Maoist rebels kill nine cops in remote Jumla Loot rifles & handguns

-By  Yagya Bikram Shahi

NEPALGUNJ, Jan 4 - Nine policemen lost their lives last night in a bloody battle with a large band of Maoist rebels in a remote village in Jumla district, a senior police officer said here today.

The battle began at 11:30 pm last night at a police strike force centre in Rarali VDC in Jumla district and lasted till 2 am this morning. The battle site is about a day’s walk from the district headquarters.

Deputy Inspector General of police of the Mid-western region Rajendra Bahadur Singh said that the rebels exploded a bomb at the police centre, captured and severely beat policemen and finally killed nine policemen in cold blood. They took away 17 pieces of.303 rifles and three handguns, he said.

According to local villagers, a large band of Maoist rebels had attacked the strike force centre. The battle raged on for three hours before the rebels finally captured and killed the policemen.

Police said that those killed are Sub-Inspector Giri Raj Sen, Assistant Sub-Inspector Gauri Singh Dhami, sergeant Bhim Bahadur Majhi and constables Bhakta Bahadur Kunwar, Keshar Bharati, Thule Kanchha Gurung, Kali Bahadur Khadka, Devraj K.C. and Padam Bahadur Thagunna.

Though the casualty on the Maoist side is unknown, DIG Singh said that at least one rebel could be seriously wounded.

Meanwhile, policemen wounded in the battle have been airlifted to hospitals in Nepalgunj, as have the bodies of the dead policemen.

The attack in Jumla district is the first known attack by Maoist rebels in that district, police said. The district borders the Maoist-affected district of Kalikot.

Meanwhile, Maoist rebels began attacking a police post in Daha VDC of Jajarkot district at 7:30 pm Tuesday, police said. Details of the clash are not immediately available.

In another incident, a Maoist woman was killed in a clash with police in Gorkha district, police said. She has yet to be identified.

The death toll in Jumla last night brings the total police death toll in Maoist clashes in the western parts of the country to 74, police said. About 650 Maoists have been killed in the same area in the same period, police added. 

 RNAC comes under fire

-By a Post Reporter                

KATHMANDU, Jan 4 - The parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committee has begun investigation on allegations of irregularities existing within the state flag carrier Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC).

The committee in its meeting today asked the airlines to submit within the next three days all documents related to laws and regulations governing RNAC, the auditor general’s report on the accounts for the past two years and details of transfers, promotions and any thing related to employee changes in the over-staffed airlines.

But above all, the committee wants to probe into the past leasing of jets that has more than often drawn the ailing corporation into controversies.

During the past few years that the corporation has leased jets in addition to their two jets, allegations of kickbacks and commission have been directed at the officials that has seen many of its top officials sacked and replaced.

Since an Airbus jet flew back after two years of service, each tender calls for a leased jet has come enveloped in allegations of irregularities and hefty bribes for the officials.

In the months and years that followed after the Airbus, RNAC leased smaller jets that flew on shorter routes for as little as few days. Until last year when it decided to lease a China South West Airlines Boeing 757 jetliner for a year on wet-lease basis that prompted pilots to go on indefinite strike.

RNAC has just two jets of its own flying on international routes and about half dozen smaller planes on domestic routes, but has a big building and an army of staff running the not so efficient service.

During today’s meeting of the committee, Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Bijaya Gachchedar admitted that irregularities existed in the corporation and the ministry itself had begun investigating the charges already. Minister Gachchedar assured the committee he and his ministry would fully cooperate during the committee’s investigation.

Though the minister appeared soft on the corporation, his deputy was harsh on the controversy-ridden airlines.

Assistant Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Narayan Singh Pun told the committee that the corporation was totally disorganized and undisciplined. He told them that the corporation was nearing a total collapse.

At present the government has Rs. 370 million stake in it but if it was to privatize the corporation today, then the government would end up paying Rs. 600 million instead.

India’s credentials suffer over Zee News

-By Prashant Aryal

KATHMANDU, Jan 4 - India, the largest democratic country, has been baselessly projecting the Nepalis national as hijacker of the Indian Airliner since it landed at Kandahar Airport.

Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh in a press conference himself declared that a Nepali citizen - Gajendra Tamrakar- was a hijacker. Interestingly, he made such a weighty statement without any verification.

His statement gave a green signal to both the state-owned and private Indian media to defame Tamrakar. Moreover, quoting the Indian sources, even international news agencies like BBC and CNN pressed the Nepalis involvement in the hijacking.

Politicians and elites are worried about government’s apathy in this regard. Former Secretary General of South Asian Association for the Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and also the former Foreign Secretary Yadav Kant Silwal stressed for the immediate diplomatic initiatives. “India should be informed of hurt Nepalis esteem,” Silwal told The Kathmandu Post.

Though the Foreign Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat informed his Indian counterpart about Tamrakar’s innocence, he could not urge him to correct his statement. It is yet to be known as what has been the government’s diplomatic approach for its moral compensation.

Forty years ago the then Indian Prime Minister had apologized to the then ruling Nepali Congress (NC) for commenting on Nepalis sovereignty.

Nehru had said that Indian security line extends upto the Himalayas. He apologized at the Indian parliament after the then Prime Minster BP Koirala strongly reacted to his reckless statement.

Now what shall be the government’s diplomatic initiative in this regard? According to diplomats, under such circumstance, Indian Embassy may be called to the Foreign Ministry to receive a letter of memorandum in this regard or the Nepalese Embassy at New Delhi should submit the same to Indian Foreign Ministry. “It is the most formal procedure in the diplomatic communication,” said Silwal. “Its record cannot be destroyed.”

Meanwhile, legal experts maintain Gajendra Tamrakar himself may lodge a case in Indian court. Related Nepalis Acts are not strong enough to provide proper compensation for him.

According to advocate Sher Bahadur KC, an international law expert, the biased Indian allegation and propaganda are against the Theory of Common sovereignty stipulated in United Nations (UN) Charter.

Some lawyers hold that a writ may be filed against the Indian television channels which aired faulty news against Nepal. In this way transmission of such channels may be stopped.

However, most of the experts hold that diplomatic initiatives are better than personal one.

Chief of the foreign department of the main opposition CPN-UML Jhala Nath Khanal stressed for diplomatic compensation. “The responsible Indian leader should correct his statement. Nepal should be serious and India should be more sensitive in this regard,” says Khanal.

Even NC has called the attention of the government. NC spokesperson Nar Hari Acharya maintains that it is government’s duty to take diplomatic steps in this regard.

Melamchi runs into rough weather

-By Kavita Sherchan 

KATHMANDU, Jan 4 - Just when everything was going smoothly and things were starting to look rosy, the much delayed Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) is stuck in yet another glitch.

According to water resource sources, the US$ 400 million ambitious project designed to relieve Kathmandu from the perennial drinking water shortage is in a limbo due to the difference of opinion among the donors regarding a section of the four-component project.

Sources say approval was given for the design-concept of all the four parts of the project but since then there has been a slight change in the structure of the 28 km tunnel, a critical component, which has created differences among donors.

NORAD, a Norwegian donor agency that is funding the Diversion Scheme, which includes tunnel among others, has proposed changing the structure of the tunnel. It has proposed constructing a 12-16 square metre pressurised underground U-tunnel with 10 cubic metre per second carrying capacity.

The design proposes having a level difference of 300 meters between the tunnel outlet and the treatment plant to generate 25 megawatt of electricity in an underground powerhouse near Sundarijal.

The earlier scheme designed by the project in 1996 envisaged a 8-10 square metre “open channel flow” tunnel with 6 cubic metre per second capacity. This, experts say, is a lot cheaper and safe from frequent breakdowns. The geological composition in certain area makes underground tunnel more susceptible to such breakdown due to which there is a need to construct the U tunnel. 

According to sources, some donors are now questioning the rationale of building a U-tunnel to generate hydropower in a drinking water project since this design is the cause behind the added cost. Sources say other donors want either an open channel flow tunnel or a complete underground tunnel without hydropower plant. Experts say removal of hydropower plant will cut the cost by US$ 18 million besides the added cost of constructing the pressure tunnel. This in turn could cover the present shortfall in the budget.

The project is short of US$ 17 million for the construction of the Diversion Scheme.

When contacted, Dinesh Chandra Pyakurel, Executive Director of MWSP, said the project has proposed reviewing NORAD’s proposal. It is also contemplating the relevance of the power plant.

“We are saying that there is a need for the financial and economic justification with a clear review of the added benefit of the hydropower to the additional cost implications,” said Pyakurel. “Hydro-power is the by-product of the project,” said Pyakurel. “It shouldn’t be costlier than the main product.”  

Pyakurel said if the hydro-power is not generated the project could save US$ 30 million. This is 13 million more than the financial gap the project is facing at present.

He, however, said the confusion regarding the tunnel design will not delay the project as pointed out by critics. “We aim to complete the project by 2005,” he said. “We are organising a meeting of experts within January and come up with a final design of the tunnel,” he said.

According to Pyakurel, the project is holding the meeting with donors on February 9 and a final justification meeting in April.

Saboor's fate undecided

-By a Post Reporter 

KATHMANDU, Jan 4 - The fate of Asam Saboor, the Pakistani Embassy official who is under police interrogation for dealing in counterfeit Indian banknotes, was still in limbo Tuesday.

Saboor, an Assistant Secretary at the Pakistani Embassy here who was taken for interrogation yesterday, is still at the  Hanuman Dhoka police station for further questioning.

Because he was caught dealing in counterfeit Indian banknotes, Indian diplomatic officials here are taking special interest in Saboor’s case, police sources said.

Saboor is quite unlikely to stay long at Hanuman Dhoka because the Pakistani government could be unwilling to waive off his diplomatic immunity as the Foreign Ministry has asked it to do, senior government officials said.

A senior Foreign Ministry official on condition of anonymity said that Shital Niwas yesterday sent a “note verbale” (diplomatic letter) to the Pakistani government through its Embassy here asking it to waive off Saboor’s diplomatic immunity so that he could be prosecuted under Nepali criminal laws.

“We have not received their reply yet,” the official said. “We could receive it tomorrow. The person was caught red-handed committing an act which is a crime under ours and international laws, so we have requested the Pakistan government to waive off his immunity.”

The government has already determined that Saboor has diplomatic immunity under Nepal’s own laws and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations-1961.

Under such circumstances, Pakistan has to waive off Saboor’s diplomatic immunity if he is to be prosecuted here. Otherwise, he will be released and probably declared “persona non grata” and asked to leave Nepal.

That action could be taken as soon as tomorrow. Senior government officials say that there is indication that Pakistan is unwilling to waive off Saboor’s immunity. “If that is the case, or if the Pakistani reply does not come till tomorrow, then we will declare Saboor persona non grata and ask him to leave the country,” a senior official said.

 Kerosene shortage in Terai

-By a Post Reporter 

KATHMANDU, Jan 4 - The cities bordering India in Terai are facing severe petroleum crunch due to the short supply.

People in Biratnagar, Birgunj, Parsa, Janakpur, Jaleshwore Pathari, Urlabari, Bhadrapur, Chandragadhi and Rajbiraj are suffering because of Nepal Oil Corporation’s (NOC) policy to distribute kerosene under quota system to prevent across the border smuggling. It has also reduced the supply to border region by 25 percent.

People in this region have been forced to stand in queues at petroleum depots since kerosene suppliers have stopped selling it.

According to a report from Birgunj, the District Administration Office Parsa had held a meeting with NOC on Monday in which it decided to grant kerosene to people on recommendation from concerned wards or VDCs and to hotels and industries on recommendation from Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

However, this decision was not implemented today.

When asked when the decision was not implemented Deputy Managing Director of NOC Parsa said the ministry of Supplies has directed not to give kerosene more than the fixed quota but the suppliers have refused to buy kerosene under the quota system. “What can we do when the suppliers refuse to collect it even when we have the stock of 8-10 tanks of kerosene,” he asked. “The suppliers are not willing to collect it under quota system.”

UML worried about state of economy

-By a Post Reporter 

KATHMANDU, Jan 4 - The increase in electricity tariff, widespread corruption in the government agencies and indiscipline is deteriorating the state of industries in the country, said the Industry department of the main opposition CPN-UML.

In a press statement, it has blamed the poor policies of the government and corruption in the government and bureaucracy for the declining state of industries in the country including the factory at Hetauda.

It has also asked the government to take up the issue of the Hetauda Textile Factory and its employee that have fallen victim to poor management and has expressed concern that the pashmina shawl factory too could fall like the carpet industry that once led the export industry in Nepal.

Overseas remittance adds up to the sum of the country’s annual budget

-By Sanjeev Ghimire 

KATHMANDU, Jan 4 - Believe it or not it’s foreign employment - and not tourism and water resources - which has now become Nepal’s economic mainstay. Yet, while tourism and water resources are looked after by high-profile ministries, foreign employment is very much a neglected area and still lacks a focused official   attention, say labour experts.

A better labour policy would go a long way toward human resource development which will then have a direct impact on the earnings made through foreign employment. Currently, Nepal earns some Rs 69 billion as remittance from foreign employment, a figure that matches the country’s annual budget.

Sociologist at the Ministry of Labour Rohini Kumar KC holds that the skill development training should be treated as a separate department by the Ministry if Nepal is to get a foothold on the foreign labour market, especially that of the skilled manpower.  “Government should form a separate department under the Ministry which can effectively deal with all the aspects foreign employment and skill development,” says KC. “The government, however, may seek assistance for higher skill development training from the Ministry of Education.”

The Ministry maintains that Nepal is failing to cash in on the current high demand of foreign employment, primarily due to “non-focused” and “non-market oriented” skill development programmes imparted by different Ministries and non-governmental organisations. Government spends some Rs. 50 million annually for such training.

Much of the sum is wasted as many of the training programmes are duplications while most are conducted in an ad-hoc manner and don’t match up with the need of the market. The Ministry has the mechanism of regular labour market survey and therefore the proposed department can render market-oriented skill development training and also coordinate with private training centres.

Director General of Department of Labour (DoL) Deep Basnyat holds a similar opinion, pointing out that DoL was too “occupied” with too many responsibilities now to seriously consider an additional task of skill development. “Foreign employment and industrial relations and disputes are take up most of our time and effort,” says Basnyat. “A separate skill development and foreign employment department must be formed to relieve the department. This will also help DoL handle industrial relations and disputes better.”

There are 14 skill development training centres under DoL now but they aren’t doing well under an “overstretched” department, say officials.

Employment agencies also urge for one-window policy where a separate department would facilitate foreign employment.

Nand Raj Rai of Joint Foreign Employment Union, an umbrella body representing a number of employment agencies, says the Union members are facing procedural “harassment” due to scattered government units where the coordination is poor. “We have to go to DoL for pre-recruitment permission and go to MoL for the final permission. We have to pay the taxes against recruitment at tax offices,” said Rai. “A separate department authorized to deal with every aspect of foreign employment could ease the recruitment procedures and promote employment.” 

Foreign employment entrepreneurs argue the one-widow policy can also help regulate employment agencies and discourage unscrupulous companies. 

Philippines, where foreign employment remittances contribute significantly to GDP, has developed Overseas Foreign Employment Bureau which looks after all foreign employment activities and necessary skill development programmes under one umbrella.

“Demand for the labour is on rise,” says Kumar Raj Joshi, economist at the Ministry. “But the demand for the skilled labour is growing. We cannot overlook the fact that the demand for the unskilled is declining and likely to exhaust within the next few years,” says Joshi.

Ganesh Aryal, an officer at Foreign Employment Section at the DoL, says the government can longer defer the establishment of a separate foreign employment department. “Government is signing a labour accord with Qatar and according to the accord the government is to supply skilled manpower. In order to keep up with such agreements, the pressure is building on the government to raise skilled workers,” said Aryal. “I see no better ways than a separate department to look into it.”

Under Secretary at the Ministry Narayan Adhikari maintains the idea of department was being floated with broad-based objectives. “We are liberalising our economy. We are seeking the memberships of WTO (World Trade Organisation) and SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area),” says Adhikari. “Government must immediately gear up to produce tremendous amount of skilled manpower to keep ourselves abreast under such competitive market systems. An unfocused, and overloaded, DoL just cannot meet the challenge.”

And there are other pressing issues like unemployment and underemployment. At present, unemployment is estimated at around 4.9 percent while underemployment is at a stunning 47 percent. Extensive skill generating programmes must be formulated to overcome these obstacles to development.

Major donors, including the World Bank, however, are reluctant about the proposed department. Instead, they are insisting that the government streamline the existing departments.

The concept of the proposed department was formulated a few years ago. A joint committee of Ministries of Labour, General Adminstration and Finance, formed under the then Under Secretary at the Labour Ministry Umesh Mainali to study the feasibility of such a department, gave a green signal to the idea. It was then  forwarded to the government headed by Surya Bahadur Thapa but the Thapa government collapsed before giving it a sanction in 1998. The new government says it will “certainly” form the proposed department but hasn’t quite specified the time-frame.