Preserve hard earned democracy: PM

Kathmandu, Jan. 29 (RSS): Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that it is the need of the hour to preserve and consolidate democracy restored after the relentless struggle and sacrifices of the martyrs.

In a message issued today on the occasion of Martyrs’ Week, Premier Deuba has extended best wishes to all Nepalese sisters and brothers living within and outside the country.

"I express my heartfelt tributes to all the known and unknown martyrs who laid down their lives for democracy in the country," he said.

He further stated that the respect for the martyrs will be meaningful only if democratic norms and values are maintained in letter and spirit.

Premier Deuba expressed confidence that the sacred day will help us to eschew enmity and inspire us to forge national unity for consolidation of democracy.

Meanwhile, Prime minister Deuba paid tributes to the martyrs by laying a wreath at martyrs memorial amidst a function organized by the Kathmandu Metropolis at the Sahid Gate this morning.

On the occasion Speaker Taranath Ranabhat, ministers, leaders of political parties, high ranking officials of His Majesty’s Government, the mayor and the deputy mayor of Kathmandu Metropolis and people from different walks of life also paid tributes by presenting bouquets to the portraits of the martyrs.

Earlier Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat and the ministers had paid tributes to the martyrs by offering bouquets at the Martyrs Memorial at Lainchour.

Prior to this, a procession along with the portraits of the martyrs decorated with garlands which started from Sahid Gate had gone to the Martyrs Memorial. The procession was participated in by the Prime Minister, the Speaker. The mayor and deputy mayor of Kathmandu Metropolis, Royal Nepalese Army, Nepal Police, intellectuals, students and people from other walks of life.

In memory of the martyrs, the Royal Nepalese Army had fired a canon gun at 12 noon and observed one minutes silence.

Meanwhile, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat has appealed to all citizens of the country to build public opinion against terrorists and boost the morale of the security personnel.

Speaking at a function organised by the Kaskeli Democratic Society on the occasion of Martyrs Day today, Ranabhat spoke of the need to unite against terror and murder.

Assistant Minister Prakash Bahadur Gurung said it was high time we recalled the contributions of the martyrs and acted accordingly.

Various other speakers including secretary at the Home Ministry Keshav Raj Rajbhandari also spoke at the function chaired by society Chairman Surya Bahadur Gurung.

Twenty persons donated blood on the occasion.

Martyrs’ Day
Martyrs’ sacrifices for democracy lauded

Biratnagar, Jan. 29 (RSS): Former prime minister and president of the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala has stressed the need to safeguard the democracy attained through the great sacrifices of the martyrs.

Koirala made this remark at a function organised by Morang district NC committee to pay tributes to the martyrs here today.

Stating that the responsibility of fulfilling the dreams of the martyrs of uplifting the country and the people has fallen on the shoulders of the Nepali Congress, he said that the need of the day is to make the Nepalese people prosperous.

The liberation campaign has been launched on the occasion of the Martyrs Day, Koirala said, adding that it is through this campaign that the country can be freed from terrorism and the people’s problems of hunger, disease and backwardness can be resolved.

At the function chaired by NC Morang district president and MP Ashok Koirala, Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya, member of the NC central committee Nona Koirala, MPs and NC workers were present to pay tributes to the martyrs.

Earlier one minute silence was observed in memory of the martyrs and the portrait of the late popular leader B. P. Koirala was garlanded.

In Gorakha, Minister for Housing and Physical Planning Chiranjivi Wagle has said that murder, violence and terror cannot take away the democratic norms, values and rights, human rights, judicial rights and constitutional democracy.

At a talk programme on enhancement of democracy and the sacrifice of martyrs organised by Gorakha district committee of the Nepali Congress (NC) in the backdrop of martyrs day today, Minister Wagle said that the demand for a People’s Republic by the Maoists will not hurt democracy and Constitutional Monarchy in the country.

He said that there should be unity among all segments of society for the protection and promotion of democracy and Constitutional Monarchy.

MP Kamala Panta, DDC chairman Chet Man Shrestha, former MP Jeevan Prem Shrestha and a host of other speakers expressed their views at the programme chaired by NC Gorakha district committee president Chinkaji Shrestha.

In Panauti, Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Rajendra Kharel has said that the dreams of the martyrs will be translated into reality only if the ministers perform the role of servitors, not of rulers, of the nation.

At a programme organised at Panauti by the Kabhre District Committee of the Nepali Congress to felicitate families of the martyrs, he said that all the political parties should shun the game of musical chairs.

At the programmes, relatives of Martyrs Krishna Prasad Gautam, Sita Ram Sapkota, Govinda Timilsina, Nar Bahadur Moktan, Arjun Dahal, Bhim Bahadur Tamang, Raj Kumar Malla Thakuri, Krishna Bahadur Pulami, Hari Krishna Bhuju, Buddhi Nath Khanal, Hom Nath Tamilsena Bhisma Raj Giri, Chandra Bahadur Tamang, Peba Chhiring Lama, Bhim Prasad Timilsina, Manohari Fuyal, Prithvi Man Syantang and Gandhiv Shrestha, were each presented certificates and draped with shawls.

President of the NC district committee Madhu Acharya presided over the programme.

Also today, a symposium on the martyrs and our duties was organised at Banepa under the joint auspices of integrated development centre, Nepal and Bidyasagar English Boarding School

‘All security units mobilised, to curb Maoists’

Gorkha, Jan. 29 (RSS): Minister for Physical Planning and Works Chiranjibi Wagle has said that the government has mobilised all its security units to neutralise and contain the terrorist activities of Maoists.

Minister Wagle was speaking at a gathering of NC party workers organised by NC Gorkha district working committee here today.

He called on all, especially the ruling Nepali Congress party and its sister organisations to assist the security forces in its efforts of maintaining law and order in the country.

The NC activists of Gorkha district asked the government to finished off Maoists, the enemy of the country and its people.

NC Gorkha district president Chinkaji Shrestha was on the chair.

Time not ripe to flay govt, says Bhattarai

By Our Correspondent

Morang, Jan. 29: Since the Nepali Congress-led government is moving ahead in a smooth and democratic manner, this is not the time to point fingers at it, former Prime Minister and one of the founding leaders of the Nepali Congress Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said today.

"Nobody should raise accusing fingers against Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s government, which is just about four months old; critics must wait at least a year to see how it functions before saying anything about it," Bhattarai told a meeting organised to inaugurate the Martyr Krishna Prasad Koirala Trust building at Siswani Jahada here this afternoon.

Chief Guest Bhattarai said that he was opposed to those who attacked the government. The Central Working Committee of the Party would assess the performance of the government anyway once it completes a year in office, Bhattarai added.

Former Prime Minister Bhattarai, referring to Party President Girija Prasad Koirala who also attended the function, said that he and Koirala would face any eventuality. "Though we both have completed our terms as premiers, we are ready for any task — if need be," Bhattarai said jokingly to the cheer of the audience.

The Nepali Congress has been able to form governments on many occasions only because of its major sacrifices for the democratic movement, but the party has not yet been able to move ahead smoothly due to its inherent shortcomings, Bhattarai opined. "Let’s not allow such shortcomings to repeat now."

Bhattarai reminded about the sacrifices of the Nepali Congress activists in the past, and said this led the party to the present status. "NC has not become such a big political party all of a sudden," he said. "We as a party must move ahead keeping in mind this fact," he said.

Bhattarai instructed party workers to provide services to the people.

Talking about the ongoing internal operations against terrorism, the former Prime Minister maintained that if the Maoist terrorists come to the negotiating table by laying down their arms, the government should consider talks.

"But if they do not surrender their arms and continue to kill civilians, the government should defeat them at any cost," he stressed.

President of Nepali Congress and former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, while addressing the function that coincided with Martyr’s Day, said that it would be a tribute to the martyrs in a real sense if we could do something to uplift the socio-economic status of the people.

"Politics without principle and ideology is a social crime," President Koirala maintained. He also said that the tradition of seeking credit for good works and blaming others for bad works would lead the country nowhere.

He also said that the main question before the NC was how to carry the glorious history created by martyr Krishna Prasad Koirala and late B. P. Koirala. "This is inscribed on stone monuments and cannot be washed away."

Former Indian Prime Minister Chandrashekhar said that to consolidate democracy and strengthen the democratic system of governance in the country, the governments should always work for the benefit of the poor.

"If we fail to eradicate poverty and strengthen the rights of the people, the restoration of democracy will have no meaning," the socialist leader said.

Hinting at the second generation leaders within the Nepali Congress Party, former Indian Premier said that the present time was that of the younger generation and that they had to prove themselves by shouldering the responsibility of fighting against poverty and inequality.

Central working committee member of the Nepali Congress Ram Chandra Poudel said, "The time has now come to make evaluations of ourselves as to whether we have been true ‘socialists’."

President of Martyr Krishna Prasad Koirala Trust Shailaja Acharya presented letters of appreciation to NC leaders Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Girija Prasad Koirala and Indian socialist leader Chandrashekhar in recognition of their life-long contributions to the institutionalisation of democracy.

NC leader Bhattarai unveiled the statue of martyr Krishna Prasad Koirala built at the premises of the Trust located at Siswani Jahada-3, Morang.

More terroists killed in army operations

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 29: In their ongoing operations against terrorism, security forces on Monday killed two terrorists, arrested two others and recovered 14 guns from different parts of the country, the Defence Ministry said here today. The forces have also taken 21 suspects into custody for interrogation.

Two armed terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Sankranti area of Terhathum district and two were arrested along with arms and explosives from the same area. It was in the same area that the forces had killed 21 terrorists on Sunday.

The security personnel yesterday seized nine guns from Patharia of Kailali, two guns from Sidara of Arghakhanchi and one each from Keurani of Salyan, Piurabasi of Gorkha and Sandu of Terhathum district.

They have also arrested eight terrorist suspects from Rasuwa, four from Terhathum, three from Ilam, two from Arghakhanchi and one from Sunsari, Lamjung, Kailali and Dhading.

The Defence Ministry press statement issued today also stated that the ongoing search operation has received a massive support from the public. "The people of Palpa district on Monday handed over some 20 guns to the security forces which they had collected so that the weapons would not be looted by the terrorists.

Meanwhile, a bomb disposal team of the army has foiled a terrorist attempt to explode a bomb hung from a banner at the premises of Purnachandi temple in Patan, Lalitpur.

Meanwhile, RSS adds: ten persons involved in terrorist activities gave themselves up to the District Administration in Sunsari yesterday, 14 in Arghakhanchi, six in Myagdi, one in Rautahat and two in Bajura, the Home Ministry said in a press release today.

Similarly, two persons surrendered to the District Administration along with two socket bombs, some ammunition and detonators on Jan 27.

Security personnel also recovered nine guns hidden in Pattharaiya VDC of Kailali yesterday.

The body of Kirti Bahadur Chand, a resident of Durgasthan VDC-3 Baitadi district, who was kidnapped by Maoist terrorists on Jan 27, has been found on the premises of Koteshwor Primary School of Koteshwar. A search is going on for the terrorists.

UML undecided on extension of emergency

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan.29: The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) has not to decided whether to approve the State of Emergency or not during the forthcoming winter session of the Parliament.

"The UML’s central committee meeting to be held on February 8 will decide whether the party will support or go against the State of Emergency that requiresl the approval from two thirds of the House of Representatives," said UML standing committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari today.

The support of the main opposition party CPN-UML is necessary to extend the State of Emergency for the next three months. If the proposal does not receive enough votes, the Emergency will automatically end on February 23.

"The UML wanted a ‘practical package’ to resolve the Maoist problem and speed up development activities in the country," Adhikari told a function organised at the party’s central office at Balkhu today to mark Martyrs’ Day.

He further said that the UML had proposed a 22-point agenda that called for drastic reforms.

"We want timely amendments to the Constitution and reforms in the country," Adhikari said and added that the UML had attempted to create a minimum consensus among the different political forces in a bid to implement reforms.

Another UML standing committee member Keshav Badal also expressed his views at the function presided over by secretary of the UML’s Valley Coordination Committee Krishna Gopal Shrestha.

ML decides to unite with UML

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 29: The Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) today formed a three-member party unity negotiation committee with Radha Krishna Mainali as its convenor and Sidhhi Lal Singh and Ashok Rai as members.

"Today’s meeting decided to unite the ML with CPN-UML," ML general secretary Bam Dev Gautam told The Rising Nepal this evening.

He said that there are now no differences between the two parties over the Mahakali Treaty. "However, they have yet to settle some other issues before the party can be unified," said Gautam. He declined to elaborate on these issues saying that the negotiation committee will finalise them. "Now the process of unity talks is gearing up," he remarked.

The meeting of the party’s standing committee held today at the residence of its chief Sahana Pradhan decided to form the committee to forward the process of unity talks with the CPN-UML, said a press release issued today.

The UML had sent a written unification proposal to the ML, which was taken positively by today’s meeting, it stated.

"The two parties have yet to hold discussions on various topics before arriving at the stage of unification," it stated.

The meeting also seriously discussed the worsening condition of the country and pointed out the need a political leadership as an alternative to resolving the problems, it stated.

Today’s meeting decided to hold the party’s central committee meeting to discuss party unity and other current issues at the party’s central office at Kupondol on February 4. It has also called on all its central committee members to compulsorily attend the meet.

NC denounces murder of Kirti Bahadur Chand

By a Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 29: The Nepali Congress has strongly denounced the murder of Kirti Bahadur Chand, an elected member of the party’s Baitadi district working committee, in a press release issued today.

NC activists are falling prey to the cruel attacks of Maoist terrorists every day. According to news received from Baitadi, the terrorists kidnapped Chand from his residence at Durgasthan village development committee on Saturday (13th Magh) and killed him in a cruel manner on Monday, the press release stated. The mutilated body of Chand was discovered on Monday.

Nepali Congress paid tributes to late Chand and expressed condolence to the bereaved family. the NC has demanded that the government initiate strong measures to stop the cruel killing of innocent people.

Similarly, NC central working committee member and MP Binayadhoj Chand condemned the barbaric killing of late Chand and expressed condolence to the bereaved family.

Meanwhile, NC central office expressed condolence over the sad demise of Bhakta Bahadur Singh, the chairman of Piplakot VDC of Bajhang, in another press release issued today. Similarly, MP Suresh Malla expressed deep grief over the death of Singh and expressed condolence to the grieving family.

Risk package to revive falling exports sought

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 29: The private sector has demanded a risk package from the government to support industries facing with falling exports.

They have maintained that the policies brought in without consulting the private sector can affect the trade and industry sector and urged the government to consult the private sector for their opinion.

Industrialists and tradesmen speaking at the third annual general assembly of Nepal Freight Forwarders’ Association (NEFFA) on Sunday said the government was now giving priority to political agenda and not economic ones.

"The government hiked the tax rates during the state of emergency through an ordinance without consulting the private sector," President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) Rabi Bhakta Shrestha said. "It should have instead announced a risk package to win the confidence of the private sector," he said.

"The programmes of the government will succeed only with the active participation of the private sector."

He lauded the government’s strategy to augment the private sector’s role during the Tenth Five Year Plan, but with a reservation. "There is a doubt that the plan will materialise because there is a lack of confidence between the government and the private sector."

NEFFA President Rabindra Man Singh said the recent hikes in tax rates had badly affected the private sector.

Singh urged the government to explore markets for new exportable items and stressed on logistics support for freight forwarders.

Vice President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Jagadish Prasad Khetan said the government should not burden the already ailing private sector. "It should instead look for ways to cut administrative expenses."

"The government is aware that the country cannot move ahead by ignoring the private sector," Assistant Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Prakash Bahadur Gurung said. "Hence the government has given due priority to the private sector."

Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Purushottam Ojha said that expansion of the freight business would be instrumental in increasing exports, and added that transportation costs would come down with the operation of the dry port at Birgunj.