NORAD irked over fund misuse in Humla

By Kosmos Biswokarma

OSLO, Norway, June 5 : Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) has shown serious concern over the misuse of funding for girl students in remote Himalayan district of Humla.

This came in response to the news published in The Kathmandu Post dated May 18 that "the grant given for the improvement of girl education in Humla has been misused by employees and teachers of a school" in the district.

After the publication of the news, Norwatch took up the issue and published the story here. Norwatch is a Oslo-based bureau of investigative journalists aimed at keeping a close watch at Norwegian-funded projects abroad.

The news report, published in The Kathmandu Post under the title "NORAD grant for Humla girls misused", had revealed that the grant to meet the monthly fees of girls studying at Mansarovar Higher Secondary School in Humla never materialised. The students were still paying their tuition fees despite the provision of the grant to provide them free education.

The report had said that NORAD provided the District Education Office in Humla Rs. 551,000 for 20 girls enrolled at the school every year. The amount is spent for the girls’ monthly tuition fee, accommodation, food, stationary and clothes.

It also said that about 2.2 million rupees have already been released in the name of these girls for the last four years and none of the girls has been able to pass the School Leaving Certificate examination during the period.

NORAD office here has taken up the issue very seriously and has even asked the Department of Education in Kathmandu to follow it up, Anne Glad Fredriksen who looks after Nepal projects in NORAD told Norwatch. "It has been decided that the charges of corruption should first be investigated by the local agency (Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority)," it quoted Anne as saying.

Secretary at the Norwegian Embassy in Kathmandu Marit Vedeld too agreed that CIAA should take up the case. "We still don’t know if something illegal has happened, but we have taken up the case with Department of Education and they have referred it to CIAA," Marit told Norwatch. "This indicates that the contents of the news (in The Kathmandu Post) is being taken seriously."

Norwatch also said that the funding does not only include NORAD. The project in Humla is just a part of the Basic and Primary Education Project II (BPEP-II) and NORAD has given 23 percent of the total funding. Other donors in the project are Denmark, Finland, European Union and the World Bank while Nepal too has allocated some amount.

NORAD has been supporting BPEP since 1997 and granted about Kroner 20 million (Rs. 220 million) in 2001 while it plans to give away about Kroner 30 million this year.

Norway provided a total assistance of Kroner 103 million (Rs. 1133 million) in 2001 and Kroner 104.7 million (Rs. 1151.7 million) in 2002 and plans to extend the same level of grant this year.

Norway has listed Nepal as one of the priority countries in development cooperation after the Storting (Norway’s parliament) passed a resolution in 1997. Apart from Nepal, the prioritised countries include Bangladesh, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Agitating parties rule out cooperation to Thapa

Post Report

KATHMANDU, June 5 : The five agitating political parties today collectively denounced the appointment of Surya Bahadur Thapa as Prime Minister and ruled out any possibility of joining the government.

A meeting of the parties that was held in Bhaktapur, at Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party (NWPP) office concluded that Thapa’s appointment was "against the will of majority of the people".

"The five parties represent more than 90 per cent of the popular vote in the dissolved House of Representatives but their recommendation has been totally ignored by the king," said Arjun Narsingh KC, spokesman of Nepali Congress, after the meeting.

He also said there was no possibility of the parties co-operating with the new government, let alone joining it.

The parties also termed the use of Article 127 by the king while appointing the Prime Minister as a "gross violation of the spirit of the constitution." They even flayed the king’s statement that said the new cabinet was granted with executive authority. "Use of king’s order in delegating the executive power means he is still the source of sovereignty, but we are fighting for returning the sovereignty to the people," said Bharat Mohan Adhikari, standing committee member of the CPN-UML.

Meanwhile, CPN-UML leaders at the party’s standing committee meeting held here today emphasised reconstituting the slogans for the movement against the regression in the new context. However, the party leaders did not elaborate on why they want to change the present slogans and what would be the new ones.

Amik Serchan, chairman of People’s Front Nepal compared the use of Article 127 of the Constitution with the use of Article 55 of the "first democratic constitution" in 1959 by late King Mahendra, father of the present king, to sack the then democratically elected BP Koiarala’s government. "King’s intention to use Article 127 reminds the 42-year old history."

Narayan Man Bijukchhe, chairman of NWPP said that Thapa and Lokendra Bahadur Chand were two sides of the same coin, and change in the government leadership would bring no change in the situation as their appointment process has been fundamentally the same.

Today’s meeting also backed the special meeting of the Upper House called by its members for Friday. It flayed the parliament secretariat for not providing the incumbent members with a meeting hall and criticised the Upper House Chairman for refusing to chair the meeting.

"It is the rights of the members to meet if three-fourths of them feel it is necessary to hold meeting," said Adhikari.

Meanwhile, Rabindra Nath Sharma, a senior member of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) said there was no option left except to form a government under Article 127 as all the other options were exhausted. The appointment of the new prime minister is a political decision, he said.

"Politics is out of the constitution now, so revival of House or a fresh election is the only way to reactivate the constitution," said Sharma, while speaking at The Reporters’ Club.

PM not for division in parties

Senior leaders of the major political parties brushed aside the rumour that they were keen in joining the Surya Bahadur Thapa government, senior leaders of the Rastriya Prajantra Party (RPP) also claimed that the prime minister was not in favour of promoting defection in any political party.

"He wants parties to officially announce their support to or participate in the government instead of the government adopting a divisive policy," said a senior RPP leader.

Senior leaders of the RPP would be persuading various party leaders to join the government. It might take some more days for the PM to announce the council of ministers with full strength but there are indications that some ministers might be appointed early next week. Narayan Singh Pun, a minister in the erstwhile government, who played a crucial role in bringing the Maoists to the negotiating table and Narendra Bikram Shah, Minister for External Affairs, might be re-inducted in the first phase of the cabinet formation, according to the leader. 4See PM page 12

K P Sharma Oli, a powerful leader in the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist & Leninist, who was rumoured to be keen in joining the Thapa government, said that he would in no way join the government. "It is a planned strategy to assassinate my character," Oli told The Kathmandu Post.

Similarly, Arjun Narsingh K C, spokesperson of the Nepali Congress, told that there was no possibility that the major leaders of the five agitating parties would defect to join the new government. " Neither me nor anyone among us would go to the government," said KC pointing to other senior leaders of the five agitating parties.

Likewise, Radha Krishna Mainali, another UML leader, on whose name speculations are rife that he might join the government, also denied the charge and said, "I am not hungry for the post of a minister."

He, however, said that he was not so interested in staying in the party, yet "I will not quit the party until it sacks me," Mainali said.

Leadership change conspiracy by old regime: Prachanda

Post Report

KATHMANDU, June 5 : The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) today slammed the latest change in the government leadership as a conspiracy hatched by the "old regime" to consolidate its regressive move and to push the entire nation towards confrontation.

A press statement issued by Maoist supremo Prachanda accused the "old regime" of trying to justify regression by changing the Prime Minister and using illogical legal arguments, while continuing to ignore the people’s will for progressive changes in overall aspects of society.

"The state has adopted a policy of "divide and rule" instead of showing sincerity to the ongoing peace dialogue with us," said the statement.

He also alleged that the state was trying to use the "almost dead" constitution as a protection shield to safeguard its regressive steps, at a time when drafting of a new constitution has become inevitable.

The statement also said that the appointment of the new prime minister by the king has come as a lesson to the five political parties fighting the king’s October 4 move.

Prachanda, in his statement, has also appealed to the parties to join hands with the Maoists- both on the streets and in the negotiating table-, to bail the country out of the current mess, by promulgating a new constitution through popular participation.

Everest is still not easy, despite 1300 climbers atop

By Satyendra Timilsina

KATHMANDU, June 5 ; The upsurge in popularity of Mount Everest and the numerous successful expeditions have spread the myth that mounting an expedition is no more the tough adventure that it used to be. However, very few people know that climbing the Everest is not a child’s play, just that the unsuccessful tales don’t get prominence in the mass media.

The mass hysteria generated during the golden jubilee year of the first ascent of Everest is a striking example of the enormous challenge that the mountain still is. This year 73 alpinists made it atop the Everest, which made people believe that ascending the Everest is easy. It’s however, not a big number when one takes into consideration the bitter reality that 130 among these adventurers, who spent a fortune, had to abandon their mission midway through the climb.

Out of 201 members from 25 expedition teams that attempted the bid, the success rate is only 36 percent. However, the climbing success rate for Sherpas is reportedly better. Out of 163 successful climbs this season 90 were Sherpas.

According to the Mountaineering section of the Ministry of Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation, four teams consisting of 19 members abandoned their expedition. Even from among the 22 successful teams, 111 climbers could not make it to the top.

The year, in a way, was not very bad as only two mountaineers - a Nepali and a Briton - lost their lives in the heights. Altogether some 180 mountaineers have lost their lives while attempting to climb the Everest. Till date 1300 people have been successful in knocking off the peak.

The Everest ascent could have been easy, if the weather was more predictable, and the weather change wouldn’t take place instantaneously. "All those who abandoned their trip have cited bad weather as the root cause of their failure," said an official with Mountaineering Division of the ministry.

The teams that quitted this season include one team each from Japan, Korea, Nepal and South Africa. While the teams from South Africa and Nepal, Discovery Everest and First Differently Expeditions, respectively, quitted from the base camp, the Korean team, Konkuk University Alpine Club, returned back from camp four. All these teams cited bad weather as the reason to default.

The Japanese team, Club Yeti Everest Expeditions, abandoned its expedition because of the difficulty of the route. The Japanese expedition was the only team that was licensed to climb Everest from the West Ridge.

The success rate also depends on the route they choose. The traditional Hillary-Tenzing route that the mountaineers followed during their first ascent in 29 May 1953 is considered easier. It is also because many teams following the route have fixed ropes, stairs and bridges in difficult places.

This season, no one made it to the top from other than traditional Hillary-Tenzing route also known as South East Ridge. The waiver of US$ 20,000 for a seven-member team attempting Everest from other routes than the traditional one also couldn’t appease many expedition teams.

One major reason behind such trend is the steep Alps and much danger associated on the routes, says Ang Tshering Sherpa, the President of Mountaineering Association of Nepal (NMA). "Not just that, the wind is also very strong in the other routes," he added.

Madhav Nepal bereaved

KATHMANDU, June 5 (PR)- Durga Devi Nepal mother of CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, passed away at the TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj in the capital today. She was 78.

A patient of asthma, Durga Devi had been undergoing treatment at the hospital since last five days. Nepal is survived by three sons and three daughters.

The newly appointed Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa expressed condolence on the demise of the mother of the UML general secretary.

Similarly, Nepali Congress (Democratic), Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Mandal), Nepal Students’ Union, and All Nepal National Free Students’ Union also expressed their condolence on the death of Nepal.

Thapa sworn in as PM

RSS

KATHMANDU, June 5 : His Majesty the King administered the oath of office and secrecy to newly appointed Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa amid a special function held at Narayanhity Royal Palace, this afternoon.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev was present on the occasion.

At the same function, Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa took the oath of ex-officio member of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee from Chairman of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee Parshunarayan Chaudhari.

Also present on the occasion were the Chief Justice, the Speaker, the Chairman of the National Assembly and heads of constitutional bodies.

Petitioners demand laws against sexual harassment

By Bikash Sangraula

KATHMANDU, June 5 : On Tuesday last, Shoma Shah, Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD), SAATHI and Pro-Public filed a joint petition at the Supreme Court, demanding that the court direct the government to formulate laws against sexual harassment at workplace and public places (SHWPP).

The petition also demanded interim policy guidelines until the law is enacted.

It followed the government’s rejection of a request to formulate such laws. The government maintained that the soon-to-be-formulated Acts for domestic violence and trafficking in women and children would address issue of SHWPP as well.

The petition cited the Labour Court’s six-month old verdict that had pointed out a legal vacuum in terms of addressing the problem in the country.

The decision of the Labour Court had come after Rajendra Thapaliya, captain at the Food and Beverages Department, Hotel Yak & Yeti appealed at the Court that he was unduly warned by the management of the aforesaid hotel for an incident that could not be held as a crime. The rebuke had come after Shah, a liaison officer at Casino Royal of the Hotel complained to the management in May, 2001, that Thapaliya had sexually harassed her.

After a hearing on the petition on Wednesday, the Supreme Court issued a show-cause notice to the government, as to why the request to formulate the laws had been denied. The Court also put the petition on priority. This is the first case of sexual harassment at workplace to have demanded a public redress in the country.

"Positive developments are taking place in the direction of framing the laws," Raju Chapagain, advocate at Pro-Public, and one of the petitioners, told The Kathmandu Post. He also disclosed that the petitioners used as precedent the case of Vishakha versus the State of Rajasthan (1997), 6, SCC, 242, which is similar to the case of Shoma. The SC of India had ordered the formation of laws against SHWPP and provided a policy guideline to address such cases till the law was enacted.

The CEDAW Convention, to which Nepal is a signatory, defines sexual harassment in its General Recommendation No 19 as any unwelcome behaviour that may be verbal, physical, written, pornography or even a gesture. "Since Nepal is a signatory to the Convention, this itself should be enforced as law," said advocate Sapana Malla Pradhan, coordinator of FWLD.

The Convention also mentions that the state should intervene to protect women from SHWPP. In comparison to sexual harassment at public places, it has grave consequences at the work place. Studies have revealed that the latter has a deep impact on productivity, self-esteem, confidence and quality of life as a whole.

Various studies have been conducted in Nepal to gauge the status of SHWPP. A study conducted in 2001 by FWLD and ILO Nepal showed that cases of SHWPP were not limited to crowded workplaces like carpet and garment factories. "Even schools, colleges, hospitals, hotels and airlines are rife with unwelcome sexual advances on the female staff," said Pradhan, citing the study.

In hospitality and airlines businesses, the advances made by customers are generally tolerated. "Even I would have tolerated it had a customer made the remark," said the ‘victim’ Shah. She also said that cases of sexual harassment remain unreported, as the victims are scared of being ostracised by the society if they make the incident public. "In our society, it is very easy for a woman to be branded a ‘loose character’, and to hold her responsible for inviting such advances. This is the reason why most of the girls are averse to report it," said Shah.

Students’ nationwide stir today

Post Report

KATHMANDU, June 5 : Coalition of seven student organisations today locked up campuses and universities in the valley demanding the unconditional release of their members, arrested by police on charges of offence against the state. They have also called nation-wide strikes on educational institutions on Friday demanding the government to fulfil their 68-point demands.

Shankar Dangi, Tri Chandra Campus unit secretary of the Nepal Students’ Union (NSU) was arrested from Bagbazar on Monday evening while he was buying vegetables and was not involved in demonstration, according to NSU central office.

Krishna Sharma, a member of All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (United) was arrested in the same evening from Kirtipur and lodged at the Hanumandhoka Police Station. Students are demanding their release.

"We will close down all schools and colleges across the country tomorrow. If our students are not released tomorrow, we will lock up all VC offices, campus and university administrations from Sunday indefinitely," Gagan Thapa, NSU general secretary warned here today.

Seven student organisations have jointly put forward their 68-point demands before the government and have been demonstrating nation-wide from about two weeks ago. They boycotted a meeting today called by the Ministry of Education on the ground that their members were arrested ‘unjustly’.

In a statement, the All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) stated here that a ‘massive’ rally was organised at Syangja. It said that almost 5,000 school students took out a rally demanding the government for the fulfillment of its demands.

Govt appeal to student leaders

Issuing a press statement here today, Ministry of Education and Sports has appealed the student leaders to sit for a dialogue with the committee formed by the government to resolve their demands through peaceful means.

The ministry’s statement has come at a time when Nepal’s bilateral development partners sat for weeklong discussions on possible future support to Nepal’s education sector.

The ministry has called on the parents, students, intellectuals, members of civil society and the political parties to help create schools and colleges as peace zones to create congenial atmosphere for the implementation of new plans and programmes.

It was disclosed today that aside the eight donors, currently providing loans, grants and technical support to improving Nepal’s primary education, more are showing interest in funding education under the Education for All (EFA) goals. But they have been looking for a conducive environment to channellise their resources in the country, often marred by protests, violence and political instability.

"This should end if at all Nepal is to achieve prosperity and millennium development goals, one of which is Education for All by 2015," said an official at the Ministry of Education.

US triples aid to combat HIV/AIDS

Post Report

KATHMANDU, June 5 ; US President George Bush approved a 15 billion US dollar funding for the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, a statement issued by the US Embassy here said today.

The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is the largest single commitment in history for an international public health initiative involving a specific disease, added the statement, saying the 15 billion US dollar funding proposal will almost triple the current US government spending on fighting HIV/AIDS internationally. The Emergency plan also includes an additional one billion dollars over five years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, it said.

Meanwhile, issuing another statement today, the embassy warned individuals travelling to the US to beware of bogus passports and advised them to travel with a valid passport issued by an internationally recognised nation state which identified them as citizens.

It singled out two examples of bogus passports issued by the "Conch Republic" and the "Republic of Lomar". The statement said that these documents could not be used for travel and were not acceptable as passports for visa.

18 students faint as ‘mystery’ disease strikes

By Rabindra Upreti

MAHOTTARI, June 5 : About 18 students of a primary school at Tuteshwor village suddenly fell unconscious in their classroom this morning, according to teachers. The children reportedly fainted for more than half-an-hour.

The teachers suspect that the children fell victims to an unknown disease that broke out in the locality last week. The number of people suffering from the yet-to-be-identified disease has climbed to 26 so far in the Maisthan area, located about 50-km away from Jaleshwor, the district headquarters.

Nine of the seriously affected people returned home after undergoing intensive treatment at the Bir Hospital in the capital, according to Bhawani Pokharel, erstwhile ward member of the Maisthan VDC.

Kumar Ghimire, one of the teachers at the school said that the second and fifth graders complained of severe stomach pain, headache and difficulty in breathing. He said that all the affected children were below 14 years of age.

Doctors at the district hospital have advised the villagers not to send their children to school for at least a month until the disease is fully brought under control.

Locals said the disease has not only affected the educational sector but also hampered the social activities in the area.

"People have stopped visiting their neighbours fearing the spread of the disease," Pokharel said, adding that most of the victims were relying on shamans, as they could not receive any help from the local health workers and doctors.

He said that a girl student first developed symptoms of the disease and it fast spread in the locality.

In the meantime, officials at the District Public Health Office (DPHO) said that a medical team from the Bir Hospital was supposed to visit the affected areas today to investigate the disease. DPHO officials said that nobody has died of the disease so far.