Three killed, two injured in wall collapse

POKHARA, May 9 (PR) - Three people were killed while two others from a squatter family sustained injuries early on Wednesday when a stone wall collapsed and buried their makeshift shelter at Pipal Dali village of Sarangkot village development committee, police here said.

Those killed under the debris have been identified as Bhagavati Pariyar, 34, and her two children - Geeta, 12, and Bikram, 7.

Although their neighbours rescued them immediately from the rubble, three of the five member family died on the way to a Pokhara hospital, police said.

Two others who sustained serious injuries in the same incident, Maite Pariyar and his four years old daughter Sangeeta, are undergoing treatment at the same hospital. Police said the retaining wall built to protect the hut collapsed due to the heavy rainfall on Tuesday night.

More than 130 squatter families have been living in the area over the last four years. Locals collected funds to support the poverty-stricken Pariyar family and to carry out the last rites of the deceased.

HMG unaware of Indian police probe in Nepal

By Surendra Phuyal

KATHMANDU, May 9 - Nepali authorities are clueless even as a major Indian newspaper reported that Indian policemen are headed for Nepal to track down an alleged ISI agent who masterminded the recently foiled plot to assassinate the editors of Tehelka.com, an Indian investigative news internet site.

"No we don’t know any thing about this, we have not been officially approached," Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel told The Kathmandu Post Wednesday evening outside his Singha Darbar office. Poudel also holds the Home portfolio dealing with internal security.

However, a news report posted Wednesday on the website of The Times of India (www.timesofindia.com) reported that "a high profile Delhi police team left for Nepal Tuesday evening to try and track the ISI agent alias ‘Jain’ and the remaining members of the Bhupinder Tyagi gang, who are believed to be holed up near the Indo-Nepal border."

The Times of India website report alleged that Jain was an ISI agent and he had set up several camps along Indo-Nepal border. The border town of Birgunj, the report added, was the "logistic headquarters" for the foiled murder attempt.

Indian police announced over the weekend that the culprits were arrested on Saturday while on a mission to assassinate the owner and editors of Tehelka.com, which recently exposed prominent Indian politicians for corruption in an undercover sting operation. Indian authorities said that the would-be-assassins, allegedly directed by Pakistan’s ISI, had slipped into India from Nepali territory.

Meanwhile, quoting New Delhi police sources, the website said, "Though officially the police team is said to have gone only to the Indo-Nepal border (near Birgunj), sources said they had boarded a flight for Kathmandu." Stating that a massive exercise is being carried out by intelligence agencies, the report also said that the Delhi police have already sent Jain’s computerized sketches and his profile to Nepali authorities.

But in Kathmandu, neither the Home Minister nor the Inspector General of Police (IGP) or any other concerned authority such as the Foreign Ministry acknowledged the Indian report. The Home Ministry also asserts that no such thing as the movement of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) exists in Nepal as claimed by the Indian government and the media, adding, Nepal does not allow its territory to be used against any of her neighbours.

Inspector General of Police Pradip SJB Rana also denied having any knowledge of the matter. "No, this is not true. They (Indian police) have not approached us so far," he said.

Home Secretary Sri Kanta Regmi echoed IGP Rana and DPM Poudel’s versions. "They (Indian officials) need our permission to carry out any official investigations in our territory, which they have not yet done. Unofficially, yes they can come for a pilgrimage to Pashupatinath, but they cannot and should not carry out such investigations…They are not supposed to carry out any activity, which may hamper our sovereignty."

School principals optimistic despite student rampage

By Rajeeb Tamrakar

KATMANDU, May 9 - A day after the Maoist attacks in two private schools in the capital the principals of both Rupy’s International and Elite’s Co-ed have expressed their commitment to continue with their works despite the possibilities of having to face more problems in future.

The schools were attacked by the activists of All Nepal Free Students Union (Revolutionary) the student wing of the underground Maoist party on May 8th. The revolutionary wing has been demanding that the private schools reduce their ‘exorbitant’ fees and have been protesting against the ‘indianisation’ of the Nepalis education sector. Both the schools were being run by teachers of Indian origin who has been living in Nepal since last two decades.

The director of Rupy’s International School, Rupy Singh says that although she is shaken she is not deterred. "I feel pity on them. I’m not angry rather I pity them that they are into the hands of wrong teacher."

"As a teacher I felt very bad that the students misbehaved in such a brute manner. As students at least they should have some respect for the teachers," she added.

"If they want to take over the school, I would be glad to let them run it", says a visibly upset Nina Morada, the principal of Elite’s Co-ed. She says that the vandalizing of the school property is very irrational as it belongs more to the society rather than any individual."

"How can a child or a school principal bring out change in the policy? questions Morada. "I’m ready to reduce the 50% of the tuition fees if the government, Public and Boarding School’s Organization of Nepal (PABSON) and the ANNFSU representatives sit together and talk", she adds expressing her determination to continue with her work.

The guardians of the students were the ones most concerned about the security of their children.

A father of a class 2 student of Rupy’s school says, that he is seriously thinking about enrolling his child to another school. Another women says that it was really scary when her 5 year old daughter came to her after school saying, "Mummy, you know they tried to burn our madam today".

The guardians also raised concern over the ineffectiveness of the police. "What were the police doing after the incident in Elite’s took place at 8:30 in the morning, how could the same thing happen in Rupy’s (located closer in the city) at 11:30?" She questioned.

Both Singh and Morada had no clue when asked why they were made the targets. According to both the principal’s the ANNFSU students were in touch with them prior to this incident and they said they had very cordial relationship with them.

Morada who was familiar with some of the assailants said, "I just never thought that they would ever do that because they seemed so nice and gentle in their previous visits. They used to laugh and joke with me."

Both think that they have been the victims of the Maoist and other forces trying to accelerate anti Indian sentiment in Nepal. "This must have been done with intentions of spreading anti-Indian sentiment in the country," says Rita Thapa, of TEWA, an NGO working on women issues, relating the incident with the Hrithik episode.

The development of these incidents is being closely monitored by the Indian Embassy as well. Both the principal’s were summoned to the embassy to brief the events. The Embassy officials also visited both the schools today and observed the damages.

ANNFSU (R), Govt meet inconclusive

By Nitya Nanda Timsina

KATHMANDU, May 9 - A two and half hour talk between All Nepal National Free Students Union ANNFSU (Revolutionary) and the Ministry of Education ended inconclusively Wednesday as ANNFSU (R) demanded to pour in more money into the public schools.

Only a day after the pro-Maoist students stormed the two prominent boarding schools in the Capital, Ministry of Education and Sports today held a meeting with the two-member delegation of ANNFSU (R), led by Devendra Parajuli, president of the pro-Maoist students’ organization. According to ANNFSU (R) the meeting was initiated by the government.

Devendra Parajuli, President of ANNFSU (R) told The Kathmandu Post that the main agenda of the meeting was 15-point demand pushed forward by the pro-Maoist students earlier on April 19.

After the meeting, Parajuli said that the meeting did not discuss Tuesday’s attack by the pro-Maoist students against two privately run schools in the capital.

The only issue that the two sides agreed on today’s meting was to scrap the study of Sanskrit language as compulsory paper in the school level.

Director General of Education Department, Chuman Singh Basnet, said that the talk was focused extensively on increasing public investment in education. " Since the public investment in education cannot be increased overnight to the extent demanded by the students, the meeting ended without any conclusion."

Ram Sarovar Dubey, Secretary at the Ministry of Education said that the government informed the students about the ongoing legal reforms, "which are necessary to reform the overall education sector."

Speaking to The Kathmandu Post, Rajesh Khadka, President of the Private and Boarding School Organization of Nepal (PABSON) said that Tuesday’s vandalization of two schools has left over 8000 private schools in a state of uncertainty. Subsequently, it has also created uncertainty in the future of tens of thousands of students.

"It was a tragic incident with far reaching implications," he said. He also added that PABSON was ready for dialogue.

PABSON is not against the demand of the ANNFSU (R) but wants a judicious and feasible solution to the current impasse, he said. Police sources at the Naxal Headquarters said that no culprit has been arrested so far in connection to Tuesday’s violence at the schools.

Meanwhile, Hem Narayan Shrestha, President of ANNFSU (R) of the Saraswati Campus unit was reportedly arrested late afternoon while he was on his way to attend his party’s function in Lalitpur. Ashok B.K. Kathmandu district committee member of ANNFSU (R) claimed Shrestha’s arrest, which police has denied.

Pro-Maoist students said they would press for the dialogue to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution "but if the government gives a deaf ear to our demand, we will resort to violence-more serious than yesterday’s," warned ANNFSU (R) leaders after the meeting.

Meanwhile, a press statement issued by the Nepal Communist Party, CPN-UML held the ruling NC as responsible for the incident that occurred on Tuesday. It also condemned the attack of ANNFSU (R) saying it was a "reckless and anarchic act."

The release said that no problem could be solved through forceful means in the name of nationalization and closing of private schools. A press release from All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU), a CPN-ML student-wing said it would organize a 24-hour long hunger strike in front of the Ministry of Education tomorrow.

to press for its demand which, "seeks to end commercialization of education and promotion and strengthening of public educational institutions."

Chinese Premier’s visit to bolster cordial ties

Post Report

KATHMANDU, May 9 – The focal point of Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji’s three-day visit to the Kingdom beginning May 14 is the signing of five agreements to bolster the already existing cordial ties between the two neighbours, said Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zeng Xuyong today.

The agreements for the Chinese assistance are on economy and technology, agriculture, Syabrubensi-Rasuwagadi new road link, a hospital for civil servants and a polytechnic institute at Banepa.

Ambassador Zeng said that besides promoting the already existing good relations between the two traditional neighbours, the Chinese Premier’s visit would also lend a new perspective to the bilateral relations of Nepal and China in the new century. He was speaking to the reporters at a face-to-face programme organized by the Reporters’ Club today.

The visit, first such high-level since Li Peng visited Nepal in 1996, reflected the common aspirations and interest of the people of the two countries, said the ambassador. Besides the bilateral issues of mutual concern, the two sides will also discuss the important international issues. Premier Rongji is scheduled to meet His Majesty the King, the Prime Minister and other ministers and leaders of the political parties.

Replying to a question on peace and security in Nepal, the ambassador said, "As neighbours, peace and stability of a neighbour will, of course, affect others. We are concerned about the situation here." However, he refrained from commenting further on the "internal affairs of another country". The ambassador also declined to speak on Maoist insurgency terming it an internal matter of Nepal.

However, Zeng said that China would not allow its soil to be used against Nepal in any manner. He was replying to a question on the possibility of the Maoists taking shelter in Tibet once the army operation against them gathers momentum.

When asked to comment on the "India factor" in the Nepal-China relations, Zeng said that the bilateral relations of the two neighbours were not aimed at any third country. He added that the new road link between Nepal and China was a matter between two sovereign states. "I don’t think there is any reason for any third country to object on the issue," said the ambassador, replying to another question on possible Indian objection. In the past, India had raised their objection to the construction of Kodari or Arniko Highway, the only highway link between the two countries.

The ambassador also informed that there were no plans to extend the broad gauge railway link beyond Lhasa, the capital of the autonomous region of Tibet. The rail link of 1,200 km will be from Qing Hai province of China to Lhasa.

Birgunj doctors on strike

BIRGUNJ, May 9 (PR) - The doctors, employed by the Narayani Sub-Regional Hospital Development Committee, have today decided to go in for an indefinite strike beginning Thursday following the Committee’s inability to take any concrete decisions on their demands to raise their pay in its meeting today.

The medical and non-medical employees appointed by Development Committee have also joined the doctors in the proposed strike. "We had already warned the management to look into our demands way back last week," said President of the Development Committee Employee’s Association, Arun Upreti. "And since today’s meeting of the Hospital Development Committee failed to meet our demands, we’ve been left with no alternative than to go for strike," he said.

Today’s meeting had appointed a three-member committee under the convenorship of Dr Ram Autar Khetan to hold talks with the agitating doctors and employees and submit a report to the Hospital Development Committee.

Trafficked women forced to change religion in India

By Subas Risal

KATHMANDU, May 9 - Thousands of Nepali women who are trafficked to India every year are not only forced to work in the Indian brothels but some of them are also forced to change their religion.

A research by Samyukta Satya Sodhak Pidhit Nepali Mahila Sangh (SSSPNMS), an organization of former Nepali prostitutes in Bombay, few years ago found that out of surveyed 20, 000 Nepali prostitutes in Bombay, over 5000 were forced to change their religion.

The activists working in the area of women trafficking say the proselytizing trend is growing. However, due to lack of follow-up research, the scale of such conversions is not known.

Since the total number of Nepali commercial sex workers in various Indian brothels is said to be around 200,000, activists working in the field estimate the number total conversion to be in the range of 20,000 to 30,000.

Anuradha Koirala, Director of Maiti Nepal, a renowned non-governmental organization, says, "When the girls are trafficked to the brothels of India or Arab they come into contact with various persons with different religions where they get easily converted."

Koirala says that she recently came across a strange case of a commercial sex worker, who had returned from Saudi Arabia. " She was a Hindu prior to her trafficking to Saudi Arabia. When she returned, she was completely a Muslim by conversion. She had even started to wear a burkha, (veil worn by the Muslim girls and women)" says Koirala.

The Constitution, which was promulgated in 1990, defines Nepal as a Hindu Kingdom. According to the 1991 census, over 86 per cent of the people residing in Nepal are Hindus. In the post 1990-period there has been complaints of proselytizing even within the country. Proselytizing is a punishable act under law.

Kanchhi Maya Tamang (name changed), a repatriated girl who used to work in one of the brothels in India also agrees that forced religious conversion is prevalent in brothels. "But it depends upon the client’s religion. The girls who get married to or often serve the Muslim clients are forced to change their religion."

However, for many Nepali women trafficked to Indian brothel conversion is not a big issue because by then they will have been forced to sell their flesh.

When asked whether she wants to return to Indian brothel, she says " if I can live without being humiliated by the society or without being ostracized, then definitely I will stay here." However, she also said that quick money in the Indian brothel sometimes entices her to return.

Trafficking of girls into sexual slavery has a long history in Nepal. Even during the Malla regime the girl trafficking was prevalent. This continued throughout and especially during the end of the autocratic Rana regime. Following the downfall of the Rana regime in 1951 as a result of popular movement, many Rana families fled to India. Along with them went a score of girls working as domestic workers with the Ranas. As historians claim, many of these domestic helps were sold to Indian brothels in due course of time, apparently due to worsening economic condition of Ranas. This trend has grown tremendously in recent years.

Arbina Lama, in charge of rehabilitation shelter of Maiti Nepal thinks education is key to stop this trend. "Since most of the girls are illiterate, they can be exploited easily."

Whether in the case of religion or any other cases they are exploited until and unless they are provided education. "Therefore we give a lot of attention to the education of the girls here in rehabilitation centre," said Lama.

In the backdrop of the depressing literacy rate, even the law formulated to prevent the human trafficking has not been adequate to slow the trend. The Human Trafficking (Control) Act 2043, penalty section clearly says that human trafficking is a legal offense. If convicted, the guilty will be liable for an imprisonment of ten to twenty years.

Two killed, 30 injured in bus accident

BENIGHAT, Dhading, May 9 (PR) - At least two people were killed instantly and 30 others injured, three of them seriously, when a Kathmandu-bound bus from Jhapa collided early Wednesday with a fast approaching truck from the opposite direction near Benighat, police here said.

The bus had plunged about 90 feet off the busy Prithvi highway on the banks of Trishuli River shortly after it collided with the truck.

Police are yet to identify the dead bodies. About 40 passengers were travelling in the night bus (Na 2 Kha 3963).

Among the injured, 16 people have been hospitalised at the TU Teaching Hospital and 14 others at the Bir Hospital in the Capital, police said.

PM held responsible for present crisis

Post Report

KATHMANDU, May 9 - Various legal experts here today identified Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala as being responsible for the present political crisis in the country.

The legal experts were speaking at an interaction program organized by Foundation For Parliamentary Studies and Development, an NGO dealing with legal and sociological issues titled "Democracy: Prime Minister’s Responsibility and the role of Constitutional bodies".

Radheshyam Adhikari, Senior Advocate stated that no where in international history up to last 200 years can a similar situation be found where the Prime Minister is accused of corruption but is still ruling. He said that the present Prime Minister did not have good relations with any other constitutional bodies including the Monarchy, legislation, judiciary, opposition parties and even within his own party. "In this situation it is the Prime Minister, who has to take initiative to find a way out of the present crisis," he said.

Krishna Prasad Bhandari, a well-known Senior Advocate said that the fault lied in the Constitution itself. "The Westminster model is for two political parties and is in no way suited for Nepal," he said. "It should have been understood 11 years ago that this model of democracy could bring this kind of situation in Nepal."

In a similar note Anup Raj Sharma, Chairman of the Law Society said that there were a lot of room to question the effectiveness of the Westminster model in Nepal with so much diversity in culture, language and traditions.

The only supporter of the Prime Minister was Senior Advocate Mukunda Regmi who said that legally there was no way the Prime Minister had to resign. Regmi even challenged the CIAA questioning the Prime Minister regarding Lauda Air deal saying that the act was unconstitutional.

Majorities of the speakers were of the opinion that although Girija Prasad Koirala might not have to resign in legal terms it has been imperative for the PM that he resign for the sake of democracy and the image of the Prime Minister.

Among the other speakers were senior advocates Sarvagya Ratna Tuladhar, Harihar Dahal, Biswakanta Mainali, Purna Bahadur Karki, Sunil Adhikary, Mahadev Prasad Yadav, Chairman of the Nepal Bar Association Sindhu Nath Pyakurel and former Speaker of the Lower House Daman Nath Dungana. Former Minister for Law Bhim Bahadur Tamang chaired the programme.

Policemen shift to safer post

SYANGJA, May 9 (PR) - All 23 policemen stationed at the Magyam Chisapani-based area police outpost have abandoned the post and shifted to another post at Biruwa today following the killing of their four colleagues in a booby trap laid by Maoist rebels on Monday.

Police said that Magyam outpost was unsafe from security standpoint as it was located around Maoist stronghold.

The policemen were killed in the Maoist-laid land-mine blast within a week of Maoists’ public warning of attacking the Magyam police post. Sources close to the police said that all policemen stationed at various outposts in the eastern part of the district have now been concentrated on Biruwa police post, which is close to the district headquarters.

Meanwhile, four rebels in army uniform abducted today Chandra Bahadur BK, an skilled hand in making country-guns out of metal pipes, from Putali Bazaar Municipality-12. Locals suspect that the rebels abducted him to get their guns repaired.

Co-op suspected of cheating clients

Post Report

KATHMANDU, May 9 – Owners of a multipurpose cooperatives based in the capital city have made off with 15 million rupees, police officials said today, after the affected clients have filed a complaint Tuesday.

The office of Samakhusi-based Peace Nepal Multi-purpose Cooperatives was found locked up, and those investigating into the case strongly suspect that the owners could have been made off with the amount saved by over 100 clients.

The owners of the cooperatives are at large, according to the Superintendent of Police (SP) Sarada Bhakta Ranjit of the Valley Crime Investigation Department.

Prior to this, the Department looked into four similar cases of burglary involving cooperatives. Those in the blacklist included Nikon Finance (New Baneshwor), Unity Finance (Tahachal), Bhawani Finance (Maharajgunj) and Dilip Finance.