked the government to come clear on its policies about the privatisation of RNAC," MP Narayan Man Bijukchche told The Kathmandu Post.

Citizenship denied to orphans

By Upendra Pratap Singh

KATHMANDU, April 10 - Buddha Tamang, 19, who grew up in a rehabilitation centre, has been applying for citizenship certificate since he was 16.

He didn’t get it as he was unable to provide his parents’ names. Tamang, a street child in Narayanghat, was brought to Concern Nepal, a rehabilitation centre, in 1992.

"He spent several years running from CDO Office to police office to ward office but to no avail," says Bijaya Sharma at Concern Nepal.

He was so frustrated by the red tapism that he left Concern Nepal to find future somewhere else. Tamang’s whereabouts are still unknown.

Tamang is one of the many orphans who are denied the right to nationality because of their obscure parentage.

A recent seminar, where 30 NGOs working on child rehabilitation took part, calculated that there are at least 120 such orphans struggling for citizenship certificates at these centres.

This, despite the Constitutional provision that categorically spells out the orphan’s right to citizenship.

The chapter on citizenship in the Constitution of Nepal 1990 states: "Every child who is found within the Kingdom of Nepal and the whereabouts of whose parents are not known shall, until the father of the child is traced, be deemed to be a citizen of Nepal by descent."

"The Constitution has granted every right to citizenship to orphans and children whose parents’ whereabouts are unknown," says Bal Krishna Neupane, a lawyer. "Problems arise when the administration fails to become active and does not fulfil its responsibility."

Hari Dahal, representative of the St. Xavier’s Social Service Centre, had to make the rounds of government offices for two years before he could finally get a citizenship certificate for one of the children in the centre.

Dahal had to meet the Mayor of Lalitpur, contact the regional police office once, ward office twice, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Office twice and the CDO four times.

"The District Adminstration Office should have a clear-cut policy on issuing citizenship certificates when it comes to treating orphans and fatherless children," says Dahal.

Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Sharma, on the other hand, says that the current policy is "perfect." "I am surprised to hear that orphanages and rehabilitation centres are complaining about the process of procuring citizenship certificate."

According to Sharma, teenagers living in rehabilitation centres are readily granted citizenship certificates if the organisations show the birth certificate and if the organisation is recognized by the District Office.

But orphans and those running shelter homes wonder how it is possible to produce birth certificate of an orphan who was either picked from the street or abandoned outside shelter homes.

"How can orphans and street children possess birth certificates?" says Hari Dangol, Chairman of the Jagaran Samuha (an NGO run by ex-street children for street children), "The CDO should now realise that it is senseless to demand birth certificates from orphans and street children."

Dangol, who was a street child himself, had faced this problem before. Tired of running here and there for a citizenship certificate, he had to finally take help from his uncle, who was a ward chairman at a village in the Terai.

At the recently held NGO conference, associations related to child rehabilitation decided to demand that the government provide an "alternative certificate" to the orphans so that they do not have to go through the grind later when they apply for citizenship.

"Providing alternative certificates to orphans should be included in the country’s citizenship policy," says Devi Lama, Director of the Nepal Girls Care Centre.

According to Madhur Sharma, Project Handler of Bal Mandir, every year rehabilitation centres find that some of their teenagers remain jobless or run away due to unemployment that is mainly caused by the lack of a citizenship certificate.