Bus entrepreneurs agree to end strike in capital

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 2: Bus and minibus entrepreneurs, which has stopped running the vehicles after the students vandalised and even torched a bus near Amrit Campus have agreed to run the buses.

Chairman of the Federation of Bus Entrepreneurs, Sharad Upreti, said that the halt programme has been withdrawn from today evening after the talks with the Minister of Works and Transport who agreed to provide security and compensate for the bus which was set fire by the students, within three days.

The bus entrepreneurs had stopped their services after a minibus with registration No. Ba.1.Kha 3633 was set fire by pouring kerosene following a debate between students and the bus driver and the conductor over the concession in fare for the students.

According to Upreti, a five-member committee has been formed to investigate on the case.

The stoppage of the public transport had severely affected the public for two days. Commuters were forced to walk and the small number of tempos and three wheelers could not accommodate all the commuters. Some buses and minibuses who tried to hit the road were even blocked by other drivers and owners of buses and minibuses. At some places like in Balaju, the minibuses had even put their vehicles on the roads barricading the road.

According to Bhaktapur Police Station, altogether 16 buses, including two trolley buses were vandalized and their windshields and glasses were smashed. But no passenger were injured or hurt. Onlookers say they were not the protestors but others who had hit the buses and then ran away.

According to a mechanic of the trolley bus said two trolley buses were destroyed one at Sallaghari and the other at Gathaghar. He said those, who were trying to stop the buses from running, beat the driver and broke the glasses at Sallaghari. The same thing also happened at Gathaghar.

Press freedom roots out racism: UN

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 2: On the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, UN Secretary-General, UNESCO Director General and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in their joint message, have said a free press is one of the most essential components of democratic society, which is a prerequisite for sustainable social and economic development.

They have called upon decision makers at all levels to do whatever they can to ensure that journalist can pursue their works unhindered and undeterred so that people throughout the world can benefit from the free flow of ideas.

"Free, independent and pluralistic media have an indispensable role to play in rooting out racism and xenophobia," a UN press release quoted them saying today.

However, the senior-most UN officials have cautioned that even the most heinous regimes could gain popular support if they managed to muzzle the media or to manipulate it to arouse fear and hatred among their citizens.

"Yet, freedom of expression is always fragile and can never be taken for granted. In many parts of the world today it is threatened by political, economic, military, religious and criminal interests. Journalists whose work challenges such interests are liable to suffer, intimidation, violence, exile, prison and even execution or simple murder."

Meanwhile, many ethnic and religious groups — usually minority — are prevented from using the media to communicate their views or to express their identity.

This fact has become more and more widely understood and accepted in the ten years since 3 May 1991, when African journalists gathered in the Namibian capital, Windhoek for regional seminar on promoting independent and pluralistic media. The Windhoek Declaration became the first in a series of commitments region by region to uphold the freedom of people everywhere to voice their opinions and their access to a variety of independent sources of information, the message said.

Since 1991, the press in many countries has become more independent and pluralistic. The airwaves have been liberalised. Journalists and others working in the media have become more professional. And thanks to the Internet, more and more people have gained direct access to the means of mass communications, according to the message.

"This changes have helped establish and strengthen democracy in many countries, by enabling citizens to make voices heard and so to play a part in decision making that set their own life and future of their countries."

In the message, they have urged journalists to adhere to the highest standard of their profession to refuse to lend their skill to hate-mongering and always to uphold the principle of impartiality.

"We urge the international community to defend and protect a fundamental right — the right to receive and impart information free from censorship through any media and regardless of frontier,"the press release concludes.

TRN’s Sunil K.C. wins Gorkhapatra Journalism Award

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 2: The Rising Nepal’s Associate Editor Sunil K. C. has won the Gorkhapatra Journalism Award for this year, instituted by the Gorkhapatra Chapter of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists.

K. C. is the first recipient of the award set up from the contribution the journalists working with the Corporation made on the occasion of Gorkhapatra’s Centennial last year.

K. C. is to be awarded with cash, trophy and a certificate on May 7, the day Gorkhapatra enters into 101 year and the Corporation observes 39th anniversary.

K. C. joined The Rising Nepal in 1990 as Sub-editor. He worked with the Sunday Despatch, the Corporation’s English weekly for a decade before he was transferred to the daily.

Press should foster development, says Joshi

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 2: Nepalese press that played an important role in the restoration of multiparty democracy in 1990 has now the responsibility of safeguarding the system and helping the government develop the nation, Minister for Information and Communications Shiv Raj Joshi said today.

"Press is regarded as the Fourth Estate not only because of its role as a social watchdog and its help in policy formulation, but also because of its contribution to achieve the sustainable development in the country," he said at a talk programme organised by Nepal Press Union here this afternoon.

The programme was organised to discuss the role of ‘Free Press for Sustainable Economic and Social Development’.

He also denounced some of the media houses that have instigated the Maoists insurgents who have been carrying out the so-called "peoples’ war" for the past four years.

He criticised the so-called Maoists movement and their plan of establishing republican system in the country. "Since Maoists movement is totally guided by vested political interest, it is on the wrong path. It is their foolishness to think that democracy would be a failure without even waiting for half a decade."

State Minister for Information and Communications Pushkar Nath Ojha said that the government was expecting a lot from the press regarding the success of its decision of launching integrated development and internal security measures.

He said that the government was always willing to go hand in hand with the press in its task of developing the nation. Hailing the role of press for sustainable economic and social development he said, "If the press respects the sentiment of the Constitution it will preserve the freedom of the press itself thereby contributing to the country’s overall development."

Press Council Nepal chairman Harihar Birahi said that the press should always be left free and then only it will start doing responsible journalism. "But before disseminating any news item journalists should always be careful whether their news reports would create hurdles to development process and hurt the sentiment of any group."

Suresh Acharya of Federation of Nepalese Journalists blamed all the political parties of the country for not presenting any plans for the press sector in their manifestos.

He also criticised the successive governments for not developing policies so that all the publication houses could get advertisements.

The UNESCO-Nepal sponsored programme was organised on the occasion of 10th World Free Press Day where other speakers like Shambhu Shrestha of Press Chautari, Shobhakar Parajuli of National Planning Commission, Binod Bhattarai of Employment Promotion Commission, Pushkar Acharya and Tara Baral had also spoken regarding the role of free press for the sustainable economic and social development in the country.

The programme was chaired by president of Nepal Press Union Kul Chandra Wagle.

His Majesty felicitates Polish President

Kathmandu, May 3 (RSS):  His Majesty the King has extended cordial felicitations to Mr Aleksander Kwasniewski, President of the Republic of Poland, on the occasion of the Anniversary of Proclamation of the 1791 Constitution of the Republic of Poland.

In a message, His Majesty wished for the President’s personal health and happiness as well as for the progress and prosperity of the people of Poland.

HM expresses sorrow over Babu Chhiri’s demise

Kathmandu, May 2 (RSS): His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has expressed sorrow over the untimely demise of Mr Babu Chhiri Sherpa, who succeeded in setting the world record in scaling the world’s highest peak Mt. Sagarmatha, while climbing the peak.

In a condolence message, His Majesty said that the demise of the courageous youth mountaineer Mr Babu Chhiri Sherpa has caused an irreparable loss to Nepal and the mountaineering sector.

Wishing for eternal peace to the departed soul at this hour of grief, His Majesty has also extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

Crown Prince in Thailand

Kathmandu, May. 2 (RSS): His Royal Highness the Crown Prince arrived in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, from Osaka today after completing an official visit to Japan.

Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Japan Kedar Bhakta Mathema had paid a farewell call on HRH the Crown Prince at Kansai International Airport of Osaka.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director of the Foreign Ministry of Japan, the Osaka-based Royal Nepalese Consul and the Chairman of the Alpine Club were also present at the airport on the occasion.

Similarly, upon arrival at Bangkok International Airport, HRH the Crown Prince was welcomed by Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Thailand Janak Bahadur Singh and other officials of the Embassy.

HRH the Crown Prince is returning home tomorrow.

Polish PM congratulated

Kathmandu, May 3 (RSS): Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has extended sincere congratulations to Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland Mr Jerzy Buzek on the occasion of the Anniversary of Proclamation of the 1791 Constitution of the Republic of Poland.

In a message, Prime Minister Koirala has wished for the Polish Prime Minister’s good health and happiness as well as for the progress and prosperity of the people of Poland.

Koirala pays tributes to late Babu Chhiri

Kathmandu, May.2 (RSS): Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today went to the Sherpa Sewa Kendra, Boudha where the body of mountaineer Babu Chhiri Sherpa is being kept and paid tributes to the late mountaineer. Sherpa had slipped and fallen to his death in a crevasse in the course of climbing Mt Everest.

Mr Koirala also met with family members of the late Sherpa and extended heartfelt condolences to them over his untimely death.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister handed over the first instalment of the amount provided by the Rastriya Yuba Sewa Kendra at the rate of Rs 10,000 every year for up to five year for the schooling of the daughters of the late Sherpa.

Speaker Taranath Ranabhat, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Paudel and Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Mahadev Gurung also paid last tributes to the late Sherpa on the occasion.

They also extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Rajparishad Standing Committee Dr Keshar Jung Rayamajhi has expressed sorrow over the death of Babu Chhiri Sherpa who set new records in the field of mountaineering and made Nepal known to the world. He also extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

Stating that the late Sherpa has become as tall and great as Sagarmatha, Dr Rayamajhi noted that though Babu Chhiri is not before us physically, he has attained immortality by becoming a matter of pride for the Sherpas, and Nepal and the Nepalese people.

PM attends reception

Kathmandu, May 2 (RSS): Israeli Ambassador Avraham Nir hosted a reception here today on the occasion of the 53rd Independence Day of Israel.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala was present on the occasion.

Also present at the reception were the Chief Justice, the Speaker, the National Assembly Chairman, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Raj Parishad Standing Committee chairman, heads of constitutional bodies, ministers, MPs, representatives of international associations/institutions, leaders of political parties, heads of diplomatic missions, high ranking HMG officials and senior journalists.

Ranabhat urges press to cooperate govt

Kathmandu, May 2 (RSS): Speaker Taranath Ranabhat has spoken of the need for the press to honestly help the government to realise its commitment to the economic, social and cultural development of the nation and the people.

Mr Ranabhat, who was speaking at a seminar on "Democracy and the press" organised by the Reporters Club Nepal here today, said that full freedom and development of the press is not possible without the stability and development of democracy and urged the journalists to fulfill their responsibility in the larger interests of the nation and the people.

If the press does not caution individuals or a group that have taken to a wrong path knowingly or unknowingly by keeping them informed of topical issues and facts, the entire people and the nation will fall victim to it, he added.

Former minister for information and communications Radha KrishnaMainali noted that tussles have affected press freedom, adding that journalists should make efforts to defuse the present political crisis for the sake of the nation.

Another former minister for information and communications Kamal Thapa observed that following the restoration of democracy in the country, there has been a considerable progress in the field of press and publication and spoke of the need to disseminate trustworthy news.

Press Council chairman Harihar Birahi remarked that since the press cannot survive without democracy, journalists should honestly contribute to the promotion and consolidation of democracy.

Chairman of the club Rhishi Dhamala disclosed that the club has instituted a Babu Chheri Photo Journalism Award of Rs 25,000 in the name of the famous mountaineer who died recently.

Various other speakers including NTV General Manager Durganath Sharma, chairman of the Gorkhapatra Corporation Dr Parasar Koirala, President of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Suresh Acharya, chairman of the Editors’ Society Govind Biyogi also expressed their views at the function.

Press should be impartial, urges Joshi

Kathmandu, May 3 (RSS): Minister for Information and Communications Shivraj Joshi has said people’s expectations from the press could be fulfilled only if the press becomes dignified, impartial and clean.

In a message on the occasion of the 10th World Press Freedom Day today, Mr Joshi noted that registration of a newspaper will not be canceled nor a printing press closed or seized just because of the publication of a news story, write-up or any other material in that newspaper.

A free press must bring out the rights and wrongs of different organs of the state fearlessly and such steps will caution the state organs to become more committed and work for the sake of the nation and the people. This is why the press is known as the fourth estate, he added.

In a similar message, Minister of State for Information and Communications Pushkar Nath Ojha observed that the constitution has provided the press an esteemed position, adding that the press should work towards promoting the interest of the nation and the people.

The Minister of State also spoke of the need for pressmen to make their vocation more dignified, clean and reliable.

In a message on the same occasion, president of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Suresh Acharya remarked that the federation has remained and will remain active for making the role of the press dignified.

Chairman of the Press Council Nepal Harihar Birahi and chairman of Press Chautari Nepal Shambhu Shrestha pointed out the need for the press to free the nation from existing challenges and anomalies and to put into practice the commitments expressed at the United Nations.

Labour leaders call for SAARC forum of trade unions

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 2: Labour leaders and regional experts from the country called for the need to form a SAARC forum of labour unions in Kathmandu, Wednesday.

Yadav Kant Silwal, a former secretary general of the regional organisation, said "An apex body on labour, just like the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry might be a good idea to begin with."

He was speaking at a interaction organised by Friedrich Ebert-Stiftung, Kathmandu, on improving the social charter draft being developed for SAARC. The draft reportedly does not include labour rights.

"The European charter, meanwhile, has an elaborate arrangement of the worker’s interest," said Alfred Diebold, the FES resident representative based in Kathmandu. "Workers’ rights, social protection, social standards, codes of conduct and social labelling have all been included in the European charter. But the draft SAARC charter does not mention the ‘worker’ or labour.

"We will do some evaluation of the proposed social charter. If these components can be included in the South Asian charter and sent to the governments in the region after discussion, FES would like to play the instrumental role", he said.

Bishnu Rimal, a unionist who presented a paper on the trade union perspective to the proposed charter said, "Whatever, the politics of individuals we do need a common forum at the SAARC level to give voice to the voiceless workers. If industrialists can have a forum, the politicians can have theirs, why can’t the labourers have the same, he asked?

But another unionist, Rajendra Bahadur Raut, said that a regionwide forum for trade unionist has already been established and goes by the name of SARTUC, but it could not move ahead because of political polarization.

Participants were vociferous in showing concern over the rank partisanism being exhibited by the trade unions of Nepal and sought ways to at least reach a common ground to articulate their voice regionally.

Rajendra Acharya, another unionist had said in his presentation that the basic trade union demands on social security like minimum wages, health care, labour standards etc. need to be guaranteed by the proposed charter.

The Wednesday interaction was one of the few occasions where the representatives of the three major trade unions, NTUC, GEFONT and DECONT came together in one forum to discuss labour rights.

Gunanidhi Sharma, a social scientist said that there was a need to look at the whole thing from the social perspective rather than just from the union perspective.

"The proposals we are making does not design a social security system, we are only asking for certain provisions to be included in a given framework, he said. The Nepalese background needs to be understood while formulating the Social Charter and include all the anomalies of the informal sector as the informal sector is overwhelmingly large in comparison to the organised sector.

"We are displacing our own resources and designing huge multi-million dollar projects and inviting external resources. In such a situation how will our workers and other local resources ever get employed?"

Dr. Mohan Lohani, another academic, said that the decision to formulate a social charter by the tenth SAARC summit in itself was a big move. "To see that the largest sector of the society, the workers, not included in the charter is not a good sign. But hopefully, the leadership will discuss it later on as there is yet a lot of discussions to be done on the matter."

Dev Raj Dahal, FES Coordinator, said that only a mutuality of interest among the government, capital and labour can sustain regional cooperation.

Participants discussed the need for a financial mechanism to support the social security system in an era of globalization when the state itself was being downsizd throughout the region.

Trade unionists, academics, civil servants, INGO representatives, and people from other walks of life participated in the interaction.

Pre-budget interaction held

Kathmandu, May 2 (RSS): In the presence of Minister of State for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Krishna Prasad Sitaula, an interaction with office-bearers of associations and organisations concerned with private sector industry and commerce on the policy measures to be pursued in this sector by HMG through the budget for the next fiscal year continued today also.

At the interaction programme held at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, representatives of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) expressed their views on various policy matters to be adopted in the industrial and commercial sector.

Likewise, a discussion programme was also organised on what kind of policy and programmes could be adopted in the coming days to attract and promote foreign investment in Nepal. Office bearers of bi-national Chambers of Commerce and Industry expressed their views at the programme.

Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Bhanu Prasad Acharya shed light on the objectives of the programme.

Minister of State Sitaula, expressing his views at the conclusion of the two day interaction, said that the suggestions received were highly relevant and would be helpful in adopting the right perspective in industry and commerce through the budget and in reviewing the relevant policy.