End reign of terror, Deuba tells army

Bhaktapur, June 14 (RSS): Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Sher Bahadur Deuba commissioned 90 second lieutenant officer cadets at a function held at Royal Nepalese Army Academy at Kharipati, Bhaktapur district today.

Prime Minister Deuba also presented senior trainee Ananta Bahadur Singh, who topped in the officers’ cadet training, with the Khukuri, a symbol of bravery and courage.

Speaking on the occasion Prime Minister Deuba said that it is a matter of pride to make up one’s mind to devote oneself for the well-being of the country with a motive of protecting, honouring and benefiting the country, crown and the nation as a guiding principle of life.

A serious and formidable challenge has befallen on your shoulder with the handing over of an insignia of a Crossed-Khukuri, an identity of Second Lieutenant, Prime Minister Deuba said, expressing the conviction that the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) would succeed in discharging their responsibility of containing the reign of terror that has engulfed the country since the last couple of years by skilfully putting into practice the theoretical and practical knowledge gained from the training and maintaining the trust of all the Nepalese people who are in favour of peace, development and democracy.

Royal Nepalese Army and other security personnel have been forced to resort to an acrimonious operation against a violent group called Maoists, who are shamelessly making continuous assault on their own motherland, to finish off its very existence, he added.

Premier Deuba highly valued the selfless sacrifices made by security personnel, well-deserved progeny of the motherland who attained martyrdom in the course of fighting against terrorists and paid glowing tributes to them.

"All of you will be able to confront the challenges at every moment by providing able leadership to other army personel by safeguarding the people’s hope and trust in RNA," he said.

Deuba said the future generation will remember the RNA security personnel taking steps with a pious motive of serving the nation, Crown and the people as brave sons of the motherland for forever.

On the occasion, Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Deuba was presented guard of honour by the officer cadets.

Chief of the Army Staff General Prajjwal Shumsher J.B. Rana, high ranking RNA officers and military attachés of diplomatic missions based in Nepal were also present on the occasion.

51 terrorists killed in Salyan incident

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, June 14: The Defence Ministry on Friday confirmed the death of 51 terrorists in Damachaur area of Salyan district in a 12-hour-long fighting with the security forces that started Wednesday night.

A gang of 600-700 terrorists had surrounded the 90-member search team of the security forces and attacked them with the help of automatic weapons looted from the forces in the past. The security personnel were able to thwart the attack of the terrorists. Many more terrorists may have been killed, said the Ministry.

The Defence Ministry said four soldiers have attained martyrdom and 26 others have been injured in the fight. Those who have sustained injuries are undergoing medical treatment at Kathmandu’s Birendra Military Hospital. The Ministry has wished for the eternal peace of the departed souls and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

The forces have launched intensive search and blocking operations against the terrorists after local eyewitnesses said they saw the terrorists carrying other dead ones in dokos and on bamboos. "More security personnel have been mobilised in the area," the Ministry said. The forces have seized one SLR, three .303 rifles and a large quantity of socket bombs from the area.

The terrorists had used weapons targeting a night-vision helicopter that reached the area carrying reinforcement at midnight. The attack caused only slight damage to the chopper.

Meanwhile, Tikaraj Gautam ‘Bikash’, the so-called district committee member of the terrorists’ organisation, and another terrorist with alias Raktadip were killed in an encounter with the security forces Thursday in Semlar area of Rupandehi district. The forces recovered arms, ammunitions and explosives from there.

Similarly, two terrorists known as Tara and Shikhar were shot dead in an encounter with the security forces in Khamlalung area of Terhathum district this morning. The forces seized pistol, socket bombs, and ammunitions of .303 rifle from the area.

The security forces also besieged one terrorist along with logistics support at Bijayakharka area of Khotang district and two others with 16 combat dresses from Itahari of Sunsari district. Necessary action is being taken against the terrorists.

HR Commission chairman urges govt-Maoist truce

Lalitpur, June 14 (RSS): Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Nayan Bahadur Khatri has said that HMG and the underground CPN-Maoist should enforce a cease-fire forthwith to prevent violence and terror and ensure peace and tranquility in the country.

NHRC chairman Khatri was speaking at an interaction programme concerning the effect of the present situation on elderly persons.

He pointed out the need for the Maoists to lay down their arms and come to the negotiating table and for the government to take the initiative in this regard because it is Nepalese brothers and sisters, civilians and army and police personnel who were being killed.

National assembly member Mahesh Mani Acharya Dikshit said that no matter how much they tried, the Maoists would not be able to do away with the present Constitution introduced after so much sacrifice by those in favour of multi-party democracy.

Senior journalist Bhairav Risal and Hari Prasad Neupanay of the Consumers Federation also expressed their views at the programme chaired by convenor of the united elderly persons concern group Leela Devi KC.

UN extends food aid to Bhutan refugees for 1 yr

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, June 14: The United Nations World Food Programme has extended its food assistance programme to the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal for a period of twelve months beginning July 1.

The Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP) had approved on15 February 2002, in Rome, the extension of the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) No. 10058.1 "Food Assistance to Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal" with a total cost to WFP of US$ 8.5 million for a period of twelve months, starting from July 1 this year.

This PRRO was approved on the basis of the findings of the WFP/UNHCR Joint Assessment Mission, which visited Nepal in September 2001 and on the subsequent recommendations of the WFP Executive Director Catherine Bertini.

Depending on the availability of food resources from donor countries, under this extention phase of the operation the WFP plans to provide total of 19,706 tons of food commodities, providing a food basket of rice, pulses, fortified vegetable oil, fortified blended food, sugar and iodized salt.

The WFP assistance will provide basic food rations to 102.100 registered Bhutanese refugees residing in seven camps in the districts of Jhapa and Morang in the eastern region of Nepal, as well as supplementary food rations for identified vulnerable refugee groups representing an estimated 3,400 individuals. Additionally, the WFP will support a targeted school-based supplementary feeding programme for 42,000 school-going children during three months of the dry season.

The WFP will be distributing basic food commodities through the Nepal Red Cross Society and self-organised refugee camp structure. The WFP said the school-based supplementary feeding will be implemented through CARITAS and the Camp Management Committees. Supplementary feeding for vulnerable groups will be implemented through the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia, AMDA. The distribution of food commodities is carried out under the supervision of the WFP staff based in the Damak Field Office, as well as Birtamod central warehouse.

The WFP said the opinion would continue to be implemented in close co-ordination with His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and with UNHCR and other partner NGOs such as Nepal Red Cross Society, CARITAS and the Lutheran World Foundation.

NC mediators for CWC meet to end crisis

Kathmandu, June 14 (RSS): Senior mediating leaders of the Nepali Congress have said that a meeting of the party Central Working Committee ( CWC) should be called immediately to hold discussions and consultations to resolve the problem of allegations and counter allegations and difficult situation in the party that has arisen because of the controversy over whether the state of emergency should be continued or not.

Stating that division of the party is not a joke, and differences due to ego without any principle involved should not under any circumstance lead to a split, they said that there was no option other than unity in the Nepali Congress in the inerest of democracy and the people of the country.

Speaking at a face-to-face programme in the capital today, three elected central members of the party said that the mistakes committed recently should be corrected, the government and the party should join hands to face the elections, The action against the Prime Minister reconsidered and the party president should perform a historic role. Therefore the central committee meeting of the party should be called forthwith to find a way out of the impasse.

NC leader Ram Chandra Paudel asked what will be the condition of the country and the people suffering from murder and violence if elections were not held. "Division of the party was no joke", he said .

Stating that a meeting of the central committee of the party was expected to be called by tomorrow to resolve the problem in the party, he said that it had become necessary to hold the committee meeting to reconsider the action against the Prime Minister and to move ahead by correcting the mistakes committed.

NC central member and Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Mahesh Acharya said that the meeting of the Central Working Committee should be called for everyone to present their views and resolve the present problem and efforts were going on for the management of the rivalry to ensure unity in the party.

Another central member Narahari Acharya said that the rights of the Prime Minister who had said that he would abide by the decision of the General Convention could not be curtailed and though elections at present were a legal reality, they could not be taken ahead politically.

Stating that it is the prerogative of the Prime Minister to recommend dissolution of the parliament and the party had not challenged that, he said that there was no basis for a split in the party because of personal misunderstanding which had no basis in principles.

HM receives letters of credence

Kathmandu, June 14 (RSS): His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev received letters of credence from ambassadors designate of Tunisia and Syria to the Kingdom of Nepal Mr. Elyes Kasri and Dr. Mohsen Al-Khayer respectively amidst special functions held separately at the Narayanhity Royal Palace today.

Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyay, speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Rana Bhat, chairman of the National Assembly Dr. Mohammad Mohsin and chairman of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi were also present on the occasion.

After the credential ceremony, His Majesty the King received in audience the ambassadors of Tunisia and Syria separately at the Narayanhity Royal Palace.

Oath of office administered

Kathmandu, June 14 (RSS): In the presence of His Majesty the King, Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya administered the oath of office and secrecy to the chairman of the Constituency Delineation Commission Kedar Nath Acharya at the Royal Palace here today. Chairman Acharya is a Supreme Court judge.

On the same occasion, chairman Acharya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Commission members prof. Dr. Bidya Bir Singh Kansakar and Bir Bahadur Shahi.

Chief election commissioner Achyut Narayan Rajbhandari was also present on the occasion.

Resignation

Kathmandu, June 14 (RSS): His Majesty the King has, in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990, accepted the resignation tendered by additional district judge of Sunsari District Court Krishna Prasad Koirala with effect from June l5, 2002 through the Judicial Council citing health reasons.

Too many people, fewer jobs

By Ram Kumar Kamat

Kathmandu, June 14: Too many people, too few jobs! Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is a case in point.

A record number of job seekers applied for less than 600 posts the NEA had advertised recently.

"We expected up to 25,000 applications but more than three times as many applications turned up," says personnel director Ram Prasad Adhikari of the utility authority. The NEA had sold 1,20,000 application forms.

Experts were not surprised. Other government offices have received similar responses from the desperate job seekers, they said.

"The number of applicants is unexpectedly higher everywhere vacancies are announced," commented Labour expert Dr. Chiranjibi Nepal. "As the service sector is declining in the face of the security problem, those who have lost jobs in this sector are also joining the list of unemployed lots," he said.

According to the Employment Promotion Centre (EPC) about 1,50,000 people have lost job in the informal sector in the last one year.

"In the absence of law and order, it is the service sector — such as hotels, airlines and schools — that suffers first and the most," he said.

According to the EPC, currently 1.5 million people are unemployed in the country and 11 million people are under-employed. Every year three hundred thousand people add to the number of unemployed.

Nepal’s informal sector hardly absorbs 50 to 60 thousand job-seekers annually. Every year, over 1.5 million people enter labour markets in neighbouring countries.

"Not that all who apply for such jobs are unemployed. In fact, some may be under-employed. Some of those could be looking for better option," Binod Bhattarai, Member Secretary of the Centre said.

We have not been able to collect actual data on the unemployment rate. It should be between 15 to 20 per cent," he added.

"But when the unemployment rate crosses five percent, that alone is enough to affect the economy and the social system, Bhattarai maintains.

Experts underlined the need to collect actual data on the problem of unemployment.

We are going to collect data on the types of manpower available and the actual demand in the labour market, he added. According to him, due to the gap in dissemination of labour news, people from villages are unnecessarily concentrating in the urban centres, often in vain.

He suggested that the policy makers should mainly concentrate on informal sector to solve the problem of unemployment especially because creation of jobs in the organised sector is almost zero.

"Recently we found that hoteliers in Mustang needed at least 25 people to man their front desk and other positions but they were not able to do so for long time. Therefore, we are now providing training to 25 youths from ex-Kamaiya community to fill the vacuum. Similar situation may exist elsewhere," Bhattarai said.

They need to be aware as to where and when the job opportunity will be available and what kinds of training they need to undergo, Bhattarai said.

"Once we do that, many people would be able to earn handsomely within the country," he added.

Member Secretary Bhattarai said various ministries should play more active role in this regard.

The Ministry of Agriculture can greatly contribute in solving the problem of unemployment, the Health Ministry can also contribute. "Every Ministry has at least some role to play in addressing this problem but they are not taking up the issue that way," he regretted.

Bhattarai stressed the need to review past policies on employment. The labour law should be liberalised, he opined. Once there is adequate infrastructure, particularly for religious tourism, thousands of Indian tourists would start coming to Nepal and that way many more jobs will be created in the local areas. "Besides, information technology can create a lot of jobs in the country but the government needs to develop congenial atmosphere for that," he said. Bhattarai regretted that Nepal and India started to concentrate on information technology simultaneously but India left Nepal far behind for they kept following up on their policies. It is not that we do not have skilled manpower to cash in on information technology," he acknowledged.

Bhattarai said that once Nepal enter the World Trade Organisation regime, Nepali farmers would have their hey days because of the unique natural diversity Nepal is blessed with.

But labour expert Nepal says that package programmes should be launched in the rural areas to address the soaring problem of unemployment.

"Self employment should be promoted to overcome the present situation and for that soft loans should be provided to them, " he said.