Talks to resolve private schools’ lock out today

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KATHMANDU, June 26 : The group of seven striking student organisations, Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation of Nepal (PABSON), National Private and Boarding Schools’ Association of Nepal (N-PABSAN) and the Ministry of Education and Sports are meeting here on Friday to resolve the students’ demands over reduction in fees charged by private schools.

"Let’s hope something will come out of the talks tomorrow," said Umesh Shrestha, president of PABSON, which took the initiative for holding the talks.

He said that PABSON is very positive about today’s informal talks with the concerned groups.

Guru Raj Ghimire, president of Nepal Students’ Union (NSU), one of the seven striking student organisations said that PABSON has "informally" invited the seven student organisations for the talks scheduled for tomorrow at Vishwa Niketan School here.

Meanwhile, PABSON, N-PABSAN, the Ministry of Education and the striking students today debated on possible solutions to the demands put forth by the student groups, during an interaction held by the Education Journalists’ Group here.

Laba Prasad Tripathee, spokesperson at the Ministry of Education and Sports said the talks would take place tomorrow afternoon.

The student organisations have since Monday forcefully locked up principals’ offices and account sections of several private schools across the country, demanding reduction in school fees. They have also demanded free education in public schools up to the secondary level.

They locked up nine more schools in the Capital today demanding the same. The schools include St Xavier’s School, St Mary’s High School, Daffodils Public School, Baba Boarding, EPS, Nobel Academy, and New Summit School.

"So long as the state continues to exist, there cannot be arbitrary fee structure in two private schools nor can they enjoy any full-fledged autonomy," Rajendra Rai, president of All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) said.

Presenting his paper and a case study of Mahendra Bhawan Girls’ Higher Secondary Boarding School, Rajan Sharma, advisor of the Education Journalists’ Group said that a number of reports commissioned by various committees have been confined to the dustbin by the Education Ministry. "The latter did not bother to implement them, leading to this problem."

Budhanilkantha School condemns locking

KATHMANDU, June 26 (PR)- The Budhanilkantha School management, its former students, and parents have condemned the forceful locking of the office of the principal and accounts section by the demonstrating seven student organistations yesterday.

About 25 student leaders had also assaulted the principal, it is learnt.

A joint statement issued on behalf of principal Narayan Prasad Sharma, Society of Ex-Budhanilkantha School and Friends of Budhanilkantha School here today said that a group of hooligans entered the school premises and forcefully locked the office of the principal and accounts section, thereby affecting 900 students.

The statement was issued after an emergency meeting in the school.

"They did not understand the fact that the school is a public educational institution, being run under a Guthi (Trust) and not a private one," the statement said.

They have demanded the protesting student unions to unlock the offices of the principal and the accounts section as soon as possible.

Post cease-fire, Maoists kill 9 teachers

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KATHMANDU, June 26 : Maoists have killed nine teachers and injured 13 others in different places of the country since the cease-fire began on January 15 this year, according to Om Oli, coordinator of the Society of Maoist Displaced Teachers.

"The teachers were killed while they were returning to their respective schools following a government order that stipulated that all teachers on deputation at secured places should attend their schools from April 14," said Oli, who has come to the capital from Dang to escape Maoists actions.

The teachers killed were Saligram Adhikari of Bhojpur district, Keshav Chudal of Taplejung, Mohan Dangi of Terhathum, Tika Ram Paudel, Raj Kishor Singh of Sarlahi and Bishnu Prasad Regmi of Syangja. The names of the other three teachers from Dailekh and Darchula districts are yet to be received, Oli added, while speaking at a press meet here today.

Maoists have disabled 13 teachers, he informed. "We could not be assured of security and will not return to our schools," he said.

The then Chand-government withdrew deputation orders of nearly five thousand teachers displaced by Maoist conflict all over the country, who were living in secure places fearing wrath of the Maoists. Acting upon the government order on April 13, many teachers visited their schools. But many fear to return to their schools in the light of these incidents, Oli added.

"Neither can we return to our schools nor are we getting our salary since April 14," said Mitraraj Ghimire, headmaster of Kusumakar Higher Secondary School, Lamjung. Before April 14, they were allowed to enjoy deputation at places they wished.

"We are getting information that the teachers, who have returned to their schools obeying the order, will now review their decision," Oli added.

RBB axe falls on defaulters

By Prem Khanal

KATHMANDU, June 26 : Financially crippled state-owned Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) has initiated tough legal actions against 40 largest defaulters who have been ignoring the RBB’s warning to pay back the loans taken from the bank.

A bank source told The Kathmandu Post that the total defaulted amount by them is Rs 3 billion.

"The bank has initiated tough legal action including blacklisting and filing cases at the recently formed Loan Recovery Tribunal (LRT) against some of the defaulters," said the source.

The management has been calling at least one defaulter every day to its central office and offering them with various proposals to clear the loans and accrued interest soon, said the source. "We are also offering them to reschedule the loan amount, either by clearing 25 per cent of the accrued interest or by submitting more collateral," he added.

The source said that the bank is planning to blacklist the promoter of Momento Apparels - the largest ready-made garment exporter of the country and one of the three largest defaulters of the bank.

"We had several rounds of negotiations with the promoter of the company, but we have been compelled to take further actions after he breached the understanding reached during the meeting," said the source.

The company some months back had agreed to pay the bank Rs 5 million every month, but it never fulfilled its promise. "If the company fails to obey its promise within the coming week, we will initiate legal procedures to blacklist it," added the source.

However, Chandi Raj Dhakal, proprietor of the company said that he has been paying back the loans as per the understanding. "Since the whole industry is just reviving after a severe turndown, the bank should cooperate when we are trying hard to repay," said Dhakal.

The Momento Apparels has a total loan liability of Rs 400 million, and it has not submitted enough collateral to support the loan. The source said that along with the Memento Apparels, there are another four to five leading industrialists, who might face the similar actions.

Similarly, the bank is planing to file separate cases against Mahalaxmi Sugar Mills and Mahalaxmi Garments in the recently constituted LRT after its numerous efforts failed to settle the claim. Even after being blacklisted, these two companies have not shown any interest in clearing their liabilities.

Besides, the bank is also negotiating with Dhangadhi-based Basulingam Sugar Mills and Biratnagar-based Sangam Vegetable Ghee Industry to pressurise the companies to pay back loan liabilities. The source said that the bank is facing some difficulties in dealing with the sugar factory, as Agricultural Development Bank, Nepal (ADB/N), the lead bank of the consortium financing, is not acting aggressively and has recently sent a letter to the ADB/N urging it to call a meeting soon.

The company, which is owned by the family of former Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand, has recently exported sugar to Europe under the quota provided to Nepal by the European Union.

In addition, the bank is also engaged in serious negotiations with big capital-based hotels, like Taragaon Regency Hotel, Oriental Hotels, which have defaulted their loan liabilities. "However, given the ongoing recession in the tourism industry, the bank is not much tough against the hotels," said the source.

Similarly, the bank is also dispatching a high-level team to Biratnagar to recover a huge amount of loans extended to Sangam Vegetable Ghee Industry and associated industrial group from RBB’s Rani branch of Biratnagar. The source said that the total loan amount, which has scaled to Rs 800 million, has been one of the most problematic investments. The central office has recently suspended 13 employees of the bank on charge of their involvement in irregularities while extending loans to the group.

In an attempt to accelerate the actions against defaulters, Finance Minister Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani recently organised a meeting, which was participated by top officials of Nepal Rastra Bank. During the meeting, Finance Minister Lohani directed concerned officials to take strict legal actions against the defaulters, said a ministry source.

The financial condition of the RBB, which so far has invested Rs 29 billion, has a whopping 59 per cent NPA that is equivalent to Rs 18 billion. As per international banking standards, NPA more than 5 per cent can trigger financial meltdown.

SC diktat to Govt on border agreements

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KATHMANDU, June 26 : The Supreme Court today issued a directive to the government not to sign any agreements on border related issues which does not comply with the constitutional norms.

A special bench of justices Hari Prasad Sharma, Dilip Kumar Poudel and Khila Raj Regmi issued the order after the hearing of four writs on Nepal-India border disputes.

The directive has said that the government should restrain from signing any treaties or agreements, which affect the regional integrity of the country. "In the Constitution there are different provisions on border demarcation. Any agreements contradictory to those Articles will be void," the directive said.

Article 4 and 126 of the Constitution clearly state that no agreement should be signed that in any manner compromises with the total land area of the country at the time of the formation of the constitution. The Articles also state that such agreements should be signed only after receiving an approval of two-thirds majority in the parliament.

The writ has claimed that, between 1992 and 1995, the joint Nepal-India Border Committee has erected 77 pillars along the border arbitrarily.

The writ was filed by advocates Ramji Bista and Balkrishna Neupane.

The court, however, has scrapped other writs on border controversy filed by Yogi Naraharinath and Fanindra Nepal.

SAARC meet in July

KATHMANDU, June 26 (PR)- A Cabinet meeting today decided to hold the fourth special meeting of the SAARC Standing Committee from July 8 to 10 in Kathmandu. The meeting will discuss on various subjects including SAARC summit, according to Kamal Thapa, Minister for Information and Communications.

Parties want to settle core issues with king: Acharya

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KATHMANDU, June 26 : Narahari Acharya, Nepali Congress Central Working Committee member today charged that the king distanced his relationship with the political parties by ignoring their suggestions.

"Our joint movement was the result of the king turning a deaf ear to the political parties’ genuine suggestions," Acharya said while speaking at a face-to-face programme organised by Reporter’s Club in the capital today.

He demanded that a provision of referendum be included in the constitution. "It is the best means to protect the peoples’ sovereignty," Acharya said.

He said that the parties wanted to settle their core issues with the king. "If the king continues to ignore our demands, the demand for a republic could emerge prominent," said Acharya.

Claiming that the Maoists believe only on bullets, Acharya said that they should respect the voice of the people. "It is high time that the Maoists sit with the political parties and settle their issues," Acharya said.

Speaking on the occasion, Amik Sherchan, chairman of the People’s Front Nepal (PFN) said that only a constituent assembly could provide a solution to the present crisis. "All parties should be unanimous on drafting a new constitution through a constituent assembly," Sherchan said. He termed everyone standing against the constituent assembly ‘the supporters of regression.’ Though Sherchan said his party was in favour of reinstatement of the dissolved House, "only the house revival cannot solve the present crisis," he said.

Extradition efforts to commence: PM

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KATHMANDU, June 26 : Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa said that necessary steps would be taken in the direction of extraditing Nepali prisoners serving sentences in foreign jails. The Prime Minister disclosed this in a meeting with the representatives of International Mission of Prisoners’ Transfer held here today.

The number of Nepalis seeking employment in foreign shores is on the rise rendering more and more Nepali citizens vulnerable to incarceration in foreign jails. However, Nepal has still not been able to create a database on the number of Nepalis in foreign prisons, let alone those working in foreign countries.

In today’s meet, the team of representatives suggested to the Prime Minister that Nepal should seek participation in the European Convention on Prisoners’ Transfer, to which more than 50 countries of Asia, Europe and America are signatories. The Convention allows extradition of prisoners between the signatory countries.

The Prime Minister informed that the suggestion would be forwarded to the Ministry of Law for taking necessary steps.

Life is tough as ever in the remote frontier, Dolpa

By Damakant Jayshi

DUNAI, Dolpa, June 28 ; "Dolpa has been forever neglected..." The statement from a teenager in Upper Dunai sums up the story of one of the most neglected and isolated districts of the country.

As in all five districts of Karnali zone, Dolpa lacks access to the road. Flights are not only costly but also unreliable. The national flag carrier RNAC almost always cancels its flights, and private airlines target only foreigners and cargoes.

Moreover, occasional food shortages, inadequate health infrastructure, among others, have made life in Dolpa almost unimaginable.

"The government in Kathmandu cannot even contemplate the problems faced by the people here," says Rajan Shahi from Upper Dunai. Shahi, a student at the capital, visiting home on a break. "Attitudinal changes" in the planners sitting in "plush offices in Kathmandu" needs to be changed. Policy-makers need to be thoroughly aware of the situation here," she suggested.

She mentions the "apathy" of the government through a story of a proposed 15-bed district hospital in Dunai. Because of certain financial irregularity issue, the building almost 14 years back is yet to be recognised as a district hospital.

"We have written to the Ministry of Health for the recognition of the hospital," said officiating Chief District Officer (CDO) Gyan Prasad Dhakal. "We hope it will be done soon." Besides the CDO, the then District Development Committee, local health officials and the locals themselves have written to the government several times but to no avail.

At present, a Primary Health Care Centre, operates from the building, with one doctor and two assistant health workers. The locals say that in the event of anyone suffering any serious accident has very bleak chances of survival, simply because the nearest place to avail vehicles is Sallibazar in neighbouring Rukum district, which is at least four days’ walk from Dunai. Even those who can afford to fly the patient out to Nepalgunj, are at the mercy of "unreliable" airlines.

"People die due to lack of treatment," says Bikram Prasad Sah, working with the Water Supply and Sanitation Sub-Division Office, Dunai.

Dr B D Chataut, Spokesperson at the Health Ministry in the capital told The Kathmandu Post that the ministry was aware of the problem but added that at present the government was helpless until the dispute over the construction was resolved. When asked how long it would take before the people get a properly equipped hospital, DR Chataut said, "I have heard that the Department of Health was considering to give the responsibility to local stakeholders to initiate the move on the hospital." However, even that was more than a year back.

In addition to this, there is sometimes the spectre of food shortages. Sah adds, "It was really difficult before the cease-fire when both the security forces and the Maoists blocked the movement of food grains, although the supply has been somewhat restored now." Prices shoot up if the planes play truant.

This is one reason why the people want the peace to hold, Sah says, "at least the planes will continue to fly and the food grains and other essentials will be brought in".

Besides, with the Maoist rebels moving freely throughout the district, including in the headquarters, chances of clashes have increased, they fear. Already there are reports from other districts of such skirmishes. "The rebels visit the government offices and ask for details of our work and we have to give them," Sah said.

Although denying that he was forced to "brief" the Maoists about his office’s work, CDO Dhakal did admit that the Maoists come and "frequently interact" with him. Dhakal also exuded the confidence that peace would prevail. "They have told us that they would not go back to the jungles." His confidence was not shared by the locals, though.

The All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union (Revolutionary), the student wing of the Maoists, has opened its office in Dunai. The board is still new and they move past the patrolling army and policemen. Until now no clashes have occurred but, the people fear, the chances are always there.

5 parties task force meet arrives at consensus

KATHMANDU, June 26 (PR)- A meeting of the Task Force committee, formed by the five agitating political parties, to explore a common agenda of forward looking approach, has unanimously agreed upon some of the major issues like bringing the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) under the parliament, making public the king’s property, keeping the provision of referendum in the constitution and others.

Disclosing this here today Krishna Sitaula, task force committee member and Nepali Congress central member said, "There is no any difference among us regarding the agenda put forth by all the political parties."

Sitoula informed that the meeting also decided to keep the king not as a centre of power but as a respected institution.

He said that the meeting would focus on the political agenda though the common agenda would include cultural, social and economic issues. The meeting will continue for tomorrow.