NEPAL, BHUTAN TALKS
US proposal will be taken up bilaterally: Thinley

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec.24: Bhutanese Foreign Minister Jigmi Thinley said that the recent US proposal to verify Bhutanese refugees would be considered bilaterally during the 10th round of Nepal-Bhutan talks scheduled to begin tomorrow.

Thinley was speaking to the press immediately after his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport this afternoon.

"The visit of the two Assistant US secretaries to Bhutan was part of their last courtesy call to the region, especially in this case, to Nepal and Bhutan," he said. "It was a farewell call. As is normal between friendly countries, we discussed many issues. We discussed UN reforms, American policy for South Asia, and such other matters of mutual concern – included among them was the subject of the problem of the refugee camps in Nepal."

Both Nepal and Bhutan, he said, have been open to suggestions and ideas from well-wishers. "And so they (the US government) have also come up like other countries with certain proposals. Whether they will find a place in our dialogue is a matter to be seen. One must realise that we are engaged in a bilateral process."

Thinley was referring to the American proposal the two US Assistant Secretaries – Karl Inderfurth and Julia Taft — had floated during their visit here and in Bhutan earlier this month. The proposal suggested the validation of the 100,000 Bhutanese refugees before actually verifying them.

The US proposal has been dubbed close to Nepal’s stand on the refugee verification process. The country has been maintaining that the refugees should be verified on the basis of family units. While the Dragon Kingdom has been insisting that each and every refugee should be verified.

The verification has to do with four categories of the Refugees: Bonafide Bhutanese, Bhutanese who have emigrated, Bhutanese who have committed crimes and Non-Bhutanese.

Nepal and Bhutan agreed to the four categories of refugees in 1993 during the first Joint Ministerial Level Committee meeting. Ever since, the two Himalayan Kingdoms have held nine rounds of inconclusive talks on the refugee issue. Tomorrow’s talks are expected to focus on refugee verification.

"We are engaged in a very constructive dialogue to solve a common problem and we believe that through this endeavour we will be able to find a mutually satisfying solution," Thinley said here today.

Chakra Prasad Banstola, Minister of Foreign Affairs, added, "We are expecting a Christmas breakthrough."

Due to the impasse between Nepal and Bhutan, around 100,000 Bhutanese refugees have been languishing in the UNHCR-maintained camps in eastern Nepal.

The refugees have been maintaining that they were forced to leave their homeland in Bhutan at gunpoint. Bhutan resorted to ethnic cleansing under its "one nation, one people" campaign in the late Eighties. It changed its Citizenship Act 1958 in 1985, making it impossible for its southern Nepali- speaking Lhotsampas to stay in Bhutan.

No one can end democracy: PM

Biratnagar, Dec. 24 (RSS): President of the Nepali Congress and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said that the NC workers should unite and move ahead to check the attacks being made against it.

Addressing NC Morang district workers here today, Mr Koirala said that no one could end democracy.

Stating that a liberation movement should be launched again in the country and the Nepali Congress should take over its leadership, the NC president said there is no reason for the NC workers to be dissapointed.

Noting that some changes had been made in the constitution of the party under the process of handing over leadership to the younger generation, Mr Koirala said that he would like to handover the leadership of the united Nepali Congress and not a fragmented Nepali Congress to the younger generation.

Mr Koirala said that the younger generation should work with patience as gradual changes are taking place in the structure of the Nepali Congress.

The Nepali Congress has a bright future, Mr Koirala said, adding that no one could shake or terminate the Nepali Congress.

Stressing the need for all the political parties to unite and work to end Maoist terrorism, Mr Koirala said that the government has kept the doors open for talks with the Maoists.

Politics of violence and terrorism has not succeeded in any place of the world, he said, adding that the Maoists are also aware of this fact.

Stating that the Maoists seek change in the constitution when they are asked to come for talks, he said, adding that discussions on changing the constitution should take place in the Parliament otherwise the Parliament would be undermined.

Stating that he had become the Prime Minister with the commitment to maintain law and order, good governance and control corruption, Mr Koirala said that this has become a national issue now.

NC central member and Minister for Defense and Finance Mahesh Acharya said killings and violence never led to social reforms. He also criticized the Maoists for trying to destroy national unity through violence.

NC central member and chief of the party’s women department Mrs Nona Koirala urged all party workers to bear in mind that the Nepali Congress is shouldering a big responsibility towards the country and the people.

NC central member and spokesman Narahari Acharya said since the party president or the Prime Minister alone will not be able to resolve all problems, all the people should contribute from their respective places to resolving the problems facing the country today.

NC central member Miss Shailaja Acharya spoke of the need to direct attention to protecting democracy which is in a jeopardy.

NC Morang district president Ashok Koirala presided.

Prime Minister Koirala returned to the capital this afternoon.

Nepal, Japan friendship week starts

Kathmandu, Dec. 24 (RSS): The friendship festival of Nepal-Japan Week was initiated by Rajparishad Standing Committee Chairman Dr. Keshur Jung Rayamajhi here today.

The Nepal-Japan Week is being celebrated to mark the Japanese National Day from December 23 and the Nepalese National Day on December 29 by extending hearty birthday greetings to His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and His Majesty Emperor Akihito of Japan.

On the occasion, Dr. Rayamajhi said that this kind of programme helps in further consolidating the century old ties existing between Nepal and Japan which have been adopting the teachings of peace, non-violence and compassion propagated by Lord Buddha.

Dr. Rayamajhi said that the relations between Japan which had reached the summit of success in the field of science and technology and Nepal which has been slowly moving ahead in the path of development was deep and cordial.

Another guest, Minister at the Embassy of Japan Takamichi Okabe wished His Majesty the King and His Majesty the Emperor of Japan good health and prosperity for the people of the two countries.

Nepal-Japan Friendship Association president Dr. Yadav Prasad Pant said that as the social life and structure of the Nepalese and Japanese were identical, close and warm relations had developed between the two countries.

Association’s vice-president Durga Prasad Bhandari said that the behaviour, pattern, colour and culture of the Nepalese and the Japanese resembled and the Japanese had great respect for the people of Nepal, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

Another vice-president of the association Maheswar Juju, head of the Japanese language school Ramkrishna Verma, former Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Belgium Dr. Durgesh Man Singh and a host of other speakers also expressed their views at the programme.

An oratory contest was also held on the occaesion.

Arjun Shrestha, Birbal Agrawal and Kiran Khadka of the Biswabhasha Campus were adjudged first, second and third respectively in the Japanese language oratory contest while Mittiro Narita, Takahiro Usuda and Norkio Khasugayama were declared first, second and third respectively in the Nepali language oratory contest.

Chief guest Minister Okaba gave away prizes to the winners of the oratory contest.

Speedy constitution of verification panel urged

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec.24: A Bhutanese Human Rights organisation here has urged Bhutanese Foreign Minister Jigmi Thinley to agree for the speedy constitution of a verification committee to verify Bhutanese refugees in eastern Nepal.

Centre for Protection of Minorities and Against Racism and Discrimination in Bhutan (CEMARD), in a press statement today, stressed that all refugees must be verified and identified through the heads of the family.

"Secondly, in case of refugees, whose parents are still living inside Bhutan, the Royal Government of Bhutan should make the parents of such refugees available to the verification team to identify and verify their children."

CEMARD has also underlined that the verification team should first verify those refugees possessing citizenship identity cards issued by the Bhutanese Government. "Since majority of refugees possess the citizenship identity cards, the verification team should verify them and clear the deck for their immediate repatriation. This is the most simpler process."

For those refugees not having the citizenship cards, the verification team should consider their other documents including house and land tax paid receipts, government service records, award of scholarships, militia training evidences, payment of forced labour contribution tax like goongdawoola and saptolemi, among others. "These are legally valid documents issued to only Bhutanese citizens."

The representatives of refugees, the office of the UN Human Rights Commissioner and the UNHCR must be included in the verification team to ensure highest degree of fairness in the verification process, the Bhutanese Human Rights Organisation in exile said.

"If Bhutan fails to resolve the refugee crisis this time, it will invite international intervention, which would not be in its interests," warned the press statement undersigned by Rakesh Chhetri, Executive Director, of CEMARD.

RSS adds from Bhadrapur: The Bhutanese refugees have expressed the confidence that the tenth ministerial talks between Nepal and Bhutan will be successful in resolving the refugee problem.

The press statement published by the Bhutanese Return Committee states that the meeting will be able to fix the date for classifying Bhutanese refugees.

It said talks should be between the agitating Bhutanese and the government and the human rights leader Tek Nath Rijal should be included on behalf of the refugees.

Similarly, the Ahura Bhutan in a statement said the Nepal-Bhutan talks will bring positive results.

The release expressed gratitude to the international community for goodwill shown towards the Bhutanese refugees and demanded inclusion of Mr. Rijal in the Nepal-Bhutan ministerial talks.

However, the refugees and Bhutan watchers have said time is not ripe for believing Bhutan though the talks is encouraging.

Thami villagers revel as electricity comes to their homes

Charikot (Dolakha), Dec. 24 (RSS): The local Thami people of Lapilang Village Development Committee (VDC), ward No. 5, 6 and 7, performed the "Maipuja" and "Bhume Puja" according to their tradition in celebration of the electrification of their areas from the local Bhadrawati Khola Micro Hydel Project.

They danced and sang throughout the day in celebration of the electrification of their villages.

The people of these areas also slaughtered a pair of pigeons and solemnised the Maipuja at the source of the dam and made an offering of a he-goat and performed the Bishwakarma and the Bhume Puja at the power house, social mobilization officer Santosh Neupane said.

Construction of the 15-kilowatt Bhadrawati Khola Micro Hydro-Electricity Project was started in 1998 under the rural energy development section of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The project was constructed at the total cost of Rs 1,723,999. Of the total project cost, the District Development Committee (DDC), Dolakha had contributed Rs 150,000, the local VDC office Rs 150,000, His Majesty’s Government a grant assistance of Rs 380,0200, the Agricultural Development Bank a loan of Rs 44,989 and Rs 273,721 was contributed by the local people, it is learnt from the district energy advisor Prakash Shrestha.

Not only celebration, the project also takes on emotional significance for Manbir Thami, a 78-year-old elderly man from the community, who provided voluntary labour for a record 210 days for the project and the manager of the project Bakhan Singh Thami who had made a vow not to marry until the project’s completion.

With the completion of the project recently the long wait is now over for the manager and his bride who are slated to enter into wedlock on 24th February, 2001.

The project has directly benefited a total of 950 people belonging to 139 households in the locality.

Water from the local Bhadrawati Khola stream has been channeled into a dam through a 350-metre-long canal and the water is made to flow at the rate of 125 litres per second through a vertical height of 24 metres through a 45-metre long penstock pipe to generate 15 kilowatt of power from the project, according to engineer Ananda Pradhan of the rural energy development branch.

A great deal of transformation has taken place in the lifestyle of the local people after the electrification of their village.

According to a local resident Dabal Pandey, the electrification of their village has brought about a lot of enthusiasm for work among the village people, be they students or the youth, or the elderly.

It is learnt that the local people are now planning to set up an agriculture produce processing plant, a saw-mill and grill industry as well as other income-generating enterprises at the village.

A total of 26 community associations have been so far constituted in Lapilang VDC where the Rural Energy Development Programme has been implemented.

Locals urged to work for dev of Pokhara

Kathmandu, Dec. 24 (RSS): Participants at a seminar on "tourism development in Kaski area and our responsibility" organized by Kaski Development Society here today underlined the need for active participation of the local people in the development and promotion of tourism in Pokhara valley.

They also stressed the need to develop the Pokhara Airport into a regional airport, involve the local authorities in awareness raising programmes for environmental protection, immediately stop connecting the drains into the Fewa lake, promote trekking and adventure tourism for promoting rural tourism and encourage maximum participation of local residents in keeping the city clean.

At the seminar, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat asked the tourism and hotel entrepreneurs of the Fewa lake area to give serious thought to improving the environment around the lake.

Dr Harka Gurung said the National Planning Commission and the government should take special initiative for the development of Kaski area.

Tourism expert Prachanda Man Singh described as positive the participation of local residents in promoting tourism in Pokhara valley.

Joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Shankar Koirala said the government is considering to develop Pokhara into a regional and rural tourism destination.

Dr Govinda Bahadur Thapa, hotel entrepreneurs Nilkantha Sharma, Krishna Acharya and Dipendra Chhetri spoke about the role local residents can play in developing the Kaski area.

Nepal to host human rights meet in March

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 24: On the eve of the UN International Human Rights Conference scheduled to be held in Geneva from March 12 next year, Nepal is to host a three-day International Human Rights Conference beginning from March 9, 2001.

This was disclosed at a press meet organised here this afternoon by the Association of Ex-Gorkha Army (AEGA) with a view to informing the press about the outcomes and decisions of its one-day workshop recently held in Pokhara.

"We have decided to host the Conference on the eve of the International Human Rights meeting in Geneva so that all the international Human Rights organisations could acknowledge extreme violation of Human Rights situations by the British government so far as the Ex-British Gorkha army men are concerned," said Executive Director of INHURED International, Nepal Gopal Siwakoti.

Citing the decisions of AEGA’s Pokhara conference, human rights activist Hiranya Lal Shrestha said the British government has not only violated human rights but has also violated the right to information by not disclosing the whereabouts of over hundred thousand of the Nepalese soldiers recruited during the World War II. "Even after half a century of the end of the war there are hundreds of married Nepalese women who are still waiting for the return of their husbands who had gone to the battle field."

"Except for about 20 thousand Gorkha soldiers the British government has been largely irresponsible and this is the climax of Britain’s violation of human rights," said AEGA president Padam Bahadur Gurung.

He criticised the government for failing to forward the issues of ex-Gorkha soldiers suffering from the discrimination during the recent visit of British secretary of State for Defence Geoffrey Hoon. "The have been the victims of British discrimination due the government’s indifferent attitude towards the issue."

Meanwhile, Human Rights activist Siwakoti said that it was a human rights issue and should thus be internationalised.

Citing various international treaties regarding human rights, he said that the British government has violated a number of treaties that it had ratified.

In the summary report of the Pokhara declaration of the AEGA it is stated that the Ex-British Gorkha Soldiers were prejudiced, segregated and discriminated from the very beginning of their joining of the British Army.