NC will work for dev, democracy: PM

Kathmandu, July 21 (RSS): Prime Minister and President of the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala has expressed determination to direct the large and organised strength of the Nepali Congress towards the work of development, preservation and promotion of democracy.

Prime Minister Koirala was inaugurating a two day training cum talk programme on ‘Democratic Socialism in the Context of Nepal’ organised by the NC Lalitpur district ad hoc committee at Lalitpur to mark the 18th B.P. Memorial Day.

Mr Koirala said his wish is to create a situation in which Maoist affected families will be able to celebrate the Dashain festival this year in their own homes, adding "I am going to the Maoist affected areas myself, I intend to form all party committees there for carrying out development activities, and I will see how party workers and the police and administration respond when I go there as party president and Prime Minister."

NC President Koirala said even if minor disputes exist within the party it will not split as activities aimed at bringing about a split have always been there.

The multi-dimensional personality and socialist policy of the late B.P. should be looked upon in its entirety, he said adding that every person who upholds NC ideals, norms and the party flag is indeed a B.P. Koirala himself.

NC general secretary Sushil Koirala said democracy and the party will not be successful if the evils, aberrations and shortcomings in our present system are not corrected.

He said that the center has no animosity towards any district working committee, adding that active membership will be issued to all former active members except those who stood as rebel candidates in the last election, proposed or seconded such candidacies or those whom the party president himself had gone to the constituency to initiate action against.

He said that in another two or three months the general convention is taking place, so let the election be contested on the basis of thinking instead of groupism, and let the activities of the party and government be considered in a spirit of proper criticism.

MP Yog Prasad Upadhyaya said that in a democracy one should work out of a national spirit instead of for individual interests.

NC Lalitpur district ad hoc committee chairman Sagar Shumsher Rana said BP’s gentle character has not been reflected by leaders of the Nepali Congress and other parties.

Programme convenor Chandra Maharjan chaired the programme at which NC Lalitpur vice chairman Rudra Sharma and secretary Jagar Raj Shakya also expressed their views.

On the same occasion the NC Lalitpur district ad hoc committee today organised an afforestation programme at Sunakothi. The programme was inaugurated by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Tarini Datta Chataut.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel initiated an afforestation programme organised at Kirtipur Municipality ward No 7 Champadevi on the occasion of the l8th memorial day of popular leader BP Koirala by the BP Park Development and Conservation Committee and the BP Thought Foundation.

On the occasion, l,000 tree saplings of various species were planted.

Addressing the function, Deputy Prime Minister Poudel said BP was not only a thinker but also a man of the age who translated thought, principles and ideals into action and provided practical leadership.

He said the popular revolution of 2007 Bikram year was the starting point of social, economic and political change in Nepalese society and no new change has taken place since the social changes heralded by that event. That change was possible because of BP’s ability to guide the country through his thinking and vision.

He also expressed the view that the tendency of planting trees but not preserving them, and garlanding photos to make a show of it and carrying out activities calculated to hide things in the name of remembering BP should end.

Remarking that the political goal of the Nepali Congress is to uplift the poor and for this the Bishweshwar With The Poor Programme has been brought into effect, the Deputy Prime Minister said the downtrodden and oppressed classes and Kamaiya bonded labourers should also be targeted under this programme.

Minister of State for Health Tirtha Ram Dangol said adherence to the principles and ideals of democratic socialism as propounded by BP would alone be considered genuine tribute to him.

Nepali Congress Kathmandu ad hoc committee chairman Shyam Lal Shrestha said the principles he espoused have not been embraced in the correct fashion, adding that the principle of democratic socialism should be embraced if rural development is to take off and the democratic system consolidated.

From the chair, BP Thought Foundation Cairman Haribol Bhattarai called for self criticism of one’s own weaknesses and failings.

BP Park Development and Conservation Committee Champadevi convenor Mani Ram Acharya and ward chairman Madhav Bhattarai also spoke on the occasion.

Paudel stresses dialogue with opposition parties

Kathmandu, July 21 (RSS): Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Development and convenor of the dialogue committee on behalf of His Majesty’s Government Ram Chandra Paudel has in a letter to the convenors of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, RPP, CPN-ML, Nepal Sadvawana Party, Rastriya Janamorcha, Samyukta Janamorcha Nepal And Nepal Workers and Peasants Party expressed hope and confidence that the Nepali Congress government which wants to move ahead with continous faith in democracy and dialogue would not drift away from its belief and ideology and maintain its relations based on dialogue with the opposition.

In the letter, Mr Paudel informed that His Majesty’s Government has already taken decisions on the basis of the dialogue held with various political parties represented in the parliament to send for action the report of the revenue leakage investigation committee to the concerned body, make public the report concerning red passport and take action accordingly, formulate a law requiring personalities holding public post and other civil servants to make their property public, make commission transparent and bringing it into the tax circle, formulate law making the works of the consitutional council systemic and transparent, increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and keeping education sector and administrative machinery aloof from politics.

The work of developing the basis and criteria for constitution of education service commission, making impartial appointments of teachers, police and corporation employees, making provision to stop issuing loan from commercial banks without proper assessment of the collateral, extending relief programs like the Ganeshman peace campaign impartailly to the targetted groups and forming of Human Rights Commission has already been completed, Mr Poudel said in the letter.

Mr. Paudel also said that an independent Judicial Commission has already been constituted to investigate the Rautahat issue and present a report within one month and that the citizenship issue raised by Nepal Sadvawana Party was discussed at the all party meeting held on June 1 and 7.

His Majesty’s Government has also expressed its committment to release workers of political parties arrested on public offense on the basis of the namelist provided by the respective party, carry out political sufferers assistance distribution works in a transparent manner, call a parliament meeting to reach to a conclusion regarding the D.P.R of Mahakali Treaty, discuss and finalise the report of the high level National Education Commission in the Parliament, maintain the inequalities in distribution of quota for teachers in district and represent all concerned while constituting school management committees, Mr Poudel said.

In connection with the resolution of the Maoist problem, His Majesty’s Government has also expressed its committment to release the political party activists arrested on alleged charges of being a Maoist without any specific proof or due to other circumstances if the concerned party takes official responsibility, run socio-economic programmes in the Maoist-affected districts with joint coordination of all political parties, maintain consensus to define terrorism and formulate necessary law and regulations, and organise joint mass meeting and protest programmes of the ruling and opposition party leaders in the Maoist-affected areas, he added.

He has also informed about the abolition of the Kamaiya or bonded labour system as per the decision of His Majesty’s Government.

The local body and all party representatives will be included in the selection of genuine landless squatters and reform measures will be taken to curtail administrative expenditure of B.P. with the Poor programme and the women awareness and income generating programme, Deputy Prime Minister Poudel said.

He has also stated that his majesty’s government is ready to work with all the opposition parties in reaching a consensus on other issues, if any, and put into practice the agreements reached earlier.

Meanwhile, in reply to the letter sent to the dialogue committee on behalf of the government by CPN-UML dialogue committee convenor K. P. Sharma Oli, convenor of the committee Deputy Prime Minister Poudel said that in respect to the determination of the parliament to control market price, His Majesty’s Government has been carying out every possible effort to maintain market price and has been successful, made a steady increase in the remuneration of civil servants, and is positive towards implementing the report of the land reform commission and would leave no stone unturned in helping the parliament in passing the bill providing equal property rights to women.

Oppn protests geared to contain price : Nepal

Kathmandu, July 21 (RSS): Five political parties represented in the Parliament have said that the document or report presented by the government at the Parliament quoting part of any treaty or agreement should be compulsorily tabled in the Parliament.

The CPN-UML, Nepal Sadvawana Party, Rastriya Janamorcha, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and Samyukta Janamorcha Nepal have, in a joint press conference organised here today, clarified that the steps taken by the parties to boycott the Parliament is in accordance with clause-224 of the House of Representatives regulations.

The press conference was organised taking the issue of the agreement on electricity tariff reached between Nepal and the Asian Development Bank and the situation arising in the Parliament.

They also warned of further action if the government did not fulfill their demands.

Speaking on the occasion, main opposition party leader and CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said the compulsion of picketing the rostrum, organising press conference or going to the masses to make the government abide by the law is quite sad and clarified that the parties were compelled to obstruct the proceeding of the Parliament in order to save the dignity of the nation and relieve the people of the burden of rise in prices.

The agreement to increase electricity tariff should not have been taken when the parliament had passed a proposal to control increasing market prices, he added.

Nepal Sadvawana Party Parliamentary party leader Badri Prasad Mandal said transparency should be given importance in democracy, we are not against projects coming to the country but just want the public to know about it.

Rastriya Janamorcha Parliamentary Party leader Chitra Bahadur K.C. expressed concern over the difference in the views expressed by the ministers on this issue.

Lilamani Pokherel of Samyukta Janamorcha said there must be a mystery behind the hesitation being made in presenting the agreement in the Parliament. Acceptance of all the conditions laid down in the agreement would increase electricity tarrif to more than Rs. 22 per unit, he added.

Replying a question, chief whip of CPN-UML parliamentary party Bharat Mohan Adhikari expressed the view that any agreement and treaty should be reached by winning the confidence of the parliament.

Subash Chandra Nemwang of CPN-UML said that it was not proper for the government to say that the relevant document would be provided to the parliamentary committee and not the Parliament

A press statement distributed on the occasion states that the parties have been urging His Majesty’s Government to present the agreement in the parliament and express committment not to increase electricity tariff and are suspicious about the inclusion of anti-national conditions in the agreement.

Stating that the parties have with them enough basis to make such suspicion, the statement states that the demand have been made to assure the people and country towards that end.

Improvement in the management of Nepal Electricty Authority, checking leakage and taking stern steps in collection of arrears and avoiding agreements reached to purchase electricity from the private sector in u.s. dollars would meet the requirements not to increase electricity tariff, the statement argues, adding that the Nepalese people cannot sustain the unnecessary burden of insignificant increase in electricity tariff.

The present action and response of the government is making the issue more complicated and increasing public suspicion, the statement says, adding that the agreement is against the interest of country and people.

In this context, there is no other alternative for the government to table the agreement and express it committment not to increase electricity tariff in the parliament, the statement concludes.

Indian minister lauds community forestry in Nepal

Kathmandu, July 2l (RSS): A five member delegation from the Chanagar Eco Development Project in Palampur of Himachal Pradesh in India led by Indian Minister of State for Energy and Technology Education Thakur Rabindra Rabi met with Minister of State for Forests and Soil Conservation Mohamad Aftab Alam yesterday.

During the meeting exchanges were held on the experience in forest development in the two countries. Mr Rabi lauded the Community Forest Development Programme in Nepal and said such programmes can be launched in the hill areas of India also.

Task force to look into power tariff

Kathmandu, July 21 (RSS): His Majesty’s Government (Council of Ministers) has constituted a seven-member task force under the convenorship of executive secretary at the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat Bidhyanath Nepal taking into consideration the widespread public complaint that electricity tariff has become very expensive in the country.

The task force will make a study of the production, transmission and distribution system of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), technical, non-technical and other leakage of electricity, conditions of agreement reached with donor agencies, NEA’s financial management, property and physical management, expenditure control, interest expenses and rate of interest, NEA investment project, provisions of loan investment and equity of His Majesty’s Government and other concerned issues and present within 45 days a report and action plan along with recommendations on what methods should be adopted to check rise in electricity tariff.

Other members of the task force are director general of Department of Electricity Development Dr Kishore Babu Aryal, executive director of Water and Energy Commission Secretariat Keshav Bahadur Chand, joint secretary at the Finance Ministry Mahdav Prasad Ghimire, special officer at the Ministry of Water Resources Santa Bahadur Pun, and the representative of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).

Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Uttam Kumar Shrestha is the member-secretary of the task force.

Freed Kamaiyas brace for future

BY SUNIL K.C.

Kathmandu, July 21 Thousands of Kamaiyas (bonded labourers) took out rallies and processions in districts like Dang and Kailali hailing the government's decision of July 17 to free them from the shackle of bondage. Thousands of bonded labourers may be savouring a taste of freedom for the first time in their lives but with anxiety of the future lingering at the back of their minds.

"At present they are very happy, but I don't know about tomorrow," said Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary, President of BASE (Backward Society Education), an organisation which has been working for the freedom of the Kamaiyas. Chaudhary, a graduate, said his mother was a bonded labourer for 16 years and he, too, had worked at the landlord's house at times.

However, the government's decision and its immediate implementation were so unexpected that it even took the Kamaiyas by surprise. This haste may have created some problems.

"The decision has left us rather unprepared," said Dr. Harishanker Tripathy, member of the National Planning Commission. He said the earlier plan was to make the announcement only after the bill regarding this was passed by the parliament. Dr. Tripathy said there were also plans to launch vocational and other training so that the Kamaiyas would be able to earn their living after they were set free.

"Our immediate concern is food and shelter," said Chaudhary. The former Kamaiyas have asked the government for 5 kattas (about 18,000 square feet) of land per family for sustenance. He also said if they could get the minimum wage fixed by the government they can manage. About 500 families of the bonded labourers, who had rebelled against the bondage in the last two months, are already doing well as waged labourers, he said.

On the first of May this year 19 kamaiya families in Kailali district had forcibly walked out of the bondage and began working as waged labourers. When others saw them doing pretty well and living a life of freedom, they also followed suit.

However, thousands of others may not be as fortunate. They will need massive support and help from outside, both government and others, if they are to be kept from falling into the fire again and the government's decision to free them is to materialise fully.

"One important thing for the government is to identify the 'real' Kamaiyas and give them some kind of identity card lest the unscrupulous ones could benefit from the government's programmes meant for the them," Chaudhary said.

A government study done in the early nineties had put the total number of Kamaiyas at about 80,000 in about 16,000 families. But the non-government sources put the number at about 200,000 comprising of about 40,000 families. Chaudhary also said BASE has about 136,000 members.

Now, after freedom the major question before them is how to enable them to sustain themselves?

According to the Minister for Land Reform and Management Siddha Raj Ojha the government will provide housing plots to these people through the Squatters Problem Resolution Commission of the concerned districts and then the government will launch various income-generating programmes.

Dr. Tripathy also said the NPC is discussing with the Ministry of Land Reforms and Management regarding the settlement of the Kamaiyas.

Meanwhile, Dr. Chaitanya Mishra, sociologist and former member of the National Planning Commission, said by setting them free the government has fulfilled its major responsibility. "And this is the only thing the government can do at present," he said.

The decision has uplifted the Kamaiyas to the level of other poor people and they have now lost their 'special' status, said Dr. Mishra.

Thus, he said, it may be difficult for the government to make economic packages and programmes, especially long-term ones, exclusively for the former Kamaiyas as the government also has to look at others, who may be as poor as them.

But Mukunda Kattel, Director of INSEC says the former Kamaiyas need some special provision for their livelihood and protection against possible resistance from their former masters. "They will need some sort of positive discrimination for the time being because of the anomalous situation they have come from."

According to Chaudhary, taking them away from land would make little sense as they have been working on the land all their lives. He also said finding land for their settlement and for their livelihood may not be a problem if the public land, currently being captured by the landlords and others, are confiscated from them.

"Even river banks could be allocated to those people after the monsoon for vegetable farming."

However, the government does not seem in a position to fulfil all their wishes such as land for settlement and employment for livelihood. In this year's budget the government has set aside about Rs. 20 million for the Kamaiyas. According to a source, the money was meant for providing vocational training and other self-help schemes for them. But now that they have been freed the money will be grossly inadequate for the rehabilitation of 200,000 of them.

Kattel, however, said, money should not be a problem and the private sector, mainly the NGOs and the INGOs, are willing to cooperate with the government if the government comes out with a concrete policy framework. But he said the government will have to take largest share of the burden.

Meanwhile, dealing with lives outside the bondage will not be an easy one for many former Kamaiyas. Mishra also said some of them may have to bear more suffering and may even fall into the debt trap once again. But now that they are on their own, even if some help come from the government and others, they have to take the lead by themselves.