Kantipur Publications observes 9th anniversary

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 19 : Kantipur Publications Pvt. Ltd. today celebrated its ninth anniversary with pomp and gaiety, distributing awards and trophies to its ten outstanding performers of the year.

Chairman Gyawali also gave away trophies and certificates to the best performers amidst a function held hereTuesday at the Publication’s premises.

Those awarded include Damakant Jayshi of The Kathmandu Post and Kiran Bhandari of Kantipur, the sister publication of The Kathmandu Post and Raja Ram Gautum of Nepal, the fortnightly publication of the Publications’ group.

Similarly, Deepak Shrestha of Kantipur FM, sister radio station of the Publications, Surya Bahadur Rai of Marketing, Deepak Kumar Shah of the Circulation Department, Basu Bhattarai of the Economic and Regional Office, Dipesh Acharya of the Administration and Press Department and Bhai Kaji Maharjan of Computer and Designing Department were all duly awarded.

Among the district reporters of the publications, Kashi Ram Dangi bagged the outstanding award for his news coverage on the sensitive Maoist-hit district of Rolpa.

Similarly, Krishna Prasad Acharya of Ratna Rajya Laxmi College received this year’s Kantipur Award for securing highest marks on journalism in BA examinations and Raju Rai for securing the highest score on journalism in the certificate level. Yam Bahadur Dura also received the award for topping the 10-month journalism training conducted by the Nepal Press Institute.

The award carries a purse of rupees 4,000 and a citation.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the Publications, Hem Raj Gyawali, announced that the Publications is going to begin its publications from two more areas that are Narayanghat and Nepalgunj, to provide its publications in time. The Publications has already launched its edition from Biratnagar.

Chairman Gyawali also expressed his happiness over the role of its publications in covering news at odd hours created by the Maoist insurgency. "We have been successful in making our publications objective, factual, and prejudiced-free, following the principles of professional journalism," Gyawali said.

We have also started the transmission of Kantipur FM in the eastern region of the country, which is the great achievement for this year, the Chairman added. Kantipur FM serves more than 6 million listeners throughout the region.

Speaking on the occasion, Editor of Kantipur daily, Yuba Raj Ghimire, urged his colleagues to give equal importance to news ranging from the Narayanhiti Royal Palace to Marani Devi’s house. "It was necessary to extract some of the important facts from the article of Maoist leader Babu Ram Bhattarai and publish it even though it was not deemed right by the administration," Ghimire said. Editor Ghimire was arrested for publishing the controversial article of Bhattarai last year.

Bijaya Kumar, the editor of Nepal fortnightly, said that he has experienced the Publications as the right form of media for professional journalism. The Station Manager of the Kantipur FM, Sarad Raj Gautam said that the FM was the first in transmitting news to remote parts of the country for the benefits of the people living in such regions.

Earlier, Chairman Gyawali released a book collecting the pictures of the June 1 royal massacre and its effects, and a book reflecting the introduction of the publication "Milestone". Gopal Chitrakar, Photo Editor of Kantipur Publications, prepared the picture book. The noted Deuda singer from the far western region, Nanda Krishna Joshi offered his CD album to the Chairman.

Kailash Sirohiya, Managing Director of the Publications, Binod Raj Gyawali, Director, Shyam Bahadur K.C., Editor of The Kathmandu Post and Subas Dhakal, Editor of Saptahik and Sarbottam, were also present on the occasion.

‘Nation going through critical situation’

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KATHMANDU, Feb 19 : Nepali Congress Central Committee member Shailaja Acharya said that the state of the country is going through a critical situation yesterday.

"The condition is going towards a situation where not we but international forces will decide what should be the next move," said Acharya reacting on Saturday’s tragic Achham incident where around 130 security personnel including citizens were killed in terrorist attack.

"I see darkness everywhere after I heard about the incident of Mangalsen and Samphe-bagar," she said.

"We thought that the state of emergency and mobilisation of the Royal Nepal Army are the strongest powers we have. But they could not control the tragic incident. However,I am not still ready to say that all the means of security have failed. It is too early to say something about this. Hopes are still there."

She was addressing a-day- long discussion programme on the situation of women after the restoration of democracy, organised by Nepal Women’s Association.

She said the uncommon situation has called for an uncommon leadership, without mentioning who could be the possible leader for the "critical" situation.

" These days, even monarchy does not seem to be very strong," she said.

Acharya, a former deputy minister, admitted that lots of mistakes have been made by the ruling party Nepali Congress in the past 12 years, which is also responsible for the recent series of actions by the Maoists.

She,however, remarked the mistakes of one or two people cannot destroy the Nepali Congress, which is not only a political party but the whole of the "liberation movement" of the country.

"Baburam or Prachanda, or the power behind them, must be powerful which has guided them to take such a daring step," she said.

Govt firm to implement Working Journalists’ Act

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KATHMANDU, Feb 19: Minister for Information and Communications, Jaya Prakash Gupta, said here today that the government has decided to implement the Working Journalists’ Act immediately.

The Act, which has provision for minimum salary, compensation, and other facilities for a journalist from the publisher or the institution he or she works for, has been a major issue among the journalists for some time now.

Speaking after the inaugural of the new office building of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) at the proposed Media Village in Sinamangal, Minister Gupta said that the government has adopted a new policy to provide press pass. "The press pass will be provided to the concerned journalist only after clear documents are presented from the institution he is working," he said.

The construction cost of the new FNJ office building is around 1.5 million rupees.

Speaking at the programme, Minister Gupta further said that the objectives of the media village would not be fulfilled if the institutions located there worked without collective spirit. "We now have the time to think over the concept of media village and know why it was necessary in the first place," he said.

On the occasion, former FNJ president Kishor Nepal, senior journalist Harihar Birahi and president of FNJ Suresh Acharya were also present.

Reforms in Constitution stressed

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KATHMANDU, Feb 19: ‘’Only the CPN (UML) can solve the present situation of Nepal,’’ said UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal.

He was speaking at a programme organised to commemorate the ‘People’s Democratic Movement’. He said Nepal cannot be developed until the Nepali Congress glued to power.

"The Constitution of 2047 BS should not be underestimated as it is the outcome of martyrs’ sacrifice", Nepal said.

He said that the Maoist problem was the result of bad governance of the Nepali Congress and its corrupted leaders. Speaking at the programme, he stressed reforms in the present Constitution and fair elections.

" The unification of the UMLand the ML has brought a new enthusiasm in the activists,’’said UML Central Committee member Keshav Badal. He said socio-economic and political reforms are needed to develop the Nepalese society.

On the occasion, Krishna Gopal Shrestha,UML Central Committee member, said, ‘’Maoists are not the true communists and they have also failed to understant international situation’’. He said gun cannot win the heart of people and terrorism should be plucked out from its roots.

The programme was organised by UML Bhaktapur district committee.

Names of policemen killed in Achham, Sarlahi

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KATHMANDU, Feb 19: Altogether 82 policemen were killed during the battle between security forces and Maoists on Saturday midnight and Sunday morning in Achham and in Sarlahi, according to the Police Newsroom. The lists of those dead policemen are as follows:

Policemen killed in Achham, Magalsen

Lok Bahadur Khadka, Surkhet

Dilli Prasad Timilsina, Dailekh

Khadka Bahadur Jhukal, Dadeldhura

Keshav Dutta Joshi, Baitadi

Prem Singh Pharsawang, Darchula

Govinda Bhupal, Bardia

Purna Bahadur Sodari, Achham

Jaya Bahadur Chand, Baitadi

Chandra Bahadur Singh, Bajhang

Karna Bahadur Bohara, Baitadi

Chakra Bahadur Singh, Kanchanpur

Ram Singh Badal, Darchula

Ramesh Kumar Chaurasia, Parsa

Siva Prasad Joshi, Achham

Krishna Thapa, Tanahu

Daulat Singh Bhandari, Baitadi

Rajendra Sihani, Rautahat

Nirip Bohara, Achham

Ganesh Giri, Bajura

Manoj Chand, Kanchanpur

Navaraj Joshi, Baitadi

Udav Singh Rawal, Achham

Surat Bahadur Budha, Achham

Keshav Dutta Joshi, Baitadi

Raj Kishore Paswan (Rautahat)

Dabal Bahadur Bogati (Doti)

Man Singh Dhami (Darchula)

Ram Adhar Raut, Rautahat

Surendra Singh Bista, Kanchanpur

Mahesh Singh Dhami, Darchula

Tej Bahadur Chand, Baitadi

Prem Nath, Dadeldhura

Sanjay Prasad Shaha, Rautahat

Amar Nath Chaudhari, Rautahat

Bijay Kumar Mishra, Rautahat

Khadka Bahadur Khadka, Doti

Mohamed Sheikh Ali, Rautahat

Gopal Japrel, Kanchanpur

Pushkar Kunwar, Darchula

Ramesh Dutta Panday, Baitadi

Binod Kumar Batala, Achham

Keshav Raj Bhatta, Kanchanpur

Ram Dutta Bhatta, Kanchanpur

Jay Raj Bhatta, Kanchanpur

Parsuram Bishwokarma, Rolpa

Lal Bahadur Khadka, Doti

Ain Bahadur Hamal

Chakra Prasad Joshi, Achham

Tika Thapa, Achham

Harka Raj Bhandari, Achham

Those dead in Achham Airport

Tek Bahadur Shahi, Dadeldhura

Narendra Rokaya, Kailali

Dev Dutta Joshi, Kanchanpur

Binod Kumar Bhatta, Dadeldhura

Arjun Bahdaur Kapadi, Bajhang

Bhim Bahadur Bista, Bajura

Sher Singh Mauni, Baitadi

Daulat Singh Thapa, Baitadi

Min Bahadur Khadka, Achham

Bikram Chaudhari, Kailali

Yadav Jorah, Doti

Abhay Raj Pant, Darchula

Rajendra Prasad Bhatta, Darchula

Dhananand Joshi, Darchula

Shaliman Singh Sanud, Baitadi

Laxman Singh Saud, Baitadi

Jeevan Kuwar, Darchula

Tek Bahadur Saud, Achham

Shanta Bahadur Malla, Dadeldhura

Hemanand Pant, Baitadi

Tej Bahadur Dhanuk, Baitadi

Man Bahadur Saud, Dadeldhura

Ang Bahadur Dhami, Achham

Rajan Katuwal, Khotang

Tek Bahadur Khattri, Nawalparasi

Tharka Bahadur Aale, Nawalparasi

Nima Dorje Lama, Parsa

Those dead in Lalbandi Police Station, Sarlahi

Lal Bahadur Thapa, Chitwan

Min Bahadur G.C, Parwat

Nawaraj Lama, Rautahat

Rati Lal Danuwar, Morang

Pramod Kumar Kurmi, Parsa

People bonded by pre-negotiated slavery

By Shyam Sundar Sashi

JANAKPUR, Feb 19 : While February 17 was observed throughout the country amidst fervour and devotion to Goddess Saraswati, the residents from this oppressed section of society in this district had to exchange their freedom with their masters, according to an existing ritual very evident down this side of the country.

" For the people from this depressed community, Shripanchami is the day to enter a new deal with their masters in terms of working for them throughout the year, while some are compelled to go through the ordeal in-order to repay loans taken by one’s father from the landlord," said, Ramesh Ranjan Jha, a member of the Dhanusha District Development Committee.

As to the ritual known as ‘Janaury’ locally, some of the labourers in the district are unhappy as Prabhu Khatway, at Baghchauda VDC-7 of the district who is undergoing the
Janaury practice this time so as to clear the unfortunate debt of his father.

As is this bonded ritual practised here annually, those who want to work for their master gather in their master’s yard where ploughs are kept erected. The one who comes to the negotiation
with his master, goes to the farm with a pair of oxen, carrying a plough on his shoulder. One starts the ‘Janaury’ by ploughing on the landlord’s field.

Referring to the trend that the loan taken by ancestors has to be cleared by the offspring, Ramchandra Jha, a socialogist terms the Janaury system as a form of ‘bonded labour’ or actually pre-negotiated slavery.

However, this system is not termed as ‘bonded labour’ as the ones observing the Janaury practice can have free discussions on the terms and conditions of the work with the landlord.

The workers are paid daily and also provided with four to six Katthas of land by their masters for personal use until one continues to work for them.

Returning from Mumbai, Rupa fights both AIDS and stigma

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HETAUDA, Feb 19: Rupa Thing left her home seven years ago to meet her uncle in Birgunj. But her homecoming was hardly an occasion of joy as she had caught the dreaded AIDS disease. Rupa has another story of having done time in a Mumbai brothel.

When the 21-year-old girl of Padam Pokhari Village Development Committee-4, went to visit her uncle, Bhim Bahadur Lama, she was sold off by Lama to a brothel in Mumbai for 30,000 rupees. Rupa spent the next six years of her life there before returning home 10 months ago.

"The people at the brothel gave me 1,000 Indian rupees and asked me to go back," says Rupa. "They never told me I had AIDS."

Finding their daughter very ill, the parents brought her to Birgunj for medical check-up. The blood test revealed the worst—Rupa was down with AIDS.

The 21-year-old is now a picture of despair. "I wish a quick death," says Rupa lying on her bed at the attic of her home, "Everyone hates me, everyone’s afraid of touching me."

When this reporter gave her a packet of milk powder, she wept uncontrollably, saying "No one had cared for me."

She recalls how she fell into the uncle’s trap. "My uncle had asked me if I wanted to go to the city," remembers Rupa. "I was a child then, how could I reject him?"

Makawanpur district is a hub for those involved in the flesh trade, says the District AIDS Co-ordination Branch.

In the district, 40 people, including 28 women, have died of AIDS, while 75 others are waiting for the inevitable, according to the Branch.

The district is now seeing a campaign against trafficking in girls and women. "The effects of the awareness programmes organised by different organisations are slowly being seen," says Bharati Bartaula, Co-ordinator of the General Welfare Academy, Hetauda Unit.

In the whole of Nepal, the number of AIDS patients has increased to 2,109 from a meagre four in the last 12
years, says a booklet published by the National AIDS and STD Control Centre in Kathmandu. Among the number, 592 are females.