NEWS NOTES (Spotlight Weelky)

PM Deuba Says Security Has Improved

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has maintained that security situation has improved after the mobilization of Royal Nepalese Army personnel following the proclamation of state of emergency in late November last year. Responding to queries by members of the Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committee (FAHRC) of the House of Representatives last week, the Prime Minister said the on-going security operation has had a positive impact on the general public. In his 10-page long statement, Mr. Deuba said security forces would intensify their operations to disarm the Maoists in future. The Prime Minister informed that 539 people including 436 Maoists, 40 policemen and 36 soldiers, had been killed since the imposition of emergency. He further said almost 5,900 Maoists had been arrested and over 11,000 had surrendered to the authorities during this period. Deuba said the Royal Nepal Army had recovered some of the weapons looted from its barrack in Dang. They include five SLR rifles, three LMG, three 9mm SMG and some ammunition. During search operations, troops had also recovered 86 .303 rifles, twelve .22 Magnum guns, 23 pistols and 59 twelve-bore guns. Troops had also seized over Rs. 4 million looted by the Maoists. Compiled from reports.

Home Secretary Level Meet Concludes

The Home Secretary level talks between Nepal and India concluded in New Delhi Thursday discussing, among others, ways and means of strengthening bilateral cooperation in curbing terrorism and cross-border crime, reports said. Both the governments have decided to set up joint operation groups at district levels in border areas to combat terrorism and monitor activities inimical to the interests of the two neighbors, reports said. The proposed special groups would comprise district magistrates (Chief District Officers, in case of Nepal) of the border districts and customs and immigration officials, and would begin work by examining the feasibility of introducing some more means to identify bona fide citizens. The Nepali side appreciated the cooperation extended by India for curbing Maoist activities in the Himalayan kingdom. Meanwhile, the two sides also agreed to facilitate the air travel of school children accompanying their parents with the identity cards of their parents, the RSS news report said. They also agreed to review details of the present modalities of air travel between two countries and come up with a solution by the end of March this year. The next Home Secretary level meeting will be held in Kathmandu within the next six months, the report added. Compiled from reports. Feb. 08.

British Organization To Assist SMEs

British Executive Services Overseas (BESO), a development agency, a London-based development agency, has expressed its interests in providing free of cost consultancy services to improve the output of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nepal, among others. Talking to reporters here Thursday, John Burlison, regional director of BESO for South East Asia and the Pacific, said Nepal was one of the 20 priority countries for BESO's assistance. BESO has been providing services through its volunteers and technical experts to Nepal for the past 15 years in sectors including health, education, tourism, business management and export trades. ìWe can also offer quality services in areas like information technology. But the initiative must come from the Nepalese side,î said Burlison. Leading dailies report Feb. 08.

Govt. Revises Royalty On Peaks

As part of its drive to attract tourists to Nepal and revive the ailing tourism industry, the government on Wednesday announced major revision in royalty fees on 60 peaks for mountaineering expedition teams. According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, royalty fees for 40 peaks have been reduced by as much as 75 per cent between March 2002 and March 2005. Similarly, royalty fees for 20 peaks in far-western region have been waived completely for the same period. The decision coincides with the declaration of Destination Nepal Year 2002-2003, Golden Jubilee Year of the successful ascent of Mt. Everest and International Year of the Mountains. The Ministry hoped the latest government move would "ease to a certain level" problems seen in the tourism sector and make the country more attractive in the highly competitive market for mountaineering expeditions. Compiled from reports.

Top Maoist Leaders taking Shelter In India

As the government has imposed a nationwide emergency to crush the six-year-old Maoist rebellion, top Maoist leaders have gone ëunderground' in India, a leading weekly reported Sunday, quoting security sources. Security forces have so far taken into custody nearly half a dozen central committee members of the underground outfit including Rabindra Shrestha and Dilip Maharjan. The on-going terrorist campaign is being led by Barkhaman Pun, Shanker Khadka and ëBadal' alias Ram Bahadur Thapa. These three leaders are protected by a group of up to 200 Maoist cadres and change their hideout in every 12 hours. Meanwhile, the top army brass has complained the government of lack of adequate support from the home administration during the on-going security operations, the news report said. Deshanter Feb. 03.

Poudel Presents His Report

Former Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel has presented a report and suggestions on the situation in the country following the declaration of emergency. The report, prepared by a four-member team, was handed over to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka in the capital Sunday. Deuba said the government would implement the suggestions as soon as possible. Talking to reporters later, Poudel claimed that security situation had improved at the district headquarters following the mobilization of the army and that the people's representatives were of the view that the security should be extended to each and every village. The team, led by Poudel, had prepared the report after visiting ten districts in far-western and mid-western development regions and on the basis of study of the security situation and interviews with security officials and party workers. Compiled from reports.

Five Nepalese Shot Dead In Assam

At least five ethnic Nepalese have been shot dead by Indian security forces on suspicion of having links with terrorist organizations in Assam, reports Sunday. French news agency AFP reported that the five were shot dead in an encounter at the village of Salpara in Western Assam Saturday. The Indian army statement later said all five of them were ìhardcore militantsî belonging to the outlawed separatist outfit National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). The district magistrate of Kokrajhar Asish Bhutani said, "We are not sure if the Nepalese who died in the crossfire had links with the NDFB. We have already sent top police and civil officials to investigate the matter." The army claimed that they had recovered arms and ammunition from the site of encounter. Local Nepali organizations including All Nepali Students' Union (ANSU) and the Gorkha Council have termed the encounter as "fake" and have alleged the Indian army of attempting to unleash a "reign of terror" in western Assam. "We want an immediate judicial probe into the incident. We shall also move the Assam Human Rights Commission for an inquiry," ANSU president Dilu Sharma has been quoted as saying. Meanwhile, KANTIPUR daily reported that local administration has ordered a probe into the incident. Compiled from reports.

Three More Wetland Areas Declared

Nepal has declared Ghodaghodi Tal area in far-western district of Kailali, Jagadishpur reservoir area in western terai district of Kapilvastu and Beesh Hazar Tal area in central valley of Chitwan as new wetland areas in the country. "These are very important wetland areas providing perfect habitat to various endangered species of birds, reptiles and fauna," said Dr Tirtha Man Maskey, Director General at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC). Officials hope that these wetland areas, too, may be included in the coveted list of the international Ramsar Site. Only those wetlands that have unique and important ecological importance and value are declared as Ramsar site by a Switzerland-based body that works for the conservation of wetlands. The body was formed after the historic signing of Ramsar Convention in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve in eastern Nepal is the only wetland area of Nepal that has been declared a Ramsar Site. The ìbird-watchers' paradiseî made it to the list in 1987. Nepal ratified the International Convention on Wetlands 1971 in 1985. Compiled from reports.