NEWS NOTES (Spotlight Weelky)

'Nepal Bandh' Passes Off Peacefully

Poudel

Despite fears of widespread violence, the `Nepal Bandh' (nationwide shutdown strike) passed off largely peacefully all over the country Thursday (July 12), reports said. Life remained disrupted in the capital Kathmandu, as vehicles stayed off the streets and most shops remained closed. Riot police were manning the streets and only police vans and ambulances could be seen on the roads. Reports said a group of unidentified people burnt down a night bus bound to Kakarbhitta from Kathmandu in eastern Nepal early Thursday. Maoist rebels mounted attacks against several police posts in remote hilly districts killing two policemen (one each in Rolpa and Baglung) and abducting more than 70. In a statement, the chairman of the Maoist party, Comrade Prachanda, thanked the people for making the ëbandh' a success. His party has also taken responsibility for killing a senior police officer in Dang and attacks at a police post in Rolpa, among others. Prachanda further said ëpeople's actions' will continue in the days to come.
Leading dailies report July 13.

Where Are The Maoist Leaders?

A day after Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel claimed that senior Maoist leaders were taking shelter in India, a senior Home Ministry source has said most of them are within the country. According to the source, recently Maoist leaders Comrade Prachanda and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai were reported to have been in Chitwan district to take part in the underground party's central committee meeting. Both of them visit India frequently. According to intelligence reports, senior Maoist leaders Mohan Baidya alias Comrade Kiran and military strategist Ram Bahadur Thapa alias Comrade Badal are believed to be working from the capital. Another Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara is said to be overseeing party's operations in Rukum and Rolpa districts whereas two senior leaders, C. P. Gajurel and Haribol Gajurel, frequently travel between Nepal and India as part of their party's works, agencies said. On Thursday, Poudel said the government was looking for the Maoist leaders and would arrest them as soon as they were found.Rajdhani July 13.

India To Deploy Army Along The Border

The Indian government has decided to deploy its paramilitary force along the Nepal-India border beginning July 20 to control cross-border crimes, reports said. "The main objective of deploying the paramilitary force is to control cross border crimes and illegal supply of arms," said Deputy Superintendent of Police Sushil Kumar Thakur in Raxaul. Sources said the Indian government has already deployed its army along the major western parts of the Nepal-India border. The Indian side is planning to mobilize its force from Balmikinagar of Nawalparasi district in the west to Jogbani in the east along the Nepal-India border. Recently a final survey was completed to deploy the force along the 240-km long border from Balmikinagar to Kisangunj Compiled from reports July 15.

Lauda Air Agreement May Come To An End

The controversial agreement between state-owned Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) and Lauda Air of Austria regarding the lease purchase of a wide-body aircraft is likely to be terminated next week, reports said Thursday. The top anti-corruption agency, CIAA, has filed cases against ten officials, including two from Lauda Air, alleging them of involved in irregularities while entering into the deal late last year. Meanwhile, a new controversy has erupted between the two sides after the RNAC officials refused to pay US$ 26,000 as demanded by Lauda Air as medical expenses of its crew. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reported.

NHRC, KMTNC Denounce Attacks

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned the recent killings of police personnel in three remote mountain villages of central Nepal by the Maoist rebels. In a statement issued Tuesday, the commission termed the Maoist attacks as ìgross violation of human rights." Saying that there has been violation of human rights from the government as well as rebels, the commission has urged both sides to maintain restraint from committing further human rights violations. In a separate statement, the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC) has condemned the recent unprovoked attacks by a group of armed youths calling themselves Maoists on the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). The Trust condemned attacks on its offices at Ghalekharka and Pokhara in western Nepal early this month and expressed hope that environmental institutions like it working for the people would not be subjected to unnecessary harassment in the days to come. King Gyanendra heads the Trust, internationally acclaimed for its conservation activities. Compiled from reports.

Ravi Bhakta Flected New FNCCI Presidednt

First Vice-President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Ravi Bhakta Shrestha, has been elected to the post of President of the FNCCI. In the elections held for the post of President of the apex private sector body Tuesday, Shrestha has been elected unoppo sed for a period of two years. The annual general meeting of the FNCCI is to elect members to the new executive committee this week. Compiled from reports.

Earthquake Hits The Country

A powerful earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale hit the western and central parts of the country Monday night. The tremor was epicentered near the district headquarters of Gorkha in Western Nepal and lasted for 10-12 seconds, according to the Department of Mines and Geology. Details of damage to life and property were not available immediately. Kathmandu residents felt the jolts at 9:57 p. m. Monday. Compiled from reports.

Nepal Grindlays Renamed As Standard Chartered

Nepal Grindlays Bank Ltd. a joint venture that began its operations in January 1987, has been renamed as Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Ltd. from Monday (July 16). According to a press release issued by the bank, the change in name has been brought forth by the acquisition of ANZ Grindlays Bank Ltd. from the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group P.L.C. from July 31, 2000. With this acquisition, a change has been brought in the ownership of the share of Nepal Grindlays Bank Ltd. 50 percent shares of Nepal Grindlays Bank Ltd., previously owned by ANZ Grindlays are now owned by Standard Chartered Grindlays Bank. Nepal Bank Limited holds 33 percent of the remaining shares, while the rest 17 per cent shares are commanded by the general public. Standard Chartered is the world's leading emerging markets bank with 570 offices across more than 50 countries primarily in Asia, the sub- continent, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, the bank said. Compiled from reports.

FNCCI Welcomes The Budget

The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) has welcomed the budget for the next fiscal year 2001-02 presented by Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat in the parliament Monday. In a statement, the apex Chamber said the budget has made attempts to gear the economy toward the right direction by boosting investment through measures such as rehabilitation of sick industries, decrease in the interest rate on loans in specified fields, preference to the domestic products in government purchases and reduction in the duty on import of certain capital goods. It has also taken the budgetary provision of authorizing the director general at the Department of Industry to approve foreign investment up to Rs 100 billion as a positive development. Saying that with the increase in the power vested in the tax administration as transparency is bound to decrease, the FNCCI has said the exemption on income tax for a person and a family is inadequate. Leading dailies report.