NC meet recommends security measures

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: The emergency meeting of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee (NCCWC) concluded here today urging both the government and the ruling party to become active for the implementation of the programme of ‘integrated development and security’ proposed by the government keeping in mind the law and order situation of the country.

In the initial session of the meeting which was called hastily on Monday the NCCWC members had suggested the government to maintain law and order situation in the country by using all the security measures available with the government.

The meeting has also suggested all the other political parties to unite together to safeguard democracy in the country by raising above petty political interests.

However, according to an NCCWC member, despite having a brainstorming discussion, the government could not shed light on the structure and the process of the ‘integrated development and security’ except describing the reason of introducing ‘development and security’ package in the Maoist hit areas where the government is gradually losing its grip.

"Looking at the government and the ruling Nepali Congress’ recent strategy after nearly 80 policemen were killed by the Maoists within a week’s time it seems the army mobilisation is in the offing," he hinted. But the government has not yet formally declared anything regarding the mobilisation of Royal Nepal Army for maintaining law and order situation in the Maoist prone areas.

Briefing about the decisions of the meeting, NC party spokesman Narahari Acharya said that there were a lot of other agendas on which the NCCWC discussed.

As to a query regarding the discussion of the resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Acharya said that the matter was raised but was not formally discussed in the meeting.

Senior leader of the party and former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai hoped that Prime Minister Koirala would seek solution to end the existing political chaos.

Meanwhile, NCCWC member Shailaja Acharya said that there was no weight in raising the issue of Prime Minister’s resignation when Maoist and many other political problems mar the country. "Except ‘Girijababu’ there is not a single leader within the ruling Nepali Congress, who can solve the intra and other party problems," she said.

But, another NCCWC member Bijay Kumar Gachhedar said that the Party’s postponed parliamentary meeting should be called immediately for discussing the resignation of the Prime Minister.

Ruling Nepali Congress’ Parliamentary Party meeting has been postponed for an uncertain period of time when it last sat on Tuesday.

Today’s three-hour long meeting, held at the Prime Minister’s residence, was participated in by almost all the NCCWC members. At the meeting former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Sher Bahadur Deuba, Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel, Minister for Defense Mahesh Acharya and NCCWC members Shailaja Acharya, Prakash Man Singh and Bimalendra Nidhi had expressed their views.

‘Cops not scared of going to Maoist-hit areas’

Kathmandu, Apr. 12 (RSS): The Nepal Police Headquarters issued a press release today stating it is known to all that the Nepal Police have been dutifully carrying out the task of maintaining law and order and providing security to the people in the country. Their sacrifices for the sake of the nation and the people without caring whatsoever their own life will be written in golden letters in the history of the police.

Noting that the first condition of the police organisation is discipline and there is no question of any member of the organisation shirking his responsibility, the press release further said it is not that there were not a few such sporadic cases, and it may be recalled here that such police employees were subjected to severe legal action.

Strong legal action will be taken against those who disobey the orders of the police department, says the release adding, members of the dignified police organisation, however, have been fulfilling their duties in keeping with the policies and directives of the police department.

News published in newspapers over the past few days that police employees were reluctant to go to the Maoist-hit areas is baseless and the police headquarters has regretted such wrong and misleading news stories, it is stated.

Protection through tariff not logical, says Sitaula

Kathmandu, Apr. 12 (RSS): Minister of State for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Krishna Prasad Sitaula inaugurated the 48th annual general meeting of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today.

On the occasion, Minister of State Sitaula presented letters of appreciation to ex-president Mahesh Kumar Agrawal and working committee member Bijaya Kumar Dhariwal and Gyanendra Ratna Tuladhar for their 20 years of contribution and president Rajesh Kaji Shrestha and second vice-president Surendra Bir Malakar for 10 years of contribution to Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mr Sitaula also gave away the shield, cash prizes and certificates to People’s Campus, Paknajol and Navadurga Campus, Bhaktapur who came out first and second in the annual examination of 2057 B.S. from among the private campuses run under management faculty of Tribhuwan University.

Minister of State Sitaula also gave away gifts and letters of appreciation to various cargo agents as well as manufacturers and exporters of carpet, garments, pashmina shawls and handicrafts.

The best import promotion award was presented to the Gap Inc. of San Fransisco, USA and Rudolf F. Petersen, Germany for popularising Nepalese products in the international market, the export promotion award to Dabur Nepal Pvt. Ltd. from among the joint venture companies established in the country and the best science and technology award to computer association of Nepal for accelerating commercial activities through information technology.

The best science and technology award was presented to mechanical engineer Kali Prasad Chaudhary for introducing innovative technology in running small hydel project in rural areas of the country, the best export promotion award to the Nepal Freight and Forwarders Association for transporting Nepalese products in a prompt and secure manner.

In his inaugural address, Minister of State Situala said all round development of the nation is not possible unless and until industrial and commercial sectors are advanced.

"We should be laborious to maintain our competitive strength in the international market in the present era of globalisation and liberalisation. in such a world order, indigenous industry can not be protected by increasing customs tariff," he said, adding that His Majesty’s Government has taken into consideration the interests of nation, industrialists and businessmen in the course of Nepal’s accession to the world trade organisation.

Stating that the nation and the society can not make strides under the present situation marred by violence and terror, he said the murderous activities perpetrated in the name of the Maoists have obstructed the pace of development in the country.

President of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pradeep Kumar Shrestha said as long as the private sector is not regarded as one of the means for nation building, development can not take place in the country.

He also underlined the need for giving priority to developing social and economic infrastructures with long term vision.

Lack of law and order not only discourages foreign investment but also flushes out the investment currently being made in the country, he added.

President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, from the chair, said illegal and unauthorised trade has considerably hampered the trade and revenue mobilisation in the country.

The situation compounded by administrative delays, impractical tax system and the tax rates has relegated the genuine businessmen.

He also expounded on lack of sound quality control mechanism, physical infrastructure for export and incentives and privileges conducive for enhancing competitiveness in the international market.

Vice-president of the Chamber Jagadish Prasad Khetan noted that financial activities had slackened because of the unstable political situation in the country.

SAARC ministers pledge to fight illiteracy

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: Education Ministers from all the seven member countries of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SARRC) today adopted a 13-point resolution to combat ignorance and poverty and to ensure peace, solidarity and prosperity in their respective countries.

This is stated in a Joint Statement issued today at the conclusion of a three-day Sub-Ministerial Meeting on the Education For All (EFA) that started 10 in Kathmandu.

"As we, SAARC nations, have been seriously affected by poverty and illiteracy, we have decided to effectively implement EFA programme to eliminate illiteracy and poverty," Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya said, while addressing a press conference.

Minister Upadhyaya added that the meeting was fruitful as the participants shared ideas and experiences among them.

The meeting was organised by His Majesty’s Government, Ministry of Education and Sports, with the support of UNESCO, in order to review the progress of the EFA in light of the Dakar Framework for Action 2000.

Speaking at the press conference, Education Minister of Bangladesh A. S. H. K. Sadique said discussions were held on common issues of all the SAARC nations at the meeting.

Ministers from the Maldives, Pakistan, Bhutan, and UNESCO representative also spoke about the outcome of the meeting and the problems that SAARC countries are facing in the education sector.

"We collectively commit ourselves to the attainment of the six goals and utilisation of 12 strategies as enunciated by the Dakar Framework for Action. We fully appreciate the role of civil society, private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and development partners in meeting the goals of EFA and endorse their continued participation and contribution in programmes of EFA," the joint statement reads.

The resolution also includes promoting quality education at all levels as strategy for poverty alleviation, ensuring basic education to all children, launching early childhood care and development programmes, decreasing drop-out rate and increase school enrolment rate, providing quality functional literacy and training in life skills to adult illiterates, eliminating gender discrimination, improving school management and supervision.

Moreover, the meeting also decided to use information and communication technology, increasing external finance for education, providing broader debt relief and debt waiver for poverty alleviation and showing strong commitment to basic education. Besides, it affirmed to form a regional forum of EFA for the South Asian countries for enhancing better cooperation and collaboration within the region.

UNESCO has already urged the SAARC countries to strengthen the national Action Plans for education and integrate them into poverty reduction and development structure by 2002.

One of the main challenges before the SAARC countries is that the majority of the world’s illiterates are concentrated in South Asia region.

The next meeting of the Ministers of Education of the SAARC nations will be held in Islamabad in 2003.

US ambassador clarifies on news report

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: US Ambassador to Nepal Ralph Frank today issued a response to what he said speculation in a local vernacular weekly recently.

"Recently there appeared in Drishti speculation about the substance of a meeting I was reported to have had at the Palace," the ambassador wrote in a letter, printed on the news release pad of the American Center here and addressed to the editor. "The U.S. Embassy does not comment on the substance of private meetings. Our guiding principle is that private discussions should remain private," the staement said.

The letter of the American Ambassador further stated: I believe it is appropriate, though, to state again several of the overarching principles that guide U.S. foreign policy interest in Nepal and throughout the world. First and foremost, the United States believes that representative, constitutional democracy is the very best form of the government. We believe that people should have the right to elect their leaders through regular, free and fair elections. We believe in the rule of law. We believe that citizens should have the right to engage in peaceful protest that does not infringe on the right of others. We believe in the protection of human rights. We condemn extra-judicial actions of any type. Under no circumstances does the United States support or advocate the overthrow of an elected government through violence or non-constitutional methods. "Ultimately, of course, the problems facing Nepal need to be resolved by Nepalis through constitutional processes that are already in place. The United States stands ready and willing to provide advice and counsel when appropriate, and assistance to the degree possible," wrote Ambassador Frank. "We are with you. But, the future is yours to determine."

16 kg of explosive seized

Kathmandu, Apr. 12 (RSS): Police seized explosives weighing 16.2 kgs from a house occupied by Sachal Engineering Works Pvt. Ltd. at New Baneshwor today.

A team led by city police chief Madhav Thapa found the explosives which were kept openly in the lower rack of a wardrobe at the Pvt. Ltd..

Owner of the Pvt. Ltd. Ghulam Hussein Chima of Pakistan has been in Pakistan for the past one month and the house is being guarded by only one security guard.

From that office, the police have taken into their control first secretary at the embassy of Pakistan Mohammod Arsad Chima, 45, and his wife Rubina Asrad Chima for inquiry.

Mr Chima told RSS that he is returning home tomorrow after completing his three year assignment in Nepal.

Mr Chima further said he is totally ignorant of all this and he was in the house for just three days because the owner of the Ltd. was known to him and he had already been replaced by another at the embassy.

The police forcibly rummaged their belongings but could not find anything, he said and pleaded innocence.

They will be taken to Hanumandhoka Police Office for interrogation, police said.

Owner of the house Bimal Pandey said that he had rented out his house to the company for five years. He said they had come for the repair of the 42 kilometre Mugling-Damauli road and would be leaving after the work was complete.

Chief of the city police Thapa, said that this is the first time this kind of powerful explosive substance, akin to RDX, capable of destroying the entire Kathmandu valley has been hauled in such a large quantity in the capital.

It was only two years ago that police seized five kilograms of explosive substances each from Kalimati and Anam Nagar in the capital, he said.

EU concerned over rise in Maoist insurgency

Kathmandu Apr. 12 (RSS): The European Union expresses its profound concern at the serious escalation of violence and loss of life in the context of the Maoist insurgency in Nepal in the last days, and extends its condolences to the families of the bereaved.

According to a press release from the presidency of the European Union in Kathmandu, the European Union condemns such serious acts of lethal violence.

The European Union expresses its support for democratic government and the process of democracy enshrined in the Constitution of Nepal and urges all parties to exercise full respect for human rights in the search for a solution to the Maoist issue, to strengthen democracy and rule of law in Nepal.

The European Union stresses its belief that citizens have a legitimate right to expect to live in safety, and governments have a legitimate right to provide for the security and wellbeing for their people.

The European Union urges all parties to redouble their efforts to find a negotiated and peaceful resolution to the current conflict, to promote stable and continuing development in Nepal.

The United States and Norway associate themselves with this statement, it is also pointed out.