India to lift IA ban on Nepal

KATHMANDU, May 8 (RSS)-  Indo-Nepal foreign minister level official talks was held at New Delhi, India today.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola led the Nepalese side while the Indian side was led by Indian Minister for External Affairs Jaswant Singh.

During the talks various aspect of Indo-Nepal relations were reviewed and matters of bilateral cooperation discussed.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Bastola presented Nepal’s views on different bilateral issues like Kalapani and Indo-Nepal Treaty 1950.

While discussing the Indo-Nepal Trade and Transit Treaty, Bastola put forward Nepal’s demand that Nepalese goods exported to India should be exempted the special additional duty levied by the Indian government.

He also requested Indian authorities to take immediate steps towards giving continuity to the Fulbari transit route as the term of notification relating to its use expires on May 30, 2000.

Both the foreign ministers agreed to initiate meetings of various bilateral mechanism constituted to study the problems arising in Indo-Nepal relationship and present suggestions for resolution and take concrete steps towards resolving the problems.

It was also decided to hold foreign secretary level meeting in this connection in the near future.

Discussing the three alternatives put forward by Nepal concerning the prime minister’s visit to India, the foreign ministers directed their respective foreign ministries to finalise the date for the visit.

The Indian external affairs minister also directed concerning bodies of the Indian government to take necessary steps towards giving continuity to the Fulbari transit route.

Regarding the issue of special additional duty, Singh gave assurances to take initiative to put an end the present state of confusion after discussing it with the Indian finance minister taking into consideration the provisions of Indo-Nepal Trade and Transit Treaty.

Expressing satisfaction over the positive results of the talks held on matters relating to resumption of Indian airlines service to Kathmandu, both the foreign ministers gave directions to their respective bodies to immediately publish the date for resumption of Indian airlines services.

Both the foreign ministers agreed to hold Indo-Nepal high level task force meeting in the near future to identify new areas of Indo-Nepal cooperation and select the projects.

The Indian external affairs minister accepted an invitation to visit Nepal extended by Minister Bastola to attend the inauguration of 22 bridges along the east-west highway.

Indian Minister Singh also gave assurances that the Indian government would give serious attention to the problems of Nepali workers and Nepali students in India and new Nepali origin Indians.

Acknowledging that water resources plays a vital role in Nepal-India cooperation, both the ministers stressed the need to speedily implement the agreements reached in this connection and to identify new areas of cooperation.

During the talks, discussions also took place on the Bhutanese refugee problem.

The foreign ministers also agreed to implement the points raised during the meeting held between Minister for Foreign Affairs Bastola and Indian Minister for Water Resources CP Thakur this morning.

The hour long talks between Bastola and Thakur had focused on proper utilization of water resources for mutual benefit.

They also stressed the need to speed up the implementation of the Mahakali Treaty and the steps to be taken to check floods and inundation.

During the talks, special reference was made to inundation caused in Banke district by the embankment built at Laxmipur of India as well as the Lalbakaiya, Bagmati, Kamala and Khado rivers.

Indian Minister for Water Resources Thakur said that he was ready to visit Nepal and hold bilateral talks for providing momentum to cooperation in the water resources sector.

Both the foreign ministers agreed to direct the water resources secretaries to discuss various matters concerning cooperation in the water resources as well as its problems and to present suggestions to their respective governments.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola paid a courtesy call on Indian President KR Narayanan today.

On the occasion Bastola handed over the messages sent by His Majesty the King and the prime minister to the Indian president.

Bastola also met leader of the Indian opposition party Sonia Gandhi.

Meanwhile AFP adds from New Delhi, India has agreed to resume Indian Airlines flights which were suspended after the December hijacking of an Airbus carrying 160 passengers from Kathmandu, an Indian spokesman said Monday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman R.S. Jassal said the decision was taken during talks between visiting Nepalese Foreign Minister, Chakra Prasad Bastola, and his Indian counterpart Jaswant Singh.

"The civil aviation departments of the two countries will very quickly announce the dates for the resumption of Indian Airlines flights," Jassal told a news conference.

Replying to queries, the spokesman said differences between India and Nepal over passenger flights by the state-run national carrier had been resolved at the start of Bastola’s three-day official visit here.

The Indian spokesman declined to elaborate if any security guarantees had been offered by Kathmandu to New Delhi for Indian Airlines flights originating from the Nepalese capital.

"(But) we have noted with appreciation the steps taken by the Nepalese civil aviation authorities to strengthen security for foreign airlines (in Kathmandu)," Jassal said.

Singh after his one-to-one talks with Bastola hinted that the two sides had resolved their bilateral differences. "There are no issues now outstanding," Singh said after the talks.

38 teams complete Trans Himalaya race

By a Post Reporter

JANAKPUR, May 8 - Athletes of 38 different teams participating in the 10th Raid Gauloises have already arrived here, the finish point of the 827-km multidisciplinary race that began from Tibet’s Shegar Dzong area late last month. All the athletes are in perfect shape, said an official.

Altogether 69 teams, mostly from Europe, are participating in the race, that is expected to promote Nepal as one of the world’s best adventure tourism destinations. Main highlights of the race include, trekking, horseracing, mountainbiking, canoeing, rafting, kayaking and canyooneering competitions through what athletes describe as extremely rugged course.

While the Nokia Adventure (Finland) team became the first team to touch the finish point, Enter Sports (France), Solomon Landrover (NZ+USA), GTM and Etrips (both from France) were at the second, third, fourth and fifth places respectively. All the five teams arrived here Saturday covering a distance of 136 km by mountainbiking and an additional 4 km by trekking.

Gorkhapatra sub-editor suspended

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, May 8 - The management of the state-owned publishing house Gorkhapatra Corporation today suspended a sub-editor for publishing a press release issued by the general secretary of underground CPN-Maoist Comrade Prachanda.

According to a source at the corporation, the action was taken against Sub-editor Ram Prasad Acharya for publishing the press release under the heading "Maoist general secretary’s appeal." in page four on Sunday.

The source said the management suspended Acharya without seeking his explanation. As per the corporation’s regulation, explanation has to be sought first before suspending an employee.

The management had sought clarification from the Editor Ramesh Tiwari but the action against Acharya was taken before he could furnish his explanation. The source added that the Editor took the responsibility for the news.

Mahat urges Bastola to normalize ties

KATHMANDU, May 8 (PR)- Former Foreign Minister Ram Sharan Mahat today said the relations between Nepal and India have "cooled down" after India over-reacted by suspending all Indian Airlines flights to Nepal following the hijacking last year of an IA flight that took off from Kathmandu.

He has urged his successor Chakra Prasad Bastola, currently in New Delhi, to "normalize the whole situation with India", suggesting him to concentrate on "three basic areas" - resumption of Indian Airlines flights to Nepal, rolling back the Special Additional Duty India has levied on Nepali exports in its market, and getting Indian assistance on the Bhutanese refugees.

"There are other long-standing issues he could discuss as well," Mahat told The Kathmandu Post. "But these are the three main areas of focus."

A private sector entrepreneur today said the two sides have already reached an "amicable solution" that will allow Indian Airlines to resume it Kathmandu operation. According to him, a ladder-point checking of passengers could be allowed at TIA.

India claims it allows ladder-point checking to passengers at different airports in India to Sri Lankan Airlines, El Al Airlines, Bangladesh Biman, British Airways, Syrian Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, PIA, Kuwait Airlines and Royal Jordan Airlines.

Mahat, however, said Nepal should not entertain the idea of a Prime Ministerial visit to New Delhi until the Indian Airlines flights are resumed. "Indian Airlines should start flights to Nepal prior to the Prime Minister’s visit," Mahat said.

"...India should also help by first resuming flights to Nepal," said Mahat. "And Nepal should be sensitive to Indian security concerns. We should ensure safety of all flights - not just Indian Airlines - that operate out of Kathmandu. There should be no compromise on security at the airport."

Mahat said the visiting Foreign Minister should also raise the issue of Special Additional Duty, which he said was "totally against the spirit of Preferential Trading Agreement" Nepal has with India. "Nepali exports will suffer from this duty and our interest is to see that the Indian government rolls it back."

Asked what he thought of UNHCR chief Sadako Ogata’s optimistic pronouncements on the Bhutanese refugee stalemate, Mahat said, "It did not come as a surprise to me. He (King Jigme of Bhutan) told me the same thing when I was in Thimpu for talks some months ago. It seems, she was impressed by the King also as almost everyone who meets him is."

Traffic Week : All about safety of life

By Upendra Pratap Singh

KATHMANDU, May 8 - You are most welcome to participate. After a respite of three years, the Traffic Week is back this year, with the slogan: "Your Safety, Our Concern: Let’s Get Together in Saving Life."

Slated for May 24-31, the Traffic Week will focus on the community this year.

At the forefront are more than a dozen organizations as PABSON (Public and Boarding School Organisation), Nepal Scout, Driving School Association, Jaycees, Lions Club, District Police Offices, District Administration Offices and FM radio stations.

And all three municipalities in the Valley, Transportation Management Department and the Road Department are coordinating in the effort. Says Transportation Consultant Dr Partha Mani Parajuli, "The only way to instill awareness in the public is through community action. The traffic police and the engineers, as in the past, can never do it alone."

Police of course voice a similar refrain. "The Valley is very much in need of the Traffic Week this year," stresses Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of the Valley Traffic Police (VTP) Kumar Koirala.

The figures tell the story. The total number of accidents shot up from 2,081 to 2,197 in the last fiscal year -- a 5.6 percent rise, according to the VTP Office, and 60 percent of the accidents included pedestrians, says the Road Department. "This shows that the general public is not fully aware of the safety rules and regulations of the traffic," says Koirala. "So this year we are focusing on involving the public in the Traffic Week more than the traffic police and the traffic engineers. We welcome the public."

Here’s what you will be seeing. New concepts of introducing school wardens and school bus-stops make the Traffic Week special this year. According to Rajesh Khadka, Chairman of the PABSON, School Wardens will first be introduced at 10 different places -- the RNAC Gate, Bir Hospital, Jamal-Bhotahity lane, Lainchour, Lazimpat (near Hotel Shangrila), and International Convention Hall at New Baneshwor.

The wardens will be responsible for helping out school children who either lose their way or miss their buses. Says Khadka, "We (PABSON) have put forth this concept because we observed that in the past few years there was a significant number of school children who either lost their way home or missed their buses during rush hours -- 11-12 am and 5-6 pm."

The Road Department will focus on footpath maintenance, arrangement of more bus parks and Zebra-crossings, and road marking, according to Sunil Poudel, Engineer of the Traffic Engineering and Safety Unit of the Road Department. "Psychologically, pedestrians choose to walk on roads if the footpaths are badly conditioned," says Poudel. Maintenance of footpaths will be carried out and railings will also be installed where needed.

Reports show that among all the accidents last year, 40 percent took place at night-time, of which most were in the Ring Road. Street lights would lessen the accidents but, Poudel says, the Road Department does not have the capacity to install street lights as there was no infrastructure and budget allocated for that purpose. "Therefore, all that can be ensured in this case is awareness and enforcement of safe driving by the volunteers. The government should plan what it wants to do after the Traffic Week ends."

Catering to the demand for more buses and tempo-stands, more space will be allocated at the crossroads at Balaju bypass, and Balaju, Satdobato, Jadibuti, Lekhnath Marg during in the Traffic Week, said Poudel.

The 800 students, who are expected to volunteer for the Traffic Week each day in the morning and evening shifts, will be educating the public about the rules and regulations of traffic by distributing leaflets and telling pedestrians to walk on footpaths. Besides on-the-spot essay and drawing contests on road safety will also be organised.

Says Abhaya Yadav, 19, who as a student of the Little Angles’ School took part in the Traffic Week three years ago, "The public, I felt, did not understand the importance of volunteering. They could have at least obeyed us when we told them to use the footpaths. And the traffic police of course thought we were just kids."

There are other sceptics too. Says Dr Partha Mani Parajuli, "The Traffic Week will be successful only if there is a big participation of the public. But given the past experience the public response has at best been lukewarm."

ANNFSU to hold students’ festival

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, May 8 - All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) will organise a students’ festival in the capital’s Open Air Theatre, Ratna Park, next week.

Cultural programmes and exhibitions of books and science and technology inventions will be the main highlights of the one-day festival.

At a press conference organized here to highlight what organizers described as first such festival, Hikmat Karki, co-ordinator of the organizing committee, ANNFSU, a pro CPN-UML students’wing, said such competitive and creative activities as debates, essays folk songs and dance, besides blood and eye donation camps,among others, will be the festival’s other attractions.

Different schools, higher secondary institutions, colleges, and universities will set up their stalls at the festival.

Apart from the students, Karki said that doctors, engineers, professors, lawyers, teachers, journalists, party leaders and activists are going to attend the programme.

Likewise, Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST), Maiti Nepal, Nepal Forum for Environment Journalists (NEFEJ), INHURED International, and several other organizations are also expected to participate with their stalls and exhibits.

CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal is scheduled to inaugurate the festival at 10 am on May 14.

AI expresses concern

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, May 8 - Amnesty International (AI) London today expressed concern over the life of a remand prisoner who was arrested in Biratnagar in January.

"Remand prisoner Laxmi Mudbari was seen being taken from prison by plain clothes police on April 23, in a vehicle with a covered number plate, shortly after the Chief District Officer ordered her release," states the May 5 press release belatedly received today. "Her whereabouts are not known and Amnesty International fears her life is in danger."

AI states Mudbari was arrested under the Public Offence Act on January 31, 2000 when she went to a programme organised by the All Nepal Women’s Association (Revolutionary) at Ram Janaki Mandir in Biratnagar.

"Mudbari was taken to the District Police Office in Morang and held incommunicado for six days, without access to her family, her lawyer, or a medical assistant, although she is five months pregnant," the release further states.

According to AI, Mudbari was produced before the Chief District Officer on February 28, who granted a bail of Rs 28,000, which she was unable to pay.

"The Appellate Court reduced the bail to Rs 5,000 which her relatives deposited on April 23 at the Biratnagar District Administration Office and a release order issued by the Chief District Officer was sent to the prison administration," states the release.

"She was later seen being taken from Morang prison in white Toyota Land Cruiser, its number plate covered with the false registration `Ba 1 Jha 144'," AI adds. "Witnesses believe those who took her away were policemen in plain clothes."

AI has also expressed concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Nepal, including a widespread pattern of "disappearances and a climate of impunity for illegal police actions during operations against the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) engaged in People’s War since February 96".

It has expressed fear that many of those reported disappeared have either been killed or died as a result of torture in police custody.

According to the press release, AI recorded 42 disappearances in Nepal between May 1998 and November 1999. It has also shown concern on the prospective deployment of Armed Security Force (ASF) to deal with emergencies. "Observers have expressed concern that any deployment of the ASF and army may lead to further escalation of human rights violations," AI has said.

AI has also made an appeal to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Home Minister Govind Raj Joshi.

Nepal Report for Beijing+5 being finalised

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, May 8 - The Nepal Report, to be presented at the Beijing+Five Conference in New York is in the process of being finalised - with the participation of not only the government but also the non- governmental sectors.

The conference, a follow-up on the World Women’s Conference held in Beijing in June 1995, will begin on June 5 and conclude on June 9.

"We have tried to make it more objective by including the other point of view too," said Dr. Bal Gopal Vaidya at the National Advisory Meet organised by Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW), held here today.

According to him, the earlier national reports were prepared centrally but this time, it will have representation from NGOs and INGOs besides the government.

Guidelines had been set during the Beijing Conference in the form of CEDAW, Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. There had been a South Asian regional conference here in August 1999 which was followed by a Asian Regional Conference held in Bangkok.

According to Minister of State for Women and Social Welfare, Kamala Pant, the picture presented this time will give an overall view of the entire nation. "We have also had similar discussions in all the five developmental zones so that we could give a more comprehensive picture," said she.

At the function, Prime Minister and Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Girija Prasad Koirala stressed on the need for women’s empowerment. "In any democracy, majority is important but for that, the role of women is crucial," said he.

The report discusses about women in relation to poverty, education, health, violence, armed conflict, economy, policy making, human rights, media, environment and empowerment. It stresses on the post Beijing achievements in all these fields.

According to Saraswati Menon, Deputy resident representative of UNDP, some of the post Beijing achievement of Nepal is the "leadership in forwarding partnership".

"That the PM is leading MoWCSW demonstrates HMG’s commitment for gender equality," said she. According to her, the government’s commitment to Commission for Women shows seriousness in that commitment and added that all - the judiciary, parliamentary, administrative as well as civil society are participating in promoting gender equality.

A similar discussion was held by UNDP on June 5. Participants in the workshop today suggested that another set of "alternative" paper might be presented in New York.

CJ calls for a strong judiciary

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, May 8 - Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhya today said that even though the government or the constitution paves the way for good governance, the attempts will be futile unless the judiciary is strong.

At a release of "Annual Survey of Nepalese Law 2000" by Nepal Bar Council, CJ said that the judiciary has to be taken along with the rest of development in the country.

The Survey, in English, attempts to introduce Nepali law to the rest of the world.

"Nepali law and specially the Supreme Court, had been highly applauded in the Human Rights Report produced by the State Department,USA," said CJ.

He added that the publishing of the legal procedures and verdicts in English will help the International community understand our commitment to justice.