News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Editor Rai Released

The government has released editor of "Aparanha" daily, an eveninger, on a bail of Rs 500 after taking him into custody for nearly 48 hours. Police had booked Rai under "Public Offense Act" after a senior police officer complained that the news report published in the paper on November 10 had defamed him. Several media organizations both within the country and abroad had protested Rai's arrest. The New York-based media freedom watchdog, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Vienna-based International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) had condemned the arrest and had demanded his release. In separate letters sent to premier Lokendra Bahadur Chand, they urged the Nepalese government not to jail journalists for exercising right to free expression. Compiled from reports.

Maoists Criticize Parties

The underground CPN (Maoist) has come down heavily against the major political parties in the country for "failing to protest against the royal move to usurp the achievements of the 1990 people's movement." A joint statement issued by party chairman, Prachanda, and politburo member Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, however, said there was still the need for launching a joint political struggle to make people sovereign in a true sense and formulate a new constitution accordingly. They also claimed that the overwhelming "success" of the three-day shutdown strike had endorsed their demands. They have also warned that their armed struggle would continue and that several "concrete programs" would be made public in future if their demands were not met. They have underlined convening of a round-table conference representing all sides, formation of an interim government and elections to the constituent assembly as their minimum demands. Kantipur Nov. 14.

Journos Victimized

Maoist rebels have severely beaten up Rekhraj Dahal, a reporter of Prateek daily published from Birgunj, at Hatpate in Sindhuli district on Friday. Dahal, who is also a member of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), was freed by the rebels after eight-hour long severe torture. Dahal had gone to observe Tihar festival at his house, NEPAL SAMACHARPATRA daily reported Tuesday. Compiled from reports Nov. 13.

Govt. Yet To Get Details On `Madarsas'

The ten-month old decision of the Council of Ministers to monitor the `Madarsas' (Islamic religious schools) and bring them under the government's supervision is yet to be implemented. In its meeting on January 31, this year the Council of Ministers had decided that all the `Madarsas' operating within the country must be registered with respective District Administration Offices (DAOs) and that they should report the DAOs about their income and expenditure every year. The government had authorized District Education Offices to monitor these Madarsas. According to estimation, there are nearly 300 Madarsas operating all over the country but there are no reports of their registration with local authorities. An office-bearer with a Muslim organization in Kathmandu said that the Madarsas were reluctant to register with the authorities as the government had taken this decision apparently under pressure from the Indian government. "Moreover, when the administration itself is not interested why should the "Madarsas'" he asked. Meanwhile, official sources said that a meeting of Nepalese and Indian officials at the bordering region have decided to follow-up the issue and expedite the monitoring process. Kantipur Nov. 12.

Rebels Destroy VDC Buildings

Maoist insurgents have attacked and destroyed nearly one-third of the around 4,000 Village Development Committee (VDC) buildings in the country. According to the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD), the rebels have already destroyed over 1,300 VDC buildings. The Far-Western Development Region has suffered the most due to the vandalism as nearly 83 percent of 383 VDC buildings in the region have been destroyed by the insurgents. Similarly 285 VDC buildings out of 893 VDCs in eastern region, 334 VDCs out of 1199 VDCs in central region, 221 VDCs out of 865 VDCs in western development region and 165 VDCs out of 575 VDCs in the mid-western region have been destroyed by the insurgents so far. The rebels continue to target development infrastructure, VDC and health post buildings and other government-owned installations as part of their "people's war." The districts where the rebels have destroyed almost all VDC buildings include Rukum, Rolpa, , Achham, Dadeldhura, Baglung and Dang. The Ministry is yet to get details about the damages caused in VDCs in 15 out of 75 districts in the country. The Ministry has estimated that physical losses incurred due to violent attacks at these VDCs amount to nearly Rs 283.5 million. These offices would need over Rs 422 million for repair and maintenance alone. "We don't have budget right now to start maintenance works at these VDCs," said Ganga Dutta Awasthi, joint secretary at the MoLD. "We will start work only when there is a congenial environment," he added. Ministry sources admitted that the rebels have threatened to blow away the buildings if they are repaired. Gorkhapatra Nov. 12.

Govt. Announces Relief Package

The government unveiled an "immediate relief package" aimed at providing succor to poor and needy people. The package will be managed under the parameters of the regular budget with hopes of attracting foreign help, said Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal, revealing the package. Along with Mandal, Health Minister Dr. Upendra Devkota and Finance Minister Dr. Badri Prasad Shrestha were part of the team that the government had constituted to recommend relief measures. Among others, the package prioritizes the rehabilitation of the displaced, swift repairing of destroyed physical infrastructure, training and employment programs for the displaced, construction of green road for food supply, irrigation and food security. Likewise, the relief package announces the allocation of Rs 175 million for the health sector. Under this, a fund for free medical treatment for the poor people will be set up. Moreover, the relief includes a number of measures to improve the education sector. Leading dailies report.

Maoists Claim Responsibility

Underground Maoist rebels have claimed responsibility for the murder of two Nepalese security staff at the US embassy in Kathmandu over the period of last one year. They have also clarified that their party has the policy of not targeting diplomats and tourists during the course of their violent movement. In a statement issued Friday, Kathmandu bureau of the underground Maoist party claimed that they were responsible for the murder of two security staff, Dipak Pokhrel, and Ramesh Manandhar, at the local US embassy for allegedly working as police informers. Pokhrel was killed at his residence in Kathmandu last week while Manandhar was shot dead in the capital last year. The party, however, said it was not responsible for the bomb-throwing incident at the residence of president of Royal Council standing committee, Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi, last Wednesday. The security personnel had shot dead the person trying to throw bomb inside the official residence of Dr. Rayamajhi. The Maoist party also made it clear that they have never targeted diplomatic community or the tourists visiting Nepal. The Maoist clarification comes amid reports that suspected Maoist rebels were involved in extortion and physical abuse of foreign trekkers and expeditioners in Nepalese hills and mountains. Compiled from reports Nov. 16.

Pant

Maoists Warn Artiste Pant

The Maoists have warned anybody found involved directly against their 'people's war' of dire consequences. They have asked a popular Nepali comedy artist, Santosh Pant, to resign from his post as junior officer at the Department of Military Intelligence at the Royal Nepalese Army. Pant usually plays lead roles in a popular entertainment programme, Hijo Aajka Kura, aired over the state-owned Nepal Television once a week. He, however, said the rebels had expressed reservations over another tele-serial produced by him for the Royal Nepalese Army denouncing Maoist movement. He said he would decide on the issue within the time frame given by the rebels (i. e. one week). He said he had received hundreds of phone calls expressing concerns over his safety. Compiled from reports Nov. 16.

Garment factory

Garment Exports Still Floundering

The exports of readymade garments to the US-the largest market for Nepal-declined by nearly one-third by the end of October this year compared to the same period last year, entrepreneurs said. According to the Garment Association Nepal (GAN), Nepal exported US $ 82.13 million worth apparels to the US by the end of October this year as against US $ 120.79 million of apparels exported to the US during the same period last year. The US alone consumes nearly 85 per cent of Nepal's total apparel exports. The main reason for the latest decline include labor disturbances and deteriorating law and order situation within the country as well as slowdown in demand for apparel in the US market, entrepreneurs said. Compiled from reports.