Govt muzzles press
Kantipur editor, publishers arrested

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KATHMANDU, June 6 – The government today launched a crude campaign to muzzle press freedom in Nepal when it ordered the arrests of an editor and publishers of Kantipur Publications, the publishers of this newspaper.

Plain-clothes policemen arrived in an unmarked car brandishing arrest warrants Wednesday afternoon. They left with Yubaraj Ghimire, editor of Nepal’s largest-selling newspaper Kantipur, Kailash Sirohiya and Binod Raj Gyawali, respectively the managing director and director of Kantipur Publications Pvt Ltd.

Ghimire, Sirohiya and Gyawali, are all charged with sedition, a serious charge that, if proven, carries at least three years of imprisonment. And the reason, said police officers, was because Kantipur had published an opinion article today by Dr Baburam Bhattarai, a rebel Maoist leader, which talked about a conspiracy behind the recent killings of late King Birendra and his entire family.

Editor Ghimire and publishers Sirohiya and Gyawali were taken to Hanuman Dhoka Police Station, the district police headquarters, at about 5.50 p.m. in an unmarked police vehicle. After the interrogation that lasted more than an hour, the interrogating officials decided to keep the three in police custody today.

It was not immediately known how long they would be kept in police custody before being produced to the court. The courts will reopen on Monday.

When police officers were asked for more details about the reasons behind the arrests, one high ranking official said, "the arrests were made on the orders of the concerned higher authority".

The Home Ministry refused to answer any queries. The spokesman at the Ministry expressed his ignorance of the whole affair. And Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel, who is also the Home Minister, refused to come to the phone to answer queries put by this newspaper.

Ostensibly the arrests were made due to an article by Dr Baburam Bhattarai, a top Maoist leader that was published on the opinion page of the mass-circulation daily. This is not the first time that Bhattarai’s articles have appeared in the Nepali daily. But never before any arrests were made.

However, the publications had lately been under the government’s sights for the investigative reporting of its newspapers which exposed massive corruption in government circles.

The attorney general, who decides whether or not to fight the case on the government’s behalf, had been criticized repeatedly by Kantipur for his recent attempts to escape the scrutiny by the nation’s anti-corruption watchdog agency. Even Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and many of his cabinet members have been linked to many corruption scandals, including the now infamous Lauda Air scandal.

‘Lay off the press’

KATHMANDU, June 6 (PR) – Condemnations of the arrests of Kantipur Publications management and editor have been pouring in from all over Kathmandu and abroad as news of the arrests were broadcast by various television and radio channels.

The Federation of Nepal Journalists Association strongly condemned the arrests of Kantipur Editor Yubaraj Ghimire, Publications Managing Director Kailash Sirohiya and Director Binod Raj Gyawali. The Association president Suresh Acharya said, "this is an indication of the psychological pressure being put on the press to curtail its freedom. We strongly demand that the arrested people be released immediately."

Acharya added that Nepal’s press had always fought for basic rights such as freedom of expression and press even in the dark old days of autocracy, and will continue to do so even now.

The Working Journalists’ Association also put out a strong statement condemning the government action. "The government has no right to muzzle the press," said Prem Kaidi, the president of the group. "The government dare not inform the public about the real causes of the killings of our beloved monarch but it doesn’t hesitate to arrest journalists. We strongly condemn the action."

Main opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) has also come down heavily against the arrests. The party spokesman Pradip Nepal said, "this is the first deplorable assault on press freedom. It is anti-democratic and unconstitutional." The UML has also demanded the immediate release of the editor and publishers.

A similar statement by former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba also condemned the government action. In a statement faxed to the newspaper, Deuba, who is also a top leader of the governing Nepali Congress party, said, "I am shocked to learn of the government’s intervention in the nation’s premier publication. At these tragic and disconcerting times when the entire nation should be held together by any means, this intervention to me strikes as shocking. I demand the immediate release of the arrested persons."

Deuba further said, "no one should forget that freedom of the press is an inseparable part of democracy."

The attempt to muzzle Kantipur Publications has also been condemned by Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani, central committee member of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). When asked to comment, Dr Lohani said, "the arrest of the fearless editor and publishers of Kantipur Publications who have often investigated and criticized the government’s policies illustrates the revenge motives of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s government. It is essential to put a halt to this negative trait in government."

The government has, as expected, defended its actions. "If a publications like Kantipur publishes anti-monarchy articles by Dr Baburam Bhattarai, and if it charged for it, then I have nothing to say," Minister for Information and Communication Shiva Raj Joshi said.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights and Peace Society, a non-governmental rights group, also condemned the arrests. "We remind the government that it is their responsibility to uphold the principle of freedom of the press. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of the editor and publishers of Kantipur. We also urge everyone to refrain from targeting journalists and media with revenge motives."

Amnesty International, the London-based rights watchdog group, has also expressed concern over the arrests. Phoning from London, AI officials said they were urging their chapters worldwide to launch a campaign to win freedom of the arrested journalist and publishers.

The British Embassy in Kathmandu also rang up with expressions of concern. Deputy Ambassador Andrew Mitchell called and expressed the Embassy’s concern over the arrests of Ghimire, Sirohiya and Gyawali.

Various international news organizations have also sent their expressions of shock and disbelief over the arrests, as has local journalists and media organizations.

Committee begins probe

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KATHMANDU, June 6 - Even as confusions surrounding the high-level Investigation Committee formed to probe into last Friday's horrendous Royal massacre remained unattended, officials said the committee has begun its work.

Senior leader of the main opposition Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) today defended its move to withdraw the name of Madhav Kumar Nepal, the party general secretary, from the probe committee.

CPN-UML Central Committee Member, Subash Chandra Nembang said, "We backed out from the Committee as the procedures adopted during the formation of the committee were not right." He also ruled out that the party is likely to appoint another leader in place of Nepal.

"There is no point in appointing another party member in place of our party leader now," he said.

Despite the lingering confusion regarding the representation of the main opposition party in the probe committee, the sate radio today said that the committee has already begun its works. "The Committee has already held a number of meetings and has moved ahead with the investigation," it said.

Immediately after his accession to throne Monday, newly crowned King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev had announced a three-member probe committee to investigate the last week’s Royal Palace massacre. At least 10 Royal Family members including King Birendra were shoot dead in the incident.

The Committee formed under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhaya comprised Speaker Tara Nath Ranabhat and main opposition leader Nepal as the two members. The committee was asked to submit the report within a short period of three days. According to initially stipulated time frame, the committee has only one more day to unearth what actually happened at the Royal Palace last Friday evening.

Meanwhile, Madav Kumar Nepal told a foreign news channel today that he would accept the probe results reached by the committee even without the representation of his party. Furthermore, he went on saying that the government should add the time-span of the Committee, if necessary.

Nembang also reiterated today that the CPN-UML stood by its demand for the Investigation into the Royal massacre and it fully supported the probe Committee.

Despite the ensuing confusion, the Royal Palace is silent over the matter and maintained that it was the job of the Investigation Committee to address the matter.

"We do not have any idea on the issue as it is not our job any more...Please call the Committee members for more details," Sharad Bista, an official at the Royal Palace Press Secretariat said.

St. Josephs' School mourns

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DHARAN, June 6 - Teachers at St. Josephs' School in Darjeeling, India paid Monday a heart-felt tribute over the unfortunate demise of King Birendra.

The late King had completed his primary level education from this hill station based missionary school from 1953 to 1958.

Giving an interview to English edition of The Statesman to be published from Siliguri, Father Leo Forestal Saint Joseph said that everybody found the late King a well-disciplined and friendly student during his stay at the school about 48 years ago.

"He had an innate quality of respecting his elders," The Statesman quoted Father Leo as saying.

Father Leo said that he was deeply shocked over the tragic death of his one of the best students he had ever taught at the school.

"His tragic death has not only shocked me and my colleagues, it must have stunned the others who spent their childhood with him at the school," Father Leo told the newspaper.

The school was closed down on Monday in memory of late King Birendra’s untimely demise.

Friends rue loss of Prince Nirajan

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KATHMANDU, June 6 - When Prince Nirajan survived a major road accident as his car collided with a police van, little did one suspect that six months later he would be involved in another accident. And, this time it was fatal.

On the fateful Friday, he had just sat for his last college examinations at the Kathmandu College of Management (Kathmandu University Affiliate), where he was in the sixth semester of BBA.

Bishnu Raj Adhikari, Principal of the college, says that "he (late Prince) bid adieu to every single staff members of the college."

"Some of the students had planned a get-together at one of the student’s place. He said that he wouldn’t be able to go there as he had to attend the royal weekend dinner back home," says Adhikari. "If only he had gone to the get-together instead....." Words were difficult to come by.

The tragedy, which engulfed the nation that day, has shocked all his friends, if not the whole nation. Vickrant Gurung, a fellow collegiate, says it is difficult to accept the truth. "It’s hard to come to terms with such a news. We are in a state of shock," He told The Kathmandu Post over telephone Wednesday. He still vividly remembers his first meeting with the late Prince. "‘I’m Nirajan and I will be working with you,’ he said as we were kept in the same group for the projects in the college," Vickrant reminisces.

Those who knew him closely describe him as a "mild-mannered" and "down-to-earth person." His friends say that he did not have the proverbial ‘Princely air’ about him. Adhikari, his Principal for three years, says that he always behaved like a commoner.

"Before he joined our College, we were a bit worried about a Royal coming to our College and the problems we might face. But he proved all our fears wrong as he behaved just like any other student. He used to eat with his friends and attend regular classes," he adds.

Samridhi R L Rana, his friend during the college days, says that Nirajan was easy to be friends with and a ‘very matured person’. When asked about the late Prince, she recalls the project they worked on together, The Dolphin Conservation Project in Bardia. She says, "He had already planned to donate the allowance he receives as a prince to the project."

She adds that his sense of humour and skill of resolving disputes even between the friends will always be remembered by his friends. According to Rana and Adhikari, he wanted to work in the field of Nepali tourism. A sports fan and skilled swimmer, the prince also wanted to work for the promotion of Nepali football, according his friends.

Govt alerts press media

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KATHMANDU, June 6 - The government on Wednesday called on all the press-media not to publish news and opinions that contravene the national unity and integrity.

It was informed at a press conference called by the government at the Radio Nepal meeting hall.

"Let no news and opinions that affect the nationality and mislead the people be published," said Shiva Raj Joshi, the Minister for Information and Communication. No news that affect the public opinions adversely would do good for the country, he added.

He also appealed the publishers to uphold the 2048 Constitutional provisions binding on the press while publishing the news.

When asked why the deadly incident that took place inside the Royal Palace on Friday night was not informed on time, Minister Joshi said the government could not get the information from the place as the Palace was "sensitive" .

He also revealed that the government has opened a separate branch for information so as to provide easy access to news for the media. "The government is looking the media with hopes to escape the (present) turbulent situation", the Minister said.

Minister of State for Information and Communication, Puskar Nath Ojha requested the press to publish only the factual news keeping in mind the critical situation. " There are efforts to disrupt the peace and security for which press should come forward and help the government," Ojha added.

Hundred climbers scaled Mt Everest during Spring 2001

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KATHMANDU, June 6 - Among the 800 odd elite club of individuals from different corners of the world who have conquered the alluring Mt Everest, the Top of the World, half a dozen climbers drew world attention during this year’s spring mountaineering season that ended last month. The craze is never to stop; so long the Everest is there.

During this spring season alone, more than 100 climbers scaled Mount Everest successfully and returned home jubilant. The mountain remains open to climbers for about three months during March, April and May every year. But most attempt to climb at the end of the season after waiting for friendly weather.

The climbers, accepting the nature’s challenge, wait for days in small and inconvenient camps for clear days.

Mount Everest has remained a fascinating target for millions of daring mountaineers world-wide since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa scaled the 8,488 meter mountain in 1953.

The spring season this year has been particularly special for mountaineers as well as the Everest itself. Vice President of Nepal Mountaineering Association Bikram Pande said, "This has been a very special season. Four major records were set in one single season, which has never happened before," he said.

The 15-years old climber Temba Tsheri Sherpa, set world record of being the youngest person to climb Mount Everest. The school-going boy’s craze was ultimately pacified when he kissed the snowflakes of the Everest summit on May 23. Earlier, he had to quit his first attempt to set the record just 22 meters short of the summit after suffering frostbite and snow-blindness.

For Nepalis, Lakpa Sherpa became a national icon, when she became the first Nepali woman to climb the Everest from both the faces.

The other two Everest heroes to set new records are Erik Weihenmeyer the first blind man to reach the summit and Sherman Bull, at 64, the oldest climber to set foot atop Everest.

The blind climber, Erik Weihenmeyer, 32, followed the sound of the bells fastened on the jackets of his fellow climbers and guides. Weihenmeyer had lost his eyesight to retinoscheses when he was 13.

For the 64 years old American, Sherman Bull, age could not cower down his ambition to scale the Everest and share another record with his son, Bradford Bull, 33, to become the first father and son pair to scale the Everest together.

This spring will not be remembered only for record-breaking achievements. The same season witnessed the irreparable loss of the 10-time Everest conqueror, Babu Chhiri Sherpa, who fell to his death in a crevasse at 6,200 metre on the Mt Everest slope. He also set the world record for staying atop Everest for 21 hours without using bottled oxygen.

Royal massacre, a conspiracy: Maoists

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ATHMANDU, June 6 – Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) today issued a statement reiterating their claim that the horrendous massacre at the Royal Palace last Friday was a conspiracy.

A statement signed by President of NCP (Maoist) Prachanda and received here today says that King Birendra and whole of his family members were wiped out through a well-planned murder.

The statement blames India and Koirala government as a part of the conspiracy.