Newsprint hold-up leads to supplement publication suspensions; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu 25 June: With newsprint shortage following a hold-up of 1,000 tons of basic raw material for newspapers by giant neighour India, Kantipur Publications Friday announced indefinite suspension of supplements of daily newspapers The Kathmandu Post and Kantipur.
“We deeply regret that we had to halt the publication of our weekly Friday supplement Corporate due to shortage of the newsprint brought about by its hold-up in Kolkata. A supplement Hallo Sukrabar, published by our sister publication, Kantipur, has also been halted,” an announcement in The Kathmandu Post said.
Nearly, 1,000 tons of newsprint imported by the management of the newspapers have been held up at Kolkata port for nearly one month allegedly for revenue investigation.
Officiating Foreign Minister and Energy Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat and Commerce Minister Rajendra Mahoto deposed parliament’s public accounts committee Friday and told the committee work had started to release the consignment.
The two ministers told the committee government received delayed information on the detention and acted immediately after it was highlighted by the two newspapers this week.
The committee had summoned Deputy Prime Minister Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala who is currently in UAE.
Committee members alleged Indian intelligence Raw engineered the episode while Dr Prakash Chandra Lohini of RJP said Indian embassy statement on the incident was threatening.
Following a two-and-a half-hour discussion, the committee directed the government to effort the early release of the held-up consignment and determine why the import was intercepted in the first place.
Commerce Secretary Purusottam Ojha told the committee there was shortage of officials at the port to inspect the import.
Government had asked the consulate general in Kolkata to intervene to release the consignment,
An Indian newspaper Thursday said Indian advertisements to the newspapers with the largest circulation in Nepal had been stopped.
“In Kathmandu, the unprecedented stoppage of newsprint is being seen as an attempt to pressure the two newspapers—Kantipur and the Post—to adopt a more favourable attitude to the Madhav Kumar Nepal government, which India is backing against the Maoists. Along with the delay in clearing newsprint supplies, the fact that major Indian companies have stopped advertising in both newspapers is also being seen as evidence of pressure tactics,” The Hindu said.
Indian embassy in Kathmandu has for four decades denied Indian government advertisements to newspapers considered ‘anti-Indian’.
With the recent entry of Indian multi-national companies, Indian embassy diplomats have recently worked behind-the-scene exerting pressure on private companies to deny advertisements to newspapers considered ‘hostile’.
Your blogger, a journalist with four decade experience, has experienced this even as a newspaper co-publisher with close connections with Nepali newspaper editors and publishers.
The publication started lobbying for international and national support.
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Delayed Maoist politburo meet begins

Kathmandu, 25 June: A delayed meeting of the Maoist politburo to be addressed by Chairman Prachanda began Friday.
The Maoist strongman had sought the extension for discussions with office bearers to incorporate differing views in his address; the politburo meet began 15 June.
Prachanda was scheduled to address the politburo Thursday.
The standing committee empowered the politburo to adopt the official party modalities for the integration and resettlement of 19,000 plus combatants and concluding the peace process.
Differences surfaced on who in the party should lead a government of national unity to replace the year-old government of Madhav Kumar Nepal.
A section sought an alternate to Prachanda.
Vice-chairman Narayan Kazi Shrestha majority politburo members favoured renewing an armed struggle if Maoist demands aren’t met; the main opposition has decided to disrupt parliamentary proceedings and stop the passage of the government’s annual plans and programmes and the annual budget.
Government, to counter Maoists, is considering an option to present the budget through ordinance.
The main opposition will make public its party position public after the meet.
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Home Minister Bhim Rawal leaves for Pakistan later Friday

Kathmandu, 25 June: Home Minister Bhim Rawal for Pakistan later Friday to attend a meeting of SAARC home ministers.
Curbing regional terrorism is an agenda of the conference.
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Nepal seeks extension from ICAO

Kathmandu, 25 June: Foreign ministry wrote to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Thursday asking the UN agency to extend a deadline to replace hand-written passports with machine readable passports (MRPs) until 1 January 2011.
ICAO asked Nepal had to introduce MRPs by 1 April 2010 to help curb terrorism.
The process was dragged into controversy after the cabinet awarded contract to India without an international tender; government overturned its own decision drawing New Delhi’s ire.
An international tender was called by the foreign ministry 18 May to print MRPs.
Control and ownership of information has serious security implications.
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Rato Machindranath pulled to Lagankhel

Kathmandu, 25 June: The chariot of Rato Machindranath was pulled to Lagankhel in Jawalakhel Thursday evening.
The bhoto is displayed four days after it’s towed there.
The original bhoto is on display at a museum in Los Angeles.
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Joint committee to promote Nepal, UAE ties

Kathmandu, 25 June: Nepal and UAE Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen bilateral ties.
Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala signed the MoU Nepal’s behalf.
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Politicos flew to USA Thursday to attend a US State Dept Nepal seminar in Boston

Kathmandu, 25 June: Twenty-three leaders and lawmakers, including four Maoists, flew for USA Thursday, at the invitation of a NGO, Nagarik reports.
Maoist leaders CP Gajurel, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Amik Serchan and Pampha Bhursal boarded a Gulf Air flight.
Three leaders each of NC and UML are participating in the seminar.
Congress leaders Arjun Narsingh KC, Ramesh Lekhak, Suphaprabha Ghimere along with UML leaders Pradip Geywali, Lucky Sherpa and Sahana Pradhan also boarded the flight.
Hridesh Tripathi of TMLP and Anil Anil Kumar Jha of NSP flew for the USA as well.
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Indian censor board’s no to Nepali film on its Maoists

Kathmandu, 25 June: Indian Censor Board has refused to certify “Flames of the Snow”, a documentary on Nepal, for public screening, The Kathmandu Post reports.
The board said thee film tells about the Maoist movement in Nepal and justifies its ideology.
It feels that ‘keeping in view the recent Maoist violence in some parts of the country, the permission of its public screening cannot be given,” said Ananda Swaroop Verma, producer of the film as well as a journalist.
Produced under the joint banner ‘GRINSO” and Third World Media, the 125-minute film has been produced by Verma and directed by Ashish Srivastava.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

China duty free exports for Nepali goods from next week

Kathmandu, 25 June: At a time when several Nepali products are still nowhere in the international market, China is providing duty-free facility to Nepal from next week, RSS reports.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, China is providing duty free facility from 1June to 33 underdeveloped countries, including Nepal, Bangladesh and the Maldives of South Asia.
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20,000 tons of sugar from India

Kathmandu, 25 June: Government is to import 20,000 metric tons of sugar form India, Annapurna Post reports.
There’s shortage now, but sugar is being brought in now to meet increased demand in dasain, tihar.
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NTIC 2010 launched

Kathmandu, 25 June: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Thursday made public the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS) 2010.
Nineteen goods and services have been identified with highest export potential.
Cardamom, ginger, honey, lentil, tea, noodles, medicinal herbs, essential oils, handmade paper, silver jewellery, iron and steel, pashmina and wool products have been identified as high-potential export items.
Tourism, labour, information technology, business process outsourcing (BPO) services, health services, education, engineering, agro-food and hydro-electricity have export potential in service sector.
Nepal assured government will promote identified goods and services.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Don’t accept undue conditions put forth by foreigners across the negotiating table.”

“PM Nepal’s directive to secretaries, The Rising Nepal, 25 June)

“You should also discourage the tendency of using jazzy cars, go on junkets abroad and attend parties hosted by diplomats.”

(PM Nepal’s directive to secretaries, The Rising Nepal, 25 June)
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