UN AGENCY QUESTIONSS APPOINTMENT OF MINISTER CHARGED FOR RIGHTS ABUSES

UN AGENCY SAYS SERIOUS ATTENTION DRAWN TO APPOINTMENT OF AGNI SAPKORTA AS COMMUNICATION MINISTER

Kathmandu, 5 May: Geneva-based UN High Commission for Human Rights-Nepal Thursday said in a statement its ‘serious attention’ has been drawn to Wednesday’s appointment of Agni Sapkota in the expanded and reshuffled government dominated by UML and Maoists—the two biggest communist parties.
A murder charge has been registered orr the abduction and murder of Arjun Lama at a district six years ago during the people’s insurgency—the same court where a charge has been registered against an army officer for rights abuses during detention at an army barrack.
Maoists claim Sapkota has been amnestied after they joined the political mainstream with 12-point new Delhi accord with seven parliamentary political.
Serious rights abuses cant be pardoned, the UU agency says.
Washington last year denied Sapkota a visa to enter USA last year to attend the September UN general assembly session.
Canberra also denied him a visa to enter USA.
Sapkota is considered close to Chairman Prachanda and appointed Sapkota aware of likely adverse impact his appointment would make.
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SLC RESULTS BY 29 JUNE

Kathmandu, 5 May;This year’s lSLC results will be announced by 29 June, the Office of the Controller of Examinations saidl Thursday.
Examination papers are being examined at 40 centers, the office said.
Altogether 500,005 students appeared for the annual examinations.
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MECHI HIGHWAY CLOSED IN PROTEST

Kathmandu, 5 May: Movement of vehicles of the Mechi Highway in the East was disrupted Thursday.
Transport workers and entrepreneurs were protesting the shooting of a driver in the district Taplehung Wednesday; the driver survived with shoulder injuries.
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Protestors have threatened indefinite closure without security guarantee.
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FORMER PARLIAMENTARIANS TO GOONRELAYHUNGER STRIKE

Kathmandu, 5 May: Former parliamentarians Thursday said they will go on a relay hunger strike in front of Birendra International Convention Center from 8 May to press for a promulgation of a constitution by the second 28 May deadline.
The deadline will be missed again for th second time in three years.
The sessions of the constituent assembly are held at the Center.
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