14 Maoists killed, 30 arrested in operation

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KATHMANDU, Jan 7:At least 14 Maoist "terrorists" were killed and 30 suspects arrested in the past two days across the country in the search and cordon operation launched by the joint security forces of Royal Nepal Army (RNA) and Armed Police Force (APF).

According to the press release issued here today by the Home Ministry, at least eight rebels were gunned down by the armed forces following a heavy exchange of fire in Soket Village Development Committee (VDC) of Achham district in mid west Nepal today.

Another Maoist fell to the security forces’ bullet in Sarlahi district, said the release. The slain Maoist has been identified as Ram Mukhiya. It is learnt that Mukhiya was shot dead when he tried to flee the security detention.

Meanwhile, Maoist rebels killed two civilians including the VDC Chairman of Khoplang VDC, Gorkha district. The deceased were identified as the VDC chairman Bhairab Raj Bista and Rishi Ram Devkota, a teacher at the secondary school, according to the release.

Similarly, issuing a press release here today, the Defence Ministry said that the security forces shot dead three rebels in Singha area of Myagdi district today in the morning following a clash. One more Maoist was gunned down in Chaya Chetra area of Salyan district on Saturday, added the release.

Army bomb disposal unit today diffused three banner bombs hung allegedly by the "terrorists" in Bhaktapur district today.

The release also said that armed forces in their drive to end the terrorism recovered large cache of arms, explosive materials and arrested 30 suspected rebels across the country on Sunday.

According to Siraha correspondent, security forces gunned down a rebel in Siraha district. The rebel was shot dead while attempting to flee the security detention. The slain was identified as Devi Paswan of Khriyani VDC of Dhanusa district.

HM accepts Samyak invitation

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KATHMANDU, Jan 7:His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev today accepted the invitation letter for attending the Samyak (a traditional Buddhist feast) on the occasion of Maghe Sakranti on January 14.

The Samyak is going to be organised at Bhuikhel (below the Swoyambhu Temple) at the initiative of the private sector for the first time in the last five decades.

The invitation letter was handed over to the King by Danpati of Kota Dhuku, Balaju Ringroad, Ram Kumari Manandhar. After handing over the letter, the Danpati and Bajracharyas had worshipped the King according to the Buddhist tradition.

It is stated in the letter that the Samyak is going to be organised for the world peace and welfare of the Nepalese. A group of people along with Dhime Baja and Gunla Baja (traditional bands) and Royal Nepal Army band had entered the Royal Palace to hand over the letter to the King.

According to the Buddhist tradition, idols of various gods and goddesses of the Kathmandu Valley including that of Lord Buddha of Swoyambhu will be assembled while organising the Samyak festival. Also the invitee gods for the festival are Manakamana Bhagwati of Gorkha, Vajrayogini of Sankhu, Khadga Jogini of Pharping, Namo Buddha of Kavre and Palanchowk Bhagwati Guheshworimai.

Earlier, similar festival was organised in 1951 at the presence of His Late Majesty King Tribhuvan.

Govt wins praise for successful summit

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KATHMANDU, Jan 7:The government today won kudos from various quarters for successfully organising the 11th SAARC summit.

During a face to face programme organised at the Reporter’s Club today spokesperson of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and former foreign minister Kamal Thapa, member of the National Assembly Ramesh Nath Pandey and former secretary general of SAARC Yadav Kant Silwal lauded the government for a successful summit.

All the speakers commended the government for successfully holding the summit at a time when relationship between the two nuclear neighbours was deteriorating and when Nepal itself was going through one of the worst phases in its history.

"Holding the summit at such a crucial time in itself is an achievement and more important factor is that Nepal has been successful in giving continuity to the process which had been stalled for almost three years," former secretary general of SAARC Silwal said.

Silwal lauded the inclusion of the vision of economic union, free trade and poverty alleviation and stress laid on quality education in the Kathmandu Declaration and said that it would have been better if there was a separate paragraph about tourism and human rights.

Upper House MP Ramesh Nath Pandey said that the 11th SAARC summit had posed opportunity as well as challenge for Nepal. "It is a big opportunity for us to lessen the tensions between India and Pakistan and to help successfully hold the 12th summit in Islamabad and to contribute to peace not only in the region but the whole world. But at the same time it is a great challenge and we don’t want to fail and see the situation which might spell out the end of SAARC," he added.

Pandey also stressed the need of steps to strengthen the SAARC secretariat.

While lauding the government for its achievement, former Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa was also critical of the Nepali government saying that Nepal could have done more to include the idea of "sub-regional growth quadrangle" in the Kathmandu Declaration. Thapa also said that since refugee problem was not anymore a bilateral issue it could be and had to be raised at the summit.

Finance Minister Dr Ram Saran Mahat, claiming that the 11th Summit was successful as a show and in substance, said that it was crucial in giving Nepal a positive publicity after a long time.

Mahat also claimed that since peace process between India and Pakistan had been initiated in Kathmandu and that it would be marked in history as an initiative for world peace.

Answering queries about expenses borne by Nepal for the summit, Mahat said that it was not exorbitant and that it would be made public after calculating the net expenditure.

When vested interests hijack HR platforms...

By Subas Risal

KATHMANDU, Jan 7:Lately, there has been a flurry of programmes organized by human rights bodies. While this might be par for the course since an emergency is in place, allegations are running rife that most of these programmes are being hijacked by vested interests from both the government and the opposition sides.

"Opposition parties are using these programmes to criticise the government, while the government uses these forums to get back at the opposition. That’s why we are seeing an increase in the number of programmes related to human rights," says Dr. Rajesh Gautam, Vice-Chairman of Human Rights Organisation of Nepal.

In the span of the last one month, the capital has seen almost 30 human-rights related interactions and workshops—at an average of one programme a day organised by NGOs and political parties, including the ruling Nepali Congress.

Many say that gaining political mileage is the main goal of most of these programmes. Says Daman Nath Dhungana, a senior advocate and a noted human rights activist, "Opposition parties are using these programmes as a forum to criticise the government. They are neither in favour of the emergency nor against it."

He says the opposition parties lack a clear vision, and seem to be a muddled lot. "They are organising these programmes just to show that they are with the people. They lack a clear vision. If human rights violations are to be checked then they should speak up clearly," says Dhungana.

Others contend that the government too is playing the same game. One human rights activist says the government is using these platforms to simply counter the opposition charges, and not for anything constructive. "The government is just being defensive in all these programmes, and all it says is that there has not been any infringement upon fundamental rights following the imposition of emergency across the country."

The constitutionally-sanctioned human rights body in the country, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), however, says these programmes are merely aimed at instilling awareness among the people since their fundamental rights have been suspended because of the emergency.

"There has been a rise in the formal programmes related to human rights," says Sushil Pyakurel, NHRC member. "These programmes are intended to send the message to the government about the real picture of the human rights situation in the country."

He, however, adds that the increase in the number of programmes is also because the government seems "least interested in listening to people’s concerns".

But the question of the credibility of these functions remains.