16 more rebels killed in Rolpa 
Army destroys two ‘bunkers’ in Lisne Lek

By Moti Poudel in Surkhet and Surya Biswokarma in Pyuthan

May 6:The government’s security forces continuing their search operations against the outlawed insurgents gunned down 16 more rebels destroying two "bunkers" dug deep into the Lisne Lek area bordering Rolpa and Pyuthan districts on Monday. The rebels had built these bunkers as their shelters and base camp since they announced the so-called "People’s War" seven years ago.

The security officials involved in the biggest ever operation against the rebels said the rebels fled the Lisne Lek area in small groups along with remaining firearms towards the neighbouring districts of Rukum, Pyuthan and Banglung. The security forces have reportedly seized some arms and ammunition from the area.

The security sources also claimed that some senior Maoist leaders, including Nanda Kisor Pun a.k.a Pasang and Post Bahadur Bogati, are still within the security cordons. The government has stuck price tags against Pasang and Bogati among others.

The security forces have blocked all possible escape routes from the Lisne Lek area for the last five days.

"The operation might wound up in two or three days," a senior official said on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, local administration in Pyuthan has restricted the flow of dry foods and cereals in an attempt to bar rebel Maoists from laying their hands on badly needed foodstuffs.

According to an announcement throughout Pyuthan district today by the local administration, dry foods such as biscuits, noodles, beaten rice, and cereals have been restricted throughout the district.

The restrictions apply until the next notification by the local administration. A notice of such restriction was issued to the local chamber of Industry and Commerce warning it against selling such foodstuffs around the district.

Earlier, such foodstuff could be sold or transported in the district upon the recommendation of the local chamber of Industry and Commerce.

The restrictions are clearly aimed at starving the Maoists whose food supply is dwindling. Sources say, large amounts of rice and other grain have already been confiscated by security forces from Maoist hideouts.

In yet another report from Rolpa, the security forces have captured 18 buffaloes, four cows, two oxen and 1,000 sets of plates from Fokli area. In their continuing search operations, the forces have also traced out the remains of a dozen buffaloes or cows to have been slaughtered by the rebels in Fokli area just a few days ago.

Emergency extension in doubt

By Yuvraj Acharya

KATHMANDU, May 6: With only 18 days remaining for the state of emergency to expire, the government has still not announced its intention to call a parliamentary session, sending strong signals that it might not be interested in extending the emergency.

The emergency, which was first imposed on November 26 last year and extended for three months in late February, expires on May 24. It needs at least a two-thirds majority in parliament to extend it for another six months. But according to regulations, parliamentary due process requires at least 20 days to approve a motion of extension.

That time has passed by two days. Moreover, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is currently on a visit to the US and UK, is not expected back home for a week. In his absence, a date for calling a parliamentary session cannot be fixed. By the time he returns, there will be even less time to call a session to debate the emergency before it expires.

All this is leading many observers here to conclude that the government may not seek further extension of the emergency.

Even Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka today told The Kathmandu Post that the government had not yet given thought to the extension. "We have not done any homework yet," he said.

Members of the parliamentary State Affairs Committee also have doubts whether the government will seek an extension. "We have been told by senior army officers that extension is not necessary to continue army operations against rebel Maoists," Pradip Gyawali, a SAC member who toured the western Maoist areas yesterday, said.

"The Terrorist and Destructive Activities (Control and Punishment) Act is enough to quell the Maoists and the emergency is no more needed," he said quoting senior army officers.

However, one avenue remains for lawmakers to call a short-notice House session. At least a quarter of the 205 lawmakers can directly petition King Gyanendra to summon a special parliamentary session. However, that appears highly unlikely in the current political climate.

High Asia Summit 2002 kicks off in capital

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KATHMANDU, May 6: About a hundred researchers, development experts and policy-makers from 15 countries have converged in the capital for a five-day Asia regional meet, which focuses on mountain developmental issues.

Environment Minister P.L. Singh Monday inaugurated the High Asia Summit, which is being held to mark International Year of Mountains 2002.

The brainchild of the Italian Committee for the International Year of Mountains, the summit will be the first simultaneous, electronically connected global conference on mountain issues. Mountain development issues are also being discussed simultaneously in Nairobi (Kenya), Milan (Italy) and Mendoza (Latin America), according to the organisers.

The Summit aims to facilitate trans-boundary cooperation, exchange of ideas, and help frame policies that recognise the importance of protecting mountain environments through sustainable development of mountain areas and communities.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Dr Harka Gurung, Scientific Advisor of the Summit, said, "There is a need, now more than before, to devise and implement concrete programmes to address chronic poverty of mountain communities."

Other experts, during Monday’s technical session, called for effective measures to protect and better-manage the watershed areas across the Himalayan foothills to protect populations from landslides, flood and other natural calamities and to ensure sustainable development of mountainous areas.

The Kathmandu Summit will come up with a regional policy document and a policy document with scientific guidelines on the future development of mountain areas in Asia in preparation of the Global Mountain Summit in Bishkek, Krygyzstan in October-November this year.

The results of the Kathmandu summit, according to Dr Gabrial Campbell, Director General of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), which is hosting the event, will be presented to the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Asia and Pacific Regional ministerial Conference in Kathmandu on May 15.

The meet will kick-start a consultation process that will ensure stronger support for the adoption of appropriate mountain development, according to the organisers. This is the first time such an internet-video-conference has been conducted in Kathmandu. The plenary sessions of the conference can be viewed live through www.asiahs.org.

CBS data show severe economic slowdown
GDP growth lowest in 18 years

By Prem Khanal

KATHMANDU, May 6:Rising security problems and slowdown in economic activity have dragged down Nepal’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for the current fiscal year to less than one percent – the lowest in the past 18 years.

According to preliminary estimates by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), GDP growth rate for fiscal year 2001/02 has tumbled to 0.76 per cent against a projected growth rate of 2.5 per cent. The numbers, which are yet to be unveiled officially, show a marked decline from last year’s 4.71 per cent growth rate. Two years ago, Nepal’s GDP grew by 6.14 per cent.

The CBS findings, however, does not correspond with similar data put out by the Asian Development Bank in its recent Asian Development Outlook, and by ESCAP. Their projections for this year though less than last year’s are still higher than the CBS findings.

According to the CBS, the crash is mainly attributed to poor performance in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, and also to the deteriorating security environment in Nepal.

The growth of agricultural sector, which contributes around 38 percent to the GDP and comprises 76 per cent economically active population, has slipped to 1.72 per cent against a projected 2.10 per cent. Similarly, the non-agriculture sector also suffered dramatically, recording just a meagre 0.15 per cent growth. The areas that suffered the most were manufacturing and trade, restaurant and hotel sector which recorded the first-ever negative growth of over minus 5 percent.

As a result of record low GDP growth, the CBS projects that the per capita income of Nepalis will record a marginal growth. As per the estimation, the per capita income is expected to grow just to touch Rs 18,477 (about US $ 240) against last year’s Rs 18,150.

Also, for the first time in post-democratic era, gross domestic saving is expected to shrink by 6.37 per cent due mainly to the ballooning unemployment as a result of poor performance of the agricultural and other labour intensive non-agricultural sectors.

Similar decline was observed in 1989/90 as a result of trade and transit dispute between Nepal and India. However, the total investment is estimated to register a nominal growth of 1.64 per cent. As a result, the saving investment gap is expected to widen to 10.5 per cent of the GDP against last year’s 9.6 per cent.

The dismal GDP growth for this year, which is the last year of Ninth Plan, has also become the lowest GDP growth rate of the entire Plan period. The Ninth Plan, which set poverty alleviation as the only objective, has missed its target of achieving average annual growth rate of 6 per cent. Now, the average growth rate during the Plan period will remain at 3.86 per cent, the CBS data shows. The budget for the current fiscal year has also expected the economy to grow at 6 per cent.

On the nine sector-wise performances of the GDP, hydropower, gas and water sector stood as the only sector to record double digit growth of almost 15 per cent, thanks to completion of 144 MW Kali Gandaki and 60 MW Khimti power projects, among others. However, due to its nominal weight in the GDP, its role in uplifting the growth rate is limited.

Similarly, the low growth rate in the agricultural sector, which holds the heavy weight of around 38 per cent in the GDP, is mainly attributed to unfavourable monsoon, especially in the eastern region. Among the major monsoon crops, paddy is expected to register a negative growth rate, while the growth forecast for millet and maize are also nominal.

Similarly, propelled by sharp slowdown seen in the major exportable goods, manufacturing sector registered a negative growth rate of 5.88 per cent against the projection of 2 per cent and 3.60 per cent achieved during last year.

Likewise, the sharp downturn of the tourism sector has been clearly reflected in the negative growth rate of almost 7 per cent in trade, restaurant and hotels sector whereas such growth in the last two fiscal years were 2.74 per cent and 6.76 per cent respectively. On the other hand, the transport and communications sector is forecasted to register a slow growth of 0.72 per cent, mainly due to the shrinking industrial activities.

Similarly, finance and real estate sector’s growth is expected to be 2.73 per cent while community and social sector is also expected to plunge to 3.2 per cent against 15.01 per cent recorded last year.

20 more rebels on ‘wanted’ list

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KATHMANDU, May 6:The heat is turning on the activists of the rebel outfit the Maoist. And intensifying by the day. This becomes all the more evident from additional 20 committed rebels entering the "wanted list" of the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) on Monday.

Referring to government decision to reward all those who contribute in the arrest of the dreaded terrorists "dead" or "alive," names of fresh "wanted" activists of the rebel outfit were read out along with their mugshots in a fortnightly television programme run by Royal Nepalese Army on Monday.

Those who appeared on the army’s "wanted" list are Bam Dev Chhetri, Netra Bikram Chand, Santosh Buda, Hisila Yami, Ram Sharan Chaudhari alias Sagar, Ram Prasad Sharma, Matrika Yadav, Jaya Puri Khatri alias Nahura, Janardan Sharma and Hitman Shakya.

Similarly, others include Hemanta Prakash Oli, Haribol Gajurel, Govind Upreti, Shakti Bahadur Basnet alias Sameer Pun, Purna Bahadur Gharti, Mani Thapa, Lokendra Bista, Khadga Bahadur BK alias Prakanda, Bhakta Bahadur Saha and Narayan Prasad Sharma.

Watching the footage of destruction to infrastructure left behind by the rebels gives an impression bordering on the macabre. The rebels have tended to pass on all the indication of the destructive force.

The army has referred to the dangerous trend of attacking the power station and airports, among others. Something which points out at their desperation is that they leave their dead behind in all neglect. Footage showed it all at a number of places.

The trail of destruction left behind by the rebels is made up by the rising number of arrests and instances of rebels giving up themselves. The footage depicted local leaders of the mainstream political parties in Rukum flaying the rebels for the trail of destruction.

What’s encouraging is army personnel are recording successes against the rebels in the combing operation in a number places. Footage also showed how rebels rape young women and intimidate local population and hold militia meeting given the opportunities.

‘Nepal’s 90 per cent women still give birth at home’

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KATHMANDU, May 6:Nearly 90 per cent of women in Nepal still deliver their babies at home without the care of a trained birth attendant, pushing the risk of infant and maternal mortality rates to greater heights.

The Health Ministry today unveiled a report, which states that 89 percent of women in the country still give birth at home due to lack of knowledge and utilisation of health services, especially post natal care.

Nepal has one of the world’s lowest percentages of births delivered with the assistance of a health professional at 13 percent.

Health Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari, commenting on the particular finding, said, "With nearly 90 percent women still delivering babies at home, we have now learnt that a majority of women are still unaware of the health services provided by the government."

The Ministry has now proposed to open birth incentive and care centres in all the 205 constituencies of the country keeping in mind a huge number of unaware women, Minister Singh informed.

The Ministry released the "2001 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS)," which was done with the financial assistance of USAID.

The report is based on interviews with 8,726 women aged 15-49 and 2,261 men aged 15-59 from all over the country, according to Dr. B.D. Chataut, Chief Specialist at the Health Ministry.

The report covers Nepal’s last 15 years of status on education, women’s employment and status, population and household living conditions with other general aspects of health sector.

The survey shows that despite recent improvement in the awareness on HIV/AIDS, only one in two women and seven in 10 men have heard of the dreaded disease in 2001, said Dr. Laxmi Raj Pathak, Director General of the Health Department. "Only one third of Nepal’s women, which comprises more than half the country’s 23.1 million population, knew of condom use as a way to avoid HIV/AIDS."

In view of the increasing prevalence cases, the report figured out the need for more effective ways to create awareness on the disease.

However, the report also shows the brighter side of development in the health sector with a marked reduction in the country’s total fertility rate as per the average number of children born to a Nepali woman in her lifetime. The 2001 NDHS report states that the fertility rate in Nepal has declined from 5.1 in 1984 to 4.1 in 2000 - a decline of nearly 20 percent.

But Nepal’s fertility rate still remains highest in comparison to other South Asian countries. Among various factors contributing to this decline is a very significant increase in the current contraceptive use, from 15 percent to 39 percent among non-pregnant women aged between 15 -49 over the same period.

Another factor influencing the fertility levels in Nepal is the decline in marriage among young people. The study has found a change in the marriage patterns, as 26 percent of women aged between 15-19 were unmarried in 1961 whereas today, the figure has risen to 60 percent.

The survey also shows that during the last 15 years, infant mortality rate (IMR) has decreased from 103 to 64 deaths per thousand live births, a decline of 38 percent.

The IMR reduction can be attributed in part to the increased proportion of children who are fully immunized by the age of one year, which rose from 36 percent to 60 percent over the past five years, as well the Vitamin A supplementation of 81 percent coverage.

Rebecca Rohrer, Director, Office of Health and Family Planning of USAID said, "Nepal, in the last five years, has achieved so much in health sector that no other South Asian countries have done."

Pilot’s overconfidence caused Fishtail Air accident: Report

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KATHMANDU, May 6:An investigation commission formed to probe the helicopter crash, in which Her Royal Highness Princess Prekshya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah was killed last November, has pointed out "pilot’s overconfidence" as a primary reason behind the accident.

The pilot of the ill-fated chopper had attained significant achievements in very short span of time that developed overconfidence in him, which turned out to be a disaster that day, members of the committee said today at a function organised to unveil the report.

Chief of the seven-member investigation committee Krishna Ram Shrestha submitted the report to Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur KC today.

"The Fishtail Air helicopter crashed in the Rara Lake within a minute it took off from the heli-pad near the lake on November 12 last year, killing four out of six persons on board. The government had formed the investigation committee after two days of the accident.

The pilot violated the international norms and flew the chopper without maintaining the safe height over water," the report said. "The primary cause of the accident is the application of wrong flight procedure by not maintaining the safe height over water even after acquiring transitional lift and sufficient airspeed."

The chopper carried out a right bank towards the middle of the lake while flying low, which resulted in an increase in load factor with an apparent rise in the gross weight and simultaneous decrease in vertical component of total rotor thrust, according to the findings. "As its consequence, the helicopter started to drift down too close to water surface, which the pilot could not notice due to illusion of depth perception and it continued its descent with right-bank until it finally plunged into the lake."

Shrestha said that before deriving the final conclusions, the committee had a detailed investigation on three different factors: human factor, mechanical factor and the aviation factor. "The report has been finalised incorporating all the separate reports of this investigation," he added.

As the findings suggested that the engine of the helicopter was undergoing its scheduled check-ups and was functioning normally before it got crashed, the possibility of mechanical factor behind the accident can be ruled out, said Om Bahadur Shrestha, one of the members of the committee.

Receiving the report, Minister KC said that the government would implement the recommendations of the committee and avoid such accidents in the future. "As the main components, both the engine and pilot’s body could not be retrieved the current report had to base solely on the statements of eyewitnesses and survivors," he added.

The Fishtail Air had bought the 1990-made French helicopter from Philippines in 1999.

CPN-UML meeting underway

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KATHMANDU, May 6:The CPN-UML central committee meeting on Monday expressed serious concern at the current turn of events surrounding the country.

The party is expected to come to a definite opinion on current political issues once the meeting comes to an end on Tuesday.

Presenting the political report General Secretary of the party Madhav Kumar Nepal reportedly argued that the only way out the current crisis was the "collective" efforts coming from all the parties in parliament.

The party has been all along suggesting the "collective approach" to overcome the crisis which eventually means forging a broad national democratic alliance. "The party must play a definitive role so that the country can overcome the crisis and move ahead," the press release issued by the party said.

Although the final decision on the issue of CPN-UML joining the other parties in "collective effort" is likely to be arrived at the end of the meeting on Tuesday, whatever came from Nepal on Monday is likely to be adopted by the party considering the hold he has over the outfit.

Nepal also stressed the need to implement the progressive economic and social package aimed at improving the lot of the majority of the masses before the nation can expect to embark on a peaceful path.

Similarly, he also stressed the need to pave way for suitable and admissible changes in the Constitution so that the rebels can be expected to give up arms and join the political mainstream.

Nepal once again reiterated his point of view that the Maoists must lay down arms if they expect to talk up the issues. He urged the ruling establishment to keep the option of talks open. Monday’s meeting saw nearly 16 incharges of the party presenting their report. The discussion on the political report which came from Nepal is expected to commence tomorrow.

Compel Maoists to resume talks, Koirala tells govt

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BHAIRAHAWA, May 6:President of the ruling Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala has said it is the right time to compel the Maoists to resume talks with the government.

"The Maoists are now isolated and have faced hatred in the international community," Koirala said while addressing a function here. He also suggested the government to take advantage of the Maoists’ weakness by bringing the Maoists back to the table.

Koirala warned of the possibility of foreign interference if the present situation of stalemate lasted for long. "Nepal can turn into a play ground for the foreign powers if all the democratic forces did not create pressure on the Maoists to resume talks," he added.

The former Prime Minister also challenged the Maoists to kill the persons like him instead of killing the innocent people living in villages.

Nepali Congress and the monarchy are undeletable institutions, as they are the only forces deep-rooted in the hearts of Nepali people.

Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka in Kathmandu once again ruled out the possibility of peace talks with the Maoist "terrorists" saying that they have made inexcusable crimes against the Nepalese people.

Minister Khadka said the government can not hold talks with the Maoists until and unless they totally disarm themselves and surrender all the arms looted from different army barracks and police posts. "They must apologise before the general public for their sins," he added.

Khadka was speaking today at a convocation ceremony of the 113th batch of Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police at the National Police Academy in the capital.

More rebels killed in security operation

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KATHMANDU, May 6:The Defence Ministry today claimed another 21 Maoist deaths and the capture of a large cache of arms and ammunition in continuing operations in several districts.

In a press statement issued today, the Ministry said that 12 rebels were killed in mid-west Rolpa district—nine in Majhim area and three others in Siuri area on Monday. Three others were shot dead in an encounter with the security forces in Devisthan area of Myagdi district while two rebels each were killed in Aru Chanaute area of Gorkha and Mudiya area of Nawalparasi districts. Likewise, one rebel each was killed in Kota of Tanahun and Seri area of Mugu.

The Defence Ministry press statement said that all the slain rebels were active members of the terrorist-declared Maoist organisation. Some of them were known as Bhanjyang, Amar, Jyoti, Arpan, Asha and Himali.

Our reporter in Gorkha said that two women rebels were killed in an army action. They are believed to be the members of the Maoist-formed People’s Government and they were involved in attacking a number of government facilities in the past. They have been identified as Maitimaya Praja of Makai Singh VDC and Mira Shrestha of Baguwa VDC.

The statement further added that some conscious youths who were forced or tempted to join the rebel organisation have voluntarily started extending their co-operation with the security forces by revolting against the Maoist leadership. They also repented of what they had done in the past.

According to the statement, some of the youths in Dang revolted against the Maoists by tipping-off the security forces about the cache of arms and explosives near Lamahi on Sunday. Likewise, four members of the so-called People’s Village Government of Rajma area of Rolpa have also surrendered to the security forces.