Message of condolences

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has said that His Majesty and Her Majesty were very saddened to learn of the demise of Raj Parishad member Yogi Naraharinath who made a distinguished contribution in the fields of religion, culture, language, archaeology and history.

In a message of condolences, His Majesty has said, "He was dedicated to Nepali nationalism and was an adherent of Hindu religion and culture, and he has made a notable contribution to the enrichment of history writing in the Kingdom of Nepal.

His Majesty has in the message said that the untimely demise of Yogi Naraharinath has caused an irreparable loss to the nation.His Majesty has also prayed to the almighty for eternal peace to the departed soul.

Condolences expressed

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Yogi Naraharinath and said the nation has lost a patriotic and an able, pioneer humanitarian personality.

In a condolence message, Prime Minister Chand said Yogi Naraharinath made remarkable contributions in religion, culture, language, literature, archaeological exploration and research.
The Nepali society will always remember and honour the contributions of late Yogi he said.
Chand extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved followers and well wishers and wished for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

Likewise, acting president of Nepal Sadbhavana Party and Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal has expressed profound sorrow at the untimely demise of Raj Parishad member and history scholar Yogi Naraharinath and prayed to Lord Pashupatinath for the peace of the departed soul.
In a statement issued here today, Mandal said in the demise of the Yogi whose scholarship covered language, culture, literature and archaeology also, the country had lost a true patriot who was devoted to the monarchy.

Similarly, a meeting of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee held at the Raj Parishad building today expressed profound sorrow at the demise of Yogi Naraharinath from pneumonia, diabetes and hypertension at the age of 92 and also prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.

A minute's silence was observed on the occasion and heartfelt condolences extended to all grief-stricken followers and devotees at the 'Mahaprayan' of the great scholar of religion, culture and history, Yogi Naraharinath.

Raj Parishad Standing Committee members Bhadra Kumari Ghale, Bir Bahadur Lama, General (Retd.) Satchit Shumsher JB Rana, Ganesh Bahadur Gurung and Yagya Prasad Acharya were present at the condolence meeting chaired by Raj Parishad Standing Committee Chairman Parasu Narayan Chaudhari.

Likeweise, the CPN-UML has extended heartfelt tributes to Yogi Naraharinath, scholar of eastern philosophy, who made a distinguished contriution to the Nepali nation, nationalism and culture, upon his demise at the age of 92.

In a condolence message published here today, CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said the Yogi's demise is a loss to the nation and his contributions would remain memorable.

Yogi Naraharinath passes away

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: The mortal remains of Yogi Naraharinath, the renowned spiritual leader and scholar of Nepali history, language, culture and archaeology, was buried at his ashram at Mrigasthali this afternoon.

The Yogi had passed away at his ashram at Mrigasthali, Pashupati last night at 12:40 A.M.
The 92-year-old Yogi was undergoing treatment for high blood pressure, pneumonia, diabetes and heart problem at Bir Hospital since last week. But after doctors lost all hope, he was taken to his ashram at Mrigasthali as wished by him.

The body of late Yogi was kept at the ashram until 4 P.M. today to allow people to pay their last respects. Hundreds of people, including Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal, Minister for Information and Communications Ramesh Nath Pandey and other members of the council of ministers, yogis, his disciples and representatives of various political parties paid their last respect to the learned yogi.

As per the tradition of burying yogis, about an 8-foot deep pit was dug near his ashram as his last resting place. His disciples and other yogis wrapped his head and mouth with a piece of yellow cloth. The dead body was then slowly lowered into the pit and was placed in a sitting posture. Fruits and flowers were placed on his palms and the cloth covering his mouth undone.

The place of the samadhi was then covered with earth - putting the Yogi to eternal rest. Yogi Naraharinath had fallen sick while preparing for his 129th Kotihom, a grand religious ceremony, at Basamadi of Makawanpur district south of Kathmandu a few weeks ago, and was brought to Kathmandu for treatment.

Yogi Naraharinath was born as Balbir Singh Thapa in 1971 B. S. at Lalu Village Development Committee of Kalikot district in mid-western Nepal. Due to his sharpness and a keen sense of observation, a noted sage named Chandannath Mathaka Mahanth Shipranath of Jumla had taken him under his care at the age of nine, promising to take care of his education and upbringing. Chandannath firmly believed that the boy would make a significant contribution to their Nath community.

At the age of 13, Naraharinath was initiated into the life of a sage. By 1996 B. S. he had already gone through the Hindu scriptures and Hindu philosophies from Guru Chhipranath at Gorakhanath Matha in India. He then went to Haridwar for higher education in grammar and philosophy.

Yogi studied in depth the Nepali language, grammar, literature, history, philosophy and culture. He had deep faith in the country and in nationalism, vedic religion and Nepali culture. He had made visits to all parts of the country advocating Hindu religion and culture.

Yogi Naraharinath authored several books and translated works of history, culture and archaeology. He was a founder member of the Spiritual Council, Karmabir Mahamandal and the World Hindu Federation. He was also a member of the Rajparishad.

Recognising his talent, Brijlal Kedia Hindu University has decided to name a faculty in his honour.
Meanwhile, RSS adds, a 19-member Yogi Naraharinath Graveyard Management Committee was constituted today with Balabhandranath Yogi as the chief and Chintamani Yogi as the coordinator.
The committee has demanded that the government declare a national mourning day in memory of Yogi Naraharinath, declare him a national hero and protect his property.

Panel urges govt to speed up Salleri works

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: The National Assembly Remote Area Committee has called on His Majesty's Government to add momentum to the re-construction work in Salleri, the district headquarters of Solukhumbu, destroyed in a Maoist attack last year.The call was made during an interaction programme organised here today by the committee to inform the bodies concerned about the state of reconstruction and food supply in Salleri.According to the committee, some 14 buildings belonging to government and non-government organisations were destroyed in the attack but so far only the residential house of the Chief District Officer has been reconstructed.Closing down of electricity supply following the attack has also fully affected Salleri, Darpu Bazaar, Phaplu and Garma VDCs while the injured have not received appropriate compensation. Committee chairperson Gaura Koirala presided.

Importance of bio-diversity growing: DPM Mandal

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: A three-day international conference on Himalayan Bio-diversity that began here today with the objective of developing eco-tourism, will share and exchange ideas among international intellectuals for the conservation, management and utilisation of endangered biological resources.

Inaugurating the conference today, Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal said that in the context of global environmental change and globalisation, the importance of conserving biological diversity has only grown."Proper management and wise use of the available resources can bring substantial improvement in the livelihood of subsistence farming communities," he said.

The government will take positively the recommendations related to issues of biodiversity conservation strategy and action plan, Mandal said. Dr. J. Gabriel Campbell, Director General of ICIMOD, said that it was a time of crisis for the protection and preservation of valuable ecological biodiversity, but it was a time of opportunity as well, he said.

The protection and preservation of biodiversity is important for the development of agriculture and the overall economy, he added. As bio-diversity conservation is a transboundary issue, bio-diversity conservation cannot happen with only one country wanting, he stressed.

Prof. P.S. Ramakrishnan, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, said that there conserving cultural-landscape biodiversity was a big challenge. Policy makers should focus on improving the lifestyle of the mountain people in order to protect the cultural landscape in an integrated manner.
More than 150 scientists, researchers, planners and development professionals from 15 countries are participating in the conference. Several papers related to the protection and preservation of bio-diversity will be presented at the conference.

Representatives from 15 countries are participating in the conference being organised by the Himalayan Resources Institute, Central Botanical Department, Tribhuvan University, Ecological Society of Nepal, Nepal Biotechnology Association and Bio-diversities Research Group.

Various bodies to press parties for peace

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BIRATNAGAR, Feb. 26: A larger scale discussion is to be held on March 4 with an objective of working as pressure group to all the parties, groups and concerned bodies for transferring the present ceasefire into a permanent state of peace and safeguarding democracy in the country.

A meeting of different organisations held to organise the programme has constituted a preparatory committee under the chairmanship of president of Ganesh Man Singh Memorial Academy, Morang Torendra Man Singh Pradhan.

The organisations participating in the meeting were Ganesh Man Singh Memorial Academy, Manamohan Memorial Academy, Madan Bhandari Memorial Academy, SAP-Nepal, Informal Sector Services Centre, Nepal Bar Association, FAREN and ARPAN.

Some 150 organisations will be allowed to participate at the first phase of the discussion and group-wise concept papers will be prepared related to political, human, constitutional and economic perspectives.

The second phase programme too will be held within the next month, it was said at a press meet organised today here.

Govt, Maoist to hold goodwill talks

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: The government and the Maoists will first have goodwill talks by mid-March to create a conducive environment for the peace talks. Coordinator of the government side Minister for Works and Physical Planning Narayan Singh Pun said that the goodwill talks would focus on enhancing trust and an environment for the talks. As conflict management is a delicate and complicated process, it takes time, and no one should be in a hurry, he said. "This needs patience and skill and the involvement of all sides," he said at an interaction programme today.

He questioned why the political parties had refused to participate in the all-party meet called by the government last week. "That meeting was meant to discuss the role of the political parties in the peace talks." He also asked for their support and cooperation in finding a solution to the Maoist problem.

He also informed that the code of conduct for the peace talks was being completed. This will be made public within a few weeks, he said. "Even if the present government is not able to deliver much, it will certainly bring permanent peace in the country, which the people have been craving for."

Addressing a public forum for the first time, Maoist activist Bishnu Pukar Shrestha said that they were serious about the talks and for a lasting peace. He said that apart from the Maoists and the government, the various political parties and the civil society should also shoulder the responsibility of making the peace talks a success.

At the interaction, former Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudyal questioned the demands of the Maoists for a constituent assembly, interim government and round table meeting. He said that their demands were not clear. The constitution of 1990 needs to be amended with the changing times, he said, adding the outcome of the peace talks should be in favour of the Nepalese people and the country.

CPN-UML Standing Committee member Bamdev Gautam asked all sectors to support the government in the peace process. He said that if the political parties are in favour of a permanent peace, they should co-operate with the government in finding a solution from within the constitution.

Human rights activist Sudeep Pathak also called for cooperation from all sides to find a permanent solution to the insurgency. He said that no one should be in a hurry for the talks.

He also called on the Maoists to guarantee that there would be no more violence from their side during the peace process, and to make public the whereabouts of the 182 people they had kidnapped.
Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) said that civil war threatens the sovereignty of a country. This should be borne in mind during the peace process, and the cease-fire should result in permanent peace. He requested the political parties not to remain indifferent to the peace process.

Courtesy call

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: US Ambassador Michael E. Malinowski and chief of the political and economic unit Patricia Mahini paid a courtesy call on Minister for Home and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dharma Bahadur Thapa at the latter's office today.

Matters relating to mutual interest and bilateral relations were discussed during the meeting.

UML seeks role in current political scenario

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb.26: Seeking a larger role in the country's fast changing political scenario, the Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist-Leninist called a meeting of nine communist parties at its central office at Balkhu today. This is the second time the UML has organised such a meeting of the left parties that did not have the participation of the CPN-Maoist.

At the meeting, the parties said they should go to the people in a bid to consolidate the achievements of the popular movement of 1990.

The parties demanded that both the sides - the government and the Maoists - show transparency during the upcoming peace talks. "The cease-fire and the talks should not be a means for any kinds of rightist deviation in the country," read a statement issued after the meeting, the second in less than a month.

Chaired by UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, the meeting was participated in by Bharat Mohan Adhikari, Subas Nemwang, Raghu Pant and Yub Raj Karki of the UML, Nara Bahadur Karmacharya of the CPN (Unity Centre-Masal), Himal Puri and Hari Acharya of the People's Front Nepal, Krishna Das Shrestha and Ram Bahadur Shrestha of the CPN- Marxist, Leninist and Maoist (MLM), Bishnu Bahadur Manandhar and Hemant Bahadur BC of the CPN (United), Tanka Rai of the CPN (ML), Buddhi Bahadur Gosai and Sunil Prajapati of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and Nanda Kumar Prasai of the Nepal Samyabadi Party (MLM).

The first meeting of the UML central advisory committee, held at its central office, Balkhu, today unanimously elected Kamal Koirala as its president. UML General Secretary Nepal administered the oath of office to the members of the committee, according to another UML statement.

'Kidney transplant should be done in govt hospital'

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: Health Minister Dr. Upendra Devkota inaugurated a three day kidney treatment refresher workshop seminar organised by Postgraduate Medical Education Co-ordination Committee, Bir Hospital here today.

Dr. Devkota said the government is effortful to make correction in the legal provision about the kidney transplant treatment and brain haemorrhage death.

He also stressed the need to generate awareness about the kidney disease. There is the need to make fair assessment whether the country is in a condition to use the technology, he said.
The kidney transplant should be done in the government hospital, he added.

Assistant Minister for Local Development Dr. Asarfi Shah said there is the need of the involvement of the medical sector while formulating law in health sector.Dr. Dinesh Nath Gangol, chairman of the Nepal Academy of Medical Sciences, chaired the function.

'Mechanism needed to enforce copyright laws'

By Arhan Sthapit

KATHMANDU, Feb 26: With the new Copyrights Act 2002 already in place and the Copyrights Regulations in the process of being formulated, policy makers, stakeholders and law enforcement officials here want strong mechanisms to enforce the copyright legislation in the days to come.
In a bid to protect the copyright of authors and promote the copyright industries as a key sector of the economy, a new copyright act was introduced on August 15 last year by repealing the then Copyrights Act 1965 (2022 BS).

Even as the Copyright Regulations required for enforcing the Act are taking final shape, a national seminar was organised here to gather comments and suggestions from the stakeholders. It was held under the joint aegis of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MOCTCA) and Copyright Protection Society of Nepal (CPSN) with the assistance of Japan Copyright Office.

"Enforcing the copyright legislation is a big challenge. Therefore, we need to establish an efficient mechanism," said Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Kuber Sharma while addressing the inaugural session of the two-day seminar in Kathmandu, Wednesday. Minister Sharma also emphasised the need to launch a public awareness campaign at the grassroots level "against copyright violations that take place in various forms such as illegal copying, piracy, infringing and counterfeiting."

Assistant Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ravi Bhakta Shrestha also said that law enforcement required public awareness and co-operation from all the sectors concerned. For effective enforcement of the copyright laws, the government is "establishing a Copyright Registrar Office very soon," said Mrs. Ridhi Baba Pradhan, secretary at the MOCTCA.

Commending Nepal's recent initiatives towards modernising its legislative and administrative framework for the protection and promotion of copyright and related rights, senior counsellor at the WIPO Ranjana Abeysekera pointed out the need for developing human resources and strengthening the collective management system for law enforcement. "WIPO has been assisting by extending advice on upgrading Nepal's copyright law, ensuring its conformity with international treaties and conventions in the field of copyright and related rights and the WTO's Agreement on the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement)," he said.

Since Nepal is in the process of entering the World Trade Organisation and since the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement become operative for LDCs like Nepal after 2005, experts underline the pressing need to make Nepalese copyright and other intellectual property (IP) right laws TRIPS-compliant by 2005.

"It is said that the WTO is a rising tide that will lift all the ships….we can gather enough knowledge to sail the ship through the tide," said general secretary of the Copyright Protection Society of Nepal (CPSN) Santosh Sharma, emphasising the need for enhancing Nepal's competitive edge in this scenario.

Calling on Nepal to join the Berne Convention, Sharma said, "This will guarantee the protection of our works (and copyright) in more than 140 countries and open up new avenues and prospects for the creators." The Berne Convention relates to the protection of literary and artistic works under the WIPO system.

"There is a need for making the proposed copyright regulations sound and comprehensive as well as compliant with all international conventions and treaties," said Dr. Ram Krishna Timalsena, joint secretary at the Supreme Court of Nepal. He was presenting his paper on the enforcement provisions of the new Copyright Act 2002 during the business session that followed.

Also in the business session, special government advisor at the Ministry of Justice, Stockholm, Henry Olsson shed light on the legal framework for copyright and related right protection in relation to the TRIPS Agreement and the WIPO-administered conventions.

While Prof. Mitsue Dairaku of the Hokuriku University shared the Japanese experience in reaping economic benefits from the copyright industry, WIPO's expert Abeysekera highlighted the developing countries' perspective on maximising the economic benefits from IP rights protection.
The copyright legislation covers economic and moral rights of the authors on art-related works like musical compositions, operas, films, choreography, dramas, computer programmes and databases, research works, architectural designs, literary works, paintings and sculptures.