SAARC will discuss terrorism, says Rodrigo

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KATHMANDU, Nov 22 – The SAARC Secretary General Nihal Rodrigo revealed on Thursday that the 11th SAARC Summit will take up the issue of regional terrorism, admitting that the current convention on terrorism is "not very effective".

"The (SAARC) convention on terrorism ... has certain shortcomings; we are trying to remove the shortcomings," said the Sri Lankan Secretary General. "We have had only one informal meeting on this at New York. The issue will be taken up at the Summit."

During the summit, two conventions – one on protection of children and the other on trafficking of women in South Asia – will be signed, said Rodrigo.

The long-delayed meeting of the Heads of the State or the government of the seven-member South Asia Association for Regional Co-operation is scheduled to be held in Kathmandu on January 4-6.

The Summit will be held as scheduled, said Rodrigo, adding that both Indian Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and Pakistan’s President Gen Pervez Musharraf would attend the meet.

Addressing the journalists at a programme today by Reporters’ Club here, the outgoing Secretary General also admitted that he "had made not a very successful attempt" to address the issue of terrorism at the regional level. Reacting to local reports that four Heads of State – of Bangladesh, India Pakistan and Sri Lanka – faced terrorist threats during the coming summit, Rodrigo acknowledged being aware of the news. "We have heard about that and we are sure the government of Nepal will take all possible measures to address the security concerns."

Another issue that will be taken up at the Summit is the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), the progress on which has been rather slow. "The present state of SAFTA is not quite satisfactory. We have a draft declaration prepared by the SAARC Secretariat." However, he added that the issue requires "intervention by the higher level".

On poverty alleviation, the SAARC chief said that since each member state has its own approach to the problem, it was difficult to have a common regional plan. He also said that certain aspects of the regional food security goal are not practical.

Earlier he said that the three-day Summit would focus on three aspects – the past, the present and the future – covering the entire gamut of regional concerns. There will be an assessment of the developments after last Summit (in Colombo in 1997), the present dealing with the signing of the two conventions and the future course of action on terrorism and food security.

Meanwhile, a meeting of advisory committee under the co-ordination of former Foreign Minister Shailendra Kumar Upadhyay on the preparation for the SAARC Summit was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, according to a statement issued today by the Ministry.

After reviewing and updating the earlier draft of Kathmandu Declaration, the committee would recommend and suggest on economic, social and cultural issues, among others, to the Ministry to prepare a new draft. The committee comprises of former ambassadors, foreign secretaries, teachers of the Tribhuvan University, economists and other experts.

Measles outbreak claims 24 lives in Humla

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SIMIKOT (Humla), Nov 22 - At least 24 people have died due to measles and common cold in four southern villages of this remote district over the last two weeks, according to chairmen of the respective Village Development Committees.

The elected representatives, who trekked for days to inform health authorities in the district headquarters, said a majority of those succumbing to measles and common cold were children and elderly.

The situation became even worse due to unavailability of proper medicine in the district, which is one of the most backward districts in the country.

The affected VDCs are located about 90 kilometres south of this district headquarters, which lie on the border with neighbouring districts of Mugu and Bajura.

Bip Bahadur Matara, a villager of Shri Nagar VDC, who arrived here for a personal business, said that 13 people died of these diseases in his VDC over this period.

Likewise, Maila Gaon VDC Chairman Brisha Bahadur Shahi told The Kathmandu Post that six people, including three children, died in his village. Jaya Budha, chairman of Madana VDC said two people died in his VDC while two others in the neighbouring Kalika VDC.

Shahi said there had been a shortage of medicine in local health centres and added that locals did not anticipate that such a large number of people would succumb to the diseases in a short time.

Dr. Madhav Prasad Lamsal at the District Health Office said he received no authentic information about the deaths of people in these areas. He also claimed that adequate medicine was dispatched to these areas about one month ago. A couple of medical teams, along with medicines, have also been sent to the affected areas as demanded by the local representatives.

Deuba discusses Constituent Assembly with facilitators

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KATHMANDU, Nov 22 – A day after top Maoist leader Prachanda issued a hard-hitting statement warning to breakaway from peace talks, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba held a meeting with facilitators of the government-Maoist peace talks and discussed the issue of Constituent Assembly late in the evening today.

"Today we held informal meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss about the situation developed after the Prachanda’s statement," Padma Ratna Tuladhar, one of the facilitators of the peace talks told The Kathmandu Post.

During the talks, PM Deuba has said that he after consulting with other leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) Party and opposition leaders will try to find an alternative to the Maoists’ demand of the Constituent Assembly, said Tuladhar.

Controversies again loomed over the Nepali politics after Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) "Comrade Prachanda" alias Pushpa Kamal Dahal yesterday issued a sternly-worded statement, ruling out the significance for the peace talks and the four month-long cease-fire. The statement came after the government flatly denied the Maoists’ demand for election for Constituent Assembly by scrapping the present constitution and by forming an interim government.

But the government was insisting that the Maoists’ demands could be fulfilled through the present constitution.

Former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana was other facilitator who along with Tuladhar met the PM today.

Tuladhar said quoting the Prime Minister that the government is all set to organise all-party meeting – prior to the possible fourth round of talks – in three or four days.

Earlier today, speaking at the 72nd birth anniversary function of NC leader and literatteur late Narayan Dutt Chataut, PM Deuba said the Maoists and its leader Prachanda should be responsible for any untoward situation if that happens after his statement. "Prachanda released the statement with the intention of breaking away from the talks," Deuba said at the function.

At the same function, the PM also declared that the government was "ready" for the fourth round of talks. "And, the doors are always open for the Maoists to sit for the talks," said Deuba.

However, a reliable Maoist source talking to The Kathmandu Post today said the Maoists were still ready for the talks if the government invites them particularly for the Constituent Assembly. He also ruled out any offensive actions from the Maoist side against the government security wings. "But, if they start attacking us, we will no more stay tight-lipped," said the source.

Regarding the fourth round of talks, the Maoist source said they are waiting for the government’s formal response on its leader Prachanda’s statement. "The government has not become serious towards the talks. It has also not abided by its own decision of releasing 68 Maoists," the source said.

Meanwhile, speaking at an party workers’ meet in Pokhara today, Minister for Home and Local Development Khum Bahadur Khadka said the government at any cost will not scrap the recently passed Bill on the Armed Police Force.

The Maoists, from the very beginning of the peace talks, had been demanding for the scrapping of the Bill, one among series of their demands with the government. The government had brought the Act to confront the Maoists.

The government will opt for retaliation actions only if the Maoists indulge in violent acts, said Minister Khadka. "The government is still firm to resolve the Maoist problem through dialogue," he said.

Minister Khadka said the Maoist Supremo’s statement was to threaten the government to heed to their demands.

Likewise, Inspector General of Police, Pradeep Shumsher JB Rana, today said in Dharan all the security wings throughout the country have been kept in high alert after Prachanda’s statement.

"Police morale now has risen and new situation will not be like before," said IGP Rana. "Now onwards we will work hand-in-hand with the army to counter any sort of terrorism."

Seven killed, 53 injured in Kailali bus accident

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DHANGADHI (Kailali), Nov 22 - At least seven people died on the spot while 53 others were injured when a reserved bus fell off the East-West highway at Jamuna Ghari of Shripur VDC here on Thursday, police said.

Twelve passengers are reported to be in serious condition. The bus was coming from Bhalubang of Dang district and was headed towards Sanfebagar of Accham district.

The accident site is located about 16 kilometres east of here. Among the injured are 15 children and nine women. Fourteen of the 72 passengers travelling in the bus with the number plate Na 1 Kha 9635 were unhurt, police said.

All the seven people were from ward No. 7 and 8 of Tebang VDC in Rolpa district. The District Police Office in Kailali has identified the deceased as Bhawendra B K, 25, Ruplal B K, 25, Manraje Rokka, 25, Thane Pun, 16, Pahalman Pun, 45, Tuke Pandit and Prem B K.

The police said there were 72 people, including women and children, from Rolpa, travelling in the reserved bus, hired by two local contractors for a road construction in Accham on Wednesday evening.

According to Tek Bahadur B K, one of the injured, the high-speed bus overturned twice from the highway at around 4.45 a.m. He said seven people died on the spot after being trapped under the bus. Other passengers who survived the accident said the driver was intoxicated with alcohol.

Police, army personnel and the locals rushed to the site and rescued them immediately. Senior Superintendent of Police Ram Binaya Singh said all the bodies were recovered from the wreckage within an hour and the injured ones were admitted at Seti Zonal Hospital here.

SP Singh said owner of the bus, Gopal KC, who was on the driving seat, is still at large. Another driver, Sunil Basnet, has been arrested in critical condition.

Singh said that the Rolpa District Administration was contacted for the hand over of the bodies to their respective relatives and officials of the Rapti Bus Entrepreneurs’ Association had also been contacted for the treatment of the injured.

Mahakali DPR to be delayed

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KATHMANDU, Nov 22 – The high level Nepal-India team to discuss on the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Mahakali- Pancheswor project has decided to extend the date for its finalisation that was set for December this year, official said here today.

The seventeenth meeting of Nepal-India Joint Technical Committee to discuss on the DPR on Pancheswor Project that is being held in the capital will conclude Friday. It was jointly agreed between Nepal and India upon former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s India visit in August 2000 that studies would be expedited regarding preparation of DPR which would be completed by December 2001.

"As several technical aspects of the project still needs to be carried out, the DPR report can not be completed by this December," said one high level official who participated in the talks Thursday. Even Kishore Babu Aryal, Acting Secretary of Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, who is heading the Nepalese delegation, hinted that the DPR could not be completed by the stipulated time.

The Mahakali Treaty was reached between Nepal and India in 1996.

Many experts here point out that the agreement on DPR largely defines the fate of the Mahakali treaty, and that the DPR must be again ratified by a two-third majority in parliament.

"The delay in finalising DPR is mostly technical," said another delegate. According to him, both the team have not been clear regarding the re-regulation dam. "The Indian side wants to built the dam in the Purnagiri area while the Nepalese side wants the site to be Rupaligad," said he. The joint technical team started their study in the Rupaligad area as there were protest in Purnagiri from locals from fear of submersion.

According to our Mahandranagar based correspondent, the joint team have already finished the survey (measurement) work but they are yet to complete their study on drillings, environmental impact, submersion, and other technicalities.

Garment export tumbles

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KATHMANDU, Nov 22 - Plagued by a multiplicity of causes, the export of ready-made garment, which had been achieving double-digit export growth in the past, has registered a whopping decline during the first ten months of 2001.

Statistics complied by the Garment Association - Nepal (GAN) show that garment export to the United States (US), the single largest buyer of the Nepali garment products absorbing 85 per cent of the total garment exports, went down by almost 12 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year.

According to HAN figures, with a whopping decline of 45 per cent alone in the month of October - largest single month drop - the garment export continued to register a steep decline. Such slump in the months of August and September were 11.91 per cent and 35.56 per cent respectively.

Value wise, the export figures to the US during the first ten months of 2001 remained at US$ 120.96 million whereas such value during the same period last year was US$ 136.8 million. The total annual exports to the American market in 1998, 1999, and 2000 stood at US $ 106, 126 and 164 million respectively.

The current slump clearly indicates that the future of the garment industry is extremely bleak and the rate of export will further decline in coming years. "For a sector that has enjoyed an annual growth of 30 per cent last year, the present decline is extremely depressing," says Uday Raj Pandey, General Secretary of GAN.

Garment entrepreneurs are not just deeply worried over the current slump. Even more worrisome is expected in the coming months as the current volume of orders is remarkably low.

"The deepening gloom of the industry can be easily sensed by the volume of orders that we get now. And since the current orders is just 25 per cent of the orders that we used to get in the previous years, it is sure that the exports will further tumble," Pandey said.

Concerned entrepreneurs claim that more than 75 per cent of the garment industries have been completely closed down and rest 25 per cent too are running utilising less than 50 per cent of the capacity.

With the latest signs of strain in the garments sector that has been the number one foreign exchange earner, the overall economy will surely be adversely affected.

The cause of the latest export dwindle, entrepreneurs say, is many, including the recent labours agitation and the slowdown of the American economy. "The unnecessary labour’s agitation staged about 6 months ago greatly eroded Nepal’s credibility in the international market and buyers stared distrusting on our capability of supplying the orders on time," he added

Other major cause is the shift in the preference of American importers towards garment products of the Sub-Saharan African countries over Nepali garments.

The US government last November had revoked the quota system and tariff barriers for the Sub-Saharan African countries completely opening up its markets. In addition, it had also widened the market access for most Caribbean garments manufacturers.

"Most of the orders that come to Nepal have now been diverted towards the African countries to which the US government recently opened its markets," Pandey Added.

Though the businessmen have been pressuring the government to ask the US for granting the same facility, nothing concrete has so far been done from government side. Garment entrepreneurs say that without duty free access to the American markets, it would be impossible for the Nepali garments to survive in days to come. Presently US importers pay 15 to 25 per cent duties while importing garments from Nepal.

Furthermore, the high cost of production Nepali garments primarily due to lack of sea access has been another major factor for sliding competitiveness in the American market. The cost of production of Nepali garments is around 15 per cent higher than its neighbouring competitors.

‘Vajpayee will attend SAARC Summit’

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KATHMANDU, Nov 22 - The outgoing Indian ambassador to Nepal, Deb Mukharji, on Thursday reiterated that PM Vajpayee would attend the 11th SAARC Summit, despite the terrorist threat reported by the local media.

A Nepali daily today reported that four Heads of State – of Bangladesh, India Pakistan and Sri Lanka – faced terrorist threats during the coming summit in the capital in early January.

The Indian ambassador, who is retiring at the end of this month, has completed an 18-month tenure in Kathmandu was speaking to journalists at an interaction programme organised by the Reporters Club today.

Terming the Nepal-India bilateral relations as "excellent", the envoy, however, admitted that as two close neighbours, Nepal and India have had challenges in their relationship. He said that Nepal and India’s relationship are so entwined that in so many ways that there are bound to be problems.

He also exuded the confidence that India and Nepal would overcome their differences on the Trade Treaty that has come under cloud. The Treaty, which has the automatic renewable clause, now has to be approved by December 5 this year when it expires. However, he declined to say at what level, the bureaucratic or political, the trade disputes will be solved.

Mukharji said that India has two genuine concerns that have to be addressed. India wants value addition on "third country goods that enter India from Nepal" and export "surge" of five items – acrylic yarn, zinc oxide, copper wire, steel pipes and vegetable ghee. India claims the export of these items has shot by between 100 to 1000 percent. Referring to Indian Foreign Minister’s statement in August, the ambassador said that India had no intention to alter the basic structure of the treaty but it had some genuine grievances about certain clauses.

The Indian envoy emphatically denied that India was sheltering the Maoist insurgents of Nepal. "I am really surprised that this should have ever been taken seriously," said Mukharji.