For dialogue, Home Ministry has instructed to free Maoists in custody
No intent of suppression, says Khadka

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 8: In a move to facilitate the government-Maoists talks, the Home Ministry has instructed to release all Maoists who are in custody in the different parts of the country, Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka informed the House of Representatives today.

Furnishing the replies to the queries of opposition lawmakers raised at the discussion, Minister Khadka said that the Armed Police Bill-2058 and the Local Administration (Fourth Amendment) Bill-2058 would not pose obstacles to the government-Maoist dialogues since they were not introduced to suppress the Maoist insurgents. He noted that Maoists too had understood the compulsion of the government.

The House of Representatives today with majority vote endorsed Khadka’s proposal for considering two Bills and started discussion on them.

The two separate Bills were tabled at today’s first session of the Lower House following the government’s successful bid to endorse the Armed Police Ordinance-2057 and the Local Administration (Fourth Amendment) 2057 from the Parliament Tuesday despite the oppositions’ boycott and shouting against Bills introduction at the Parliament.

Stating that the Prime Minister is determined to conclude the talks with insurgents, Khadka said the government is serious to resolve the Maoist problem through dialogue.

He said that the creation of such Armed Police Force is a common feature of democratic countries in the world.

Saying that MPs’ doubt on the Bills is not unnatural, Khadka assured them the Bills would not restrict the people in enjoying rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Kingdom.

"Rather the Bills aim at protecting the lives and property of the people, maintain law and order situation, check crime and violence and assist people in the time of disaster."

He also reminded that the Prime Minister had expressed his commitment that the government would take advice from opposition parties if the ordinances were to be brought in the coming days.

On the opposition MPs’ charge that the government has introduced the Bills to affect the result of the coming local elections, Khadka assured that the Armed Police Force would have nothing to do with the local elections.

Citing the examples where the Nepali Congress as ruling party had failed to secure majority in the Parliament in the mid-term poll, he said it was not logical to say that the government would try to use the Force in the elections. He also assured that there would not be any politicalisation while constituting the Armed Police Force.

However, the oppositions’ lawmakers came heavily down on the government for introducing the Bills in the House and demanded the government to withdraw the Bills immediately.

They claimed that the Bills had assaulted the main spirit of the Constitution and rights achieved from the Popular Movement of 2046 B. S.

They argued that the Bills would hamper the government-Maoist talks and further complicate the Maoist problem.

CPN-UML MP Bharat Mohan Adhikari said that the government had disregarded dignity of Parliament and democracy by bringing the ordinances just before the inception of the 19th session of the Parliament.

Adhikary accused that the government was not honest in holding dialogue with the Maoists since it had presented the Armed Police Force Bill and Local Administration Bill, which he said, were meant to take back the rights of the people.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel, however, strongly defended the Bills, saying they are the general need of the country to protect the freedom of the citizens and consolidate the law and order situation of the country.

Paudel said that there is no sense that the Bills would disturb the talks with the Maoists.

He also requested the opposition MPs not to take the Bills as the frightening thing.

He further said that the army could not be mobilized at all time and there were many cases, which the police may not tackle alone. "In such a situation, the Armed Police Force becomes necessary for the country."

Lila Mani Pokharel, MP of United People’s Front Nepal said, "By introducing the harsh laws, the problems of the country could not be solved." Pokharel also lambasted the government for adopting the wrong procedure to endorse the ordinances in the Parliament.

UML lawmaker Subash Nemwang said that the Bills did not comply with the government’s commitment to hold the dialogue with the Maoists. Nemwang further said that the Armed Police Force Bill mentioned the term of ‘terrorism’ but it lacked the definition of the term.

Chitra Bahadur KC and Lila Ram Acharya of National People’s Front claimed that the House was becoming more undemocratic in handling its business. They also urged the government to be serious to the Maoist problem.

Netra Lal Shrestha of Rastriya Prajatantra Party termed the Bills as ‘regressive’ and said they could spoil the atmosphere of talks between the government and the Maoists.

Hridayash Tripathi of Nepal Sadbhawana Party blamed that the government had brought the Bills to affect result of the upcoming elections in its favour.

UML MP Prakash Jwala said that the government failed to identify the root-cause of the Maoist issue.

Govt to run anti-leprosy drive

Kathmandu, Aug. 9 (RSS):  Health Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari announced today that His Majesty’s Government will run a five-day national anti-leprosy campaign in 17 different districts of the Terai.

The campaign to start on October 1 is being organised with the objective of achieving the target of bringing the number of leprosy patients to below one in every 10,000 people by 2003. The World Health Organisation (WHO) aims to reach the target worldwide by 2005.

Inaugurating an interaction programme on the campaign with journalists here today, Minister Bhandari said no matter how big and important a project it will not become successful without the tools to reach the project to the target community and group.

Expressing confidence that public awakening about the disease would make work against it more effective, the Health Minister also said that the campaign will bring together teachers, GOs, and NGOs, health workers, journalists as well as local people.

Special secretary at the Health Ministry Dr Durga Prasad Manandhar, WHO representative Prof. Dr Ananda Mohan Das, general secretary of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Taranath Dahal and other speakers also expressed their views at the programme organised by the Department of Health Services, WHO and the Leprosy NGO Network.

The number of leprosy patients in Nepal was estimated at around 100,000 in 1965. This has come down to around 7,500 (four affected in every 10,000).

Leprosy is a communicable disease transmitted by a virus called micro bacterium lepri. The virus was first detected in 1873 while a cure for the disease was discovered 67 years later. Multi Drug Treatment (MDT), prefered by WHO since 1981, was found to be more effective.

This method of treatment began in Nepal since 1982.

More than 80,000 leprosy patients have already gotten rid of the disease in Nepal which accounts for one of the highest leprosy-infected populations in the world. Currently 7,392 patients are undergoing treatment.

SC reverses decision, Rajendra Lohani reinstated

Kathmandu, Aug. 8 (RSS):  The Supreme Court has reversed the verdict handed down by the Appellate Court Patan on Asar 13 last year declaring RPP candidate Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani victorious over CPN-UML candidate Rajendra Prasad Lohani by one vote in Nuwakot constituency-1 in the last general election.

The reversal order was handed down by the joint bench of justices Harishchandra Upadhyaya and Kedar Nath Acharya.

In its verdict, the Supreme Court has said that RPP candidate Dr Lohani failed to fulfill necessary procedures for filing the writ seeking a recount of votes as he lodged his complaint directly with the election tribunal instead of through the district attorney.

The existing law does not provide the election tribunal authority to place votes in "notice" during vote counting and declare the ballots valid or invalid, the Supreme Court has said in its verdict.

Senior advocates Basudev Dhungana and Krishna Prasad Bhandari, and advocates Hari Krishna, Shambhu Thapa, Yuvaraj Sangraula, Tikaram Bhattarai, Hari Upreti and Shyam Pandey pleaded on hehalf of CPN-UML candidate Rajendra Prakash Lohani.

Abort not talks on any pretext: Intelligentsia

Kathmandu, Aug. 9 (RSS):  Human rights activists and intellectuals at a programme here today said that in view of the present congenial environment for initiating talks between the government and the Maoists both the government and the Maoists should be sincere about the peace talks initiatives and make them fruitful.

A dialogue between the two sides should not aborted on any pretext, they said expressing confidence that given the strongly emerging popular opinion in favour of ending killings and other forms of violence and the liberal attitude demonstrated by both sides the dialogue will result in a success.

Human rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar said as the country has seen a congenial atmosphere for talks thanks to the initiative of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba the talks should not be delayed. He also expressed optimism about positive results of the talks.

Ex-president of Human Rights Organisation of Nepal Rishikesh Shaha was of the view that the Maoists should come to the negotiating table by accepting the Constitutional Monarchy and multiparty democracy.

Dr Mathura Prasad Shrestha, also a human rights activist, said as the weaknesses in the constitution also can be rectified through the talks aganda for such talks should not be allowed to emerge as an obstacle.

NC youth leader Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat said there is a growing realisation even among the Maoists that the people are not in favour of violence. The proposed talks should be made instrumental in bringing about social and economic reforms.

He said that the armed police force bill was not aimed against anyone but was meant for the security of the people and therefore it would have no adverse impact on dialogue.

Nominated member Dipta Prakash Shah said that the Prime Minister had given the word in the Parliament that concurrence of all the political parties would be sought to hold talks and the talks would be fruitful if the Maoists too adopt a flexible policy but there would be no compromise on Constitutional Monarchy and multi-party democracy.

Prof. Krishna Khanal said that the outlook of those taking part in the negotiating should be broad, the demand of the Maoists should be clear, agenda fixed accordingly, and dialogue should find a peaceful way out to resolve the problem.

Another intellectual, Govinda Bhatta, said that the government should do good homework for the talks, and all concerned including the human rights activists, opposition parties, intellectuals and journalists should extend co-operation for the success of the talks.

Dr. Narayan Khadka of the Nepali Congress said that the rights of the people should not be curtailed by putting forth various demands at the talks, and both sides should hold talks in every field in the interest of the nationality of the Nepalese.

President of the Reporters’ Club Nepal Rishi Dhamala presided over the programme.

Report on dam soon: Minister

Kathmandu, Aug. 8 (RSS):  Minister for Water Resources Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, making a statement of public importance on the likely impact of the Rassiyal-Khurda-Lautan dam on Nepal at separate meetings of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly today, disclosed that the team constituted by the Ministry returned recently following an on-site study of the areas involved both in Nepal and India.

The team is presently preparing its study report and the entire content of the report will be provided to the MPs as soon as it is completed, he added.

At the request of the Ministry of Water Resources, the Foreign Ministry sent a letter to the Government of India on July 6, 2001 arguing that construction work on the dam is against the agreement and will create problems of inundation in Nepal and urging it to maintain the natural flow of water in its original state. A reply letter from the Indian Embassy was received on August 1, 2001 informing HMG that all construction work on the dam has been stalled since July 10, 2001.

Minister Gachchadar informed the meetings that the liaison officers of Nepal and India met on Aug. 6 and made an on-site inspection of the under-construction dam and its affect on Nepal. The Nepali side apprised their Indian counterpart of the effect of the dam construction to which the Indian side disclosed that the construction work has been stopped since July 10.

Stating that the Indian side has requested statistics on Lumbini and the natural streams following through Lumbini as well as the villages threatened with waterlogging, the Minister for Water Resources said the liaison officers of the two sides have agreed to have a meeting within the first or second week of September to discuss the issue at length.

He also expressed commitment that His Majesty’s Government would continue to work at the diplomatic level towards stopping the construction of the dam and not allowing the project to be completed.

‘Think seriously over poor SLC results’

Kathmandu, Aug. 8 (RSS):  Taking part at the special hour of the House of Representatives today, Narayan Man Bijukchhe of Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party (NWPP) said that the high ranking officials responsible for formulating the useless education policy should be subjected to action on account of the discouraging results of the SLC examination this year.

He stressed the need for holding extensive discussions while formulating new education policy which has a direct impact on tens of thousands of students and guardians as well as the nation and for implementing such a policy in limited districts on an experimental basis.

Tarasam Yangya drew the attention of the government towards the Kankai multi-purpose irrigation project which could not be run in an effective manner due to political and other reasons and demanded that the project be run as early as possible by not giving into pressure of any donor country or agency.

Mahendra Yadav of NC demanded that initiatives be taken to include the Janaki Mandir of Janakpurdham into the World Heritage List.

The Rajarshi Janak University proposed by the MPs and intellectuals of Janakpur should be approved immediately, he added.

Parasu Ram Meghi Gurung of the CPN-UML argued that national census which is now being updated has a far-reaching impact on the development activities of the country.

He urged all political parties to arrive at a meaningful conclusion in this regard.

Ram Kumar Chaudhary of NC expressed anguish over not being allocated budget for the maintenance of Mahendra Highway and bridges of the highway and asked the government to immediately allocate funds for the construction of the bridges for which tenders have been called.

Chandramani Kharal of the CPN-UML said that 24 VDCs have been affected by the continuous rain that took place recently.

He also asked the government to rehabilitate the families displaced by natural calamity, repair roads and bridges and deploy a technical team to collect first hand information about the damages