Nepal, Bhutan agree to increase ongoing verification pace

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 22: Bhutan did not agree to Nepal’s proposal to verify all the Bhutanese refugees in eastern Nepal in a time bound manner but it endorsed the idea of increasing the pace of ongoing verification in one of the refugee camps, Nepalese officials participating at the 11th round of Nepal-Bhutan talks said today.

According to them, the two sides signed a minute in which they agreed to split the present Joint Verification Team — with five members from Nepal and Bhutan each — into two to increase the verification process at the Khudunabari Camp — one of the seven UNHCR-maintained camps in Jhapa and Morang Districts. "That way the remaining refugee families in the Khudunabari Camp would be verified faster," said an official with the Nepalese delegation.

The two Himalayan Kingdoms also agreed to categorise the refugees of the Khudunabari Camp (once they are verified) and at the same time to harmonise their (the nations’) positions on the categorization. "These things will happen simultaneously," Jigme Y Thinley, Bhutanese Foreign Minister, told this daily over the phone from Thimpu. "The categorization is the integral part of the verification."

Notably, Thinley also said that the categorised refugees of the Khudunabari camp, after the harmonisation of the two nation’s stands, would be repatriated. "But, the repatriation does not mean that all the refugees will go back since they will belong to certain categories which may not be acceptable to us."

Thinley, however, did not clarify what category would Bhutan be taking back. "This has been quite clear to everybody and we believe we can negotiate with the Nepalese side on this."

Nepal and Bhutan still have striking difference on their stand to treat the four categories of refugees who claim that the Bhutanese government shooed them out of their homelands due to its ethnic cleansing campaign. While Bhutan insists that these Nepali-speaking Bhutanese from its southern part were illegal economic migrants. The Dragon Kingdom has been asserting that it would take back only the first category refugees — Bonafide Bhutanese, while Nepal has been maintaining that the Druk Yul should take back all the refugees except the non-Bhutanese category.

It was on this particular difference, the two nations tried to harmonise their positions until the mid 90’s. And it was the same difference that stone-walled the talks after the sixth round of bilateral meeting in 1996.

At the 11th round of talks in Thimpu this time, the Nepalese side had highly prioritized the speedy verification of the refugees considering the exceptionally slow performance of the Joint Verification Team that has been identifying the refugees of the Khudunabari Camp for the last four months (it has been stopped temporarily, though).

The JVT have identified hardly 900 families of the camp while there are more than 15,000 families totaling to 100,000 refugees in the UNHCR-maintained camps in Jhapa and Morang Districts. Modest estimations show the JVT would need at least five years to verify all the refugees, given their present pace.

The ministerial level Nepal-Bhutan talks on Bhutanese refugees began in 1993 in Thimpu when the two nations agreed to categorize the Bhutanese refugees. The last time they met was last year here when they decided to verify the refugees, to begin with in one of the refugee camps.

Most of these talks took place at foreign ministerial level — like the latest one. This time around, Nepal took part in the foreign ministerial level talk even as there was no separate minister in the cabinet holding the foreign affairs portfolio. Since Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba himself is looking after the Foreign Ministry and due to his portfolio he cannot sit with the Bhutanese Foreign Minister for the bilateral talks, the government assigned Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat to take part in the Foreign Ministerial talks this time.

The 11th round of talks had begun last Monday and the Nepalese delegation team would return home tomorrow.

UML at the centre-stage of national politics: Nepal

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 22: The emergency meeting of the CPN-UML’s parliamentary party today discussed on bringing CPN-UML to the centre-stage of the national politics.

At the meeting, UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal briefed about the UML’s role to tackle the perceived threat on the country’s nationalism, possible danger against democracy and to attain social justice.

The UML General Secretary said, "The UML is eager to come together under a national consensus with all the nationalist parties for the preservation of nationality, protection of people’s rights and to push forward programmes for social justice."

The meeting also discussed on the UML’s perception about implementing the land reforms just announced by the government, the UML General Secretary said.

Chief whip of the CPN-UML Bharat Mohan Adhikary apprised the meeting about the party’s dialogue with the government about the understandings reached between the UML and the ruling party on various issues, and the party’s talks with other Left parties relating to unification or forging alliances. Adhikary is the leader of the committee formed by the UML for negotiating with other Left parties.

Talking to the press after the meeting, Nepal said with the ruling Nepali Congress failing in every sector, the responsibility to lead the country now lies with the UML.

"The onus to fight against both the liberalism and totalitarianism of the far-Right, and the audacity of the ultra-Left for absolutism, in the name of people’s republic, lies with the UML," Nepal said.

CPN (MLM) welcomes reform programmes

Biratnagar, Aug. 22 (RSS): The Mechi, Koshi and Sagarmatha zonal level leading party workers’ gathering of Nepal Communist Party (Marxist, Leninist and Maoist) has welcomed the various progressive reforms programmes announced by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in Parliament recently.

Among other things, the reforms programme announced by the Prime Minister includes a revolutionary land reforms programme, ensuring the women’s rights through proper legislation, uplift of various ethnic communities and backward tribes, eradication of social discriminations like the practice of untouchability, legislating stern laws to deal with corruption and granting land to the freed Kamaiyas.

The party’s zonal level gathering also called on the government to carry out the reforms programmes with honesty.

The gathering urged both the government and the Maoists to be sincere in talks and eschew their intransigence in order to resolve the Maoist problem, an outcome of the widespread economic, political and regional disbalance.

The gathering, likewise, decided to speed up the party’s organisation consolidation, ideological and political publicity campaigns in the district.

It welcomed the proposal for building a greater leftist alliance and demanded that both big and small communist parties should be accomodated in the alliance.

The meeting also constituted the party’s "Mid-Eastern Regional Committee" with Rabi Chandra Basnet from Sagarmatha zone as the the committe secretary in order to better manage the party.

Artworks exhibition

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): Chairman of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee Dr Kesharjung Rayamajhi inaugurated an exhibition of 60 artworks made of dried wheat stalks prepared by artist Shyam Krishna KC of Kathmandu on the occasion of the enthronement of His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rayamajhi spoke of the need to protect constitutional monarchy.

Organiser and chairman of the Pako Youth Club and others also spoke at the function.

The exhibition will last till Aug 26.

HM grants assent

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): His Majesty the King has given Royal Assent to the bill designed to amend some Nepal Acts (2058), the Armed Police Force Formation and Operation Bill (2058) and the bill designed to amend the Local Administration Act 2028 (2058).

All the three bills were submitted to His Majesty for Royal Assent after their passage by both House of Representatives, according to the Parliament Secretariat.

Audience

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): His Majesty the King granted audience to Ambassador of Bangladesh Cyril Sikder at Nirmal Nibas, Maharajgunj today.

Bhutanese King grants audience to Dr. Mahat

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): Minister for Finance Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, who arrived in Thimpu day before yesterday at the head of the Nepalese delegtations to the llth meeting of the Ministerial Joint Committee was received in audience by His Majesty the King of Bhutan yesterday.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Bhutan Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa, joint secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Gyan Chandra Acharya and JVT leader Sushil J.B. Rana were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, Minister Dr. Mahat called on the head of the government and chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Khando Wangchuk, it is learnt from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Additional portfolio

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): Minister for Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta will, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, look after the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives also during the absence of Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Mahesh Acharya who left here today for New Delhi, India to attend a meeting of Commerce Ministers of the SAARC region to develop a common approach for SAARC nations in connection with the WTO fourth ministerial level meeting.

This is stated in a notice issued today by the Principal Press Secretariat of His Majesty the King.

Bhikchhu Amritananda remembered

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): Pamela J Deen, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Nepal, gave away shields, prizes and letters of appreciation to the winners of an oratory, essay and painting competition organised to mark the 11th Memorial Day of venerable Buddhist scholar late Bhikchhu Amritananda Mahanayak Mahasthavir.

At the function held under the joint aegis of the Anandakuti Vihar Guthi, Sukhi Hotu Nepal, Amrit Yuba Bauddha Samaj and Amrit Bauddha Pariyati Sikshya, the Sri Lankan Ambassador said late Bhikchhu Amritananda had significantly contributed to the expansion of Buddhism within and outside the country.

Sangha Nayak Bhikchhu Anirudra Mahasthavir presided over the function at which Bhikchhu Ashagosh, chairman of Dharmodaya Sabha Lok Darshan Bajracharya and Dharma Ratna Shakya recalled the contribution of late Bikchhu Amritananda in propagating Buddhism in the country.

National Assembly member Laxmi Das Manandhar said all should follow the path made ablaze by late Bhikchhu Amritananda while principal of Anandakuti Bidyapith Ratna Bahadur Bajracharya commended late Bhikchhu Amritananda for his unforgettable contribution in the establishment of Anandakuti Bidyapith in 2008 when education was out of reach for a majority of the population.

Sumita Maharjan, Umesh Tuladhar and Sunil Maharjan came out first, second and third respectively in the oratory contest on the role of youth in Buddhism.

Similarly, Sanu Maharjan, Sramner Uttama and Sumita Maharjan secured first, second and third positions respectively in the painting competition on Buddhist culture, Buddhist heritage and late Bikchhu Amritananda.

Likewise, Sramner Khemik and Sramner Prabritta came out first, Lalita Shrestha the runner-up and Amar Manandhar third in the essay competition on the contribution of late Bikchhu Amritananda in Buddhist literature.

Vehicles being recovered

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): As directed by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to the concerned ministries and bodies to take back vehicles of the government and corporations under it, and different agencies being used now illegally by different individuals who were posted to different posts and also by the people’s representatives and the officials who did not enjoy the vehicle facility, a total of 35 vehicles including 10 bicycles and 25 cars/jeeps have been recovered.

According to information received from different ministries, corporations and departments, the concerned bodies will publish the names of those who have not returned the vehicles and actions will be taken against such persons as per the CIAA Act-248 BS.

Regular press briefings every Thursday

Kathmandu Aug. 22 (RSS): Regular press briefings are to be held, as far as possible, at the Ministry of Information and Communications every Thursday on behalf of the government as decided by the Minister for Information and Communications.

Interested representatives each from the regular newspapers and national and international news agencies holding press passes with them have been asked to contact the Ministry between 11 a. m. to 12 noon about the time of the press briefing, it is stated in a press release issued by the Ministry today.

RPP, NSP disrupt House proceedings

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): Regular proceedings at the House of Representatives stalled today also with RPP and Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) MPs rushing to the Speaker’s well and chanting slogans against the government’s announcement concerning radical land reforms.

Immediately after the start of the meeting, RPP’s Pashupati Shumsher J.B. Rana demanded that if a ceiling is to be fixed on land holdings there should be a property ceiling also in order to ensure equality in the villages and cities.

Arguing that the reform programme announced by the Prime Minister will not ensure equality for the people, MP Rana said the RPP is not against land reforms, rather it is raising its voice for improvement in social and economic structures.

Stating that land reforms alone do not help raise the socio-economic conditions of people in the Terai, women, the downtrodden and others living at the lowest rungs of society, he stressed the need to amend the constitution, if need be, to provide citizenship to the Terai dwellers, and guarantee reservations for women and the downtrodden.

Soon after MP Rana concluded his statement, the RPP and NSP MPs rushed to the well and started chanting slogans against the land reforms programme.

Despite the Speaker’s continued efforts to calm them down and persuade them to allow others also to expresse their views, they did not budge thereby prompting the Speaker to adjourn the meetings of the House till Aug. 27.

The House of Representatives next meets at 11 a.m. on Aug. 27.

Rishi Panchami today

Kathmandu, Aug. 23 (RSS): Rishi Panchami which falls under the Teej festival of Hindu women is being celebrated with fervour and gaiety across the Kingdom today with offering of prayers and worship to the seven Rishis.

On this day women get up early in the morning, go to a nearby stream, clean their teeth with twigs, undergo ablutions and worship the Rishis.

During the worship, married women offer bangles, sindur, glass beads and red ribbons, wishing long life to their husbands.

The fasting and prayers will atone for mistakes, if any, of touching others during menstruation and prolong the life of husbands, it is stated in the Bhabisyapuran.

A special religious fair is held at Rishweshwar Temple at Teku Kathmandu.

Acharya leaves for New Delhi

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Mahesh Acharya left for New Delhi, the capital of India, today to take part in a meeting of SAARC Ministers of Commerce in connection with preparing a coordinated perspective of SAARC nations to be presented at the fourth meeting of World Trade Organisation.

Talking to RSS at the Tribhuwan International Airport before departure, Mr Acharya said the meeting would be useful for Nepal as we are in the process of receiving WTO membership.

The Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the WTO will be held on Nov 9-13 in Doha, Quatar.

Industrial security

FNCCI ready to talk to Maoists for safety

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 22: Industrialists today showed serious concern over the security situation in the country and expressed willingness to talk to the Maoists to resolve problems in the industrial sector.

"Industrial atmosphere has deteriorated over the years and the industries are unsafe," President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Rabi Bhakta Shrestha told a press meet here this evening. "FNCCI is worried that the industries may be mired by disorder in the days to come as All Nepal Workers’ Union (Revolutionary) have submitted demand lists to the management in hotel, carpet and garment industries."

"We demand with the government to provide security to the industries. Otherwise, we may be forced to shut them down," said Shrestha. He said FNCCI had also demanded with the government to issue a statement asking the Maoists and Maoist affiliated organisations to stop all kinds of activities that harm industries.

"The FNCCI is convinced that the problems facing the country should be solved through talks and peace and security restored immediately," Shrestha said. He said neither any political parties nor the organisations affiliated to them should escalate industrial disorder and insecurity at a time when the government and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) are preparing to meet to resolve all kinds of problems through talks.

"We are ready to talk to the Maoists to resolve the problems in the industrial sector if they wish to talk to us," FNCCI First Vice President Binod Bahadur Shrestha said.

FNCCI’s immediate past President Pradeep Kumar Shrestha and Second Vice President Rajendra Khetan stressed on organised efforts to create industrial atmosphere in the country.

It was announced in the press meet that FNCCI had constituted a 15 member high level committee led by President Shrestha to resolve the problems facing the industry.

The press meet was organised a week after Saha Distillery in Nepalgunj was attacked and destroyed by a group of people who were participating in an anti-liquor rally organised by Maoist affiliated All Nepal Women’s Association (ANWA). ANWA, however, has maintained that they were not responsible for the attack.

NC meeting on Friday

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): The Nepali Congress Central Working Committee is to meet at the party’s central office in Teku at 8:00 Friday morning on August 24, according to a press communique issued by the Nepali Congress Central office here today.

Maoist killed in bomb explosion

Kathmandu, Aug. (RSS): Sapalman Tamang, 21, of Lapa VDC ward No 8 died on the-spot when a bomb he was carrying went off all of a sudden on Tuesday.

The deceased is reported to be a Maoist Guerrilla.

According to the chairman of Lapa VDC Sim Bahadur Tamang, the bomb exploded while Tamang was playing with the bomb in his hand at the residence of Lal Bahadur Kami at ward No 2 of the same VDC. Tamang’s friends Lal Bahadur and Juney Kami were injured and some parts of the house were damaged.

Both of the injured have been taken to Kathmandu for treatment.

Saplings planted

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 22: Pani Pokhari Yuba Club of Boudha, Mahankal planted different species of plants in the Jana Kalyan High School premises for the protecting of environment on August 18.

This club had also planted more than one hundred fiftyy plants on the both sides of road from the temple of Kumari to Jana Kalyan High School on the occasion of Krishnasthami (Lord Krishna’s birthddaay).

Yogendra Gautam, the chairman of the club said that the participation of local people had encouraged them to work more for the protection of the environment.

Ganesh Chauthi celebrated

Kathmandu, Aug. 22 (RSS): The Ganesh Chaturthi or Chauthi, which is observed each year on the 4th day of the bright half of the lunar month in Bhadau (Aug/Sept), was observed throughout the kingdom today.

Special Ganesh Puja is performed on the day of ‘Ganesh Chauthi’, although, Ganesh is usually worshipped after the worship of kalash in course of any religious rituals.

It is believed that if one worships Lord Ganesh on this day he/she will be absolved from all kinds of sins as well as various obstructions.

In the Terai region, a special worship is performed by erecting a huge idol of Ganesh at the cross roads.

Youths in rural areas also observe the traditional "Chauthi Khelne" ritual during the night on this day by taking part in various fun-filled activities such as stealing cucumbers and pumpkins from the neighbours garden.