Why must the good die young?

By Suman Pradhan

KATHMANDU - It was on a clear crisp day last July when a group of South Asian journalists, who had just attended the World AIDS Conference in Durban, huddled into a modern two-story house in one of the back alleys of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest and most modern city.

Inside a large room stacked with books and toys and surrounded by helpful ayahs were a handful of tiny black African children. Alongside on a sofa lay 11-year-old Nkosi Johnson, his eyes quietly gazing at the scribes.

No doubt, Nkosi had been through this many times before. As South Africa’s youngest HIV/AIDS activist, his story and his house makes for good material for journalists visiting Jo’burg from around the world. Not many may know about Nkosi in our part of the world, but in South Africa he is a household name, thanks largely for his untiring activism raising awareness about the disease.

Today, Nkosi is fading out physically, though his spirits remain much the same. A recent news report from Jo’burg said that the 11-year-old boy who made his life story a global public health issue is in the terminal stages of AIDS. According to the report, Nkosi is in a coma, having suffered seizures caused by AIDS some weeks ago. But doctors say, the boy is refusing to let go of life.

Born HIV positive to an infected mother, his plight made headlines almost from the beginning. His homeless hapless mother, who could ill afford to look after her child, finally left the boy in the care of Gail Johnson, a middle-aged white woman who today provides shelter for many of the poor HIV infected black women and their children. Since coming together, Gail and Nkosi have battled prejudices and succeeded in largely tearing down the many social barriers that make the lives of HIV-infected people horrible.

It was in this backdrop that the journalists from South Asia met Nkosi at this foster mom’s home.

He had been in the news recently, effectively issuing a clarion call for compassion as one of the star speakers at the World AIDS Conference. He roused the thousands of delegates with a simple straight-forward call: "You can’t get AIDS by hugging, by kissing or holding hands. We are normal, we are human beings. We can walk, we can talk."

At his home in Jo’burg, Nkosi was in much the same fighting spirits. His eloquence belied his age. He effectively told the journalists why pregnant women should be tested for HIV, lest they infect their yet unborn babies. In this day and age there are drugs which can cut those transmission rates by more than half, he said, if only mothers found out ahead of time. Nkosi’s biological mother never knew that, and ended up giving birth to a baby infected with the virus at birth.

There aren’t many Nkosis in Nepal yet. But someday, as the virus spreads to each and every corner of society, affects each and every social strata, advocates against anti-HIV prejudices will emerge. Many of them will most likely be infected themselves, and will have experienced first hand how society shuns them.

Already, there are a few brave individuals here who have publicly shared their plight with the people, and have begun participating in advocacy campaigns targeted at raising awareness. They have Nkosi in their souls.

Two convicts escape from prison

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GULARIYA, Jan 17 - Two convicts facing murder charges escaped from the district jail early Wednesday, police said.

Taking advantage of thick early-morning fog, Krishna Bahadur Chaudhary and Ram Krishna Tharu, recently transferred here from Kailali jail, fled the prison scaling 15-foot walls and fences, according to the jail office. The convicts used a rope and a wooden plank to aid their getaway.

Chief District Officer, Dilli Raj Joshi, said there seemed to have been a security lapse and that an investigation would be conducted into the escape. Police have been on the alert since the escape hoping to re-arrest the convicts. Prison in-charge, Krishna Panta refused to talk to the press in connection with the incident.

There are currently 94 male and five female prisoners in the jail.

NEA office locked up to protest sacking

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SYANGJA, Jan 17 - The branch office of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) at Krishna Gandaki VDC has been locked-up after ten technicians were relieved from their jobs.

The branch office located at the 144 megawatts Kaligandaki "A" Hydro Electric Project monitors the electricity distribution in Arbeni, Harmichaur, Pidikhola, Birgha and Yamgha VDCs of Syangja, Gulmi and Palpa districts.

The essential services like ‘ no-light service’ and ‘technical branch’ of the branch office has been affected by the removal of the employees.

Locals said they would be deprived of electricity in case of any technical faults in the distribution network.

An NEA source said that the technicians, hired on daily wages basis, were removed from their jobs due to the financial burden. New employees are hired on daily wage basis every time there is a change in the Water Resources Ministry.

However, some of the technicians, appointed by the former Water Resources Minister still remain in their jobs, a recently-fired technician said.

Likewise, 10 employees working with the Syangja-based NEA branch office have also been terminated from their jobs. Electricity users in the Phedikhola, Naudanda, Seti Dovan and Chhapa VDCs have been facing hard time since the technicians’ were removed

Two convicts escape from prison

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GULARIYA, Jan 17 - Two convicts facing murder charges escaped from the district jail early Wednesday, police said.

Taking advantage of thick early-morning fog, Krishna Bahadur Chaudhary and Ram Krishna Tharu, recently transferred here from Kailali jail, fled the prison scaling 15-foot walls and fences, according to the jail office. The convicts used a rope and a wooden plank to aid their getaway.

Chief District Officer, Dilli Raj Joshi, said there seemed to have been a security lapse and that an investigation would be conducted into the escape. Police have been on the alert since the escape hoping to re-arrest the convicts. Prison in-charge, Krishna Panta refused to talk to the press in connection with the incident.

There are currently 94 male and five female prisoners in the jail.

Locals urge govt to resume linkroad

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KATHMANDU, Jan 17 - Local people from Syangja district have demanded that the government resume the construction of Waling-Hulas linkroad amidst a programme here today.

The demand was made at a press conference organised by Waling-Huwas Motor and Development Concern Centre (WHMDCC), an organisation formed with the help of local people and the public representatives.

The construction of the 22 km long linkroad began in 2049-50 BS). However, only 16 km of the road has been constructed till date.

At the meet, emphasis was given on the mass participation by the local community, including the beneficiaries from all VDCs of Parbat and Syangja districts for the construction of the Waling-Huwas motor linkroad. The meet also decided to call the attention of the concerned authority to speed up the construction works.

Earlier the WHMDCC had claimed that the locals were not aware of the benefit of constructing a road. However, in response to their call, around 17,000 people voluntarily took part in the road construction work between January 7-11.

So far, Rs 30 million has been spent in the construction of the road. "Additional Rs 2.5 million will be enough for the remaining construction," says Man Bahadur Bishowkarma of the organisation. The construction took 8 long years because of political changes and institutional corruption and also due to the indifference on the part of the government, he added.

Road mishaps on the rise in eastern region

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MORANG, Jan 17 - Traffic accidents are on the rise in the Eastern Development Region. According to the Eastern Regional Traffic Police Office, 426 accidents have occurred in the first six months of the current fiscal year claiming 126 lives.

A total of 405 accidents occurred during the previous fiscal year claiming 136 lives compared to 378 accidents and the death of 143 people in the fiscal year prior to that.

Similarly, the number of people injured in vehicle accidents has also been increasing each year. A total of 595 people have been injured over the last six months of the current fiscal year while 427 people were injured over the last fiscal year.

According to traffic police, the reasons for such large number of accidents may be attributed to high speed driving, drunk driving, only one driver aboard long-distance buses, passengers travelling on bus roofs, the presence of rickshaws, bicycles, pushcarts and stray animals on the road, drying grains on the road and speed-breakers.

Locals complain against Koshi Tappu reserve

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RAJBIRAJ, Jan 17 - The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, which was established for the conservation of rare wild animals and birds, has proved to be a source of harassment for locals.

Locals, who earn their livelihood by selling grass from the Reserve, complain that they are being harassed by the soldiers appointed for the security of the Reserve.

The wildlife reserve borders 13 VDCs lying in Saptari, Sunsari and Udayapur districts. The minority indigenous people, such as Godhi, Musahar, Bantar, Khatwe and Kumhar, who were displaced after being evacuated from the Reserve still remain landless.

Their only source of livelihood is the Wildlife Reserve but they complain that they are harassed by security guards even when they enter the forest to cut grass which the Wildlife Reserve Administration has permitted them to do.

Women allege that soldiers employed as security guards assault them, ask them to dance naked and sometimes rape them. They say that they have complained to different authorities, from local administration to the Prime Minister, in writing and orally, but their complaints have never been followed up, Chairman of Pipra Purba VDC Parmeswor Chaudhari said.

A resident of Pipra Purba VDC, Dharmi Devi Pundit says the soldiers keep the elderly women, like her, at a distance and misbehave with the young women. Even when the women have permission to enter the Reserve, the soldiers continue to humiliate them. They also molest and rape women.

Phudeni Devi Khatweni, 35, of the same VDC says she was subjected to such an attack twice. She added that she found a rifle butt in her thigh when she disobeyed the soldiers. Phudeni Devi, who earns her living by cutting grass in the forest said she demanded action against her tormentors but there was no response from any quarter.

Similarly, 18 fishermen, including Baidya Nath Mukhiya and Dukhi Mukhiya of Pathari, were beaten by soldiers after they entered the Reserve for fishing with valid permission. They filed a case in the District Administration and returned only after they received assurance from the Chief District Officer that departmental action would be taken against the soldiers.

On the western side, the Reserve has not been properly demarcated and fenced. Consequently, soldiers fix the boundary at their own will and harass the local people claiming that they had trespassed onto the Reserve area, locals complain.

The Wildlife Reserve covered only 12 square kilometres when it was established twenty-four years ago, but it was extended to 175 square kilometres three years later. The Reserve contains only 75 wild buffaloes (Arna) and about 12,000 to 14,000 domestic buffaloes and cows.

Conservation Officer of the Reserve, Ras Bihari Yadav, admitted that some unpleasant incidents take place in the Reserve occasionally and that fines are imposed on people who violate the rules of the Reserve. He commented that the Reserve envisages to provide employment to people living in the vicinity of the Reserve under the "Park People Programme".

According to the President of the Koshi People’s Welfare Group, Jay Krishna Goit, they had visited Kathmandu and submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister complaining about the pandemonium created by the soldiers in the Reserve, but, as yet, no action has been taken in response to their grievances.

He criticised the government for making thousands of people landless in the name of conserving about a hundred wild buffaloes and remaining silent when women of these people were being molested.

Women block highway for water

NAWALPARASI, Kawasoti, Jan 17 (PR)- Carrying empty waterpots, the women of this locality blocked the country’s East-West highway for an hour, Tuesday, demanding drinking water facility. The women also gheraoed the local drinking water office at the same time.

At least, 40,000 people of the Kawasoti and Shiva Mandir Village Development Committees are in dire need of drinking water that ceased to flow into the distributed taps since the last two weeks. The drinking water office, however, is collecting tariff inspite of unavailability of the water in
the taps.

During a mass meeting in the last year’s general election, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, had assured the locals of fulfilling the drinking water problem within a year. "Still, we are deprived of the drinking water, the most essential thing for any living creature," said a local woman, Sita Dangal, adding that the local women took out the procession to draw the government’s attention.

The area faces drinking water problem, particularly during the dry season and tubewells cannot be drilled as the water level is very low.

Over 100 landless people to get land

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NUWAKOT, Jan 17 - In total, 111 of the 3,000 landless people located in different parts of Nuwakot district will receive land in the first phase of a land distribution programme, according to the Nuwakot-based Commission of landless people.

The list of landless people’s names has been sent to the Central Commission for approval. An all-party committee will be formed from people of different walks of life under the chairmanship of the VDC chairman and a surveyor will be sent to examine the land distributed on the basis of the recommendation of the committee.

A landless family living without an ownership certificate will be given certificate. In the case of landless people, a family consisting of up to 15 members will receive from nine annas to one ropani of land in urban areas and 5 ropanis of land in rural areas, according to the commission.

Wife dies 15 hrs after husband’s death

SYANGJA, Jan 17 (PR)- An octogenarian couple passed away within an interval of fifteen hours at Putalibazaar municipality-1, Monday and early Tuesday, according to a report received here.

Dil Bahadur Gurung, 85 died of high blood pressure at Syangja District Hospital and his wife Dilsari Gurung, 86, died on Tuesday morning, ward No 2 chairman, Khem Narayan Sharma said.

The octogenarian couple, permanent residents of the Rangbhang VDC-2, were living here as tenants.

Locals said Dilsari passed away even before their sons and relatives living in Kathmandu and Pokhara could be informed of Dil Bahadur’s death.

Dilsari died at her rented place after her husband’s body was brought to their permanent home at Sirkot village. The couple were cremated according with traditional rites and rituals.

Locals believe that the couple’s souls would go to heaven because they passed away on the sixth and seventh day of the lunar fortnight.

Youth strangled to death

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BHAIRAHAWA, Siddharthanagar, Jan 17- An 18-year-old Binay Mishra was strangled to death Tuesday night by unidentified persons at his own residence at Annapurna Tole of Siddharthanagar, reports the Rupandehi police.

The deceased, who was a Class 11 student at the local Buddhajyoti Higher Secondary School, had gone to bed after having his supper with the whole family.

Superintendent of Police Vinod Singh told The Kathmandu Post that five persons had so far been taken into custody in connection with the murder.

The motive behind the killing remains unknown.

Darpan Chhaya marks 51 days

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KATHMANDU, Jan 17 - The Nepali movie Darpan Chhaya successfully marked its 51 days screening at Ganga Chalchitra Mandir today, a press release said.

At the function organized to mark the occassion, Dhurba Ratna Shakya, president of the cinema hall, presented a souvenir to the producer-director of the movie, Tulsi Ghimire. Speaking on the occasion, Shakya expressed his delight over the growing standard of Nepali movies.

Present on the function were Nepali movie stars Dilip Rayamajhi, Bharati Ghimire, Haribansa Acharya, Narayan Puri, Shailes Acharya, Manju Kumar Shrestha among others.

Liquor sales soar despite ban

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NUWAKOT, Jan 17 - Alcohol has been banned in this district for the last one and a half years, but the ban exists only on paper, not in practice, according to local people.

Nuwakot was declared an alcohol-free zone following active steps by local political parties and the police, in what they call a move to help cut down crime in the area. However, alcohol is still being sold freely in different parts of the district, including Trishuli, Dhunge, Kolani, Battar, Gangate and Devighat amongst other places on a regular basis, says Nava Raj Silwal of Bidur-5.

Alcohol still remains on sale until midnight and generates more income than in the past when there was no ban. A bottle of alcohol which used to cost Rs 80, now costs between Rs 130 and Rs 200 depending upon the customer’s willingness to pay. When shopkeepers began charging exorbitant prices for alcohol, the matter was reported to the police, but the police turned a deaf ear to the complaint. Locals are therefore demanding that the alcohol ban be lifted.

As the bulk of buyers, including locals and tourists, were being cheated by alcohol sellers, social workers in the district are now pushing for the lifting of the ban.

On the contrary, people who used to earn their living through the sale of alcohol opposed the ban at the outset. However, realizing the benefit of selling alcohol at black-market prices, they now favour the continuation of the ban. They had also filed a case to lift the ban, but are now back-tracking.

Police allege that the 35-member Implementation Committee headed by the DDC President has remained inactive and that the frequent transfer of police personnel hinders the implementation of the ban.

In the past, police used to destroy, in the presence of people’s representatives and journalists, any illegal liquor seized in the district . However,of late, police seized about 200 litres of alcohol being smuggled to Kathmandu one month ago, but they failed to report the matter to the committee. Nor did they destroy it publicly.

There is a provision for imposing fines ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 on people who produced or consumed alcohol. However, the rule has never been strictly followed.

Water catches fire!

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KATHMANDU,Jan 17—A police constable was seriously injured at Kuleshwor Tuesday in a sudden fire that ignited on the water supplied by the Nepal Water Supply Corporation[NWSC].

According to NWSC employee Kanchha Maharjan, the fire broke out soon after water was released to the distribution center at Tinkune, Kuleshwor, from the nearby boring site. Showing a piece of burnt wire beside the waterpipe, he said to The Kathmandu Post, "The fire went off after five minutes when the inflow tap was turned off."

General Manager of NWSC explains, the fire as possibly caused by ethane gas. "The construction of the plant designed to minimise the iron and aluminium contents of water is not yet complete, and at times it is possible for water to contain ethane gas, which can cause fire," he said.

Scrolls distributed

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KATHMANDU, Jan 17 - The Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness (ECCA) organised a scroll distribution function to the Millennium Expedition for Young Australian Volunteers at its Thapathali head office, today.

Australian Ambassador Crispin Conroy, distributed the scroll to 48 young Australian and Nepali volunteers who contributed in building construction works at ECCA.

Ambassador Conroy highlighted the bilateral relations that exist between Australia and Nepal and congratulated the expedition team, on completion of building construction works at ECCA.

ECCA is a project committed to raise environmental awareness and sound resource management among children, and through them to the community.