Politicians discuss agendas for PM’s New Delhi visit

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, July 9 India is almost paranoid about perceived threats to its national security from the Nepali territory, former foreign minister Ram Sharan Mahat said here today.

At a talk programme organised to discuss possible agenda for Prime Minister Girija P Koirala’s upcoming India visit, Mahat suggested that India raise security concerns with Nepal based on evidences. “India believes that Nepal is not serious about security issues concerning India.” 

The CPN-UML second man, KP Oli said that the Prime Minister should “raise all (bilateral) issues and agreements that have provided huge benefits to India while Nepal has been in the receiving end.”

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is slated to leave for New Delhi on August 1.

“We have to look into the fact whether the concerns raised by India on security matters are genuine or exaggerated,” said Mahat. “Nepal would not allow such (terrorist) activities since they would pose a serious security threat to Nepal - more than to India. The only problem India repeatedly puts in front of Nepal is security.”

India has been demanding increased vigilance at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) after the IC-814 hijacking in December. Indian Airlines resumed its flights to Kathmandu last month after suspending all its Nepal operation for six months.

In their latest bid to beef up security at TIA, Nepal and India have decided to make it mandatory for their air travellers to carry “travel documents” which can either be passports, citizenship certificates or voter’s IDs. The arrangement will go into effect from October 1.

Bhutanese refugees, the perennial bone of contention between the two sides once again featured prominently today. “India should help Nepal solve the problem of Bhutanese refugees,” suggested Mahat. “With increasing terrorist activities in its North-East, India will do well to understand that the thousands of Bhutanese refugees can pose security threats to India as they are likely to join the terrorist nexus pushed by various factors as unemployment...” 

Mahat further said that India should withdraw the Special Additional Duty (SAD) levied in all imports entering India before the Prime Minister’s visit. Under the SAD provision implemented in the last week of February, all imports entering the Indian territory are slapped a four percent additional duty. Nepal has requested that India reconsider this provision in case of Nepali exports.

According to Mahat, India has posed obstacles to constructing large irrigation projects in the Terai districts of Nepal, adding “in the last few years no large projects have got underway since we need the assistance of international agencies and that cannot happen without India’s green-signal.”

Leader of CPN-ML Hiranya Lal Shrestha said that the Indo-Nepal border should be regulated. “Those travelling by land should also be made to carry travel documents. But in no circumstances should India be allowed to station its security personnel within Nepalese territory.”

Referring to the possible inundation of five VDCs in Banke district by the Indian-built Laxmanpur Barrage, Shrestha said that India cannot carry out any activity that will have adverse effects on Nepali land and people.

He said that the proposed Purnagiri dam is likely to submerge thousands of hectars of land in the far-western districts of Nepal and India should be asked to construct the dam in Rupaligadh in India and not in Purnagiri.

There was an across-the-board consensus among politicians that the Indo-Nepal 1950 Treaty on Peace and Friendship needed to be reviewed. “The context in which the treaty was signed in 1950 has changed now. There is a need to review the treaty and sign another which can address to the need of the hour,” said Shrestha.

Annual film awards given away

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, July 9 - Three films shared equal honours at the annual Motion Picture Award ceremony today, bagging four trophies each.

While Nepali Babu and Nata Ragat Ko were expected to win some awards, Thuldai turned up a surprise winner. The most coveted award of the Best Film of the Year went to Nata Ragat Ko.

The much talked about Chameli, a Ravi Baral movie, depicting how unsuspecting Nepali girls were sold to brothels in India, finished a close second with three prizes.

Best Actor and Best Actress awards went to Shiv Shrestha (Thuldai) and Niruta Singh (Afanta).

Veteran film director Prakash Thapa was all smiles for receiving Best Director award for his film Nata Ragat Ko.

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to actor and producer Nir Shah who was earlier in limelight as co-producer of the Oscar-nominated film, Caravan. Karishma Manandhar and Rajesh Hamal bagged the Decade’s Famous Actress and Actor Awards.

Meanwhile, the ceremony was marred by boos and cat-calls for the organisers, Nepal Film Association and Nepal Film Producers Association, who were found wanting on several occasions. Most of the hooting was done by journalists who were first denied entry and later were sent upstairs in the balcony where there were not enough seats. Many of them had to remain standing at the staircase.

Extra chairs were brought in the ground floor to accommodate people. Still, many were found standing. Even the audience, who had obtained tickets of Rs 3000, were on the balcony. Usually, these ticket holders occupy front seats below.

Even the traditional panas (lamp) was forgotten to be lit throughout the programme.  

Threat to stall Miss Nepal Pageant 2000

KATHMANDU, July 9 (PR) - Over a dozen left-leaning organizations have threatened to stall the Miss Nepal Beauty Pageant 2000 slated for Wednesday, saying that the annual event merely promotes “the selfish objective of business houses and the elitist” and “projects women as commodities”.

Girendra Man Rajbanshi, Managing Director of The Hidden Treasure, one of the two organizers of the pageant, however, said they hold no “negative intention” by organizing the event.

In a statement today, the protesters have said that “they would resort to any means to stall the event if their voices are silenced using police force as in the previous years.” “A woman does not become `the best’ based on her beauty. It is according to the role she plays in developing the society...The event is just an erotic gimmick.”

Miss Nepal Beauty Pageant has been held in the country since 1993. The winner represents Nepal in Miss World Beauty Pageant while the first runners-up goes to Miss Asia Pacific Contest.

“It (the event) is just our effort to develop a professional event in the country,” Rajbanshi said. “Obviously, everyone has the right to protest but it would be better if they would pinpoint our mistakes and help us improve on our drawbacks.”

Miss Nepal Pageant for Miss World and Miss Asia Pacific Quest began after Kathmandu Jaycees -- the pioneers of the event -- joined hands with The Hidden Treasure in 1998. This year, Miss World is slated to be held in London while the latter will be held in Manila.

Maoists loot arms in Birtamod

BIRTAMOD, July 9 (PR) -  Maoist rebels looted four guns from four different houses in Mahabhara VDC 8 here on Friday, police said.

According to a policemen from the Area Police Office at Damak, a group of 18-20 people comprising both men and women looted the guns from the houses of Dharma Chandra Rajbansi, Kaliprasad Rajbansi, Gangabati Rajbansi and Mohansingh Rajbansi.

According to information provided by an official from Mahabhara VDC on condition of anonymity, the group ran away with the guns saying, “Give us your guns to us now. We will return them after our programme is over”. The group did not take anything apart from the guns, the villagers said.

Damak police has so far interrogated 15 people about the incident. The Mahabhara VDC which till  date does not have a telephone line  falls on the remotest part of Jhapa. Maoist activities have risen in recent time in the district.

In another incident, a police patrol has confiscated 2 home made guns, four rounds of bullets, 2 Khukuris and some important documents related to the Maoist party from 4 Maoists at Chanugadhi VDC Ward no 9 Prakashpur, Saturday at around 4 am.

The four Maoists were going towards Chandraghadi from Charaali on two bicycles when the police patrol followed them and caught with them at Prakashpur.They ran away leaving behind their arms when the police started interrogating them, the police said. According to a local eye-witness, he found the two bags left by the Maoists after some time of the incident and handed them over to the police. He also said that he heard some gun shots but there were no casualties.

2058 B.S: Untouchability Abolishment

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, July 9   - Dalits make up almost 90 percent of the total absolute poor in the country, said an economist amid a function here today. Of the total 23 million population, 42 percent are under absolute poverty line.

Presenting a paper on Poverty Alleviation among Dalit Community, Executive Director of Centre for Economic and Technical Studies (CETS) Dr Hari Bansha Jha said, “Though dalits are the most skilled and productive section of our society, contributing a high percent of service to the nation, they are forced to live a miserable life.”

“The government has allocated only 0.01 percent of the total budget for dalit upliftment this year which was 0.05 percent in the fiscal year 1997/98,” he said.

President of Dalit Welfare Association Motilal Nepali urged the policy makers and the government to reserve quotas for dalits at every levels.

“Rural people and priests are especially involved in promoting the tradition of untouchability, so we need to bring them and train here, that will help to change their attitudes,” said Dr Madhab Bhattarai, member of World Hindu Federation. Commenting on Bhattarai’s presentation, Meen Bahadur Bishwokarma urged the Hindu religious educational institutions to admit dalits.

The two-day seminar on Development of Strategies for Uplifting Dalits in Nepal concluded today by declaring next year (2058 B.S.) as ‘Untouchability Abolishment Year’.

The seminar urged the government to form National Dalit Commission and Free Dalit Development Council.