Draft of Women's Commission Act being finalised

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: The National Women's Commission (NWC) today said it was consulting people from all walks of life to finalise the draft on the National Women Commission Act. The Commission expects the Act to be ready for deliberation during the next session of Parliament.

The Act will specify the Commission’s rights and duties classifying them into seven titles and 19 areas, according to NWC sources.

It will provide advice to the government on national policy issues affecting women.

One of the seven titles is investigating legal and social conditions that directly influence women who are in custody, jails, rehabilitation centres and other governmental and public institutions.

Once the Act is approved by the House, the Commission will be authorised to act on women’s complaints about how they are portrayed in advertisements, films and literature.

The draft envisages an independent, impartial and autonomous Commission whose members will come from rights groups, trade unions, NGOs and indigenous and Dalit communities.

The draft Act will be handed over to the Prime Minister at a gathering of all stakeholders within 100 days.

'Child trafficking shames Nepal in eyes of the world'

By Christine Hall

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: "Child trafficking shames Nepal in the eyes of the world," Rajendra Kharel said. The Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare spoke at a seminar on Friday at which the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) released their latest research.

He told the audience how moved he was by the fate of a 17-year old Nepali girl, who narrated her story at the 2nd World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation, in Yokohama, Japan, in December last year.

"I was so deeply moved and embarrassed, that I did not know what to say. I felt then that the issue of child trafficking is humiliating for Nepal. " He concluded, "Trafficking must not just be controlled. It must be eliminated."

Among the new reports is one on the cross-border trafficking of boys, a subject previously almost ignored by investigations. As expected, the report shows poverty as the main cause, but interesting details emerge. Of the studied sample, every single boy came from a family where the mother was illiterate. The researchers found that intervention programmes do not target the genuinely marginalised communities enough.

When talking to researchers, 100 per cent of parents of trafficked boys said that money was the reason they let the boys go.

"Can you imagine this?" researcher Dr Punya Regmi asked. "The boys are compelled to migrate at a very young age, at 5 or 6 years old. The villagers don't perceive this as trafficking, but it is. There is no question of consent. These boys are being deprived of educational opportunities. "

He said that brokers often took the boys to India or the Middle East, and that embroidery was the most common form of labour for trafficked boys from Nepal.

Another report released on the occasion shows that street children in Kathmandu long for education. Out of a sample of 76 children, 54 would love to go to school if someone gave them the opportunity. Younger children, girls, and those who had been in the street for fewer than six years, are particularly keen to study. Many of them dream of a future as drivers, police officers or soldiers.

Many street children in Kathmandu have been sexually abused. Three quarters of all girls and just over a third of all boys from the sample reported some form of sexual abuse or exploitation. Tourists appear to be the worst offenders, followed by the leaders of street children's gangs.

US donates to victims of Maoist insurgency

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: The United States Embassy here today promised a donation for the victims of the Maoist insurgency in Nepal.

Under what it called Humanitarian Assistance, the Embassy pledged US$ 100,000 to non-governmental organisations to assess and support the basic needs of displaced or suffering civilians in conflict areas, according to the American Center in Kathmandu.

"We hope that this grant will help the victims of violence afflicting Nepal and provide aid and comfort to the neediest among them," said US Ambassador Michael E Malinowski. "The US Government is pleased to make this donation, which is the latest contribution in an ongoing series of humanitarian assistance programs for Nepal valued in excess of US$ 1.5 million."

The United States for International Development (USAID) also supports the Program for Enhanced Emergency Response (PEER), which aims to increase survival rates of disaster victims by strengthening the emergency response capacities of disaster aid agencies.

So far, representatives from the Home Ministry, the Royal Nepalese Army, the Nepal Police, the Department of Health Services and the Nepal Red Cross have participated.

The programme’s management team includes the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre and the Miami Dade Fire Rescue (USA). PEER plans a canine search and rescue course for the Royal Nepalese Army and the Nepal Police in the near future.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said his country "roundly condemns" the Maoist campaign of terror attacks against the civilian infrastructure in Nepal.

"For some months, communications facilities, repeater stations and the apparatus of local government have been targeted. Since the beginning of April, however, the attacks have widened to include the destruction of food storage facilities supplying food to the famine-hit regions of Humla and Jumla, hydroelectric power stations, drinking water reservoirs and pipelines in Okhaldhunga, water supply lines in Dailekh and three bridges on the road in Bardiya."

"These attacks add to the pattern of Maoist violence that has included hostage taking, torture, executions and terror. As usual, it is the poor who suffer the most," he said.

"Australia calls upon the Maoists to immediately cease these activities, lay down their arms and return to the negotiating table in order to join the political mainstream to resolve Nepal’s political and economic problems in partnership with parties and groups."

US to provide grant for mitigating  earthquake risks

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: The United States Embassy here on Thursday announced a US$ 111,860 grant to the National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) to fund its Earthquake Action Implementation Project.

The grant comes from the Office of the Foreign Disaster Assistance of the US Agency for International Development, according to the American Centre in Kathmandu. "NSET, a Nepalese NGO, is a regional leader in raising awareness of earthquake disaster mitigation strategies."

Under the US-funded Asian Urban Management Program, NSET prepared the Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management that sets an earthquake risk assessment scenario and identified risk mitigation recommendations.

New rules for foreign students in US

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: The US Government is changing rules for foreign students and may also alter the period visitors are allowed to stay in the United States.

The moves come as the US’ continuing effort to enhance national security and strengthen and control immigration in the United States, according to the American Centre.

The new rule prevents visitors with B-1 or B-2 visas from studying at a school in the United States until their non-immigrant status is changed to that of an F (academic) of M (vocational) student. This new rule takes effect immediately.

The proposed rule will eliminate the minimum six months admission period for B-2 visitors for pleasure, replacing it with "a period of time that is fair and reasonable for the completion of the purpose of the visit."

India provides Rs. 1.3 b for optical fibre network

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: India is assisting Nepal to set up an optical fibre network along the East-West Highway providing a "cheaper and faster" link of the southern belt to the Information Superhighway.

The project, estimated to cost Rs. 1,344 million, is expected to be completed in two years. Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Dr Bimal Koirala and Indian Ambassador I.P. Singh signed and exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding to this effect here today.

Under the project, about 900 kilometres of optical fibre cables will be laid along the highway from Bhadrapur in the east to Nepalgunj in the west. Some 80 cities and towns will benefit from the network.

The state-of-the-art Synchronous Digital Hierarchy equipment will connect to the telecom network via 24 Optical Fibre armoured cable to be laid through a HDPE duct for highest quality and reliability, according to the Indian Embassy.

"The optical fibres are many times more efficient than the existing simple cables," said a source at the Ministry of Finance. "The network will allow more voice, video, data and text to flow at a time."

The first optical fibre cable link under Indian assistance was established between Birgunj and Raxaul.

"The new project will help create critical infrastructure for future development of the telecom sector in Nepal," Embassy sources said.

Budget in end of May

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: The government will announce the budget for the Fiscal Year 2059-2060 BS in the last week of May.

Necessary preparations are under way at the Ministry of Finance and the National Planning Commission (NPC) for this. The Finance Ministry is working on the regular budget while the NPC is exercising in the area of development budget.

According to sources at the MoF, the volume of budget for the upcoming fiscal year will be around 105-110 billion rupees. The budget estimates for the running fiscal year was 99.79 billion rupees.

However, there is a strong possibility of crowding out the development budget into the regular budget owing to security problems across the country. Besides, the volume of foreign grants will be bigger in the budget estimates for the fiscal year 2059-2060, the sources say.

The government is not going to introduce any new programmes in the budget. It will rather focus on certain areas, said the MoF source, but added, "There will be lots of addition and subtractions in the budget."

Out of the total budget for 2058-59, 49.4 per cent had been allocated for regular expenditure and 50.6 per cent for development expenditure. A total of 14.12 billion rupees was estimated to be born through foreign grants. The amount of foreign grants will considerably swell this time, economists say.

Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada, President of the Management Association Nepal (MAN), says that the upcoming budget should be more focussed on the governance aspect, and that maximum participation of stakeholders is important.

"Above all the most important part is implementation and building up the capacity of the Ministry and the local bodies such as that of the District Development Committee (DDC) and Village Development Committee (VDC)," says Dr. Khatiwada.

"Instead of introducing new programmes in the new budget, the existing programmes should be more viable so that people at the grassroots can benefit from them."

Nonetheless, there is a serious discontent at the local level regarding the allocation of the budget.

Krishna Prasad Sapkota, president of the Federation of District Development Committee is not happy with the allocation process. He says, "In practice, hardly less than 50 of the allocated amount in the budget estimates reaches the DDCs and VDCs."

"The budget should be practical," he says.

The second vice president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Rajendra Kumar Khetan says, "The budget should address the problems of trade and industry in the real sense."

And the general people expect the government through the budget should introduce concrete programmes to provide relief to the needy.

Dr. Bimal Prasad Koirala, the Finance Secretary at a programme organised by the traders and industrialists yesterday, had said that the government would accord priority to the private sector.

Budget Estimates

(Figures in rupees in '000)

Education badly affected by terrorist acts

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: Education is one of the sectors most affected by the Maoists' terrorist activities. By closing down schools, making teachers resign under threat and coercion; kidnapping and murdering teachers; destroying schools and forcing children to take part in terrorist activities, the Maoists aim to disrupt the whole academic sector.

Their intention to disturb the academic environment was all the more clear when they called a five-day general strike that coincided with the most important period of the students' lives - taking the School Leaving Certificate examinations. Although the strike was called off just a day before the examinations started after severe pressure from the people and the political parties, there were attempts to interfere with the examinations. In Ramchhap, the security forces defused a bomb planted by the Moaists at an examination centre.

For more than 250,000 students taking the examinations was a period of distractions, doubts and even fear.

"We did not know whether we would be able to take the examinations until a day before. Instead of concentrating on the examinations the next day, we were watching television and listening to the radio to see if the strike had been called off," said Mandeep Khanal, a student of a boarding school in Kathmandu. "When it did, we were somewhat relieved, but doubts and suspicions still lingered on." In some parts of the country, buses and other public transport were not running to the dismay of the students.

The unprecedented security arrangement throughout the country helped to run the examinations without any untoward incident. However, worries may have affected the students' performance.

Schools in rural areas were among the targets of the terrorists. Maoists forced many teachers to resign, and those who did not comply were kidnapped and even murdered.

Last week, the Maoists killed a teacher of a Higher Secondary School in Kalikot. Four days after kidnapping Raj Bahadur Shahi, they slit the neck of Raj Bahadur Shahi after kidnapping him and then shot him. Shahi is among the hundreds of schoolteachers who have been victims of the Maoist atrocities.

Even small children were not spared. Human Rights Reports have indicted the Maoists of forcing schoolchildren in places like Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan and Jajarkot to take part in their campaigns. Most schools in those areas have remained closed since the Maoists began their violent campaign six years ago. The reports have revealed that the Maoists have been using children under 15 in their terrorist activities. These children, who stay away from schools, face a bleak future.

Schools in the urban areas were not spared either. Last year, many school days were lost because the Maoists forcefully closed the schools. Many parents, fearing for the safety of their children, choose not to send their children to school rather than confront the Maoists. There were incidents of vandalism, destruction and looting of equipment and buses being burnt. Maoists demanded money from schools threatening them with dire consequences if they refused.

While the Maoists endanger the future of the children here, their leaders are said to be sending their children to schools abroad.

MPs discuss Dang incidents

Kathmandu, Apr. 12 (RSS): MPs of the political parties drew the attention of the house towards the law and order situation in the country, the untoward incidents which took place at Lamahi and Satbariya of Dang district last night, the tape recording presented by Space Time Private Limited at the meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and other contemporary issues at the special hour of the House of Representatives today.

Sherdhan Rai of the CPN-UML said that the ruling party and the government were not serious about the deteriorating law and order situation in the country.

Stating that the people were disheartened and were living in an atmosphere of fear because of the increase in terrorist activities, Rai said that the people of Bhojpur district have been deprived of basic facilities due to the destruction of the power house, Agricultural Development Bank, cooperative institution and telecommunications by the terrorists.

Suresh Karki of the same party said that 44 police personnel were killed in the incident which took place at Lamahi of Dang district last night. Six passengers of a bus going to Doti were burnt alive, he added.

Stating that tape recording presented by Space Time Private Limited to the PAC should be considered seriously, Karki said that he welcomed the understanding reached between the political parties to safeguard the achievements of the Popular Movement of 2046 B.S.

Netra Lal Shrestha of the RPP said that the law and order situation, health and education sectors have been badly affected due to lack of clear policy and commitment.

Shrestha drew the attention of the authorities concerned towards providing the basic needs of the people, providing technical education to the students of the remote areas and giving priority to the development of the remote areas in the forthcoming budget.

Narayan Man Bijukchhe of the NWPP said that as cancer and disabled children are being born in various countries as a result of the weapons being exported from the United States of America, such kinds of weapons should not be allowed to enter Nepal.

Bijukchhe said that representatives of the traditional Pauwaa paintings should be represented in the Royal Nepal Academy and the subject of Pauwaa painting should be included in Fine Arts Campus.

Romi Gauchan Thakali of the NC regretted that the Tatopani-Larjunga 33 k.v. transmission line had not been completed in Mustang district.

Mrs. Urmila Aryal of the CPN-UML alleged that an assistant minister was protecting the persons involved in the killing of Srikant Tiwari in Parsa district.

Mrs. aryal demanded the arrest of the criminals who were walking free.

Ramchandra Tiwari of the NC said that the revenue patrol team had seized 236 bags of paddy from the godown of a businessman at Matihani of Mahottari district.

Stating that the businessman had purchased the paddy within the country, Tiwari said that the revenue patrol team had seized the paddy alleging that it had been illegally brought from India. He demanded that such works of harassing businessmen should be stopped immediately.

Chandra Bahadur Shahi of the CPN-UML said that the house should be provided information of the Royal Nepalese Army, police and people being killed during the state of emergency.

Shahi said that Bajura Airport had been destroyed and foodgrains looted from there due to inadequate security.

Stating that innocent people were being harassed by the security personnel, Shahi drew the attention of the government towards the unfair distribution of compensation for the houses being destroyed by the Maoist terrorists.

Corruption control bills passed

Kathmandu, Apr. 12 (RSS): The second meeting of the House of Representatives today unanimously approved the 'Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (second amendment) Bill 2058' and the 'Corruption Control Bill-2058'.

Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel had proposed that the bills be approved.

Earlier, replying to questions raised during the general discussions on the bills, Minister of State Kandel said the bills have been brought with the objective of enhancing the effectiveness and the capability of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).

The bills are also aimed at maintaining the moral conduct of the general people in a bid to controlling corruption, he added.

He said recommendations for making amendments to the bills given during the discussions on the bills at the all-party deliberations during the committee meeting have been incorporated in the bills.

Pradip Kumar Gyawali of the CPN-UML had proposed making amendments to clauses 4, 7,10, 11, 12,15, 22 and 25 of the CIAA Bill -2058.

Taking part in the discussions on the bills, Buddhiman Tamang of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party expressed the hope that it would now be easy for the CIAA to take action against those abusing their authority.

The meeting approved the bills unanimously when the bills were put to vote.

Similarly, Lilamani Pokharel of the United People's Front proposed amendments to clauses 2, 30, 31, 35, 37, 38,44, 45 and 50 of the Corruption Control Bill-2058.

The House unanimously approved the bill when it was presented for approval.

Earlier, the secretary at the House of Representatives tabled the bill pertaining to making amendments to some Nepal acts relating to Local Self-Governance Bill--2058 which originated and was passed by the National Assembly along with the message.

Meanwhile, the second meeting of the House of Representatives today unanimously approved the 'Special Court Bill--2058' and the 'Impeachment (regularisation of procedure) Bill--2058'.

The meeting also approved the separate amendment proposals of MP Urmila Aryal and MP Nawaraj Subedi seeking amendments to the Special Court Bill--2058 and the Impeachment Bill--2058 respectively.

While presenting the bills for approval by the meeting, Assistant Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Nagendra Kumar Raya said the bills were introduced for easy clearance of some special kinds of cases and for the easy formulation of relevant acts and regulations concerning impeachment.

The House of representatives next meets at 11 a.m. on April 17.

46 policemen killed in terrorist attacks in Dang

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 12: Forty-six policemen, including a District Superintendent of Police and four Inspectors, were killed when Maoist terrorists in the thousands attacked the police force stationed at Lamahi and Satbariya in Dang last night. Fourteen policemen were seriously injured, while five are reported missing.

This is the biggest casualty of the police force since more than 100 security personnel, including 49 policemen, died in mid-February when the terrorists raided an army barrack and police post at Mangalsen in Accham.

And a few days later, 32 policemen had died fighting the Maoists at Shitalpati in Salyan district.

According to the Defence Ministry, there was heavy exchange of fire when the Maoists in the thousands attacked the security personnel based in Ghorahi, Tulsipur, Lamahi, Satbariya and Bhaluwang in Dang around 10.30 pm Thursday.

The army had foiled the attacks on the Ghorahi and Tulsipur barracks. The terrorists had simultaneously attacked the area police office at Lamahi, the armed police training centre at Bhaluwang and the armed police force base camp at Satbariya around the same time.

Upon hearing of the attacks on the police force, reinforcement was immediately sent from Nepalgunj and Dang. However, the security forces were able to reach the sites only in the morning, when the terrorists had already fled, due to the many roadblocks the terrorists had placed on the Ghorahi-Lamahi and Kohalpur-Lamahi sections.

The Ministry said that the terrorists had brutally killed the DSP, inspectors and some policemen after capturing them.

The terrorists also took under control 21 passenger buses and trucks. A bus driver, Mahendra Shrestha, was killed when he refused to stop and tried to turn the bus an head back. At least five passengers were seriously injured in the incident.

This is not the first time the Maoist terrorists have victimised bus passengers. In a similar incident on February 22, the Maoists burnt five passengers, including a girl child, of a bus alive in Chitwan during a bandh called by them.

The terrorists also looted Rastriya Banijya Bank and the Agricultural Development Bank and set the offices on fire. They have also destroyed the sub-station of Nepal Electricity Authority, throwing Dang into a blanket of darkness.

The injured policemen, and ordinary people are undergoing treatment in Kathmandu, Butwal and Nepalgunj.

According to eye-witnesses, the terrorists took away their injured and dead ones in two trucks, implying that the casualties on their side could be high.

Security forces have cordoned off the areas and launched a massive search for the terrorists.

The National Defence Council today met and reviewed the security situation following the incidents. Chairman of the Council, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, directed the authorities to effectively mobilise the forces to restore peace and order by immediately identifying the areas where reforms are needed and learning a lesson from the incidents.

Since the Maoist insurgency began seven years ago, more than 2,500 people have died on both sides of the fence, including ordinary citizens.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry says eight terrorists were killed in encounters elsewhere. Security forces gunned down four terrorists in Murari Dobhan in Palpa, two in Chhapra in Humla and one each in Chandragiri of Kathmandu and Dilkharka of Ramechhap. Weapons and explosives have been recovered from these places.