Publisher’s Note

Today, we celebrate our 10th anniversary. As we enter into the 11th year of our existence, we extend our gratitude to the hundreds of thousands of our readers, advertizers and well-wishers who have consistently offered us their love and support throughout these years. In this past decade, your love and support has helped us grow from selling a few thousand copies of two daily newspapers to hundreds of thousands of copies of five periodicals – truly a milestone. Today, we are striving to provide service to our readers not just within our borders from Mechi to Mahakali but also to those in faraway corners of the world through the Internet. We are also committed to provide all the services expected by our customers from all facets of communication technologies.

From this year, we have developed our Sarvottam monthly magazine into a women-oriented Nari magazine. We have also striven to make The Kathmandu Post more interesting, useful and in tune with the times. And we have left no stone unturned to make our newspapers available to our readers as early as possible soon after they are printed simultaneously from Kathmandu and Biratnagar.

Despite the emergency and fluid political situation, we have always disseminated the news you deserve to know, without any bias. We were able to live up to our commitment due to the trust and support of our readers which is the most valuable capital we have earned. Our valuable readers are aware of the suffering we went through for our commitment to professional journalism. The continuity of this trust is the paramount aim of all the editorial teams of our Publications, all our colleagues in the centre and districts, in the press, circulation and the management.

In this long journey, we know that despite all our efforts, there may be some shortcomings. We would like to assure you that we are determined to overcome those shortcomings. The desire for continued improvement, we believe, is our strength.

The cease-fire declared on January 29 has spread optimism in the country. People are expecting lasting peace. We urge both the government and Maoists, as well as all political parties and other organizations, to contribute to this aspiration by sacrificing their egos in the interests of peace.

Lastly, committing ourselves for the further betterment of our products, and seeking your continued trust, support and love, we wish all our readers, advertizers, dealers and well-wishers, a very happy occasion.

Efforts to establish peace underway: His Majesty

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KATHMANDU, Feb 19:His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev in his message issued to the nation today paid homage to all the brave martyrs who laid down their lives to the cause of democracy and said that efforts to establish peace is already underway.

His Majesty’s message to the nation came on the occasion of 53rd National Democracy Day. The message also paid homage to His late Majesty King Tribhuvan, "the Architect of Democracy in Nepal".

Referring to the bloodbath that had engulfed the nation, His Majesty said that Nepal and the Nepalis can only benefit if there is peace, harmony and stability and said that he has always given highest priority to them. "The Nepali people have long wished to see the end of the spiral of death and destruction prevailing in the country through dialogue and such a hopeful endeavour is already underway."

There was strong emphasis on peace in His Majesty’s message to the nation. "Peace is our necessity, multi-party democracy our conviction, nationalism our cornerstone and the happiness of the Nepali people our political faith."

The king called upon all to build a peaceful and prosperous Nepal. "The political parties, civic society as well as all the countrymen should devote themselves to the creation of a peaceful and prosperous Nepal through mutual understanding and harmonious co-existence."

In his message, the king pointed out that the Constitution of 1990 was promulgated "in accordance with the aspirations of the people that the all-round development of the country should take place through constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy".

His Majesty emphasized the benefits of reaching to the people, which would strengthen democracy in the country. "Democracy can flourish and take roots only if the people can experience its tangible benefits."

The monarch also asked the people on developing collective attitude. "We must all, therefore, make sincere effort to work together to make democracy meaningful by shunning the habit of blaming and doubting each other and leading a life of virtue and character. To devote oneself to the service of the nation by eschewing the notion of "I" and embracing the principle of "We" is a basic exercise in democracy."

UML forms 15-member standing committee

By Ghanashyam Ojha  

KATHMANDU, Feb 18:The second meeting of the newly elected central committee of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist & Leninist (CPN-UML) today unanimously formed a 15-member standing committee.

The standing committee, the top decision making body of the party, comprises general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Amrit Kumar Bohara, Iswor Pokharel, K P Sharma Oli, Keshav Badal, Jhala Nath Khanal, Pradip Nepal, Bharat Mohan Adhikari, Mukunda Neupane, Mod Nath Prasrit, Yuba Raj Gyawali, Bam Dev Gautam and Sahana Pradhan as its full members.

Radha Krishna Mainali, a prominent UML leader and a standing committee member for the last ten years failed to find berth in the committee. Mainali failed to make it to the committee since he failed to win nomination from the party general secretary Nepal. The central committee elects the standing committee members by endorsing the general secretary’s nomination.

Mainali had played a crucial role during the people’s movement in 1990 that overthrew the party less Panchayat system and reinducted multiparty democracy in Nepal after the 30 years. He was also instrumental in the reunification of UML and ML, a breakaway faction of the UML.

Talking to The Kathmandu Post, Mainali said, "If general secretary Nepal thinks that he can run the standing committee without me, that’s fine for me."

A central committee member, requesting anonymity, claimed that Mainali was excluded from the committee since he has been maintaining a pro-palace posture for the past few months. When asked to respond to the allegation Mainali said, " The central committee meeting did not raise the issue; I have no comments on outside rumours."

Ashok Rai and Bishnu Poudel have been included in the standing committee as the alternative members. Rai and Poudel, as alternative members, can take part in the debate and discussions but cannot exercise their voting rights. They can vote only in absence of the full members.

Rai had bagged highest votes in the election of the central committee in Janakpur party congress two weeks ago.

Bhim Rawal, a powerful central committee member and a close aide of the party general secretary Nepal, wrote ‘note of dissent’ protesting the composition of the committee. Rawal, according to the party sources, was hopeful of his nomination to the committee.

Pradip Nepal, a newly elected standing committee member, said, "Rawal did not clearly present himself as a candidate for the committee though he was hinting at it."

Party general secretary Nepal also presented his political paper at the meeting. The paper has stressed for the formation of all-party national government under the spirit and letter of Article 128 of the Constitution.

The meeting also elected Madhav Kumar as the chief, and Amrit Kumar Bohara as the secretary of the party’s central secretariat. Iswor Pokharel, Pradip Nepal, Yuba Raj Gyawali, Yuba Raj Karki and Raghu Pant have been elected as the members.

Similarly, the meeting has proposed Oli as the chief of the Parliamentary and Monitoring Department and another powerful leader Gautam as the chief of the party’s Farmers’ Department. Gautam has been dismissed from the post of in-charge in the party Western region.

Today’s meeting also nominated Dilli Mahat, a UML leader from Karnali Zone, as an alternative central committee member.

Left parties protest war on Iraq 

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KATHMANDU, Feb 18:In a memorandum submitted to the American Embassy in Kathmandu today ten left parties said that America should immediately withhold its activities that fuel war and desist from attacking Iraq.

The memorandum signed by leaders of the ten parties strongly condemned America as imperialist and urged for peace across the world.

Amik Serchan, president of the Peoples’ Front Nepal told The Kathmandu Post that America’s target on Iraq was merely a target on smaller nations like Nepal.

"We must condemn all such terror-like activities of America," Serchan said.

Earlier today the representatives of CPN (Unity Centre-Masal), CPN-UML, CPN-Marxist, CPN-ML(Restructured), CPN-MLM, CPN-United, Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party, Nepal Socialist Party (MLM) and the Peoples’ Front Nepal had taken out a mass rally as a symbol of protest against war on Iraq.

The participants with placards reading, ‘Stop War’, ‘We want peace’ chanted slogans against America.

Serchan said that the parties are going to hold a grand rally in coordination with Human Rights organisation groups to protest America’s probable attack on Iraq.

Presence of Princess Himani solace for widows of soldiers  

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KATHMANDU, Feb 18 : Chandra Shahi, 21 from Surkhet has a baby in her lap, and is expecting another. She has no clue how to support them as her only reliance, her husband, died in a Maoist attack in Arghakhanchi five months ago.

Ram Maya Tiwari, 24 from Gorkha is equally confused. Mother of a four-year-old girl, Tiwari lost her house in an earthquake in July, 2001, and lost her husband in a Maoist attack in Salyan, in June 2002.

Not only these two women, there were 25 of them, all widows of the soldiers who died in clashes with Maoists, who could not stop sobbing as Princess Himani appeared among them, solacing and asking about their problems.

For the first time these women got to meet other women with the same pain, agony and loss. Each other’s company comforted them, but only until the function began. When the official song of the Army Officers’ Wives Association was played, they started sobbing that slowly turned into audible cries.

The event was the inauguration of vocational training program for the widows by Princess Himani, and started by the association. "We have started the program for the wives of all the 240 soldiers who lost their lives for the country," said Kamala Thapa, Chairperson of the association and wife of Commander-in-Chief Pyar Jung Thapa.

Knowing the pain and sufferings of the widows of the soldiers in the villages, Chairperson Thapa wanted to do something for these women. "I got full support from the Commander-in-Chief in this endeavor," said Thapa.

The Army Officers’ Wives Association turned an old unused kitchen at the back of Chhauni barrack into the training center, and brought Namuna Tailoring to provide the tailoring skills to these women.

Thankfully, the kitchen belonged to the barrack. It turned out to be big enough for the association to change into bed rooms for all 25 women, a big hall for training, a dinning hall, a nursery room for children and a kitchen.

"We highly value the sacrifices of the soldiers, whose contribution triggered the new-found peace in the country. I hope the whole country will commend their sacrifices," said Thapa.

Though praised and respected in the capital, the sufferer women have a great deal of problem to bear back home in the villages. "My in-laws are denying parental land to me, they think it’s my bad luck that killed their son," said Chandra Shahi. "I hope it’s not only the training that will boost their confidence, but the backing of the association, and our indiscriminative behavior will also help the society change the attitude about these women," said Thapa.

The association is also helping to educate the children of the sufferers. Devaki Adhikari, 30 from Dhading, hopes that her little daughter will soon go to Bijeshwori Gyan Mandir with the support from the association. Her 13-year old son already goes to Birendra Sainik School in Bhaktapur.

Kamala Thapa is still not satisfied with the amount of work her association is doing but the resource crunch is taking its toll. "If we could get more financial and material support, we would have done much better," said Thapa.

Whatever may be the support to these women, their pain can only be lowered. So, they wish others no more have to go through the same suffering. "We have lost our husbands, but we pray the almighty that no other Nepali woman should endure the pain we went through," said Dhan Kumari Tharu, 20 from Bardiya.

Meditation camp for cardiac care organised

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KATHMANDU, Feb 18: Alarmed with a rise in cardiac problems across South East Asia, Nepal Anuvarat Samiti and Rotary Club of Kathmandu have jointly organised Preksha Meditation Camp (PMC) for cardiac care.

The five-day camp from February 18 to 23, is being conducted on the occasion of 53rd birthday of Her Majesty Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah and the National Democracy Day.

"The number of cardiac cases is increasing immensely because people these days are less interested in physical exercise despite leading a life full of tension," said Dr S C Manchanda, senior cardiologist of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Dr Manchanda further said that the increasing use of tobacco products is the main reason for the rise in cardiac disease in this region, while it is decreasing in the West.

"Medical treatment of cardiac disease is very expensive, whereas treatment through meditation is cheap," said Dr Manchanda, who has conducted research in reversal of heart disease from Preksha Meditation camp.

Inaugurating the camp, Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand said, "Peace has to come from the heart, but the chaotic situation, within the country, was a result of misunderstanding between one another."

The camp has begun at the right time, he said and added "There is a need for permanent peace, which is possible only through cease-fire."

Similarly, cardiac expert Mrigendra Raj Pandey said that there is a need for primary prevention of the disease, which should be in practice from the early age.

Highlighting details about the meditation camp, Hulas Chand Golcha, co-ordinator of the PMC said that only after the purification of conscience and soul can an individual lead a healthy life.

Children’s playground inaugurated

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KATHMANDU, Feb 18:Her Royal Highness Princess Shova Shahi today inaugurated the ‘Ashman Children’s Playground’ prepared at the premises of the Kanti Children’s Hospital.

The operation of the playground was launched on the 53rd auspicious birthday of Her Majesty Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah. The playground for the entertainment of children, was built with Rs 200,000 collected by ex-students of St Mary’s school.

Punya Bahadur Thapa, director of the hospital said that the 300-bed hospital has been providing service to 42 per cent of children from across the nation.

Dr Upendra Devkota, Minister for Health expressed his commitment to develop the hospital as an institution easily accessible to the poor and marginalised children.

Parties want rebels to justify their demand for new constitution 

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KATHMANDU, Feb 18: Representatives of various parties of the dissolved House of Representatives today reiterated their demand that the rebel outfit should justify its demand for elections to the constituent assembly and a new constitution.

"They must cite reasons to the satisfaction of all, and also point out the drawbacks of the current constitution," Bharat Mohan Adhikari of the CPN-UML said. He also questioned the rationale behind the Maoists’ eagerness for constituent assembly when they have agreed to settle for constitutional monarchy.

He reiterated the demand for the formation of a government under Article 128, saying, "That alone can be a legitimate regime when it comes to hold talks with the rebels". The party has publicly declared it would welcome both, the government under Article 128 or reinstatement of House of Representatives as the way out of the current political crisis.

"Our party is ready for everything good, but it is high time they cite reasons why they want constituent assembly and a new constitution," Pradeep Giri of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) said, adding that Maoists would do well to respect the basic rights of the people.

However, Nepali Congress leader Narahari Acharya demanded that both the rebels and the king must come up with clear concepts concerning their political and constitutional agenda, stressing the importance of code of conduct governing the cease-fire.

Speaking on constituent assembly, he said that it was the king who must say whether the current constitution is no longer "alive" and that there was a need for election to the constituent assembly. "NC would have no objection for election to the constituent assembly if the current constitution is deemed dead," Acharya said.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) president Pashupati Shumsher Rana discounted claims that the party was distancing itself from other parties on issues of crucial national importance. "We have told the government that it must respect political parties and their aspirations," Rana said, adding, "This incidentally, was why we abstained from the all-party meeting held on Monday".

"There cannot be a lasting resolution of the crisis until and unless all those who have suffered are duly compensated. That would lead to sustainable peace," Rana said, reaffirming the party’s commitment to multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy.

People’s Front Nepal leader Amik Sherchan questioned why the parties were crying foul over election to constituent assembly since ‘nothing much can be achieved under the status quo’. "In fact, going for constituent assembly and promulgating a people’s constitution could be an insurance against royal intervention in active politics," he said, a view he shared with Hridayesh Tripathi of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP).

Former speaker Daman Nath Dhungana, who chaired the function, said that moves were afoot to skittle democracy, which should be countered by the political parties together. He also stressed the need of a rapport between the political parties and the king.

Nepalis in NY celebrate Democracy Day 

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NEW YORK, USA, Feb 18

A large number of Nepalis living in and around New York City attended a programme Sunday to mark the 53rd National Democracy Day. The programme was held a few days prior to the actual anniversary and was organized by the Nepalese Democratic Youth Council, USA.

The chief guest of the function Murari Raj Sharma, who heads Nepal’s permanent mission at the United Nations, said the current cease-fire had brought much respite to the people in Nepal, but the truce still needed to be cemented, suggesting that the Maoist problem could be solved only through dialogue. "We don’t want any Nepali to lose their lives," he said.

Kul Chandra Gautam, deputy executive director, UNICEF, asked Nepalis to nurture democracy to make it strong. The beauty of multi-party democracy is that it offers opportunities for checks and balances, he said. He added that the United Nations was much concerned about the situation in Nepal and UNICEF was deeply concerned about the country’s children and their development.

President of the Council, Anand Bista, told the gathering that Nepal must be run through the popular mandate, adding that the Council was recently established with a deep sense of purpose and duty to protect and nurture democracy in Nepal. Vijaya Kumar Sigdel, advisor to the Council, Kamal Karki, president of America-Nepal Friendship Association, Sonam Sherpa, president of United Sherpa Association all voiced their support for democracy.

Ex-mayor allegedly commits suicide

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MAHENDRANAGAR, Feb 18:Former mayor of the Mahendranagar Municipality, Surya Bahadur Kunwar hanged himself to death this morning, according to police. He was 57. Police said the reason behind his committing suicide could not be immediately ascertained.

His family members had rushed him to the Mahakali Zonal Hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival. The former mayor elected to the post on the support of the CPN-UML, was found hanging in his own cowshed. Before joining the CPN-UML, Kunwar was associated with various social organisations.

Meanwhile, issuing a press statement in the capital, UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal expressed deep sorrow over the demise of the erstwhile mayor.

Maoist leaders meet Koirala 

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KATHMANDU, Feb 18:Maoist leaders Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Dinnath Sharma conferred with political leaders on Tuesday in the run up to the peace talks which are likely to get underway from February 24, sources said.

The two leaders who are likely to be involved in the peace talks with the government talk team led by Minister of Physical Planning and Construction Narayan Singh Pun had arrived in the capital yesterday.

The two leaders, who were accompanied by noted human rights activist who did not want to be identified, were provided safe passage into the capital after the initial talks concerning modus operandi was thrashed up between them and Minister Pun.

Sources said the rebel members of the talk team met leaders of various political parties and discussed their agenda and necessary cooperation they wanted from all the political parties. In fact the meeting is being taken as a prelude to the possible emergence of Dr. Baburam Bhattarai in public for the first time in seven years before the talks get underway.

Sources in the Nepali Congress (NC) said the Maoist leaders in their meeting with party president Girija Prasad Koirala debunked claims that they had reached any nefarious and secret understanding with King Gyanendra.

During the meeting, the Maoist leaders tried to present the CPN-Maoist as the pro-people outfit and that it was committed to democracy.

In their meeting, the two leaders have been claimed to sought necessary cooperation in the talks. Although the source claimed they met CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal in the same connection, the same however could not be independently confirmed.