US support for Nepal to continue: Rocca

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 27 : US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca said that the United States would continue to support Nepal, both militarily as well as in development aid, according to information posted in the web site of the US Department of State.

In a prepared statement for the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in Washington Wednesday, Rocca said minor military aid to Nepal would continue. "In coordination with Great Britain, India and other partners, our security assistance will provide direly needed small arms, equipment and training to enable the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) to counter the Maoist military threat."

Her government would "also support efforts to bolster government control in areas vulnerable to Maoist influence by funding high-impact rural infrastructure and employment projects."

She also welcomed the recently declared cease-fire and code of conduct and attributed the Maoist willingness to come to negotiating table to effective action of the RNA. "We believe the parties have come this far only because the RNA was able to make an effective stand - a goal which U.S. security assistance aims to bolster."

Rocca added that if a political solution to the insurgency was reached, then the US should be in the forefront of donors to help Nepal hold local and nations elections and strengthen administrative and democratic institutions. The US Assistant Secretary of State said that in the short term "we will continue to support improved governance and respect for basic human rights, improved health services and rural livelihoods, and sustainable development."

On the issue refugee problem between Nepal and Bhutan, Rocca said Bhutan must take back those refugees who are bonafide Bhutanese nationals. "We continue to urge Bhutan and Nepal to resolve the long-standing plight of 100,000 refugees in Nepal. Bhutan needs to accept back those persons who have a legitimate claim to citizenship," Rocca said.

Rival NSP factions hold polls

By Atul Mishra & Manoj Chaudhari

RAJBIRAJ, March 27 : The two rival camps of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) after virtually splitting yesterday went ahead with their respective elections to elect a new central working committee. At the time of filing this news the counting was going on.

The faction led by the acting President before yesterday’s split, Badri Prasad Mandal, completed the elections for the 15 posts as per the party’s old statute. The remaining 15 members in the all-powerful committee will be nominated by the party president.

On the other hand, the group led by Anandi Devi, widow of late founder president Gajendra Narayan Singh, has revised its statute specifying that only 30 per cent of the total central committee members will be nominated by the party president.

The Anandi Devi faction also made reservations of 10 to 15 per cent in all its committee, from the party’s village unit to the centre. It also made the provision that at least one woman member would be represented in each of the committees.

Passing its political resolution, the group also "withdrew" its support to the present government in which Mandal is the Deputy Prime Minister, terming it a "failure". The party also concluded that the demand for the constituent assembly was justified.

Speaking to The Kathmandu Post, Anandi Devi said that Mandal would not be accepted back into the party unless he "corrected his mistake". She added that Mandal had isolated active and true members of the party.

Meanwhile, 12 party men under Shyamlal Mishra, one of the founder members of the NSP, resorted to fast-unto-death since 9 a.m. today at the local Mahendra Bindeshwari Multiple Campus to forge unity between the two factions. "Both the groups are indulging in political games," Mishra told The Kathmandu Post. "Until the party unites, we are not going to call off our fast."

Government insincere towards peace: Mahara

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 27 : Krishna Bahadur Mahara, politburo member of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist and a member of the Maoist peace negotiating team, today yet again strongly criticized the government for its "lack of sincerity" in the peace process.

"Various incidents of the past few weeks show that the government is not honest about the peace process," said Mahara.

He pointed to the government’s interference with the Maoist’s public meetings, delay in the release of the Maoist leaders, and failure to constitute a government’s dialogue team as the indications that the government was not sincere about the peace talks.

He also blamed the government for violating the code of conduct signed with the Maoists by preventing the Maoist sister organisations from organising peaceful mass meetings.

"We are much concerned about the government’s unilateral violation of the code of conduct," Mahara said. "But we are still committed to establish peace."

Speaking at a programme organised by the Foundation for Parliamentary Studies and Development (FPSD) in the capital today he also revealed that the Maoists would soon make public their political document that would clarify their position on major issues confronting the Nepali society.

The Maoists would, in their document, according to Mahara, explain their stance on major political, social and economic issues.

"It will also clarify our position on monarchy, constituent assembly, round table meeting and the interim government," said Mahara. We haven’t given up our demand for a republic, but it is negotiable, he said.

Mahara also said that the Maoists are ready to discuss the new model of state they envision for Nepal. "We are ready to hold a broad discussion with other political parties on the new model of state for future," Mahara said.

Hinting at the Maoists’ flexibility for a forward looking solution to the present crisis, Mahara said, " We are ready to negotiate everything but people and nationality."

On the occasion, he, once again, strongly refuted the claim that the Maoists have made a clandestine compromise with the King.

Republic would have already been established in Nepal immediately after the June 1, 2001, royal massacre had the political parties given leadership to the people who had come to the street protesting the massacre.

The Maoist leader also said that they might have committed mistakes in the past "but we are ready to repent our mistakes and move forward."

"We have no intention, at this point, of resorting back to guns," said Mahara.

Fare price hike demand meets stiff resistance

By Satyendra Timilsina and Sameer Ghimire

KATHMANDU, March 27: The entrepreneurs’ demand, in the face of recent hike in the petroleum products, to raise the air and land transportation fare by "huge amount" is unjustified, say experts and consumer rights activists.

The domestic airlines operators, on Wednesday, had decided to levy fuel-surcharge of Rs 350 per passenger, while the transport entrepreneurs had decided unilaterally to hike the transport fare by 40 per cent in the short routes and by 30 per cent in long routes.

"This is absolutely ridiculous and childish mathematics of fixing the fare," said Harendra Bahadur Shrestha, President of Consumers’ Forum. The fare hike cannot be directly proportional to the increase in the price of petroleum products, he added.

The analysis of the total weightage of petroleum cost in the operation cost of the airlines and public vehicles also does not justify the demand by the entrepreneurs.

Calculations reveal that, increase in passenger fare by Rs 173 per passenger, assuming 60 per cent occupancy rate of the aircraft, would cover the additional cost incurred by the petroleum price hike. The total cost of operation per passenger per hour at this occupancy rate is Rs 5335.

If we go by Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal’s (CAAN) figure that the average occupancy rate in Nepali airlines is 80 per cent, the total cost of operation per passenger per hour would be Rs 3780, and that would require only Rs 123 per passenger to cover the additional fuel cost.

This calculation is based on the cost of operation calculated jointly by CAAN and Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) in January 2002. According to the study the weight of fuel and oil is only 17 per cent of the total operating costs.

As in the case of airlines, the weightage of fuel cost in the total cost of public vehicles also does not justify the demand for 30-40 percent rise in the public transportation fare.

The share of fuel cost, on average, in total cost of running public vehicle is around 30 per cent. That means, 34 per cent rise in the cost of diesel would increase the transportation cost by 10.2 per cent.

The transport entrepreneurs, however, defended their demand for the said fare rise.

Birendra Bahadur Basnet, the managing Director of the Buddha Air, argued that their demand was based on the rise in fuel price and passenger turnover. "Based on such calculations," said Basnet, "The most efficient airlines will have the additional burden of Rs 318 per passanger."

The Federation of Nepalese Transport Entrepreneurs (FNTE) also defended its demand for fare hike. "Our latest demand is not only based on the current fuel price hike," said Bishnu Siwakoti, President of FNTE. "We have also adjusted past price hikes and soaring auto parts prices...this is the chance where we can make-up our previous losses," he added.

Meanwhile, domestic Airlines operators, as per their Wednesday’s decision, today registered their demand with the Ministry of Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation for fare hike.

FNJ condemns attack on scribe

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 27 : The Federation of Nepalese Journalists has strongly condemned the manhandling of editor-cum-publisher of Shram Bulletin Weekly, Bijay Bisphot. In a statement issued today, the federation has called for the arrest of the perpetrators and immediate legal action.

Bisphot was brutally beaten up by nine intruders at his office in New Baneswor today, according to the statement. The intruders also looted two computers, a fax machine and other valuables from the office.

"The act of physically harassing journalists at the office premises and looting of their goods is taken by the federation as heinous crime," said the federation in the statement adding that conflicts should be solved through legal recourses and not through physical confrontation.

"We demand immediate and strong legal action against the perpetrators. Otherwise the federation will be forced to take strong steps against the serial attack on journalists in the nation," said the federation in the statement.

In another statement issued today, the federation has condemned the persecution of journalists merely because of the news written by them in the newspapers. Journalist Lekhnath Bhandari was reportedly given death threats over the telephone by various people including assistant secretary, Khadananda Dhakal of the department of postal service, for carrying a news story in the Sanghu weekly on March 27.

Rural inter-caste marriages not so rosy

By Sudha Shrestha

KATHMANDU, March 27 : Though inter-caste marriages have become a buzzword in Nepali society with the impact of urbanization, such marriages have become risky affairs for people in rural areas, very often leading to disastrous consequences.

According to a survey carried out in 15 districts by sociologist Ranju Sarkar of Village Community Development Centre in 2058/59, only 35 per cent of such marriages between the upper and the lower classes were found to be successful. This is a rise by 15 per cent from five years ago, when 85 per cent of such marriages ended in failure. In most of these cases, the victims are women belonging to lower classes, who experience ostracism and discrimination, both from her own family and the society at large. The situation is still worse with those women who are illiterate and financially dependent.

The survey was conducted in Sarlahi, Dhanusha, Rautahat, Mahottari, Makwanpur, Bardiya, Banke, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Udaypur, Sapatri, Sindhuli, Jhapa, Morang as well as the capital city of Kathmandu.

"Many women in these villages face disaster in their inter-caste marriages, largely because of lack of education, awareness and poverty," she said.

The surprising discovery in the survey is that discriminations are perpetuated by none other than female members in their husbands’ families.

"The conservative society in the rural areas look down upon the poor and illiterate women who marry men of higher castes. Verbal abuses are slurred upon her. Once this starts, her in-laws and even her husband starts ill-treating her," explains Ranju.

Once a woman of a lower caste sets foot in her husband’s house, she faces discrimination inside the house at such places as kitchen and prayer room. When things come to a head, such kind of physical and mental torture force women to take fatal steps like suicide etc. Even men, if they happen to be of a lower caste are subjected to discriminations, though degrees may not be big as compared to women.

Even other sociologists including Dr Chaitnya Mishra and Dr Krishna Bhattachan also acknowledge that the caste system is still casting a bad spell on Nepali society, despite the modernization process.

" Judging from low socio-economic levels of the Nepali women, I believe, it will take several decades for the caste system to disappear in the country ," said Dr Mishra, acknowledging that it is not just women but lower caste men who also suffer discrimination

But he believes, once urbanisation and industrialization processes gain momentum, the hold of caste system would weaken.

"If we want to make such marriages work, we should not let hierarchical feelings persist, although there exists differences in such marriages in terms of culture, language etc," he further added.

According to sociologist Dr Bhattachan, differences and problems of adjustments in inter-caste marriages do exist even in developed countries like the United States. Not all people prefer inter-caste marriages in the US.

For Dr Bhattachan, it is matter of individual choice. "As people get educated and modern, they prefer to go for individual choice when it comes to marriages. Violence tend to happen in marriages where family and kinship dominate," he further added, saying that there are no guarantees of a successful marriage even among people of the same caste.

Whatever the constraints, no one can deny the fact that like other new social phenomenon, inter-caste marriages too have its pros and cons.

‘Joint struggle for all-party interim Govt, last resort’

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 27 : Major political parties agreed today that the formation of an all-party interim government is the only means of steering out the country from the present crisis. The parties also said that a united movement is fast appearing as the only way to protect the people’s sovereignty.

"There is a building determination among the people to begin a powerful struggle against regression," said Madhav Kumar Nepal, General Secretary of CPN-UML. "The people want a powerful movement. It is only the question of when we provide impetus to that common will of the people," added Nepal. He was speaking in an interaction on ‘The Role of Political Parties in Peace Process’ organized in the capital today by Pushpalal Memorial Academy.

"A unified struggle will easily pose serious threats to the reactionary forces. Our aim must be to rescue the people’s sovereignty that has been hijacked by the king," said Nepal.

Dismissing the need for constituent assembly as the Maoists’ frivolity, Nepal, however, said that political parties must play a positive role in the peace process, as people want the restoration of peace and political parties represent the people’s desires.

Speaking earlier in the programme, Ram Chandra Poudel, Central Committee member of the Nepali Congress, said that the role of political parties in peace talks is different this time as compared to the previous talks, as political parties are no longer on the driver’s seat.

Poudel also expressed surprise over the fact that while the previous rounds of talks with the political parties failed, the Maoists, known for their staunch anti-monarchy stance, are more sincere this time when they are holding talks directly with the monarch and his hand-picked government. "The deepening closeness between the Maoists and the monarch is astounding," he said.

Stating that NC in principle is not against a constituent assembly, Poudel, however questioned the motives behind forming it. He further said that if some drastic changes are indeed needed, they should come in the form of amendment in the Constitution of 1990. He also accused the Maoists of not being clear on their demands.

Similarly, Shiva Bahadur Khadka, Central Committee Member of Nepali Congress Democratic accused the king and the Maoists of having a double-edged policy. "Their statements and actions are inherently contradictory," he said.

Khadka also urged the political parties to join hands in fighting the force that is actively engaged in dividing political parties. "Congress was divided. Now, Sadbhavana got divided. There is no knowing where this worm of division will take us to," he said.

Also speaking on the occasion, Keshav Nepal, Central Committee Member of People’s Front of Nepal stressed that the parties should come forward in a combined struggle. Similarly, Rishi Kattel, President of the co-ordination committee of CPN-ML (reunified), said, "We cannot hope for any constitutional outlet now, because there is no constitution. There can be only political solution, and that is through a united movement," he said.