PM to address nation today

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 2: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahdur Chand will make an address to the nation at 7:45 P.M. tomorrow. The address will be broadcast live by the Nepal Television and the Radio Nepal.

Newspaper representatives meet Chand

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 2: Representative of Scola TV of the United States of America Santosh Shah and correspondents of the newspaper 'Today's Youth' published by an organisation of literature and journalism students from various schools met with Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand today.
During the meeting, the representative and correspondents briefly interviewed the Prime Minister on inter-relations between the Prime Minister and today's Nepalese youth, the Prime Minister's literary life, how to positively inspire the young generation towards nation building and development and how youths could cooperate with the Prime Minister in national development.

Kripa Rana, Serene Shrestha, Shreyen Poudel, Amrita Shakya, Nishav Mainali and Angfurba Sherpa participated in the meeting.

South Asian Health Ministers meet Devkota

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 2: Health Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Howsain called on Health Minister Dr. Upendra Devkota at his office today.

Discussion was held on the common issues of health sector and matter of mutual interests during the meeting.

Bangladeshi Health Minister was here to attend the high level South Asian conference on accelerating momentum against HIV/AIDS in South Asia to be held in Kathmandu from tomorrow.

Similarly, Health Minister of Maldives Ahmad Abdullah paid a courtesy call on Health Minister Dr. Upendra Devkota at the Ministry of Health today.

During the meet, they discussed matters of bilateral concern and mutual interest.

The Health Minister of the Maldives is here to take part in the high level South Asian Conference Concerning HIV/AIDS beginning tomorrow.

Intellectuals stress lasting political outlet

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 2: As the peace talks between the government and the Maoists Party heads towards taking shape, intellectuals have stressed on a lasting political outlet of the present crisis.
Sharing views with the media at an interaction organised by Reporter's Club, Nepali Congress leader Chakra Prasad Bastola said that the talks should zero in on the political settlement of the problem. He said that a cease-fire and political solution are different things.

Insisting that political ideology could never be compromised, Bastola said a give-and-take could take place only if it leads to the solution of the problem. On how parties could cooperate for the success of the talks, he said, "All sides should respond seriously to the issue."

The talks with the Maoists last time ended without a breakthrough since both the negotiating sides lacked clear agenda, said Bastola.

Leftist intellectual Padma Ratna Tuladhar, who also served as an intermediary in the previous talks, said the code of conduct for the talks should be devised and honoured by both the sides for a fruitful result. The last talks were mired in crisis of confidence due to factors such as continuation of extortion and armed rallies by the rebels and army mobilisation by the government. Therefore, confidence-building measures must precede talks, Tuladhar added.

Ruling out the success of the talks in absence of the cooperation of the parliamentary parties, Tuladhar said those parties on their part should come up with an unambiguous point of view.
Shyam Shrestha, another Left analyst, said the talks should proceed by taking the lessons of the past. He warned against any kind of propaganda, which would only protract the negotiation process. "The talks are not going to be the concerns of the two parties alone as the state, government, political parties, civil society and the Maoists are the equal stakeholders," he added.

Businessman Banbari Lal Mittal made an appeal to handle the crisis sensibly for the economic future of the nation because, saying peace is prerequisite for unobstructed economic progress. Generation of employment opportunities could bring the frustrated and misled youths to the right track, Mittal stated.

Negotiation mediator Dr. Birendra Shrestha Jhapali said that a few rounds talks that has thawed the ice have already been held between the government and the Maoists. He believed that the formal negotiation will start soon. The former Leftist worker disclosed that he is now affiliated with the Samata Party headed by Minister Narayan Singh Pun. Considering the sensitivity of the issue, he will not remain outspoken but will keep on working quietly to make the talks a success.

Another peace talks intermediary Dadhi Ram Lamichhane said he played a role to bring the government and the Maoists to the negotiating table. He said a successful conclusion of the talks depends on the contribution of all the concerned sectors, including the political parties.

'Economic sector should be given priority'

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BHADRAPUR, Feb. 2: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Mahesh Lal Pradhan has said all should reform the character for the development of the country.

Speaking at a programme organised by Jhapa Chambers of Commerce here today he said economic sector should be given priority for the development of the country.

His Majesty's Government is effortful to resolve the problems of the industry sector he said adding that the local level businessmen should resolve the local problems locally.

The ceasefire between the government and the Maoists is the achievement of the present government and the role of all political parties and the civil society will be very important to make the talks successful.

Acting president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) Binod Bahadur Shrestha said the FNCCI is committed to work for the welfare of the small entrepreneurs.

PM to lead Nepalese team to NAM summit

By Bhuwaneshor Sharma

KATHMANDU, Feb.2: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand will attend the 13th Non-Aligned Movement Summit scheduled in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur from February 20-25.
"The Prime Minister will be leading the Nepalese delegation to the summit as the head of the government," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Narendra Bikram Shah today. However, official announcemnt is yet to be made.

Altogether heads of the states and governments from 114 NAM member nations are expected to gather at the Malaysian capital.

The NAM was constituted during the days of the Cold War as a third force in global politics to the Western capitalist group and communist bloc, led by the former Soviet Union. But with the Cold War over and the collapse of communism in the former Soviet Union and east Europe, this group of the mostly developing countries of the Third World is increasingly seen as irrelevant in the present unipolar world.

"Still as 114 nations are seeing its relevance and attending the summit, how can we deny its significance," said Foreign Minister Shah to The Rising Nepal.

The summit will pass a declaration and identify new issues and agenda to suit the changed global context, he said.

The Kuala Lumpur summit is likely to focus on terrorism at its central theme because terrorism has victimised many of the NAM member nations. "The summit will discuss on how developing countries could cooperate to combat the terror," Malaysian foreign minister is quoted as saying by AFP, the French news agency.

But Nepal's former foreign minister Shailendra Kumar Upadhyaya has a different opinion on its relevance. "The movement should be given a new name. And, it should identify issues of contemporary significance to reactivate it," he said.

He even said to rename the movement and to focus on economic progress of the developing nations and disarmament if it is to be revived in the changed global context.

At a time when the growing stockpiling of arm by the poor countries and their economic backwardness have been the new threats to the world, the movement could be renamed as 'disarmament movement', he said. "Terrorism does not fall under the agenda of NAM," he added.
The 12th NAM summit was held in Durban, South Africa in 1998. The summit's final document had pointed out at the need of combatting terrorism.

Parties welcome ceasefire

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 2: The central working committee of the Nepali Janata Dal (NJD) that met yesterday has welcomed the ceasefire declared by His Majesty's Government and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and the peace talks between the two sides.

The meeting has come up with the view that general elections should be held in the country on a party basis by doing away with the hegemony of individualism on the basis of policy and programme that gives priority to national interests.

This is stated in a press statement issued by the party today. The press statement is jointly signed by the Dal's general secretary Ram Kumar Ojha, chief general secretary Hari Charan Saha and president Ramdulari Devi.

Similarly, in Ratnanagar, general secretary of People's Front Nepal Nava Raj Subedi has said the Maoists have done good to the country and people by declaring ceasefire.

Speaking at an interaction programme on 'empasse to the present political crisis and constituent assembly' organised here yesterday by People's Front Nepal Chitwan District Committee, general secretary Subedi said the dialogue to be held between the Maoists and the government in the days ahead should be a conclusive one.

The District Committee vice-chairman Dambar Puri on the occasion said detailed discussions should be held on whether the constituent assembly is appropriate at the present context.

Meanwhile, the need for the announcement of the ceasefire and the ensuing talks between the government and the CPN-Maoists to reach a decisive stage to restore peace in the country was pointed out at a programme held here today.

The Rastriya Ekata Parishad (National Unity Council) pointed out the need for civic society to make effort to ensure that the ceasefire and the ensuing peace talks between the government and the Maoists turn out to be fruitful.

President of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Rastravadi) said that talks should focus on the interest of the people by considering that party interest is insignificant.

CPN-ML (Reorganisation) Convenor C. P. Mainali said that talks held with a powerful government with the participation of the political parties responsible to the people could resolve the issue.

Council Convenor Niksha Shumsher JB Rana expressed the view that the talks should focus on preserving the Monarchy and maintaining national norms and values intact.

Kaman Singh Lama of the Council and President of the Guardians Association Suprabhat Bhandari also expressed their views at the programme.

RNAC probe report blames malpractices for loss

By Kishore K.C.

KATHMANDU, Feb. 2: "One of the major reasons why RNAC, the national flag carrier is financially broke is while tickets are not made available to passengers, planes keep on flying empty," a preliminary report prepared by a task force to probe into the irregularities of RNAC has revealed.
His Majesty's Government had constituted the task force in January which includes the employees of the airlines.

"Since the planes fly empty and while passengers fail to get tickets, it is costing Royal Nepal Airlines tens of millions of rupees annually," says the report. "Passengers complain there is a group within the airlines that is active in preventing passengers from buying tickets."

Although the report has not been made public, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Kuber Sharma admitted that the report has been submitted. "After studying it in detail, I have instructed the concerned authorities to carry out the necessary reforms," he told the Gorkhapatra, the sister publication of The Rising Nepal.

But Executive Director of RNAC Krishna Bikram Poudel said he was unaware of the report. "However, the need of the hour is to put RNAC on the right track. And the management will leave no stone unturned to see that the suggestions given by the commission are implemented," he said.
According to the Ministry, the report submitted by the coordinator of the task force, Gobardhan Khadka, has given the real picture of the functioning of RNAC as well as the irregularities and leakages in the corporation set up in 1958.

"The report has blamed employees and agents of 'malpractice' for flying the planes empty and for not making tickets available to passengers. There is an urgent need for effective monitoring of the Central Reservation System to end this predicament," sources in the RNAC say.

It has recommended keeping details on booked tickets in the financial and other departments to resolve the anomalies and aberrations.

The report admits the public complaints that there is rampant irregularity in the transportation of excess baggage of the passengers. "If this irregularity is checked, the corporation can make additional profit of Rs. 100 million annually."

"I am in favour of making the collection of excess baggage systematic and practical," says Paudel.
The task force has drawn the attention to the massive misuse of lost tickets (which are kept on the black list) of RNAC and other airlines. The corporation can check the loss of millions of rupees more in revenue if particular attention is paid to this aspect, says the report.

The practice of not accepting receipts of goods sent to its different branches suggests that there are high chances of leakages in the corporation.

The report has pointed out a number of problems posing as obstacles to the effective management of the national flag carrier.

The corporation has failed to provide proper service to foreign airlines as well as its passengers in the absence of computerised system and modern technology.

Its expenses are increasing because no proper attention is given to the logistical management of the employees working in the Dubai flights. It says that the performance of the Flight Review Committee of RNAC is not satisfactory, the transfer of its employees abroad is not on the basis of merit, and that it is incurring a big loss as it does not auction its old and useless goods in time.

Other shortcomings are the lack of implementation of specific management catering to the needs of its passengers and the need to immediately stop the distribution of overtime allowance of Rs. 55,000 per employee for a night's stoppage.

"The Ministry will take necessary measures immediately to implement the report since Minister Sharma has already instructed us to do so," says Riddhibaba Pradhan, Secretary at the Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), as per news items carried out by The Rising Nepal and the Gorkhapatra dailies two week ago, has intensified investigation into two European agents - Terence D'Adventure and Bright Sun Travels - for irregularly distributing 272 air tickets. The CIAA had filed a suit against them two years ago.

State of child health alarming: Khapangi

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 2: The child mortality rate in Nepal is 64 per l,000 for children below the age of one year and 91 per l,000 for those below five years.

According to data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, 48.35 per cent of children below the age of five are underweight and about 50 per cent of them die due to malnutrition.

This information was given by Dr Dharma Sharan Manandhar in a working paper titled "Health Situation of Children in Nepal" presented at a seminar organised on the occasion of the l2th annual general meeting of the Child Development Society.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Gore Bahadur Khapangi, inaugurating the seminar, said that the state of children's health is alarming because of illiteracy, poverty and the lack of awareness.

Expressing commitment to making all out effort to save children from untimely death, he pointed out the need for everyone concerned to make earnest endeavour to reduce the infant and child mortality rate in the country.

President of the Child Development Society Sharad Sharma, presiding over the function, said that the declaration of the ceasefire has brought relief to 90 per cent of the children in the rural areas.
Joint secretary at the Ministry of Health Dr. Chhatra Amatya and general secretary of the Child Development Society Chapala Koirala also expressed their views on the occasion.

South Asian conference on AIDS to kick off today

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 2: South Asia is becoming a fertile ground for rapid spread of HIV infections. Several socio-economic factors such as poverty, low levels of literacy, gender inequality and increased mobility make people vulnerable to a large-scale epidemic.

A 2-day South Asia high level conference on accelerating the momentum in the fight against HIV/AIDS in South Asia starts tomorrow. The conference brings together ministers, policy-makers and politicians from the seven SAARC countries and Afghanistan, representatives from NGOs and workers involved in HIV/AIDS and multi-lateral partners.

Other personalities participating in the conference are Carol Bellamy, Director General of UNICEF, and Dr. Nafis Sadek, UN General Secretary's envoy for HIV/AIDS in South Asia.

The conference is hosted by His Majesty's Government in partnership with UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia and UNAIDS. Minister for Health Dr. Upendra Devkota will be leading the Nepalese delegation and he will be presenting a paper on the current state of HIV in Nepal and the steps taken by the government to control it.

As curtain raiser to the conference a photo exhibition and documentary film was shown in Kathmandu today. Inaugurating the photo exhibition Ms. Bellamy said that although the prevalence of HIV in the region may be low, but the number of people with HIV is very high.

The photographs displayed at the exhibition shows the various facets of HIV situation in South Asia from commercial sex workers, general people and children.

The pictures show the expressions, both in picture and words, of the people who are either already infected by HIV or those of the high risk group, tell the pain, anguish and the fear to come out in the open, and their quest for a normal life.

A documentary 'Untold Stories of Kathmandu' was also screened at the opening of the conference. The 26-minute documentary, directed by Alex Gabbay, portrays the other side of Kathmandu the life of young people, who think the society does not care for them, people with normal lives and families but unnatural sexual behaviour such as homosexuality, and girls earns their living by dancing in restaurants.

Speaking at the opening Dr. Sidig Rasheed, Regional Director for UNICEF South Asia, said that the conference will be an opportunity to work against HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, as chief guest said it would be too dangerous for not breaking the silence. "Openness on the issue of HIV/AIDS will enable young people to make more choices and right choices.

The Conference expects to bring out 'The Kathmandu Call for Accelerated Action Against HIV/AIDS for immediate implementation of an accelerated, broader action agenda for HIV/AIDS prevention and care in the region to meet the goals and targets set at the UN General Assembly's Special Session on HIV/AIDS; and to devise a modality for monitoring the progress made in meeting the goals and targets set at the UN Special Session in June 2001.

Closed-door session to resolve UML's intra-party dispute

By K.P. Gautam

JANAKPUR, Feb. 2: Keeping aside its controversy over changing the party's organisational structure and the future leadership, the on-going seventh general convention of the CPN-UML is still dialectic whether constituent assembly was essential for relieving the country from the seven-year-long Maoist problem.

However, the party is expected to settle its intra-party dispute by tomorrow. In today's close-session, party's immediate past general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal presented his political and organisational report.

Earlier, K.P. Oli, Nepal's main rival for the party's top job, has put forth is differing opinion on Nepal's report in the central committee meeting. But after Madhav Kumar Nepal proposed the same report in the close-door session today, Oli formally put forth his differences along with other six general convention representatives.

''Oli took 50 minutes to elaborate his points challenging Nepal's organisational concept of the party. He talked more of the party maters than politics,'' a general convention representative told this reporter.

''He said that the party's decision regarding the approval of the proposal of the extension of the emergency period by the then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has caused a heavy set back to the part of the party's future plans,'' coordinator of the information department of the convention Ishwor Pokharel quoted Oli as saying.

Those, who presented their views against Nepal's political and organisational agenda included Shankar Pokharel, Mukunda Neupane, Raghuji Pant, Bhim Bahadur Rawal and Keshav Lal Shrestha. They objected to Nepal perception regarding the constituent assembly.

Mukunda Neupane, Bhim Bahadur Rawal and Raghuji Pant are against the constituent assembly while the rest said that the party should decide the case after a brainstorming debate.
A party source disclosed that there would be ten different groups to discuss about the agenda tomorrow and their findings would be the deciding factor of the party's political agenda and organisational framework.

Corruption will be eleminated: Shah

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BHAIRAHAWA, Feb. 2: Assistant Minister for Local Development Asarfi Shah has said that the government is making efforts to eliminate corruption that has afflicted the administrative machinery following the restoration of democracy.

Inaugurating the food research laboratory built with the cooperation of GTZ, UDLE and Siddharthnagar Municipality at Bhairahawa today, Assistant Minister Shah said, "the corruption that was thriving in the country since the last few years has been on the decrease after the present government assumed office."

Stating that if the food research laboratory is properly utilised people would have food items of high standard, he called upon the municipality to take measures to see to it that the public is provided unadulterated food items.

President of Siddharthanagar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Omkar Gauchan said there would be no meaning in the development of Lumbini if the Development of Siddharthanagar also does not take place.

CDO Himnath Dawadi, ex-mayor Sagar Pratap Rana and a host of other speakers also expressed their views at the function chaired by Local Development Officer Hira Raj Regmi.

Food items to be sold in the municipality will be tested at the laboratory built close to Sidhartha Gyan Mandir which houses the Municipality library.

Assistant Minister Shah also initiated a four-week awareness campaign being launched by the employees association of the municipality with the objective of keeping the town clean.