YOUTH FORCE CLOSES DOWN MORANG FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE DAY WEDNESDAY

THREE DEAD IN KAVRE JEEP ACCIDENT

Kathmandu, 19 Aug.: Three women died in a jeep accident at Chisapani, Kavre, in a jeep accident Wednesday morning.
Eight passengers were injured.
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YOUTH FORCE CLOSES DOWN MORANG FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE DAY

Kathmandu, 10 Aug.: Youth Force, affiliated with UML which is leading the communist dominated government, closed down Morang district, including Biratnagar, for the second consecutive day Wednesday.
The youth wing of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal’s party is demanding release of two jailed activists charged for a murderous attack on a journalist who survived with serious injuries
The Force is also demanding withdrawal of criminal charges against another youth leader against whom an arrest warrant has been issued.
Maoist Chairman rebutting charges recently paramilitary YCL
was unleashing terror, said Youth Force, instead, was responsible.
charged for murder.
UML has been charged by some for protecting criminal elements in the party.
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NRNA 5TH GLOBAL CONFERENCE IN KATHMANDU 12 T0 14 OCT.

Kathmandu, 10 Aug. The 5th three-day global conference of Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) will he held in the capital from 12 October, an announcement said.
The meeting is being held with FNCCI and government collaboration.
NRNA is lobbying for dual-citizenship in meetings with the prime minister, ministers and party leaders.
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RUKMA SJB RANA RETURNING WEDNESDAY

Kathmandu, 10 Aug.: Nepal’s Ambassador to India Rukma Shumshere JB Rana is returning Wednesday after his recall by government.amid charges of anti-government activities.
Rana delayed his return for several months as NC which appointed him lobbied for him.
Rana is son of Subarna Shumshere Rana—a top NC leader and financier.
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NA TEAM RETURNS FROM CHINA

Kathmandu, 10 Aug.: A senior seven-member team of Nepal Army (NA) led by Maj. Gen.Daman Ghale returned home Tuesday after a completing a five-day China visit at the invitation of PLA.
The delegation inspected military facilities in Tibet and neighbouring Chengdu and held consultations with Chinese counterparts.
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INDIA READY TO COOPERATE WITH NEPAL FOR PEACE, CONSTITUTION; FOREIGN SECRETARY RAJAN MATHAI





New Delhi, 10 Aug.: The Indian foreign secretary Tuesday said that India would cooperate with Nepal in the tasks of peace and constitution making by respecting Nepal’s sovereignty, The Rising Nepal reports from New Delhi.
Emphasising the deep and historical relations between Nepal and India, newly appointed Foreign Secretary of India Rajan Mathai said this to a delegation of women’s parliamentarians from Nepal.
"We are ready to support Nepal with the tasks by respecting its sovereignty," he said.
Mathai said that India was highly concerned about the political situation of Nepal and cross border crimes.
In response, lawmakers underlined the need to properly manage the border between the two countries, said Sapana Pradhan Malla, lawmaker from CPN-UML.
The Madhesi lawmakers talked about the rising tensions at the border and asked India to take this seriously. They also raised issue with the misbehavior of Indian SSBs at the border.
"We asked India to provide facilities to exchange Nepalese currency in Delhi," said a Madeshi lawmaker.
Mathai assured the delegation that the issues they raised were taken very seriously. "India will sort out the issues and work for better relations between the two nations," he said.
The team also had discussions with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). CII Gujarat Council chairman Amresh Dhawan said that India was ready to invest in hydropower sector of Nepal provided that Nepal guaranteed safety and security to the investment.
"Indian investors don’t feel secure about their investment in Nepal, thus we urged the lawmakers of Nepal to create a favourable environment for the Indian investment so that both the countries can mutually benefit", said Dhawan.
Renu Dahal, lawmaker from UCPN-Maoist, responded that Nepal was moving towards federalism and the investors should understand and respect the sentiments of the local people and benefit should go to them too.
"If the local peoples’ interests are not taken care of, none of the projects can do well in Nepal," said Dahal.
The Indian business community also expressed that like India, Nepal should also depoliticize the economic development.
The team of 15 women lawmakers also had an interaction with the Indian scholars at Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) on Tuesday evening.
The team will be returning home Saturday after visiting Bangalore.

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CHINESE AMBASSADOR YANG CONFIRMS CHINESE INGO INVESTMENT IN LUMBINI, BLAMES TOURISM MINISTRY FOR CONFUSION





Kathmandu, 10 Aug.: Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yang Houlan has claimed that a Chinese NGO was planning to invest for the development of Lumbini as per an agreement reached with the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MOTCA), Ram Prasad Dahal writes in The Rising Nepal .
During a meeting with leaders of Terai Madesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP) at Bijulibazaar of Kathmandu on Tuesday, the Chinese ambassador claimed that due procedure was followed on Lumbini project.
"The matter came into debate because the tourism ministry did not share about the deal to ministries of foreign affairs, culture and Finance," said (TMLP) leader Hridayesh Tripathi, quoting Houlan as saying.
At the meeting, TMLP leaders raised questions over the planned investment by a Chinese NGO and company for the development of Lumbini.
However, The Rising Nepal could not trace any evidence of MOTCA finalising an agreement with the Chinese NGO regarding its investment in Lumbini.
"I have no knowledge of it. It is not the tourism ministry that makes such a deal. They can take permission or sign an agreement with the foreign ministry," said MOTCA spokesperson Hari Prasad Basyal.
The Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (APECF), a Chinese NGO, and a Beijing based company Investment Company (IC) are planning to make investments for the development of Lumbini.
But, Ambassador Houlan did not talk about the IC.
Past government led by Madhav Kumar Nepal had approved a proposal submitted by IC for Lumbini’s development. However, APECF has not yet received permission from the government.
The Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) rejected the cabinet approval granted to the IC proposal questioning its investment capacity and credibility.
"It is true that the cabinet approved IC’s proposal in principle. But the LDT had stopped it putting forward a conditions that the company should prove its investment capacity and credibility before implementing the project" said former Cultural Minister Dr. Minendra Rijal.
The Chinese NGO APECF announced that it will invest US$ 3 billion for the development of Lumbini. Similarly the IC announced that it would invest 3 billion rupees for the similar project. It plans to build Buddha statues, gardens and hotels in the birthplace of Buddha.
During the meeting, the Chinese ambassador discussed the political and development situation of Nepal with the Madheshi leaders. He said China is ready to assist in Nepal’s peace process and constitution drafting.

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SOLD ANTIQUE WEAPONS WERE IMPROPERLY STORED REDUCING VALUE
Kathmandu, 10 Aug.: The revelation that hundreds of tonnes of military antiques (some around 200 years old) were sold at a throwaway price to raise money for the purchase of modern weaponry to fight the then Maoist rebels has stirred a fresh controversy—drawing widespread condemnation and forcing a parliamentary panel to call a hearing, Phanindra Dahal writes in The Kathmandu Post.
The State Affairs Committee (SAC) on Tuesday decided to call senior defence and Army officials to testify on the 10 year-old decision taken by the then Nepal government in 2000 to sell 430 tonnes of military antiques to US-based military collector, the International Military Antiques.
The SAC has asked Defence Minister Bishnu Poudel, Defence Secretary Navin Kumar Ghimire and Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Chhatra Man Singh Gurung to appear before the committee with information on the sale of those military treasures.
The decision comes a day after Kantipur Television ran an investigative story on how weapons of archeological value were auctioned off for US$ 5 million and traded to the US company.
“Our serious attention has been drawn by media reports exposing the sale of armaments of historical and archeological importance, which if true, damages the reputation of the country,” said SAC Chairman Ramnath Dhakal. “We will determine our course of action after the hearing.”
Officials at the Ministry of Defence and the Army Headquarters were on Tuesday busy searching for documents related to the deal.
Defence Ministry Spokesman Dwarika Prasad Acharya said the ministry was holding discussions with Nepal Army to bring the facts to light.
The Army had nothing much to say. “Everything took place in line with a decision taken by the governments at that time. The detailed information is not with me,” said Army Spokesman Ramindra Chhetri. Former officials of the royal palace and the then Royal Nepal Army confirmed the sale. The “filthy and damaged” caches of weapons stored at Lagan Silekhana were auctioned off to a US-based company by the Girija Prasad Koirala-led government, according to them. “The palace, the then government and the Army, everyone had consented to that deal,” said former General Bibek Shah, who then headed the military secretariat at the palace. The old weapons stored improperly, covered in layers of dust and unused were sold to buy modern weapons for the national army, according to him.
“No one should take the incident as an
attempt to sell the country’s history,” he said. “The decision was taken to arrange money to buy weapons for the Army that was preparing to step in to counter the armed conflict.”
Officials had then planned to sell the Army’s 303 rifles to the Nepal Police, the SLRs to the Armed Police Force and buy modern rifles for the then Royal Nepal Army. “Governments during that time were allocating more budget to the police than the Army. There was no proper way to save those ancient weapons from water, dust and heat and their value was declining,” argued retired Maj Gen Pradip Pratap Bam Malla, who was appointed the Director of Military Operations after the deal was signed. Prajawal Shumsher Rana was the chief of the Army while Kumar Phudung was the Master of General Ordinance during that time. Bhusan Dahal, who hosts the popular television programme ‘Fireside’ that revealed the export of the military antiques, said the sale of antique weaponry at the price of scrap metal threatens to wipe a portion of history. “The antiques were directly related to the history of Nepal and it is our duty to inform the people about how they were undermined and traded to foreigners,” he said.
The antiques were directly related to the history of Nepal and it is our duty to inform the people about how they were traded to foreigners
The palace, the then government and the Army, everyone had consented to
the deal


How the ‘history’ landed in the US
According to an article “Treasures of Nepal” that appeared in the Aug 2004 edition of the American Rifleman magazine, Christian Cranmer, the President of Int’l Military Antiques and Sudhir Windlass, owner of the Atlanta Cutlery, had jointly participated in the bid to buy 200 tonnes of traditional Nepali armaments. The quantity was increased to 430 tonnes after 146 canons destined for smelting and an almost equal number of artillery carriage that were to be burnt were included in the list resulting in 50,000 guns, 180 bronze canons, innumerable khukris, bayonets, musket flints and musket balls.
Cranmer, according to the report, came to know about the Nepali military antiques from his friend in 1969. The parents of his friend, who were in high-end antique business, had visited Nepal and were told about the arms in the old palace in Nepal’s capital by a Russian ex-ballet dancer owning a hotel in Kathmandu.
Carnmer’s friend then inspected the arsenal and confirmed the information, paving way for negotiations that bore fruit in 2001.
He himself arrived in Kathmandu to supervise the packing and shipping of the weapons. It was during this visit that he filmed the documentary “Treasure is Where You Find It, The Thirty Year Quest to Save the Royal Armory of Nepal.”
American Rifleman wrote “.. with its gilded wall decoration and exotic murals, Lagan Silekhana must have been one of the most splendid residencies in Nepal, but after 200 years of neglect it was, as described by Cranmer, “absolutely filthy.”
The rooms of the palace, which had no electric lights or running water, were stuffed from floor to ceiling with stacks of muskets, swords, rifles and artillery. To make the matter more worse, working space was at minimum and everything was covered in layers of black brick dust.”
Due to delay in getting permission from India, the antiques were transported to New Jersey and Atlanta during the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government in 2004. The convoy carrying 430 tonnes of arms packed in 31 containers took three weeks to reach Calcutta from Kathmandu due to the monsoon, according to the feature published in American Rifleman.
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BIR HOSPITAL TO HAVE ORGAN DONATION UNIT
Kathmandu, 10Aug.:The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has given a go-ahead to the establishment of an organ donation unit at the Kidney Transplant Unit of Bir Hospital, the oldest hospital of the country, Manish Gautam writes in The Kathmandu Post..
The unit will work as a registration place for those who wish to donate organs after they are brain-dead.
“We got an official letter on establishing the organ donation unit on Tuesday,” chief of the kidney transplant unit at Bir Hospital, Dr Pukar Chandra Shrestha, said. “The decision on the unit was taken by the new minister at the MoHP on August 1.” Shrestha added that as they have geared themselves up to take the responsibility—with registration forms and cards ready—the unit will start its work within a day or two.
The Human Organ Transplant Act-1998 has it that those wishing to donate their organs have to initially provide a consent letter. However, the irony in Nepal was that no such registration unit had been in place earlier.
“Every year around 100 brain-dead patients are admitted to Bir Hospital. However, with no such legal registration unit, we were unable to carry out transplants from these patients,” Shrestha, who has experience of transplanting organs such as liver and kidney for six years in Freeman Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Royal Liverpool Hospital in the UK, said. “Now, the problem has been solved.”
Shrestha said that every year 3,000 patients in the country suffer from kidney failure, out of which around 90 percent die within a few months of the first symptoms.
“Our transplants so far have been 100 percent successful with no complications,” Shrestha said, adding that a transplant would cost around Rs 500,000. “The cost is much lower compared to other developed countries and even our neighbouring countries,” Shrestha said. Dr Sinendra Raj Upreti, the chief of the Curative Service Division at the Health Ministry, said that with this unit formed, people can give their consent to organ donation after they are brain-dead.
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STAGE SET FOR ANOTHER MAJORITY GOVT.
Kathmandu, 10 Aug.: With Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal’s intention to resign being reinforced from several quarters today, the stage is set for an intense contest to form yet another majority government, The Himalayan Times writes..

Prime Minister Khanal told a senior UML leader over phone that he would call the central committee meeting on August 14, a day after his resignation, party sources said.

“What everybody wants is my resignation,” he reportedly told the leader. After facing extreme pressure from within the party and outside, the prime minister announced last week that he would step down on August 13 if there was no progress on the fundamental issues of peace process.

His statement was seen as an attempt to placate detractors as well as to put pressure on the Maoists to become more flexible on modalities of integration.

However, with pressure from the Maoists to remain in power, Khanal’s resignation had become an issue of wide-open speculations.

Speaking at Reporters’ Club, Minister for Education and government Spokesperson Gangalal Tuladhar today said the prime minister would resign on August 13 although there was little prospect of a consensus government. “We don’t have any intention of going beyond August 13 whether there is progress on the peace process or not,” he said.

According to Minister for the Prime Minister’s Office, Ghanashyam Bhusal, the PM has to resign before August 31 anyway to pave the way for CA extension if there was no progress on the fundamental issues of peace process. “So, instead of letting others set the date, we decided to do it ourselves,” said Bhusal.

Senior Nepali Congress leaders said there was the likelihood of CA extension for another three months following the prime minister’s resignation. However, there is likely to be a continued debate in UML whether to support NC or back a Maoist government. UCPN-M leader Mohan Baidya today said the party could go for another round of elections if the political stalemate continued.

Minister Bhusal said if the Maoists show maximum flexibility on the modalities of integration, then it will be difficult for NC not to agree. “If NC continues to resist even after Maoist flexibility, there will be a continuation of the Maoist-left alliance,” he said.

This would likely put fierce strain on UML over whether to side with the democratic forces or continue with the left alliance cleverly engineered through a secret seven-point deal between Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Khanal in February.

Formal dialogue on integration has made no headway, with most of the time spent on haggling over interpretation of past agreements.

However, negotiators in NC said it was virtually impossible for the party and the Maoists to find a common ground on the modalities of integration. Dahal is insisting on phasewise progress on peace process with quick advancement on the package for rehabilitation, number and regrouping in parallel with continued negotiations about modalities and rank determination, senior NC leaders involved in the negotiations said.

The Maoists want at least five senior positions in security forces, integration as a combat force as well as group entry. Although Dahal is also flexible in accepting a non-combat role for integrated combatants, Bhattarai and Baidhya, during separate interviews, have insisted that the party cannot compromise on principles of group entry and combative role.

Amid this, UML can now only brace for a quite dramatic August 14 CC meeting.
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