Social workers felicitated

RSS

KATHMANDU, March 2: Rajparishad Standing Committee Chairman Parashu Narayan Chaudhari, at a programme organised by Peace Zone Research and Study Centre, National Peace Ambassador Youth Society here today, honoured its founder president Sushma Sharma and also Chitra Bahadur K.C. who is associated with new sedal for making contributions in leprosy relief.

On the occasion, Chairman Chaudhari said that the ceasefire between the government and the Maoists had enthused those yearning for peace.

He called upon the leaders of the political parties, civic societies and persons of various walks of life to rise above narrow-mindedness and prejudiced ideas to transform the ceasefire into durable peace.
Chairman Chaudhari said that peace is indispensable for the progress and prosperity of Nepal and the Nepalese.

Central member of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Kamal Thapa said that the role of the political parties and the civic society would be vital in ensuring durable peace in the country.

National Assembly member Rishi Babu Pariyar, RPP central member Jagat Gauchan and a host of other speakers expressed their views at the programme chaired by chairman of the society Raju Sharma.

Photo show on September 11 attack opens

By Bhuwaneshor Sharma

KATHMANDU, March.2: The world has changed a lot since the September 11. The fateful attack on the heart of America continues to haunt human psyche not only in America but also all over the earth.
That day, when the Twin Towers and the US Defence Department were rammed with passenger-laden planes killing all aboard and thousands others in the buildings, is permanently itched in human psyche as the ultimate horror.

Altogether 28 photographs of the 9/11 destructions all the way from the United States have arrived in Kathmandu to illustrate the wholesome picture of the physical and human casualty of the attacks. The pictures taken by noted American photographer Joel Mayerowitz, portray the impressions and images of the destruction at the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.

The exhibition beginning tomorrow at the Tribhuwan University Central Library, describes the threat that terrorism poses to any metropolitan and the rescue and recovery efforts of the American people.
The exhibition entitled "Images from Ground Zero" reflects the destruction, moods and modes of the rescue workers and the human tragedy.

The Museum of the City of New York is holding exhibition as part of displaying the tragic scene of the 9/11 terrorist attack around the globe. The exhibition is presented by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State. The exhibition will continue till March 14.

The US embassy here is organising the exhibition in Nepal, said Krishna Mani Bhandari, chief librarian at the central library.

"The purpose of the exhibition is to visually relate the catastrophic destruction of the 9/11 attacks and the physical and human dimensions of the recovery efforts," according to the website of the US State Department. It also aims to provide the overseas US missions a chance to remind foreign audiences of the extraordinary extent of the World Trade Centre attacks, the site further reads.

Meyerowitz, the award winning photographer, has taken a meditative stance toward the work and workers at "ground zero" documenting the painful work of the rescue workers, demolition and recovery efforts including excavation and site clearance.

All the 28 colour photographs are of of 30 x 40 inches in dimension. Each of them convey the magnitude of the destruction and loss and the heroic response in a minute way.

"It is a privilege to work at ground zero. Every one who worked there has been transformed by the spirituality of the place," Meyerowitz, who prefers to call himself a "street photographer", has been quoted saying in his statement available in the site.

My task is to make a photographic record of the aftermath: the awesome spectacle of destruction; the reverence for the dead; the steadfast, painstaking effort of recovery, the artist's statement reads.
US Ambassador to Nepal will inaugurate the exhibition tomorrow (Monday).

Victims of Maoist insurgency demand for rehabilitation

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, March 2: For the victims, who suffered the deaths of their near and dear ones in the seven years of the Maoists insurgency, the ceasefire has brought respite but the loss and the pain still haunt them. They want their cases and pains be taken into consideration in the peace talks between the government and the Maoists.

At an interaction programme, the victims narrated their pains, grief and anguish, and all of them said that they want justice, and the criminals must not be let along in the name of peace.

Alina Shrestha, daughter of Ramchandra Shrestha of Dhading who was killed by the Maoists, broke down while saying that her father always used to tell her not to make mistake and not to fear. But she lamented that her father was killed for no reasons. Shrestha was killed about five months ago by the Maoists. "After taking away all that we had, the Maoists took my father a little farther from the house and he was chopped to death by Khukuri."

Pradeep BK, son of Gupta Bahadur BK who was a science and maths teacher at Chapakot of Syangja district, said the criminals should not be allowed to go free in the name of peace. "Those involved in the heinous crime such as killing must be punished." Late BK was kidnapped from his house by the Maoists 16 months ago and was killed by piercing his body at several places with sharp weapons.

Nine-year-old Mandev KC, said his father Hem Raj KC was shot dead by the security personnel four years ago. "The security personnel had ordered his uncle, who was holding KC, to let him go before shooting," the boy said he knew it from his family members.

Similarly, Bishnu Rijal, brother of Laxmi Rijal, a UML worker, said that the National Human Rights Report has mentioned that his sister was killed by the security personnel after she was raped.
Shanti Pakhrin, wife of Buddhiman Pakhrin of Dolakha who was killed by the Maosits, said the talks should also have provision to give justice to those who have suffered. She said both sides should ask for public forgiveness for the killings they have done.

Suwani Gautam, daughter of Yadu Gautam, said that those who have suffered from those killings have become susceptible to deep feeling of revenge. "My brother wants to become an armyman and want to take revenge for the death of his father," she said. Gautam, a UML party worker, was killed by the Maoists in Rukum.

Several others, who have become the victims of the seven-year-long insurgency said their pains should be in the agenda of the peace talks if the talks is to be made successful in the real sense. "Otherwise, the sense of revenge that may linger on could invite other troubles," they said.
All the victims expressed that they suffered double trouble after being disdained from all sides - the government, Maoists, community and the society.

The interaction was organised by Madan-Ashrit Memorial Academy and its president Pradeep Nepal said that if the agenda of the victims remain neglected, the talks would fail.

Others, who also spoke at the interaction including human rights activists, journalists, lawyers said the talks should have agenda for the rehabilitation of the victims.

'Development not possible without peace'

RSS

KATHMANDU, March 2: Minister for Land Reforms and Management Badri Narayan Basnet has said that all the political parties, human rights activists and the institutions dedicated to social services should joint hands and not be divided so that lasting peace could be achieved in the country.

Inaugurating the Social Services Institution here today, he called upon one and all to be aware of the opportunists seeking to disrupt the peace process at a time when peace was being felt in the country.
Stating that development is impossible without peace, Minister Basnet said that the world community as well as the Nepalese yearned for peace in Nepal.

Stating that the political parties should function in line with the aspirations of the nation and the people, Minister Basnet said that persons without good conduct cannot be a democrat in true sense and called for making the Family Planning Programme effective for poverty alleviation.

Professor Dr. Bishnu Raj Aryal, treasurer of the Social Services Institution Gopal Prasad Pokharel, chairman of the Helpless Children's Home Jitendra Basnyat and a host of other speakers expressed their views at the programme chaired by institution president Taradevi Ghimiray.