FNJ to elect its new leadership today

Post Report

KATHMANDU, May 13: Nearly 650 journalists have converged in the capital to participate in the 20th National Convention of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ). The two-day meet is to elect a new 17-member central executive body on Tuesday.

Altogether 68 journalists, including members of the FNJ associate bodies, have fielded their candidacies for the elections. Of them five are contesting for the post of President, 19 from the five development regions for the five different posts of Vice Presidents, three for the post of Secretary, and 27 for the post of Members.

Seven journalists from FNJ’s associates, journalism research and investigation organisations have also fielded their candidacies for the post of Members. Only three of them will be elected.

The polls will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel from 11:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. The contestants for the post of President are incumbent President Suresh Acharya, Subas Dhakal, Taranath Dahal (incumbent General Secretary), Devendra Gautam and Prabhu Narayan Basnet.

Ceasefire call: Genuine or attempt to test waters?

By Tilak Pokharel

KATHMANDU, May 13:There was a mild euphoria of a sort among the masses and political circles in the country after the Maoists’ dramatic month-long "cease-fire" that started on May 15.However, it fizzled out in just 24 hours, with the Maoist strongman Comrade Prachanda denying it.

Human rights activists and intellectuals are now pondering upon the dramatic "announcement and withdrawal of cease-fire" and what will happen next on the political platform of the country. "I have not understood anything about recent developments in the country," said Padma Ratna Tuladhar, a left-leaning analyst of the Maoist movement and a human rights activist.

"We all were hopeful about the restoration of peace in the country after the reports of Maoists’ offer for cease-fire came into light," Tuladhar told The Kathmandu Post. "But as reports suggest, it might be a ploy masterminded by an individual to challenge Nepali journalism."

Tuladhar, who was one of the two facilitators in the government-Maoist peace talks last year, lamented that human rights and pro-peace activists were frustrated after "a political section" made fun of the reported Maoists’ call, saying that they lost the war with government troops and wanted safe-landing. "Nobody took the call positively. It is not good for the future of the country," said Tuladhar.

And, a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), requesting anonymity, was quick to add, "Maybe the Maoists first sent their cease-fire offer to test the waters and later they got severe criticism as the government and political circle perceived it as a Maoists’ defeat. It was equally bad that the government and their allies mocked the Maoists that made the latter withdraw the peace process."

Nevertheless, former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana is very much cut up with media houses for publishing such reports without verifying its authenticity. "The journalists should take it as a serious lesson. By publishing the news, they have fooled all the people," said Dhungana, another facilitator in the failed peace talks.

He was adamant on the point that some people of the journalistic circle planted the ploy.

On Wednesday, an e-mail was sent to major media houses of the country saying that the Maoists were for a month-long unilateral cease-fire. But the following day, an influential Maoist leader Dina Nath Sharma in a telephone interview to the BBC ruled out the cease-fire offer from the Maoists and claimed that the Maoist militants were winning their battle against government troops.

In the interview to Hindi service of the BBC, Sharma had also said that the e-mail was "a conspiracy hatched by the Nepalese government".

However, there have also come claims from an individual having sent the "hoax" e-mail to the media. The e-mail sent to various media had said Friday that an e-mailed statement by Maoist leader Prachanda was a hoax. Both e-mails came from the same e-mail address. The writer, who identifies himself only as "Bikram" says in the second note written in Roman Nepali that he deliberately sent the hoax so that the media and the Maoists would both learn a lesson.

He has also said the journalists need to verify their sources before going public, and the Maoists had to be more careful about signing and authenticating their pronouncements.

Drama festival kicks off

Post Report

KATHMANDU, May 13:The Bal Krishna Sam Annual National Drama Festival 2059 began here today. The three-day festival will cover ten of Bal Krishna Sam’s dramas.

At the inaugural ceremony, Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture and Pro-Chancellor of the Royal Nepal Academy, Bal Bahadur K.C. recited a few lines from a drama written by Bal Krishna Sam.

Similarly, at the programme, the Vice-Chancellor of the Royal Nepal Academy, Mohan Koirala said, "Following the past tradition, this year once again, we have brought to the public the Drama Festival which has been dedicated to dramatist Bal Krishna Sam."

On the occasion, three dramas were performed. The first drama, entitled ‘Prahlad’ was enacted by the Aakhyan Kala Samuha from Kathmandu. The second drama, entitled ‘U Mareki Chhaina’ was performed by Kamal Gaule from Dang. Finally, the drama entitled ‘Talamathu’ was enacted by Salleri Yuwa Samuha from Salyan.

New programme on NTV

Post Report

KATHMANDU, May 13:A new programme on interior designing called the "Interior Journey" will be screened every Tuesday, 10.15 p.m. on Nepal Television, organisers said at a press conference here today.

The programme aims to focus on the latest interior designing trends in homes of Nepal by telecasting a house or a hotel in each episode. The programme also seeks to give special tips on house designs and architecture by architects and will also showcase a latest product available in the market.

"The programmes will cater to the taste of all people who wants to give a better look to their homes, offices, schools-hotels or restaurants," said Navin Joshi, the programme anchor.

The programme, as the organisers say, is the first of its kind in Nepal and is one of the productions of Himalayan Media.

NC to hold regional meetings

Post Report

KATHMANDU, May 13:The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to hold regional conferences of the party organisation in all the development regions from May 15 to June 14 . This was disclosed at the end of the meeting of the regional coordinators of the party on Monday.

According to the schedule announced, the conference of the eastern region will be held in Biratnagar through May 25-28 while the conference of the central development region will be held through May 28-29.

Similarly, while the conference of the party unit chiefs of the western region will be held through May 30-31, the gathering of the party office-bearers of the mid-western and far- western regions will be held through June 12-13 and July 11-12 respectively, the press release said.

The conference will be attended by convention delegates, the chairmen of the respective district unit of the party. In case the delegates fail to make their presence in the convention, the conferences will have to be attended by sitting Members of Parliament of the party, the chairmen of the District Development Committees (DDCs) and mayors of the respective municipality elected on party tickets.

The meeting of the regional development coordination committee held under the chairmanship of the party’s General Secretary Sushil Koirala has also decided to issue circular to conduct the district convention in all the districts which have not yet succeeded in holding the session.

Meanwhile, the annual session of districts like Parsa, Rautahat, Siraha, Sunsari, Jhapa and Morang has been scheduled for May 19, May 21, May 22, May 23, May 24 and May 25, respectively. The district session in other districts will be held before the regional conferences if possible, the press release issued on Monday said.

Tree felling assumes colossal proportion

Post Report

KATHMANDU, May 13 - Illegal tree felling and smuggling of timber has assumed colossal proportion in the Terai and interior regions as the country’s volatile situation of emergency has opened an excellent avenue for the black-marketing and smuggling of timber.

Taking chance of the situation,following the state of emergency, there has been an unprecedented rise in tree felling and smuggling of timber, a statement from the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation said.

"Exploiting the country’s volatile situation, illegal felling of trees and black-marketing activities have increased to a great extent in the recent months as thousands of cubic-meters of stolen wood have been uncovered in various districts of the Terai and the interior regions," said the Ministry statement.

At least 375 cubic feet of stolen wood has been recovered from Rautahat’s Haripur, Laxmipur, Brahmadev and Kanakpur villages. Some 1,825 cubic feet has been recovered from the forests of Kailali’s Belwadebipur and Patharaiya VDC.

Likewise, forest officials have found some six wheel-carts and eight dozens of bicycles used in ferrying chopped trees and logs in Parsa’s Uriyakhola area. About 370 cubic feet of Sal wood and firewood have been uncovered from the same area. The officials have also unearthed hundreds of cubic feet of Sal wood buried in the ground.

Taking advantage of the recent Nepal bandh, illegal fellers have chopped down at least 12 Sal trees worth 725 cubic feet of wood from near Manuwa Ranger Post and Barnihar of Parsa while in Chitwan district alone, at least 915 cubic feet of wood was found stolen from the forest during the bandh. In the Bara district, smugglers felled some 160 number of Sal trees at a single night. In a single range post of a VDC in Bara, 3.5 hectares of forest land has been cleared off during the recent Maoist-called five-day Nepal bandh. The Regional Forest Office in Simara has recovered 500 cubic feet of wood in Bara.

The officials have so far nabbed eight men in the act of illegal tree felling and smuggling timber and have handed them over to the concerned authority for necessary action but still many remain at large, said the statement.

The statement further said the District Forest Officials in each of the above districts have begun their search operation "vigorously" for all those behind illegal felling.

Forest officials in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and the Terai districts have begun their surprise site-visits and inspections of saw mills.

Taking utmost precaution that no tree is felled and smuggled further, the Ministry has announced the setting up of additional forest check-posts in about 12 potentially risky districts, where the ratio of smuggling and tree felling is one of the highest in the country.

Jhapa’s Barne, Sunsari’s Tarahara, Siaraha’s Lahan, Mahottari’s Bardibas, Bara’s Pathalaiya, Chitwan’s Tikauli and Narayangarh, Dhading’s Gajuri, Rupendehi’s Butwal, Kapilvastu’s Chanauta, Dang’s Bhalubang, Banke’s Kohalpur and Kailali’s Uttaraiya will have forest check posts in each of the escape points for smugglers to ensure that no illegal tree felling is carried on.

The Central Government and the Regional Forest Directorate have made special arrangements to continuously supervise and monitor the situation.

The District Forest Office, in collaboration with local administration and security forces thereof have started their vigorous search for all those behind the illegal felling of trees and smuggling of logs.

City population on the rise

RSS

KATHMANDU, May 13: The population density in the capital is rising rapidly because of political instability in the country and upheavals from time to time, according to a report.

The report, prepared recently by the Central Statistics Department of Tribhuvan University which reached out to the households at ward Nos 14 and 34 of the city, was made public here today.

Releasing the report, former minister for population and environment Prakash Man Singh said that if the population went on increasing rapidly at the present rate, it will have an adverse impact on the social and economic sector. therefore various physical infrastructures should be built in the valley, it concluded.

Kathmandu Mayor Keshav Sthapit said that if all political parties and civic society extended their cooperation, all the problems of the valley could be resolved within a year.

Head of the Central Statistics Department Dr. Mrigendra Lal Singh also expressed his views on the occasion.

It doesn’t matter whoever comes to power : Ram

Prem Dhakal

Ram Rizal, hailing from Nuwakot has been trying hard to plaster his future while plastering the buildings in the capital. Talking with The Kathmandu Post, Rizal reveals different spheres of his life and the ups and downs he came across for the past 38 years.

Born at Trishuli Municipality of Nuwakot district 38 years ago, Ram Rizal represents the common folks. He sports his bright smile even doing the most difficult of his works. You can find him humming folk songs in the sweetest of his tunes even when he is 50 feet above the ground, standing on a delicate support of bamboo-frame, plastering the outer walls of buildings. The songs that revive Wordsworth’s highland lass, that of Milton’s Skylark contain the Himalayan mellifluous.

He has never been to a school and cannot read and write. Nowadays he manages to write his name in the necessary documents. He earns his daily bread working as a mason on daily wage basis. He has been in the work for more than a decade. He learned his trade at Trisuli while helping the senior masons. Today he is the leader of his group and is doing his part of the duty training his helpers. He enjoys doing the trainer’s role and is actually proud to help his helpers learn the job. "I feel proud in teaching my helpers. They can at least earn their bread through their job in the future. Further, I am also helping the rich people by supplying manpower required to erect their buildings".

He says he has to cover long distance in search of work. Once, he finds a work, he’s engaged at the work for at least a month. He works on a daily-wage basis and earns Rs 200 a day. But the earning can hardly suffice him his needs as he spends many days in search of work. He lives in a rented room at Balaju with his wife. He has to pay Rs 1000 for his room and he struggles to sustain his living.

He also returns to his village to work on his fields during monsoon season.

"The income from agriculture is too small to be adequate to provide for us all year round," says the father of one.

His only son, who is 17, works as a mechanic. His son has passed sixth grade but had to flunk study after the death of his elder sister. There are conspicuous marks of gloom seen on his forehead while he mentions about his daughter. He doesn’t want to share that part of his life but still narrates, " She was such a lovely doll. I couldn’t take her to hospital ..........." words choked in his throat. "After the tragedy, my son also had to quit his study."

He doesn’t have any complaints about his life though. He tells, "There are many unfortunate Nepalis who struggle for food and clothes. I somehow manage to earn my basic needs. I can earn my living as long as I remain healthy."

He, however, is not satisfied with the current political situation in Nepal. Although he does not recognise any political leaders, he blames these leaders up to some extent are responsible for the current deteriorating situation in Nepal. He is much scared and furious at the same time with the Maoists who have been grisly killing people for no reasons.

"It doesn’t matter whoever comes to power. We have to do our work and we are happy doing our work, he fumes at the leaders in Nepal. Every day when he returns his home after the whole day’s tough work, he feels his heart throbbing with fear of bullets either from the Maoists or from the security personnel. "Each morning I leave my wife back uncertain of giving her evening kiss," says Ram with a grin.

"The government doesn’t stop us from going to work but the Maoists enforce bandh upon us. They deprive us of work by calling the frequent bandhs. Even if we find work during the bandhs, we can’t buy ration as the shops are closed. God knows what they (Maoists) are fighting for? But we don’t want to come on their way since I have heard they can hack any one and anywhere", quips Rizal.

Corruption puts Matihani Trust in crisis

Post Report

MAHOTTARI, May 13: The corrupt nature of ministers, representatives, political leaders and other high ranking officials has not even spared the religious sites and their property nationwide.

The evil tendency has threatened the existence of ancient temples and scores of traditional rituals related wtih the temples and other religious monuments, Ram Janam Chaudhari, the state minister for Land Reform said, after supervising the controversial Matihani State Trust area.

The trust used to be one among the trusts of the country that has the biggest treasure of land property but now it has been badly affected by encroachment by locals as well as the local political leaders.

He was addressing the sages, devotees and the concerned persons of Matihani State Trust (MST) at a programme in the district.

In the programme, Jagannath Sastri, the Mahanta of MST revealed that Matihani used to be an educational institution for scholars from Burma to Myanmar but it lost all its property and vigour due to carelessness of Guthi Samsthan.

Drawing the attention of Ananta Raj Pandey, the Secretary at the Ministery for Land Reform, Sastri sought his help, to release Rs. 70 millions that Guthi Trust owes to MST.

Sashtri said , "As the Guthi Samsthan has not availed the earmarked budget to MST, the ceremony of worshipping the statues of Laxminarayan has been postponed for a long time and the trust is also less likely to provide to scholarship to its 108 students acquiring Sanskrit education."

Due to its poor economic condition, MST has already ceased its otherwise customary programme of feeding 324 people out of cost, informed sources at MST.

In the programme the State Minister Chaudhari gave assurances in seeking the proper measure of solution for the long-standing problems of MST.

Water process centre to be made in Hetauda

By Pratap Bista

HETAUDA, May 13:o as to give facelift to the city and control pollution on the local Rapti and Kara rivers, dirty water processing centre is on the way to be materialised in Hetauda Industrial Estate (HIE). Construction works on the project have already begun from Saturday last week.

Assisted by the Danish government, Environment Sector Support Programme, Hetauda has already started the works to the preliminary phase for the construction of a dirty water-processing centre.

The construction work was scheduled earlier however, the debate on the land and that with the District Forest Office on the site for the construction of a dam had delayed the construction works, said a technician of the companies undertaking the project. Two companies handle the project.

As to the first part of the construction work of the project, a check dam to control the Khahare rivulet on the upper part of HIE commenced from Saturday.

"The project is scheduled to be completed by July 4, 2002," Sanjeev Thakur, the project manager said.

The companies responsible for the construction works of the project shall construct a check dam, a drainage system for rain water and a processing centre for the polluted water from industries. The construction works of the project is estimated at Rs. 400 millions, according to Thakur.

A notice has already been issued to acquire around seven bighas of land however the land has not been acquired as yet. Out of the total land, around five bigha of land belongs to a food industry and it is yet to be acquired, sources said.

The food industry has taken loan from a finance company keeping the land on bail. Thus the industry is unable to provide the land to the water processing project, an official at the industry said. However, as to the agreement reached, the government is to provide land to the project, it is learnt.

"The project not only gives face lift to the city but also helps in the reduction of pollution in local Rapti and Karra rivers, Bimal Ghimere, the chief at Hetauda Industrial Estate Management Office said.

Before the dirty water processing project comes into operation, the industries liberating more amount of polluted water are required to install a device. Such industries are to receive 90 per cent subsidy for the propose. There are a total of seven such industries in Hetauda Industrial Estate, it is learnt.

Youths flee from houses

Post Report

DHANKUTA, May 13: Moved by the fear of being used as human shield by the Maoist rebels, the youth from some districts in eastern part of the country have gone to some safe regions. As to the consequence, the villages in the district are almost bare of the youth. This has hampered agriculture and left the aged ones helpless in case they fell ill, said the sources.

In the recent days, the youth from the district like Tehrathum, Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung and Bhojpur are out of the district following the intimidation from the rebels to join them, said the old people in the villages.

"The rebels frequently forced the youth to join them. They went as far as kidnapping and forcefully one youth from a house if there are two or more," a youth fleeing away from Basantapur VDC at Tehrathum district said.

"There are no youth to carry the sick to the hospital or to dispose a corpse. In the absence of youth, farm land is less likely to be cultivated," Ram Bahadur Karki, a sad farmer in the district said.

The villagers in the district say that even the police posts from the villages have been shifted and that the security personnel hardly visit the villages.

Minister flays Maoist attack

RSS

MAHOTTARI, May 13:Minister of State for Information and Communications Hari Narayan Chaudhary has said it is very condemnable act of the terrorists to destroy the important development infrastructure of the country.

Chaudhary was speaking following an inspection on Sunday of the Radio Nepal’s Transmitting Station in Gauriwa of Mahottari district that was damaged by the Maoist terrorists some three weeks ago.

Stating that the problem of murder, violence and terror are common problems of all the Nepali people, His Majesty’s Government is committed to wipe out terrorists activities from the country.

Director of Radio Nepal Sailendra Raj Sharma disclosed that renovation works on the station will begin next week and will resume functioning within the next two to three months.

CDO Mohan Prasad Acharya, Superintendent of Police Prakash Ojha and Deputy Superintendent of Police Sharad Kumar Sharma apprised the minister about the incident.

Bomb explosion carried out by the terrorists damaged the 10 kw capacity transmitter station and other equipments on it.

Following the incident, Radio Nepal transmission from the station in the medium wave has been closed in seven districts. rss

Locals nab Maoist looters

RSS

HETAUDA, May 13: Six out of 9 Maoists, who reached the houses of Bharat Rijal and Indra Thakuri at Kalikatar VDC ward no. 1 to loot property on May 10, have been nabbed by local people and handed over to Makwanpur District Police office.

Three Maoists had absconded from the site somehow, according to Ilaka Manhari Police Office.

The local people had succeeded in nabbing the outlawed Maoists when they were about to flee with property and grain worth Rs. 200,000 from the house of Bharat Rijal and property worth Rs. 80,000 from the house of Indra Thakuri.

It is learnt that they had been soliciting financial assistance for their party. since local people vehemently refused to fulfil their demands, the infuriated Maoists gave trouble to them by resorting to looting and manhandling.

Prior to this, two Maoist rebels, tied up with rope by the locals for two days on the charge of attempted robbery at the houses of local people at Samikhet Palanse, were set free after they had vowed in written that from henceforth they will not commit any kind of offences, it is stated by the Makwanpur District Police office

A death in police custody: Police image in question

By Manoj Poudel

KAKPILVASTU, May 13:Death of Sakur Manihar-48 at Lalpur VDC-5 of the district while in police custody has invited aggression among the public. The deceased was alleged to have been killed following inhuman beatings of the police at Area Police Office (APO), Krishnanagar of the district.

Police denial to give details on the case and seizure of the victim’s photographs taken during his final rites have made the speculation on the dirty play of police in the case stronger. Even the versions of the sources at APO on the case are dissimilar, locals said.

Police had nabbed Manihar and his son Tadku Manihar-17 on April 30 in the charge of killing an Indian national. Budharam Kurmi, an Indian national was murdered 15 days ago before the arrest of Manihar and his son.

Prior to his murder, Kurmi had faced a lawsuit on land in the court. The verdict had fallen on his favour. Shortly after his victory on the case, Kurmi was murdered and police arrested Manihar and his son in the suspect that they were the tools employed by the one losing the case to murder his rival Kurmi.

Manihar’s wife accompanied by Rabindra Mishra, the VDC chairman had gone to visit those in police custody on the third day of the arrest. Mrs. Manihar was not permitted to meet her husband and son. No sooner Manihar’s wife reached her house in the evening that day, some armed police approached her house and forced her to visit APO at Krishnanagar.

In her way to APO, the police intervened her and asked to visit Bahadarganj Hospital. At the hospital, police handed over the dead body of her husband.

In her query on the death of her husband, the police told that he had died of ‘hear attack,’ said a kin to Mrs. Manihar. However, the deceased had bruises and wound bearing the police boots and rifle butt marks, said a local attending the final rites of the deceased, requesting anonymity.

While contacted Mohan Krishna Sapkota, the Chief District Officer (CDO) and Gyanodaya Raj Baidya, the Chief at the District Police Office (DPO) in the district, both declined to comment on the case and just said to contact at the APO at Krishnanagar.

In a query to Govinda Shah, the Inspector of Police at APO, Krishnanagar, he just said the deceased died because of his prolonged disease and refused to state further on the case.

The police has not informed as yet concerning Manihar’s son, sources said.

Following the public rage in the incident, a police team under the leadership of Ram Chandra Bhandary, the Deputi Superintendent of Police (DSP) at Regional Police Unit Office,Bhairahawa has arrived at the APO, Krishnanagar, sources said.

The APO has also received warnings from Western Regional Police Office at Pokhara, it is learnt.