HM Opens 8th SAF Games Impressive Display of Songs, Dances, Fireworks Amidst Cheering Spectators

-By Our Correspondent

His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev declared open the 8th SAF Games at the Dasharath Stadium, the main venue of the Games, amidst a gala function yesterday (Saturday).

Torrential rain failed to dampen the mood of thousands of spectators and the participants for the 8th SAF Games.

The almost 19,000 invitees, spectators, participants and about 8,500 school children, who took part in the impressive display of mood and festivity, braved the heavy downpour to witness the major sporting event the country is holding after 15 years.

The curtain to the 8th SAF Games was formally raised after His Majesty pronounced, I declare open the 8th SAF Games here in Kathmandu, amidst cheering and flag waiving spectators and participants. On arrival, Their Majesties were presented Games Logo, batch and information list by the SAF Games officials.

The almost three and half hour long colourful ceremony was transmitted live by the Nepal Television and the national televisions of the six other participating nations were linked with the NTV to broadcast the ceremony live. The ceremony was watched by about 250 million people of the South Asian region.

The Opening Ceremony started at 4:30 P.M. His Majesty the King, accompanied by Her Majesty the Queen and HRH the Crown Prince had arrived at the venue in a motorcade to participate in the function.

His Majesty was welcomed at the venue by Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai who is the chairman of the main Organising Committee of the 8th SAF Games and other members and dignitaries.

The function was also attended by other heads of the constitutional bodies, ministers, representatives of the diplomatic mission and foreign delegates.

The grand Opening Ceremony was also an impressive display of Nepal’s culture and tradition. The venue was decorated by panoramic array of statues and others depicting Nepalese tradition and culture.

The SAFG flame was lit by famous marathon-runner Baikuntha Manandhar amidst cheering mass.

The torch was carried, under the leadership of Bhupendra Silwal, a famous Nepali player who had taken part in the 1st SAF Games in Kathmandu in 1984, through relays from Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha, the apostle of peace. The torch will remain lit until the closing of the SAF Games.

Sabita Rajbhandari, Nepalese taekwondo player, took the oath on behalf of all the athletes. Likewise, Ramesh Khanal took oath on behalf of the judges and referees.

The Ceremony had seen songs and dances by popular singers, school children and army personnel. Nine para jumpers successfully alighted on the stadium from 3,800 feet carrying the logo, mascot and the flags of the participating countries.

Earlier, almost 1,600 players and officials of the participating countries had followed the mascot, Him kanchha (snow leopard) into the stadium in a march past attired in their national dresses.

The flag of the Games was hoisted by Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture Sharat Singh Bhandari welcomed the participants. NOC Rukma Shumsher Rana expressed opinion and Binod Shanker Palikhe, Member Secretary of the SAF Games Organising Committee presented the report. The vote of Thanks was given by Sriman Shrestha, Secretary at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

Govt. Firm On Bill To Control Criminal Activities

-By Our Correspondent

Despite a lot of criticism from the main opposition CPN (UML) and other Left parties in the parliament and outside, the government seems firm to pass the Bill regarding the Amendments of Some Internal Administration Act-2056 to control the growing terrorist activities in the country.

The government introduced the bill to the parliament for discussion despite protests from the opposition parties and even threats of coming down to the streets against the bill.

Last week, the Left parties, including the UML, and besieged the rostrum and created obstruction for Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka to speak about the relevance of the proposed Bill in the parliament.

Earlier, the Nepali Congress had indicated that it would not table the bill in the parliament without consent from the opposition parties.

Earlier the UML had been sore at not being discussed before the bill was registered in the parliament.

The UML’s version is that the Bill to amend the internal administration laws has been brought out in a wrong manner. The party has said that the proposed Bill has given an unlimited power to the police personnel and the Chief District Officers (CDOs).

Khadga Prasad Oli, leader of the UML, said that his party has been against the Bill as there is possibility on the part of police and CDOs to misuse the power.

They may victimise even the general public in the name of controlling the terrorist activities, Oli said.

The UML is said to present an amendment peoposal to change some of the provisons in the Bill. It has opposed the arbitrary rights to be given to the police and CDOs to control the terrorist and criminal activities. It has also not agreed with the provision of not allowing the alleged criminals to get released on bail.

Meanwhile, All Nepal National Students’ Union, student wing of the UML, created turmoil at the office of the Speaker of House of Representatives and manhandled the private secretary of the Speaker. They were there to hand over a memorandum to Taranath Ranabhat, the Speaker.

In the memorandum, they said that the Speaker should not take initiative to pass the proposed Bill regarding the amendment in some internal administration laws.

This is the third time governments have tried to enact law against the Maoists. The present bill is also directed mainly towards the Maoists and other criminal activities.

Earlier, during the RPP-UML government in 1997 had tried to introduce a bill against terrorism. But the government then dropped the idea after much hue and cry from both inside and outside the parliament. Later in during the RPP-Congress government also a similar bill was devised.

However, the government now says the present bill proposes is only some amendments in the existing laws and it is much softer than what were proposed earlier.

Kidnapped DSP Still Missing

-By Our Correspondent

Within weeks of the police search operation, which killed about two dozen Maoist activist including a politburo member of the Maoists, the Maoists have retaliated violently killing seven persons, including six police personnel.

In a clash between police and the Maoists on Wednesday in the Mahat Village of Rukum district, six police and the chairman of the village development committee, Purna Bahadur Budha, were killed. The Maoists also kidnapped DSP Thule Rai. The whereabouts of the DSP Rai is still unknown.

According to a police source, Rai was even said to have allowed Rai to put on his boots before being taken away by the Maoists. Meanwhile, the parents of Rai has appealed to the Maoists not to kill his son.

The police personnel killed are Assistant Sub Inspector Bhogendra Karki, constable Chandra Bahadur Thapa and policemen Shashi Ram Rawal, Shobha Ram Chand, Ashaman B. K. and Ek Bahadur Kumal.

Meanwhile, police is said to have intensified their search campaign for Rai and the Maoists. On Wednesday, the Maoist exploded a bomb in front of the house of Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka at Birendra Municipality, Surkhet.

They also exploded bomb at the Land Tax Office of Nuwakot and Ramechhap districts. The Maoists are also reported to have looted the Small Farmers’ Programme office at Baramchi VDC of Sindhupalchowk district.

The present attack of the Maoists is said to be in retaliation of the police search operation where, the police has started combing the Maoists’ hideouts. According to the information given to the House by Home Minister Khadka, 16 police personnel, 11 common people and 81 Maoist terrorists have been killed after the formation of the present government about four months ago.

Since the Maoist insurgency started in 1996, a total of 942 persons have lost their lives which include, 81 security personnel, 158 innocent people and 702 Maoists.