Their Majesties return today

KATHMANDU, March 3 (RSS) - Their Majesties the King and Queen are returning to the capital tomorrow after completing a week-long state visit to the People’s Republic of China.

Their Majesties had left for China at the invitation of President of China Jiang Zemin on Feb. 26.

His Royal Highness Prince Nirajan is also returning home together with Their Majesties tomorrow.

Earlier it was reported from Shanghai that Their Majesties the King and Queen visited the Pudong New Area in Shanghai this morning.

Pudong New Area is being built into an export-oriented, multi-functional and modernized urban area by the decade of the 2030’s so as to open up the cities along the Yangtze River and build Shanghai into one of the world’s financial and trade centres.

Upon arrival at the meeting hall of the People’s Government of Pudong New Area, Their Majesties were accorded a warm welcome by Vice-mayor of Shanghai Zhou Yu Peng and other officials.

His Royal Highness Prince Nirajan was also present on the occasion.

Their Majesties were briefed on the development of Pudong and its prospects, and a slide show was presented on the same subject.

In a brief interaction with Nepalese members of the business delegation, who were also present on the occasion, they invited Pudong New Area officials to share their know-how with Nepalese entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, His Majesty the King granted audience to Nepalese living or studying in the Shanghai area this evening at the Regal Shanghai East Asia Hotel where Their Majesties are staying during the visit to Shanghai.

Her Majesty the Queen was also present on the occasion. also present was His Royal Highness Prince Nirajan.

Similarly, Their Majesties the King and Queen visited the industrial plant of the Shanghai Bell Company Ltd. here this morning.

His Royal Highness Prince Nirajan was also present on the occasion.

Likewise, Their Majesties the King and Queen also visited the urban planning exhibition centre of the city of Shanghai here this afternoon.

Their Majesties were received by Director General of the Exhibition Centre Zhong De Hao.

His Royal Highness Prince Nirajan was also present on the occasion.

Shanghai is a historic city which used to be a treaty port since 1843 and was officially named a historic city in 1986. It is commercial hub and the only city in China with two international airports.

UN Chief to visit Nepal on March 12

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 3 - Nepal has finally been included in the itinerary of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan’s South Asian tour that also includes Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.

According to a report filed by the American news agency Associated Press (AP) from New York, USA, the UN Secretary General is slated to arrive in Nepal from Pakistan on March 12, before he leaves for Bangladesh on March 13, and then on to India. He is expected to return on March 18.

In Nepal, the Secretary General is slated to pay a visit to His Majesty the King and also meet Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.

Likewise, the UN Secretary General will be meeting with Afghan refugees in Pakistan, business leaders in India and delivering an address on environment in Bangladesh.

Annan is expected to arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan on March 10, where he will hold talks with Pakistan’s military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, and other top officials. It will be his first trip to Pakistan, UN spokesman Fred Eckhard has been quoted by AP as saying.

On March 13, Annan travels to Bangladesh, where he will meet with the Prime Minister, President and Foreign Minister. He also will deliver an address on the environment, Eckhard says.

Annan arrives two days later in Bangalore, India’s "Silicon Valley," for a meeting with business leaders. He plans to meet with the Indian opposition, as well as the Indian leadership, in the capital New Delhi from March 16-17. Annan visited India in April 1997, shortly after becoming UN Chief.

Annan returns to New York on March 18, according to Eckhard.

Gyan Chandra Acharya, Joint Secretary at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, confirmed that the UN Secretary General will be arriving in Nepal. He, however, said that the program schedule of Annan’s Nepal visit is still being prepared.

Kofi Annan of Ghana is the seventh Secretary General of the UN, and the first Secretary General to be elected from the ranks of United Nations staff. He began his term on 1 January 1997.

Annan was born in Kumasi, Ghana, on 8 April 1938. He studied at the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi and completed his undergraduate work in economics at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A., in 1961. From 1961 to 1962, he undertook graduate studies in economics at the Institut universitaire des hautes études internationales in Geneva. As a 1971-1972 Sloan Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Annan received a Master of Science degree in management.

Annan joined the United Nations system in 1962 as an administrative and budget officer with the World Health Organization in Geneva.

The Secretary-General is fluent in English, French and several African languages. He is married to Nane Annan, of Sweden, a lawyer who is now an artist. They have three children.

Officials say toll could climb higher
26 children die in fresh measles outbreak

By Kashi Chandra Baral

KALIKOT, March 3- A total of 26 children have already succumbed to a fresh epidemic of measles that showed up in at least three villages of this remote hill district a few days ago, authorities said today.

According to officials of the concerned Village Development Committees (VDCs), the epidemic started sometime last week, and has severely affected children aged between one to 12, mainly in three VDCs-Chhapre, Pankha and Chilkhaya. Scores of children in these VDCs, officials said, are either dead or seriously ill.

Officials at the District Health Office in Manma, the district headquarters, however, said they were unaware of the measles outbreak. They came to know about the disease outbreak only after reports of measles-related-death started pouring in from today.

A total of 16 children have already died in Chhapre VDC, eight in Pankha and 2 more in Chilkhaya VDC, according to VDC officials.

Almost all of the children belonging to the age group one to 12 in the three most affected villages are bed-ridden, and many children in several other neighboring VDCs are also suffering from the outbreak, they said.

"It seems as though no child will be spared in the scourge," Pankha VDC Chairman, Bishnu Bahadur Bista, said about the sudden outbreak.

An official from Chhapre VDC said that all the (nine) wards of the village have been affected by the outbreak, adding, neighboring villages too are increasingly getting affected.

"We’ve requested the concerned authorities for quick measures, but nobody seems to take us seriously," said Chhapre VDC Vice-Chairman, Prajapati Neupane.

Officials at the District Public Health Office denied having received any information about the outbreak. "We have not yet received any information, that is why we have not taken any initiative," an employee said.

When asked to comment, Chief District Officer of Kalikot, Mukunda Prasad Dhakal said that he had directed concerned authorities to dispatch paramedics to the affected villages. He did not elaborate further on the situation, however.

Situated in Karnali zone in the impoverished mid-western hills, people of Kalikot district live under poor living conditions without basic education and health facilities. The arrival of summer season also heralds the beginning of the season of diseases, with the region routinely affected by viral influenza, measles and other epidemics.

Indian budget to affect Nepal’s export

By Bhaskar Sharma

KATHMANDU, March 3 - Nepal’s export to India is likely to receive a major setback with the latest announcement in the Indian budget to impose countervailing duty (CVD) on import of consumer products on the basis of maximum retail price (MRP), substituting the earlier system of levying it on the transaction (import) price.

Indian Finance Minister Jaswant Sinha in his budget speech on Wednesday had said, "Several (Indian) industry associations have pointed out the CVD on the imported consumer products should also be charged on the basis of maximum retail price; otherwise it does not provide a level playing field. I accept the logic of their argument."

However, unlike last year’s Indian budget, this budget will not have a devastating impact on export. Last year, the budget had imposed Special Additional Duty (SAD) on all exports from Nepal, which was against the spirit of Nepal India Trade Treaty signed in 1996. The duty was later on scrapped during Prime Minister Girija Prasasd Koirala’s last visit on August first week.

"The decision to levy CVD on MRP is very disturbing. Not only will it erode the competitiveness of Nepalese consumer products in the Indian market, but also have a serious impact on the export of consumer products from Nepal," says Sandip Ghosh, Managing Director of Nepal Lever Ltd., a subsidiary of Hindustan Lever Ltd., India.

Sinha’s decision to change the base for CVD is an attempt to "create a level playing field" for local products against imports. Local manufacturers were paying excise duty since last year on MRP unlike the imported goods.

The new provision will affect mainly the export of ‘fast-moving-consumer-goods’, as the amount of CVD, in these goods will shoot up significantly, by 80 per cent in some cases. And the joint venture consumer goods exporting companies like the Nepal Lever and Colgate Palmolive will bear the most heat.

Nepal’s second and third largest exportable items to India- toothpaste and soap - are likely to be on the top of the casualty list. Exporters claim that the total CVD bill levied on Nepalese toothpaste will touch Rs 550 million, up from current Rs 300 million. Nepal exports 10,000 tons of toothpaste annually to India. Hair oil, shampoo and detergents are among the few items that will be affected. However, Nepal can feel the breathing space since Vanaspati ghee, Nepal’s largest export to India is exempted from CVD.

Exporters fear that the net increase in CVD will eat away the positive duty differentials (Nepal has a lower duty structure than India) that Nepal enjoys over Indian manufacturers in imports of raw materials. In such case, the cost of back freighting will act as the net disadvantage to the Nepali manufacturers. Since Nepal is a landlocked country, she uses Calcutta Sea port in India, some 700 kms from Nepal, for her foreign trade movement.

"Nepalis manufacturers definitely have a duty advantage over Indian manufacturers. But the differentials is now unlikely to cover both freight charges and increased CVD," says T K Gupta, Director of Dabur Nepal Pvt. Ltd.

Similarly, Ghosh says, "Nepalis exporters do not enjoy duty drawback facilities while importing raw materials from India. This makes the new budgetary arrangement of charging CVD on MRP more ponderous."

However, Jagdish Agrawal, Chairman of the Revenue Committee, Federation of Nepalis Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) argues that the change in CVD base will not have big impact on Nepalis exports. "Since the basket of exportable items under the CVD net is not large, the overall exports will not be affected much," Agrawal says.

But Indian Finance Minister’s commitment to slash highest customs tariff slab to 20 per cent within the next three years will have a far ranging implications on Nepalese economy in the long run, Agrawal says.

The finance minister in his budget scrapped the 10 per cent surcharge from the highest 35 per cent tariff slab and has vowed to limit the maximum tariff slab to 20 by 2003. Such move is feared to render many businesses in Nepal, which thrive basically on duty differential between India and Nepal, simply unfeasible.

This will put Nepal’s already faltering industrialization process in the red, says Agrawal.

Duty differentials and cheap labour, say manufacturers, are the only incentives that joint venture companies get in Nepal.

"If duty differential narrows and labour becomes expensive and problematic, joint ventures will not be able to sustain in Nepal for long," says Gupta.

India is Nepal’s largest trading partner and Nepal’s trade balance with India is negative (Nepal imports more from India than it exports). During the last fiscal year, Nepal’s export bill to India was Rs 22.62 billion against an import bill of Rs 40.93 billion.

3 injured as police, protestors clash

Post Report

BIRTAMOD, March 3- A group of demonstrators burnt to cinders a police beat at Surunga today in clashes with the police, reports say. Three demonstrators received minor injuries during the incident.

The police fired 15 rounds of bullets and used dozens of tear-gas cells to control the explosive situation that ensued after their attempts to hinder a program being convened jointly by People’s Rights Concern Committee, Jhapa, Koshi People’s Forum, Koshi, and Civil Rights Forum, Morang.

The organisers had planned to honour the ‘martyrs and political prisoners’ at Devi Primary School at Birtamod, but when the police intervened them at the school premises, a group of organisers immediately set off to stage a demonstration march around the town of Birtamod. Thereafter, they headed toward Surunga, and made preparations to organise their program at the premises of the local Kankai Campus.

But policemen appeared on the scene soon after and drove away the organisers and guests from the set. They also took under their control the banners, posters and certificates of felicitations belonging to the organisers.

As the atmosphere grew tense after the police action, firing and tear-gas had to be used to bring the situation under control.

Thereafter, a large group of enraged protesters gathered at the East-West highway and conducted a corner meet. Addressing the public, Convener of National Public Movement Convening Committee, Bhakta Bahadur Shrestha said that eastern Nepal was already giving indications of joining hands with the western ‘storm’ of the country toward national liberation.

The police used tear-gas again to disperse the crowd during the meet, which further infuriated the mob and provoked it to put the police beat on fire.

PM condemns Buddha statues destruction

Post Report

LALITPUR, March 3 - Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today regretted that the people of the Himalayan Kingdom, where Lord Buddha was born, are silent when the whole world is crying against the demolishing of ancient Buddha statues in Afghanistan by the Islamic Taliban government.

"Why are we silent when Sri Lanka and other countries, including the United States are protesting against the demolition of Buddha statues in the present Islamic country?" Prime Minister Koirala asked.

He was addressing a programme of book-launching of Buddhist religious book Majhimnikaya at Ratnakar Mahabihar.

Koirala said it was contemptuous that the whole world is suffering from conflicts and in need of the teachings of Lord Buddha, steps are being taken to destroy the 2000 years old statues. "I want to condemn the Taliban government as the Prime Minister of Nepal from this platform," he stressed.

Majhimnikaya, the second part of the three most honoured books : Sutra Pitaka, Binaya Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka, is translated in Nepali from the original Pali by Dunda Bahadur Bajracharya. The book has 152 verses in 1,050 pages.

Bajracharya said that though the translation of the original into European languages were made available a hundred years ago, Nepalis could not read the holy book. "This translation will help any layman understand the philosophy of Buddhism, which is very revolutionary in social, economic and political perspectives and could be different from the cliche interpretation of Buddhism," he added.

Commenting on the book, Buddhist scholar Sudharshan Mahashtavir said that the book was the original source of Buddhist philosophy.

Including ambassadors of Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Omkar Prasad Shrestha, Health State Minister Tirtharam Dangol also expressed their views concerning the need of Buddhist philosophy in the present world in the programme.

Brick kilns making Kathmandu’s air fouler

By Pragya Ghimire

KATHMANDU, March 3 - Much has been written, much has been told and much hue and cry have been made over the deteriorating air quality of the Kathmandu Valley.

Yet, pollution continues and the government despite its massive efforts has not been able to make the polluters aware and even control them from fouling up the already foul air of the capital city.

The government and environmentalists have made several attempts to convince the brick kiln owners about the serious impact of hazardous gases and other harmful chemicals in the environment and public health but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

Many brick kilns have popped up around the vicinity of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and outside the valley which are believed to be the biggest polluters in the Valley and surrounding areas.

Environmentalists say that governmental agencies under the Ministry of Environment and Population (MOPE), and the Department of Industry and Department of Cottage and Small Industries as concerned authorities should ensure that these industries install some kind of anti-pollution gadgets to filter the exhaust.

Lila Mani Poudyal, Director General, of Department of Cottage and Small Industries, says; "The Kathmandu Valley is surrounded mostly by local brick kilns so concerned authorities should step in to take necessary steps and then update other plans to modify the existing technologies."

Poudel however added that the present laws are not adequate to take action against the offenders or prevent them from repeating their offence.

High level officials from MOPE informed that new standards and policies are being developed to enhance environment sector under the cleaner production policy that at present is on the drawing board.

Lack of social awareness and non cooperation among the kilners is the main problem being faced while trying to implement new technologies being used in Nepal, adds the officials.

In Nepal, normally there are two types of brick kilns, one is Intermittent Type which means Clamp Kiln or Traditional kiln (Thado Bhatta) and other is Continuous Type, it also means Hoffmann Kiln(Chimney) and Bull Trench Kiln. But it is learnt that dominant brick kiln technology in Nepal called Bull Trench Kilns is banned all over India.

The major criteria that these kilns need to meet under the Initial Environment Examination are it should be five kilometres away from the public area, should occupy land with 200 feet radius, the pollution caused by the brick factory should be controlled as per the national environment norms or standard, should operate without polluting environment and without disturbing local residents.

There are 3 Hoffmann Kilns(Chinese Bhatta) and 130 Bull Trench Kiln (Chimney Bhatta) in operation at the Kathmandu Valley alone .

Chandra Mohan Singh, Director of the state-owned Bhaktapur Brick Factory, says, "All the brick factories create environment pollution according to the height of chimney so in order to get rid of pollution, government should make mandatory rule like banning polluting kilns and make them apply new technology.

Bishwa Ram Kawan, President of Bhaktapur Brick Association, says, "Transferring brick kilns out of the Valley is not convenient and practicable because of the many factors in which the land cost plays the vital role as well as the transportation cost along with various other extra charges that would translate as added cost for the customers."

The pollution from these kilns has hit the people living around the area hard.

"I stopped going on morning walk from the day I visited the doctor with respiration problem as a result of inhaling of black dusky coal smoke emitted every morning from the burning coal in these kilns," said Bal Dev Shrestha, 35, a local resident living in Bhaktapur area.

Dr.Rameshwor Shrestha, Child Specialist in Kanti Hospital says, that the number of children especially under the age of five who have less immunity power are becoming victims of various harmful diseases and respiratory problem like Asthma, Bronchitis, Pneumonia, Allergy, defect in eye, brain damage, I.Q loss etc."

AI asks govt to define torture as crime

KATHMANDU, March 3 (RSS) - Amnesty International (AI) has called upon His Majesty’s Government to ensure that all acts of torture are clearly defined in law as offenses under criminal law and made punishable with appropriate penalties.

In a study report entitled "Nepal : make torture a crime" made public here today, Amnesty International has also recommended for amendment in the Torture Compensation Act (TCA) passed by the government in 1996 in order to permit the medical examination of a detainee to be carried out by any NMC-registered doctor rather than only doctors in government service, as is currently the case.

Stressing the need to include in the TCA the right of a detainee to consult a lawyer before his/her statement is taken, the report calls for amendment in the time limit currently set out in the act that complaints have to be filed within 35 days after release so that any person with a complaint that torture has taken place can institute a prompt and impartial investigation.

In addition to the recommendation that the authorities initiate criminal prosecution in a fair trial in all cases of torture, there is need to amend the provision in the TCA that where disciplinary action against the torture is recommended by the judge, that the department concerned is obliged to report to the court within a time limit on the nature of the disciplinary action taken, says the report.

Recommending for changes to the application of the TCA, Amnesty International has in the report said that the police department, Judicial Services Commission and Medical Council should take all necessary measures to familiarize police officers, judges and doctors respectively with provisions of the TCA.

The report has also suggested that the National Human Rights Commission should be given permission to carry out regular, independent, unannounced and unrestricted visits to all places of detention, including places where it is suspected prisoners are held illegally.

Speaking at a press conference organised on the occasion, international representative and Nepal researched of Amnesty International Liz Russel expressed the view that enforcement of recommendations in the report would make TCA effective.

AI Nepal chairman Krishna Kandel said the report has also urged the Maoists to stop the torture meted out to their workers.

AI Nepal has been running campaign against torture in Nepal since November, 2000.

CJ stresses need for Judiciary Academy

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 3 - Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya said that the government should endorse the proposed Bill for establishing a National Judicial Academy and should also provide land for the project.

The Chief Justice was speaking today at the inauguration of a two day capacity building training programme for the chief judges and judges of the Appellate Courts organised by the Judicial Council Secretariat.

Upadhyaya said that about Rs. 480 million have been allocated for the academy from the recent loan made available by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Such an academy would play an important role in resource sharing and continuation of legal education to justices and other legal professionals.

Referring to a news published in the Kantipur daily two days ago about an American report which had stated that there are about 1.5 million cases pending in various courts of Nepal, Upadhyaya said that he has asked the Supreme Court Registrar to get the report and go through it.

"There were 84,000 cases pending in the courts which have now been reduced to about 62,000," said Upadhyaya.

Justice Laxman Prasad Aryal said that adequate laws have not been enacted as envisaged by the Constitution. "The judiciary is responsive to the people for which both conduct and capacity are important," Aryal said.

Justice Kedar Nath Upadhyaya said that there has been a change in the conventional thinking that judges should not take any sort of training. "Training for capacity building is vital to bring about a change in the traditional justice delivery system," Upadhyaya said.

Former Chief Justice Mohan Prasad Sharma thanked the Judicial Council for taking the role of judicial council and organising such programme. "Such refreshment course is necessary to face modern challenges," Sharma said.

Spokesperson Kashiraj Dahal stressed the need for professional education for enhancing the independence and confidence of the judiciary. "No programme could have taken place in ten years period after the restoration of democracy, but with the government allocating budget this year for the purpose we could carry such programme," Dahal said.

Speaking on the occasion Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mahanta Thakur said that the government is serious and committed to provide any sorts of help to enhance the capacity building within the judiciary.

During the programme, Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya and Justices Laxman Prasad Aryal, Kedar Nath Upadhyaya and Krishna Jung Rayamajhi had presented working papers.