NEWS NOTES (Spotlight Weelky)

'SAARC Summit To Take Place On Timeí

Amid fears that the upcoming 11th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) could be postponed because of terrorist threats, secretary-general of the seven-member body, Nihal Rodrigo, has said meeting will be held as scheduled. Talking to reporters at the Reporters'

SAARC Secretary General Nihal Rodrigo

Club here Thursday, Mr. Rodrigo said the reports of terrorist threats were blown out of proportion and expressed confidence that the Nepalese government would take all necessary measures to ensure security during the summit due to take place in early January next year. The secretary-general said the SAARC heads of states or governments were expected to sign aconvention to protect the rights of children and a convention againsttrafficking of women and children from and within SAARC countries. The leaders were also expected follow-up earlier decisions on the summit on poverty alleviation, food security and the fight against terrorism. He said a new deadline is likely to be set for the creation of a South Asian Free Trade Agreement during the summit. Compiled from reports Nov. 23

Nepal-India Treaty To Be Renewed

Outgoing Indian ambassador to Nepal, Deb Mukharji, said that the Nepal-India trade treaty, which is to expire on December 5, would be renewed as per schedule. Talking to reporters here Thursday, the Indian envoy expressed hope that the two neighbors would be able to overcome their differences on certain provisions in their bilateral trade treaty. Mr. Mukharji said India wanted value addition on "third country goods that enter India from Nepal" and export "surge" of five items ó acrylic yarn, zinc oxide, copper wire,

steel pipes and vegetable ghee. Referring to Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh's statement in August, the ambassador said India did not intend to alter the basic structure of the treaty, but admitted that it had some genuine grievances about certain clauses. Ambassador Mukharji also confirmed that Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would attend the 11th SAARC summit due to be held in the Nepalese capital early next year despite alleged terrorist threats. Space Time, a Nepali daily, had reported Thursday that four heads of states ó those of Bangladesh, India Pakistan and Sri Lanka ó faced terrorist threats during the summit. Leading dailies report Nov. 23

US May List Maoists As Terrorists

The United States is likely to declare Nepalese Maoists as a terrorist organization, a tabloid newspaper said Friday. According to a journal published by the US Information Agency, as the US government has already

declared The Shining Path, a Maoist organization in Peru, as a terrorist organization, its affiliate in Nepal, the CPN (Maoist) is also likely to be enlisted in the list. Both organizations are considered leading members of

the Revolutionary International Movement. A pro-Maoist intellectual, Govinda Neupane, said the US policy could have direct bearing on the Nepalese Maoists. Both the United States and India could pressure Nepal to suppress the Maoists movement militarily, he said. Naya Sadak Nov. 23

UN Convention Against Child Soldiers

An international treaty on banning the use of child soldiers is going to come into effect from February 12, UN officials said. Ten countries have ratified the treaty, New Zealand being the latest one. Eighty-seven

countries including Nepal have signed on the protocol to the treaty. In May 2000, the UN General Assembly had adopted a resolution to prohibit the participation of children under the age of 18 in armed conflicts and their forced recruitment or conscription. According to the UN, an estimated 300,000 child soldiers are currently fighting in armed conflicts in nearly 40 countries. International human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have accused Nepalese Maoists of using children as soldiers in their guerrilla force. Compiled from reports Nov. 23

Maoists Form ëPLA,í Declare Ad Hoc ëPeopleís Govt.í

The chairman of the Maoist party, Comrade Prachanda, has declared that the underground party has formed a ëPeopleís Liberation Army (PLA)í with himself as supreme commander. In a provocative statement issued Saturday, he also called upon security personnel to rebel and join the PLA. "We will take care of all the needs of those personnel and guarantee their jobs," he said. Comrade Prachanda alias Pushpa Kamal Dahal also took responsibility for the attacks in different parts of the country on Friday night. Alleging that

peace talks did not lead to any political way out, Prachanda claimed that his party was "still in favor of seeking a forward looking political outlet through peaceful dialogue." Meanwhile, the underground party has declared a central level 37-member ëpeopleís governmentí with senior Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai as its convenor. Named as ëJoint Revolutionary Peopleís Council Nepal (JRPCN), central ad-hoc committee,í the government has Krishna Bahadur Mahara as co-convenor and Dev Gurung as secretary. The underground party has already formed district level ëpeopleís governmentsí in over two dozen districts in the country. The recent national council meeting of the JRPCN has also called ëNepal Bandhíó a nationwide shutdown strike ó on Friday, December 7, a statement issued by Dr. Bhattarai Friday said. Compiled from reports Nov. 25

Maoists Are Anti-National Force: Defense Ministry

Referring to well-coordinated Maoist attacks in different districts Friday, the Defense Ministry has said ó for the first time in six years ó that the groupís activities have made it clear that they are out to erode national sovereignty and democracy attained through the sacrifices made by the people, and (want to) impose an autocratic regime at gunpoint. A day after the Maoists launched deadly coordinated attacks, the Defense Ministry said all security agencies have taken the assaults ëvery seriouslyí and are

determined to counter in a more organized and effective manner any untoward Maoist activity in future. In a statement issued Saturday, the ministry said as the insurrectionary attacks by the Maoists have jeopardized the countryís law-and-order and security situation, all security agencies, including the Royal Nepalese Army, are determined to fulfill their duties. The ministry also blamed the rebels of suddenly breaking the cease-fire unilaterally and taking up weapons against the wishes of the people "despite utmostflexibility demonstrated by the government to solve the problem through talks".Leading dailies report Nov. 25

Army To Launch `Cordon, Search And Sweep Operationí

After police and army personnel failed to defend themselves in the latest assaults by the Maoist rebels, the Royal Nepalese Army is preparing well-planned counter-insurgency operations against the guerrillas, a news report in a leading weekly said Sunday, quoting sources. According to the report, after hours-long deliberations on Saturday, the army top brass has demanded that the government declare emergency in the Maoist affected areas and delegate it necessary authorities. After that, the army will immediately launch what is called, ëcordon and searchí and ësweepí operations. The army sources said if swung into action immediately, the army could still recover

the arms seized by the rebels from Dang and ëdisintegrateí their force. "Any delay would pose great risks to the government," the source said. The rebels have looted arms and weapons, including 303 rifles, SLRs, LMGs, machine guns, mortar launchers and other sophisticated equipment. The rebels took away three truckloads of weapons to the nearby northern districts of Rolpa and Salyan, the report said. A total of 237 soldiers were supposed to be stationed at the Bhagvati Prasad Company of the army. Deshanter Nov. 25

Number Of Nepali Students Doubles In The US

The number of Nepali students studying in the United States has more than doubled in the last three years, authorities said. According to the American Universities Admission Program (AUAP), the number of Nepali students enrolled in various campuses and universities in the US for the year 2000/2001 has reached 2,618, up from 1,214 in 1997. The AUAP cited the improved economic and academic status of the country for the rising enrolment in the US from the Himalayan kingdom. Nearly 548,000 students from all over the world, 55 percent of them from Asia, are enrolled in the US for the year 2000/01, the AUAP said. Foreign students poured US$ 11 billion into the US economy in tuition fees, living expenses, and related costs during the academic year 2000/01. Compiled from reports Nov. 20

VAT Enters Fifth Year

The number of taxpayers registered under the Value Added Tax (VAT) has reached 22,000 over the last four years, officials said. According to the Department of Inland Revenue (DIR), the government collected Rs 11.85 billion in the year 2000-2001. Introduced four years ago amid strong protests from the business community, the VAT has emerged as one of the important sources of tax revenue in the country. Addressing a function organized by the DIR to mark the fifth anniversary of the new tax, experts

said political instability and lack of awareness among the consumers were mainly responsible for poor implementation of the tax. Reports said up to 90 percent consumers donít ask for a receipt after purchasing goods and services. Compiled from reports Nov. 20

India On High Alert

As waves of Maoist attacks shatter a tentative truce in Nepal, prospects of another armed revolution in the next-door Himalayan kingdom has put India on a heightened state of alert, a leading Indian daily reported. Recent Maoist attacks in Nepal killing nearly 50 security personnel opens up another front of instability for India, the news report said. While the (Indian) government denies stoutly any presence of Maoist training camps in India, there is no doubt that the Maoists retain intimate contacts with the PWG (Peopleís War Group) and the MCC (Maoist Coordination Center). What impact the current developments in Nepal might have on the forthcoming SAARC summit is difficult to say, but if the conflict continues in Nepal, the summit may well become a casualty, which would put paid to hopes for an Indo-Pak summit. India has already condemned the Maoists as being terrorists, and according to sources, even shared intelligence with Nepalís security forces, the report said.