Europe urges India to help solve refugee issue

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Sept 13 – The European Parliament has urged Indian authorities to take political initiatives to support in the solution of the Bhutanese refugee problem in Nepal. Calling for the speedy repatriation of Bhutanese refugees in Nepal, the European Parliament has passed a resolution in response to a "common motion for resolution" tabled by the European Parliament Groups.

"Indian authorities should take full account of the humanitarian situation of the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal," added the EP resolution passed this week in Strasbourg, France. The EP had earlier passed similar resolution in March 1996 that condemned Bhutan for its apathy over refugee repatriation.

The EP has also called for all interested parties, including international donors, to contribute to finding an early and permanent solution bearing in mind that almost 98 thousand people have been denied their human rights for the last eight years.

In a recent resolution, the European Parliament has welcomed the latest round of bilateral talks between Nepal and Bhutan in Thimpu in May this year. The EP has called on Bhutanese authorities to accept the UNHCR compromise so that the commitment to field verification for the early and time-bound repatriation of the refugees can begin immediately. Nepal has already accepted the compromise on the crucial definition of the "family" unit for verification purpose.

The EP has recognized the tremendous goodwill of Nepal in accepting the refugees "who are the victims of arbitrary deprivation of nationality and forcible eviction and who came to Nepal through India." While mentioning that refugees entered Nepal through India, the European Parliament has flayed India for consistently refusing to help in solving the repatriation issue by pretending that it is a bilateral issue of concern only to Nepal and Bhutan.

The positive steps in defining the database and procedural aspects for the verification process has been welcomed. And the EP has pointed at the important role that can be played by the UNHCR in facilitating the practical implementation of the process.

The EP has also welcomed the release of Tek Nath Rizal, the freedom fighter of Bhutan, and 200 other prisoners as a positive indication of Bhutan's goodwill, but at the same time it has regretted the lack of progress in other areas.

The EP has regretted the officially instituted and illegal occupation of the homes and lands of those who have been driven out, as this complicates possible future repatriation and makes a just settlement more difficult to achieve.

The EP has also shown its serious concern over the increasing resource crunch in supporting the Bhutanese refugees located at seven camps in Eastern Nepal. It has mentioned that both UNHCR and WFP (World Food Program) were finding it increasingly difficult to raise funds to run the camps.

In recent months the WFP has been facing the real and very serious possibility of a future food shortage and expressing disquiet. It is added that donors are more and more concerned at the lack of progress being made in refugee issue. The EU itself is a major donor for Bhutanese refugees. It has already granted aid of Euro 11 million and intends to grant an additional Euro 1.5 million in the near future.

The urgent need for the international donors to make sufficient funds available to permit the running of the camps during the negotiation and the verification process has been stressed in the resolution. It has appreciated the direct support for the camps which, so far, has cost USD 92 million, and calls on the donors, furthermore, to insist that the Bhutanese Government facilitate a rapid repatriation of the refugees.

‘Withdraw Indian troops before JTBC meeting’

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Sept 13 - Intellectuals and political party leaders today demanded that the Indian paramilitary forces occupying Nepalese territory be withdrawn from Kalapani before the Joint Technical Border Committee (JTBC) initiates the field work.

During Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s India visit, Nepal and India agreed to leave the issue of the border dispute to the JTBC with the instruction that it would complete the field work latest by 2002. Both sides also agreed that the task to prepare strip maps in place of riverine border should be completed by 2003.

"The Indian government should first withdraw its paramilitary force from Kalapani, and then only the Committee should start the assigned field work," said Hiranya Lal Shrestha, a CPN-ML lawmaker, and former chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights and Foreign Affairs Committee.

Shrestha added, "India must have stationed its forces in the Nepalese territory with a view to keep constant vigil on the activities of Chinese soldiers. But since India is a nuclear power it does not need to keep soldiers there, it can use its high-tech satellites to do so."

According to experts, India intruded upon the Kalapani area - a strategic trijunction between India, Nepal and China - during a brief war it fought with China in 1962. Since then a battalion of Indian paramilitary force has been stationed there.

Located east of the Kali river, Kalapani area lies in the far-western hill district of Darchula near India’s Dharchula. Kali river, according to the historic Sugauli Treaty signed between the then East India Company and Nepal on March 4, 1816, demarcates the western boundary of Nepal.

Former Vice Chairman of National Planning Commission (NPC) Mangal Siddhi Manandhar also stressed that India should not hesitate to withdraw its force before the JTBC starts field work. During Koirala’s landmark August India visit, India assured Nepal that it has no intention of occupying ‘even an inch of its territory’.

Speaking at a function organized here Wednesday to release a book, Boundary of Nepal, by renowned surveyor Buddhi Narayan Shrestha, intellectuals stressed that resolving the Kalapani dispute would also be in the interest of peace and stability of the entire Asian continent, leave alone South Asia.

Buddhi Narayan Shrestha, also former director general of Department of Survey, said that Nepal and India need to look into border disputes in 53 different places along their 1,808-km border where an area equivalent to the size of Kathmandu Valley has been under dispute.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) leader Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani who was a foreign minister four years ago, stressed that regulating the 1800-plus-km Nepal-India border would be a permanent solution to protecting Nepal’s territorial integrity as "South Asian countries are still in identity formation stage".

"Then Indian foreign minister had even agreed to regulating the porous border, to my surprise," Dr Lohani recalled today. "And the two governments reached an agreement and subsequently assigned their home ministries to prepare reports to that effect. But the agreement was never implemented, because my successors forgot the agreement."

Noted geographer Dr Harka Gurung dubbed Shrestha’s book as "A Historical Document" and suggested that the government "stop forging problem-solving commissions, and immediately work towards returning Kalapani and other encroached Nepali lands and regulating the border".

The Boundary of Nepal presents "solid evidences" of the Kalapani area falling in Nepalese territory. Various old maps that Shrestha collected from the London-based British Library, Washington DC-based Library of Congress and other libraries at home shows Kalapani in this side of the Kali river, meaning in Nepal.

While the maps published in 1816, 1819, 1827, 1830, 1834, 1835, and 1846 show a river flowing down from Limpiadhura as the Kali river, the natural demarcation line separating India and Nepal, maps published after 1950 show a small Turture river flowing down from Lipulek - which lies further east of Limpiadhura - as the Kali river.

Team to visit Maoist-hit dists

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Sept 13 - At the initiative of the newly-formed National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), a team of human rights activists will be observing Maoist-hit districts immediately after Dashain in order to assess the situation and the plight of the locals.

The announcement was made today at a programme to pay tributes to late Man Singh Shahi, who was killed by the Maoist rebels 13 days ago in Kalikot.

We will go to the Maoist-hit areas immediately after the Dashain," said Kapil Shrestha, a member of NHRC.

Expressing concern over the fact that the Maoist violence and killings have reached alarming proportions, Shrestha said," The Maoist rebellion is in line with Pol Pot’s regime (in Combodia). Even Mao (in China) had humanitarian qualities."

The human rights activist held both the government and the Maoist insurgents responsible for creating a state of anarchy and insecurity in the country.

"No doubt the guerrilla warfare is a gross violation of basic human rights. But what is equally deplorable is government’s suppression," Shrestha said.

At the same programme, some of the victims and suffers of the guerrilla warefare vented their greivances and lambasted the government for failing to provide them the "much-needed" compensation and moral support.

Kamala Tiwari, widow of Ramji who had been killed by the rebels in Gorkha, made public her frustration over the government’s "utter disregard" to her and a host of other victims.

"Despite our repeated pleas, political bigwigs have remained indifferent to our suffering. Hence, insecurity looms large in my life," said Tiwari.

"We are tired. We have expressed our problems many times and in many places, but to no avail," added the widow, who is very worried about her children’s future.

"But leaders are busy in grabbing the key party posts and making foreign trips," she remarked.

Echoing her plight, another widow, Janak Kumari Koirala appealed to the government for adeqate compensation.

Her husband Nanda Lal Koirala, a member of Nepali Congress was killed in Gorkha recently.

Ironically, the government has been unable to provide security even to its own party members, said the NC sympathisers.

Though the NC members are the main targets of the insurgents, there are also many other victims from various political hues. "This aspect should not be ignored," stressed Sherstha.

Mass media has played a major role in boosting the Maoist activities, said the kith and kin of those killed in a Maoist crossfire.

"Some of the leading daily newspapers and weeklies are unnecessarily giving prominence to the Maoists. This has undoubtedly encouraged the rebels," said Laxman Prasad Timilsina. "This must be stopped."

His father, Bhim Timilsina, Chairman of Kaver Village Develpoment Committee was also assasinated in a Maoist offensive.

Supporting the call for the "desperate" for the compensation, Shushil Koirala, General Secertary of the NC pointed at the urgent need to rehabilitate numerous displaced people and the orphans who are in trauma.

"The government must give financial and social security to the victims," said Koirala, adding that the Maoists are backed by the Naxalite group of India.

When House committees spoil the policing broth

By Binaj Gurubacharya

KATHMANDU, Sept 13 - The nine parliamentary committees under the House of Representatives, the Lower House, in the past couple of years have become ever more active and aggressive than in the past.

So active that they have begun to step and trample on to each other’s territory and at times compete on who gets to take up on issues that are of immediate public debate.

Just few days back, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) severely criticized the Finance Committee for intervening in and taking a decision on the case being investigated by PAC.

PAC had been in the process of investigating into the deal by Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) to purchase two French-built ATR aircraft for its domestic fleet without calling for global tender bids as required by the Financial Regulations and had ordered RNAC to present all the papers in this deal.

The Finance Committee stepped in and ruled RNAC to get the aircraft through proper process. This committee however made no mention of the fact that the controversy-ridden airline had violated financial regulations.

The ironic part however is that RNAC is not even under these two committees but rather with the Human Rights and Foreign Affairs Committee (HRFAC) that has the entire Ministry of Culture, Civil Aviation and Tourism under it.

PAC and HRFAC are the only two of the total nine committees that have members of the opposition parties as the chairpersons and more opposition members than the ones from treasury side.

The remaining committees like the Finance Committee all have more members from the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and are all headed by NC lawmakers.

This has raised the question on how effective will these committees headed and dominated by the ruling party members be when investigating and probing against the majority government.

"It is the government that drafts the policies and allocates the budget ... but it is the responsibility of the opposition to see that there are no irregularities and there has been no violation of the laws," said one PAC member. "But if the policing job is also given to the ruling party how can the concept of parliamentary committee be properly implemented?"

Critics say that even the RNAC case was picked up by the Finance Committee to ease the pressure on the state-run airline. RNAC is only one such example.

When the Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) Board decided to double the telephone tariff few months ago, the Development and Communication Committee, the Finance Committee and PAC at the same time began to probe into the case forcing NTC officials to shuttle between one committee to another.

Other examples are the 144-megawatt Kaligandaki A project that is nearing completion, the state of the semi-government commercial banks like Rastriya Banijya Bank and the Nepal Bank Limited and the Integrated Accounting System proposed by the government.

By definition of the Parliamentary Regulations drafted in 1991, PAC can examine government accounts relating to the appropriated amounts or public accounts and properties which it deems necessary to examine to discuss the report of the Auditor General and submit its report to the House.

However, the amendments made three years back to the Regulations added a clause allowing all the committees to be able to check on the accounts and properties of their concerned ministries has made it little difficult for PAC to function.

PAC has no ministries under it but can check into the financial irregularities of all the ministries that has often put it in conflict with other committees.

"It is a matter of understanding since there is no real boundaries set. We have given up cases that we usually take up just because some other committees were looking over it and they should also be able to do the same," PAC Chairman Subas Nemwang said.

Unlike other committees, PAC has been successful in getting some fruits of success. Last month, it managed to block the attempts by Royal Nepal Army to purchase an over-priced jet airliner RJ-100. However, many of the directives or suggestions by these committee do fall on deaf ears and many times are just ignored.

"Since the committees are parliamentary committees, the directives issued by them are considered directives passed on by the Parliament so there is no reason why the government should not oblige by it," Nemwang said.

Locals demand removal of polluting bone mills

By a Post Reporter

LALITPUR, Sept 13 - Locals of Ikhachhen here today strongly demanded that two bone mills, located just above a stone spout should be removed elsewhere.

"Fifty one persons have suffered from diarrhoea due to polluted water and 16 of them are hospitalised so far," claimed the locals, adding "we hardly can find one without headache or other related diseases here."

The locals today organized a press conference to protest the air and water pollution caused by the bone mills - Sher Bone Mills and Naveen Bone Mills.

"Water mixed with blood flows from the stone spout and unusual odour permeates the air. Pungent smell wafting from the mill has made our homes unfit to live in," they said.

According to Bhaju Ratna Shakya, Ward Chairman of ward number 22, "The water which later flows to the fields from the stone spout also has destroyed the crops."

The locals had submitted a memorandum to the chief district officer demanding removal of the mills on August 10. They had also submitted a similar memorandum to the Prime Minister and visited the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supply at different occasions.

Though the Department of Cottage and Small Industry on August 21 asked Sher Bone Mill to close their plant and sought explanation within three days, the order has been ignored so far.

When contacted Siddi Bahadur Khadgi, owner of Sher Bone Mill told over telephone that he needed at least a year of time to remove the mill. "How can I remove one and half tons of raw material along with machines and other physical items from here within three days?" Khadgi said.

News of blast known after four months!

JAJARKOT, Sept 13 (PR) - It took four months for a news about a bomb explosion, killing five people, to come out in the open here due to fear of Maoists among the villagers where the incident occurred.

The bomb was hidden by Maoists in their erstwhile shelter, a house of one Kalu Rawat in Pajaru Village Development Committee-4 on April 14 this year.

"The Maoists had pressurised the villagers not to bring the matter out in the open," said Lal Bahadur Mahatara, VDC chairman.

The Maoists had instructed the Rawats not to touch the bundle in which the bomb was hidden. According to reports, a neighbour of the Rawats, unable to contain his curiosity, tried to untie the bundle which resulted the explosion.

It was only last week that the villagers informed the district police.

Similarly, a farmer of Khalanga-7 was seriously injured when a bomb,left behind by rebels, exploded on June 18 and a rebel himself lost his life two days later when a bomb that he was carrying in his bag went off.

HURPES flays police action

KATHMANDU, Sept 13 (PR) - Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES) has condemned Nepal Police’s two recent "extrajudicial" actions in a press release issued here today.

"HURPES condemns the police action against Hari Kala Adhikari, a woman from Bhorletar VDC-8 Lamjung in which the woman was shocked dead by the police. She was later buried. We hereby appeal the government to initiate action against such authorities resorting to extrajudicial moves," said the press release signed by HURPES President Krishna Pahadi.

The Society has also asked the authorities to make the whereabouts of Ishwari Prasad Dahal known to their families, relatives and law entrepreneurs. Dahal was arrested from the capital’s Tahachal area recently, according to the release.

Bombs hurled at school

NUWAKOT, Sept 13 - Two bombs were exploded by unidentified men inside a secondary school in a village in this district last night, police said today.

All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (Revolutionary) had locked Krishna Secondary School in Taruka VDC-3 some time ago protesting fee hike and other "irregularities" but the school administration had broken the lock and resumed the classes.

The union students relocked the school on Monday. According to a teacher of the school, "Maoists supporters" hurled two home-made bombs yesterday night but no damage was caused.

Similarly, according to police officials, Maoists supporters smeared black a headmaster of a secondary school in Belkot VDC and garlanded him with shoes, citing irregularities in the school.