Protocol of university, school teachers to be specified: Koirala

Kathmandu, Jan. 29 (RSS): Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said that university teachers have an important role to play in preventing the country from moving along the wrong direction and propelling it towards development.

Prime Minister Koirala made this remark while inaugurating the guest house of the Nepal University Teachers’ Association (NUTA) and unveiling the statue of ex-president of NUTA Prof. B. C. Malla at the premises of the guest house at Kirtipur today.

Stating that university and school teachers have made significant contributions to the establishment of democracy in the country, he said quality education is the need of the day.

The Prime Minister disclosed that a separate committee is being considered to specify a protocol of university and school teachers.

He also gave assurances that additional grants will be provided to campuses run by the private sector.

Mr Koirala also asked all teachers to emulate the contributions of the late Prof. B.C. Malla in educational development and protection of democracy in the country.

Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya stressed the need to promote technical and vocational education so as to resolve the existing unemployment problem.

Amendments to the education act is being considered to encourage people’s participation in educational development, he said.

On the one hand 30 per cent of the children in the country are out of school and 95 per cent of the people are deprived of higher education, while on the other the country is faced with the challenge of providing quality education.

The government is considering setting up a students loan fund with the objective of bringing higher education within the reach of the students from poor economic background, Minister Upadhyaya said.

Minister of State for Local Development Suresh Malla spoke about the significant role played by university and school teachers in the protection and consolidation of democracy.

Vice-chancellor of Tribhuvan University Navin Prakash Jung Shaha was of the view that university teachers have an important role to play in educational development and stabilizing democracy in the country.

He also spoke of the need for all university teachers to imbibe the ideals of the late Prof. B. C. Malla and give continuity to the works he had started.

From the chair, NUTA president Bhimsen Das Pradhan stressed the need to construct a university teachers residential quarters and a statue of the first vice-chancellor of Tribhuvan University Subarna Shumshere.

Ex-presidents of NUTA Dr Ramman Shrestha, Prof. Keshavananda Giri, Prof. Suprabha Ghimire, Prof. Kapil Shrestha and general secretary Gunanidhi Neupane highlighted the contributions of the late Prof. B.C. Malla and various problems of university teachers.

The 18-room NUTA guest house for which Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had laid the foundation stone in 2049 B.S. has been constructed with the grant assistance of His Majesty’s Government and Tribhuvan University.

University teachers from outside Kathmandu Valley can stay at the guest house while in the capital.

‘Amendment of Constitution not necessary’

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Jan. 29: Supreme Court judge Laxman Prasad Aryal today said that it was not necessary to amend the Constitution at present.

"Time has yet to come for us to amend the Constitution. More priority should be given to other national issues than the amendment of the Constitution," Aryal said.

He further said that the Constitution is not erroneous and there is no need to change it. He also was of the opinion that opposing the Constitution means disrespecting the people as it reflects their aspirations.

"Instead of pointing out the defects of the Constitution, we should concentrate on implementing it properly."

He, however, said that there should be timely changes in the constitutional provisions. "We have to do necessary homework before talking about amending the Constitution."

He expressed the views at an interaction programme organised by Samudra Mana Vidhya Pratishthan here today.

Speaking at the function, Ishwar Pokhrel, lawmaker and member of the Standing Committee of the UML, said that his party is in favour of amending some provisions of the Constitution.

Forwarding his logic, Pokhrel said, "We have to protect the achievement made through the People’s Movement of 1990 and make an end to the present instability in the country."

He also said that his party does not want to frame up a revolutionary Constitution.

Addressing the function, Sindhu Nath Pyakurel, President of Nepal Bar Association, said the Constitution could be long-lasting and democratic only when it is amended after extensive discussions and brainstorming.

Bhim Acharya, Central Committee member of UML, said that the amendment of the Constitution is necessary to uproot corruption, improve the election system and solve the issues related to land reforms and ethnic community.

Balaram Baskota, Central Committee member of ML, emphasised the need to elect the Prime Minister on the basis of adult franchise.

Baskota also said that the amendment in the Constitution is imperative to bring about drastic changes in the country.

Prof. Gopal Shivakoti, advocate Krishna Prasad Bhandari, member-secretary of National Sports Council Binod Shankar Palikhe also spoke on the occasion.

The programme was chaired by Laxmi Prasad Upreti, Vice-Chancellor of the Academy.

Refugee verification from February 3rd week

FROM LOK RAJ DHAKAL

Chandragadi, Jhapa, Jan.29: Nepalese and Bhutanese officials who have gathered here decided today to begin the verification of Bhutanese refugees in one of the camps in this district on third week of February (between Feb.18 and 24) next month.

The joint team of the two Himalayan Kingdoms, however, did not reveal which camp they would choose to start the verification process from. "This cannot be made public at this point of time," said Usha Nepal, Joint Secretary at Home Ministry, who heads the Nepalese side in the Joint Verification Team (JVT) of Nepal and Bhutan.

Nepal also said that it was still not clear how long would it take to finish the verification in the camp that would be chosen first. "That we can estimate only after we begin the verification process in the field."

She said that the officials from both the sides agreed to sort out any difference, if it cops up during the verification process, at the ministerial or secretarial level. "The ministerial level could be either the home ministers or the foreign ministers from both the countries."

The joint team, according to Nepal, also agreed to establish a joint office either at Damak or Birtamod of Jhapa district. If in case both the locations are found unsuitable for the official purpose, the office will be established at Chandragadi, according to the officials in the joint team.

These officials from Nepal and Bhutan arrived here last week to prepare the groundwork and logistics for the verification of the refugees.

After the meeting between the officials of the two sides here today, Joint Secretary Nepal said that the verification would be held in accordance to the agreement between Nepal and Bhutan last month.

The 10th bilateral ministerial level meeting between the two Himalayan Kingdoms last month had ended with an agreement to begin the verification process of the 100,000 Bhutanese refugees who have been languishing in eastern Nepal for the last 10 years.

These Nepali-speaking Bhutanese have been living as refugees in seven UNHCR-maintained camps in this and neighbouring Morang districts.

It was only after 10 rounds of ministerial level talks in the last seven years, Nepal and Bhutan could agree to begin the verification process of the refugees. The two Kingdoms came to an understanding last month to begin the verification process in one of the seven camps.

Before reaching into that agreement, Nepal and Bhutan had serious differences over the verification process as both the sides stuck to their notwithstanding positions on the four categories of refugees. The two countries, during the first round of talks in 1993, had agreed to categorise the refugees into four groups – Bonafide Bhutanese citizens, Bhutanese who have emigrated, Bhutanese who have committed crimes, and Non-Bhutanese.

After the categorisation, Bhutan was adamant that it would take back only category one refugees while Nepal maintained that it could not keep the refugees of the rest three categories because they were not its citizens.

The disagreement on the positions stonewalled the talks until 1998 when Bhutan gradually began to come under tremendous international pressure. After European Community, the United Nations Human Rights Commission and, of late, the United States of America began to voice their concern on Bhutanese refugees, the Dragon Kingdom evidently softened its rigid stand.

After the 10th round of talks here last month, Bhutanese Foreign Minister Jigme Y. Thinley had said that the Joint Verification Team would accept any valid documents from the refugees to prove their citizenship as Bhutanese. The JVT would comprise of five members from Nepal and Bhutan each.

Martyrs Day celebrated

Kathmandu, Jan. 29 (RSS): The Martyrs Day was celebrated throughout the country by extending heartfelt tributes to the known and unknown martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the establishment of democracy in the country.

Every year Jan. 23 to 29 is celebrated as the Martyrs Week in memory of the known and unknown martyrs including Gangalal, Shukraraj, Dharma Bhakta and Dasarath Chand who laid down their lives to relieve the Nepalese people from the autocratic Rana rule and for the establishment of democracy in the country.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has the objective of formulating and implementing special programmes to cherish the memory and make meaningful the struggle and sacrifices of the martyrs.

This is stated in a statement given today by Mayor Keshav Sthapit on the occasion of the Martyrs Day-2001.

In the statement, Mayor Sthapit appealed to all brothers and sisters to contribute to social welfare works and follow the path shown by the martyrs and at the same time be fully aware of the sacrifices and dedication of the martyrs for the realisation of a total social transformation.

Mayor Sthapit also expressed heartfelt tributes to the known and unknown valiant sons of Mother Nepal who laid down their lives for the greater cause of the country and the people with the sole motive for the welfare and prosperity of the country and the countrymen.

We need to learn from these brave sons of the nation who freed the Nepalis from the clutches of tyranny and made them sovereign, Mayor Sthapit said in the statement, adding that true tributes to them would be to follow the path of norms and values which these brave martyrs stood for throughout their lives.

Marking the occasion, a condolence meeting was organised at Lalitpur by the Martyrs Memorial Committee today.

Addressing the meeting, ex-prime minister Kirtinidhi Bista expressed the view that we have been forgetting the sacrifice and dedication of the martyrs, and that preservation of nationality and democracy would be a genuine tribute to the martyrs.

The committee’s General Secretary Durga Bahadur Shrestha, ex-mayor Bekharatna Shakya and other speakers also pointed out the need to materialise the dreams of the martyrs and respect their families.

The committee chairman Ram Prakash Sharma presided.

Likewise, an audio cassette entitled "Udaundo Tara" (rising star) including songs sung by students of Children’s International Academy was released here today.

Lyricist Krishna Hari Baral released the cassette at the function chaired by headmaster of the school Baburam Adhikari.

Likewise, Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Keshav Sthapit inaugurated a Lichhavi-era temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati at the local Handigaun Dabali on Sunday.

The temple, believed to be 300 years old, was renovated at the total cost of Rs 751,412 collected from 126 local donors and the assistance provided by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward No. 5 committee.

On the occasion, Mayor Sthapit said that the government should formulate separate policy for preserving the beauty of Kathmandu.

MP Rameshnath Pandey said it is also the duty of the people to preserve ancient monuments.

At the programme presided over by the co-ordinator of the temple construction committee and ward chairman Sukharam Maharjan, Deputy-Mayor Bidur Mainali, ward members Birendra Prajapati and Nirmala Prajapati and the temple priest Surya Lal Prajapati shed light on the cultural heritage of the Handigaon area.

In Nepalgunj, at a function held here today by Banke District Development Committee to mark the Martyrs’ Day, various speakers urged each and every Nepalese to do their best from their respective quarters to materialise the dreams of the martyrs who had made great sacrifice for the cause of democracy.

Chief guest at the function, the House of Representatives State Affairs Committee Chairman Homnath Dahal said that as a path of violence would only weaken the national identity and democracy any injustice, oppression and exploitation in the country should be ended through democratic process.

Member of the State Affairs Committee Arjun Bahadur Singh was of the view that some negative aspects of democracy were getting more publicity because of the failure to bring to light the achievements made in the ten years of democratic restoration.

Another member of the State Affairs Committee Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said, democracy mean attitudinal changes on our part and democracy cannot made headway if we don’t change our attitude.

Chief judge of the Appellate Court (Nepalgunj) Arjun Prasad Singh said, total commitment, sacrifice and dedication are what martyrs are known in other words.

DDC chairman Omprakash Jung Rana presided over the function.

Govt for liberalising agricultural trade
Six-day round table meet opens

Kathmandu, Jan. 29 (RSS): Minister of State for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Narendra Bikram Nemwang inaugurated here today a roundtable meeting on "Promoting regional trade among AFMA member countries" organised jointly by the Association of Food and Agricultural Market Agencies in Asia and Pacific (AFMA) and Nepal Food Corporation.

In his inaugural address, Minister of State Nemwang said that Nepalese economy is predominantly agro-based and hence the government on its Ninth Plan has given top priority to the agricultural development in the country and is also promoting agricultural products as exportable goods.

"In the past, the government’s agricultural development efforts mainly focused on production, largely assuming that market forces would take care of farmers marketing needs. However, there are many indications that marketing constraints have emerged as a second generation problem in areas where farmers have achieved production gains," he noted.

"But the underdeveloped infrastructures pose a major constraint on agricultural trade in Nepal through high transportation costs, spoilage and wastage and the non-recognition of market opportunities," he said and continued: "These problems are less severe in the Tarai than in the hills because of its flat topography with relatively well-developed transportation network."

After the restoration of multi-party democracy, Nepal followed the policy of economic liberalisation and initiated a number of important policy measures towards liberalising agricultural trade, he said.

From the chair, secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Mohan Dev Panta said as people in Asian countries continue to depend especially on agricultural products it is necessary to formulate Nepal’s agricultural policy in the light of her physical features.

General manager of Nepal Food Corporation B. R. Panday said the need of the improvement in agriculture marketing as a crucial factor for stimulating production, thereby benefiting producer, trader and consumer was lately recognised.

AFMA at various times has been carrying out various activities such as consultations and training on different aspects of food and agricultural marketing to the benefit of member agencies in particular and the member countries in general, he noted.

FAO representative Mr W. R. Rudder said that South Asian countries was grappling with poverty alleviation as a main challenge and for this reason, they had to make market promotion policies and institutional structures with the people’s active participation in keeping with their rural setting.

Deputy General Manager of Nepal Food Corporation K. B. Shrestha said, "Our of Nepal’s total trade of Rs 128 billion in l998/99, AFMA member countries accounted for about Rs 58 billion, (45 per cent of the total trade volume) and agricultural trade with AFMA member countries was worth about Rs 7 billion (12 per cent).

Nepal had agricultural trade deficit with all other AFMA member countries except Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, he further noted.

Delegates from 13 member countries are participating in the six-day roundtable.

Govt blamed for Maoist problems

Birgunj, Jan. 29 (RSS): CPN-UML general secretary and leader of the main opposition party Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that the CPN-UML has come up with the concept of an open debate on the issue of constitutional amendment since it is necessary to make changes in some provisions of the constitution in order to rid the country of the existing problems.

Addressing a press meet organised by the Press Chautari here today, the main opposition party leader said the government was not showing due interest in resolving the Maoist problem through dialogue at this time when the Maoists have a new concept of democracy.

General-secretary Nepal also asked the press to play an effective role in correcting the anomalies and inconsistencies in the present context in which only a handful of elites seemed to be enjoying the fruits of democracy.

The programme was presided over by chairman of the Press Chautari Mr. Shyam Banjade.

Meanwhile, in Kalaiya on the occasion of the Martyrs Week, CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal today unveiled a statue of farmers leader the late Mukh Lal Mahato installed by Mukh Lal Memorial Trust at Narahi Chowk of Narahi VDC in Bara district.

On the occasion, general secretary Nepal urged all to help the late Mahato’s dreams come true. The farmers leader was killed in police firing in connection with the Farmers’ Movement against injustice and excesses in 2011 B.S., he said.

Central president of All Nepal Farmers Organisation and CPN-UML central member Keshav Badal, National Assembly member and CPN-UML central member Kedar Neupane, MP Mohan Chaudhari, CPN-UML Narayani zonal secretary Rana Bahadur Kadwa and All Nepal Farmers Organisation Bara district president Keshav Khanal highlighted the contributions of the late Mahato.

CPN-UML general secretary Nepal and central members Neupane and Badal felicitated 25 farmers including the family members of the late Mahato who took active part in the Farmers Movement from 2011 B.S. to 2013 B.S.

Also today, CPN-UML general secretary Nepal met with the industrialists associated with the Bara Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

On the occasion, Mr Nepal attributed the poor condition of the domestic industry to the wrong industrial policy of the present government.

Child labour to eliminate from Nepal

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Jan. 29: With the aim of formulating the five-year Time Bound Programme (TBP) to eliminate the worst form of child labour in Nepal, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is holding consultation workshop in all the five development regions of the country.

According to a press release of ILO issued in Kathmandu today, the second workshop for the mid-western development concluded today in Nepalgunj. The workshop aims to get inputs from various sections of the community such as local government, NGOs, local people, teachers, trade unions and others.

The first such workshop for the western development region was held in Bhairahawa.

Nepal is one of the three pilot countries chosen by ILO to implement the TBP on the elimination of the worst form of child labour. The other two countries are El Salvador in Latin America and Tanzania in Africa.

"We are seeking inputs from the local authorities because they can have a tremendous contribution in identifying the prevailing worst form of child labour in the region," said Yadav Amatya, National Programme Manager of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC).

He said the inputs from the local community would be very crucial during the planning and implementation stages.

ILO in its Child Labour Convention No. 182 has identified slavery, forced labour, prostitution and pornography, illicit activities, trafficking for exploitative employment and work likely to harm health, safety or morals as the worst forms of child labour.

The Convention, which came into effect from November 19, 2000, applies to all persons under the age of 18, and calls for "immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst form of child labour as a matter of urgency".

The press release says, while all the participants recognised the problem of exploitative child labour posed a serious threat to the development of society, they also pointed that the TBP programme, designed with the objective to eliminate child labour, should also address the crippling problem of extreme poverty.

Chief District Officer (CDO) of Banke said there need to be a multi-pronged approach while making plans and programmes to address the problem.

Speaking at inaugural session of the workshop on Sunday, Director of ILO, Leyla Tegmo-Reddy stressed on the need to give special attention to the situation of girl child while building TBP. She said the gender issue should be mainstreamed into the project activities and that the TBP would come up with specific projects for women and girl child if needed.