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Kathmandu Thursday February 14, 2002 Falgun 02, 2058.
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New anti-corruption bills to
be tabled
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Feb 13 : The parliamentary State
Affairs Committee (SAC) today gave a go-ahead to the government to present two crucial
Bills that would control corruption and empower the constitutional anti-corruption body,
the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).
However, the committee expressed concern over
the tendency of successive governments to present new Bills every time a new session of
parliament begins.
SAC summoned Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka
today to furnish replies as to why the government felt it necessary to submit new Bills in
the 21st session of parliament, totally ignoring the old Bills that were tabled for
discussions in the previous sessions. Successive governments have been tabling separate
Bills to control corruption and empower the CIAA since the 16th session of parliament, but
have not been able to push them through.
Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka informed the
SAC meeting that the government was currently working to present three important Bills—the
Corruption Control Bill, the CIAA Empowerment Bill and the Impeachment Bill.
"These are very important Bills and the
government wants to get them passed in the ongoing session to control corruption, which is
all-pervasive," the Home Minister said.
SAC Chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa also emphasized
the need to pass the anti-corruption Bills in the ongoing session. "This has to
happen at any cost, because it is the main agenda or demand of all the political
parties," he said.
Earlier in the day, lawmakers of the ruling and
the opposition parties condemned the government’s recent move to slash budgets
allocated to local bodies and educational institutions around the country, and said that
thousands of schools have been forced to close down as a result.
The government recently brought out the Finance
Ordinance to channel extra funds to meet its skyrocketing security expenses. In doing so,
it has slashed the annual budgets allocated to the country’s over 3,900 village
development committees (VDCs) by 50 per cent and municipalities by 10 per cent. It has
also cut funds allocated to the Parliamentarian Development Fund by 25 per cent.
The government has allocated an additional
budget of Rs 500 million to buy arms and ammunition, and to recruit more security
personnel, apparently to fight what it calls terrorism unleashed by the underground
Maoists.
Speaking during the Zero Hour in the House of
Representatives, the lawmakers condemned the Maoists for intensifying their violent
activities, and also demanded that the government’s security forces stop torturing
the general public. They also urged the government to find a solution to the
seven-year-old insurgency which, they said, is a political problem.
Nepali Congress lawmaker Hom Nath Dahal said
that the government’s move to cut budgets allocated to local bodies, has seriously
affected thousands of schools around the country, which are on the verge of closing down.
Lawmaker Hari Acharya of United People’s
Front (UPF) said, "After cutting the budget allocated to local bodies, the government
has become even more unpopular and the public opinion is swaying to the Maoist side."
CPN-UML lawmaker Yubaraj Gyawali suggested that
the government seek a political solution to the Maoist problem.
"Why can’t the government that likens
the rebels with mosquitoes do something to bury all the dirty ponds that are perfect
breeding grounds for mosquitoes?" CPN-UML lawmaker Yubaraj Gyawali said. "It
should be able to spray insecticides and eliminate them once and for all."
He went on to warn that the present chaos and
disorder across the country could threaten the very sovereignty and territorial integrity
of the country. He demanded that the frequent kursi ko khel—infighting in the ruling
party for power—be stopped at a time when "fears of foreign invasion are looming
large".
Another UML lawmaker Ishwor Pokharel condemned
the government for arresting two executives of the main opposition party’s labour
wing– GFONT. According to him, the GFONT Vice Chairman, Binod Shrestha and another
executive, Hari Dutta Joshi, were arrested by the security forces on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, however, the leaders have managed
to get them released, according to UML lawmaker, Gokarna Bista.
Narayan Bijukchhe of Nepal Workers and Peasants
Party (NWPP) demanded the government take steps to make its presence felt in far-flung
districts like Kalikot, "where not even postal services are available, and people are
living under perpetual fear of Maoists".
He also accused the ruling party leaders and
workers of protecting sand smugglers—there by damaging the ecology of the Valley’s
rivers—in the capital city.
Lila Mani Pokharel of United People’s Front
(UPF) said the government had failed to justify the need for prolonging the state of
emergency imposed in the country since last November 26. He dubbed the two Ordinances
– the Terrorism and Disruptive (acts control and punishment) Ordinance and Finance
Ordinance–"black laws" and demanded that they be withdrawn.
Nawaraj Subedi of Nepal People’s Front
(NPF) claimed that the security forces have preyed on many innocent people while fighting
terrorism, and emphasized that the government should not dare to prolong the emergency
period. "Rather it should opt for a fresh round of dialogue with the rebels," he
said.
UML lawmaker Shushila Nepal asked the government
to immediately form the Women’s Commission, but cautioned that it should not do so
without framing a law in the first place. "There are talks of forming the Commission
even before formulating a law, which should not happen," she warned.
Astha Laxmi Shakya of the same party attempted
to draw the government’s attention on recent incidents of robbery, hooliganism and
other crimes in the capital’s Guchha Tol, Dallu and Bansbari, but stopped short of
elaborating on the nature of the crimes.
Nepali Congress lawmaker Ananda Prasad Dhugana
urged the government to ensure quality finishing of various infrastructure projects.
UML lawmaker Urmila Aryal suggested that special
parliament entry passes be provided also to the journalists from outside the capital city,
who are willing to cover parliamentary proceedings.
Lawmakers, Kunta Sharma and Om Prakash Ojha, of
the same party demanded that the emergency period be brought to a full stop as soon as
possible. "The government should also stop killing and torturing the people it has
arrested," Sharma said.
Another UML lawmaker Gorakh Bahadur Bogati urged
the government to make its presence felt in the districts of Karnali by ensuring adequate
supply of food grains ahead of the dry season.
NC lawmaker Govinda Bahadur Shah attempted to
draw the government’s attention on the "dilapidated" highway linking
Sanphebagar of Achham district, and demanded that the "blocked road" be repaired
on time.
Rastriya Prajantantra Party (RRP) lawmaker
Govinda Bikram Shah wanted the Chaurjhahari airport, damaged by Maoists in early January,
to be brought back into operation. He also asked for helicopter services to facilitate the
movement of thousands of people of Rukum and Jajarkot.
UML lawmaker Shiva Bahadur Deuja demanded that
the construction works of Sindhuli-Bardibas highway that came to a grinding halt after
last week’s Maoist attack on Bhakundebensi police outpost, be re-started immediately.
Lawmaker Sherdhan Rai of the same party sought
an end to corruption, while lawmaker Shankar Sharma Adhikari alleged that the government
has "thrusted terror over terrorism" by cutting development funds.
Another UML lawmaker Suresh Kumar Karki wanted
to know when the government would "downsize the jumbo cabinet", while Sohan
Prasad Chaudhari of the same party took a potshot at the "minister who saved his
land" by selling it hours before Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba banned all land
transactions last year.
UML lawmaker Harka Man Tamang demanded that a
list of those affected by Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve be prepared and those displaced be
amply compensated.
Taking special time, former deputy prime
minister Ram Chandra Poudel condemned the Maoist violence, while Minister for Agriculture
and Cooperatives, Mahesh Acharya refuted media reports which said there were widespread
irregularities while privatizing the Nepal Tea Development Board last year. He was holding
the portfolio of Finance Ministry then.
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