Briefs (Spotlight Weekly)

THE US GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED a humanitarian assistance of USD 50,000 for the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of recent floods and landslides in Nepal. According to the US embassy in Kathmandu, the assistance will be provided to Nepal Red Cross Society through the International Federation of the Red Cross. The fund has been made available by USAID through its office of foreign disaster assistance.

BUSINESS LEADERS OF NEPAL, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India have agreed to double their trade in the next three years. According to The Himalayan Times daily, during the meeting of South Asia Business Forum (SABF) in New Delhi Tuesday the apex business chambers of the four countries agreed to double their trade from present US$ 2.5 billion in the next three years and work towards establishing a Free Trade Zone. The Indian government has offered unilateral concessions but has also emphasized towards a more wholesome arrangement leading to a Free Trade Area (FTA), the news report said. The Forum, supported by Asian Development Bank, has also agreed to lobby at the political level for harmonization of custom procedures and documentation in the South Asia Sub-Regional Cooperation (SASEC) and also for uniform and banking and insurance practices to take care of exporters requirements. The two-day meeting also discussed ways to promote cooperation in the areas of transport, communications and tourism.

THE GURKHA ARMY EX-SERVICEMEN'S Organization (GAESO) has filed a case at a London Court against the British government following the latter's denial to pay compensation to the 1,400 Gurkha prisoners of war (POW) taken by Japan during the World War-II. The British government had announced in November 2000 that a compensation package of 10,000 pounds would be given to all living POWs or to their wives. But Nepalese Gurkhas were barred from receiving the money.†The British government said the Gurkha POWs were members of the old Indian army. Therefore any compensation was the responsibility of the Indian government, a press statement of the GAESO said Monday. Lawyers taking up the case of the Gurkhas say the decision of the British Government smacked of racial discrimination and thus violated the human rights of the Gurkhas.†Phil Shiner, the attorney for GAESO said, "We will fight the case in court to give them their right." There was no Indian government before the division of India, therefore the question of them being members of the old Indian army does not exist."

THE PROPERTY JUDICIAL Investigation Commission has made public the names of over a dozen who have failed to respond to repeated requests to submit details of their property and other assets. The high-level body has published names of 13 former lawmakers in the dissolved House of Representatives and two incumbent members of the National Assembly to submit their property details immediately. Incumbent members of National Assembly, Jeet Bahadur Puri and Bal Bahadur Rai, have also been included in the list.

NINE TEAMS OF THE Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) were busy throughout Sunday to document the property amassed by 22 revenue officials whose houses they had raided on Friday (August 16). Initial reports said the officials under the Finance Ministry had amassed wealth to the tune of Rs six billion—one-sixteenth of the total annual budget estimates of the country. Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Green Party Nepal and a number of civil society organizations have welcomed the CIAA move and demanded that the top anti-corruption body also nab politicians and ministers "well known "for their corrupt practices. Meanwhile, CIAA officials said they would file cases in the court against the officials after gathering evidence of corruption against them. The CIAA officials had raided the buildings of officials under the Finance Ministry working at the tax and customs department. Of the civil servants charged on corruption cases, two are joint secretaries, six are under secretaries, three are section officers, and 12 are junior officers.

In an extra ordinary meeting of the High Command of the Green Nepal Party under the Presidentship of Kuber Sharma, the party has warmly welcomed the news of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority raiding the houses of corrupt officials. The meeting urged the government to provide enough funds to CIAA to expand their good work of eradicating corruption in administration, business and politics which will strengthen democracy and neutralize the propaganda of the Maoists. The meeting also appealed to the judiciary to mete out harshest punishments to the wrong doers without undue delay.

That Asian cricket Council (ACC) has given second thoughts on the venue of proposed Cricket Academy to be built in Nepal is a very welcome news. The initial decision of choosing Pokhara as the Venue for the Academy was neither practical nor wise. Pokhara cannot compete with Kathmandu in any respect. It is very gratifying to know that ACC have decided that the Academy must be built in Kathmandu. Jai Kumar Nath Shah, the President of the Cricket Association of Nepal has appealed to all cricket lovers, whether officials or non-officials not to make it an issue. Nepal must have the Academy and the decision for the venue must be decided after taking into consideration various factors like — suitable piece of land for the Academy, easy accessibility proper security, crowed factor, well knit communications and enough good hotels for accommodating large number of dignitaries and visitors. Mr. Shah, who has spent a life time in the service of the sport is mainly responsible for raising cricket in Nepal to its present status. He is least interested in politicizing the sport. Therefore, the government should not be influenced in any manner by the politics oriented officials of National Sports council and decide in favor of Kathmandu as the right venue of the Academy. If there is any dithering in making a decision, Nepal may lose the project altogether.