Rights team meet PM

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: A delegation of Amnesty International Nepal (AI-Nepal) and other human rights agencies led by AI-Nepal president Pradip Pokharel called on Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand today and apprised him of their views regarding the peace talks to be held under the present circumstances in the country.

Likewise, a delegation from Bajhang district led by former minister Bhim Rawal met Prime Minister Chand and informed him about various problems being faced by the people of Bajhang.
Also today, a delegation from Dang district led by former minister Baldev Majgainya and chief of Mahendra Multiple Campus Dr. Basanta Raj Sharma called on the Prime Minister and briefed him on the problems facing the campus.

Nepali man convicted in Japan wins media sympathy

From Our Correspondent

Tokyo, Feb. 13: Govinda Prasad Mainali, a Nepali who has been convicted by the Japanese High Court for murder and robbery, seems to have received sympathy from the Japanese media, if not from Japan's judiciary.

In a news story spread over five columns on Wednesday, The Japan Times, a leading English daily, tells Govinda's side of the story, as told by his elder brother Indra Prasad Mainali, in detail.
"How could he commit such a serious crime, risking his own life for a few hundred of dollars?" questioned the elder Mainali in the newspaper. He also said that his brother had already earned about Rs. 3 million when he was arrested.

The Japan Times also mentioned that the Tokyo District Court had acquitted Govinda in April 2000 for the murder of a 39-year-old Japanese woman and robbery of 40,000 yen. The newspaper also points out that the only "physical evidence linking him (Govinda) to the victim and the vacant Shibuya Ward apartment, where her body was found, was only circumstantial".

Govinda had come to Japan in 1994 and started working "with dreams of building a house back home." He was arrested in March 1997 from the apartment where he lived.

Throughout the period, Govinda has maintained his innocence, and his brother, who is a travel agent, has made a written request to the Supreme Court that is hearing his younger brother's appeal.
The elder Mainali was able to meet his brother on February 4, 2002 for only 15 minutes. And in the interview with The Japan Times, he says, "He seems so irritated and exhausted, both physically and mentally."

However, even in the most sympathetic report that it has written, the paper says that conviction statistics suggest Govinda is against all odds to get his acquittal, despite the apparent lack of direct physical evidence linking him to the crime.

The Japanese Supreme Court, according to The Japan Times, hears around 2,000 appeals annually. It made a ruling on 1,436 criminal cases, acquitting the accused in just one case and sending two cases back to the lower courts.

Indra has also blamed the government back home for not trying to help his brother, and he has also mentioned his ageing and ill parents, who long to see their younger son back home.

British court ruling raises more ex-Gurkha POWs hopes

By Bhuwaneshor Sharma

KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: The ruling by the British High Court in November 2002 to provide compensation to the Gurkhas made prisoners of war (POWs) by the Japanese in WWII has opened prospects for other ex-Gurkha POWs in Europe and other parts of the world to claim compensation.
Of the total 12,000 ex-Gurkha POWs, more than 500 are believed to have been taken prisoner by the Nazis. They were captured in Italy and Libya in northern Africa.

The number of ex-Gurkhas seeking compensation for being taken POWs while fighting for the British Empire during the war in South East Asia has crossed 1,000, said GAESO's secretary, Mahendra Lal Rai.

Cases relating to the POWs taken by Germany were collected from Butwal and Pokhara. The GAESO has received 28 claims from Butwal and 50 from Pokhara. "Thus, a new case has originated," he said. We believe there are 400 to 500 Gurkhas, who were taken prisoner by the Germans during the war to be still surviving," Rai added.

After the ruling of the British High Court, the GAESO has been collecting claims from the surviving ex-Gurkhas or their widows from 15 camps of the country. GAESO has mobilised 15 of its 54 camps in the country to collect claims and information about former Gurkha POWs.

"This shows that the number of POWs taken by Germany may be higher than we had earlier expected," Rai said. We don't have any immediate plans on what should be done, but this will certain feature in our agenda in the future," he said.

But Gopal Shivakoti Chintan, GAESO's legal advisor, said that the organisation will plead to the German government through its embassy in Nepal.

"As we are busy with the other cases of the Gurkhas in the British court, these cases of POWs taken by the Germans will be considered at a latter date on humanitarian grounds."

People, who were used in forced labour by the Nazis during Second World War have received compensation from the German government. "But we don't have such a case here," said Chintan. "A separate study has to be made to see if the Gurkha POWs taken by the Nazis are entitled to any compensation," he added.

GAESO says more than 1,000 claims by ex-Gurkha POWs taken by Japan will be submitted to the British Defence Ministry within a few days. A team of the GAESO will be going to London for the hearing of the other four cases filed at the British Court demanding compensation to the Gurkhas.
The compensation for POWs has been postponed for now after the British Defence Ministry appealed to the British Court to reconsider the decision. The hearing on the case will be made in March.
The hearings on other cases of discrimination is scheduled from 18 to 21 February, for which a team of the GAESO, accompanied by its legal advisor, will leave for London on 16 February.

Lankan envoy calls on Sharma

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Nepal Ms. Grace A. Asirwatham paid a courtesy call on Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Kuber Prasad Sharma at his office today.
During the meeting, views were exchanged on important topics such as cultural exchange and operating direct air services between the two countries.

Similarly, discussions were also held on encouraging industrialists from both countries in opening a Nepalese restaurant in Colombo for tourism development, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has stated.

Govt focussing on 10th Plan project implementation

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Shankar Sharma has said that the government was focussing on the implementation and monitoring aspects of development projects in the 10th Five-Year Plan.

"A participatory monitoring approach will be adopted, and the civil society, major donors as well as employees will be involved in the monitoring process," Dr. Sharma said.'

The monitoring of gender and poverty would be carried out annually to prepare the poverty index, he said while addressing a discussion programme on Women in Development in Tenth Plan: Its Conceptual Strategies and Commitments.

He said that the progress report of all the projects would be prepared every four months to improve performance. He said more resources would be made available to the poverty-stricken areas to deal with poverty. According to him, a new ordinance will be introduced soon to encourage local level projects. "We will be allocating from Rs. 6-7 billion for such projects in the next five or six years."
Regarding plans to assist women in the Maoist-affected areas, he said the NPC was collecting data about the victims before starting with the rehabilitation programmes for them.

He said the government was also making available an auxiliary health midwife in each of the Village Development Committees (VDCs) to bring down the maternal mortality rate, one of the highest in the world.

He said the government is also working to compensate victims of trafficking and providing legal assistance to them.

The government is initiating programmes to increase the school enrolment of girls from underprivileged communities. Scholarships for higher education will also be increased for women," he said.
Speaking from the chair, President of National Network Against Girl Trafficking (NNAGT) Durga Ghimire said that the government must keep in view the 12 critical areas of concern as identified by the Beijing Conference while mainstreaming women.

She also pointed out the need to enhance trust between the government and NGOs so as to bring about the desired results. Complaining that only one per cent of the total budget was allocated for the development of women, she said sufficient budget must be set aside for the projects.

Organised by NNAGT, a host of participants such as SSP Chuda B. Shrestha, Dr. Arzoo Deuba, Roshan Karki, Madhavi Singh, Indu Aryal spoke at the programme. Earlier, Dr. Sharma launched a book entitled Women's Rights: Its Challenges & Sensitivity, published by NNAGT.

Israel to provide support to Nepal's development

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: The Government of Israel has agreed to provide the services of Israeli volunteers for the development programmes in Nepal.

According to the Finance Ministry, notes of exchange to this effect were signed and exchanged today between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Israel.

With the signing of the exchange of notes today, Israel joins the list of the countries providing services of international volunteers in Nepal.

The Israeli volunteers programme is expected to contribute to fulfill the need of mid-level technical experts needed for the socio-economic development of Nepal.

The notes of exchange were signed by joint secretary at the Finance Ministry Madhav Prasad Ghimire and Israeli Ambassador Avraham Nir on behalf of their respective governments.

His Majesty's Government has expressed its sincere appreciation to the Government of Israel for the assistance, and also for its continued assistance and interest in the socio-economic development of Nepal.