Bhutan agrees to field verification

By Damakant Jayshi

KATHMANDU, Dec 27 In a major breakthrough in the talks between Nepal and Bhutan today , both the countries agreed to field verification of Bhutanese refugees languishing in camps in eastern Nepal with family as its basic unit.

Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola led Nepali side and Bhutanese side was led by Jigme Y Thinley in the talks.

The three day- long Joint Ministerial Level Committee (JMLC) agreed on family as the unit of verification. In case those without family, the refugees will be verified individually. Issuing a joint press statement, both sides also agreed to keep the minimum age of family members at 25 years, with anyone below that age to be verified individually.

This was disclosed to The Kathmandu Post by Gyan Chandra Acharya, Spokesman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today. Acharya said that both the sides have agreed to form a joint verification within a week, and this team will visit the camps in eastern Nepal by January 31 next year.

"Basically, the development is that in the Tenth round, the two sides agreed to begin the verification process," said Acharya, adding, " This is one step forward."

Today’s agreement has at last opened the door for the repatriation of the refugees to their homeland. Replying to a question whether Bhutan would stick to today’s accord, Acharya said Nepal did believe that Bhutan would honour the agreement signed today by the two sides.

Today’s agreement is similar to that of the recent US proposal that had combined both the family and individuals as units of verification. The US team that had visited Nepal and Bhutan early this month had proposed that a family be the unit of identification and in case of individuals the cut off age be put at 25 years.

In order to accelerate the verification process, Nepal and Bhutan agreed either home or foreign secretaries of the two countries would meet between the JMLC meeting to ensure that the verification is accelerated. "This was agreed upon as the foreign ministers will not be able to meet very often and if any difficulty surfaces up during verification, the respective secretaries would address that," said Acharya.

Speaking to the reporters at the joint press conference after the talks concluded today, Foreign Minister Bastola expressed the hope that the refugee imbroglio will be resolved soon. His Bhutanese counterpart Thinley, reiterated his yesterday’s statement that Bhutan did not want the break up of a family during the verification.

With today’s agreement, the first stumbling block towards ultimate repatriation has been cleared. The Nepal-Bhutan ministerial talks on repatriation of nearly 100,000 Bhutanese refugees, that started in June 1993, has been particularly heartening for Nepal as the agreement is closer to Nepal’s position. Today’s accord also puts to rest the lingering doubts that have always been associated with the previous nine rounds.

However, it still remains to be seen whether there will be agreement on the names for the joint verification team and more importantly if the two sides would go for field verification of the refugees as per the agreement.

Journalist manhandled

KATHMANDU, Dec 27 (PR) - A group of demonstrators manhandled Shital Kaji Shrestha, a photographer of Sandhyakalin and Aparanha dailies at Jamal chowk this afternoon and looted his camera including a lens worth Rs 30,000 and a golden necklace suspecting him to be an Indian journalist.

Shrestha, with bruises in his face, told The Kathmandu Post "There were no police available and the assailants snatched my camera and necklace and severely beat me up at about 3:30 p.m". Shrestha is also known to be working for an Indian magazine, The Outlook.

Wrong elements likely to take advantage: DPM

KATHMANDU, Dec 27 (RSS) - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Ram Chandra Poudel, at the meeting of the House of Representatives State Affairs Committee today, furnished information on various topics including the current law and order situation, the strategy adopted by HMG in maintaining law and order and future action plans in this regard.

Stating that HMG had adopted the strategy of dialogue apart from administrative action to deal with the Maoists issue that has appeared in the country for the last few years, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home referred to happenings in the country over the past few days and said wrong elements were likely to take advantage of the agitation that seems to be out of control.

He made a heart-felt call on the committee and all the political parties of the country to take initiative to resolve the problem and upon intellectuals and responsible leaders of political parties to extend their cooperation.

It was natural for the public at large to be angered at adverse remarks by an Indian film star hurtful to the pride and self-esteem of Nepal and the Nepalese, it was said at the meeting.

But looking at the recent events in the country, those agitating should exercise patience and restraint and beware of the fact that wrong elements may take advantage of the situation, the meeting pointed out and decided to urge all concerned including those conducting the agitation to find a solution to the problem.

As the agitation was turning out to be extremely anarchic and getting out of control, the committee had decided to give directives to HMG to take immediate and effective steps in this regard.

Committee chairman Homnath Dahal presided over the meeting.

HMG forms probe body

KATHMANDU, Dec 27 (RSS) - His Majesty’s Government has formed a high level committee to investigate the violent incidents that took place near Gopikrishna Cinema theater and Saraswati Campus yesterday and the firing to bring the situation under control.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to make proper arrangements for the treatment of those injured in yesterday’s incidents and for compensation to the families of those killed.

Violence grips capital, 100 more injured

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 27 - The capital bore even more tensed look today and at least seven people sustained bullet injuries in the continued sporadic violence sparked since yesterday over the "derogatory" comments allegedly made by Indian actor, Hrithik Roshan. But no deaths have been reported today so far.

At least 500 demonstrators and 80 policemen have been injured, hospital sources said. Many are still stranded in the hospitals till mid night as the public transportation system remained totally stalled.

Balaju, Baneshwore, Bhotahity, Chabhil, Jamal, Kalanki, Kupondole, Maharjgunj, Naya Bazar, New Road, Putalisadak, Thamel, Thapathali and Ratnapark remained as the flash point areas of violence and protests today. Tear gas shells were fired and police resorted to lathi-charge as the demonstrators pelted stones, set fire on vehicles and vandalised shops. As the public transportation remained off the street, even the arriving tourists were seen walking all the way to their hotels from the airport. The educational institutions and the shopping centres remained closed today.

Meanwhile, according to a reliable police source, a high-level police team is investigating the infiltration that has incited the entire incident in the capital, that is taking a more serious turn since yesterday.

The source added that as per the directive of the same team, Superintendent of Police (SP), Pushkar Regmi, has issued directive to arrest Mohan Niraula, who was once quoted as saying that he was "ready to shoot the Prime Minister" and was against the multi-party system. SP Regmi is the present chief at District Police Office, Hanuman Dhoka.

A senior police official told The Kathmandu Post that the Valley Police Office started collecting back guns from the policemen today morning to avoid excessive use of force following yesterday’s police firing which took the lives of four people including two minors.

The government has already banned the screening of all movies starring Hrithik Roshan. All major local TV cable operators have also stopped airing Indian TV channels since yesterday.

Hrithik, the Indian teenage heart-throb, has now been branded as a "national enemy" by many, who allege the actor of commenting that the people he hated most were Nepalis, during a TV interview on December 14.

Even Star TV, which had aired Hrithik’s interview on December 14, has denied that any statements were made against Nepal during the show.

According to our reports, protests were held across the country in Banepa, Bhairahawa, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Butwal, Chitwan, Dang, Dhading, Dhangadi, Dharan, Gaighat, Gulariya, Hetauda, Janakpur, Jhapa, Lamjung, Nawalparasi, Nepalgunj, Nuwakot, Pokhara, Rauthat, Syangja, and Tanahun.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy Kathmandu has raised concern at "the rumours spread by element inimical to the warm and cordial Nepal-India relations," in a press release issued here today. "The Embassy of India is deeply distressed at the violence and the loss of lives resulting from the spread of baseless rumours," states the release.

On the other hand, various political parties and human rights organisations today issued press releases condemning the government for the death of two "innocent" children during yesterday’s police firing. They have also demanded severe punishment to those responsible.

CPN-UML, the main opposition party has even demanded the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel.

Till late evening, The Kathmandu Post has received a total of 49 press releases from various organisations across the country condemning the Indian film star, Hrithik Roshan.

Hrithik asks for evidence

KATHMANDU, Dec 27 (PR) - Hrithik Roshan, the implicated Bollyhood star has categorically denied of having made any derogatory statement against Nepal or Nepali people.

In a one and half page statement faxed to The Kathmandu Post today evening, the Indian film star has said," I solemnly declare and firmly reiterate that I have never spoken even a word against Nepal or its people," adding that " when I make this statement I humbly put a question to the creators of this news to please produce an evidence or proof of my having been made the reported statement on any channel of television anywhere in the world."

Roshan has expressed his sympathy over the loss of life during the violent protest against his alleged statement. "It has given me considerable pain that innocent people of Nepal have suffered emotionally and physically due to some press reports which are absolutely false and unfounded," the statement said.

"I offer my heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the families of those innocent people

who have lost their lives," the statement added.

House to solicit suggestions on Property Rights Bill

By Binaj Gurubacharya

KATHMANDU, Dec 27 A parliamentary committee is kicking off  an ambitious project to solicit suggestions from women nationwide regarding the controversial Property Rights Bill which is awaiting approval in parliament.

The Law, Justice and Parliamentary Committee of the House of Representatives is sending five teams beginning Sunday to villages and towns in all the 14 zones of the kingdom to hold seminars and gather suggestions from womens’ rights activists, students, academicians and most importantly, the common women folk themselves. The team will be travelling for the next 10 days.

The controversial Bill proposing 11th amendment to the Muluki Ain (Civil

Code), better known as Property Rights Bill since it grants daughter rights to parental property is in the Committee since it was sent there by the House just a few days before it prorogued last summer.

Chairman of the Committee Mahindra Yadav said that the opinion gathering exercise is a very serious issue. "This is a very sensitive issue and we are taking this up very seriously gathering opinions and suggestions from not only the lawmakers but also from the common people who ultimately will be effected the most," he said. "We want to make sure that we hear the opinion of all the people in every corner of the country before we adopt this very important Bill."

This is the first time in the decade-long history of the present system that a parliamentary committee will be taking up such an ambitious project prior to adopting a Bill. Under normal circumstances, Bills are usually discussed among the two dozen members of the committees, necessary amendments made and then passed on back to the House for endorsement.

The Property Rights Bill has been one of the most controversial in Nepal’s history. Since the idea of property rights first popped up few years ago, the issue has sparked more debates than most laws proposed, and has gathered more suggestions than any other Bills presented for debate in the past few years. The latest Bill, presented by the government in July, has already gathered 74 amendment proposals.

According to member of the committee Prem Bahadur Singh, the House of Representatives Regulations do allow soliciting opinions from the public but that provision has not been used so far. Singh, who heads a sub-committee assigned to review the flooding amendment applications, said provision 10 and 16 are the two clauses in the Bill that has received the most applications.

The Clause # 10 says that though women will have equal rights to parental property they would have to return it after they are married off which has been severely criticized by women rights activists as a lame loophole in the proposed Bill.

"This bill proposes to make daughter heir to the property and is a positive move to recognize women’s equal status in the society but there are still some shortcomings in the proposed Bill," said Sapana Malla, a renowned women rights advocate.

The existing laws do not give rights to women to stake their claim on parental property unless they are over 35 years of age and unmarried till then. The proposed Bill recognizes daughters as equal heirs of the parental property, share in the husband’s property even before a divorce and remove age restriction for widows to claim property from her in-laws.

A study done by the Center for Women, Law and Development revealed that though the constitution of Nepal bars any and all forms of discrimination on the basis of sex, there are at least 118 laws that discriminate against women.

Most of these applications filed at the committee too comes from NC lawmakers with the main opposition CPN-UML taking the second lead though the party has been the most vocal to pressure the government to speed up the adoption of the Bill.