Fans, businesses await World Cup bonanza But live telecast still in doubt

By Suman Malla

KATHMANDU, Feb 26 : It always breaks all the viewing records. When it comes to TV viewing, nothing matches the World Cup – arguably the most popular single sporting event to be ever devised by mankind. No other emotion is shared at the same time by so many men and women as a goal missed or scored in any World Cup tie.

In fact, for those passionately involved, the four-year wait between one World Cup and the next is simply unbearable. The excitement, especially for the Asian fans, could not have been higher as the month-long football fiesta is being held for the first time on Asian soil and co-hosted by two nations – Korea and Japan.

Apart from some 3 million enthusiasts, who would flock on to the two hosting countries and criss-cross between the cities there, it is expected that a cumulative TV audience in the region of 40 billion would tune in to this event. No wonder then, everyone wants to share the show at home at least if not feel the heat in soccer stadiums at first place.

With just over 90 days left for the kick off of the 17th World Cup, fans here, however, are concerned as to whether they could watch the matches live. For they have not so far heard any news about live telecast of 2002 World Cup matches from Nepal Television (NTV), the state-run TV station that brought the last four World Cup tournaments live to their home.

"Nothing would be more embarrassing than to miss out live World Cup matches," says Nepali FIFA referee Shree Ram Ranjitkar, an arduous football follower. "I simply can’t imagine that." The fear haunts just about everyone.

NTV has its own limitations, though. "We understand the importance of this event and the value attached to it," said Durga Nath Sharma, General Manager at NTV.

Kirch Media, a company owned by German media mogul Leo Kirch, officially holds the global marketing rights for 2002 and 2006 World Cup tournaments. The company demanded a reported US$ 100,000 with NTV for the broadcasting right alone.

"That was several fold higher as compared to what we previously paid for the 1998 World Cup," Sharma noted. "Besides, the Ministry of Health provided NTV with a special grant amounting to Rs. 2 million then from its cancer relief fund, enabling us to meet the cost.

"As we do not have such support this time around, our resources could not match that amount."

Does that mean Nepali public should put their interests aside and meet with their worst nightmare?

"Absolutely not," says Bhaskar Rajkarnikar, Chairman and CEO of Ad Avenues Nepal Ltd, giving assurance that the World Cup would be telecast live as it has been done since last 2-3 tournaments.

Ad Avenues has bought the exclusive rights from Kirch Media to broadcast 2002 World Cup matches in the kingdom. Naturally, such ambitions come at a cost: Rs 20.5 million, including technical and other overhead expenses.

Where the state-owned TV station stepped back, apparently with a fear of the risk attached to it, one might ask if this bold undertaking from the private sector would work, especially at the time of economic downturn.

But the company holds a firm belief in itself. "We’re very much positive that it would be a success," Rajkarnikar says confidently.

Rajkarnikar, who also heads the Association of Advertising Agents in Nepal (AAAN), insists that each time this quadrennial event takes place, companies hop on the football bandwagon in a hope that such spirit can be transformed into a spike in the one thing marketing professionals get passionate about: sales.

That seems to have worked here as well.

"We are hopeful the World Cup’s first trip to Asian soil will help football move out of the playground and bring in its wake a big business," says a manager at one of the country’s liquor companies. "It could also be a great occasion for the government to collect big revenue if it perceives the importance of the event."

It might be a few days before the public learns the local time for telecast as Ad Avenues is yet to strike deal with a TV channel.

"We are ready to air with preliminary World Cup package," Rajkarnikar said. "We are waiting for NTV, who are unfortunately acting laggard."

Govt readying to issue teachers’ licence

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 26 : In a bid to curb wide-spread discriminatory and unfair practices in recruiting teachers, the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) is soon to issue a compulsory teaching licence to an estimated 140,000 teachers currently serving at various schools in the country.

The government has recommended "teachers’ licensing system" in the newly passed Seventh Amendment to the Education Act, which has come into force from the first week of February.

The Act, which got the Royal ascent, has made obtaining the licence compulsory for teachers within six months of the Act coming into force. The licensing is the government’s response to widespread abuses in selecting teachers, as well as to control the growing menace of unscrupulous people getting teaching jobs through fake certificates.

Temporary licences will be issued initially for a period of six months for around 140,000 teachers currently serving at the school-level while permanent licences will be issued to all the teachers after going through a written examination, senior government officials said.

A meeting was held at the Ministry of Education and Sports today to discuss on the proposed distribution of teaching licences to teachers. Though it was not immediately clear when the temporary licences will be distributed initially but a source close to the Ministry said they will be distributed only after the formation of a three-member committee next week and after the inclusion of a new provision of teachers’ licence in the education regulation.

"Within a five-year period starting this year, all the teachers will be distributed teaching licences on a non-discriminatory and fair basis," said Laba Prasad Tripathee, Joint-Secretary at the Teachers’ Service Commission, which has been provided with the authority to issue teachers’ licences.

Tripathee, who is also the Director at the Primary Education Division, Department of Education, said the TSC has already readied a draft on teachers’ licensing which is intended to make teachers’ selection procedures more "performance-based and merit-based."

The newly enforced Education Act has accordingly called for a more transparent and competitive teachers’ selection exams, which has been widely accused of being biased and discriminatory. But the Teachers Associations say that they cannot rule out political influence in the TSC while issuing licenses.

Educationists hail the move of the government to issue licence as positive step while private boarding school organizations said the teachers are not happy about it saying it is difficult to implement in practice.

"Teaching licence is a positive move and the government has rightly decided to issue it," said Dr Rajendra Dhoj Joshi, an educationist.

"We are not opposed to the government endeavours to license the teachers but doubt practicability of such a measure," said Ramakanta Sapkota, General Secretary of Nepal National Teachers’ Association (NNTA). He also added that a separate autonomous body like a teacher training college or an academy should issue licences, if the licences are necessary at all.

TSC officials, meanwhile, say that the government has yet to constitute a committee to oversee the issuance of licences, raising fears of delays.

Sources close to the TSC also informed that the government will train 60 per cent of the total teachers in the category of temporary teachers currently teaching at various schools within a five-year period with the financial support of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Danida.

11 rebels shot dead in Achham

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KATHMANDU, Feb 26 : Soldiers of the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) on Monday gunned down at least 11 armed Maoists in several parts of Achham district, and recovered 10 guns, spare parts, socket bombs and combat uniforms from the sites of encounter, a press statement issued by the Defence Ministry said here today. The Ministry, however, gave no details of the areas where the rebels were killed.

The security forces have built up ‘blocking positions’ in several exit points of Achham, where the rebels had killed more than 140 persons, mostly soldiers and policemen in Mangalsen, the district headquarters of Achham, and a nearby airport on February 17.

The Ministry said that the forces have cordoned off a large part of Achham district to hunt down the rebels who had fled in small groups to nearby Kalikot and Dailekh districts after the February 17 attack. It is learnt that the army has also shut off food supply to the rebels.

The statement said that two more Maoists were killed in the Lekgaon area of Surkhet three days ago. It added that security forces took three armed rebels into custody along with arms and explosives in the far-eastern district of Paanchthar on Monday.

Meanwhile, a group of armed rebels on Monday knifed to death an ex-RNA serviceman, Changa Bahadur Khadka, at his home in Arubari of Gorkha district, said the Ministry.

On Monday evening, the rebels severely beat the Headmaster of Bhairab Janata Higher Secondary School, Tilakram Poudel, at Bhirabsthan of Palpa district. The victim was airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment on Tuesday, the Ministry added.

Meanwhile, in its strongly worded press statement issued today, the central office of the ruling Nepali Congress condemned the Maoists for the killings of its two active cadres in Dhanusha and Kanchanpur districts. Laxman Yadav of Paterwa VDC-9 in Dhanusha was killed six days ago while Nirmal Kumar Ojha of Krishnapur VDC-7 in Kanchanpur was hacked to death four days ago.

Deuba seeks int’l support for hydro development

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KATHMANDU, Feb 26 : The first South Asia Water Forum kicked off here Tuesday. More than 200 representatives from various non-governmental organisations, mainly from the South Asian region, have converged for the meet, which is discussing water issues so as to create a common vision for sustainable development of water resources in the region.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba opened the forum, calling on the world community to help Nepal develop water resources and harness hydropower potentials.

"Nepal wants self-sustained and export-oriented development of hydropower," a desperate Deuba said after formally opening the three-day meet. "And for that we want to induce more international support."

Addressing the function, Margaret Catley Carlson, the Chairperson of Global Water Partnership (GWP) shed light on the need to forge global partnership for water resources development and management for, among others, poverty reduction sustainable development.

She also called on Nepal to work together with the GWP, while emphasising the "need to change the way we look at water."

K Hiroki, the Vice General Secretary of the third World Water Forum presented highlights of the Forum, which is scheduled to be held in Japan in March, 2003, and called for greater attention to address critical water issues.

Dr Binayak Bhadra of the Jalsrot Vikas Samstha (JVS), one of the organisers of the meet, emphasised the need for greater cooperation among the South Asian nations to harness hydropower potentials.

According to him, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan together have a potential for 150,000 megawatts of hydropower, out of which only five percent or less have been harnessed.

BP Daibagya, the JVS General Secretary welcomed the delegates, and the JVS Chairman Dr JL Karmacharya presented the programme highlights. More than 80 working papers are being presented in the meet.

Nepal Water Partnership (NWP) and the JVP are jointly hosting the meet, with support from the GWP and the South Asian Technical Advisory Committee (SASTAC).

SAC sub-committee report praises army role

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KATHMANDU, Feb 26 : The emergency monitoring sub -committee instituted by the State Affairs Committee submitted its final report on Bhakundebeshi and Salyan mayhems to the committee lauding the role of the Royal Nepal Army in quelling Maoist " terrorists" in recent days.

The committee has asked the government to manage the night vision helicopters at the earliest considering the changing strategy of the " terrorists" and topographic inconvenience.

The sub-committee led by member of the committee, Pradip Gyawali, has also suggested the government to arrange for supporting the civilian police in the district headquarters through armed police or RNA troops.

Hridayaram Thani, another member of the committee, asked the government to provide the police sophisticated weapons. "It is injustice to ask them to fight the " terrorists" equipped with SLRs and LMGs with their outdated 303 rifles", Thani said.

Mahendra Pande, another member of the committee, suggested that the police be trained properly before making them well equipped.

Prakash Jwala informed the committee of alleged involvement of the foreigners in the Salyan attack. " There were two unique faces in the Shitalpati area sometimes before the mayhem took place", Jwala said, quoting villagers.

In its report on the Bhakundebeshi, the sub-committee has pointed out the information failure and wrong estimation of possible attacks. The army reportedly told the sub-committee that they were puzzled that night with the information coming from the police sources.

Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka admitted that the police was not well equipped to fight the " terrorists but the armed police and RNA have been deployed to protect the district headquarters and support the civilian police".

"The government has not decided to provide the civilian police with more weapons," Khadka informed the committee.

Replying to a question, Minister Khadka said that releasing the arrested persons under political pressure was difficult as there were reports that close relatives of ruling parties were also involved in terrorist activities. "They will be released after scrutiny."

The SAC decided to send the reports on emergency presented by the sub-committee to the Prime Minister and concerning ministers for necessary action.

The committee also showed concerns over the Home Minister’s delay to inform the committee about the ground of transferring the staff of National Investigation Department (NID) to Nepal Police and Special Police Department. Minister Khadka declined to reveal the NID regulations terming it "secret". The committee also showed grave concerns over a letter coming from Ministry of General Administration regarding the relocation of the officials willing to join the ministry from Parliament Secretariat, saying it irresponsible.

New impeachment bill on the anvil

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KATHMANDU, Feb 26 : Parliamentary State Affairs Committee (SAC) today presented its report at the House of Representatives allowing the government to withdraw Anti-Corruption and CIAA Second Amendment Bills with a view to introduce new bills.

But the opposition parliamentarians still suspect the government’s motive. "The Home Minister has deceived us saying that the government has prepared a separate bill on impeachment procedures and three bills would be ready at the same time," member of parliament Mahendra Bahadur Pande said, adding, "The process has begun only for Anti-Corruption and CIAA (Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority) bills."

Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka, informing the SAC today, said that the Impeachment Bill was still lingering at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

"The new bills will draw fewer disputes compared to the pending bills," Minister Khadka had told the SAC meeting few weeks ago. He had said that the bills would be presented after holding consultation with the Chief Justice, CIAA chief and Law Reforms Commission."

As the row grew over bringing the Judges of the Supreme Court under the jurisdiction of CIAA, the committee could not reach to a conclusion and the erstwhile chairperson of the committee had to resign.

Nepal’s Constitution has a provision of trial against the lower court judges but there is no provision of filing cases against the Supreme Court justices.

A committee led by a senior justice of the Supreme Court Laxman Prasad Aryal has recommended a draft of impeachment bill. The bill, which has determined the procedures of impeaching SC justices, is expected to bring the row to an end.

But the verbal war between judiciary and the legislature, which had created a situation of withdrawing the bills from the parliament in the past, is apparent even today.

"If the new impeachment law intends to grant immunity to certain officials, we oppose it," said CPN (UML) lawmaker and SAC member Pradip Kumar Gyawali. The new bills should not keep the chiefs of the constitutional bodies and the justices of the Supreme Courts above the law, he said.

But the justice claim that once the draft of the new Impeachment Bill is approved by the parliament, the justices would not remain above the parameter of law. "We have no intention of keeping the judges above the law," Aryal said.

The parliamentarians assail the judiciary for intervening in the legislative process through public speeches. "They have made public comments on the bills while they are under consideration of the committees with a view to affecting the process," Gyawali alleged.

The newly drafted CIAA (Second Amendment) Bill has proposed to establish National Surveillance Center (NSC) under the Prime Minister’s Office.

The objective of this center is to take initiatives to stop possible irregularities and recommend the CIAA and Special Police Department for necessary action. "But the center cannot take action against its superior officials," Gyawali claimed.

The provision of Corruption Control Tribunal with a status of a constitutional body has been taken as most significant achievement of the new CIAA (Second Amendment) Bill. "But the provisions envisaged in the new bills seem to be lenient as the penalty determined by previous laws have been reduced to three months - one year from 2- 6 years," said Pande.

Gyawali said that some provisions in the newly drafted bills need to be corrected. "The burden of proof should be laid on the accused and the departmental action (internal action) should be made obligatory, which lacks in the bill," he added.

Nepal braces for tough negotiation to end trade impasse

By Bijaya Ghimire

New Delhi, Feb 26 : Though India has been softer at the political level, the trade talks between Nepal and India that begins here Wednesday is likely to be a tough negotiation due mainly to sudden rise in the export of four items including vegetable ghee, which India has put into "export surge".

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is learnt to have requested his Indian counterpart to help in renewing the Nepal-India Trade Treaty, which was to expire on December 5, 2001 and was extended by three months.

India had told Nepal that undue advantage of the extension of the treaty should not be taken. However, massive increase in the export of vegetable ghee to India during the period, which touched Rs 30 million in a single day recently, has irked India, it is learnt.

Therefore, there is remote possibility of extending the Treaty, as the Indian Prime Minister’s Office is also not satisfied with the latest development, says the source.

According to a source at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, efforts will be made to find amicable solution to value addition, but the percentage could be different depending upon goods. Percentage of value addition on vegetable ghee is likely to go up.

But India had indicated of lowering the value addition slab to 35 per cent and Nepal hinted at scaling up to 25 per cent during the fifth round of talks held in Kathmandu. However, the total export of the four items put into "export surge" is just 14 per cent. Nepal has been exporting 184 different goods to India.

However, as the expiry of the treaty is approaching nearer, both sides are making efforts to end the deadlock this time.

Royal Nepalese Ambassador to India, Dr Besh Bahadur Thapa says the negotiation would be tougher. Though India has been a little bit more liberal towards Nepal on bilateral trade, it is not significant in keeping with the spirit of the Nepal-India Trade Treaty of 1996. Trade has been competitive globally and we should formulate our economic strategies accordingly, he adds.

An agreement was reached at foreign minister level with India three years ago on waiving quarantine fee on agricultural products and export duty on primary goods, but they continue even today. Therefore, reaching to an agreement is not enough, he further says.

The treaty was signed in 1996 with an objective of making the bilateral trade sustainable by reducing Nepal’s trade deficit with India, but India wants to renew the treaty purely on commercial basis. We should understand it, he warns.

India has totally forgotten that the Nepali market is also equally important for it. The treaty has not only benefited Nepal, but also India by virtue of which the export of Indian goods to Nepal has increased significantly, he says.

"India’s views to the treaty has been negative for the past three years, but we have made a mistake. We could not understand it and bring change in our treatment and policy. We should give up the notion of getting benefit through understanding. The market force will guide the economy in the days ahead", he suggests.

Nepali entrepreneurs and representative of Royal Nepalese Embassy here held talks with Indian State Minister for Commerce and Industry Rajiv Pratap Rudhi on the trade treaty and Nepal-India economic relations, on the eve of the sixth round of trade talks being held between the two countries.

Going by the talks held here today, it seems that the trade talks would be fruitful, said one of the participants, talking to The Kathmandu Post.

UML task force for drafting bill

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KATHMANDU, Feb 26 : The main opposition CPN-UML today constituted a five-member task force to give final shape to the draft of Bill on constitutional amendment.

The task force constituted under the convenorship of UML Standing Committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari includes Subas Nembang, Radha Krishna Mainali, Pradeep Nepal and Bhim Rawal as members.

Prior to tabling the Bill to the ongoing 21st session of the parliament, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) had already garnered support from the government as well as the ruling Nepali Congress. The UML has also started consultations with other small parties regarding the constitutional amendment.

The task force was formed by the UML Standing Committee meeting held in the party office today.

According to a UML source, the task force will commence its work right from Wednesday and will try to table the bill in the parliament within a week.

The UML has been raising the issue of putting the provision of an interim government to conduct the general elections in the Constitution. The main opposition has also been seeking a constitutional remedy to check the rampant corruption, among others.

Oppn MPs rap justice’s remarks

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KATHMANDU, Feb 26 : Lawmakers of the main opposition CPN-UML today came down heavily against remarks reportedly made Sunday by a senior Supreme Court judge and criticized him for impinging upon parliament’s privilege.

Speaking in the House of Representatives Tuesday, the UML lawmakers accused senior judge Laxman Prasad Aryal of unnecessarily intruding the parliamentary jurisdiction and trying to influence it.

"The constitution (of the kingdom of Nepal 1990) has given rights to amend constitution to parliament," UML lawmaker Prem Bahadur Singh said. He demanded that warnings be issued to the non-politicians who make such comments.

Added another UML lawmaker Prakash Jwala: "Even the government, the ruling party has agreed to the main opposition party’s proposal to amend constitution, but now different conspiracies are underway. Are judges allowed to speak on political issues or not?"

Justice Aryal, who was also a member of the present constitution drafting committee, at an interaction programme on Sunday warned politicians against tinkering with the constitution. But he suggested that such moves should be forthcoming according to public opinion.

The lawmakers also reminded of similar moves from judges when a parliamentary committee was contemplating presenting a Bill to empower the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), the constitutional anti-corruption body, during the last session of parliament.

Meanwhile, replying to queries from the lawmakers of Achham, Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka informed the House that the government was working to bring back normalcy in Mangalsen, the district headquarters, and Sanphebagar. A few makeshift houses would be built there to house the government offices, Khadka added.

More than 130 government security persons were mowed down by an army of Maoist rebels in the towns just after midnight on February 17. They also bombed and set fire to most of the government office buildings there.

Chitra Bahadur KC of the Nepal People’s Front (NPF) drew the government’s attention to an incident in Kanchanpur district. KC claimed that a group of security persons misbehaved with a female worker of the NPF by asking her to undress.

Minister Khadka assured that stringent action would be taken against those involved.

MPs denied entry at main gate

Two lawmakers of the ruling Nepali Congress party expressed shock Tuesday after security personnel stationed at the main gate of Singha Durbar reportedly refused to allow them.

In a press release issued late Tuesday, lawmakers Suresh Malla and Pushkar Nath Ojha has denounced what they feel is a conspiracy against them.

"The security guards did not allow us in even after seeing our badges," the duo said. "We feel that this is an attack on lawmakers’ privilege guaranteed by the constitution."

The main gate of Singha Durbar was closed for general public last year due to security reasons. However, ministers, lawmakers senior government officials and foreign dignitaries are allowed to enter the premises which also houses most of the government offices.