Bill amendment to be discussed

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 28:The House of Representatives today sent the Bill to amend some Nepal Act-2057 to State Management Committee for clause-wise discussion before tabling at the House again.

The House meeting was stalled Thursday over the Bill after all the opposition lawmakers boycotted the House accusing the ruling Nepali Congress of intending to pass the Bill with little regard for their amendment proposal.

Speaker Taranath Ranabhat directed the committee to return the Bill with amendment proposals after Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mahantha Thakur proposed for the withdrawal of the Bill. The withdrawal proposal and the proposal to send the Bill to the committee were passed by majority voice votes at today’s meeting.

Minister Thakur also tabled a Bill to make the 11th amendment to Muluki Ain (Civil Code) that guarantees women’s equal rights to parental property before marriage.

Lawmakers expressed mixed comments on the Bill that remained in the pigeonhole for a long time and was tabled after the women MPs of both the ruling and the opposition parties pressured the government with the ultimatum to capture the rostrum.

They said that the Bill, as per the Constitution that guarantees equal rights to women, should have found a passage before long and urged the government to pass it as soon as possible.

The provision that the women get parental property only before marriage should be replaced by another one that ensures their permanent property rights at par with their brothers, they said.

Expressing their views on the Bill were Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Subash Nemwang, Prem Bahadur Shahi, Sushila Nepal, Ashta Laxmi Shakya and Suresh Kumar Karki of the Communist Party of Nepal — Unified Marxist-Leninist, Ramesh Lekhak of Nepali Congress, Navaraj Subedi of United People’s Front, Lilamani Pokharel of National People’s Front, Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani of Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Hridayesh Tripathi of Nepal Sadbhawana Party.

Furnishing the lawmakers’ queries, Minister Thakur said that the government is sensitive about the Bill that empowers women with their property rights. "This Bill aims at ending the existing discrimination against women," he said. "No one should be deprived of laws on the basis of class, caste or gender."

‘Oppn back-pedalling on citizenship bill’

Rajbiraj, July 28 (RSS): Minister for Information and Communications Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta has expressed the belief that the enactment of the Nepal Citizenship Bill brought by the government with a commitment to resolving the citizenship problem will help the hundreds of thousands of people in the hills and the terai still deprived of citizenship to obtain citizenship in a simple manner.

Minister Gupta, who was speaking at an interaction programme organized by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), Saptari branch here today, said despite their frequent pressure on the government to resolve the citizenship problem which has remained as a very complicated problem since decades, the opposition parties demonstrated a lack of sensitiveness towards the citizenship problem by boycotting the Parliament instead of helping in the passage of the citizenship bill.

The bill was passed by the House of Representatives only after the Parliamentary state affairs committee passed it after extensive discussions, Minister Gupta said, adding that the government was amazed by the rejection of the bill by the National Assembly even after its passage by the Lower House.

If the CPN-UML did not agree with certain clauses of the bill, it should have expressed its disagreement with the particular clause at the House of Representatives itself, he said, accusing the main opposition party of attempting at bringing the government’s effort to resolve the citizenship problem into controversy by back-pedaling from passing the bill which had been passed unanimously in the House a few days ago.

He also made it clear that the Nepali Congress, which had maintained its clear stand on the need to liberate the Kamaiya system, a blot on the nation’s image, ever since the establishment of democracy, has recently outlawed the bonded system.

Anyone keeping a Kamaiya will be subject to punishment in accordance with the existing laws, he said, adding the government has already announced a programme for the rehabilitation of the displaced Kamaiyas.

Replying a question, Minister Gupta said the Prime Minister’s forthcoming visit to India will be instrumental in normalizing Nepal-India relations.

FNJ district president Vaidyanath Jha presided.

MPs pay tributes to crash victims

Kathmandu, July 28 (RSS): The second meeting of the House of Representatives began under the chairmanship of Speaker Taranath Ranabhat at 2:38 p.m. today.

As soon as the meeting began, Dr. Dilli Raj Khanal of the CPN-UML taking time from the Speaker paid tribute to those killed in yesterday’s plane crash and extended condolences to the bereaved families.

He said the CPN-UML has already provided suggestions to the Prime Minister on Nepal-India relations, adding that attention should be given to removing Indian troops from Kalapani and the Special Additional Tax imposed by India on goods being exported from Nepal.

He also requested the government to reinstate those employees who have been sacked from various offices though they had been serving for 15 to 25 years.

Likewise, Tek Bahadur Chokhal of the nc paid tributes to the passengers and crew members of rnac and extended condolences to the bereaved families.

Lalbabu Pandit of the CPN-UML said both the ruling and the opposition parties have been demanding law and order but action of disturbing peace has been started by nc in Biratnagar and demanded an end to the lock-up in Morang Campus, and the release of the campus chief and deputy chief detained in the campus since the past 10 days as well as to resume classes.

Dr. Mangal Siddhi Manandhar of the CPN-UML paying tribute to those losing lives in the plane crash and asked as to what is the intention of the Indian Embassy in disseminating false information on the eve of the Prime Minister’s visit to India.

Dr. Manandhar suggested that efforts be made to resolve the Bhutanese refugee problem, remove troops from Kalapani and additional tax imposed by India on Nepalese exports contrary to the trade treaty during the visit of the Prime Minister.

Nara Bahadur Hamal of the same party expressed grave shock over the death of the passengers and crew members and extended condolences to the bereaved families.

He called for reinstatement of the temporary employees of the Water Supply Corporation and wished for the Prime Minister’s success on fulfilling national interest including the Kalapani and the border management.

Bhakta Bahadur Balayar of nc, paying tribute to those killed in the crash, said the crash is said to be due to human error, but attention should be given as it may be due to over load.

Romi Gauchan Thakali of nc paid tribute to the passengers killed and said the air services operation system is not in order, aircraft should have global position satellite system, adding that the reports of the commissions after plane crashes are inclined to protect the guilty. He also demanded suspension of the employees involving in big scandals.

Govt sensitive on issues of women’s rights: Thakur

Kathmandu, July 28 (RSS):   At the second meeting of the House of Representatives today, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mahantha Thakur presented the bill designed to amend some Nepal Act concerning court management and judicial administration and Minister of State for Health Tirhtaram Dongol the Nepal Nursing Council (first amendment) Bill-2057.

The meeting also approved a proposal presented by Minister Thakur seeking consideration on the Civil Code (11th amendment) Bill-2056 B.S.

Answering questions regarding the bill, Mr Thakur said that our constitution has guaranteed the right to equality and clearly states that no citizens in the country will be discriminated on the basis of gender, caste or religion and no citizens shall be deprived of legal remedies.

The present government is highly sensitive on the issues of women’s rights and gender equality, he added.

Earlier, cpn-uml’s Mrs Vidya Devi Bhandari, Prem Bahadur Singh and Mrs Sushila Nepal said the bill has failed to accommodate the spirit of the constitution, political parties should make no bones about the women’s right in parental property and girls should be allowed to be adopted.

NC’s Ramesh Lekhak spoke of the need to make timely changes in the bill, adding that there should be no right to parental property.

Nawaraj Subedi of the Rastriya Samyukta Janamorcha noted that the bill on women’s rights has been brought up with conditions and this is not good, while Lilamani Pokharel of the Samyukta Janamorcha said the bill has a lot of lacunaes and is unlikely to ensure women’s empowerment.

CPN-UML’s Subas Chandra Nemwang, Asta Laxmi Shakya and Suresh Kumar Karki urged that the bill should not be left unattended, adding that there is no difference between man and woman, the laws that turn women without rights should be scrapped and they should not be treated as second class citizens.

Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party opined that though the bill has been brought up with the objective of empowering women, it has failed to accommodate ground realities.

Hridayesh Tripathy of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party spoke of the need of reservations for women in every sector rather than rights in parental property.

The meeting also approved a proposal presented by Minister Thakur seeking to send the bill designed to amend some act to the concerned committee for clausewise discussion.

The Lower House will meet at 11 A.M on July 31.

Police blamed for manhandling employees

Kathmandu, July 28 (RSS): Speaking during special time at the National Assembly today, Bachaspati Devkota of the CPN-UML alleged that police had manhandled employees of various corporations including Rastriya Banijya Bank and Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) and arrested some of them.

The employees had been staging a sit-in with their demands in front of the Ministry of Finance, he added.

Alleging that the government had made inconsiderable increase in the the salary of the lower level employees and was even seeking to take away their facilities, he suggested that the demands should be considered seriously, talks held with them, the arrested employees released and medical treatment provided to the injured employees.

MP Chanda Shaha wished eternal peace to those who perished in the plane crash yesterday, demanded specific policy be followed to ground the very old aircrafts and suggested that necessary homework should be done to hold talks with India on border dispute and Laxmanpur dam, implement the Mahakali Treaty during the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister to India.

Ram Chandra Bhattari of the CPN-UML said that the Royal Nepal Academy Act should be amended to enable an academician to be appointed as its chancellor.

Dr. Ram Man Shrestha of the CPN-ML said there should be clear definition of the tribal people in the bill concerning indigenous people to be introduced by the government and it should cover all the backward communities.

Mahendra Kumar Mishra of the Nepali Congess thanked the government for the passage of the citizenship bill and expressed the conviction that many problems in this regard would be resolved soon.

Enhance market infrastructure: Majgaiya

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Lalitpur, July 28: State Minister for Agriculture and Co-operatives Baldev Sharma Majgaiya today said that market plays a crucial role to commercialise agriculture, the country’s mainstay.

"Keeping this in view, we need to streamline our efforts to enhance market infrastructure," Majgaiya said addressing the completion workshop of Small Marketing Infrastructure Project (SMIP) here this morning.

Agriculture and Co-operatives Secretary Dr. Mukti Narayan Shrestha said that the project had contributed to commercialisation of agriculture, developed the market system and increased the income of the farmers.

Shrestha hoped that the outcome of the project would help develop and implement similar projects in future.

Food and Agriculture Organisation’s representative M. J. Frits Ohler said that the project had significantly benefited the farmers, traders and consumers.

Frits said that the project would come up with suggestions for future action.

"With the completion of SMIP, Nepal’s agriculture marketing has entered a new era," United Nations Capital Development Fund’s Programme Officer Henrik Fredborg Larsen said.

Funded by United Nations Capital Development Fund, SMIP was implemented by Department of Agriculture with the technical support form Food and Agriculture Organisation.

SMIP aimed at implementing sector-wise network of marketing systems for horticulture produce in central and western region of the country through the development of marketing infrastructures, formation of market users committees and training them on operation and management of markets, development of market information network and introduction of improved packing system.

The project constructed one wholesale and two retail markets in Pokhara, two trading centres in Dhalkebar and Narayanghar and 13 collection centres at various places.

With the completion of the project, the marketing efficiency is expected to improve through the reduction of marketing cost and time, improved packaging and market information network.

Trade unions must unite for greater strength

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 28: Trade unions in Nepal are divided and need to unite if they are to develop strength, said Klaus Zwickel, president of the International Metal Workers Federation or IG Metal, at a lecture here today.

"The more divided a trade union movement, the weaker it becomes," he said at the talk programme organised by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung of Germany. Zwickel said that one needs to support their efforts to come together, referring to the willingness of Nepalese trade unions to unite under one umbrella in his informal talks with them. "I am sixty and only three years from retirement. I hope I can see them unite before I retire. I would gladly come and witness that occasion," he said hopefully during the question and answer session of the programmetitled "Trade Unions, Globalisation and the WTO Process."

Zwickel heads the largest trade union in the non-communist world which has 2.7 million workers as members. He entered the trade union movement at the age of 14 and rose to become the president of IG Metal in 1992.

"Anyone who only wants to make rich countries richer at the cost of the poor nations, misjudges the possiblities that lie in globalisation," he said. "We know that liberalisation of the world markets and removal of trade barriers do not automatically lead to more growth for all. It demands social formation and political regulation of the economic dynamics and the international capital network." he said.

The IG Metal head called for a middle path in adopting policy by governments. "Freedom, justice, democracy and equality can neither be realised in a radical market economy nor in an anonymous state bureaucracy."

He said that liberalisation does not create new unlegislated areas, neither does it free the economy from social and environmental burden. "Any country wanting to join the world market must have a secure environment for free trade union movement," he said.

Zwickel also said that politics in the global age needs global solutions and national solutions along do not suffice. "We cannot stop the expansion and transnational mergers of campanies, but we do need to restrain their negative impact on the workers," he said.

"Trade unions everywhere should understand that uncontrolled capital flow and big mergers are not conducive to our movement. We should take the challenges head-on and not act defensive," he said.

Dr. Alfied Diebold, the new resident representative of FES in Nepal, had welcomed the participants who had gathered to listen to the veteran unionist who has been fighting for a 32 hour work week in his homeland.

Zwickel came to Nepal four days ago after visiting China. He has met with the Prime Minister and the country’s trade union leaders and discussed labour issues with them.