Rebels intensify attack in Valley Bomb explosions at Balaju, Bafal

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KATHMANDU, July 3 - A powerful bomb went off Tuesday afternoon inside Balaju Textile Mill premises at Balaju Industrial Area causing property damage worth more than two million rupees. Police suspect Maoist rebels behind the attack, which came barely a week after the underground rebels hung explosives with an anti-establishment banner in the heart of the Capital.

Later in the afternoon another bomb, left hung with a pro-Maoist banner, went off at Bafal area in western parts of the city, forcing locals to panic in fear. No one was hurt in the incident.

No casualties were reported in the Balaju incident as all the Textile Mill workers were out for snacks, but witnesses and police said the noise of the explosion was heard several kilometres away. Soon after the explosion rocked the north-western part of the city, policemen from the Area Police Office Balaju and Sorhakhutte, and the Kathmandu District Police reached the site.

Also rushed to the site were some explosive specialists from the Royal Nepal Army who, together with the police diffused the remnants of the explosives. They have taken the remains for further investigation.

"The explosion literally rocked the area and left all the factory workers - in the country’s key industrial estate - and people in the area trembling with fear," said Assistant Officer at the Industrial Area.

This is first such attack in the industrial estate since the rebels launched their "people’s war" more than five years ago.

Policemen and locals of Bafal area said the second explosion took place at Gai-Bhachha Pati Chowk between 3:30 to 4:00 p.m in the afternoon. According to the police, although three white pouches were hung weighing down the banner only one contained explosive while the rest contained only mud.

The apparently jittery police personnel came to know this only after carrying out all the procedures of defusing. The locals had not noticed that there were bombs, they came to know about the banner and the bomb only after the bomb went off, after which they informed the police.

The team was led by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Om Bikram Rana.

The banner looked alike that of the last Thursday’s banner put up at Kel Tol in downtown Kathmandu, and bore slogans that demanded annulment of the recently introduced Public Security Regulations-2001, besides slogans against the new King and the Prime Minister.

Japan entends Rs 1.12b grant to KMC

KATHMANDU, July 3 (PR)- The Japanese government today extended a grant assistance of US$ 15,095,000 (Rs 1.12 billion)) for Debt Relief Measures and the project for improvement of intersections in Kathmandu city.

The agreement was signed between the Japanese Ambassador Mitsuaki Kojima and Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Bimal Koirala, stated a press release issued here today.

The release also stated, "these two grants have been extended as the first lot of grant assistance provided by the Government of Japan in Japan’s FY 2001."

Of the available assistance, US$ 6,758,000 has been allocated for Debt Relief Measures while US$ 8,337,000 for the project for improvement of intersections in Kathmandu.

According to the release, the grant under Debt Relief Measures will be utilised for procuring commodities such as construction materials, fertilisers, petroleum products, medicine, transportation related equipment and other developmental related materials. The grant under improvement of intersections will be utilised for the construction of the physical facilities necessary for the improvement of 10 intersections in Kathmandu.

Tourist arrivals dip in June

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KATHMANDU, July 3 - Tourist inflow by air that had improved in the first five months of the current fiscal year has plunged by over 56 per cent in June as compared to the figures of the corresponding period last year.

Though the latest arrival slump may project a pitiful image of the tourism industry, which has gone through a series of turbulence in the past, related entrepreneurs are of views that the industry would see better days ahead.

According to statistics provided by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the Department of Immigration, the tourist arrivals by air in the first five months had surged by an aggregate of 8.54 per cent as compared to last year’s like period.

The double digit growth enjoyed in the first quarter of 2001, however, was dampened by a decrease in tourist inflow during the second quarter. Furthermore, following the Royal carnage on June 1, the unprecedented dip in tourist arrivals pulled down the overall six-month average arrivals to the negative.

A total of over 166 thousand tourists visited Nepal in the first six months of 2001, whereas the figures in the same period last year was almost 168 thousand. In the first five months alone, 156 thousand tourists visited the country. However, in June this year, the arrivals slumped from 23,715 a year ago to 10,238.

Despite the latest setback, officials at the NTB are of sanguine views that the tourism sector would revive. Especially because the data suggests that the arrival pattern picked up slowly in the second half of June as normalcy returned to the state after the mourning period concluded.

"As the trend of tourist arrival has progressed significantly in the second half of June, the upward trend can be expected to continue as life comes back to normalcy," said Tek Bahadur Dangi, Marketing Director of NTB.

Tourist arrivals into the country had been on the wane ever since the Indian Airlines flight 814 that took off from the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on the 1999 Christmas eve was hijacked. In the year 2000, total visitors coming to Nepal through air slumped by an aggregate 11 per cent. In the case of Indian tourists alone, who comprise over a third of the total inflow, such decrease was to the tune of 31 per cent.

However, the first five months of 2001 saw a good increase not just in third country tourists, but even in the number of Indian tourists despite the 1999 hijacking drama and the December 2000’s anti-Hrithik Roshan demonstrations over his alleged derogatory remarks on Nepal. While visits by third country tourists soared by over 8 per cent, Indian tourist arrivals grew by over 9 per cent in the six-month period as compared to the same period last year.

Koirala suggested to stick to party affairs

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KATHMANDU, July 3 – In a continued effort to pressure Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to resign, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa suggested he give over the premiership and continue only in his party role.

"It would be beneficial for all if the Prime Minister stick only to his party affairs," said Thapa taking part in the debate over the government’s programmes and policies presented last week through the Royal Address.

"It is right time now and the Prime Minister should be able to take benefit from the situation by giving a way out of the present crisis which would make him a historic personality," Thapa said. "If he fails to take advantage of the situation now it would be impossible for him to bail himself out of this political mess."

RPP, like all the opposition parties represented in parliament, have been demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Koirala over the government’s involvement in the infamous Lauda Air deal that has led to even one minister and several officials of the state-owned Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation charged with corruption.

On top of that, the opposition parties are now seeking Koirala to take moral responsibility over the June 1 Royal Palace massacre and step down as he was also the Minister for Royal Palace Affairs.

Also the government’s recent enforcement of the Public Security Regulations, 2001 has come under fire with opponents charging the government of bringing a tool to suppress the opposition. The law allows authorities to detain individuals and ban organizations under the suspicion of being a security threat to the nation.

"The position of the Prime Minister has reached such a low that the agenda presented by him does not hold any meaning. In a situation like now, simply one party cannot find the solution out," Thapa said. "There is a need for united efforts and now is the time to gather a massive national consensus."

He said the government’s programme and policies have failed to include the 14-point agenda presented by the Prime Minister on the first day of the current Session, which just showed that he was not serious in his mission.

"Constitutional Monarchy should function in accordance with the norms of the parliamentary democracy," said Raghuji Pant of the main opposition CPN-UML.

Nearly two dozen lawmakers from the House of Representatives took part in the debate. The debate continues on Wednesday.

Four ADCs sacked

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KATHMANDU, July 3 – At least four ADCs (aide de’ camps), including those of late King Birendra, late Queen Aishwarya and two of the late Crown Prince Dipendra who were on duty on the fateful night of June 1, have been sacked from service, Ministry of Defense said today.

The action was initiated based on the recommendations made by the high-level military committee headed by former Principal Military Secretary Lt. General Shanta Kumar Malla who was commissioned by the Royal Palace to review the security arrangements. The mandate of the committee was also to "review security lapses" that fateful night, made glaringly clear when the drunk Crown Prince Dipendra shot and killed his entire family before shooting himself.

Altogether 10 persons died in the shootings, including late King Birendra.

Defense Secretary Padam Kumar Acharya, confirmed that the ADCs have been fired from service but said he "did not know everything in detail," declining to comment on what basis the decision was made. "I have no idea what the process of prosecution was or if the report will be made public or not," he told The Kathmandu Post.

Among those dismissed from service include, late King Birendra’s ADC Colonel Sunder Pratap Rana, late Queen Aishwarya’s ADC Major Ananta Keshar Singh, and Major Gajendra Bohara and Major Raju Karki, who were both ADC to Crown Prince Dipendra.

However, Acharya further confirmed that a court of inquiry was initiated on military Capt. Dr. Rajiv Shahi who had gone public with his account on the Royal Palace killings even before the high-level government probe body came up with its report. "But he (Capt. Dr. Shahi) is yet to be prosecuted," he said.

Dr. Shahi, an army medical doctor who was one of the eyewitnesses, is married to Princess Pooja Shahi, the daughter of former Prince Dhirendra Shah who also succumbed to bullet wounds received during the Palace massacre.

Acharya also said that the ADC to the slain Prince Nirajan has now been appointed ADC to His Majesty the King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.

According to Army Act 2016, there are four processes a court-martial can be initiated after the court of inquiry is conducted upon any army personnel for any misdoing. Decisions made in the District Army Court, Summary General Army Court and Summary Army Court becomes an internal affair within the Royal Nepal Army as the army officials themselves conduct the proceedings. However, the semi-judiciary bench of General Army Court requires a government official to be present in the probe body.

But, as the Defense Secretary himself expressed having no detailed knowledge into the matter today, defense experts said that the court-martial could have been carried out through any of the three processes conducted within the army.

Of foraging cattle and traffic police

By Razen Manandhar

KATHMANDU, July 3 - It seems raising cattle in the concrete jungle of the metropolis is easier than in a village: You milk them in the morning and let the bovines roam freely in the busy streets foraging fodder off the road garbage piles.

Now this may change. On Monday alone, the metropolitan office from Baneshwor area has detained four stray cattle.

It is not an uncommon scene in the Capital City to see dozens of cattle roaming or squatting upon the road for hours on end, hampering the flow of traffic and even multiplying the possibility of traffic accidents.

The concerned officials say "hundreds" of cattle wander around the city daily. And, adding to this, the tradition foretells that the priests of Pashupatinath Temple have to free one male-calf on every full moon night. This helps to keep the constant growth in the numbers of cattle vying for space along the busy city roads.

"Stray cattle are simply dangerous in the streets," said Inspector Harishchandra Dhakal of Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office (KVPTO).

Dhakal said that the cows and the bulls, defying the whirling vehicles, disturbs the traffic and even causes accident. "Such animals are a big nuisance and cause quite a few traffic accident in the city," he said.

The KVPTO often apprehends such stray cattle and locks them up at the office premises and if the owners do not come to claim them, they are transported and let off beyond the Valley limits. The Implementation Department of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) also does the same to cattle caught by them.

The six-member team of KMC security personnel are always on the lookout for such animals. They take the cows and other cattle to Kanji House, built to accommodate such stray animals.

"We then take them to an open area out of the Valley every fortnight. It is not good because we can never show concern on how they survive but we have to do it. There is no other way," said Bishnu Singh Basnet, the KMC Deputy Superintendent of City Police.

KMC auctions them before driving them out of the Valley. Last year alone, the stray cattle fetched KMC a sum of Rs 41,400 in revenue.

However, Basnet admits that the effort by KMC is insufficient to bring these stray cattle menace under control. According to him, the numbers have kept on growing in past few months.

He further suggests the government to declare that certain area as the Core City Area and prohibited rearing of cattle within its limits.

The KMC security staff accused those individuals who keep cattle of sending them out in the morning to graze around the city roads after milking them. They also say, that the cattle-farmers do not want to keep bulls because they are unproductive and are simply driven out.

Apart from that, there is a traditional ritual in the temple of Pashupatinath every month on the full moon day when the priests set-free a young bull (bashaha) after stamping it with the divine signs of Chakra and Trishul on the animal’s flanks. Chakra and Trishula are the weapons of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu according to the Hindu mythology.

These animals also ultimately come out of the Pashupati Mrigasthali area and roam city streets with impunity, the KMC staff said.

But, Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) official deny any possibility of the traffic problem caused by the bashahas left in the jungle following the monthly ceremonies.

PADT spokesman Shyam Shekhar Jha added that, since there is a "big jungle" for such animals, those holy animals need not go out of the premise in search of fodder.

He adds, "There are lots of religious people who bring fodder for them or even buy and offer fruits which is not possible for them to get in the city. So naturally, they stay within the temple premises."

Dalit MP, activists held, released

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KATHMANDU, July 3 - A delegation of Nepali Dalits comprising some 28 members including MP Rishi Babu Pariyar were apprehended from Pulchowk at around 10 a.m. by the police Tuesday.

An estimated 100 protesters were heading towards the UN House shouting slogans and holding placards saying "Address Caste issue in the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR)," when the police apprehended them for violating the Public Security Act that bans protests in restricted areas.

"We wanted to convey that the system of untouchability in Nepal be included in the agenda at the UN conference," said Bijul Kumar Bishwokarma, member of National Assembly and the President of Dalit MP Group.

The delegation led by Bishwokarma was heading towards the United Nations’ House to submit a letter of appeal addressed to Dr Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations and Mary Robinson, chief of the UN Human Rights Commission, to address "Caste-based Discrimination in Nepal" during the upcoming UN World Conference Against Racism to be held in Durban, South Africa from August 30 to September 7.

Rishi Babu Pariyar, an MP was released immediately after his arrest while 28 members of Dalit community were still kept under detention at the District Police Office, Lalitpur.

Durga Sobb, Renu Sijapati, Sapna Basyal, Bam Kumari Budhamagar were among other protesters of Dalits arrested by the police.

Earlier, around 50 protesters were seen flanked by the gate of UN House bent on submitting the petition addressed to the UN Secretary General through the UNDP Resident representative, sources at the UN House said.

But the protesters were barred from entering into the UN House by the police. Following the police intervention at around 9 a.m., the activists converged near NTC office at Pulchowk shouting slogans and demanding to end caste-discrimination and untouchability in Nepal.

Though the national legislation calls for the abolishment of untouchability against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, Dalits say they are only on papers.

Several of these Dalits complain that they have been prevented from using public wells, dining together with high castes like Brahmans and from entering the temple premises belonging to the upper castes. "We’re too Hindus but treated like any other slaves. It is an apartheid," say the unhappy Dalits.

Later, speaking to The Kathmandu Post after his release, Padma Lal Biswokarma, member secretary of National Preparatory Committee, Nepal informed that all the detainees were released at around 6 p.m.

He also said that the petition that was to be submitted to the UN House today would be submitted on Wednesday. The Preparatory Committee was supposed to submit its report today in conformity with the Asia Pacific NGO Network in which Bangladesh, India, Japan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will collectively address the issue of racial discrimination.

"It is a black law which purposely stopped us from presenting our most genuine issue at UN," said Biswokarma reacting against the new regulations that bans protests.

A press release issued later by Nepal Dalit Association accused the government over its undemocratic and wicked act of arresting peaceful demonstrators.

APF aimed at quelling terrorism: DPM

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NUWAKOT, July 3 - Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel has said that the government constituted the Armed Police Force (APF) to curb terrorist activities waged by some unruly elements against the monarchy and the democratic system.

He made this remark while addressing the passing out ceremony of the APF’s 108th batch held at Armed Police Training Institute in Kakani on Tuesday.

"Industry and tourism sector have suffered a severe set back and economic assistance from the donor countries too has been slashed due to the growing terrorist activities in the country," DPM Poudel said, adding, "APF was formed to protect the nation from such violent activities."

Addressing the Armed Police Force gathering, he pointed out the need for maintaining strong discipline and high morale in the Armed Police Force to quell the terrorist activities and protect lives and property of general people.

Minister of State for Home, Hari Sapkota, said that the government had formed the skilled APF as it could play a significant role in resolving the crisis facing the country.

Addressing the function, Home Secretary Shri Kant Regmi said that each policeman should be fully-aware of the policy and the responsibility of the organisation he was involved in.

DPM Poudel also gave away prizes and certificates to the six candidates for their best performances in the course of the rigorous training.

Inspector General of the APF, Krishna Mohan Shrestha, said all policemen should be able to translate their skills and efficiency into practice in their given assignments.

The government formed the APF through an ordinance before the 19th session of parliament convened, but it could not be ratified as all opposition parties in the Lower House boycotted the entire 57 days session, preventing the bill from going through the parliament.

The government, however, re-promulgated the controversial ordinance after the prorogation of the 19th session without conducting any business.

It is expected that the current 20th Budget session of parliament would ratify it along with other two ordinances, including the one on Regional Administrators to be appointed in five development regions of the country.