DON’T ONLY HANKER FOR PM’S POST: PM NEPAL

Kathmandu, 23 Oct.: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Friday asked leaders of political parties not to hanker after the post of prime minister and, instead, called for creating an atmosphere of trust.
“Let’s implement public commitments; let’s not lie; let’s create an atmosphere of trust,” he told a tea reception organized by the UML.
“UNMIN’s tenure ends in two months and the tenure of the constituent assembly (CA) also ends in seven months. If this remaining period isn’t used properly, I foresee a situation when we’ll lose all gains registered so far, including the CA and the country will be pushed back,” said Maoist Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai.
UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal denied his party was an obstacle
to national understanding.
“Because of UML, the country is slowly heading towards understanding. We’re moving towards understanding through an exercise in majority rule,” he said.
Khanal previously had been urging consensus politics.
“There’ll be understanding if UML an Maoists vote for the NC candidate Raam Chandra Paudel,” NC President Sushil Koirala, said at the same reception.” Ask them about the rest.”
The only remaining candidate for the race for prime minister Ram Chandra Paudel said there’s no guarantee of understanding even if withdraws his candidacy.
“There’s no such guarantee. Why wasn’t there an understanding after Madhavji resigned?” Paudel asked.
Nnnn

OHCHR-N CALLS COLONEL PROMOTION BACKWARD STEP

Kathmandu, 23 Oct.: The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nepal (OHCHR-N) Friday expressed serious concern at the two-year given this week to Col. Raju Basnet,
He was among four colonels whose tenure was extended for another two years.
Col. Raju’s brother, also a colonel, was shot dead by Maoists in the capital during the insurgency.
OHCHR-N said Col. Raju was Lt. Col. at the Bhairabnath Battalion in Maharajgunj were Maoists detainees were allegedly detained and tortured between 2003 and 2005; disappearances were also reported.
Reports they were killed and buried in a forest north of the capital weren;t confirmed even after exhumation of bodies.
OHCHR-N and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC ) called for an impartial investigation.
‘The human rights community, including NHRC and OHCHR, has repeatedly called for a credible, competent, impartial and fully independent investigation into the alleged violation committed in the Maharajganj Barracks and other similar incidents which occurred during the conflict in Nepal.
“The term extension of Col. Raju Basnet together with the absence of any concrete step to initiate a proper investigation into the alleged human rights violations committed at the Maharajganj Barracks is a backward step in ensuring justice for the victims of conflict related human rights violation,” said Anthony Cardon of OHCHR-N in a statement Friday.
Nnnn



PRESIDENT’S CHINA VISIT SCHEDULE





Kathmandu, Oct. 23:- The Shanghai Expo-2010 being held in Shanghai of China for six months with the slogan of ‘Better City Better Life’ is concluding on October 31, RSS reports..
It is estimated that some 70 million visitors will observe the International Expo that is being organized with the objective of promoting technical innovations and latest development activities for human-centered development, scientific and technological creations, and cultural diversity for prosperous future.
The heads of the states and governments of some 200 countries and high-ranking officials will participate in the concluding ceremony.
President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav is scheduled to leave for China on a goodwill visit on October 26 to take part in the concluding ceremony.
As per the preliminary schedule of the President’s visit provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President is scheduled to

visit Lhasa, Xian, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
President Yadav will participate in a high-level meeting on October 26 and 27 to be organized in Tibet’s historical and religious city Lhasa. The President will observe the Jokhang Temple, Tibetan University and Potala Palace which is enlisted in the world heritage list.
Similarly, on October 28 and 29 President Yadav will participate in the high-level meeting in Xian city, the ancient city known as trade hub on the Silk Route. Likewise, Dr Yadav is scheduled to visit Famen Temple, Dayan Tower, Yangling Modern Agriculture zone and the Terracotta Warrior Museum.
On October 30, President Yadav will attend the meeting of the officials of the Shanghai-based medical university and Nepali students. Similarly, President Yadav will meet the representatives of the local chamber and top government officials of Shanghai city.
President Yadav will attend the concluding ceremony of the Expo and will visit the Nepal Pavilion including Chinese and SAARC pavilions on October 31.
The President will hold friendly talks with the Chinese Prime Minster Wen Jiabao and will attend the banquet in the concluding ceremony of the Expo.
President Yadav will return home on November 1 through the newly developed business city Guangzhou.
President Yadav’s daughter Anita Yadav, secretary of the President’s Office Baman Prasad Neupane, senior government officials and journalists are in the President’s entourage.
Nnnn


MUSLIM BOY INJURED IN BOMB BLAST

Kathmandu, 23 Oct.: Shah Rukh Khan, 14, was injured Friday in a bomb blast at Maitri Path in Bhairahawa.
Bhawani Singh faction of the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha claimed responsibility.
Nnnn


HOME MINISTRY BANS OBSCENE MATERIALS





Kathmandu, Oct. 23:: Dissemination, exhibition, sale, distribution and transfer of obscene materials in violation of the Electronic Act-2007 has been prohibited, RSS reports.
Internet Service Providers and related agencies cannot publicize, promote, distribute and disseminate such materials prohibited by law.
As per the law, anyone disseminating indecent materials would be liable for a fine of Rs. 100,000 and five years imprisonment.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has requested the members of the general public to inform the authorities concerned if anyone is found disseminating, exhibiting, selling and distributing and releasing the obscene materials prohibited by the existing laws by mentioning the agency and the internet sites disseminating such materials.
The addresses for providing such information are siteinfo@nta.gov.np, info@nepalpolice.gov.np, info@moha.gov.np, moicgon@ntc.net.np, and apf.securitydivision@gmail.com.
Likewise, the Ministry of Home Affairs has said those who want to provide information in writing can do so to the Home Ministry, Security Section; the Ministry of Information and Communications; Nepal Telecom Authority and the Police Headquarters.
Nnnn




NEPALI ENVOY SUMMONED IN NEW DELHI


Kathmandu, 23 Oct.: India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has summoned Nepal’s Ambassador to India Rukma Shumsher Rana to ask him to explain the Solukhumbu incident when some Maoist cadres misbehaved with Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood, according to government sources, The Kathmandu Post reports.

On Oct. 6, irate Maoist cadres greeted Sood with black flags, while one of them hurled a shoe at a team of visiting Indian Embassy officials.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Tuesday’s “summon” of the Nepali envoy was only the second such incident in New Delhi in the last two decades.

The last time New Delhi resorted to such a move was in the year 1989 when the then Ambassador Brinda Shah was summoned over Nepal’s import of arms from China.

The move subsequently led to the infamous trade and transit impasse, a low point in Nepal-India ties.

A protest letter was sent to MoFA on Oct. 12, terming the incident “unfortunate” and in breach of the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Privilege and Immunities.

In a meeting with Rana, Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Joint Secretary Satish Mehta (Nepal-Bhutan Desk) expressed their dismay over the incident, calling it a “gross violation of diplomatic norms.”

Rana, however, tried to play down the incident, saying it was just a verbal protest by the South Block officials.

“Our ties are close and we naturally are dismayed by such an incident,” Rana said over the phone from the Indian capital.

No sooner had Sood and his team reached the Faplu airport in Solukhumbu to inaugurate a drinking water project, a team of Maoist activists led by the party’s central leader and

CA member Gopal Kirati waved black flags at them while chanting anti-Indian slogans.

“We, Nepal and India, are very friendly countries and such an incident should have never taken place,” he quoted the Indian officials as saying.

In 2008, India had protested the sacking of Indian priests from Pashupatinath, with the MEA writing a letter to Nepal Embassy in New Delhi and summoning the highest authority from the mission. “But no one was present there at the ambassadorial level,” said Rana.

Rana rang up Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala and Foreign Secretary Madan Kumar Bhattarai in Kathmandu and conveyed the Indian concern.
nnnn


US TO HELP PEACE PROCESS AFTER UNMIN QUITS

Kathmandu, 23 Oct.: The US government has said it will continue to support Nepal´s peace process even after the departure of the United Nations Mission in Nepal in January, but urged the government and political parties to come up with a concrete plan of action along with what kind of assistance they need for integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants, Kiran Chapagain reports in Republica.

US Ambassador to Nepal, Scott H. DeLisi, conveyed the US willingness to support the peace process even after UNMIN´s exit, during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sujata Koirala at the latter´s office at Narayanhiti Palace on Friday.

"I wanted to reaffirm to her the US government´s commitment to work with Nepal to support the peace process any way we can, especially in light of UNMIN´s departure in January," the US envoy said in a brief interview to Republica after the meeting.

To a question whether US assistance to the government in the process of integration and rehabilitation also featured during the meeting, DeLisi said, "I reaffirmed to her we are absolutely committed to support the process of integration and rehabilitation. But while we are committed to support the process, I think it is important that we hear from the government of Nepal, the Special Committee and from various actors as to what is important for them."

The US commitment to support the rehabilitation and integration process comes at a time when the government is making preparations to approach major donors for financial assistance to support a plan to manage over 19,000 Maoist combatants. The government has already requested the World Bank for help over this. Officials at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction say the government is currently waiting for a rehabilitation package to be offered to Maoist combatants who opt to return to their respective communities.

Asked to comment on general concern over the peace process loosing momentum again despite some optimistic developments in mid-September, DeLisi said, "I was delighted when I left for Washington in late September to be able to say the peace process has some momentum. Yes, at the moment it seems a little bit slower."

Saying that the peace process has seen ups and downs, the US envoy, who returned from Washington last week, said the US "would like to see the momentum of the process of integration and rehabilitation picked up and to be moved more quickly".

Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala said DeLisi told her that the US will increase aid in the sectors of health, agriculture and development.

Amend adoption law

The ambassador also told Koirala that the US wanted to see an amendment in the adoption law, according to a source. Currently, the US government, along with other western governments, has suspended inter-country adoption from Nepal as the adoption system was found mired in flaws and fraudulent practices.
Nnnn

Govt hurdles for Pak-bound students

Kathmandu, 23 Oct.: Ministry of Education (MoE) has refused to issue No Objection Certificate (NOC) to over a dozen

students, who had bagged scholarship to study

engineering and medical sciences in Pakistan

under its technical assistance programme, Rudra Pangeni writes in The Himalayan Times.

Under secretary at the MoE’s scholarship section Prahlad Aryal said, “We cannot issue the NOC since we have not nominated the students. We are only authorised to select and award the scholarship provided to the government.”

A Pakistan government letter to the MoE mentions that the students were “nominated by the government of Nepal.”

The letter, forwarded to the MoE through the Embassy of Nepal in Islamabad, is meant for the ‘admission of foreign students under Pakistan technical assistance programme for the session 2010-11’.

MoE has told the students awaiting the NOC to submit papers, clarifying which government body of Nepal selected them for the scholarship. Aryal said their section conducts exams and awards all freeships on merit basis.

Any student going abroad for study should apply to MoE with the admission letter of the university concerned and other academic credentials to obtain NOC. Azhar Nazir, press officer at the Embassy of Pakistan, said it had conducted exams on August 7, 2010 following a public notice and selected the students on merit basis.

“We used to send a similar letter to the government of Nepal for required documents to Nepali students to pursue studies in medical, engineering, pharmacy faculties,” he said.

“This time, the MoE has refused to push the process ahead. However, we will sort out the problem through dialogue since many students are desperately waiting to join the universities, for their classes start from the first week of November,” he added.

Ministry sources said that some ministers were pressing them to issue the NoC to the students.

Joint Secretary at the MoE Mahashram Sharma said they will request the embassies concerned to bring all scholarships under their ambit. Under secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rishiram Ghimire said many embassies have been distributing scholarships themselves. He said the MoE should put in place a mechanism to end this practice.
nnnn