MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED TO PM
Opposition parties blame govt for problems

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Feb. 5: Five opposition parties in the House of Representatives, including the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML), the main opposition party in the parliament, have submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala demanding his resignation.

The other parties are Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Rastriya Janmorcha (RJM), Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) and United People’s Front (UPF). However, Nepal Sadhvabana Party, the remaining party in the opposition bench in the parliament, is not involved in this.

A procession of the leaders of those parties, led by General Secretary of the CPN-UML, Madhav Kumar Nepal, went to the Prime Minister’s office at Singha Durbar today and submitted the 4-point memorandum.

The memorandum, signed by General Secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal, President of RPP Surya Bahadur Thapa, Dilaram Acharya MP of the Rastriya Janmorcha, President of NWPP Narayanman Bijukchhe and Lilamani Pokharel General Secretary of the United People’s Front, has accused that the government has failed to maintain a minimum standard of law and order in the country, questions are being asked on the government’s commitment towards human rights, the government has failed to make its presence felt in majority of sectors and the government has sought repressive measures instead of political solution to solve the Maoist problem and there are growing chilliness in Nepal’s relations with neighbouring countries.

They also accused the present government of failing completely to solve the problems faced by the country and there is no hope of improvement in the government.

The memorandum says that there is no alternative for Prime Minister Koirala than to resign to bring to effect the pledge against corruption, to make the government responsible towards the parliament, to make the government responsible towards the people, and to make the parliament effective.

After the submission of the memorandum the leaders of the opposition parties hold a press conference at the UML’s parliamentary party office in Singha Durbar.

At the press conference, UML’s General Secretary Nepal said the Prime Minister listened very intently to the memorandum when it was read out and when we said ‘you can not solve the country’s problems’ he became very serious.

Nepal said all the five parties were unanimous that the Prime Minister should resign, and they would discuss later on about their second step if the resignation does not come.

When asked why the NSP did not join their campaign, Nepal said he had talked to Badri Prasad Mandal, a leader of that party, and Mandal told him that NSP would not be too far apart from the other opposition parties.

Surya Bahadur Thapa of the RPP said they would devise their future strategies only after the government’s response to their demand. He said the consensus among them regarding the resignation of the Prime Minister will not break up.

Bijukchhe said if the Prime Minister should resigns on moral grounds and this would help solve the present problem.

However, when asked whether the opposition parties want another person from the Nepali Congress to replace Koirala, Lilamani Pokharel of the United People’s Front said that they were fighting against corruption and not on behalf of any other person of the Nepali Congress.

In adversity too, flinch not from justice: CJ

Butwal, Feb. 5 (RSS): Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya has said that instead of blaming anyone for the incident of violent assault on him Saturday while he was on his way to Surkhet, a lesson should be learnt from it.

Winding up a training programme for district judges of the western, mid-western and far western development regions at Butwal today, he said that he was able to escape the bid on his life because he is a propagator of the message of peace of Lord Buddha, and had the goodwill and affection of the people who appreciated his spirit of providing fair justice.

Stating that judges should never deviate whatever the circumstances, he said they should adopt dedication, discipline, conscientiousness and sensitivity as a way of life.

Chief Justice Upadhyaya also pointed out the need for the judges to have self-confidence even on bad days and dedicate themselves to dispensing people-oriented justice.

Stating that mistakes, if any, committed while working should be corrected in order to be able to face the situation, he said the judges should feel obliged to society and the nation and be dedicated to their duties.

Supreme Court Judge Laxman Prasad Aryal said that the attack on the Chief Justice and his entourage was a tragic, unhumanitarian and dastardly act and that the judges should never deviate from the path of duty.

Chief judge of the Appellate Court Butwal, Dhruva Nath Upadhyaya said that judges should never forget the spirit of dedication to duty.

Judicial Council spokesman Kashi Raj Dahal said that the training programme deliberated on dispensation of justice by remaining free from shortcomings, undue pressure and influence.

Attack denounced: Meanwhile, in Kathmandu, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat and National Assembly Chairman Dr Mohammad Mohasin have, in a joint statement today, strongly denounced and condemned the cowardly attack by a group of terrorists on the Chief Justice and officials accompanying him, and urged the terrorists to immediately stop such criminal and destructive activities which do not benefit anybody.

Extending best wishes for the long life of the Chief Justice who escaped unhurt in the violent attack, Speaker Ranabhat and Dr Mohasin have also said in their statement that the attack against an individual occupying a prestigious post such as that of Chief Justice is being taken as a serious crime.

Praying for eternal peace to the departed souls of the court registrar and policemen killed in the incident, they have also extended heartfelt condolences to members of the bereaved families.

Likewise, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Nayan Bahadur Khatri has, in a statement on behalf of the commission, said that he was shocked to hear the news of the violent attack on Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya and his entourage at Paisatthi of Surkhet district on Feb. 3.

Stating that incidents like this against the chief of the constitutional and human rights protection body of the people will not only give rise to anarchy but can also frustrate all efforts made for the maximum protection of human rights, Mr Khatri said that the Commission condemns the attack.

Meanwhile, a meeting of judges and employees of the Supreme Court held here today has condemned the violent assault on Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya and judges, employees and security personnel accompanying him, at Paisatthi of Surkhet district on February 3.

Stating that the assault on the judiciary considered to be the main pillar of democracy runs counter to a free, impartial and dignified judiciary, the meeting said this kind of undesirable activity would have a negative impact on the whole country and on the rule of law.

The meeting has drawn the attention of the concerned authorities towards making provisions for ensuring law and order in the country.

The meeting also prayed for the eternal peace of registrar of Surkhet Appellate Court Baldev Sharma Dhital and the security personnel who died in the incident, conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wished speedy recovery to the injured judges and police personnel.

Similarly, in Pokhara, the emergency meeting of the Appellate Court Bar Association, Pokhara held yesterday has strongly deplored and condemned the deadly attack made on Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya who was on his way to inspect the Appellate Court, Surkhet.

Praying for eternal peace to the departed souls of the registrar of Apellate Court, Surkhet and the security personnel, the Appellate Court Bar Association, Pokhara has extended heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved families.

Wishing for speedy recovery of judges Purusottam Parajuli, Jageswore Subedi, Chandra Bahadur Karki and the driver, the Appellate Court Bar Association, Pokhara has demanded that His Majesty’s Government maintain law and order in the country.

Industries in Rupendehi sick, facing closure

Butwal, Feb. 5 (RSS): Most of the small and cottage industries in Butwal and Siddharthanagar are on the verge of closure.

Even the industries that are somehow operating are not running in their full capacity, according to the cottage and small industries office, Rupandehi.

Metallurgical industries, food industries, rice, oil and flour mills, construction industries, mechanical workshops, plastic industries, saw mills, textile industries, ready-made garment industries, printing and publishing industries, chemical plants and industries based on concrete and cement predominate in Butwal.

According to the cottage and small industries office, out of the total 1,442 industries registered in Butwal, 760 are in operation while 682 have already closed down.

Lack of working capital, regular supply of raw materials, dearth of competitive edge of products due to the lack of technical know-how and establishment of industries without market research are some of the factors that are responsible for these industries not functioning in their full capacity, says Ghanshyam Pandey, the district cottage and small industries officer.

The industrialists express the view that lack of adequate facilities and incentives from the government, lack of clarity in the policy of providing subsidy according to the condition of the industries, the sudden increase in the purchase price of raw materials from ten per cent to 15 per cent has marred the cottage and small industries, making them weak to compete with the Indian goods.

Although the region abounds in the production of agriculture products like zinger, onion, coffee and cinnamon, the lack of processing plants for processing of these crops in Nepal means that they are exported to India at cheaper rate.

Chairman of Rupandehi Industries Association Mahendra Narayan Shrestha says that the import of substandard quality of rice from India was badly affecting the Nepalese rice mills.

Although the industry based on making bamboo mats and other bamboo products has a booming market in Butwal, it has not been able to come off the ground due to the lack of government’s protection to this emerging industry, according to the industrialists concerned.

Similarly, out of the 1058 registered industries in Siddharthanagar, 575 are in operation while 483 have closed down.

Many such industries in Siddharthanagar are said to be on the verge of closure or are really sick due to the lack of a set standard of purchase rate of industrial goods.

According to the industry officer Pandey, this situation is probably the outcome of the lack of a clear vision among most of the industrialists, the practice of setting up the same type of industries, thereby, increasing the competition and the general lack of managerial skills.

Siddharthanagar mainly has rice, metal, flour and textile mills, ready-made garment factories, leather goods manufacturing units, saw mills, furniture industries, construction industries, printing and publishing, transportation, brick and tile industries, consultancy business, tobacco, hotel, cement, metallurgical and food processing industries.

Chairman of Siddharthanagr Chamber of Commerce and Industry Dhruba Kumar Shrestha says that the inflow of a large number of smuggled Indian goods into Nepal through the porous Nepal-India border has been harming the local industries.

Unionists Vs Hoteliers: No retreat, no surrender!

BY NAVIN SINGH KHADKA

Kathmandu, Feb.5: Hoteliers are in no mood to give in. Unionists are adamant not to give up. And so, the 10 per cent service charge impasse continues to lurk as the Damocles Sword above tourism industry. As the February 11 deadline – set by the government to decide whether or not to introduce the service charge – is fast approaching near, tension has once again begun to grip the travel industry. Reason: Hoteliers and their employees’ unions still have their missiles aimed at each other.

Just when the high level task force formed by the government is still at its desk to thrash out a way from the pending 10 per cent service charge dispute, hotel operators and unionists have continued to stick with their guns. "At this point of time, if the service charge is introduced, no hotelier is going to levy it on his/her client," asserted executive members of Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN).

And, what do the unionists have to say if their demand for the service charge is not met? "We will begin the shut down strike from February 13, if our demand is not met even this time," warned Bishnu Lamsal, General Secretary of the Joint Action Committee of the two unions of the hotel workers.

Which means, if the official decision on the dispute leaves any one of the two warring sides aggrieved, it will surely revolt. That is something already established by the history. Remember how "irresponsibly" did hoteliers and the unionists behave during their wrangling on the issue some two months ago.

So gory had the combat become that both the opposing parties had even gone to the extent of closing down the industry. The unionists had kept on threatening that they would resort to shut down strikes, if their demands – to levy the 10 per cent service charge – went unmet.

They would have, if only the government had not intervened and assured them that it would mediate in the tug of war. But, even as the unionists took back their shut down strike some 24 hours before the scheduled day, the hoteliers folded up their sleeves and locked out their hotels, forcing their clients to pack up and stay elsewhere – no matter even if that was for one day.

It is this crossfire between the hoteliers and their employees’ unions that, even today, shapes up the impending threat on the top forex-earner tourism. Left as it is licking its wounds – caused by around 10 per cent dwindled tourist arrivals last year – the travel trade still has its fate undecided.

What does the future have in stock for tourism industry? Will it have to sustain yet another cruel blow?

It would if the dissatisfied side – either the hotel operators or unionists – resort to torpedo the tourism industry. To avert that potential crisis, the high level committee, according to a highly reliable source, may recommend the government to act as a mid-pathfinder.

The high level committee is yet to approve the document (prepared by technocrats) that is said to have dwelt on the prerequisites before introducing the service charge. Since the homework, as told by the source, also focuses on the implications of service charge or no-service charge, the government would require to negotiate with both hoteliers and unionists.

But, will the tussling two agree to come across the table? They may, if only they get rid of their present "no retreat, no surrender" attitude.

Nepal-Israel ties deepening: Koirala

Kathmandu, Feb. 5 (RSS): Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has expressed the belief that people-to-people relationship provides impetus to the governments for increasing the level of cooperative relations to the benefit of any two countries.

Prime Minister Koirala was addressing a function organised on the occasion of the launching of the souvenir issue published by Nepal-Israel Friendship Association to commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Israel here today.

Thanking the government of Israel for providing Nepal technical and economic cooperation, Prime Minister Koirala also appreciated the efforts of the association made to deepen the existing ties between the two countries and also helping in enhancing relationships at the people-to-people level.

"In the 50s when many countries in the region were skeptical to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, Nepal, under the dynamic and far-sighted leadership of late B.P. Koirala, made a historical decision to forge relationship with Israel", Mr Koirala said adding that, he feels proud to say that the pragmatic policy of late B.P. Koirala has stood the test of time and contributed to the continued growth of the cordial ties between Nepal and Israel.

Hoping to learn from Israel’s experience of successful launching of programmes aimed at achieving socio-economic development, Mr Koirala called for concrete investment programmes from Israel.

Appreciating the initiatives being taken for reviving the stalled peace-process in the middle east, Mr Koirala also said Nepal believes in peace and has always recognised the rights of all states in the region, including Israel, to live in peace with safe, recognized and guaranteed boundaries.

At the function Prime Minister Koirala also presented a letter of felicitation to former chairperson of the association Mrs Kamal Shaha for her contribution in the establishment of Nepal-Israel relations at the people’s level.

Israeli ambassador to Nepal Avrham Nir said the government of Israel has been assisting infrastructure development programmes in Nepal and expressed confidence that mutual cooperation between the two countries will continue in future.

Chairman of Nepal-Israel Friendship Association Pashupati Giri shed light on the role played by the association in consolidation of friendly relationship between the two countries.

Table bills after homework: Speaker

Kathmandu, Feb. 5 (RSS): Speaker Taranath Ranabhat has vowed to end the practice of introducing most of the bills in the form of finance bills in the House of Representatives even if this involved risk as such a practice often leaves very few-if any at all- bills to originate in the national assembly.

In an interaction with media representatives at the Parliament Secretariat today, Speaker Ranabhat said that the National Assembly also is complaining about the practice of moving most of the bills in the House of Representatives. Lack of clear definition of finance bill in the Constitution has also given rise to such complaints, he said adding, such a situation will continue no longer; those who are opposed to this idea can go to the courts.

National Assembly Chairman Dr Mohammad Mohsin welcomed the speaker’s determination to even run a risk in order to overcome the difficulties cropping up because of the lack of a clear definition of finance bill.

Asked to comment on the situation in which many bills require amendments soon after their passage by parliament because of the practice of tabling immature bills without adequate refinement, Speaker Ranabhat said lack of adequate homework while bills are being drafted has led to such a situation.

While it is the Law Reform Commission which is responsible for drafting parliamentary bills, there is a parctice of getting bills drafted by non-governmental organisations and individuals, he said and complained that the ministries are not cooperating properly in matters concerning parliamentary bills.

He also informed the media representatives that a bill designed to amend the civil code, a bill concerning political parties and a bill designed to amend some Nepal acts concerning internal administration will be introduced during the forthcoming 19th session of parliament. All three bills were registered during the 16th parliamentary session.

Bills concerning the Nepal nursing council, court management, education, value added tax, insurance, abolition of bonded labour, special courts, corruption control, the Parliament Secretariat and the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, which were already registered during the 18th session of parliament, are also to be presented in parliament during the upcoming session.

Likewise, other bills to be presented during the coming session include the Nepal Health Services (Second Amendment) Bill 2057, a bill concerning a national academy for the upliftment of ethnic groups, and bills designed to amend the Income Tax Act and the seeds act. These bills which originated in the National Assembly are under consideration in the Upper House of Parliament.

MPs of political parties represented in parliament, in a recent all-party meeting, complained that the communications media, especially the official media, have not given satisfactory coverage to parliamentary news, the Speaker said asking the media to protect the people’s right to information and respect the feelings of the MPs.

MPs have complained more about the official electronic media, he said and asked Radio Nepal and Nepal Television to broadcast parliamentary news at times appropriate for the general public.

The Speaker also said that he has agreed in principle to allow FM Radio to broadcast parliamentary activities live and that a decision will be taken after consultations over technical aspects.

Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mahantha Thakur, Parliament Secretary General Dr Ishwor Prasad Upadhyaya, secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communications Sriram Poudel and senior officers at the Parliament Secretariat also took part in the interaction.