Govt serious to solve Maoist problem: Deuba

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 28: If the problem of Maoists insurgency is not resolved through dialogue on time, it may create a situation of uncertainty and drag the entire nation towards turmoil, warned the country's senior politicians, human rights activists, scholars and lawyers here today. The government should tackle the Maoists' issue through political means and try to find out a peaceful resolution to the festering problem as soon as possible, they further stated.

Speaking at a programme organised by National Concerns Society on "Productive dialogue with the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist): Why and How?", most of the speakers urged both sides--the government and Maoists--to tackle the issue on humanitarian ground. It will be a disaster if the Maoists' problem remains unsolved, they said.

Former prime minister and Coordinator of the High Level Recommendation Committee on Maoists Issue, Sher Bahadur Deuba strongly asserted that the government is ready to hold talks with the Maoists to end violence and murder. "As a representative of the government I have been provided full authority to hammer out solutions through dialogue. The Maoists should also agree to bring about a cease-fire", Deuba said.

Deuba assured that he would ask the government to stop action against Maoist insurgents and also appealed to them (the Maoists) to stop killing the innocent people.

The national consensus is that the Maoists' problem should be settled without any delay. Hence the government has always opened its door to hold dialogue, Deuba added. The present government is also serious to solve this problem, he said.

"We are ready to identify the problems. The present government has shown its full commitment to stop violence and murder", Deuba asserted.

"The Maoists problems should be solved under humanitarian law," Deuba also added.

Former prime minister Kirtinidhi Bista urged the government to make commitment to take necessary initiatives in settling the problem. This incidence has drawn the world attention. "Unless the government comes up with the commitment to stop the killings, merely having dialogue with the Maoists will be meaningless", said Bista.

Former health minister Dr. Mathura Prasad Shrestha said "Deuba committee, in the changed context, should deal with this Maoist issue very cautiously. The situation now appears to be different from yesterday. Since the present government has frequently changed its position on the Maoists' issue, it should come up with a clear stand as to how to solve it," he said.

Krishna Prasad Shivakoti, a human rights activist stressed the need to make the outcome of the previous dialogue with the Maoists public.

Chetrendra Jung Himali, general secretary of the Hariyali Party pointed out the need for commitment by the government in resolving this current Maoists' problem facing the nation.

While Prof. Maniklal Shrestha stressed the need to bring cease-fire through dialogue, Lilamani Pokharel, MP, expressed his skepticism over the outcome of the intended talks and the possible solutions. Pointing out the statement of the ruling party's spokesman Narahari Acharya some days ago, he further queried," What is the authentic view of the government?"

Former MP and human rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar urged the government to be positive towards the Maoist insurgents' demands, of which stopping 'state terrorism' was one.

Former foreign minister Sailendra Kumar Upadhyaya urged the Deuba Committee to identify the problems and root cause of the ongoing violence. He also stressed the need to solve the Maoists' problem on humanitarian ground.

MP Rajeshwor Devkota said," As the ruling party, the Nepali Congress should take the initiative to win the confidence of people."

MP Narayan Man Bijukchhe accused the government of violating the nation's laws.

Member of the Human Rights Commission Kapil Shrestha said the Commission would also take initiatives from its side to settle this issue.

Gopal Shivakoti 'Chintan' of the National Concerns Society said that both the government and Maoists should follow the rules laid down by the Geneva Convention on Human Rights of which Nepal is one of the signatories. "The government should be clear as to whether the Maoists' issue is a political problem or not. For this, the Deuba committee should identify the problems. The dialogue with the Maoists should be able to hammer out some solutions," he said.

Nepal ratified the Geneva Convention on Human Rights in 1964, thus the government cannot disregard the provisions of the accord, Shivakoti said.

The Deuba Committee was formed at the initiative of the then prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai to hold talks with the Maoists early this year. The Deuba committee was said to have held a number of talks with the Maoists.

However, the status of the same committee remained in limbo with the change of the government in March. Though the term of the Deuba committee was over by then, it was asked to continue its task to hold dialogue with the Maoists by Prime Minister Koirala.

Political analysts are of the opinion that the Deuba Committee, this time round, need to do more homework to win their (Maoists) confidence.

Babu Chhiri accorded warm welcome

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 28: This spring Babu Chhiri Sherpa became the first person to hold the highest number of world records in conquering Mt. Sagarmatha. An exhilarated crowd thronged the Tribhuvan International Airport to welcome the gallant mountain guide from Taksendu VDC of Solukhumbu district today with khadas (scarves) and floral bouquets.

On May 21 at 8:56 a.m. he set foot atop the world’s highest peak setting a new record for the fastest climb on the mountain. Despite unfavourable weather condition it took him only 16 hours and 56 minutes from the Base Camp to reach the pinnacle. "Strong winds and extreme cold at the South Summit delayed me by almost an hour," he said.

Normally, other climbers take some four to five days with breaks in between to scale the 8,848 meters mountain. "My familiarity with the route helped me achieve this record," Babu Chhiri said. The May 21 summit was his tenth successful climb to the Mt. Sagarmatha.

Only three mountaineers in the world have records of assaulting the mountain ten times and more. Apart from Babu Chhiri, mountaineering veteran Ang Rita Sherpa, popularly called the ‘Snow Leopard’, is the first person to summit Mt. Sagarmatha for ten times. Another Nepalese, Appa Sherpa holds the record of climbing the mountain for the most times. On May 24, Appa stepped on the Roof of the World for the eleventh time.

Babu Chhiri broke the record made by Nepalese Kaji Sherpa back in 1998 when Kaji had speed-climbed the mountain in 20 hours and 24 minutes. "But I am not in competition with anybody," said the modest Babu Chhiri.

"I am happy that a compatriot broke my record, the national pride of having a mountaineering record is safe with Nepal for the time being," said Kaji Sherpa who was at the airport to congratulate Babu Chhiri for his latest achievement. Kaji Sherpa did not climb any mountain this season. "But I have not taken retirement, I will try to improve my timing, but mind you, I am not in a competition with Babu," he said.

In the first week of May last year Babu set a world record by spending the longest time of 21 hours atop Mt. Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest), one hour beyond his initial target. He summitted the world's tallest peak on May 6, 1999 at 10:55 a.m. and camped on the icy summit till 7:55 a.m. the next day despite medical claims that it would be impossible for a human to spend more than an hour at a height of 8,848 metres without supplementary oxygen.

In his ten climbs of the mountain, six times from Nepalese side and four times from the Chinese side, Babu has never used supplementary oxygen.

"I could have stayed longer, but I ran out of gas and water," he had said in his return last Spring. Not only the medicine practitioners, but meteorologists as well had reservation about Babu's record setting bid to Everest. Normally winds of 55 knots atop Sagarmatha are considered dangerous, but Babu Chhiri Sherpa climbed and spent 21 hours there when the speed of the wind measured above 65 knots on the anemometer.

Babu Chhiri also holds the world record of ascending Mt. Sagarmatha twice in the same mountaineering season. In 1995 Spring, he ascended the mountain twice within two weeks from the Chinese side of Everest's North Ridge. In May 1999, he scaled the majestic height of 8,848 meters twice within three weeks from the Nepalese side.

"Even in my second climb this season I did not feel physical exhaustion," he had said to his daily last Spring.

This season also he tried to climb the mountain twice, but due to his eye problem and harsh weather, he abandoned his bid from 8,400 meter on May 6 earlier this month.

Babu Chhiri reached the Everest top for the first time in 1990 and since then his Everest saga has been going from strength to strength.

Joshi off to Sweden

Kathmandu, May 28 (RSS): Minister of State for Population and Environment Shiva Raj Joshi left here yesterday for Sweden leading a two-member delegation to take part in the first ministerial level conference of the Global Environmental Forum and the sixth special conference of the governing council to be held there from May 29 at the call of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).

The other member of the delegation is joint secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment Janakraj Joshi.

The conference will hold discussions on the steps taken so far in the field of environmental conservation and the challenges faced by Nepal, and attention of the international community will be drawn to the need of promoting multilateral and bilateral cooperation in this regard for the least developed countries (LDCs) like Nepal.

The conference will also discuss the environment and human habitation report and talks will be held among the environment ministers of the world on policy matters regarding environmental challenges of the new century, the Ministry of Population and Environment has stated in a press statement.

According to the ministry, the conference will discuss the need to play an effective role in conserving the environment and achieving sustainable development through constructive relations between governments, international organisations, the business community and other concerned parties.

It will also prepare recommendations for the UNEP's 55th general assembly on policy measures for solving the environmental challenges.

The conference has the objective of drawing attention of the international community to the need of identifying, conserving and promoting nature beauty spread all over the world.

Give priority to tourism, water resources: Nepal

Kathmandu, May 28 (RSS): The CPN-UML central planning and monitoring department organised a pre-budget discussion programme here today.

Taking part in the discussion as chief guest, party general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said since development of agriculture, industrial and other sectors of the country is not possible without the implementation of a revolutionary land reforms programme, the government should pay attention to the implementation of such a land reforms scheme.

He also stressed the need to give priority to tourism, water resources, construction and export-oriented industry on the basis of comparative advantage.

Criticizing the government for not consulting the main opposition party while formulating the national budget, he made it clear that CPN-UML has never attempted at power sharing.

The CPN-UML general secretary stressed the need for the representation of businessmen and industrialists in parliament and said that all political parties should agree to this idea.

CPN-UML standing committee member Bharatmohan Adhikari said that at present the country's economy is facing a big crisis and major industries are on the verge of collapse. The way illegal trade is increasing in the country is indicative of bigger economic crisis, he added.

Protection of industries, resolution of unemployment problem, promotion of industrial sector and proper utilization of foreign aid are the major challenges before the country today.

Various industrialists, businessmen and business organisation representatives, who took part in the discussion, said that smuggling has been a big obstacle to the promotion of industry and trade in the country. They stressed the need to control smuggling.

Drawing the attention of all sectors concerned to the fact that illegal exports and imports from political, administrative and business sectors are giving rise to corruption. They suggested that an all-sided task force be formed to check illegal export and imports.

Industrialists and businessmen stressed the need for the government to give priority to the promoting of agriculture, water resources, tourism and communication technology sectors.

They also underlined the need for the government to free the business community from unnecessary hassels, provide other employment opportunity to poor rural farm workers, formulate exports specific legislation, stop strikes and bandhs, hold extensive discussions before obtaining WTO membership, make tax administration transparent, provide tax discount on exports and establish small rural banks in the villages.

Ravi Bhakta Shrestha, Mahesh Lal Pradhan, Tularam Dugar, Chiranjilal Agrawal, Narendra Kumar Basnyat, Hulaschand Golchha, Kaji Sherpa, Rohini Thapaliya, Rameshwor Aryal, Chandiraj Dhakal, Surendra Bir Malakar, Shivaram Prasai, Jafar Ahmad, Indra Bahadur Shakya, Dipak Dhamala, Diwakar Golchha, Lokmanya Golchha, Ramesh Shrestha, Laxmi Bahadur Shrestha, Banwari Lal Mittal, Basudev Giri, Mahesh Kumar Agrawal and others represented the industry and trade sector in the discussion programme.

CPN-UML standing committee members, MPs, economists and intellectuals also took part in the discussion.

NWA's history full of struggle, says Bhattarai

Kathmandu, May 28 (RSS): Former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai inaugurated a two-day national women's gathering organized by the Nepal Women's Association here today.

On the occasion, Mr Bhattarai said since the history of the Nepal Women's Association (NWA) is full of struggle since its very birth, it continues to struggle for its rights and interests.

He is prepared to forsake anything for the sake of principles he has upheld all along, he further said.

Former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba observed that it is not proper for the congress party which has a long history of its own to interfere with its own sister organisation, adding that the whole organisation should not be sacrificed at the altar of whims and caprices.

There is a situation of fear and terror within the party and now it is not possible to stay within the party with self-dignity and self-esteem, he said and spoke of the need for the party to move ahead in a civilized manner.

NC central member and MP Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar expressed the view that the time has come to evaluate whether there is any trace of value-based politics in the party.

MP P. L. Singh remarked that the Nepal Women's Association since its inception has been cooperating with the Nepali Congress in every struggle.

MP Prakash Man Singh observed that a non-democratic trend is gaining currency within the Nepali Congress which fought for democracy.

Various other speakers including MP Omkar Prasad Shrestha and former minister Bimalendra Nidhi also expressed their views at the function chaired by association president Kanta Singh.

Musical programme in London

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 28: The Royal Nepalese Embassy, London in collaboration with London University's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) organised a musical programme recently, supported by the Nepalese Tourism Board.

The Music of the Himalayas performed by Sur Sudha, a Nepalese musical group, musician Anil Shahi, and other Nepali artistes in London featured Nepalese folk music and folk dances, according to a press release issued by the Royal Nepalese Embassy in London. Besides, octogenarian Nepali poet Madhav Ghimire recited one of his creations.

The cultural evening held at the Brunei Gallery of SOAS was attended by about 300 British guests including parliamentarians, high officials from the British Foreign Office, ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corp., travel/tour operators, media, and art and music critics.

Welcoming the guests, Nepalese Ambassador to the United Kingdom Dr. Singha Bahadur Basnyat said that Nepal was a world of its own offering great attraction to the foreign visitors with enchanting natural beauty and rich and diverse music, art, culture and literature.

Basnyat also highlighted about Nepal's political system of multiparty democracy within the framework of the constitutional monarchy and the liberal economic policy to promote export trade and tourism as well as to encourage foreign investment especially in harnessing huge hydropower potentials.

Lauding the contribution made by Sur Sudha to promoting the Nepalese music world-wide, Basnyat noted that Sur Sudha artistes were performing the role of Nepal's cultural ambassadors abroad.

SOAS Director Tim Lankester said that such events would significantly help the foreigners understand Nepal's unique art, culture and music.

Tourism posters and CDs were also displayed in the programme partially supported by Himalayan Bank, Nepal.

Enhance rights status, says Deuba

Kathmandu, May 28 (RSS): Amnesty International Nepal Chapter organised a symposium on "Role of the Amnesty in Protection of Human Rights" on the occasion of its 39th annual day.

Former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, chief guest at the function, said that human rights could be ensured only if democracy was strengthened.

He said the government is alert to combat the violence unleashed on the pretext of Maoist activity. Mr Deuba also said that he was working to resolve the problem through dialogue.

Stating that such rights as freedom of speech, writing and organisation had been received after the restoration of democracy he said it has become necessary to enhance the country's human rights status.

Former minister and MP Sitanandan Raya emphasised the need to prevent the increasing incidents of violation of human rights.

Chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committee Som Prasad Panday stressed the need to resolve the Maoists problem politically and said that the state does not seem to be serious about implementing the commitment made by Nepal while signing various international treaties and agreements.

MP Chitra Bahadur K.C. alleged that the government itself is violating human rights and asked all concerned to organise and become alert to get rid of the existing aberrations and anomalies.

MP Govinda Bikram Shaha advised the government to be serious about the issue of human rights and wished for the success of the Amnesty International in moving ahead with specific programmes concerning human rights.

Nutan Thapaliya, one of the founders of the Nepal Chapter, its former president Krishna Pahadi and others spoke about the role played by Amnesty International in the protection and promotion of human rights.

The symposium was chaired by chapter president Krishna Kadel.

Distinguished individuals honoured

Kathmandu, May 28 (RSS): Speaker Taranath Ranabhat honoured distinguished individuals from different fields at a function organised by the Chhimeki Samaj here today.

Those honoured on the occasion were Ramhari Sharma (politics), Madan Mani Dixit (journalism and writing), Puspabhakta Malla (engineering), Mitranath Devkota (education), Chandra Bahadur Sharma (music), Dr Thir Bahadur Singh (veterinary), Shyamdas Vaishnav (literature), Bhairab Bahadur Thapa (dance), Mrs Uma Pandey and Mrs Indira Sapkota (social service) and Mrs Krishna Tamrakar (news reading and production of programme).

Similarly, Mrs Dhana Lama (master of ceremony), Y. P. Lohani (table tennis), Amritman Shrestha (football), Siddhantaram Joshi (acting), Nirmal Devkota (upliftment of the deaf and mentally
retarded), Ashesh Malla (drama writing), Ramkrishna Dhakal and Phatteman Shrestha (singing), Umabhakta Malla and Kuber Baidya (health services), Laxmi Kapali (gardening) and Yadav Kharel (film development) were also honoured on the occasion.

On the occasion, Speaker Ranabhat said honouring of various distinguished persons from different fields who contributed to the country's development and social change is an exemplary task.

People have grown disappointed as the leaders who risked their life for the sake of democracy and development got more involved in hoarding wealth and building palaces than thinking for the masses.

Stating that absolute poverty is growing in the country, the country is getting poorer and poorer, and corruption and exploitation are on the rise weakening the whole fabric of democracy, he warned that nationality will be in danger if efforts are not made to end discrimination on the basis of langauge and religion and narrow down the gap between the rich and the poor.

It is only justice and observation of the laws that can ensure good governance in the country, Mr Ranabhat noted that the people want the commitment and determination expressed by the Prime Minister to control corruption and maintain peace and order put in practice.

Janabad or people's democracy is not possible through the killing of a farmer's son by the son of another farmer or of a Nepali by another Nepali, he added.

The speaker also called on the Maoists to renounce violence and murder and become active for the sake of the people and democracy.

Royal Nepal Academy Vice Chancellor Mohan Koirala presided over.

'Weekly papers are in times of crisis'

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 28: Nepalese newspapers especially the weekly tabloids are in times of crisis after the restoration of the multi-party system. A number of newspapers which had played an important role in the struggle for restoration of democracy have ceased their publication and many of them may stop printing any time due to lack of adequate resources.

This is stated in a press statement issued by Gopal Budhathoki, general secretary of Federation of Editors and Publishers, Nepal (FEPN).

FEPN is surprised and suddened at non-implementation of the provision for making available government advertisement, official information and public information to the weekly newspapers.

FEPN calls for effective implementation of Communication Policy 2049 BS and Economic Administration Regulation 2056 BS.

If entrepreneurs spend 10% of amounts from their net profit in the advertisement, provision for exemption of that amount from VAT be made in the coming budget, it is stated in FEPN statement.