Folk musical journey performed

KATHMANDU, Jan 1 (PR) - With a theme ‘Folk Songs for Peace’, the Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum organised the tenth folk musical journey at a function here today.

Throughout the programme various traditional folk musical instruments like - paluwa baja, sarangi, sankha were introduced and played. Along with the tune of musical instruments, folk singers also presented various types of traditional songs like -Dohari.

Speaking at the programme Narayan Prasad Mishra, famous murchunga (a type of traditional folk instrument) player said that though modern instruments are intruding in the field of Nepali music, the folk music has not lost its glory.

Experts of various musical instruments demonstrated their skills at the programme. Among all the music, the paluwa baja played by Shiva Bhattarai was successful in stealing the show.

Colourful start to New Road festival

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KATHMANDU, Jan 1 A good number of people were rambling in and around New Road. Even the wide space of New Road looked narrow today. All the people seemed hurried to enter Basantapur, where the musical programme and all the stalls were set up.

The residents of Kathmandu Valley, welcomed with full enthusiasm the start of the four –day long New Road festival. After the massive success of Rock Yatra, the number of people visiting the street festival once again proved that Nepalis are in real need of mass entertainment.

The street festival was held to celebrate the 32nd birthday of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Paras.

The helicopter which hovered over the street, showered the whole place with chocolates. With the storming gust of helicopter, half the crowd were busy handling their flying clothes, whereas the other half kept themselves busy collecting the chocolates.

The Snow White Mountains placed at the centre of Basantapur, was another attraction for all the visitors, which further proved Nepal to be the country of natural beauty. Women were seen beating the boiled rice to make Chyura (beaten rice) in Hakupatasi (a traditional dress of Newar women).

The festival was successful in promoting the trade and at the same time exposing the culture and tradition of Nepal.

Having spicy potatoes in the ice-cold day, Suman Karki, a visitor at the festival said, "The dual arrival of the birthday of the crown prince and the new year has added more excitement for the Nepalis."

Sunita Thapa, a five-year-old kid complained that she could not pick up chocolates. However, her aunt Rama Thapa was quite pleased to shop various things in the same place.

The majority of the visitors were young and even some foreigners were seen there. Most of the people were busy saying Hi and Hello to their unexpected friends and relatives. The festival also proved to be useful in getting the friends together for some good purpose.

’EC preparations almost complete before scheduled polls postponed’

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KATHMANDU, Jan 1 The government was compelled to bear an extra burden of more than Rs 80 million as the king postponed the mid-term polls scheduled in November 13, 2002 at the recommendations of then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, a source at the Election Commission said.

According to the source, the EC had completed almost all preparations for the November elections before the polls were postponed indefinitely at the 11th hour.

"The EC had already spent more than Rs 80 million by the date of postponement of the elections," said the source. "The formats or forms required for the polling purposes had already been printed, medicines procured and the employees for the first phase of elections deployed.

EC spokesman, Tej Muni Bajracharya, however, said the EC would try its best to utilise the format and forms printed for the November mid-term polls as far as possible.

"Same ballot boxes can be utilised in the future elections too, and the date of medicines also would not expire if the elections were held within a year," Bajracharya said.

The EC had purchased about 2,000 ballot boxes from India-based Daga Steel Company that worth Rs. 25 million through special arrangement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The EC had spent Rs 2.87 millions for purchasing medicines and medical equipment while Rs.8.8 million was spent for other equipment necessary for elections. According to EC sources, more than Rs. 10 million have been spent for the procurement of other physical equipment and their delivery.

The source said the EC had paid more than Rs. 1.5 million to Royal Nepal Army for delivery of the election materials to different districts. The materials in 40 constituencies including 34 constituencies of 15 districts where the elections would be held on the first phase, had already been dispatched by the date of election postponement.

The EC had also paid salaries and allowances to the government employees who were deployed to the districts where the elections were scheduled on the first phase.

The Commission had spent 12.5 million for the distribution of voters’ identity cards in 13 constituencies where previous elections were held on the basis of voters’ id cards.

"Actual amount paid out to the employees is yet to be calculated," the source added.

Information centre on women-trafficking stressed

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KATHMANDU, Jan 1 The necessity of a central resource centre for statistical data of women trafficking in Nepal was stressed by the president of National Network Against Women Trafficking (NNAWT), Durga Ghimire.

Ghimire said so at an interaction programme organised yesterday on ‘Need of Resource Centre Automation for Dynamic and Systematic Documentation and Information Sharing’. He also stressed the need to expand the NNAWT’s resource and documentation centre to national level.

Speaking on the occasion, Madhavi Singh said that the centre has been collecting information related to women-trafficking, and disseminating it to concerned researchers and organisations.

Early in December, the centre participated at a training programme in Delhi on ‘Resource Centre Automation Using Libsys Software’. Singh said that the software could be useful to other organisations as well.

Bhutanese refugees to go on indefinite hunger strike

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BUTWAL, Jan 1 Bhutanese refugees, languishing in the UNHCR camps in Jhapa will go on an indefinite hunger strike starting January 7, demanding both the governments of Bhutan and Nepal to announce the results of verification concluded in Khudunabari a year ago. They also demanded for an immediate repatriation and rehabilitation of refugees back to their homelands, from were they were forced out during an ethnic cleansing more than a decade ago.

Issuing a press statement Tuesday, the Camp Management Committee in Khudunabari refugee camp said the decision had been taken in view of the worsening situation of refugees and following a lull in the process of verification and repatriation.

It said that after the Joint Verification Team (JVT) of Nepal and Bhutan started the verification process in Khudunabari last year, they were very much hopeful about early repatriation but as both the parties gave a deaf ear for over a year and halted the process, it compelled them to go on an indefinite relay hunger strike.

"After a year of verification in Khudunabari, the results are not disclosed yet. We made a number of appeals to both the Nepalese government and its Bhutanese counterpart but was in vain," the release states.

"Given this hopeless struggle for home, we have decided to go on a hunger strike," the release adds.

The refugees demanded that the status of those who are already verified be made public and that the verification process be resumed in other camps ‘as early as possible’.

"We, over a hundred thousand Bhutanese nationals languishing in refugee camps can no longer remain refugees. We want to lead normal lives as any human on earth," the release signed jointly by Kamala Khadka, camp secretary and Dr P.B. Gurung, programme coordinator of the Camp Management Committee, Khudunabari said.

Campus staff detained for preparing donation for Maoists

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BHOJPUR, Jan 1 The security forces freed Kushal Kumar Tamang, the Campus Chief and Shanti Ram Mishra, the Assistant Campus Chief of Bhojpur Multiple Campus on condition that they remain in Bhojpur, the district headquarters. However, Keshar Bahadur Tamang, another Assistant Campus Chief is still held by security personnel.

The campus staff were detained on Saturday because of their attempts to provide donations to the Maoist rebels. The campus staff were threatened repeatedly by the rebels to provide them with donations. Security forces arrested the staff just as they were preparing to hand over Rs.25, 000 to the rebels, according to a campus source.

Meanwhile, our report from Humla states that there has been a sharp decline in the number of legal cases filed at the district court this year following the Maoist order of not attending the District Court. The Maoists have opened the so-called janadalats or public court. They have been passing verdicts to local cases of the areas outside the district headquarters, Simikot.

"Compared to 46 cases including civil and criminal cases filed last year, only four have been filed this year," said Prithvi Bahadur Rawal, a registrar at the District Court.

Maoists kill widow, 6 cops injured

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GULARIYA, Bardiya, Jan 1 An armed group of Maoist rebels brutally killed a widow at Shanti bazaar of Patabhar Village Development Committee (VDC) on Sunday evening.

The deceased has been identified as Huma Devi Sunar, 25, the mother of two infant sons. The rebels came to her house around eight o’clock in the evening. She breathed her last shortly after the rebels drove nails on her palms and chopped off her legs, according to eyewitnesses.

Widow Sunar used to brew alcohol in her home after her husband passed away about three years ago. Earlier, the rebels had punished her for brewing alcohol despite their repeated warning against brewery.

Meanwhile, our reporter in Bara said that at least six policemen sustained injuries on Wednesday after a van they were travelling in hit a landmine, planted by the rebels at Lalgaon on the Nijgad-Ratanpuri road. Policemen were on a patrol toward remote northern Ratanpuri VDC. Eyewitnesses said that the van bounced up about six feet in the air due to the impact of the explosion.

13 districts of western region remain in dark

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DANG, Jan 1 Thirteen districts in mid and far-western Nepal are facing power cut since Tuesday evening due to some technical disturbances at the power house in Tanakpur of India which supplies electricity to these districts.

This has had negative impacts on the security management and industries in the region, affecting public life as well. "Since there has been some technical disturbances at the power-house in Tanakpur, power can not be restored until the repair works are done," said a source at the transmission office of the 133 KV electric line, stationed at Lamahi.

Though, for the time being power supply to Nepalgunj, Banke district has been arranged from India, rest of the districts that were supplied power from Tanakpur are totally without electricity.

"We are not informed about the disturbances in the power house and the time that would be taken for repair works, as of now. So, we are not sure about power restoration," said Makeshwor Jha, the Chief at Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), district office.

Ex-VDC chief held on citizenship scam

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CHAUTARA, Jan 1 Police on Tuesday evening arrested Dhurba Poudel, an erstwhile Chairman of Fulpingkatti VDC, Sindhupalchok district on charges of providing a Nepali citizenship to a Tibetan citizen. However, other culprits involved in the scam are yet to be tracked down according to a police source.

Poudel’s arrest came after a year of warrant issued for the illegal deal. Poudel, in his tenure as the chairman had recommended the District Administration Office (DAO) to provide citizenship to Tinsen Yangjan, a Tibetan.

Following the procedure, the DAO had issued the citizenship card numbered 4567 to Yangjan in the year 1997/1998. Yangjan had also managed to acquire a passport soon after acquiring the citizenship card.

In the citizenship scam, Sangdorje Lama, a resident at ward-5 of the VDC had assumed the role of father of Yangjan while, Raju Lama, another local of the same ward had posed as his brother by blood.

Sundarey Sherpa, ex-Deputy Chairman of the VDC is another culprit in the scam. In the document recommending the DAO to issue the citizenship card to Yangjan, Sherpa had put his signature in place of the ward chairman.

However, Raju Lama had submitted the citizenship card and the passport to the DAO three months ago, which are in the possession of the DAO now, according to a DAO source.

Why the DAO did not arrest Lama when he came with the document, remains an unanswered question. "The question shall be answered after necessary probing into the matter," said Surya Prasad Koirala, the Assistant CDO.

Rumours are that, the culprit Lama runs a large business firm at Tatopani entry point and the DAO officials favouring him tired to cover the scam.

A similar case of Poudel providing a Nepali citizenship card to a Tibetan citizen is waiting at the District Court.

Displaced Nepalis ask DAO for voters’ ID

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BUTWAL, Jan 1 Around one hundred Nepali families displaced from Meghalaya of India have been frequenting the District Administration Office (DAO)-Rupendehi asking for a voter’s ID card. The displaced families have been staying at Mahilawar of Madhuwani VDC-8 for the past 15 years.

The displaced Nepalis feel it is very important for them to possess voter’s ID to draw the attention of political parties’ leaders. "Once we have the card, the leaders would visit our residences and solve our problems," they said.

However, the displaced people possess Nepali citizenship cards. They are presently staying in makeshift houses encroaching roadsides and private farms.

"Though I acquired a Nepali citizenship, I am deprived of voting rights," said Surya Lal Bhusal. He had acquired the citizenship from Gulmi district.

A resident of Gulmi, he had gone to Meghalaya during his childhood. "We were rearing cattle there. The Khasiya people there forced us to leave. So, we came back to Nepal," said Bhusal.

"We went to India when we were very young in pursuit of jobs. Since we were forced to leave, we came to Nepal with hopes," said Netra Bahadur Chundali, another displaced who claims his ancestral home to be in Arghakhanchi district.

The authority that issued them the citizenship cards has to issue the voter’s ID card according to Krishna Prasad Sapkota, the Chief District Officer (CDO).

However, the locals are infuriated over the displaced Nepalis. The locals hold the view that the displaced are neither entitled to the citizenship card nor the voter’s ID card.

"How can they be entitled to a voter ID card when they do not even have their own land and are encroaching on others?" questioned Bhola Kahar, a local.

It is learnt that the locals and the displaced Nepalis often involve in rows over land encroachment issue.

"The locals sometimes threaten us of setting fire on our sheds," said the displaced ones.

These people are very poor. Majority of the males has gone to India to earn their livelihood leaving aged parents, children and their wives behind. The females and children work as labourers in local towns.

Heavy snowfall paralyses life in highland area

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KATHMANDU, Jan 1 Normal life in the highland areas of the country has been affected due to the first heavy snowfall this year, according to reports.

Our report from Dolpa states that the snowfall that started from Tuesday and lasted till today morning was the highest of its kind in the past thirteen years. Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa experienced two feet of snow, which paralysed normal life.

Already postponed for a week due to cold winds hitting Nepalgunj, the air service to the district is pushed back for one more week as the Jufal airstrip is covered with snow measuring around one and a half feet.

Owing to inimical weather, three telephone lines operating under VSAT system too are defunct, thus isolating the district from communication and transportation.

The heavy snowfall has also obstructed the movement from one VDC to another in upper Dolpa. People have locked themselves inside their houses while the employees in government offices are working in the warmth of their offices.

As to our report from Myagdi district, the heavy snowfall on Tuesday has had severe impacts on many villages in higher altitudes, including Ghodepani, a key tourist destination. Around 12 centimetres of snow have disrupted the movement of the locals there.

The extreme cold condition that followed the snowfall has disrupted the communication system operated through cordless phones. Among the most affected villages in the upper part are Ghodepani, Shikh, Khiwang, Narchang, Chimkhola, Gurja and Mudi.

However, this snowfall has proved to be a boon for the villages in mid and lower region of this district, who otherwise depend on rainwater. This has brought a great relief for the farmers cultivating wheat as the main crop. Presently, the hills around the headquarters portray the enticing images of some snow-capped mountains.