His Majesty graces reception

Kathmandu, Dec. 28 (RSS): His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev graced a reception hosted on the occasion of His Majesty’s 56th auspicious birthday by Prime Minister and chairman of the auspicious birthday celebration committee Girija Prasad Koirala at Singha Durbar today.

Her Majesty Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev also graced the reception.

A royal salute was presented on the occasion.

Their Majesties the King and Queen granted audience to heads of diplomatic missions present at the reception.

Other members of the royal family were also present at the reception.

Also present were the Chief Justice, the Speaker, the National Assembly chairman, the Raj Parishad Standing Committee chairman, ex-prime ministers, MPs, heads of constitutional bodies, various political party leaders, senior journalists and other dignitaries.

World leaders greet HM

Kathmandu, Dec 29 (RSS): On the occasion of the 56th auspicious birthday of His Majesty the King, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has sent warm greetings to His Majesty and the people of Nepal together with every good wish for a peaceful and prosperous future.

Likewise, in a message of felicitations, Japanese Emperor Akihito has extended His Majesty hearty congratulations and sincere good wishes for His Majesty’s happiness and for the prosperity of the Nepalese people.

In a similar message, King Jigme Singye Wangchuk of Bhutan has extended warmest felicitations and Tashi Delek on the joyous and auspicious occasion of His Majesty’s birth anniversary.

The Bhutanese King has also extended best wishes for the continued peace, progress and prosperity of the people of Nepal, as well as for the personal well-being and happiness of His Majesty and members of the Royal family.

Marking the same occasion, Amir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani of the state of Qatar has expressed best wishes for His Majesty’s well-being and continued prosperity and for the progress of the friendly people of Nepal, hoping also that the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries would be further enhanced in the years to come.

Similarly, Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman has also wished His Majesty personal good health and long life and the people of Nepal continued well-being and prosperity.

In a similar message sent to His Majesty, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei has expressed personal best wishes for His Majesty’s continued good health and happiness as well as for the continued progress and prosperity of the people of the Kingdom of Nepal.

Her Majesty Queen Beatrik of the Netherlands has in a congratulatory message extended best wishes for His Majesty’s personal happiness and the prosperous future of the people of Nepal.

Addressing to His Majesty heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of His Majesty’s birth anniversary, King Albert of the Belgians has wished that the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and the two peoples would grow even stronger.

On the same occasion, King Mohammed VI of Morocco has extended most heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for His Majesty’s lasting good health, well-being and long life.

Likewise, HRH Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg has conveyed to His Majesty heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for His Majesty’s personal well-being and for the prosperity and the happy future of the people of Nepal.

On the occasion of His Majesty the King’s 56th auspicious birth anniversary, Amir Hamand Bin Essa Al-Khalifa of the State of Bahrain has conveyed to His Majesty heartfelt felicitations and greetings, wishing His Majesty many happy returns of the occasion.

In a similar message, King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia has extended hearfelt felicitations to His Majesty the King, wishing for His Majesty’s personal good health and happiness as well as for the prosperity of the people of Nepal.

Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia Sir William Deane has also extended to His Majesty, the government and the people of the Kingdom of Nepal, congratulations on the occasion of His Majesty the King’s auspicious birthday.

Likewise, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has extended sincere greetings and warm felicitations for His Majesty’s health, happiness and personal well-being and for the continued progress and prosperity of the people of the Kingdom of Nepal.

On the occasion of the 56th auspcious birthday of His Majesty the King, President Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has extended best wishes for His Majesty’s good health and happiness, and for the continued peace, progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Nepal.

In a similar message, President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has extended warmest felicitations to His Majesty the King and has expressed confidence that relations between the two countries would be augmented in the years to come.

Similarly, conveying to His Majesty cordial congratulations, President Johannes Rau of the Federal Republic of Germany has hoped that Nepal and its citizens can look forward to a bright and prosperous future.

President Kim Dae-Jung of the Republic of Korea has extended warmest congratulations to His Majesty and expressed confidence that the friendly and cooperative relations that the two countries have enjoyed will be further strengthened in the years ahead.

In a message of felicitations, President Jacques Chirac has wished His Majesty a very happy birthday and offered most sincere wishes of prosperity and peace to the people of Nepal to whom France is bound by a long standing and trustful friendship.

On the auspicious occasion of His Majesty the King’s 56th birth anniversary, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation has wished His Majesty good health and well being as well as peace and prosperity for the people of Nepal.

Messages extending greetings, congratulations and best wishes to His Majesty the King on the occasion of His Majesty’s 56th auspicious birthday have also been received from UN Secretary General Kofi A. Annan, SAARC Secretary General Nihal Rodrigo, President of the Republic of Chile Ricardo Lagos Escobar, President of the United Mexican States Vicente Fox Quesada, President of Iceland Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Havel, and President of Indonesia K. H. Abdurrahman Wahid.

Likewise, President of Mauritius Cassam Uteem, President of Hungary Ferenc Maadl, President of Greece Constantinos Stephanopoulos, President of Tunisia Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, President of South Africa Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeiki, Acting President of Malta George Hyzler and President of Cuba Fidel Castro Ruz have also send messages wishing good health and long life to His Majesty the King.

President of Egypt Mohammad Hosnie Mubarak, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe, President of Croatia Stjepan Mesic, President of Lebanon General Emile Lahoud, President of Seychelles France Albert Rene, President of Syria Bashar Al-Assad, President of Bulgaria Petar Stoyanov, President of Israel Moshie Katsav and President of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh have also sent messages of best wishes to His Majesty the King.

Valley bandh peaceful

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 28: Kathmandu valley was relatively calm today with shops closed and vehicles staying off the roads in response to a bandh after two days of violent student protests against alleged derogatory remarks against Nepal by an Indian cine-actor.

The bandh was called by the five left student unions to protest the deaths that took place during clashes with the police and the alleged derogatory remarks by actor Hrithik Roshan.

Six people, including a minor, were killed and scores others injured in clashes with the police trying to maintain law and order in the Valley. The violent protests were sparked by alleged remarks by Roshan who is supposed to have said that he hated Nepal and the Nepalese during a TV talk show. But so far there has been no viewer who can confirm this.

Roshan in an interview to Nepal Television on Wednesday said he was baffled by what was going on in Nepal, and claimed never saying anything about the Himalayan Kingdom.

In an interview with CNN, Roshan did not overrule the hand of the underworld behind the violence. Only a year back in January, his father, a producer and director, had been shot at by the Mafia. Still others say someone from the Bollywood might have been conspiring against Roshan who shot to instant fame after his debut film made by his father.

However, Roshan’s voice is not reaching the student protestors in Kathmandu who burned vehicles and vandalised shops on Wednesday. They burned tyres and blocked the streets. However, Thursday was relatively calm, although the riot police were seen at all key junctions. People walked to work, and the air in Kathmandu was fresh.

Meanwhile, in some of the junctions there were scene demonstrators and police clashing against each other.

Police arrested some student leaders while they were demonstrating in front of Patan Multiple Campus. According to police sources, those arrested have already been released. Police had to fire tear gases to control the mass of students.

Meanwhile, police also had to fire tear gas in some other places like New Road and Ason of Kathmandu and Mangal Bazar and Lagankhel of Lalitpur to disperse the mass.

Meanwhile, RSS adds that xcept for some minor incidents of stone throwing and damaging of vehicles, setting tyres on fire to block the flow of traffic, no untoward incident took place during the course of the valley bandh today, according to the spokesman of the Ministry of Home.

In the course of the bandh, stones were hurled damaging a night service bus and a tempo in Kathmandu, a tempo in Lalitpur and a factory in Bhaktapur. Police had to use light force on agitated street processions at some places so that the situation did not go out of control.

According to the spokesman, police have detained 143 persons in Kathmandu and five in Lalitpur for forcibly blocking road movement, closing the markets and hurling stones.

All persons arrested except those involved in vandalism are to be released today after investigations.

Inclusion of refugees in verification sought

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 28: A Bhutanese Human Rights organisation in Nepal has stressed on the representation of Bhutanese refugees and the involvement of United Nations in the process of negotiation, verification and repatriation of the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal.

"The representation of the refugees and the involvement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in these processes are imperative if the Bhutanese refugees are to be dispensed justice," a press statement of Association of Human Rights Activists (AHURA) Bhutan, read here today.

The Bhutanese Human Rights organisation floated the idea one day after Nepal and Bhutan agreed to verify Bhutanese refugees bilaterally – with five- member team from each side — beginning next month. The two Himalayan Kingdoms yesterday agreed to begin the verification with each refugee family as a unit in one of the seven Bhutanese refugee camps in eastern Nepal.

Reasoning its idea to involve the refugees and the UN offices in the verification and other processes, AHURA has stated that the Bhutanese government could invent complications in determining Bhutanese and non-Bhutanese "as it would be clear what documentary evidences would be accepted only when the actual verification begins."

The Bhutanese non-government organisation in exile has also pointed out yet another potential problem – Bhutan’s stand on the four categories of the refugees. Nepal and Bhutan, way back in 1993, agreed to categorise Bhutanese refugees into four types: bonafide Bhutanese citizens, Bhutanese who have emigrated, Bhutanese who have committed crimes, and non-Bhutanese.

Bhutan, so far, has insisted on taking back only the refugees of the first category – bonafide Bhutanese.

"The second complication that might crop up is during the process of categorisation of those found to be Bhutanese into the ‘voluntary emigrants’ and ‘people who committed criminal acts’," read AHURA’s press statement. "Bhutan’s real commitment to take back its citizens will only become clear if it takes a logical and flexible stand at this stage. If it continues with its obsolete stand of applying its retroactive and racially discriminative 1985 Citizenship Act, a significant majority of the people will be rendered stateless."

Appreciating the outcome of the 10th round of Nepal-Bhutan talks on the refugee crisis that concluded Wednesday, AHURA has highlighted Bhutan’s agreement to consider all valid documents of reugees for verification as a significant achievement. "If this agreement is to be abided by in the actual process of verification, there is little doubt that any Bhutanese citizens (refugees) could be disqualified (in the verification)."

AHURA Bhutan was the organisation that produced a database in April this year revealing that almost 100 per cent of the refugees have one or the documentary evidences to prove their Bhutanese origin and nationality.

The database was the result of a survey on 50 per cent of the around 100,000 Bhutanese refugees languishing for the last one decade in seven UNHCR-maintained camps in eastern Nepal.

Govt calls for help to curb violence

Kathmandu, Dec. 28 (RSS): The Council of Ministers has appealed to all responsible political parties and civic society to co-operate in its efforts to discourage and control violent activities that have suddenly started up in the capital.

In a press communiqué issued today, the Council of Ministers says—"the acts of violence and vandalism that have suddenly occurred for the last two days resulting in the loss of life and property in the capital are extremely regrettable. The unbridled spread of violence in the capital on the grounds of an individual’s unsubstantiated and repeatedly refuted remark is not fitting for the national dignity. Moreover, the unleashing of violence leading to attack and vandalising inside the houses and business centres, which is likely to harm social harmony in a multi-lingual and multi-ethnic country like ours, is contemptible."

The communiqué says- "For the sake of national dignity and self-respect, a spontaneous surge of awakening and alertness would be as much commendable as it would be important to guard oneself against misleading propaganda and a conspiracy to cause loss of life and property and fan communal hatred in the country."

Our staff reporter adds, as protest against the alleged derogatory remarks against Nepal by an Indian actor continued for the third consecutive day (Thursday), there were calls for restraint from different quarters.

"We seem to have over reacted to those alleged remarks. But now that it is becoming clear that the Indian actor did not make the remarks, it is not good to sensationalise the issue," film director Neer Bikram Shah told The Rising Nepal.

Actor Hrithik Roshan on Wednesday not only denied making any derogatory remarks against Nepal, but said he loved Nepal as much as he loved India. He said he was shocked to hear of deaths during the protests in Kathmandu, and offered help to families who had lost their dear ones.

Six people were killed and more than 200 people injured during clashes between protesters and the police.

Said Shah, either someone should confirm that Roshan actually said what he said or find out how all this came about.

Harihar Dahal, President of Nepal Bar Association, slammed political parties for not verifying if the actor had actually spoken such things and letting their student wings go haywire over unconfirmed reports.

"What is happening in Kathmandu could be a grand design of some anti-democratic elements," Dahal said.

Chairman of Nepal Press Council Harihar Birahi has also similar things to say. Birahi lambasted the political parties as they have not shown seriousness to solve the problem even after the Indian actor said that he had not expressed anything derogatory against Nepal.

"As responsible forces, the political parties must have thought of seriously to solve the problem."

Birahi suspected that the on-going protests might be a planned conspiracy hatched against the democratic system.

He, however, said that the conspiracy could not be successful.

Panna Kaji Amatya, Professor of Political Science, accused the government and the opposition political parties of not taking any measure to solve the problem immediately.

"The government and the political parties been had to be far-sighted to tackle such issues," Amatya said.

No-trust motion registered

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 28: Fifty-six members of the ruling Nepali Congress, led by former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, have registered a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister and Party President Girija Prasad Koirala.

The motion was registered at the Party’s Parliamentary Office today at 13:15. Deuba and his friends walked all the way from his contact office at Baneshwore to Singha Durbar to register the motion.

Talking to the press after the motion’s registration, Deuba said Koirala had failed to fulfil the pledges he made when he took office as prime minister. Koirala had pledged to maintain law and order, control corruption and provide good governance.

He said, the no-confidence motion was being brought because the government seems to be least concerned about the current situation of the country. He also said there was enough reason to believe the government was involved in the Lauda Air deal.

He said a constitutional step has been taken with due respect to party leader Koirala to resolve the problems facing the country in a peaceful way.

Deuba also expressed confidence that all the signatories and some more will vote for the motion. A former minister and Central Committee Member, Khum Bahadur Khadka, who was sacked by Koirala in August, said he was for the motion.

Meanwhile, Tek Bahadur Chokhyal also resigned as whip of the party in the parliament. However, former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai is not among the signatories.

The party will begin discussion on the motion after 15 days.

Meanwhile, secretary of the party’s parliamentary party Benup Raj Prasai said he would confer with the party’s General Secretary Sushil Koirala. Consultations will also be held with Prime Minister Koirala, the proponent of the motion and others. The process of verifying signatures would also take place, he added

Bhattarai blames weak leadership for problems

Kathmandu, Dec. 28 (RSS): Ex-prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has appealed to all Nepalese to exercise patience and restraint as there is a constitutional remedy for all dissatisfactions and problems surfacing in the country today.

In a press release issued this evening, ex-prime minister Bhattarai attributed the present crisis to the weak leadership the country has today and said that the crisis should not, however, be interpreted as a failure of the Nepali Congress and democracy.

At present when not only the Nepali Congress but also democracy and the country have been pushed towards crisis, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has no alternative but to resign if only to preserve his own half a century long political history.

He has also urged all NC MPs and workers to keep the party united so as to face up to the obtaining challenges.

With 56 NC members of the House of Representatives registering a no trust motion against the Prime Minister at the NC parliamentary party office citing the latter’s failure to improve the deteriorating law and order situation in the country and the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee’s unanimous conclusion that the Prime Minister seems to have been deeply involved in the leasing of a Lauda Air jet by RNAC as some of the reasons behind their lack of confidence in him, a new situation has been created in the Nepali Congress, Mr Bhattarai said.

Expressing his full support to the no trust motion, Mr Bhattarai has requested all NC MPs to follow suit.

"In view of the grave situation in the party today and out of deference to the sentiments of NC MPs, I once again humbly request Prime Minister Koirala to resign as Prime Minister and party president," he said.

Nepal, Bhutan face similar problems: Thinley

Kathmandu, Dec. 28 (RSS): The 12-member Bhutanese delegation led by Bhutanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Jigmi Y. Thinley left here today for home after participating in the 10th Nepal-Bhutan ministerial joint committee meeting.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola saw off the Bhutanese delegation at the VIP bay of the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Talking to RSS on the eve of the departure, Bhutanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Thinley said that in South Asia, Nepal and Bhutan were facing similar development problems and challenges and it was essential for both the countries to continue mutual discussions in order to be free from such challenges.

There is a lack of mutual co-operation and interaction between Nepal and Bhutan, the Bhutanese Foreign Minister noted, adding that as the two countries could work together to their mutual benefit he had talks with his Nepalese counterpart Bastola on that matter.

Noting the importance of Nepal-Bhutan bilateral co-operation, Bhutanese Foreign Minister said as Nepal and Bhutan share a common aspiration of development both the countries should exchange their knowledge and experiences to materialise their aspirations.

HM’s birthday celebrated abroad

Kathmandu, Dec. 28 (RSS): On the occasion of the auspicious 56th birthday of His Majesty the King, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to China Rajeshwar Acharya hosted a reception in Beijing this evening.

Vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Mr Zhang Siqing, who represented the Chinese government at the function, wished His Majesty long life, good health and happiness.

He also expressed confidence that the long standing good neighbourly relations so happily subsisting between Nepal and China will be further strengthened and consolidated in the years to come.

Also attending the function were Lt. Gen. Zhou Youling of the People’s Liberation Army, Vice Minister of International Department of the Communist Party of China Cai Wu, Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Yusei and other high ranking Chinese officials.

Ambassadors and diplomats from SAARC and other countries, academicians, media persons, travel and trade people, friends of Nepal and Nepalese residing in Beijing were likewise present.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of the 56th auspicious birthday of His Majesty the King, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Badri Prasad Khanal hosted a reception today at the Chancery in Riyadh.

On the occasion, Ambassador Khanal, other embassy officials and staff and Nepalese residing in Riyadh garlanded a portrait of His Majesty the King and prayed for His Majesty’s good health, happiness and long life.

Fruits and sweets were distributed to children and others attending the function.

On the occasion of the 56th auspicious birthday of His Majesty the King, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Switzerland and permanent representative of Nepal to the UN in Geneva Dr. Shambhu Ram Simkhada hosted a reception.

Present on the occasion were high officials of the Swiss Federal and Geneva Cantonal governments, ambassadors and permanent representatives of different countries, high officials of the United Nations office and other international organisations, representatives of the banking and business sectors, Nepalese nationals living in Switzerland and friends of Nepal.

To mark the auspicious occasion, the Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Qatar also hosted a reception, in Doha.

The Ambassador and his wife garlanded a photograph of His Majesty. The ambassador wished His Majesty long life, happiness and prosperity.

The Everest Cultural Troupe and the Tejendra and Stage Doha Troupe (music and cultural groups of Nepalese expatriates) presented two special musical programmes at separate venues in Doha to celebrate the auspicious occasion. Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic community participated in the programmes.

To mark the same occasion, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Bala Bahadur Kunwar hosted a reception in Colombo last evening

Minister of provincial councils and local governments of the government of Sri Lanka Nandamithra Ekanayake was the chief guest on the occasion.

Also present on the occasion were ministers, members of the diplomatic corps, members of parliament, political leaders, academics, government officials, dignitaries from different walks of life, Royal Nepalese Embassy staff and the Nepalese community residing in Sri Lanka.

Strengthen bonds of national unity; Gupta

Kathmandu, Dec. 28 (RSS): On the occasion of His Majesty the King’s 56th auspicious birthday, Minister for Information and Communications Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta inaugurated the nation-wide national songs festival organised by Radio Nepal here today.

Addressing the programme, Minister Gupta stressed that the need of the hour is to strengthen the bonds of national integration and national unity for the progress of the country and the Nepali people.

Nationality will gain its strength by a rich variety of cultures and a sense of community feeling, the Minister for Information and Communications said, expressing the view that this kind of national songs festivals, which provides a forum for presentation of such nationalist feelings at one place, should be given a continuity.

From the chair, officiating secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communications Prem Nidhi Gyawali said the national songs festival would strengthen the feeling of unity between the nation and the people.

Executive director of Radio Nepal Shailendra Raj Sharma said that Radio Nepal had organised the national songs festival, which would reflect a sense of national feeling, on the occasion of the 56th auspicious birthday of His Majesty the King, for protection of the nation and nationality.

Musician Bhupendra Rayamajhi noted that the national songs, which reflect the feelings of nationality, can play an important role in stopping the increasing inconsistencies and the bad influence of foreign culture in the Nepalese music sector.

Thirty-one musical troupes from 17 districts across the Kingdom are taking part in the national songs festival.

Likewise, Minister Gupta inaugurated the new computerised newsroom of Radio Nepal at Singha Durbar today.

On the occasion, Minister Gupta also inspected the process of news editing and transmission through the computer system.

The computer networking at the newsroom is done through the server system and it uses a modern software called the "News Boss".

The technology, which allows for the simultaneous editing and transmission of letters and sound was installed with the financial assistance of UNESCO and the mobilisation of internal resources of Radio Nepal.

This is the first time Radio Nepal is using this kind of system which does not require the use of paper in the editing and transmission of news.

This system allows for speedy editing of news as well as storing in memory the transmitted news.

Meanwhile on the occasion of the 56th auspicious birthday of His Majesty the King, Minister for Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta affixed the first day cancellation mark on four new postage stamps issued by the Postal Services Department at a function here today.

A Rs. 5-denomination commemorative postage stamp bear the image of His Majesty the King.

Likewise, three other Rs. 5-denomination postage stamps issued as part of the flowers series depict "Panch Aule" (Dactylorhiza Hatagirea), "Jamane Mandri" (Mahonia Napaulensis) and "Bhalu Kath" (Talauma Hodgsonii).

All three flowers, which are used for medical purposes, are endangered species.

All the new four colour combination postage stamps were designed by artist Mohan Narsingh Rana. One million copies of each of the four new postage stamps were printed in Switzerland.

At the function, Minister Gupta said the government will provide all possible cooperation for the success of the South Asian philatelic exhibition due to be held in Nepal in February/March.

Director general of the Postal Services Department Mukunda Sharma Poudel highlighted the special features of the new postage stamps.

Demonstrate nationalism peacefully: RPP

Kathmandu, Dec. 28 (RSS): The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has expressed deep concern over the violence precipitated in the capital and other parts of the country by an Indian film artiste’s alleged remarks about Nepal and the Nepalese, and condemned the vandalism and violence that took place in the course of protest demonstrations.

In a press release issued here today, the RPP said the Nepalese people have once again demonstrated their sense of nationalism and given out the message that any act hurting the self-respect of Nepal and the Nepalese will not be acceptable.

The RPP appreciates this sense of nationalism demonstrated spontaneously by the people, the press release said adding, it, however, appeals to all sectors concerned to demonstrate the sense of nationalism peacefully and remain alert so that such protest demonstrations do not instigate violence and communal ill feelings.

Condemning the killing of innocent people in the name of controlling the demonstrations, the party said the shooting down of innocents including a 13 years old school girl, who was sitting in her room and an 11 year old student returning home from school, has naturally given a new twist to the situation.

The RPP has demanded that the government take moral responsibility for such incidents at the political level.

The party has also demanded action against the guilty, compensation to the families of those killed in the violent incidents and free treatment to the injured.

Experts suggest revision in journalism syllabus

Kathmandu, Dec. 28 (RSS): A need has been felt for timely revision in the syllabus of journalism education in Nepal.

Experts and representatives of institutes concerned with journalism education, speaking at an interaction programme on designing syllabus for journalism education organised here today by the Nepal Association of Media Educators (NAME), said that emphasis should be laid on practical knowledge and the syllabus revised to bring about qualitative changes in journalism education.

Presenting a concept paper, senior journalist and instructor Ram Krishna Regmi said that press freedom refers not only to freedom to publish periodicals, but manpower for the development of quality journalism is equally necessary, and there should be seriousness about preparing the syllabus.

A working paper presented by teachers at Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus Chiranjivi Khanal and Lal Deusa Rai stated that journalism has not been able to receive its due place in the country and the syllabus should be designed taking into consideration the rapid advancement in journalism and the mass media.

Presiding over the programme, NAME president P. Kharel said that though the history of journalism is long there are not even 20 books on journalism in the Nepalese language.

Dean of the Tribhuvan University Institute of Management Triratna Manandhar said that a target has been set to conduct post-graduate level classes in journalism from next year onwards.

President of Nepal Press Institute Gokul Pokharel said that in the present context when there is a race to take control of the media and excessive commercialisation of journalism, good education in journalism is more necessary than ever.

President of the Nepal Press Union Kul Chandra Wagle said that whether journalism is a technical or administrative subject should be clear and clarity is also needed regarding specialisation in journalism.

Representatives of Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus, People’s Campus, Nepal Press Institute, Media Point, Nepal Women Journalists Association, higher secondary schools where journalism is taught and students of journalism were present at the programme.