Yet another bird hit at TIA Operators warn to halt all flights

By Damakant Jayshi & Gopal Tiwari

KATHMANDU, Oct 12 International Airline operators today threatened to halt all flights if the bird menace persists at Tribhuvan International Airport(TIA) even as another bird hit a Lauda Air jetliner with 239 passengers and 10 crew members aboard.

When the TIA and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) officials were giving assurances to the operators at today’s emergency meeting, a Lauda Air Boeing B-767 jet was hit by a bird moments before it landed today at the airport.

According to Bharat Shrestha, airport manager for Lauda Air (Austrian Airlines), a kite hit the nose-wheel landing gear of the jet just as it was on the landing approach to TIA Thursday at 10:45 a.m. The same bird ricocheted from the impact and crashed again onto the left main landing gears.

Despite the bird hit, the pilot landed the jet safely on the runway. No one has been reported injured in the incident, but it was yet another close call for aircraft and passengers flying in and out of Nepal’s only international airport. The last such incident occurred on Tuesday when a Chinese jet with 191 passengers averted a near fatal accident when a bird was sucked into its engines.

The Lauda Air collision on Thursday may have been a minor one, but since it comes soon after the Chinese incident, it continues to highlight the failure of airport authorities to get a grip on the problem.

According to Lauda Air officials, when technicians later checked the jet’s landing gears, they recovered pieces of the bird from both the nose-wheel and left main landing gears. Shrestha said that there was blood smears on the wheels.

"We are very deeply concerned about the growing bird menace at the airport," said Shrestha. "Will they take action only when a major disaster occurs due to bird hits?"

Shrestha said they had requested the authorities to allow night flight operation. "This might be one of the alternatives," said Shrestha, adding "although the deadline for take off and landing is midnight, we have to pay overtime to RNAC as soon as the last RA plane lands, even if the time happens to be, say, 10 pm."

Moreover, airlines also have to receive a ‘no objection certificate’ from RNAC for any night operation, he added.

Meanwhile, at today’s meeting called by Board of Airlines Representatives in Nepal (BARN) and attended by top officials TIA and CAAN airline operators warned that they would halt the flights if the situation persists.

"We have told the aviation officials that the pilots have said they would not operate flights from TIA if the bird hazards persist," said Bharat Basnet, Lauda Air’s General Sales Agent for Nepal.

Concurring with Basnet, Joy Dewan, General Secretary of BARN said, "We will be compelled to stop our flights if the government do not take immediate steps."

Meanwhile asked about the failure of the hunters employed by TIA to drive away the birds, Rajesh Raj Dali, General Manager of TIA replied, "We are going to employ more bird hunters to control the problem," adding "we have also decided to blow the sirens as soon as the birds are spotted in the vicinity of the airport."

Dali called for public awareness about the garbage which attract the birds, thereby causing such mishaps. "We have already proposed that no garbage should be dumped in the 13-km radius of the airport."

Today’s incident is the fifth in a series and second since the bird hunters were employed by CAAN on October 2 after RNAC’s Boeing 757 was hit by bird, three days before, damaging the Rolls Royce engine.

Rebels Maoists Dunai jail guards

By Kamal Kumar Panthi

GULARIYA, Bardiya, Oct 12 - Maoist insurgents recently released all the 14 jail guards who were abducted from the district jail after the bloodiest raid in Dunai, the district headquarters of Dolpa on Sept 24, according to district police office in Bardiya.

A policeman Balak Ram Yadav who was one of the policemen abducted by the rebels said that they were released after 13 days of captivity on condition that they would not serve in the police again.

Yadav is currently staying in Bardiya district police office. According to Yadav, all 14 abducted policemen were beaten on the first day of their abduction but rebels turned friendly later on.

Yadav told The Kathmandu Post that the rebels freed them at the Salyan district border and gave Rs 300 to each of them as travel allowances. He added that the Maoists garlanded them prior to their release after 13 days of captivity.

He said all of the abducted jail guards had no clothes to change and they are yet to receive salary along with Dashain allowance. Whatever money they had at their disposal was deposited at the Dunai-based Nepal Bank Limited which was looted by the rebels.

Asked whether he would continue his old service, the recently-liberated Yadav replied that he had no options than to continue the service because of his "poor economic conditions."

Maoist insurgents made a daring attack in Dolpa district headquarters on Sept 24, killing a total of 14 policemen, injuring over 40 policemen and abducting 14 jail guards. They also looted more than Rs 350 millions from the Dunai-based Nepal Bank Limited.

Bhutan has damaged its image: Bastola

By Sanjeev Ghimire

KATHMANDU, Oct 12 - Recent international lobbying by Nepal for the early repatriation of some 100,000 Bhutanese refugees has improved Nepal’s position by putting Bhutanese side at the receiving end, said Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola here Thursday.

"Now the table is turned...Bhutan is finally caught on the wrong footing," Bastola told The Kathmandu Post at a party function. "All we need to do is to make a concrete move."

"Extensive lobbying by the Prime Minister and myself during the UN millennium summit early this year has greatly improved our position," the foreign minister elaborated. "Most of the countries which earlier used to hold neutral or negative opinion about Nepal on the refugee issue are now aware of the Bhutanese motive...its delay tactics"

Nine rounds of ministerial level talks between Nepal and Bhutan have failed to solve the problem of some 100,000 refugees languishing in various UNHCR monitored camps in the eastern-Nepal over a decade. The talks have faced deadlock over the verification process. Nepal maintains that the verification should be done by the head of the family while the Druk side insists that a person over the age of 25 should be verified individually.

The foreign minister also revealed that his Bhutanese counterpart Jigme Y Thinley, whom he met during the UN Summit, had strongly objected extensive international lobbying by Nepal. "I told him Nepal was doing exactly what Bhutan has been doing for the last nine years (international lobbying on the refugee issue)." said the foreign minister. "Thinley even asked me if Nepal had discarded bilateralism. I had told him Nepal had no intention to do so."

"Refugee issue is an international issue by its very nature, but we always tried to settle the issue through bilateralism," he added. "But it is also true that now the issue has been internationalized even without Nepal’s efforts. European Commission (EC) Resolution urging third party (India’s) mediation in the issue and UNHCR compromise proposal to both the countries this year has in fact internationalized the issue." Bastola, however, revealed that during the Ninth joint ministerial level talks at Thimpu early this year in Bhutan, for the first time, had even "agreed in principal to involve a third party if and when the need be." "But that was then. I can’t say for sure if Bhutan is sticking to it, especially after the changed scenario (after the international lobbying by Nepal)," Bastola said.

When asked to comment on recent Bhutanese refusal of UNHCR compromise formula for the early repatriation of the refugees, he said it would prove "counter-productive" to Bhutan.

"Layman may consider the refusal as a serious setback to the process of the refugee repatriation but it has in fact no effect on the process because it is being done through a complex bilateral package deal," Bastola said. "The refusal has further damaged Bhutanese image in the international arena." Soon after the land mark visits of UNHCR High Commissioner Sadako Ogata to both the countries early this year, UNHCR had placed a compromise formula for both the sides to consider. The proposal suggested that a nuclear family including unmarried member upto age of 25 should be taken as an unit of verification.

When asked how optimistic he was about the early repatriation of the refugees, he said "Though we can’t say that we are nearing settlement, we have successfully completed the first strategic phase for the repatriation that is bringing the problem into international spotlight," he said. "This would certainly assist the process."

Police, RNA begin joint patrol operations

Post Report

NEPALGUNJ, Oct 12 - Nepal Police and Royal Nepal Army personnel have begun joint patrol operations in the six Maoist hotbed districts of the Mid-West, a top police official said here today.

"Army and police personnel have started cooperative patrolling in these areas," Acting Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Amar Bahadur Shah told The Kathmandu Post today. "Now the environment to hold talks with the army officers is there. And the army has started to help us."

The government has categorised the Mid-Western hill districts of Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan, Pyuthan, Jajarkot and Kalikot as the "Most Affected" districts.

Acting DIG Shah replaced DIG Rajendra Bahadur Singh who fell prey to departmental action after his conspicuous absence at his base here during the August 5 Dunai massacre which saw 14 police personnel killed at the hands of Maoist rebels. Shah added that "all the government machineries, including district administrations and local communities", were being mobilized to curb the nearly five-year-old insurgency.

Meanwhile, another report said that a group of RNA personnel have been dispatched to the remote hill district of Mugu Thursday. The reports, however, could not be confirmed from RNA officials.

This is the first time that RNA personnel are being mobilized to curb the insurgency which has already taken the lives of over 1,400 people including policemen, Maoist rebels and general public.

Speculations were rife that the government could mobilize army after RNA was dragged into controversy after the Dunai incident, and subsequent change of Police Chief and Home Minister and the appointment of Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya as the country’s Defence Minister.

South Korean aims to become first Asian to climb all 14 tallest peaks

By Binaj Gurubacharya

KATHMANDU, Oct 12 A South Korean mountaineer who scaled the 8,027-meter Mt. Shisha Pangma in Tibet last week, aims to become the first Asian to climb all the world’s 14 tallest peaks.

The feat in Tibet last week by Young-Seok Park, 37, of Seoul, put 13 of the tallest peaks under his belt. Next year, he hopes to conquer No. 14, when he makes a second attempt on Mt. K2 in Pakistan.

"I am determined and hopeful that I will complete my mission of climbing all the tallest mountains in the world by next May when I make my second attempt on Mt. K2," Park told The Kathmandu Post.

Park had attempted to climb K2 during the Spring this year, however, bad weather and chest-deep snow thwarted his attempt forcing him to abandon expedition for the year.

The 8,611 meters high Mt. K2 located in Pakistan is the second highest mountain in the world and one of the toughest to climb, say mountaineers. Even tougher than the 8,848 meters Mt. Everest, the world’s tallest mountain.

"Climbers have to trek longer and through more difficult route on K2 compared to Everest. I might have failed this year but despite the difficulties I will climb K2 next year and complete my goal," Park said.

Only seven mountaineers have climbed all the world’s 14 tallest peaks and none of them are from Asia, where most of the mountains are located.

Another Korean alpinist Hong Gil Um claimed that he had achieved the feat by scaling all the 14 peak when he climbed Mt. K2 in July. However, his claims to have scaled Mt. Lhotse and Shisha Pangma is still being disputed and not many are convinced he made it.

For Park and his team of 13 Korean climbers and Sherpas who climbed Shisha Pangma, the weather turned favorable after they reached the base camp situated at 5,000 meters on Sept. 15. After the weather got sunny, they pitched Camp I at 6,700 meters and two other snow camps about that point.

Park first began his mission with the climb of Everest in 1993 when he almost lost his life. On the way back from the summit at a 7,000 meters point, Park lost balance and slipped. He fell 150 meters vertically and broke his nose and fractured four other places in his face.

A helicopter had to be sent to rescue him and bring him back to Kathmandu for treatment.

In another accident three years later at Everest again, Park was swept at least 800 meters by an avalanche. He broke two ribs but two other Sherpas who were with him were not that lucky and died after they were buried by the snow.

Though Everest, which has remained the ultimate dream of every mountaineers, has been climbed over 800 times since it was first conquered in 1953 by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, the mountain continues to be an icy grave for many mountaineers. Nearly 180 people have died on the unpredictable slopes of Everest.

So far only seven mountaineers have scaled all 14 tallest peaks. They include Reinhold Messner of Italy, Jerzy Kukuczla of Poland, Ehardt Loretan of Switzerland, Carlos Carsolio of Mexico, Krzyszof Wielicki of Poland, Juan Oiarzabal of Spain and Sergio Martini of Italy.

Park climbed Cho Oyu in 1994, Annapurna in 1996, Dhaulgiri, Gasherbrum, Lhotse in 1997, Xixabangma, Nanga Parbat and Manaslu in 1998, Kanchenjunga in 1999 and Makalu and Broad Peak this year.

‘If needed army will be mobilized’

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Oct 12 - Defence Minister Mahesh Acharya today said that the army should be made responsible for peace-keeping if the situation demands.

"Army should not be mobilized just for the sake of it, the police administration is there to establish law and order," said Acharya. "But if there is a need to provide security to people’s life and property, the army would come in since the army cannot remain passive when the situation in the country needs them."

Acharya was talking to journalists at the "tea party" organised by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today. "The Nepali Army has been active in peace-keeping abroad and when there is a need to establish peace within the country, the army cannot keep quiet."

The government already has deployed some 50 Royal Nepal Army personnel in the mid western district of Dailekh in an effort to control the suspected rise of Maoist activities in the district.

When asked about the long-awaited talks between the insurgents and the government, Acharya said that the government alone cannot really do much to sit down for dialogue.

"Our main agenda is to sit for dialogue with the people who are not satisfied with the state’s way of functioning and reach to a resolution," said Acharya. "The government is always open to sit for the talks."

He said that the government would strengthen the local administrative bodies in order to improve law and order.

CPN-Masal condemns army mobilization

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Oct 12 - Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) Masal has expressed deep concern on the government’s plan to mobilize army to quell Maoist insurgency, asserting that the move would serve to make the problem more chronic.

A recently held central committee meeting of the party discussed at length the pros and cons of army mobilization and concluded that "the move is very serious...and condemnable", said the press release signed by CPN-Masal General Secretary Mohan Bikram Singh.

"The government is making a big blunder by attempting to hand over the achievements of the 1990 popular movement to the Palace in the name of controlling the insurgency," it said. "Such policy will only help to institute a fascist and authoritarian rule in the country."

The party has stressed that the army should be under the control of the democratically elected government, as in other democracies, adding, "our party is against the system which makes the King supreme authority of the army."

Instead, the former comrades-in-arms have called for a political solution of the Maoist problem, urging the government to go hold talks with the underground leadership.

The left party’s statement came days after the government in the aftermath of the Dolpa and Lamjung massacres hinted that it might mobilize the army to control Maoists’ terror. The underground CPN-Maoist, which is waging a guerilla warfare since 1996, was closely affiliated with CPN-Masal in the past.

No reason to follow suit over petroleum price: Transporters

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Oct 12 - Transport entrepreneurs today said that there is no reason for the government to increase the price of petroleum products imitating India. India had hiked the price of petroleum products upto IRS 6 per litre.

"There is no reason for Nepal to hike the prices in the context of petroleum products price-hike in India," said general secretary of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs Federation (NTEF) Hom Prasad Adhikari here today. "After all those countries from where Nepal purchases petroleum products haven’t hiked the prices."

When asked about the possible smuggling of petroleum products to India through open border if Nepal doesn’t level the prices of its petroleum products with India, Adhikari said, "Government can’t hike the price just because of liable smuggling. Government should instead take due measures to avert such illegal activities."

Transport entrepreneurs suggested that government should implement coupon system to check the possible smuggling of petroleum across the border. "Coupon system was a success earlier," said Adhikari. "The system compels the oil tankers and all the vehicles affiliated with the concerned transport entrepreneur unions to purchase petroleum products only through the coupons provided by the government through the unions. This system effectively checks smuggling and hoarding of petroleum products."

"Coupon system supported by strict border control and austere punishment to those who indulge in smuggling and hoarding of the petroleum products for mere profits would be sufficient to stop the smuggling of the petroleum products," he added.

Adhikari, however, said that if the government has to hike the prices, government should immediately inspect the old stocks with all the NOC depots and dealers and collect the profit margin on the stocks from them once the prices are hiked.

"The raised money should then be deposited on the Prime Minster’s relief fund and should be used for the welfare of the transport entrepreneurs," Adhikari added. "Driving training centres in all the development regions, mobile hospitals at accident prone zones could be established with the fund."