'Disabled need social support'

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KATHMANDU, Dec. 3 : Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi A. Annan has pointed out the need to renew the pledge to fight exclusion, to create opportunities for all people, and to build societies in which persons with disabilities are seen not only as beneficiaries of society's support, but as an empowered and empowering source of social, cultural, political and economic development.
In a message on the occasion of the International Day of Disabled Persons, he said the commitment to full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in economic and social development is deeply rooted in the principles of the United Nations charter, the universal declaration of human rights and other human rights instruments.

He said, it was reflected in the millennium declaration and the outcomes of all the major world conferences of the past decade. And of course, it is the heart of the world programme of action concerning persons with disabilities and the standard rules on equalisation of opportunities for persons with disabilities .

The theme of this year's observance of the international day of disabled persons is "Independent Living and Sustainable Livelihoods".

"It highlights recent efforts to find innovative approaches to achieving the long-held goal of full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in the lives of their societies, secretary general said.
He said one initiative of the past year that stands out was the call by President Vincente Fox of Mexico to establish a special committee to further the rights of persons with disabilities in the context of development.

"In response, the General Assembly created an ad hoc committee to consider proposals for the elaboration of an international convention on promoting the rights and dignity of disabled people" Annan said.

The committee is chaired by Ecuador, which has long been at the forefront of the movement for equal opportunities for disabled people and was one of the first countries to include the rights of people with disabilities in its constitution.

Annan said action on the ground, in people's lives, is the natural and necessary complement to norm-setting. Also in the past year, the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres has intensified its collaboration with local independent living resource centres in promoting community-based approaches to disability issues.

He said it has undertaken research and workshops on an array of important issues, including family violence, literacy, employment, education, drug and alcohol abuse and is extending the reach of its activities to more and more of the country's provinces.

Work without prejudice, Thapa gives directives to employees

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BIRATNAGAR, Dec.3 : Minister for Home , Law , Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dharma Bahadur Thapa has said as the representative of the government the civil servants should discharge their responsibility honestly and in an impartial manner.

Minister Thapa was giving directives to the chiefs of the regional, zonal and district level offices at a function organised here by the district administration office Morang today.

Stating that there is problem in the administration due to the politicization in the administration in the past he urged the civil servants to work without any prejudice.

The civil servants should understand politics but should not do politics he said adding that His Majesty's Government would not interfere in the works of the civil servants who discharge their responsibilities without prejudice and in an effective manner.

He said if the civil servants work in an impartial manner it will help move forward to create an environment of good governance.

Police and army alone can not restore law and order in the country; it will help to maintain peace and security in the country if the people receive the government services in an easy manner.

Chief District Officer Dolakha Bahadur Gurung said the civil servants were discharging the responsibilities in accordance with the directives of His Majesty's Government.

In another programme, Minister for Home Thapa inspected the eastern regional police office, district administration Morang and police training centre here today.

On the occasion, the Minister was apprised of the activities and problems by Chief District Officer Dolakh Bahadur Gurung and deputy inspector general of police Sharada Prasad Parajuli.

Intellectuals, social workers, university teachers, politicians and businessmen of the district met with the Home Minister today and informed him about the security situation of the district.

Girl trafficking a serious threat: Khapangi

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KATHMANDU, Dec 3: A three-day SAARC workshop on 'prevention of trafficking in women and regional co-operation in South Asia' kicked off here today.

Some 25 representatives from all the SAARC countries except Bhutan are participating in the workshop.

Inaugurating the workshop Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Gore Bahadur Khapangi said that the criminal task of trafficking in women and girls in different forms is a serious threat to social harmony and human rights.

It is a matter of shame for human dignity that even after more than half a century since the adoption of the declaration of human rights by the international human community, violence against women and children continues to thrive at a greater pace.

Expressing satisfaction over the SAARC concern in preventing and combating women's trafficking among all its member states, Minister Khapangi said that His Majesty's Government of Nepal is ever ready to contribute its respective roles in establishing effective regional co-operation for preventing trafficking in women and children.

Speaking on the occasion Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Anuradha Koirala said collective efforts are being made by the government, and national and international organisations to controlling trafficking in women in Nepal.

Pointing out the need of more effective programmes for preventing women's trafficking she said rescue and rehabilitation works should be promoted for the sex-victimised women and aids patients.

On the occasion secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare Bijaya Raj Bhattarai and joint secretary Pratap Kumar Pathak shed light on various activities in preventing trafficking in women and children.

GAESO to remember dead Gurkhas every year

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Dec. 3: The Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen's Organisation (GAESO) has decided to set aside November 27 every year as a day to remember the dead Gurkhas who fought in WWII for the British crown.

This was informed at a function today held in the capital to announce the strategies the organisation will be taking regarding the other cases pending in the High Court of London. Hearings on the case on equal pensions for the Gurkhas are due in February.

President of the organisation Padam Bahadur Gurung said that the seven years of struggle by the prisoners taken by the Japanese during World War II for compensation and by other Gurkhas for pension at par with British soldiers was not meant solely for monetary gains, but equality and justice.
Gurung quoting historians said that in percentage terms, the largest number of people who died in WWI and WWII were Nepalese.

He also said that they were also struggling for the compensation to the Gurkhas who were forced into retirement long before their tenure was over. According to British regulations, soldiers are retired after completing 22 years of service, but Gurkhas were retired after serving as little as 12 years.

Gurung said, "These Gurkhas should get compensation for the remaining years."

As there are chances of PoWs not receiving compensation for not filling up the necessary documents, he asked all PoWs to do so immediately.

He said that they would be scouting for PoWs still remaining in different parts of Nepal as well as in Derhadun, India.

Bishwakarma conferred Dr. Ambedkar Excellent Award

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LALITPUR, Ddec, 3: Chairman of the Dalit Commission of Nepal Padma Singh Bishwakarma was conferred the "Dr. Ambedkar International Excellence Ward-2000" on the occasion of the 18th Dalit Litterateurs Conference of the Indian Dalit Academy.

Central Minister Satya Narayan Jatiya and governor of Himanchal State of India Dr. Suraj Bhan jointly gave the award to chairman Bishwakarma, it was informed at a press conference held here today.
On the occasion, Minister Jatiya and Governor Dr. Bhan also gave away the Dr. Ambedkar International Brotherhood Award-2002 to National Assembly member Rishi Babu Pariyar, Dr. Ambedkar Distinguished Service Award-2002 to Dalit Social Worker Omprakash B.K. And Dr. Ambedkar Kalashri Award-2002 to Dalit Litterateur Chakraman Bishwakarma. All three recipients of the awards are from Nepal.

Buddhi Bahadur Gahatraj, Durga Bahadur Sunar, Balbahadur Bishwakarma, Sitaram Rasaili, Buddhi Raj Harijan and Purna Bahadur Bishwakarma were presented the Dr. Ambedkar fellowship-2002 at the conference participated in by, among others, chairman of National Dalit Commission Lokbahadur Bishwakarma and Dalit leader Omprakash Bishwakarma from Nepal.

Meanwhile, Nepal-India Friendship Association has been constituted with Omprakash Bishwakarma as the chairman with the objective of exchanging views in a friendly manner between the Dalit leaders, litterateurs and intellectuals of the two countries, it was also informed at the press conference.

Creative proposals for development of science stressed

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LALITPUR, Dec. 3: Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST) hosted a reception in honour of RONAST Academician Dipak Gyawali on his appointment as Minister for Water Resources.

At the reception, Minister for Water Resources Gyawali said that RONAST should formulate creative proposals for the development of science and technology.

RONAST vice-Chancellor Dr. Dayananda Bajracharya said that it was a matter pride for RONAST that l0 per cent of its academicians had been appointed Ministers.

Secretary Prof. Dr. Krishna Manandhar, academician Dr. Biswanath Prasad Agrawal and Kamal Mani Acharya extended best wishes to Gyawali in his role as Minister.