Samacharpatra news denied

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Oct 25: The High Level Judiciary Commission for the investigation of Property has reproached and censured a new report published in today's issue Nepal Samacharpatra that said the properties of the incumbent ministers will not be investigated.

In its prompt reaction, the commission called the news report as baseless, misleading and fabricated said it tried to give a wrong and negative impression of the commission's functioning and dignity. A press statement of the commission said nothing of that sort has been discussed in the commission.
It said the report that mentioned about a source at the commission, has asked the newspaper to disclose its source, and asked the media to honour the people's right to information through correct and accurate information.

Stone crusher children tell their woes

By Bishnu Prasad Aryal

DHADING, Oct.25: All the children, who crush rocks into gravel on the banks of Agara and Mahesh rivers in Dhading, about 40 kilometers north of Kathmandu, have tales of woes and sufferings, but also hope for the future. Many of them, especially boys, go to school during the day and work in the quarry in the morning and after the school.

"Our house collapsed a year after my father died six years ago. Since then we have been living in a hut under the bridge," said 10-year-old Murali Pariyar of Thakre. He is studying in Class 3 at the local Jana Jagriti Primary School. "I break the stones in the mornings and evenings so that I can buy pencils and copies." Pariyar wants to study up to Class 12 and join the army to serve the nation.
The boy lives with his 43-year-old mother and an elder sister, who also work on the quarry. "Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to keep our body and soul together," said his sister, 17, who quit her studies after primary school.

Bikash Lama, 12, was barely five when his mother eloped after his father died. An old woman has been looking after him and his younger sister. His sister dropped out after one year in school. Now she looks after others' children, and he studies in Class 3 at the local school.

"Sometimes, I cry when I think of my father," said Lama. But he expressed remorse at his father who used to beat him until she ran away with another man. He hopes to become a good teacher some day.

Punya Kumar Shrestha, 14, of Mahadev Besi is another stone crusher. He studies in Class 7 at Mahakali Secondary School, Simle. He is also a member of the Rhedodandrum Child Club, which works to raise awareness about girl trafficking and educate children. The club was opened by the working children themselves.

His family had migrated to Kathmandu from Ilam in east Nepal, unable to stand the hard times. The family has made the stone quarry their home. Other members of the family work on the owner's land and get half of what is produced.

Shrestha edits the wallpaper published by the club. Says he, "What I earn by working in the quarry in the mornings and evenings pays for my stationery." He has even stood first in his class. He wants to become a journalist.

There are a total of 1,367 children like Lama, Pariyar and Shrestha who crush stones for a living in Dhading. But despite the hardship, most of them have an opportunity to attend school, thanks to some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating here.

The Jana Jagriti Primary School, established two years ago by Child Development Society (CDS) with the assistance of ILO/ International Program for Elimination for Child Labour (IPEC), for instance, has 515 students. Most of them crush stones before and after the school.

The stone quarries here have become the centre of attraction for not only the poor people of Dhading, but also from other parts, including the Terai. Some have even come here from as far as India. Apart from children, there are 2,500 adults who work here. "Around 50 per cent of these people are migrants, while the rest are from the surrounding areas", said Gokarna Rupakheti, a local social worker.

"What worries us is how these children will continue with their studies as they get older," said Gunjeshwar Neupane of the CDS. At present the children are compelled to spend their childhood on the banks of the rivers, which are known to overflow during monsoon. As they grow older, others will take their place that is until and unless poverty is tackle.

Right activists call for peace talks

By Indra Adhikari

KATHMANDU, Oct. 25: Speakers at an interaction programme on the role of civil society at the present political condition stressed for peace talks with Maoist to end the dwindling political scenario, today.

The peace talk does not have alternative to end the present deteriorating political situation of the country. The programme was organised by the NGO Federation Nepal. Sushil Pyakurel, member of Human Rights Commission said that it was because of the vested interest of the politicians, country is facing the present unexpected situation. "There is law but no one seems to be obeying it," he said. Political parties, both in power or in opposition, think everything they do is correct and constitutional. They formulate rules to suit their interests," he said.

He also blamed the intellectuals for being partisan and not working actively to solve the problems faced by the country. The Maoist insurgency and their counteract by the security forces have deprived people of their fundamental rights - to education, food and health, he said.

President of Human Rights and Social Justice Forum Dr. Bhogendra Sharma said that the violation of human rights started soon after the people mandated government came in power after 1990. "It is the government and the Maoists who are waging wars but it is the civilians, who are caught in the cross-fire," he said.

President of the Institute of Human Rights and Communication, Nepal Shova Gautam said that the political parties have lost the faith of the people. While the Nepali Congress is the main culprit, the UML and others are not less to be blamed for the present situation, she said. "The civil society and the media are also losing the people's confidence as it has failed to remain an active and efficient watchdog," she said.

Former Speaker of the House of Representative Damannath Dungana said that if the political parties had made mistakes and done wrongs, the people should be given chance to punish them - the King should not have stepped on to seek the solution.

He chastised the political parties for being scared to go to the election. "Insurgency and civil war have not disturbed elections in any country. Nepal would not be an exception to that," Dhungana said.
Human Rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar said that only after the peace talks other mistakes can be correct.

He said that after the statement of Dr. Henning Karcher that the UN is ready to mediate for peace talk, Maoist sources have contacted him for confirmation. President of the NGO Federation Gauri Pradhan quipped that we send our armymen to establish peace in other countries, let not there be a situation of foreign soldiers coming to Nepal for keeping peace.

Terrorists loot Beltar Bazar in Udayapur

By Our Correspondent

UDAYAPUR, Oct. 25: For four hours on Friday morning armed men created terror at Beltar Bazar of Udayapur district by taking the whole market area under their control and looting every trader they could lay their hands on. When the ordeal ended they had looted about Rs.1.2 million.

The armed terrorists, calling themselves as belonging to Khumbuwan National Liberation Front, took siege of the market from 6 to 10 in the morning and extorted money from each trader.  Local people say the armed men restricted the people from going out of the area and collected money from every trader and shopkeepers. "They did not even let go Rs. 20 and the maximum they looted Rs.200,000."
They had cut off the telephone line and blockaded the road to the market by using two buses as roadblocks at the two entry points of the market. District chief of the Nepal Telecommunications Corporation Ramakanta Chaudhary said the market is out of communication link after the Maoists cut off the local VHF phone lines.

Deputy Superintendent at Police of the Udayapur police office said that he would give details only after the personnel duputed to the site returned. This was the first such attack at the market, but it has left the whole market and the trades shaken and shocked.

Meanwhile in Baglung, Maoist terrorists murdered Prem Bahadur Thapa, former chairman of Rajkut VDC ward No. 8, at 9 p.m. On October 19.  The former ward chairman belonging to the RPP was dragged out of his house and taken to a nearby place where he was slit to death, CDO Prem Narayan Sharma said.  Likewise, the Maoist terrorists have abducted the joint secretary of the burtibang area committee of the All Nepal National Free Students Union (United) Tejendra Thapa. ANNFSU (United) district ad hoc committee has issued a press statement seeking immediate release of Tejendra Thapa with dignity.

Janamukti party supports government

RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct. 25: The Rastriya Janamukti Party has expressed its support to the present Council of Ministers. The two-day meeting of the party's central working committee that concluded here today has reached to a conclusion that as Article 128 of the Constitution is a transitional provision, the constitution of an all party government under cause 2 of the article as demanded by other parties is not feasible.

Stating that there is no provision in the constitution for reconstitution of the parliament or constitution of an all party government, the meeting also concluded that the demands made to that end are unconstitutional. The meeting for a balanced development policy that should represent the indigenous, nationalities and Dalits as much as possible and to amend the constitution to give complete autonomy to the local bodies in matters relating to development, construction and administration at the local level.

As the Maoist problem is a political problem both the sides-government and Maoists-should declare a cease fire and resolve the problem through dialogue, the meeting said, adding that the party is ready to play a mediating role in peaceful resolution of the problem. The party has also called for sternest possible action against the corrupt at all levels of the society. Party's central president M.S. Thapa presided.

Follow up units constituted

RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct. 25: The Ministry of Information and Communications has stated that a follow-up unit has been constituted under the convenorship of joint secretary at the Ministry Hari Prasad Nepal and he has been designated to work as the official responsible as focal point to follow up on services and facilities to be provided to the people as well as programmes to be implemented by the ministry and departments, corporations, committees, authorities, council, boards and offices under it.

The ministry has requested all the concerned to dial telephone Nos. 244771 and 22556, or fax at fax No. 227310 or send e-mail at moicpl@cesl.com.np in case of any complaints about the work and activities of the Ministry and all bodies under it.

Likewise Kathmandu, the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives has designated joint secretary at the monitoring and evaluation division Suresh Kumar Barma as the focal point for entertaining the complaints of the public about the service provided by the Ministry and entities under it and for seeking prompt remedies.

Similarly, the Ministry of Land Reforms and Management has designated joint secretary at the Ministry Bharat Mani Risal the chief officer (focal point) to undertake regular monitoring of the necessary matters to make the services provided to the people more standard and effective.

Provision has been made for a senior under-secretary and officer each from the departments under the ministry at the monitoring cell constituted with the joint secretary as the convenor, the ministry has stated.  The team will inform of the matters such as the standard of service, time taken, and fee, and also make immediate provisions for the redressal of grievances after hearing it.

The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare has designated joint secretary at the Ministry Hiramani Bhandari the focal point to provide services of the ministry and the organisations under it to the people in a simplified, transparent and effective manner, initiate action on the complaints lodged and make the details of progress of development projects public, it is stated in a statement issued here today.