In depth Analysis

Girija gamble may backfire!

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s gamble on stealing the initiative from rival Sher Bahadur Deuba regarding talks with the Maoists’ may rebound. The sudden announcement of “informal” talks between deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel and CPN-Maoists’ central committee member Rabindra Shrestha with known Left activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar as go-between came after the dunking of the Deuba commission set up for the purpose. Although widely acclaimed and highlighted by the media, the initiative could well be a false starter. The congress media make out that the Maoists came to the table as a result of Girija’s hard line stance. Girija supporters gleefully point out that Deuba had been unable to talk with the Maoists’ and that the talks were only enabled after the tenure of the Deuba commission was allowed to expire.

These are real facts of course. Nor is the fact that the widely reported movement of army troops has been in the backdrop of the Maoists’ talks.

Nevertheless, there appears an already digression in the approach to the talks. Commander Prachanda insists that the next round should be formal talks and should have prior commitments regarding information, release and judicial inquiries in to government’s excesses. The government insists that several informal rounds should precede any such gesture.

The usurpation of the Deuba committees’ responsibilities by Girija babu’s Deputy Prime Minister may have negative fallout in case the talks do not move forward. The Prime Minister can no longer dump the lack of progress in talks on his congress rival. His congress opposition will more than willingly emphasize the failure of Girija’s direct initiative.

Regardless the Maoists’ in course of Tihar festivals have claimed that they have opened all channels of the negotiations. The Left appears in total agreement on the need to seize this opportunity. Even RPP and the Sadbhavana parties have been demanding negotiations. Girija babu’s initiative now leaves thrasad Koirala today saying that maneuvering was still going on while awarding and renewing the active membership.

"Since so much manipulation goes on while issuing and renewing the active membership we cannot expect the party general convention to be anyussions about them at the central level of the party. Other members of the investigation committee besides Bastola are - Dilendra Prasad Badu, Krishna Prasad Upadhyay Gautam and Surya Man Gurung.

This comes only a day after two members -- Bimalendra Nidhice Officers from SAARC nations concluded here last week.

The workshop had been organized with the support of Nepal’s home ministry, it is learnt.

Senior police officers from SAARC nations participated in the Kathmandu workshop.

For the purpose of enhancing cross border collaboration and information exchange, there is a need for both the formalization of certain institutional arrangements, as well as the institutionalization of informal arrangements, the participants recommended at the conclusion of the workshop.

This would involve, it was agreed, providing support to strengthen the systems that exist within the police structure, for monitoring the issue of missing persons and creating a system whereby these units or arrangements can work with NGOs and Police counterparts, within their own countries as well as across the borders.

It was also recommended that the institutions which might need proper support from the concerned authorities in combating woman trafficking across the borders could be CBI in India, the CID in West Bengal, the Crime Branch in Mumbai, and the Police in Nepal and Bangladesh.

Sri Lankan case being of a different sort, it was recommended that the support could go to the Child Protection authority.

The workshop also felt the need to set up a body of professionals drawn from the Police force, prosecutors/lawyers, judges/magistrates, doctors and media persons who are committed to fighting trafficking of women and children.

Seminar of this regional sort perhaps has materialized for the first time in Nepal, say informed sources. Nepal, said one intellectual, was the real venue for such a workshop as it is this country which is feeling the real crunch due to the increasing girl and woman trafficking every year.

The workshop recommended among others, creating a database on trafficking, including trafficking routes, vulnerable districts/villages, information about traffickers and their whereabouts, information about NGOs and other institutions in different countries and different locations, information about local bodies and Panchayats in vulnerable pockets and in border areas, international agencies supporting anti-trafficking efforts etc.

Senior police men from the Nepal’s police force attended the meeting.

The workshop will go a long way in reducing the number of Nepalese girls and women being trafficked to India and some times to Bangladesh and some Gulf countries as well provided the agencies that met in Kathmandu remain true to their commitment exhibited during the Kathmandu meet.

Kathmandu Declaration on Women workers in the informal sector

Kathmandu: The South Asian Regional Meeting on Women Workers in the Informal Sector: Creating an Enabling Environment, participated by the Governments of India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; and by Trade Unions, Non Governmental organizations, relevant UN an international organizations, community based organizations and research organizations from these countries, and Bangladesh, having met in Kathmandu on 18-20 October 2000 and having deliberated on the issues hereby resolve as follows:

Whereas, women workers in the informal sector, unorganized and agro-based sectors contribute significantly to the economic development of their respective countries, and acknowledging that home-based work has been growing rapidly worldwide due to globalization and liberalization, particularly in South Asia,

And whereas available evidence suggests that home-based work is an important source of employment especially for economically disadvantaged women,

And noting that there are at least 50 million home-based workers in South Asia of whom around 80% are women, who carry our remunerative production and services in their own homes and include own account or self-employed workers as well as those who do work for contractors or employers at the piece-rates; And whereas such workers contribute significantly to the National Economy, these workers are mostly illiterate, invisible, un-represented and voiceless, and are not generally incorporated in the National Development agenda.

Therefore, in order to bring these home-based workers in to the national economic mainstream in accordance with the ILO Convention number 117, this meeting recommends:

Formulation of a National Policy and a Plan of Action on Home-based Workers by the Governments of the South Asian Region in consultation with the stakeholders, with the following components:;

1.Minimum protection, which could include right to organize, minimum remuneration, occupational health and safety, statutory social protection, maternity, child-care, skill development and literacy program.

2. Access to markets and economic resources including raw materials, marketing infrastructure, technology, credit and information.

3. Set up social funds for home-based workers, which would provide insurance against risks of illness, death, old age, accidents, loss of livelihood assets and contingencies as locally required.

4. Incorporate into official statistics baseline data regarding various categories of workers in the informal sector and in particular home-based workers and their contribution to national economies.

Urges SAARC to address the issues of home-based workers in the region and take measures to enable them to deal with the risks and opportunities of globalization by: 1. Setting up a Technical Committee for informal sector workers and home-based workers to promote:-National Policies; Bilateral co-operation and Regional Cooperation.

2 Promote increased integration of markets at the regional level so as to create more employment opportunities.

3. Include home-based products in the SAFTA priority list.

Nepal pavilion in Hanover attracts 24 lakh visitors

Kathmandu/Hanover: “The construction works to bring out the present Nepali pavilion at the Hanover Expo 2000 to its shape what you observe at the moment took more than three plus years”’, said Binayak Shah-the pavilion director to this scribe in Hanover October 3 evening in Germany.

Mr. Shah is also the director of the Marketing and promotions of the Implementing Experts Group currently stationed in Hanover looking after the Nepali pavilion.

About forty Nepali personals contributed to the erection of this superb complex in Hanover, said Shah.

It was also known that the HMG/N allowed a set of Nepali enthusiasts involved in business to take over the entire arrangements for the successful completion of the Nepali pavilion which had already invited a crowd of almost twenty four lakhs of interested people to watch the extraordinary Nepali architect in the midst of sophisticated technologies used by other Expo participants.

“ The German organization GTZ supported us to a great extent and the rest of the needed things we did on our own”, divulged a beaming Shah.

According to Binayak Shah, the total tonnage that was airlifted to Hanover from Nepal ran to the tune of 450 tons and about eight hundred Nepali families contributed to the making of those materials, which finally gave a concrete shape to the Nepali pavilion.

“ Hinduism and Buddhism have ever lived together in harmony and there is no stance of any conflict or whatsoever in between the two religions. The Hindu temple and the Buddha’s stupa located side by side here gives the impression to the visiting public gives this message of tolerance what we possess in Nepal”, continued Shah who had by them become sentimental.

“’And this theme fitted into the very theme of this Expo 2000 which is “Mankind-Nature-Technology”, added Mr. Shah.

Among the luminaries and world dignitaries who had by then visited the Nepal pavilion complex were the Queen of Bhutan, Royalties from The Netherlands and Danmark, claimed Shah.

The response from the visitors is simply impressive. All that we have to do is to give continuity to this process. I wish the Nepali government cashed in on the gains bagged out of this Expo for the expansion of our trade contacts with friendly countries more so with our German partners and businessmen”, hoped Shah.

Shah says that he informed the Prime minister about it and Koirala attentively listened to his talks.

In the opinion of Shah, it would be nice if Nepal invited some influential German businessmen and convinced them for investment in Nepal.

“’The BMZ minister herself came to the pavilion which exhibits German attraction towards establishing business contacts with Nepal”, says Shah.

Total amount that were ate up by the Nepal pavilion came to the tune of 24 crores, it was learnt. Of this amount 14 percent were contributed by the GTZ.

Hits FM to have its own 91.2 MHz frequency

October 25, Kathmandu:  After successfully broadcasting various entertaining and informative programs on air for the past four and a half years, Hits FM has temporarily stopped its transmission from today- it is learnt .

To recall, Hits FM, Hits Nepal Pvt Ltd.'s FM radio station had been on the air on Radio Nepal FM Kathmandu since April 2, 1996.

Hits FM has created a niche among its listeners in providing clean, quality entertainment to the Kathmandu Valley and the adjoining areas. Hits Nepal Pvt. Ltd. has also played a key role in the promotion of Nepali music and local talents.

However, as per the letter received on October 24, 2000, Radio Nepal has decided to terminate their transmission effective from the October 25, 2000, forcing them to go off air on short notice due to circumstances beyond their control.

The overwhelming support and encouragement that the FM had received from their respected sponsors, clients and loyal listeners has encouraged, says a press release issued by the company, them and would be broadcasting again through their own radio station very soon the 91.2 MHz frequency.

Hits Nepal Pvt. Ltd. would like to take this opportunity, adds the press release, to thank all sponsors, clients and loyal listeners for their kind understanding, encouragement and support during the past four and a half years and look forward to the same in future.

Colombo paper report
prompts UK to initiate action against LTTE!

Kathmandu: Britain's independent daily newspaper the "Star" said yesterday that The Charity Commission has raided the offices of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) in Walthamstow and seized documents relating to its finances.

It said that the Commissioner began an investigation on a compliant by the Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Group Lord Avebury, based on a report in "The Island" newspaper published in Sri Lanka to which this newspaper had hinted in its previous issue.

"The Island" of October 4, 2000 reported that LTTE terrorists had registered several 'front' organisations as charities in Britain and were using them to fund and sustain their activities in Sri Lanka to the tune of several million sterling pounds tax free.

The full text of the "Star" report is as follows :

"Charity investigators have frozen the bank accounts of a London-based refugee agency, and are also questioning three other charities accused of giving money to the Tamil Tiger guerrillas in Sri Lanka.

"The Charity Commission raided the offices of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in Walthamstow on Thursday and seized documents relating to its finances.

"The Tamil Tigers - the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam - are at war with the Sri Lankan government in a campaign for an independent state. Amnesty International says their forces have committed "deliberate and arbitrary killings of civilians, torture, hostage-taking and abductions".

The commissioners began investigation after a complaint by Lor Avebury, the vice-chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Group. They started a formal inquiry into the TRO when the charity failed to reply to a request for information. The other charities approached are the Tamil Refugee Training and Employment Centre, also in Walthamstow, the Tamil Refugee Action Group in Vauzhall, and Cancer Aid Sri Lanka in Hounslow.

"Lord Avebury's complaint followed claims in The Island, a Sri Lankan newspaper, that several charities in the UK were controlled by the Tigers and used for fund-raising and propaganda; registering as charities had allowed them to move funds from the UK to Sri Lanka without paying tax.

"A Canadian Senate Committee found earlier this year that terrorist groups were using charities there to raise money. An adviser to the committee, Don Gracey, said later that the TRO, which operates in several countries, was one such body identified.

"Yesterday the Charity Commission confirmed that it had launched a formal inquiry into the TRO under the 1993 Charities Act.

"No one was available for comment at the TRO or Tamil Refugee Action Group. A trusted of Cancer Aid Sri Lanka said its activities were entirely above board, and a committee member of the Tamil Refugee and Employment Center said it would be happy to put an end to rumor mongering".

Telegraph/FES seminar on governance on Nov.23

Kathmandu: The Telegraph weekly seminar on “Role of media in enhancing good governance in Nepal” is scheduled for November 23, 2000.

The seminar is being organized as usual with the assistance of the German Foundation Friedrich Ebert Stiftung-the FES. This is the sixth seminar in series organized by this newspaper with the kind assistance from the FES.

During the seminar two papers by two eminent scholars will be presented.

Those who will be contributing their papers in the one-day seminar are Prof. Dr. Ram Kumar Dahal and senior Journalist Mr. Shrish Rana.

Dr. Dahal is at the moment associated with the CEDA as research scholar, TU and is considered to be one of the senior political scientists in Nepal.

Likewise, Mr. Rana is taken for granted as one of the higher in rank political journalist in the country. Mr. Rana in the past had also presented his working papers in seminars sponsored by this newspaper.

The SAARC Secretary General Ambassador Nihal Rodrigo has kindly accepted to be the Chief Guest of the Telegraph/FES seminar.

Scholars from the Tribhuban University, noted Nepali mediamen and a few close friends of the Telegraph weekly in the diplomatic community are expected to grace the one-day seminar on governance.

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