Legal aid committee to provide free services

Kathmandu, Dec. 21 (RSS): The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare has constituted a ten-member central women's legal aid committee to provide free legal counseling to women in legal battles concerning violence against women, abortion, sexual abuse of women and selling and trafficking of humans.

The committee constituted under the convenorship of the secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare comprises representatives of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the office of the Attorney General, Nepal Bar Association and the Legal Aid Consultancy Centre.

According to the Ministry, the Free Legal Aid Consultancy Programme is being implemented with the assistance of His Majesty's Government, the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, the Gender Equality Mainstreaming Programme and the United Nations.

The major functions of the committee would be to provide free legal consultancy services to needy women, plead cases on behalf of women, prepare the draft of applications, notes of complaint, rejoinders, appeals, pleading etc., Prepare the statements of witnesses and cross-examine them, contact the police office, the government prosecutor's office, courts and prisons and conduct legal literacy and awareness programmes concerning women and the law and the rights granted to women by the international convention on women's rights, according to the ministry.

Under the programme, provisions have been made for establishing a women's legal telephone help-line, appointment of a women's legal assistance officer and running the programme with the help of women advocates registered in the women legal practitioners' list.

The office of the committee has been housed at the legal consultancy section of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare.

34 policemen injured in road accident

Biratnagar, Dec. 21 (RSS): Thirty four policemen were injured when the truck belonging to the Department of Roads carrying 60 riot policemen from Pakli of Sunsari district met with an accident in front of the local electricity office this morning, according to Morang District Police Office.

The riot policemen were being mobilised to control the tense situation arising after clashes between the students and the bus employees in connection with the bus fare yesterday.

Three of the policemen are in serious condition, according to the District Police Office.

Some of the injured policemen are undergoing treatment at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences while others are being treated at Koshi Zonal Hospital. Preparations are bing made to airlift the three seriously injured poliemen to Kathmandu for treatment.

Following the clashes between the students and the policemen yesterday, all the shops, educational institutions, hotels and transports services remained closed today.

All short and long distance buses were off the road even though motercycles, rickshaws and cycles were seen plying in the roads.

After the police used bantons, tear gas and opened fire on the students yesterday, the agitated students had damaged the petrol pump, the fire engine and the police beat office.

A tense situation prevails in Biratnagar Sub-metropolitan City since yesterday.

End violence for progress: Paudel

Birgunj, Dec. 21 (RSS): Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home and Local Development Ramchandra Paudel has said that corruption and violence which is the common enemy of the society and the nation has to be tackled for maintaining law and order and the progress of the country.

Inaugurating a two-day regional conference of the Chief District Officers, police officers and the officers of the national investigation department here today, Mr Paudel said if the country is moved along the path of development, then violence and corruption would come to an end. The Home administration should give these matters priority, he added.

If the Home administration discharged its duties in the right perspective, then the commitments made by Mr Girija Prasad Koirala after becoming the Prime Minister to weed out corruption and maintain law and order and ensure good governance could be fulfilled.

He said that it was also the duty of the Home administration to maintain political stability to enable the healthy development of an economically weak country such as ours, and to check the wrong tendencies seen from time to time.

Stating that there had been onslaught on the rights of the people to live freely, fearlessly and peacefully as a result of violence, terror and challenges to democratic system made in the name of Maoists, he pointed out the need to get rid of these evils and consolidate democracy.

If the revenues raised in the country and the cooperation received from the friendly nations could be utilised properly, then only, poverty and backwardness could be eliminated and the country moved along the path of prosperity, he added.

Home Ministry secretary Srikanta Regmi said that the meeting would deliberate on the law and order situation, good governance, red tapism, distribution oof citizenship and passports, and enforcement of laws.

In Hetauda, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Pudel has said that as it is not possible to uphold the Constitution of the country, parliamentary democracy and national integrity as well as guarantee law and order,througn HMG effort alone the cooperation of the nepalese people and of all political parties has become indispensable.

Deputy Prime Minister Pudel, who was addressing a district level party workers' gathering organised here today by the Nepali Congress Makwanpur district committee, said that His Majesty's Government is determined to bring about the industrialisation of the country and modernise the agricultural sector by tapping our immense water resources and earning foreign exchange.

Urging the present day party workers to emulate the sacrifice and effort made by the party to bring democracy into the country in l950/5l, he said they should be party, country and people-oriented instead of just looking to the leadership if the party organisation is to be consolidated.

The gathering was chaired by newly elected NC district chairman Ram Chandra Aryal.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Pudel said at a party workers gathering at constituency No. 2 Basamadi that party workers should carry the local villagers along with them in development and cosntruction work and lend weight to the democratic spirit.

NC constituency No. 2 chairman Shyam Thapa was on the chair.

Judiciary should remain active:  HR activists

Kathmandu, Dec. 21 (RSS): Human rights activists have expressed the view that the judiciary should remain active in matters concerning the protection of human rights.

Addressing a colloquium on "The Role of the Judiciary in Protection of Human Rights" organised by the Youth Law Practioners for Human Rights here today, Human Rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar stressed that the courts should correct their weaknesses and play a paramount role in the protection and promotion of human rights.

He said that those found guilty of violating human rights and other rights provisions should be treated as criminals and tried by the state itself.

Member of the National Human Rights Commission Sushil Pyakurel pointed out that the judiciary should come out of its traditional garb.

Executive Director of INHURED-International Dr. Gopal Krishna Shivakoti said that the judiciary should take the initiative for putting into practice the fundamental human rights provisions.

At the programme presided over by president of the organising association Gopal Nath Yogi, Subidha Raj Pyakurel of INSEC, advocate Hari Phuyal, Dr. Bhogendra Sharma of CVICT and Dr. Rohit Nepali said the judiciary should be free from undue politicization and the courts should be given the right to ascertain cases of torture.

A human rights magazine "Human Rights Voice" was also released on the occasion.

Protest demands information on missing people

Pokhara, Dec. 21 (RSS): The nationalist citizens' co-ordination committee, Kaski, held a protest meeting here on Wednesday demanding to know the whereabouts of "missing" people and calling for an end to government interference in peaceful public programmes and to stop human rights abuses.

Member of the coordination committee Narayan Adhikari, independent left leader Teknath Baral, central member of the All Nepal Women's Association (revolutionary) Sumitra Ghimire, Mrs. Sumitra B.K., the wife of martyr Ek Bahadur B.K., regional coordinator of the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) Krishna Suedi, president of the Public Rights Concern Forum Chandramani Poudel, Dirgha Raj Pandey of the Nepal National Intellectuals Organisation and Baburam Poudel expressed their views at the programme presided over by coordination committee member Chandra Bahadur GC.

After the protest meeting, a slogan-chanting rally with placards and banners went around the main parts of the town.

Ex-servicemen's contribution highlighted

Pokhara, Dec. 21 (RSS): Indian Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis has said that ex-servicemen have an important role to play in further strengthening the age old friendly relations between Nepal and India.

Air Chief Marshal Tipnis, who was addressing a gathering of ex-servicemen and their families organized by the Indian Embassy's pension camp, Pokhara today, said the Indian Air Force is ready to extend necessary cooperation to the Royal Nepalese Army.

Mr Tipnis on behalf of the Indian Air Force donated Rs. 500,000 to the ex-servicemen's Welfare Fund.

On the occasion, his wife Mrs Tipnis gave presents to some ex-servicemen and their dependents.

Earlier, chief of the Indian Embassy's pension office, Pokhara Col. Y. V. K. Mohan said the Pokhara camp alone distributed pension to 60 per cent of the 110,000 pensioners retired from Indian Army.