Country victims of violence, says Nepal

Butwal, Mar. 8 (RSS): General secretary of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that the country has been a victim of violence perpetrated by the Maoists who have dopted the path of violence against the Nepalese people’s wish for peace, development and goodwill.

Inaugurating the Butwal Festival-2002 and the Ninth Town Council meeting of Butwal Municipality here today, general secretary Nepal reiterated that it was necessary to make amendments to the Constitution in order to incorporate all the Nepalese in the body politic and to isolate those harbouring violence and terrorism from society.

Stating that it is sad for all the countrymen that the Nepalese were pitted against each other and one Nepali was killing another Nepali, he said there is no alternative other than peace and reconciliation for the Nepalese people.

To think of capturing state power on the strength of the gun alone is not compatible with the national and international situation, he remarked, warning that the Maoist sponsored violence was pushing the country to the brink of collapse.

He stressed that the recently-constituted commission on investigation of property should boldly carry out its task and the government should guarantee implementation of the report of the commission.

At the programme presided over by Mayor of Butwal Municipality Bhoj Prasad Shrestha, chairman of the House of Representatives Environment Conservation Committee Surya Prasad Pradhan, former minister Bishnu Poudel, ex-minister Modnath Prashrit, Ramnath Dhakal and others also expressed their views.

Elders discuss current issues

Kathmandu, Mar. 8 (RSS): Laxmi Das Manandhar of the CPN-UML, speaking during special hour at the National Assembly today, expressed the view that immediate steps should be taken for implementation of the proposal on constitutional amendment as all sides have reached agreement to that effect in word.

He said the political parties should be serious over this matter and fulfill their respective roles in order to give the various mother tongues their due recognition, make political appointments transparent and curb corruption.

Maiya Devi Shrestha of the Nepali Congress said no matter what acts and laws have been formulated for ensuring women’s rights, they have been denied these rights in practice and opined that the bill on women’s rights and welfare should be passed in the current Parliamentary Session.

Pointing out the need for representation of indigenous community women in the recently constituted Women’s Commission, she said nobody should hesitate in giving daughters their parental property and their rights.

MP Ramesh Nath Pandey remarked that the country was undergoing a serious crisis at present in the absence of good governance and wide prevalence of corruption and this has instilled a feeling of despondency among the people.

He warned that the country might be pushed into a serious crisis and history might curse us if attention is not given to correct the malaise in time.

The government has kindled a ray of hope in the people by constituting a high-level Commission to Investigate the Assets of those who have been holding public posts since 1991, he said adding that the commission should fulfill its duty responsibly and turn this hope into reality.

The report of the commission should not be rendered ineffective in the same way as the report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on revenue leakage, he stressed.

Radheshyam Adhikari of the Nepali Congress said at present a state of emergency is in place to cope with the spree of violence and killings taking place in the country. He added that as all the constitutonal rights remain suspended in such a situation, all political parties should unite and diffuse the crisis facing the country.

Stating that it would not be proper in such circumstances to squabble over the issue of constitutional amendment, the MP opined that constitutional amendment cannot be an alternative to resolving the Maoist problem.

As the government is doing necessary homework of its own in this regrd, it should not be turned into a contentious matter, he opined.

There are certain procedures to be followed in making amendments to the constitution and the matter not only concerned the political parties but civil society as well, he said pointing out that the opinions of civil society should also be taken into account in the process.

MP Mohan Raj Sharma Chapagain, stating that a problem cannot be solved unless its root cause was found out, remarked that the country was pushed into an adverse situation as those in power in the past failed to understand the problems and the reality of the country.

Political prejudice still exists and the political parties have not been able to reach out to the people, he said and remarked that only holding meetings in a room will not help in resolving the problems of the people.

Pointing out that it would be difficult for the property investigation commission to accomplish its task in six months, he said the imaprtiality of the National Women’s Commission cannot be ensured only through the induction of workers from two or three political parties and without representing all sides.

He added that the proposed election government as per the constitutional amendment proposal should be formed through the inclusion of independent persons, not political parties.

MP Yankila Sherpa hailed the constitution of The National Women’s Commission coinciding with international women’s day and hoped that the commission would be able to do its work smoothly.

She said although the government had announced various relief programmes some time back for dealing with the slack in the tourism sector, these remained to be implemented.

Tourist arrivals have been hit by the failure to implement the Nepal-China tourism pact, non-inclusion of trekking in the tourism services for Chinese tourists and failure to provide smooth domestic and international air services.

Beduram Bhusal of the CPN-UML greeted all women on the occasion of International Women’s Day and called for amendments to the women’s property rights bill in a bid to empower women and for a clear definition of the scope of the National Women’s Commission.

Likewise, Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation Gopal Man Shrestha has said that the present government is committed to the protection and conservation of forests.

Replying to queries raised by MPs during zero and special hour at the National Assembly today, he said strict surveillance will be kept over any loss or damage or any other undesirable activities in the forest sector.

Immediate steps will be initiated for taking stern legal action against the wrongdoers in case of any stray incidents of irregularities and the concerned agencies will be mobilized, he said. Minister Shrestha informed the House that the regional forest director had been immediately mobilized for carrying out on-the-spot inspection and assessment after receiving information on the illegal felling of trees in the Laljhadi area of Kanchanpur district.

He said the preliminary report of the regional forest director stated that a total of 166 trees in the jungle had been cut down and the forest rangers of the area Kali Prasad Chaudhari and Ram Prasad Chaudhari were suspended with immediate effect.

The assistant forest officer was asked to report on the full extent of damage and an on-site inspection carried out in the presence of local people’s representatives as well as VDC chairmen and the full assessment report has been received, he added.

The Minister said that a raid was carried out at some local saw-mills in the area in that connection and the Nisha Saw Mill, Tara Saw Mill and Susmita Saw Mill have been sealed and legal action initiated against them.

Minister Shrestha also informed the House that an investigation committee under the convenorship of the Deputy-Director of the Department of Forest Investigation and survey with the forest survey officer of the department and an officer of the District Administration Office, Kanchanpur as members has been assigned to investigate and submit a report on the incident within seven days.

He said a separate independent commission has been formed under the chairmanship of the Regional Forest Director in connection with the Royal Shukla Phanta National Park and human settlements within the park areas have been relocated to other areas.

The Ministry has adopted extra caution to stop illegal rhino poaching and smuggling in their parts, he clarified.

‘Civil Service Act amendment works underway’

Lalitpur, Mar. 8 (RSS): Minister for General Administration Khemraj Bhatta has said that preparations are being made to amend the Civil Service Act in order to increase women’s participation in the civil service.

Inaugurating a seminar on International Women’s Day organised by Nepal Trade Union Congress(NTUC) here today, Minister Bhatta said that nobody should forget the fact that women can work also like men.

He also pointed out the need for political parties, intellectuals and the civil society to work on a campaign footing in order to move ahead the concept of equality down to the people’s level.

Assistant Minister for Physical Planning and Works Sabitri Bogati Pathak noted that women should be provided with an opportunity to undertake studies upto the post graduate level.

As long as the oppressed and ethnic communities are not made literate and conscious about their rights, such communities will not able to see tangible changes in their status, she added.

MPs Kamala Pant and Kashi Poudel, NTUC central president Laxman Basnet and its women wing chief Sudha Dahal spoke about the rights and interests of the women.

‘More than 22,000 Kamaiya families neglected’

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Mar 8 : Though the government announced the emancipation of the Kamaiyas - the bonded laborer, some one and a half years back and made the commitment to fulfill their basic needs, over 22,000 families of Kamaiyas across the country are still suffering neglect.

The present state of the Kamaiyas has compelled them to go back to the same state of bonded labor, as they have no other alternative means for livelihood. "We are bound to be the Kamaiyas again due to lack of means," said Sundari Devi a Kamaiya from Kailali.

The government has provided five Katthas of land to each family of the Kamaiyas, but the area of land being provided to the land-less Kamaiyas are not enough.

According to Sundari Devi most of the Kamaiya families still have not got the land that they are supposed to get. And that is not enough too.

While releasing a book on Kamaiya: Slavery and Freedom in Nepal, Sundari Devi explained how the Kamaiyas are reeling under the problem. After the government announcement of the emancipation of the Kamaiya system, the Kamaiyas are facing multi-pronged problems, said Sundari Devi here at a programme organized by MS Nepal.

Minister of State for Land Reforms and Management Ramjanam Chaudhary affirmed that the government is serious towards solving the problems of the Kamaiyas.

He also appreciated the role of the non- governmental organizations and international non-governmental organizations to overcome the problem of the Kamaiyas.

State Minister Chaudhary noted that the government has accorded priority to address the problem of the Kamaiyas.

Eigil Rasmussen, Director the Danish Association for International Cooperation (MS Nepal) also underlined the need to uplift the Kamaiyas.

Tim Whyte of MS Nepal said that the Kamaiyas should be involved in the development activities.

Kamaiya - the book released today is a social documentary publication printed in Nepal to chronicle the turbulent story of the on going Kamaiya movement through the words of the Kamaiyas themselves. It uses a narrative sequence of documentary photographs and formal portraits made in their huts on the landlord’s properties, refugee camps and on the open road.

The Kamaiya system that was prevalent in the five districts of western Nepal, before being banned by the government on July 17, 2000 was one of the unwanted by-products of Nepal’s checkered history of land ownership. The Kamaiya freedom movement emerged in the midst of the gloom and frustration pervading the ten-year-old anniversary of democracy. The movement was supported by a coalition of social and human rights organisations.

Women in poor nations need better reproductive healthcare

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, March 8: On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2002, Thoraya A. Obaid, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said that much more needs to be done to support the world’s women to ensure global peace and security.

In her statement, Obaid further said that women are eager to participate in the development of their countries and the prosperity of their countries. "Yet their vision and leadership remain largely untapped."

She said that women in the poorest countries must have better reproductive healthcare to make them free from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. She informed that 1.8 million women were infected with HIV last year alone. In Africa, teenage girls are five times more likely to be infected than boys of the same age-group.

She called upon all to build on the newfound awareness and momentum for women’s rights in Afghanistan to increase support for the rights of women and girls around the world and to remove the barriers that block their participation and potential.

"There can be no justification for violating and oppressing women," she said.

She further stated that, at the request of Afghanistan’s Interim Minister of Public Health, UNFPA is providing support to rehabilitate the reproductive healthcare system in Afghanistan and save women’s lives.

"Past experience shows that when women are empowered through equitable laws, policies and programmes that expand education, healthcare ad gainful employment, the benefits extend beyond the individual. Families are better off and so are nations," she said.

Plans for Achham rehabilitation demanded

Kathmandu, Mar. 8 (RSS): A discussion programme was held at the Ministry of Local Development in the context of rebuilding the structures damaged completely by Maoist terrorists on February 16 and restoring essential services immediately.

Secretary at the ministry Udayaraj Soti initiated the discussion programme attended by HMG agencies, representatives of all the donor agencies, and national and international organisations.

MPs from Achham Govinda Bahadur Shah, Ram Bahadur Bista and Akkal Bahadjur Bista called for undertaking of joint work by one and all while DDC chairman Krishna Prasad Jaishi presented the details of the damage and the immediate, short-term and long-term plans formulated for rehabilitation. He called upon governmental organisations and donor agencies for their cooperation.

At the programme, all the donor agencies and governmental organisations expressed commitment to providing immediate cooperation.

A decision was taken to constitute a central coordination committee under the convenorship of the Ministry of Local Development and a district level coordination committee under the convenorship of the DDC chairman.

It was also agreed that the concerned bodies will take initiatives to operate helicopter services at the headquarters and air services at Sanfebagar, provide banking services at the district headquarters and make the Sanfe-Mangalsen road motorable.

At the programme, Home Ministry joint secretary Tika Dutta Niraula said that HMG had allocated Rs 5 million for the rehabilitation of Achham district.

At the meeting, a request was made on behalf of the Ministry of Finance to make adjustments in the budget and accord priority to rehabilitating and restoring essential services and facilities.