Rights activists silent over Maoist atrocity

RSS

LALITPUR, Aug 25 : General Secretary of CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal has said human rights activists are keeping mum over the issue though the Maoist side is violating the code of conduct to a greater extent than that of the government side.

Speaking at an interaction on ‘Today’s Needs: Democracy, social justice, human rights, sustainable development and permanent peace’ organised here today on the occasion of the first national gathering of Human Rights and Social Justice Forum, Nepal accused both the govt and the Maoists of not being sincere to make peace talks successful.

‘I was informed that the Maoists, who claim themselves to be advocates of sovereignty, justice, nationality and democracy, are giving training to their cadres to treat CPN-UML as their main enemy,’ said Nepal adding, ‘they (Maoists) are playing a role of double standard in the peace talks.’

Stating that the movement launched by five political parties is for consolidating the process of democratisation in the country, general secretary Nepal said to move ahead for the national cause is the main objective of the movement.

Stating that the violation of the code of conduct by both the government and the Maoists is the violation of human rights, chairman of the People’s Front Amik Sherchan said the Maoists should come down to peaceful movement by abandoning the path of murder and violence.

Member of the National Human Rights Commission Sushil Pyakurel emphasising the need to continue the peace talks said that both the government and the Maoists should comply with the Geneva treaty for the protection and promotion of human rights. The forum chairman Dr Bhogendra Sharma presided.

Inter-school spelling contests held

POST REPORT

LALITPUR, Aug 25 : Professor Harsha Narayan Dhaubadel and Dr Kedar Man Pradhan jointly gave away prizes and certificates to the winners of district level inter-school spelling contests amid a function here the other day.

Students of Lalit Secondary School, Saint Paul School, Nightingale Higher Secondary School and Paradise Secondary School received the first, second, third and consolation prizes of the primary level-spelling-contest programme respectively.

Similarly, Marigold Secondary School, Indreni Secondary School, Nightingale Higher Secondary School stood first, second and third in the district-wide spelling contest. Amarkanit Secondry School received consolation prize in the contest.

The three-day programme held at Ganesh Memorial School, Satdobato, was coordinated by Shiva Raj Sanjel of Kanchan Madhyamik Vidyalaya. The contest was organised by School Development Associates (SDA), an organisation of private schools of Lalitpur district, as part of the extra-curricular activities carried out by the associates annually.

Professor Dhaubadel, Dr Pradhan, Rajendra Poudel, Jeet Bahadur Chhetri, Shiva Raj Sanjel, Purna Bahadur Maharjan, among others also expressed their views at the prize- distribution function. Twenty-eight primary schools and 30 lower secondary schools of Lalitpur district took part in the contests.

English Dept students for theses

KIRTIPUR, Aug 25 (RSS) - Students of Post-graduate Level first year at the Central Department of English, Tribhuvan University have submitted a letter to Head of the Department Prof. Dr Padma Prasad Devkota demanding revision of the provision under which only students securing 50 per cent marks in four of the papers will be allowed to write a thesis.

They have demanded that all the students of the department should be eligible to write a thesis and demanded question paper models also. Department Head Dr Devkota has not assured the students of fulfilling their demands but said that he will speak of the matter to the university administration.

Stating that there has been consideration to improve the standard of teaching English which had been sliding down for the last few years, Dr Devkota said that the new provision was being introduced for the sake of quality and high standard.

Single women ostracised

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KATHMANDU, Aug 25 : According to a report on single women of 17 districts of the eastern region, single women are still socially discriminated against and marginalised by the society. They are culturally reduced to non-entities and the social behaviour code applicable to them toady is controlled with the same rigidity as it was in the early decades of the last century.

The report was released at a dissemination of the facts and findings of single women of 17 districts, following strategic development workshop organised by Women for Human Rights (WHR) here today.

There are 87 single women below the age of 45 years in 17 districts and among them 13 are victims of the conflict between the Maoists and the government. Most single women are within the age of 20 to 30, which represents 45.9 per cent of the single women.

The report states that most of the women were alone at a very young age and they face hardship, as they have to look after their children. "Women have to play double role of mother and father for their children after they become single," said Lili Thapa, president of WHR.

Most of the single women have two children, which is 59.7 per cent. For not having rights on property they are not able to involve themselves in any income generating work. There are 34.48 per cent in farming, 32.18 per cent as housewives, just 8.04 per cent in business, 12.64 per cent as jobholder, 4.45 in social work and nine per cent in other works.

Most of them are ignorant about the laws through which they could claim their properties. Just 23 per cent of the women were aware of legal process, 52 per cent don’t know and 12 per cent have little knowledge about law.

Award announced

KATHMANDU, Aug 25 (PR) - The Koilidevi Music Fund Management Committee has decided to present the ‘Koilidevi Music Award-2002/03’ to Lochan Bhattarai, a renowned female singer, states a release issued here today. The committee has decided to award Bhattarai for her ceaselessefforts in the promotion of Nepali music.

Garbage management

KATHMANDU, Aug 25 (RSS) - An interaction programme on the management of garbage of the district headquarters was organised by Community Development Society here yesterday. Garbage management is being done with the slogan of clean and well managed Manthali for the last two years in the district headquarters. The cleaning campaign was held under the chairmanship of the chairperson of the society Apsara Karki.

Press club instituted

POST REPORT

KATHMANDU, Aug 25 : The Himalayan Press Club Nepal was set up today with the motive to become one of the most effective press clubs and to encourage personalities engaged in media, the nation’s fourth organ.

Speaking at a press conference, president of the club, Birman Sherpa, said the club instituted the’Angdorje Lama Journalism Prize’ on behalf of noted late Angdorje Lama, the publisher and editor of Rajdhani Daily.

"It will honour acclaimed personalities engaged in journalism, eminent artistes and students securing highest marks in the SLC examinations with a cash prize of five thousand and one rupees and a copper plaque annually,’’ he said..

The club also pledged to set up a refolving fund provide medical help for reporters. It also promised to felicitate notable comic artiste, Samde Sherpa and two meritorious students of 2059 SLC exam, Bishal Gyanwali and Sunita Yadav in the near future.

"The club is seeking help from the Civil Society for the achievement of its goals," Sherpa said.

Forest authorities fail to check timber smuggling

By Peshal Acharya

GAIGHAT, Aug 25 : Ward 6 and 7 of Trijuga municipality is facing extensive deforestation, with timber smugglers from Saptari, Siraha, as well those from Bihar of India with assistance of the local smugglers increasing their activity since the last two weeks, lament local villagers.

An eyewitness talking to The Kathmandu Post correspondent said that around five to seven armed groups comprising of 30 to 40 men have been involved in the illegal felling of invaluable trees such as Sakhu and Shakti-Saal from the national forests around this region. They have threatened the women-folk, who collect firewood and fodder, that they would face death if they informed the authorities.

It is learnt that smugglers have been cutting down trees in the forest, converting them to logs and selling them in Gaighat Bazaar. However, a major portion of the timber is being smuggled to Saptari and Siraha, and the forest office has not been able to do anything to stop the illegal activity, lament the locals.

The locals contend, that though they have been informing the forest officers about this activity nothing effective has been done so far. A forest officer said that due to the depth and density of the forest the security personnel are quite reluctant to take patrols to the vulnerable areas. The forest employees, however, say that by the time they reach the incident sites the smugglers would have departed leaving behind their temporary huts.

According to Ram Mani Dhittal, the District Forest Officer (DFO), the depletion of the forest product has considerably reduced recently compared to two to three years back. However, the depletion of national forest through timber smuggling is maximum as compared to community forests where the villagers are vigilant.

It is learnt that the destruction of forest produce has started to increase in Rampur, Thokshila in the far-eastern region of this district. Last year alone, 500 bighas of land had been illegally cleared with thousands of cubic feet of timber being brought down. According to a local resident, recently almost 20 to 30 Saal trees were cut down everyday and illegally transported to Sunsari, Saptari and Bihar via Saptakoshi.

Accidental gun-shot injures hotelier

Post Report

DOLAKHA, Aug 25 : Baidar Lama, 27, a hotelier, was seriously injured when a Maoists gun went off accidentally in Magapauwa Baheshwor Bazaar of Dolakha district yesterday evening. 10 Maoist rebels had entered Lama’s hotel and ordered noodles. Shortly after their entry in the hotel, the gun exploded injuring Lama in the lower abdomen and his hand, according to Lama.

Baidar was rushed to Chho Rolpa Polyclinic in Charikot, the district headquarters that night. As his health problem appeared complex, he was rushed to the capital for further treatment, according to a source at the clinic.

Solar powered electricity lights up remote VDCs

Post Report

TAPLEJUNG, Aug 25 : Residents of Kalikhola and Angkhape VDCs in remote Taplejung district now have access to electricity.

The solar powered peltric sets have literally brought a ray of light in the VDCs, which are normally under fog throughout the year. Not just electric lights, the peltric sets also power television sets and other home gadgets.

"Hydro power facility from the government seems a distant dream. We are content with the electricity from solar power," said Shiri Prasad Chauhan, of Kalikhola-9.

A total of four peltric sets are fitted in Kalikhola VDC alone.

Villagers were drawn towards peltric set technology following subsidised loan facility from the Agriculture Development Bank. Around a dozen companies are involved in providing electric facilities in villages through peltric sets.

"Electric facility has also helped children’s studies," said Harka Bahadur Budhathoki, a merchant of Angkhape-6.

The people in Fungling, the headquarters, are deprived of electricity ever since the Maoists destroyed the powerhouse of Somuwa Khola micro-hydro project.

"I am deprived of television service for the past nine months due to a lack of electricity," lamented Ambar Shrestha, a merchant in the headquarters.

Teachers return without teaching in Kapilvastu

RSS

BUTWAL, Aug 25 : Most of the teachers of the government run schools of rural areas of Kapilvastu district return home without teaching a single subject in the
school.

Most of the teachers in the government schools just go to school and return without teaching, participants of the workshop seminar on situation of women education in Kapilvastu and our role organised by a number of organisations including Radio Lumbini and Radio Madanpokhara said here today.

There are irregularities in most of the schools and more than Rs 800 has been provided to the schools from the
Land Revenue Office for the development of education in the district.

The literacy rate is very low in southern belt of the district and most of the people do not understand the importance of education, the participants said.

Chief District Officer, Modraj Dotel, said there is no access of Nepali education in Muslim community and the overall situation of the education development is very bad.

Local Development Officer, Purnachandra Bhattarai said only about 15 percent of women are literate in the district.

Teacher Nandkishor Shukla said the non formal education is useless as it has no any impact to the people of the district.

The function was held
under the chairmanship of chairman of Federation of Non-governmental Organisations of the district, Pomnarayan Paudyal.

‘Maoists violated Code of Conduct’

RSS

KATHMANDU, Aug 25 : Additional incidents of violation of the code of conduct of the cease-fire from the Maoist side have been recorded during the past few weeks, according to the security sources.

The maoists have violated the code of conduct by shutting down Bajhang for one week from August 14, made a plan of attacking the base camp of armed police force situated at Khodpe, abducted Sangita Rana and Maju Rekha Rana from Tribeni VDC, Salyan and Arjun Regmi and his friend from Chhyakshetra VDC on August 15, looted Rs 49,000 and Rs 65,000 from the houses of Tulasi Ram Dahal and Radhe Shyam Pahadi respectively of Dhanusha district on August 16 and beat-up a peon of District Agriculture Office, Bajura on August , the security sources have stated.

Likewise, letter sent on August 17 to Dilli Bahadur Khadka, Shambhu Khadka, Devendra Khadka, Dev Bahadur Khadka, Binod Khadka and Raj Kumar Khadka of Dang district forcing them to give Rs 100,000, Rs 50,000, Rs 65,000, Rs 30,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively within a week, warned to Times Savings and Credit Pvt Limited, Pyukha of Kathmandu district to pay Rs 200,000 on August 19, letter sent to Mahendra Piya of Chitwan district to donate Rs 25,000 on August 20, threatened to a jeep driver in Myagdi district on August 20 and looted Rs 21,000 from the couple of Jeja Sherpa of Sindhupalchowk on August 12 are the other incidents of the violation.

Similarly, the Maoists abducted Janga Bir Yadav of Siraha district on August 19, insulted Nepali Congress cadre Dil Bahadur Tamang of Nuwakot on August 19, forced the villagers to make food for about 700 Maoists on August 19 in Parbat district, wrote letters to Bholebaba Petrol Pump, Saibaba Gas and Petrol Pump, Popular Oils and Ram-Laksman Oil Depot of Chitwan district to donate Rs 1 million, Rs 500,000, Rs 200,000, and Rs 100,000 respectively on August 21, made attempts to ambush the patrolling team of security forces in Kaski district on August 21, collected donations in Parbat district on August 22 and raised money from the local villagers in Chitwan district on August 22.

Measles claims one

Post Report

BIRATNAGAR, Aug 25 : Measles, which has spread at an alarming rate at Indrapur, north Morang, since the last five days, has already claimed the life of three-year-old Safal Alam and left 11 other children in serious condition. The inflicted children range in age from one to three years. According to information provided by the District Public Health Office (DPHO) of Morang that there are about 350 measles afflicted children in various wards.

The malady, which has mainly affected the Muslim community, is believed to be due to the hesitancy of the community towards allopathic medicines and their dread of taking precautionary vaccinations.

Search for arms continue

Post Report

NUWAKOT, Aug 25 : The Royal Nepal Army (RNA) barrack in Ramche of Rasuwa, has mobilised trained dogs, having failed to recover arms and explosives even after 12 days of the massive landslide that swept away the RNA’s ammunitions.

The landslide buried a cache of arms and ammunitions, killing 20 army personnel. However, only 16 dead bodies have been recovered as of today, as informed by the RNA sources in Dhunche, the district headquarters.

Of the 42 grenades, 43 SLRs including other weapons engulfed by landslide debris, one SMG, eight pieces of SLR, some grenades and bullets weighing 5 kgs have been recovered so far, according to the security sources.

A RNA technical team from the capital is engaged in the rescue work with four dogs, informed sources.

Swollen stream sweeps away 2

DIPAYAL, Aug 25 (PR) - Two persons, who were swept away by a local swollen stream in Daud VDC of Doti district, are missing since yesterday. The 10-year-old son of Ganesh Bahadur Khadka of Gaud-8 was swept away by Saini stream. The stream had also swept away a 47-year-old woman of Damai caste. Despite search efforts, none of the bodies have been recovered as of yet, according to villagers.

Verification of left-out Kamaiyas in process

Post Report

TIKAPUR, Aug 25 : The verification and distribution of identity cards for the left-out Kamaiyas has been initiated in Kailali district.

Verification process on 1,004 ex-Kamaiyas in Tikapur municipality, 523 in Durgauli VDC, 578 in Pathariya VDC, 203 in Narayanpur VDC, 134 of Thansinghapur VDC and over 500 ex-Kamaiyas in Munuwa VDC is already over.

Forty-four ex-Kamaiyas of Pathariya VDC have already received idendity cards, according to concerned sources.

"Of the total applications received, only 30 to 50 per cent have been found to be genuine Kamaiyas," said Shankar Dutta Bhatta, a member of the verification team.

Started mid-July, the verification process is to be completed by mid-September, according to the District Land Reform Office (DLRO).

Forms for the left-out Kamaiyas were distributed from Dhangadhi, Chaumala, Sukhad and Tikapur centres for verification process last year. 7,397 people had filled forms claming to be left out Kamaiyas.

At the time when the country is devoid of public representatives, the government had constituted a five-member verification team to identify genuine Kamaiyas. The team constituted three members from government bodies and the rest from NGOs.

Property worth Rs 500,000 gutted

DOLAKHA, Aug 25 (PR) - Property worth Rs. 500,000 was gutted as fire broke out in the house of Baburam Sharma at the heart of Charikot, the district headquarters this morning, according to sources. The fire damaged tailoring machines and gutted clothes of a shop. Pradip Thapa, the shopkeeper, suffered the loss of Rs. 500,000 in the incident, as claimed by him. The fire was caused by an electric iron, which was not disconnected when the shop was closed in the evening. Campus students sighted smoke from the locked shop early morning. They broke open doors of the shop and doused the fire with the help of some local people. However, the house remained untouched by the fire.

Timber smugglers arrested

SYANGJA, Aug 25 (PR) - A team of security force nabbed a timber smuggler red-handed with around 40 cubic feet of timber being smuggled from Jagandevi forest area in Syangja district to Gulmi district. The smuggler is identified as Hem Lal Rana of Foksingkot VDC-2 in Palpa district. Rana along with the timber was handed over to the District Forest Office (DFO), Syangja, according to security sources. The arrest was made near Galyang area of the Siddhartha Highway yesterday night. Likewise, seven wood smugglers involved in illegal felling and smuggling of logs from the public forest have been arrested by the Lohendra range post of Urlabari. Those arrested are Suman Thakuri, Torna Magar, Suraj Rai of ward No-3 of Indrapur VDC and Meghnath Sonam, Sher Bahadur Das, Lain Bahadur Darji of ward No-4 and Sagar Subba of ward No-6.

Floods render 13 families homeless

TIKAPUR, Aug 25 (PR) - Erosion by the flooding Karnali River has rendered 13 families homeless in Dhansinghapur VDC-9. The river also washed away over 20 bighas of land in the VDC. Affected families are living in tents provided by Nepal Red Cross Society, according to Uttam Joshi, District Red Cross member. The flooded river also affected over 75 per cent of paddy plantation in the VDC, according to concerned sources.

Five suspected looters arrested

SYANGJA, Aug 25 (PR) - Five persons suspected in the looting of a bus and three trucks have been taken into custody by the police and necessary investigation is underway. The incident had occurred yesterday on the Siddhartha Highway near Galyang in the northern part of Syangja, and the gang had looted from the passengers, ornaments, watches, rings, and cash worth more than one lakh. The bus bearing the number Lu 1 Kha 2956 had been stopped and with the aid of some sharp weapons looted at a place called Zero-metre near the entry point of Kaligundaki-A Hydro-electrical Project. It is learnt that such looting of the vehicles passing along this highway has been carried out for the past few months by some idle youngsters. Two night buses had been looted just a month ago.

Supervision training begins

BHARATPUR, Aug 25 (RSS) - Five-day supervision training kicked off at Sauraha of Chitwan yesterday under the joint auspices of world education and bright future programme. Some 32 persons of five districts, where the bright future programme has been launched, are participating in the training. The five districts are Dhading, Makawanpur, Parsa, Rupandehi and Chitwan. The training, which aims at helping to literate the children aged 10 to 14 of the districts, was inaugurated by Chitwan Chief District Officer. Providing training to the participants are Shankar Bimali, Tula Bahadur Baniya, Arati Sharma, Gopal Tamang and Mala Shrestha.

Woman dies after falling from cliff

BIRATNAGAR, Aug 25 (RSS) - Meera Bhujel, 60, wife of Udayaman Bhujel of ward No-7 in Rumjatar VDC of Okhaldhunga district, died on the spot when she fell down a cliff on Sunday, according to the Eastern Regional Police Office. Meanwhile, in Udayapur, 18-year-old Meera Rai, the daughter of Balram Rai of ward No-1 in Triyuga municipality made an unsuccessful attempt to kill herself. Meera poured kerosene over her body and set fire to herself. She was severely injured in the incident and is presently undergoing treatment at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan.

Body of missing Korean national recovered

POKHARA, Aug 25 (PR) - The body of a missing Korean national was recovered from Phewa lake this morning. Hwangna Young was missing for the past four days. A joint team of the police, locals and boat entrepreneurs recovered Young’s body from the middle of the lake. The dead body was handed over to the deceased’s father, according to police. Young had reached Pokhara last Wednesday, went missing after she entered the lake for a swim, as informed by police.

Need for integrated planning policy stressed

RSS

BIRGUNJ, Aug 25 : Speakers at a programme here have pointed out the need for formulation of an integrated planning policy for transparent implementation of development works like agriculture, health, irrigation and drinking water. Speaking at the annual assessment seminar organised by the Parsa District Development Committee (DDC) here on Sunday, the speakers also emphasised the need for a strong economic aspect of the projects implemented with a focus on the people and the concept of civil charter should be the basis for criteria of evaluation.

On the occasion, Assistant Chief District Officer of Parsa, Harikrishna Upadhyaya, said special priority should be given to effective development planning, poverty alleviation, population control, tourism development and good governance.

He also urged for co-operation to the district administration in order to check corruption, co-ordinate development works and maintain co-ordination among government and non-governmental organisations.

Under secretary at the monitoring and evaluation unit under the Ministry of Local Development, Basant Raj Gautam, said formulation and implementation of projects that bring investment in the essential areas for the people should be facts-based, transparent and participatory. From the chair, Local Development Officer of Parsa, Narendra Raj Baral, shedding light on the progress report of the district presented a budget of around Rs 559 million for the fiscal year 2003/04.

Budget has been allocated this fiscal year to physical infrastructure development, water resources and land development, agriculture, forest, industry and environment development, science and technology, population and social and local development.

The previous fiscal year achieved a 95 per cent progress in rural agriculture roads and 75 to 100 per cent in district level planning and agriculture development, it is stated in the report of the local development officer.At the seminar, heads of various government offices presented the progress report of the previous fiscal year of their respective offices.