Delegation back home from China

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 30: A seven-member delegation of the China Study Centre (CSC) led by the Centre's chairman Madan Regmi completed a eight-day goodwill visit to the People's Republic of China and returned home yesterday.

The delegation of the Centre had left for China on July 22 at the invitation of the Chinese Association of International Friendly Contacts (CAIFC).

According to a press release of the Centre, the delegation, which included CSC experts, researchers and academicians in the areas of foreign policy, law, water resources, public management, culture and Sinology, had candid and extensive discussions and dialogue with senior Chinese officials and experts.

During the visit, the members of the delegation held discussions in Beijing with Jing Shuping, Vice-Chairman of National People's Congress and Chairman of All China Federation for Commerce and Industry at the Great Hall of the People, Shen Weiping, and Li Chnagsun, Vice-Presidents of CAIFC at the DYT State Guest House and the Beijing Club respectively, and a group of academicians led by Ma Jiali, Research professor at China Institute of Contemporary International relations.

The delegation members included Dr. Upendra Gautam, institution development specialist and General Secretary of CSC, Prof. Dr. Ballav Mani Dahal, expert in cultural relations, Dipta prakash Shah, legal expert, Keshav mathema, international ytreaty specialist and former UNICEF representative in China and foreign policy expert, Prof. Shadmukh Bahadur Thapa and Satya Dhoj Adhikari, financial management specialist and water resources engineer.

The CSC delegation had interactive meetings with Jin Sheng Shan, Vice-Mayor of Hangzhou City and foreign affairs department officials of Shanghai Municipal Authority on aspects relevant bilateral exchanges.

Left unity
Oli, Gautam scotch UML-ML unification rumours

BY RITU RAJ SUBEDI

Kathamdnu, July 30: The talks of unification of the CPN-UML and CPN-ML have produced ripples in the Left politics of the country. Some recent gestures shown by leaders of both the parties may have enthused the divided and ‘split tired’ cadres, especially in the lower rungs.

But the big question is, can the CPN-UML and ML unite after their split three years ago?

Senior leaders of both parties have ruled out any possibility of such unification immediately.

"The basis for unification is yet to be prepared," said CPN-UML Standing Committee member K.P. Sharma Oli.

General Secretary of CPN-ML Bamdev Gautam said that they have not taken any step forward for uniting the parties at the moment.

"I don’t know why such rumours are circulating," added Gautam, who recently spoke about unification of the two parties at a programme organised by UML-affiliated student organisation.

"The ML, on its part, is ready to unite with the UML. But it is the UML that has to take initiatives in that direction," Gautam had told the meeting attended by senior leaders from the UML and other Left parties. Many see this as a positive signal for bringing the two parties’ closer.

The talks of party unification further hit the newsstand when the UML General secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, at the party’s parliamentary meeting Sunday, said that the reunification might take place if the ML leaders join the party by rectifying their past mistakes.

But ML Chairperson Sahana Pradhan straightaway rejected Nepal’s condition for her party’s entry into the UML.

"There is no way we will cower before UML in the name of unity," Pradhan elaborated.

"Should we shoulder the mistakes committed by the UML? asked Pradhan. She said that the UML committed a grave mistake by accepting the Mahakali Treaty. "It has hurt nationalism," she said, adding, "Until the UML honestly makes self-criticism for it, the ML will not unite with UML."

The CPN-ML was formed after the party’s Sixth Convention when several UML leaders revolted against the party decision to ratify the Mahakali Treaty in the parliament.

They said the Mahakali Treaty, which includes the joint undertaking of the Pancheshwor Multi-Purpose Power Project by Nepal and India, was against the country’s interest and it jeopardized the Nepalese sovereignty and integrity.

Meanwhile, it is not that there were not efforts for the reunification of the two parties. From time to time, leaders from both parties have said that they want the two parties to unite to form a strong Left front. But every time certain events poured the cold water on the comrades’ desire to come together.

The recent developments are also likely to end inconclusively since the upper echelons of both the parties have so far refused to budge from their stances.

. "The UML has not still recognised the ML as a political party," said Oli, who is considered one of the harsh critics of the ML. "There is neither possibility of unity nor any kind of functional alliance with the ML," he added.

Asked about the presence of ML leaders as chief guest in the programme organised by the UML’s sister organisation, Oli said that he did not know why and when such function was held.

However, the ML leaders are optimistic that they could forge functional alliance on many issues. "We can go together on national issues such as electricity tariff hike, corruption, Indian encroachment on Kalapani and Marchbar Barrage," echoed both Pradhan and Gautam. "We have even told the UML leaders that they could work in unison on those and other issues," Pradhan noted.

Nepal-India trade consultation
Officials to assess treaty implementation

BY KEDAR BHATTARAI

Kathmandu, July 30: Commerce Secretaries from Nepal and India are meeting Wednesday in Kathmandu to evaluate the bilateral trade treaty between the two countries.

The regular meeting that is taking place five months before Nepal-India trade treaty completes its five years of enforcement is seen with special importance by both the countries although it has a provision of an automatic renewal in every five years.

The treaty has a provision of an automatic renewal unless one of the parties gives a written notice to another party for the non-renewal three months in advance of expiry.

Commerce Ministry’s Joint Secretary Purushottam Ojha, however, maintained that the meeting was being held in Kathmandu according to the provision of regular bilateral meetings in the treaty to solve the problems that surface in the process of its implementation. The last regular meeting was held in 1999 in New Delhi, India.

Indian commerce joint secretaries are arriving to Kathmandu on Tuesday to take part in the meeting while Indian Commerce Secretary Prabir Sen Gupta will arrive on Wednesday to lead the delegation. The Nepalese side will be led by Commerce Secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya.

The main objective of the meeting is to review the implementation of the treaty and its provisions. However, both the sides seem determined to raise specific agenda.

Joint Secretary Ojha who is also the director of Nepal Multi-modal Transit and Trade Felicitation said Nepal would emphasise the issue of railroad agreement.

The two countries have yet to agree on the issue despite Nepal’s proposing for the agreement with India in the past. Nepal has been unable to operate Asian Development Bank aided dry port in Birgunj in absence of the railroad facility. Experts are little hopeful that the two countries will reach an agreement although the operation of the dry port has already been delayed by five months.

Besides, Nepal will demand with the Indian delegation for duty free access of Nepalese goods – except some banned items - in the Indian market, one of the provisions of the treaty. Nepalese industrialists and businessmen maintain that India has been discouraging the free flow of Nepalese goods by raising the issues of quality and quarantine check although it has not charged duty on them.

Indian side has maintained that excessive import of a few Nepalese goods has posed a threat to those industries and has proposed up to 30 per cent value addition on Nepalese imports.

The joint economic forum of Nepal’s Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and India’a Confederation of Indian Industries had agreed about value addition issue some time ago following a meeting in India. Nepalese industrialists and businessmen however have showed reservations about the agreement. FNCCI’s former president Pashupati Giri today issued a press release asking the private sector body to review the agreement.

FNCCI’s second vice-president Rajendra Kumar Khetan maintained the apex private sector bodies had not taken a decision on the issue although they reached an agreement. "The government has said this issue will not be under discussion in the secretary level talks," said Khetan. "And it will not affect the renewal of the treaty which is purely a government level agreement."

FNCCI President Rabi Bhakta Shrestha said the meeting should address the problems in such a way that it will not affect Nepal’s export trade.

FNCCI’s former president and joint economic forum’s member Padma Jyoti said the treaty had harmed neither of the nations and opined for its continuation.

Nepal Chamber of Commerce has submitted a report to Commerce Ministry which says smooth implementation of Nepal-India trade treaty is more a matter of bilateral relations and political situations than its provisions. The two neighbours enjoy good relations at present.

Adverse Weather Conditions
Khadka informs House about rain damage

Kathmandu, July 30 (RSS): Minister for Home and Local Development Khum Bahadur Khadka said that the people’s life have been affected in various VDCs of Myagdi district as a result of the floods and landslides caused by heavy torrential rains in the district on the night of July 28.

Stating that loss of life and property and damage to development infrastructures have been caused by the torrential rains in the district, Minister Khadka said that relief teams have already been sent from the district headquarters to provide relief to the affected families. All possible efforts are being made to provide relief to the affected people, he added.

Mr Khadka said that relief works have been hampered due to adverse weather condition in the district.

The Minister for Home and Local Development made these remarks in a statement of public importance made at the House of Representatives today.

Mr Khadka informed the House that the 10-room proposed Sishu Kalyan Secondary School located at ward No 6 of Arman VDC and eight other houses at ward No 8 have been burried while 10 others houses have been damaged by landslides caused by the swollen Myagdi and Hilwang rivulets.

About six persons are believed to have been burried by landslide in the house of Resham Bahadur Khadka at this place.

Likewise, 15 houses at Arman VDC-5 have been swept by the swollen Mihaltang rivulet, six houses at ward No 5 have been washed away by the swollen Arukhola rivulet and three houses have been burried in landslide at ward No 7 of the same VDC, he said.

In the same manner one house has been washed away at ward No 1 of Baranja VDC, six people have been swept away by the swollen Khorkhola at Babiyachour, one person burried by landslide at ward No 5 of the same VDC. The electricity service run by the private sector at Okharbot and Rum VDC have been disrupted, he added.

A relief team comprising of the representatives of the district administration, district development committee, the police, Nepal Red Cross Society and the district public health office has already left for the affected area to gather factual information of the loss of life and property as well as to provide necessary relief assistance, he said, adding a team of policemen along with a helicopter is ready to leave Pokhara to provide additional assistance.

Seven persons of the same family including Janga Bahadur Pun and his wife, 12 cattleheads, ilaka post office and VDC buildings have been swept away by landslide which took place at Tara VDC-1 of Baglung district on July 29.

Three suspension bridges and a large area of arable have also been swept away by floods while Mana Kumari Chhetri is undergoing treatment at the local health post.

The Minister for Home and Local Development informed the House that the chief district officers of Myagdi and Baglung have been directed to carry out relief works in the affected areas in coordination with the units concerned.

House Proceedings
Dam dominates zero hour in House

Kathmandu, July 30 (RSS): At the zero hour of the House of Representatives meeting today, MPs raised the issue of the Rusiyawal-Khurdalotan dam being constructed by India near the Nepal-India border adjacent to Lumbini zone, demanding immediate halt on the construction of the said dam.

The MPs also called on His Majesty's Government to furnish objectives and detailed information about the dam construction.

Ten out of the 23 MPs who took part in the zero hour today expressed serious concern over the construction of the dam near the border which was likely to inundate 22 VDCs of Rupandehi district, displace over 100,000 local people and submerge the world-famous Lumbini heritage site.

They said that construction of the dam is being protested by the local Indian citizens.

The MPs raising the issue were Mrs Asta Laxmi Shakya Bohara, Om Prasad Ojha, Gorakh Bahadur Bogati, Ganga Prasad Nepal, Chandramani Kharal, Dilaram Acharya, Tara Sam Yangya, Til Kumar Myangbo, Duryodhan Singh and Nara Bahadur Hamal.

They drew the attention of the government to the fact that construction of the dam might lead to the undermining of the sovereignty of Nepal.

The MPs also informed the Parliament about the damage caused by floods, landslides and soil erosion triggered by the recent torrential rains in several parts of the country and demanded immediate relief measures in these districts.

Similarly, the problem of gastroenteritis outbreak in Achham, spreading of dengue fever in Bara, wild-elephant terror in Jhapa, the problem caused by freeze on land sales affected for the last 22 years in Bara and other burning problems of various districts were also raised during the zero hour by MPs from the respective districts.

Those drawing the government's attention on these issues were MPs Govinda Bahadur Shaha, Dhanendra Basnet, Chitra Bahadur K.C., Jagan Nath Khatiwada, Tanka Prasad Sharma Kandel, Ananda Prasad Pokharel, Umakant Chaudhari, Krishna Charan Shrestha, Krishna Prasad Dahal, Dilliraj Sharma, Gopal Prasad Koirala, Tirtha Gautam and Narayanman Bijukchhe.

Special Hour
MPs draw govt attention to issues of public concern

Kathmandu, July 30 (RSS): Speaking at the special hour at the meeting of the House of Representatives today, CPN-UML MP Ratna Prasad Sharma Neupane demanded that His Majesty's Government arrange for the permanent resettlement of the ex-Kamaiya families in Bardiya district.

Ramnath Adhikari of the Nepali Congress called for providing alternative housing facilities for the 60 families of 15 VDCs in Dhading district who have been rendered homeless by the earthquake on July 16.

He demanded that necessary arrangements be made for rebuilding of the government offices, the health post and the retaining wall at the district prison which were all damaged by the quake and measures to find out long-term solution for the problem of landslip at Krishnabhir.

Mrs Renu Kumari Yadav of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party said that about 40,000 people were without citizenship in the country at present and the decision of the Supreme Court to cancel the citizenship certificates distributed by the citizenship team constituted in 2053 B.S. would render 30,000 more people without citizenship.

CPN-UML's Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said the government had failed to reaffirm its commitment and consciousness on issues of nationality, calling on the government to inform the House on the details about the recent four-day visit of US Assistant Foreign Secretary for South Asian Affairs to Nepal, and to take stern action against the persons responsible for the assault on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committee chairman Som Prasad Pandey.

He said efforts should be made to restore the national image in the international arena.

MP Nawaraj Subedi of the Rastriya Janamorcha, while stressing that dialogue would be the best option for resolving the Maoist problem, said the army mobilised in Pyuthan district as well as in other districts, categorised as group-A districts in terms of the seriousness of the Maoist issue, should be withdrawn and that the government should take full control of the army.

He demanded that the whereabouts of Durga Bahadur K.C., a member of his party who was abducted recently by the Maoists should be made public.

Ramesh Lekhak of the Nepali Congress said that last year it was the Laxmanpur barrage constructed by India that caused large-scale damage in Banke district and it is this year the Marchawar dam that is likely to ruin large swathes of land in Nepal.

He demanded that clear-cut policies should be formulated and efforts made at the diplomatic level for resolving these kinds of problems.

He pointed out the need for constructing embankment along the Mahakali river to contain the river as it has started eroding land in Dodhara VDC on the same scale as it did last year.

Lilamani Pokharel of the Samyukta Janamorcha protested the recent hike in electricity tariff and called on the government to take serious note of the fact that the dam being constructed by India on its side of the border near the Marchawar area of Nepal was in its final stages of completion and the scale of inundation it would cause in Nepal once complete.

Lastly, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) parliamentary party leader Badri Prasad Mandal drew the government's attention about his party's serious objection to the cancellation of about 30,000 citizenship certificates issued by the citizenship certificate distribution team by the Supreme Court.

He said the NSP was still awaiting the government's response in this connection even after one week of it demanding explanation from His Majesty's Government.

Deuba stresses priority to small hydro-power projects

Kathmandu, July 30 (RSS): Prime Minister and Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, and Science and Technology Sher Bahadur Deuba has stressed the need to give priority to small hydel projects in order to end the situation of Nepalese having to buy electricity in dollars within their own country.

Prime Minister Deuba made this remark in reply to a question raised by Yadav Bahadur Rayamajhi of the CPN-UML during question hour at the House of Representatives today.

Mr Deuba said that emphasis would be given to gobar-gas, small hydel solar cottage electricity projects which are very cost effective and useful for the country.

Pointing out the need to increase people’s participatory capacity in the villages for development of small hydel projects, Mr Deuba said that if we can develop the skill and capacity of generating electricity through small hydel projects, producing wires and electrical switches and carrying out mantenance works at the rural areas, the cost of per unit electricity could be reduced from Rs 6 to 40 paisa.

In reply to a query of Chandramani Kharal of the CPN-UML, the Prime Minister said that it was not true that a Bill would introduced to amend the Association Registration Act-2034 B.S.

Answering a query of Biajaya Subba of the same party, Mr Deuba said that records should be maintained at the district administration office, land revenue office and other offices with the help of computers.

Stating that the non-governmental organisations have been making significant contributions for poverty alleviation, Mr Deuba made it clear that the government, non-governmental organisations and international organisations have the same objective of extending the poverty alleviation programme to the targetted groups.

Mr Deuba made this remark in reply to a question of Ananda Prasad Pokherel of the CPN-UML.

Magdi Tragedy
14 bodies retrieved from landslide debris

Kathmandu, July 30 (RSS): Out of the 21 people buried in a landslide that occured at ward No 6 and 9 at Arman VDC and Baranja in Myagdi district on Saturday night 14 have been found dead.

The deceased are Arjun Sharma, Somnath Sharma, Barsha Sharma, Ratan Kumari Sharma, Lal Kumari Sharma, Yogesh Sharma, Yoddha Sharma, Lal Bahadur Khadka and Lilavati Khadka of ward No 6, Chhabi Lal Khadka of ward No 5, Mana Kumari Sapkota and Dipak Prasad Sapkota, and Kaju Bhandari of Tarakhole, Baglung.

A search is under way for Santu Khadka and Dil Prasad Sapkota, who are still missing.

Tej Bahadur Khadka and Sabitri Khadka of ward No. 6, who were injured in the incident have been taken to Pokhara.

Twelve houses have been swept away, while 73 houses have been affected by the landslide at ward No. 6 and 9.

Likewise, out of the five persons missing after a landslide at Baranja VDC the body of the grand daughter of Manjal Chhantyal has been recovered, while a search is under way for the four others.