NHRC members against ISDP

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KATHMANDU, May 5 - As the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) prepares to be mobilized for internal security and development package, members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and leaders of the main opposition party today expressed deep concern on the government’s recent decision to deploy the army within the country, and said that the move would only serve to accelerate violence.

"This is merely like a continuation of the government’s series of tyrannical attack on poor Nepalis - like the Kilo Shera Two and Romeo Operation that were carried out by the Nepal Police in the mid-western hills a few years back," Sushil Pyakurel, a member of the NHRC said Saturday. "More blood will flow, and more poor will die. Perhaps that is what the government wants."

Addressing a talk program oraganized here today by CPN-UML Gorkha-Kathmandu Liaison Forum, he said that the Maoists are a result of social, economical and political discrimination and the solution could be found only after analyzing the real causes. "It is ridiculous that the government still intends to solve the Maoist problem through the nozzle of the gun," Pyakurel added.

His attack on the government move came nine days before the army moves into a Maoist-insurgency hit district for the first time after the underground rebels launched their "people’s war" vowing to overthrow constitutional monarchy and the multiparty democracy.

The army is marching to the western hill district of Gorkha on May 14 as part of the government’s recently unveiled Integrated Security and Development Program (ISDP). The government plans to develop Gorkha, the home district of underground Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai, as a model among 22 districts where the ISDP package is being sent.

Under the package, the government plans to develop infrastructure and grassroots level project, ensuring full security by mobilizing the army who will be assisted by the Armed Police Force and the Nepal Police. Also being pushed are various poverty eradication, income generating and women empowerment and social upliftment programs.

Commenting on the ISDP package, Kapil Shrestha, another member of NHRC, said that the document is similar to the yesteryear-plans like the Gaon Pharka Abhiyan of the early Panchayati government. "Even 11 years after the restoration of democracy, the Pachayati mentality still rules the country," he added.

And continued, "It is tragic that 20 percent of the total national budget is being spent on security in a country where around half the population live below poverty line. This is the result of narrow mentality and one-sided thinking. The government thinks that the root of the problem is the Maoists, which is not true."

He said that although Nepal has signed international human rights conventions, which other Asian states have not dared to touch, the situation of human rights is continuing to deteriorate. "If such remains the case, I am afraid that one day the government would terminate the NHRC itself," he added sarcastically.

Bachaspati Devkota, UML lawmaker from Gorkha, expressed his concerns that "Gorkha is being used as a chopping table" to provoke violence. "Security is being served to us with the sugar-coat of development, but this security could cost many innocent people their lives," he added.

CPN-UML Polit-Bureau Member Jhala Nath Khanal said that the ISDP document was prepared with administrative idea only and it lacks political vision and farsightedness. "This is only an attempt to plunge the nation into violence. And Gorkha is going to be a model of the government’s tyranny, and cruelty," he said.

No alternative to PM’s resignation: Bhattarai

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KATHMANDU, May 5 – Even as Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala seems to be toughening his stance against resigning, party colleague and former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai today asked him to step down, reiterating that the PM was "deeply involved" in the Lauda deal.

"The CIAA’s questions to the Prime Minister confirmed my previous statement that PM Koirala was deeply involved in the Lauda jet lease deal," said Bhattarai in a signed statement today. Bhattarai added that there was no alternative to the resignation for the sake of NC’s commitment toward democracy, respect for the Constitution and the rule of law and Koirala’s own 50 years of glorious political career.

The veteran Nepali Congress leader also said that Koirala’s reply to the "sealed questionnaire" of the CIAA would only help forces inimical to democracy and make the situation more complex. "Instead of humbly replying the constitutional body on the questions that it asked, the (PM’s) reply challenging the very existence of the Commission will only help anti-democratic forces and has raised questions about democratic principles and norms."

However, a determined Prime Minister Koirala giving a burial to all the speculations over his resignation today decided to send fourteen ministers of state and assistant ministers to the 14 zones of the country to oversee the present development works and present reports to the Prime Minister. This is as per the decision of the Cabinet on Thursday.

At an informal meeting with his ministers today at his official residence, the Prime Minister selected the 14 ministers after discussions with his ministerial colleagues to go on a visit to the zones all over the Kingdom under High-level Inspection Tour Action Plan, according to a minister who participated in today’s meeting.

However, in addition to the ministers being asked to oversee the zones, Minister of State for Home Hari Prasad Sapkota has been nominated to look after the Central Development Region.

The ministers’ planned visit is a part of the Integrated Security and Development Package (ISDP) of the government. At present the ISDP focuses on the seven districts most severely affected by Maoist insurgency. The ministers will also have to oversee the proper implementation of ISDP in the seven Maoist-hit districts. They are due to leave within a week.

Under the ISDP, the government plans to mobilize the army in the Maoist-hit areas. According to the minister who spoke on condition of anonymity, 60 per cent of the logistic preparation to send the army has been completed. PM Koirala, said the minister, reiterated to his ministers that all the security apparatus would be used to maintain law and order.

The action plan has been planned to oversee the entire gamut of development works in all the zones. The ministers will look into law and order situation and try to find out ways and means to improve it. They will also inspect if the different projects and developmental works are completed within their scheduled time frame or not.

Another aspect that they are required to look into is whether there is an effective coordination between different units of the government. If there is any problem of coordination between two or more units, the ministers have been asked to rectify them and ensure proper coordination.

A significant aspect of the action plan is that the ministers have been empowered to listen to the grievances of the people, probe them and take decisions to solve them. They can also demand written explanation from any government official, if necessary.

Lauda Air jet flies again

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KATHMANDU, May 5 – The Lauda Air jet, leased by the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC), operated its scheduled flights today, a day after its crew quarrelled with some employees of the Corporation.

There were reports that the 767 wide-body jet, the leasing of which has caused such political turmoil in the country, would go to its head office in Vienna from Bangkok instead of returning to Kathmandu. However, the jet returned from Bangkok at 2 a.m. The crew was also reported to have taken all its equipment too.

RNAC Executive Chairman Rajesh Raj Dali told The Kathmandu Post that there was no truth in the news reports that the Lauda jet had fled. "I don’t understand how such rumour spread," said Dali, adding that there was some confusion on Friday over the crew loading some maintenance equipment on the plane.

"The Lauda crew has to pay customs duty if it wants to take the equipment abroad. I am trying to find out whether the crew refused to pay it and whether that gave rise to the trouble," said Dali.

Today at 10.40 a.m. the jet left for its Kathmandu-Bangkok-Kathmandu flight, nearly two and a half hours behind its scheduled time. According to a union leader at the RNAC, the delay was caused by the Lauda crew that alleged that the nose whole of the plane had been opened by someone.

A security check of the jet was conducted as the "Lauda crew raised the bogey of bomb hoax". However, his claim could not be independently verified. Ultimately the jet left for Bangkok with 204 passengers.

Later, in the evening the aircraft left for its Kathmandu-New Delhi-Kathmandu flight.

Meanwhile, a committee formed under R R Shrestha, deputy Director General at the RNAC, is sheduled to submit its report on the demands of the employees. Chairman Dali formed the committee on April 26 with 10-day time frame. The employees have demanded the resuming the operation of the grounded RNAC’s own 757 jet and cancelling the lease agreement with Lauda Air.

Dali, however, declined to elaborate on it saying it was purely an internal matter.

LPG vehicles posing problems

By Surendra Phuyal

KATHMANDU, May 5 – The government’s failure to enforce emission rules and make proper fueling arrangements to some 1,000 LPG-run vehicles running in Kathmandu Valley is not only leading to the shortage of cooking gas in the market, but also forcing the automobiles to emit more harmful gases into the atmosphere.

Worse still, such unmonitored LPG or Liquefied Petroleum Gas-run vehicles are also putting a question mark on the safety standards of the three- and four-wheelers, which have been forced to use cooking-gas cylinders and not genuine LPG-cylinders or kits – a built-in facility in most of these types of vehicles.

The genuine LPG cylinders or kits can be brought to daily use only when there are fuelling stations meant specifically for such vehicles. But no such thing as LPG fuelling stations exist in the Valley despite the number of LPG vehicles climbing to 1,000 from less than 300 just five years ago.

Owners and promoters of LPG-run vehicles say, the findings of last month’s emission test on LPG-run vehicles is a result of widespread use of sub-standard and inappropriate LPG kits and spare parts.

An emission test carried out recently by a team of experts from Clean Energy Nepal found more than 50 percent of the Valley’s LPG vehicles emitting more than double the permitted level of toxic gases such as Carbon monoxide (CO) and Hydro Carbon (HC) into the city’s already-polluted atmosphere.

A police official. who prefers to remain unidentified, at the Valley Traffic Police Office (VTPO), confirmed the findings, and said, "the emission tests are needed for the LPG vehicles as well. If you want to carry out pollution tests of all vehicles then why spare these?"

But the LPG vehicle promoters say they are shocked. "Nowhere in the world have properly built LPG vehicles failed emission tests. They were already popular in Europe, now they are gaining popularity in Asia," said Basanta Nakarmi, an Automobile Engineer and proprietor of Surya Auto Workshop, which is the authorized agent of Italy-based Lovato Company for Nepal. Lovato manufactures and exports LPG kits and other spareparts worldwide.

"A properly built LPG vehicle does not emit more than 1 percent CO. Here they emitted more than that which means there is something wrong in the system. The excessive concentration of CO (from 0.08 to 7.24 per cent as against the permitted level of 3 percent) and HC (10 to 4,000 PPM) in the LPG vehicles’ smokes tested last month is a result of widespread use of sub-standard LPG kits."

Officials say less than half of the total LPG vehicles running in the Valley have genuine LPG kits in them - while the rest have cheap and sub-standard kits from neighboring India. A genuine LPG kit costs between Rs 40,000 to 42,000, while the duplicate can be bought for Rs 15,000 to 18,000, according to them.

"We have not yet installed genuine gas kits and cylinders in our vehicles—such as three-wheeler Tuk Tuks and four-wheeler Microbuses," added Narayan Khadka, Secretary of Gas Vehicles Entrepreneurs’ Association, which groups 400 gas vehicle owners.

And there is no point in getting genuine LPG kits or cylinders installed in the vehicles, as there are no fuelling stations in the Valley as yet. LPG owners say without gas fuelling stations there is no use of having genuine cylinders in the vehicles.

The easiest way to refuel the gas vehicles, therefore, is to buy as many cooking gas cylinders as you can. "You never know the market here," said a Microbus owner, preferring to be unnamed. "There can be the shortage of gas any time."

According to him one LPG vehicle owner hoards as many as ten cylinders to keep his vehicle running.

The 1,000-odd LPG vehicles of the Valley consume as much as 500 metric tones (3,5000 cylinders) of LPG in a month, according to data made available by Nepal Oil Corporation. Following a recent shortage of LPG in the Valley’s market, NOC has increased its monthly quota of LPG to 3700 metric tones, from 2500 tones late last year.

But the cooking gas run vehicles are unsafe for commuters to travel by. Because the cooking gas cylinders are thinner in size than the genuine ones, possibility of their exploding cannot be ruled out, says Amod Pokharel, an environmental expert with Clean Energy Nepal. Besides the cooking gas cylinders also do not have safety valves.

Experts and officials at NOC hope all this might come to an end once the fuelling stations become functional. "Two fueling stations are opening shortly in Dhumbarahi and Kalanki," said a senior NOC. "And one more will be opened in Gwarkhu. Once these open, we hope half the problem will be solved."

The government has already fixed pollution standard for LPG vehicles. Janak Raj Joshi, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment (MOPE) said that the ministry is currently sorting out some administrative procedures. "After we finish these we will begin emission tests of LPG vehicles as well," he added.

The Department of Transport Management, which recently issued strict notices to install genuine kits, too has extended its deadline in the absence of fueling stations. "Once the stations open we will issue notices to change the cylinders and install genuine kits," said Sushil Agrawal, Deputy Director General of the Department.

 Beware... pickpockets on the prowl

By Seema A Adhikari

KATHMANDU, May 5 - You need to concentrate, hypnotize and then get it with no one finding you out. This must be hard enough, a risky business, but it’s also an art, an art to reach into other person’s pocket.

You should not only analyze the ‘host’s’ psychology but also be deft and adept in the flicks and pops of your hands. It must be a hard job for those who are in this business since long and even harder for the newbies.

Deepesh, 17, came to the Capital, with full of aspiration and a dream to become a great person and achieve all the success in his life like others but he could not reach his destination.On one fine morning he was caught pickpocketing. "I believed, all the people in this world cannot survive without filling their belly that’s the reason it made me persue this odd trade", he added.

Despite the apparent Herculean task involved in the execution of so tough a job as pickpocketing, the number is increasing alarmingly, especially in crowded vegetable markets, chowks and minibuses.

The main areas where the young imps find it most convenient to rob unsuspecting passersby are Kalimati, Asan, Thamel, Jamal, Sundhara and Koteshwor. Besides, the Pasupati area, cinema halls and other crowded areas are also perfect breeding grounds for the pick-pocketing business.

A unique way of pick-pocketing that is increasingly getting popular recently is "purse passing", in which a group of two or more are involved. The first one picks the purse up and passes it to his friend. If the host gets the first one apprehended, they will find nothing. The purse is lost once and for all, safe in somebody else’s hands.

Police officer at the Valley Crime Investigation Division, Hanumandhoka, Krishna Prasad Sharma, says that no action can be taken if the convict is not found possessing the stolen money or goods. This is why this art of purse passing is equally being popular.

Sharma informed that the 60 per cent of the pickpocketers have been arrested and the remaining are difficult to be apprehend.

There were no girls involved in this business for the last 10 years but now young females can be seen doing this business too, though, they are in small number compared to males, he added.

There is a code language among the practitioners of the trade, which keeps them from trouble, said Suresh, who is also engaged in this business for the last three years. "I have been caught several times already, still I am doing this because I am habituated to this and I cannot change this attitude anymore", he added.

Teenagers are the chief participants in this business, although there are mainly three groups involved ages ranging from 8 - 13, 13 - 20 and 20 - 30. Now embarked upon also by girls and women, the pickpocketing is a business that attracts, among others, the drug addicts, street children and homeless youth.

The record shows that a substantial number of pickpockets is usually the migrants from different regions of Nepal, particularly the Terai.

The basic factors behind pick-pocketing are economic problem associated with homelessness and unemployment, says experts.

"The frustrating lives led by these economically downtrodden people often orphan cannot be totally controlled through legal machinery. There’s an urgent need to bring them under the protection of the state," says DSP, Criminal Investigation Department, Yadab Raj Khanal.

Inadequate and deficient legal provisions for punishing the pickpockets as well as burgeoning socio-economic problems mean that there is no end to the prospect, at least in the foreseeable future.

Even DSP Sharma agrees. "It’s far wiser to remain alert, particularly at busy crossroads and public transport, rather than to lament being pilfered," he says. "It’s far less likely to be robbed unless a person is careless."

Says Sujan, who has already fallen prey to a fawning young woman while traveling to Koteshwor from Ratna Park, a couple of days ago. He warns busy passengers hanging around the already overcrowded bus outrunning its capacity to take heed of persons behind them.

"No person should fall prey the second time," he says, laughing, "Especially with cringing young girls."

‘A free press still a distant prospect’

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KATHMANDU, May 5 - Thirty-four journalists were assaulted by the police, political activists and individuals in general, last year, a report states.

"The state of ‘the free press’ this year is not very encouraging. Press sector had to face a host of problems. Even then, investment in the electronic media is rising and participation of private sector is also increasing," the State of Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression 2001 stresses.

According to the report, presented Friday by Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies, Mohan Bhandari of Deshantar, J Pande of Kantipur Daily were manhandled by the police. Hari Narayan Gautam, Dinesh Prasad Gupta, Bhagwan Tripathi, Ram Chandra Bhatta were manhandled either by political activists or the general public. And Bhairav Risal, Purna Prakash, Dipendra Chauhan, Ganga Yadav and Yogendra Kumal were looted at various locations of the country.

Though the present Constitution of Nepal has guaranteed a free press, journalists here, still have to face imprisonment, arrest as well as threats.

The report states that Minister for Science and Technology Surendra Chaudhary himself had threatened Dipendra Chauhan, a reporter, of life over a news publication. Gopal Thapaliya, Ganesh Basnet, Suresh Acharya and Parashu Ghimire among others were also threatened for writing some "unwanted" news reports.

"The whereabouts of Milan Nepali, former Managing Editor of Janadesh, arrested two years ago from the Capital are still unknown and another journalist from the same weekly has been locked up in Dang Jail for the last two years," it states.

Kumar Ojha, Kapil Rimal and Rajendra Aryal were some of the journalists arrested while undertaking their reporting. Similarly, a teacher from Nuwakot was illegally fined Rs 10,000 for publishing a magazine.

Thirteen journalists were victimized for writing news reports that happened to be against the ‘interests’ of a select few, last year.

"And police also restrained newspapers like Deshantar, Yugbodh and Abichal from reaching the public in various districts," he said.

The Maoist rebels tortured reporters Meghraj Bhatta and Bhimnidhi Hamal for publicizing their atrocities, last year.

The annual report expresses its mixed reaction over the government’s attitude towards the press.

Nepal, India to work for tourism promotion

By Shree Ram Subedi

NEW DELHI, May 5 - Nepali and Indian tour operators signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on tourism co-operation amid a special function here today.

Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO) and Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), leading tour associations of both the countries have agreed to work together to produce synergic impact for the promotion of tourism especially in the region and beyond.

Kaldhen Sherpa, Vice President of NATO and Badri Bajaj, President of IATO signed the MoU to this effect on behalf of their respective organizations. The MoU says that both associations will work as facilitators and liaisons for any activities related to tourism promotion in both countries.

IATO is an association of 200 active and 600 allied members throughout India.

The areas of cooperation, according to the MoU, will be organizing cultural programmes, food festivals, sales mission, and travel marts, exchanging visits of their members among others.

Likewise, both the countries would give priority and special privileges to each other on reciprocal basis.

Addressing the signing ceremony, organized at a deluxe five-star Taj Palace Hotel, M. P. Bezbaruah, Tourism Secretary of government of India, highlighted the recent robust growth of Indian outbound tourism and pointed out the need for sharing the benefits of growing Indian market with the neighboring countries.

He also expressed satisfaction on the timing of the agreement. "The MoU has come at a time when Delhi Declaration on WTO recommended for more interaction among the South Asian countries."

Some 4 million Indian tourists travelled abroad last year as tourists, according to Indian tourism officials and the number is growing tremendously. Bezbaruah called for greater understanding to resolving problems related to tourism between the two nations.

Speaking earlier Badri Bajaj, President of IATO expressed his hope that the joining of hands between the two apex associations of both countries would evolve a suitable mechanism for increasing tourist traffic to India and Nepal.

Highlighting the meager share of South Asia’s share in the global tourism market Secretary of NATO, Basanta Mishra said, "greater understanding and cooperation in the governmental as well as the private sector level is necessary to promote intra-regional tourism."

Mishra also informed that Nepal stands fourth on the row to attract the Indian tourist behind Singapore, United Kingdom and Thailand.

"There is a tremendous opportunity for Nepal to tap Indian tourists since Indian middle-class is booming rapidly,"

said S.K. Mishra, former tourism secretary of India. He suggested that it would be much better, if India invited Nepalese craftmen for tourism festivals in India.

Defying the trend ... nuptial knot without colors

By Razen Manandhar

LALITPUR, May 5 - There were no brass band blaring Hindi songs. Neither were people in luxurious attire nor any delicious aroma in the air. Yet, that was indeed a wedding ceremony — not one or two, but half a dozen couples were tied into a nuptial knot for life in a simple programme.

Bhawana Bhattarai, the 18 years old bride of Chyamring Basin Village Development Committee, Lalitpur district has found her Mr Right but her family could not afford as much as people generally spend during a wedding. This is the right place for women like her to wear a wedding tika without spending what she can’t afford to spend.

"We chose to get married like this, because we need not worry about dowry and costly feasts here," she says, covering her face with maroon shawl.

She says that she never felt disappointed to be married in such simple stage. Rather, she is proud that she has become a member of a progressive lot, who want to free the society from unnecessary economic burden during marriage ceremony.

Her groom, Narayan Dahal says that cutting such expenses is also a kind of saving. "Marriage is the name of mutual understanding and I am confident that though we have not spent money on wedding, our life would not be less happy than other couples."

Sudarshan Ghimire, a journalist has chosen this common wedding to start a new life with his bride Parbati Timilsina, to show the young generation a right path to emulate.

"I want to bring a change in the society and I know that it is possible only if we stand as an example," he says.

Such common wedding ceremonies, organised often by political groups, are common but this has not taken any trend in the society.

"Still, it is not easy," he says. So long as the leaders or the upper-class people do not translate their idealism into practice by simplifying such social institutions like marriage, these kinds of common weddings will not become a trend.

None the less small change is already underway. Six couples chose to enter into the nuptial knot the same day defying the growing extravaganza in marriage ceremonies in the Capital.

Main opposition party leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, who was the chief guest in the common wedding program presented red tika, Nepali cap and red shawl to the couples.

No priests were invited, no chanting of Vedic mantras was necessary because the couples believed so much in "each other."

The brides did not touch their grooms’ feet as it often is done in traditional marriages.

Recalling his experience, National People’s Front Chairman Chitra Bahadur KC said that he spent only Rs 1,000 to have his two sons and a daughter get married.

He blamed growing corruption as the main factor behind the ballooning expenses in the wedding ceremonies. "The party leaders who did not have money enough to buy even a pair of sandles in the past are throwing party of Rs five million or so and a simple government officer whom I credited with Rs 15,000 some years back now invites 5,000 guests in a starred hotel."

Political leaders, mainly leftists, including CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and CPN-ML General Secretary Bamdev Gautam as well as NC senior leader Basu Risal also attended and delivered ritual speeches on the need to promote such simple marriage ceremonies.

However, old habits die-hard. Even the "progressive" grooms could not wait till they reach home to offer ornaments to their brides. And according to a relative of a groom, the parents of one groom were organising a religious feast in substitution of the wedding party.

The programme was organised by Lalitpur District Development Committee in which all the cost was borned by the organisers.