Youths vital force for peace, progress: Deuba

Kathmandu, Mar. 18 (RSS): Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said it is necessary for all the youths to always remain ready to safeguard Nepal and the lives and property of the Nepalese people.

Prime Mimister and Defence Minister Deuba made this remark while addressing a function organised at the Royal Nepalese Army headquarters to mark the 37th National Cadet Corps anniversary and 28th junior division batch passing out parade today.

The youth force plays a very vital role in development of any country, Deuba said, adding that proper utilisation of the existing valuable youth force plays a decisive role in the development of the country.

The dreams of the country depends on the determination of the youths, he said, adding that education, sincerity and discipline provide special vigour to create this determination.

Deuba urged the junior division cadets to carry out their sense of duty from their respective places as their hard work can contribute to the development of the country.

All the security forces are working with great enthusiasm for the welfare of the country, people and democracy, he said, adding the whole country is united against the terrorists.

The national cadet corps has rendered a noteworthy service to the nation by training the youths under such a situation, Deuba said, expressing the confidence that the competent and trained youths will alway be ready to safeguard the country.

On the occasion Prime Minister and Defence Minister Deuba gave away prizes to the national cadet corps winning in various events and letters of commendations to the principals of the participating schools.

Presenting the annual progress report, chief advisor of the National Cadet Corps colonel Girban Bikram Shah said that the national cadet corps has the objective of developing a feeling of national unity and nationalism among the students by making them good citizens who are always ready to serve the country, king and the people without any selfish interest.

He said that about 500 students are provided training in social, military and other practical aspects every year.

Three more bodies of terrorists found in destroyed camp

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Mar. 18: Security forces today recovered three more bodies of the terrorists gunned down Sunday at the Maoist training centre in Gumchal of Rolpa as the forces continued their extensive search operation in the area.

According to the Defence Ministry, the so-called trainer working with the Maoist terrorist outfit known as ‘Basant’ was among those killed in the army action. The number of Maoist casualties has risen to 65 in the biggest ever operation in Gumchal. A joint team of soldiers and police, in a major offensive, had mowed down 62 terrorists at the training site Sunday morning.

Defence sources said the terrorists had used cowsheds for training purposes and had conducted the training by constructing different types of wooden ladders, monkey crawls, vertical ropes, wooden beams and trenches. There were also a large number of women trainers in the camp.

The forces have discovered that the terrorists had slaughtered cows to meet their dietary needs. The law of the land has banned the killing of a cow, the national animal. A large quantity of weapons, combat dresses, different types of bombs, big bags and other logistics were recovered from the place.

Meanwhile, the security personnel killed one terrorist in Ghamir area of Gulmi on Sunday. The terrorist was involved in setting up an ambush against the security forces, Defence sources said.

Probe Panel to complete task in time: Lamsal

Kathmandu, Mar. 18 (RSS): Chairman of the Judicial Commission for Investigation of Property Bhairav Prasad Lamsal has expressed the belief that the Commission will, by remaining within its jurisdiction, complete the task entrusted to it within the stipulated time.

Talking to RSS after a swearing in ceremony at the Commission’s office today, Chairman Lamsal said the main task of the Commission will be to collect statements on properties registered in the names of those falling under the already set criteria and their families and this marks the start of the Commission’s work.

Once such statements are collected the commission will investigate them, prepare a list of those whose property statements do not mention reasonable sources and submit a report to the government along with the Commission’s opinions, he said.

As per the relevant law, the Commission’s internal activities will be kept confidential, Lamsal said, adding the Commission will carry out investigation in exercise of the rights given by the Enquiry Commission Act.

He also made it clear that if the Commission is informed about properties, which are not included in the property statements collected by the Commission, it can investigate such properties also.

The Commission started its work from today and as decided at its first meeting deputy attorney general at the office of the Attorney General Krishna Ram Shrestha has been appointed secretary of the Commission, he said.

Reiterating his commitment to completing the task within six months, the Chairman appealed for the cooperation of political parties, civil society, intellectuals, journalists and people in general in the success of the Commission’s work.

He made it clear that the Commission has been entrusted with the task of investigating properties and submitting a report to the government; it does not have the authority to file cases at courts of law.

Railway expansion deal expected during PM’s visit

By Kedar Bhattarai

Kathmandu, Mar. 18: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s forthcoming India visit beginning Wednesday is expected to be instrumental in strengthening the age-old relations between Nepal-India.

During the visit, according to the senior officials at the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supplies (MoICS), both the countries will discuss the possibilities of expanding the railway line between the two countries. The visit will help to break the ice regarding the expansion of the railway line.

It may be recalled that the broad-gauged railway line has already in existence to facilitate inland container depot at Birgunj dry-port.

Though the construction of the Birgunj dry port has been completed a year ago, it has not come into operation due to delay in the agreement on the railway expansion between Nepal and India. The World Bank (WB) had provided the assistance for the extension of the railway line from Raxaul (India) to Birgunj (Nepal).

According to His Majesty’s Government officials and industrialists, delay in operation of the railway line has caused Nepal the loss of millions of rupees. Though the officials agreed to conduct the railway service to Sirsiya (Birgunj) from the railway station at Raxaul in July 2001, the delay in the renewal of the Nepal-India Trade Treaty had caused a further obstacle to strike a deal on the railway agreement, say officials.

"However, at a time when the Nepal-India Trade Treaty has already been renewed, there should be an agreement on railway extension", says Purshottam Ojha, Joint Secretary at the MoICS.

Ojha referring to the Secretary level talks held in New Delhi in March 2, informed The Rising Nepal that the Prime Minister’s visit this time will help strike a deal on that issue.

The process of transferring the management of the dry port to private sector is underway.

Surya Manandhar, executive director of the Nepal Inter Model Yatayat Development Committee indicates the possibility of reaching the agreement on the railway line.

According to Manandhar the agreements for handing the management of the dry ports at Biratnagar and Bhairahawa have already been reached. Further works will be carried out about handling the management of the Birgunj dry port if the deal on the railway is made during the visit.

Lawmakers put PM’s visit to India on focus

Kathmandu, Mar. 18 (RSS): MPs speaking during special time at the House of Representatives today drew the attention of the government to issues including the Prime Minister’s India visit, the SLC examination to be held from Chait 20, law and order and the Maoist problem.

Deputy leader of the CPN-UML K.P. Sharma Oli demanded information on the agenda of the India visit which is to begin on Chait 7.

He demanded the PM’s views on border encroachment, the presence of the Indian army at Kalapani, the Laxmanpur, Khurdlotan and Purnagiri dams, the Rapti embankment, inundation in Nepali territory caused by these dams and crime and smuggling in the border area.

He asked for the reason behind the failure for so long to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Pancheswor project which was to have been prepared in six months, and the reason behind the Indian desire to build a dam at Purnagiri instead of Rupalgadh as per the treaty and added that review of the 1950 treaty between the two countries should also be raised during the visit.

Speaker Ranabhat then drew the attention of the Prime Minister on this.

Ram Bahadur Bista of Nepali Congress said the Maoist call for a 5-day bandh coinciding with the SLC examination which begins on Chait 20 has placed in doubt the future of hundreds of thousands of children and demanded information for parents regarding the examination in time.

He said as the people in Achham are still under the shadow of fear, law and order should be consolidated through coordination between the army and police.

Netralal Shrestha of the RPP said the government has destroyed the educational sector by transfering teachers on various pretexts and demanded that teachers be provided for schools from where such transfers have been made.

Lilamani Pokhrel of the SJM asked why it was that Shyam Shrestha, editor of the Mulyankan monthly, and others were arrested while going to take part in a Delhi meeting although it is said that the emergency is aimed at the Maoists.

He said the Maoists have not done good by killing people who were in mourning including in Dang, but asked what was the rational behind the security forces firing at Bhesh Raj Sharma Sigdel of Ramnagar VDC in Mahottari who was in mourning for the death of his mother on Chait 1.

Raghuji Pant of CPN-UML said at a time when the Prime Minister is to visit India, news reports are that his cabinet members are to table a no-confidence motion when he returns. He asked what was the meaning of the visit when his Prime Ministership is in question.

He said he should go to India with a strong consensus on matters of national interests.

Ram Bahadur Gurung of NC said some terrorists have destroyed the house of ex-vice chairman of Chandreswor VDC in Lamjung district by torching it and demanded search for and action against the terroists and relief to the vicitims.

He demanded proper arrangements for the SLC examination as it can be affected by the so-called Nepal bandh, and for making passports available in each district.

Pradip Kumar Gyawali of CPN-UML said all the major parties of the country have made public their ideas on the amendment of the constitution and the ruling party has also directed the government in this connection, and asked why the process has not been moved ahead. If the government tries to patch up the situation, an accident can occur, he added.

Ram Kumar Chaudhari of NC said the Prime Minister should raise the issues of inundation by the Koshi Barrage and Khado river each summer season affecting thousands of bighas of land in 10-12 VDCs of Saptari district.

Sherdhan Rai of the CPN-UML said the government should make proper arrangements for the smooth running of the SLC examination, it should not be run at the district headquarters alone and attention should be given to the fact that examinees are compelled to even pay bribes for getting rooms on rent.

Lekhnath Neupane of NC said the national crisis has also been reflected in the industrial sector and demanded compulsory the use of Nepali paper in government offices so as to encourage the Nepali paper industry.

Nawaraj Subedi of RJM said the security forces, taking advantage of the emergency, have arrested and tortured RJM workers and demanded a constitutional committee to investigate the excesses by security forces against more than one dozen workers of his party in Baglung and Banke districts.

HURON to launch initiatives to end violence

Kathmandu, Mar. 18 (RSS): The Human Rights Organisation, Nepal (HURON) is taking special initiative to create conditions for talks again between the government and the Maoists in a bid to free the country from the vicious cycle of violence and killings.

Addressing a press conference organised by HURON here today, its President Sudip Pathak called for the permanent ending of violence in the country. He added that since continuation of the present state of affairs would endanger the very existence of the country, the sides concerned need to reach understanding on a common minimum point.

He pointed out that during the last four months’ period, productivity had declined by 70 per cent, some 600,000 jobs had been lost, migration had increased by 60 per cent and 50,000 youths had gone abroad.

A press release distributed on the occasion states that the organisation will visit all prisons and police detention centres across the country and make its report public in order to ensure that the present positive climate which is developing in the country is result-oriented. It will visit a minimum of 50 districts and monitor the human rights situation there and undertake special training camps on human rights and conflict management in all the five development regions.

The HURON press release has also called upon the Maoists to reconsider the Nepal Bandh general strike that they have called for April 2 to 6.

It was also disclosed at the press conference that a committee comprising HURON president Sudip Pathak, president of Nepal Bar Association Sindhunath Pyakurel and HURON advisor Malla K. Sundar will undertake special initiative on behalf of HURON to carry out necessary work for ending the situation of violence and killings in the country.

SAARC paediatric body meet concludes

Kathmandu, Mar. 18 (RSS): First conference of the Paediatric Association of SAARC countries (PAS) wound up here on Saturday after making a commitment for responsible mutual co-operation to work together for a healthier future of the children of SAARC countries.

About 170 delegates from SAARC and other countries participated in the conference. The papers and symposiums on different aspects of child health with special reference to SAARC region were highlighted by more than 70 speakers from Australia, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The conference covered a wide range of health problems of the neonates and children of SAARC countries.

Taking into account the similarities in the socio-economic, geographical and health aspects of the region, the conference decided to cater to health services and welfare of new-borns and children of SAARC countries.

The conference strongly endorsed the child health programmes like IMCI, essential new-born care, polio eradication, Vtamin ‘A’ supplementation, childhood immunisation, etc. implemented and supported by the governments, UN agencies and other international organisations.

The conference urges the paediatric association of member countries to whole-heartedly support these programmes.

The next annual conference of PAS will be held in Sri Lanka on 2003.

SAARC meet on social development kicks off

Kathmandu, Mar. 18 (RSS): First meeting of the technical committee on social development under SAARC began at the SAARC Secretariat today under the chairmanship of Aneesa Ahmed, Deputy Minister for Women’s Affairs and Social Security of the Maldives.

Thirty representatives from SAARC member countries are taking part in the three-day meeting that commenced at the SAARC Secretariat at the initiative of Maldives in line with a special provision of organising such a meeting at its secretariat if a member country of SAARC technical committees failed to organise its meeting in her own country.

On the occasion, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Arjun Jung Bahadur Singh underlined the need for moving hand in hand to yield tangible outcome on regional contemporary issues such as health, population, trafficking of narcotic drugs and its prevention and welfare schemes for children and women.

Singh also expressed the hope that the meeting would recommend concrete measures for doing away with social evils in the region taking into account the spirit and objectives of SAARC.

Reading out a message of the SAARC secretary general, Kesang Wangdi, director at SAARC Secretariat noted that the meeting aimed at holding extensive discussions on the identifying the social challenges cropping up in the SAARC member countries and initiating a sole or collective campaign to address these challenges.

The meeting will review the activities carried out for the welfare of children and women in the past, chart out a new course of action, and formulate necessary programmes in line with the resolutions adopted by the 11th SAARC Summit.

Investment board draws criticism

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Mar. 18: The Board of Investment (BoI) formed three months ago under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister has begun to draw criticism for failing to come up with concrete schemes to address the investment related problems.

The Board has not yet identified its areas of priority. Far from this, the Board has not even held a single meeting since its formation on December 11, 2001, an official at the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) told The Rising Nepal.

However, spokesman at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MoICS) Niranjan Baral said that the Board has made continuous efforts for the maximum participation of the development ministries including the Ministry of Local Development and Ministry of Water Resources.

The Board, which is under the MoICS, is trying to conceptualise the objectives of investment. Efforts are underway, spokesman Baral said.

Rajendra Kumar Khetan, second vice president of the FNCCI said that the Board should go ahead for achievement of its objectives. "We are very optimistic of it. And we realise the gravity of the current situation as well, but the work should go ahead," said Khetan.

The Board was formed with the objective of promoting investment and making it more transparent and reliable. In addition, the Board aimed to formulate a new policy
by reviewing the existing investment policy and maintain coordination between various governmental and non-governmental organisations.

Moreover, the Board aimed to identify the areas of priority sector for investment and monitor the activities related to the investment promotion.

According to officials at the MoICS, the Board is the first high-level committee of its kind to address the issues of investment and attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) for the economic development of the country.

The Board has the Minister for Industry Commerce and Supplies as its vice chairman. Other members of the Board are the Minister for Finance, Minister for Water Resources, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Vice Chairman
of the National Planning Commission (NPC), the Chief Secretary, the Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank and the President of the FNCCI. The Secretary at the MoICS is the member secretary.

According to the Board’s rules, the Prime Minister—the chairman of the Board—at the recommendation of the vice-chairman, can nominate three persons as the members of the board for the period of two years.