BRIEFS (Spotlight Weekly)

THE UNDERGROUND MAOIST PARTY has called for a joint movement against the ruling Nepali Congress party. Terming the NC as "fascist," the underground party has said it will hold dialogues with all other political parties except the NC. A press release issued by Comrade Prachanda, general secretary of UML (Maoist), said that it will sit for dialogue with the government only if it fulfills the conditions put forward by the party. According to the statement, the conditions include information about whereabouts of the missing Maoist leaders and cadres and immediate halt of killing and kidnapping.

A LATEST STUDY ON EMPLOYMENT situation in Nepal has estimated unemployment rate to be much lower than what was suggested by earlier findings. According to findings of the Nepal Labor Force Survey (NLFS) 1998/99 released here on Thursday, unemployment rate in rural areas stands at 1.8 percent as against 7.4 percent in urban areas. The Nepal Living Standard Survey of 1996 had put unemployment rate at about 5 percent. According to the survey, about 7.1 million of over 15 population (that is 73 percent of the total labor force) are employed in agriculture sector. According to the survey, men and women spend roughly the same amount of time doing different works with 216 million hours a week for men and 197 million hours a week for women.

CUBAN PRESIDENT FIEDEL CASTRO has invited Prime Minister K. P. Bhattarai to attend the South Summit due to be held in Havana from April 10 to 14, this year. Special envoy of Cuba, Alberto Valezco San Jose handed over the invitation to premier Bhattarai on Wednesday. According to Foreign Ministry, Jose also called on Foreign Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat and discussed matters of bilateral interest.

THE DISTRICT POLICE OFFICE in Gorkha district has destroyed 180 muzzle loaders, 10 revolvers, hand grenades, swords and 'khukuris' seized from alleged Maoist rebels from time to time during raids and encounters. According to chief of District Police Office, the arms and explosives were destroyed by setting them on fire and using acid. Gorkha is one of the most-affected districts from Maoist activities.

POLICE HAVE ARRESTED FOUR people on charges of embezzlement of Rs 20.5 million from Nepal Indosuez bank. According to the Police, the four including Madhusudan Puri of Kathmandu had allegedly withdrawn the said amount from the accounts of Norbu Tshering, a carpet exporter, by using forged signature of Tsering. The four persons, one of them is reportedly a lawyer, were arrested from a house at Gongabu last week.

OFFICIALS HAVE DEFENDED THE government's decision to close down food sales depots in remote Karnali zone saying that it was part of the austerity measures adopted by the government. Addressing an interaction program organized here on Tuesday, Secretary at the Ministry of Supplies, Padam Kumar Acharya, said that the government was spending nearly Rs 130 million annually to transport food grains to Karnali zone. "It would be better if the sum could be invested in raising productivity in the region," he said. Minister of State for Information and Communications, Govinda Bahadur Shah, said the government was aware of the problem and would take all measures to avert food crisis in the region. Members of Parliament from the region, however, criticized the government's decision to close down food sales depots in remote areas.

NECON AIR A LEADING PRIVATE SECTOR airlines company, has added an ATR 42-320 aircraft in its fleet. The 45-seat aircraft arrived at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Tuesday. According to the Company, the new plane will soon be operated for regular scheduled flights. The Company said that the aircraft is a new generation turbo prop aircraft manufactured by ATR Company, a consortium of Aerospatiale Matra of France and Italy's Alenia Aerospazia. With the new craft, the number of passenger planes with the Necon has reached four.

THE SOCIAL WELFARE COUNCIL (SWC) and Rose Club, an international non-governmental organized based in Korea have renewed their five-year agreement on the operation of Vocational Training-cum-Production Center (VTCPC). Under the agreement, the Rose Club will provide US$ 200,000 for the implementation of the program. Likewise, the Rose Club has also agreed to provide an assistance of US$ 250,000 for running Gaurishanker hospital in Dolakha district for a period of next five years. Both the agreements were signed by member-secretary of SWC, Dr. Tika Pokhrel, and President of Rose Club International, Dr. Chang Chaue Park.

NEPAL GRINDLAYS BANK, A JOINT venture with ANZ Grindlays Bank Plc, has registered a profit of 23 percent in 1998/99 compared to that of the previous year amounting to Rs 359.45 million. The 13th annual general meeting of the Bank held early this month has decided to pay a dividend of Rs 80 per share to its shareholders. The Bank paid Rs 177.02 million as tax to the government. Set up in 1986, the bank is well known for providing efficient services to its customers and giving maximum returns to its shareholders.

Indian Embassy hosted a tea reception to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Republic Day. The reception was attended by a large cross section of people including the Prime Minister, diplomats and elites of the city. Earlier in the morning, Ambassador K.V. Rajan, while unfurling the Indian flag said, "It is nonsense to suggest that India wants to bring Nepal under its security umbrella or take over the security at the T.I Airport."

The Australian Ambassador to Nepal Crispin Conroy hosted a cocktail reception to celebrate the Australian Day which was attended by a large number of guests. Prime minister, Foreign minister, other ministers were also present.

Hariyali Nepal Party celebrated its Third Anniversary amidst a colorful function. A press meet followed. The party President Kuber Sharma answering questions from the press said that the misgovernance and corruption was taking the country towards disaster. All honest and patriotic forces have to join hands to kick the corrupt government out of office. The bigger parties have failed to solve the Maoist problem. Honest men and the smaller parties have to start dialogues with the Maoists. The HNP also organized a rally on the Martyr's Day exhorting the people not to permit the corrupt politicians touch the sacred statues of the martyrs with their stinking hands. The rally was attended by hundreds of people. Later all the leaders and assembled crowd garlanded the martyrs.