Koirala urges Maoists to stop killing people

Kathmandu, June 15 (RSS): Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has urged the Maoists to immediately stop the massacre of the unarmed, helpless and humble people.

Talking to RSS representative here today, Prime Minister Koirala said killing of poor farmers, teachers and political workers in the villages is not a revolution nor is such an act in the interest of anyone.

His Majesty’s Government has fully authorised the Maoist Problem Resolution High Level Committee headed by ex-prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to build an atmosphere for dialogue with the Maoists and find ways to resolve the problem, he said.

In reply to a question, the Prime Minister said a hullabaloo on the street and media propaganda do not help build an atmosphere of effective dialogue. "I believe in action and result, not in propaganda," he added.

Mr Koirala also stressed the need for journalists to contribute to motivating those engaged in killings and violence to find a solution to the problems through dialogue. Killings and violence are never in the interest of the country, the people and democracy, he added.

The Prime Minister also asked all political parties, civil society, intellectuals and the people in general to eschew prejudices of any kind and contribute from their respective places to resolving the serious problems facing the country today.

Replying to a question, Prime Minister Koirala said he is very sensitive to law and order issue and the preservation and promotion of the interest of the country, the people and democracy.

Meanwhile in Rajbiraj, Maoist activists attacked and killed three policemen at Junbesi police post located at Junbesi VDC of Solukhumbu district last night.

Those killed are police head constable Bharat Bahadur Poudel, and police constables Lok Bahadur Pradhan and Bhojraj Khatri, according to Rajbiraj regional police office.

Police constables Hikmat B.K., Balkrishna Bista and Ram Bahadur Karki were injured in the incident.

The police and the Maoists had exchanged fire for three hours and the Maoists had taken control of the post after the police ran out of ammunition.

The Maoists killed the three policemen and ran away with four rifles and one pistol from the post.

It takes about seven hours to reach the police post from the district headquarters.

Public awareness to save environment emphasised

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 15:The Ministry of Population and Environment and the Federation of Nepalese Journalists-Gorkhapatra Corporation branch (unit), on the occasion of the World Environment Day-2057, jointly organised a one day workshop ‘Nepalese Journalism and Environmental Conservation’ here today.

Speaking as Chief Guest Minister of State for Population and Environment Shiva Raj Joshi said that inspite of the fact that Nepal is rich in natural beauty, we have not been able to reap the benefits.

Appreciating the growing interest of journalists in the environment and their increasing desire in saving the nature, Minister of State Joshi stressed the need of organising more public awareness programmes relating to saving the environment around us.

Minister Joshi also informed that HMG is going to plant at least 10 saplings each within the government owned land and to mark the World Environment Day.

Govinda Raj Bhatta, Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment said that the print and audio/visual media play a definitive role in raising public awareness concerning the environment.

‘It is the responsibility of the media to see whether the various governmental bodies and the INGOs and NGOs working on this field have been working positively to preserve the environment or not’ he said and affirmed that after the establishment of the Ministry of Population and Environment in 2052, the need to protect the environment has considerably risen in our society.

Mangal Man Shakya, General Secretary of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) said that the trend of writing on environmental issues is relatively a new one amongst Nepalese journalists who have been used to writing political news and commentaries only.

‘But to write suitably on our environment, the reporters have to visit distant places, remote districts and tourist sites’, he said.

Ramesh Tiwari, Editor-in-Chief of the Gorkhapatra daily said that the pristine atmosphere of the mountain region of the Kingdom has deteriorated notably in the last 50 years.

‘We probably have been more alert and active in spreading the environment message across in the urban sector of the country, while the real need is to raise public awareness in the rural areas’, he said.

Dr. Badri Dev Pandey, Acting Director, World Conservation Association-Nepal stressed on the need of teaching about the environment from the school level.

Pushkar Mathema, Chairman, Federation of Nepalese Journalists-Gorkhapatra Corporation branch (unit) said that environment journalists have yet to get the needed support from the government and the non-governmental levels.

Narayan Upadhyaya, Secretary, Federation of Nepalese Journalists-Gorkhapatra Corporation branch (unit) highlighted the aim and importance of the workshop.

Altogether three working papers ‘Nepalese Journalism in the context of Environmental Conservation’ by Tirtha Koirala, ‘The dynamism of NGOs in Environmental Conservation’ by Amod Pokharel of Leaders Nepal and ‘Nepal’s Environmental Condition’ by Ashok Saraf, Under Secretary, Ministry of Population and Environment were presented at the second session of the workshop. Om Khadka, President, Nepal Environment Journalist Association (NEJA), Murari Shivakoti, Ex-President NEJA and Mr. Shyam Wajimaya commented on the respective papers.

Regular proceedings of House disturbed

Kathmandu, June 15 (RSS):Regular proceedings of the House of Representatives today was obstructed for a while after opposition MPs raised question over the breaking up of an agreement on budget appropriation reached between the government and the opposition.

Opposition MPs made the protest arguing that the agreement reached between the ruling and the opposition parties to inform MPs one day ahead of the clause-wise discussion on any ministry about the subjects mentioned in the budget relating to the particular ministry had not been followed.

Stating that allocation of budget on a lump sum basis for the salary and allowances of teachers of different level under the Education and Sports Ministry may give rise to irregularities, they demanded that the amount be allocated on a district wise basis.

The opposition MPs also demanded that the government clarify the mistakes in the statistics relating to the number of teachers as mentioned in the economic survey.

Responding to the protest, speaker Taranath Ranabhat requested the government side to put forth its views, if any, and following this Minister for Education Amod Prasad Upadhyaya rejected the allegation of irregularities in the allocation of budget and requested the MPs to put forth their queries during discussion on appropriation heads pertaining to the ministry.

Raising questions on the occasion were opposition MPs Birodh Khatiwada, Dr Dilliraj Khanal, Parsurammeghi Gurung, Krishna Prasad Dahal, Shiva Bahadur Deuja, Gokarnaraj Bista, Bijaya Subba, Ratna Prasad Sharma Neupane, Dr Mangal Siddhi Manandhar and Mahendra Bahadur Pandey of the CPN-UML, Govinda Bikram Shaha of RPP and Narayanman Bijukchhe of NWPP.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya, furnishing replies to oral questions raised by MPs at the House of Representatives meeting today, said that arrangements have been made for putting into the consolidated fund the tax paid on the incomes of agencies and individuals or entities taking up contracts.

Responding to questions raised by MPs Wednesday, the Finance Minister said a new classification has been designed for the red book.

Also furnishing replies, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Tarinidatta Chataut said lists of names of touristic sites had been received from 50 districts and once such lists are received from all the districts tourism promotion work will commence.

The questions were raised by Hitkazi Gurung as authorised by Tuk Raj Sigdel of CPN UML, Ganga Prasad Nepal as authorised by Suresh Kumar Karki and by Jagadish Prasad Shaha.

Finance Minister Acharya furnished details about agreements pertaining to foreign cooperation reached between February l3 and May l3, 2000 at the meeting of the House of Representatives today.

At the meeting the Finance Minister also tabled the Liquor (first amendment) Bill 2057 and the bill for raising national loans 2057.

Menawhile the meeting of the House of Representatives today, in a unanimous resolution, wished His Majesty the King a speedy recovery.

At the start of the meeting, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat said he was greatly concerned that His Majesty has been indisposed with fever since Tuesday night, and presented a resolution stating that the House of Representatives, the highest legislature of the Nepalese people, wishes His Majesty a speedy recovery.rss

Meanwhile Speaker Taranath Ranabhat, at the meeting of the House of Representatives today, pointed out that the attention of all MPs of the ruling and opposition sides had been drawn to the construction of a dam on the Rapti river by India on its side of the border and directed the Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committee to study the social and environmental effects that this could have on people in the area and present a report to the House.

The speaker made this ruling during special time at the meeting today after Romi Gauchan Thakali of Nepali Congress drew the attention of the House to the effect the dam has had on many VDCs in the district.

Dr. Mangal Siddhi Manandhar of CPN UML, taking part during special hour at the House of Representatives today, said clarifications as to how the staffing level for teachers has been increased should be furnished prior to discussions on the Appropriations Bill under the Education head.

He further demanded details about the budget for the 10 thousand child education centres that are planned to be set up during the Ninth Plan.

Romi Gouchan of Nepali Congress referred to the inundation problem faced by a number of VDCs in Banke due to the construction of a dam on the Rapti River on Indian territory and asked whether national sovereignty was compromised or not by the construction of the dam.

The house should be sensitive over the matter, he said and demanded an investigation into the incident that took place at Pachakatiya, Jajarkot.

Ramchandra Yadav of CPN-UML criticised the government for failure to maintain law and order and provide good governance. Drawing the attention of the government to the murder of Bajrang Mahato on June 7 by an unknown person and the false implication of CPN-UML party workers in the killing, he also demanded action against Siraha roads division chief Ramnath Misra for alleged corruption.

Hari Acharya of national people’s forum objected that teachers in Pyuthan had been transferred on the basis of political prejudice.

Hari Narayan Choudhari of Nepali Congress complained that a budget had not been earmarked this year for controlling a river at Mrigauliya VDC which displaces people every year.

He further pointed out that paper bags should be bought into use instead of plastic bags.

Shubhas Karmacharya of CPN-UML said that local residents in a dozen VDCs including Melamchi and Bhimtar were facing problems such as flood, soil erosion and inundation by the Indrawati river which renders them landless every year and expressed anguish over the lack of budget for river training and for the good of the local people.

Gokarna Raj Bista of CPN-UML said that though part of a road had been laid out in Gulmi district with a budget of Rs. 600,000 allotted in the current fiscal year, the labourers were deprived of wages and the remaining work could not be completed due to the paucity of funds.

Smriti Narayan Choudhari of Nepali Congress said that the Ministries of education and home and human rights organisations have failed to establish the whereabouts of education officer Rajendra Yadav and two others even a week after their abduction by Maoists.

He further said staff who have served in Maoist hit areas should not be deputed to such areas again.

Ananda Prasad Pokharel of CPN-UML referred to human rights violations in 1999 in a large number of countries including Nepal and opined that the recently constituted human rights commission should strive to prevent the killings and disappearances of ordinary citizens, police personnel and Maoists.

He further asked why the government was delaying the talks with Maoists at a time when the latter were ready provided some minimum conditions are met.

MPs stress need for quality education

Kathmandu, June 15 (RSS):During discussions on the appropriation heads under the Ministry of Education and Sports held at the meeting of the House of Representatives today, Dr. Mangal Siddhi Manandhar of the CPN-UML, Renu Kumari Yadav of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Hridayesh Tripathi of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) and MP Lila Mani Pokharel tabled a resolution to curtail the expenditure of the ministry by Rs 100.

Moving the resolution, Dr. Manandhar spoke on the present educational scenario, condition of the educational institutions and the system of education in the country stating that if the population of Nepal was considered to be 22.4 million, more than 10 million of the people were illiterate and the percentage of literacy in the country was 52.6.

Stating that there was no budgetary provision to launch literacy campaign for the overall development of the educational sector, and compulsory education stated in the Ninth Plan had been removed, he said that as no amount had been allocated for children education, Rs 920 million should be allocated for this purpose.

Likewise, Renu Kumari Yadav of the RPP also moved the resolution to curtail the expenditure of the ministry and referred to the inconsistencies in the education sector including difference between the public and private schools, politicisation of education, availability of abundant counterfeit certificates, declining standard of the public schools, etc. and said that the expenditures on the appropriation heads concerning to the Ministry of Education and Sports be curtailed.

Hridayesh Tripathi of the NSP also moved the resolution concerning curtailing the expenditure and said that there was nothing new in the budgetary allocation in the Ministry of Education and followed the conventional pattern.

Demanding uniformity in the educational programme of the private and public schools, and implementation of the report of the national education commission, he suggested that children should be provided primary education in their respective mother tongues and 386 Madarsas should also be given subsidies like public schools and linked to the national education system.

Ratna Prasad Neupane of the CPN-UML said that technical schools should be opened, the number of posts of teacher created on the basis of classes, and at least one lady teacher should be provided in every school of the districts to vocationalise the educational sector.

Ram Kumar Chaudhari of the Nepali Congress suggested that there should be well-equipped schools in every parliamentary constituency and resources centres established on the basis of the number of schools for improving the educational standard. He demanded that appointment of campus chief at Rajbiraj be made without any discrimination.

Kunta Sharma of the CPN-UML alleged that the educational policy was such that it caused class segregation; schools were in short of posts and physical facilities; education offices were not dynamic and rampant corruption was taking place in education sector.

Haribhakta Adhikari of the Nepali Congress said that the educational system should be vocationalised and those making contributions to the concerned schools and concerned guardians should be nominated to the school management committees and provisions for playground be made for development of sports.

Meanwhile, the meeting today of the High Level Problems Resolution Committee constituted under the convenorship of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Development Ramchandra Poudel discussed different current issues.

Special invitee Home Minister Govindaraj Joshi, Committee members Minister for Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, CPN-UML’s K.P. Sharma Oli, chief whip Bharatmohan Adhikari, Public Accounts Committee Chairman Subash Nemwang, RPP’s general secretary and MP Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana and MP Krishna Charan Shrestha, MP Nawaraj Subedi of Rastriya Janamorcha, president of NWPP and MP Narayanman Bijukchhe and MP Lilamani Pokhrel of Samyukta Janamorcha were present at the meeting.

Presenting the proposal to curtail the expenses of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Lilamani Pokharel of the Samyukta Janamorcha said the literacy rate and the per cent of budgetary allocation in education sector is the lowest in South Asia.

The government bodies have presented false data on literacy and kept the people in dark and the literacy growth rate is very nominal.

Mr Pokharel said the education policy has encouraged the access of the elite rather than the masses to education, the government has failed to focus on the welfare of the farmers in education system, education has been made a commodity that can be purchased and sold, the education policy is impractical, unproductive and unscientific and will not be helpful for the progress of the country.

MP Pokharel said privatisation in education sector has created different classes of people, the poor have no access to education, the education policy has kept both the tiger and the goat in the same cage, and there are rampant cases of corruption.

Homnath Dahal of the Nepali Congress stressed the need to enforce a separate national education policy which can meet the needs and challenges of the country.

The academic institutions should be kept free of politics, he said, adding that the primary education should be given priority. The provision made to keep woman teacher in each secondary school, provide computer education in 25 schools, and open boarding schools in the remote district are laudable steps, he added.

Nawaraj Subedi of the Rastriya Janamorcha said the education policy should be able to produce skilled manpower, build characters of the citizens, and serve the masses, the environment should be such that it should attract the teachers for qualitative development of education, he said, adding that transparent and impartial policies should be pursued in the appointment, transfer and promotion of teachers, and the technical and vocational education should be given emphasis.

Narayan Man Bijukchhe of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party said the government should be sensitive for qualitative development of education, it should be free of politics, the district education officers should be given freedom, the government should control the anomalies in higher education and be serious about the difference in academic sessions of the private and public schools. Emphasis should be given to development of sports, he added.

Omprasad Ojha of the CPN-UML said the budget allocated is minimal, education should be employment oriented, comprehensive reforms should be made check educational anarchy, the appointment, transfer and promotion of teachers and consent of schools should be made transparent, arrangement should be made for teaching in native languages, text books should be available in time, and the Dalits and women should be provided education.

Govinda Bikram Shaha of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party said the budget for development of sports should be increased, sports programmes should be organised on regular basis, academic institutions should be made free from politics, the gap between the public and the private schools should be ended and the filling of vacant posts of teachers should be made impartially.

Mrs. Sabitri Bogati (Pathak) of the Nepali Congress said education should be available to all, the basic and primary education project and the secondary education project should be made more effective, the government should be more serious on reforming the Higher Educational Council and a women teacher should be appointed in all the lower secondary schools.

CPN-UML’s Kamal Prakash Sunwar, Til Kumar Meyangbo and Gorakh Bahadur Bogati were of the view that the budget does not give priority to education, a separate commission should be constituted to solve problems in the education sector, emphasis should be given to providing primary education in mother languages, attention should be given towards making primary education free in practise and make temporary teachers permanent.

RPP’s Netralal Shrestha said education should be free from politics, posts for teachers should be increased in the remote districts and emphasis should be given to vocational education.

Likewise, NC MPs Ramjanam Chaudhary, Narayan Prakash Saud and Ram Chandra Tiwari pointed out the need to enhance the literacy rate of the country, expand technical education throughout the country, and increase budget for sports. Education should not only be made employment-oriented but for making students disciplined also.

CPN-UML’s Shankernath Sharma Adhikari said free education has not yet been put into practise, schools building are in a dilapidated condition and the present budget does not include any programme to solve problems of the education sector.

Telecom indispensable: PM

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 15: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said that telecommunication services are indispensable for development of the country, which has a very difficult topography.

The telecommunication sector, which witnessed a tremendous development in the last 50 years, would play a pivotal role in bringing about changes in various sectors, he said at a function organised here today to mark the golden jubilee celebrations of Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC).

"These services that helped people in democratic movement can equally help us now to strengthen the system," he said. "We can also use the telecommunication services in containing Maoist insurgency."

Stating that telecom services could be useful for promoting education especially in the rural areas with no road links, Koirala said these services would be equally useful in the health sector as well.

Premier Koirala asked all the NTC employees to remain committed to developing telecom services in all parts of the country and said that the government was sensitive towards their incentives.

Information and Communications Minister Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta said that the government had made some important decisions for the development of communication sector that played a crucial role in national development.

The government encouraged private sector’s involvement in telecommunication sector to modernise it and to make it more competitive in Nepal’s market.

"Besides, Nepal Television will be linked to satellite within a few months’ time and will have a metro channel for the capital," he said. "Radio Nepal will also start its second band transmission from its Surkhet-based station".

From the chair, Information and Communications Secretary Sriram Paudel shed light on the importance of telecommunications in over all development of the nation.

Welcoming the guests and participants earlier, NTC General Manager Chet Prasad Bhattarai said that the corporation had made a significant progress during the 25-year long history of its services in the country.

He said that within a couple of years’ time NTC would have an increased capacity of 600 thousand telephone lines from the current number which is less than 300 thousand all over the country with at least two lines in each of the village development committees.

The corporation that recently started providing the Internet and mobile telephone services last year would establish second satellite station, spread optical fiber along the east-west highway and would provide Internet and e-mail services to all exchanges, he said. "We will also begin pay phone services and enhance the capacity of micro wave link."

NTC’s past chairmen and the employees who served more than 25 years were felicitated on the occasion.

Change in civic education course sought

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Dharan, June 15:Participants of a seminar here, consisting mainly of school and campus teachers, voiced the need to bring about some changes in a book on civic education provided to them for comments and suggestions.

The discussion was the latest in a series being organised by Nepal Foundation for Advanced Studies (NEFAS) in different parts of the Kingdom under its Educating the Young about Democracy Programme.

Some of the changes suggested were minor while some wanted additional chapters, requiring a change even in the higher secondary curriculum.

Kamal Pokhrel was one such participant. He said, "There have been attempts to undermine even Constitutional bodies like the monarchy by different elements. People should be educated on the implications of such trends," he said.

Pokhrel felt that civic education had become an urgent need as basic norms of democracy have been tampered from different quarters including the very basis of the nation state. "Nepal’s border has moved for the first time after Sugauli treaty, whether in the Kalapani area or in Mechi, that too during the tenure of a democratic government. The book should include these aspects," was his conclusion.

Ananda Acharya, political science teacher was one who saw democracy being undermined by its weaknesses. "There is a feeling that people are talking about looking for alternatives to multiparty democracy. We need to identify the weaknesses of the system, root them out and build on the positive aspects to save multiparty democracy. We need to share the blame for the criminalisation of politics by people’s representatives, because it is us that voted them to power."

"We need to develop a national character which every citizen makes every effort to protect. Politics has remained the preservers of a few, it needs to reach all the people, the women, the oppressed and the marginalised. Politicians appear to be narrow minded and self-centred. They need to develop respect even to their opponents," Acharya said.

"The seminar can have a great impact if your can go to the district level and make the people aware of their rights", said Gokul Prasad Shrestha, a school teacher.

Bishnu Sharma Dahal, another teacher said, "Politics has been limited to power mongering. Only those who gather at Chhata Chowk of Dharan to discuss politics are not people, even those in the fields are people. Does a porter know what a Constitution is?"

"Other countries have education systems that teach students about their countries on every aspect of life. But our books have so far been vague," he said.

Rajiv Shrestha, another teacher, said, "The term ‘majority’ needs to be defined properly and ‘minority’ should also be defined in the book. It is not quite clear as of now."

"Building of moral character needs to be moulded as the society moves on. What kind of a character does democracy require? The book still appears a bit complicated and needs to be simplified further."

Sabita Mallik, wanted to see the inclusion of conflicts of traditions and norms with the rights being promoted. "The book talks about the rights of people, but what if the traditions and norms start disappearing with the introduction of western values on rights," she asked? The book needs to include the traditional aspect and show the need to preserve traditional norms along with acquiring new rights.

"Nepalipan needs to be preserved as we appear to be lacking in this," she said.

Kumar Karki: the local campus chief saw problems in the very curriculum itself. "Do we have teachers who can teach the subjects of 10+2? Will the book not face the same problem that Panchayat and Nepal Parichaya faced, i.e. lack of teachers who are experts in the subject?"

The presentations were done by Prof. Ram Kumar Dahal, Dr. Krishna Bahadur Bhattachan and Lal Babu Yadav from the different chapters of the book titled "Contemporary Nepali Society" which includes content necessary for the civic education curriculum recently introduced for 10+2 students.

Ananda Shrestha, NEFAS executive director explained the rationale of the seminar at the start of the programme while Shiva Raj Dahal gave the vote of thanks.

Panel formed to celebrate birthday

Bhaktapur, June 15 (RSS):A 51-member auspicious birthday celebration civic committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Bhaktapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Krishna Prasad Tamrakar to mark the 30th auspicious birthday of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in Bhaktapur for three days.

Yuvak Rajbhandari, Ratna Hari Gautam and Rabindra Kharbuja are the vice chairmen of the committee while Uttam Jha is the secretary.

The committee also includes senior doctors, social workers, intellectuals, professors and industrialists and businessmen and journalists.

Lawmakers Narayan Man Bijukchhe and Lekh Nath Nyoupane, Bhaktapur DDC president Govinda Duwal, mayors Prem Suwal and Madan Krishna Shrestha, CDO Dhrub Raj Wagle and superintendent of police Narayan Kumar Acharya are advisors to the committee.

The first meeting of the auspicious birthday civic celebration committee held under its chairman Tamrakar has decided to mark the auspicious birthday of HRH the Crown Prince with a variety of programmes on June 26, 27 and 28.

The programmes slated to be held on June 26 include tree plantation and laying out of a garden at the premises of Bhaktapur Industrial Estate, sanitation work at the estate and a free health camp for labourers while programmes for June 27 include worship at major shrines in the district, a rally and fruit distribution to patients at Bhaktapur Hospital.

The programmes for June 28 include tree plantation at Subarneswar area, Katunje and Nil Barahi Thimi, and a women’s table tennis tournament.

Festive illumination will be carried out at the historic five storey temple (Nyatapole) in the evenings.