MOTHER KILLS TWO INFANTS BEFORE SUICIDE

MOTHER KILLS INFANTS BEFORE SUICIDE
Kathmandu, 19 March: Ramita Chaudhary Monday killed her two-children—one aged two years and another three months at Kulbi-4, Bara and then
committed suicide.
Ramita;s husband Mukti was not at home when the murders and suicide happened.
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SOUTH KOREAN ARRESTED WITHOUT VISA
Kathmandu, 19 March: A foreigner was held at the Bhadrapur Airport on Sunday as he was found travelling without a visa to Nepal. He had entered Nepal from the eastern border transit point at Kakarbhitta, RSS reports from Bhadrapur..
The man has been identified as South Korean national Li Yang-sung, according to the District Police Office, Jhapa.
It was found that Yang-sung had not registered with the immigration office at Kakrbhitta while entering Nepal and the Nepali visa was missing in his passport (No. M 50041422). He has been forwarded to the Department of Immigration, Kathmandu
for further action.
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NC STUDENTS DEMAND UNION ELECTIONS AT CAMPUSES
Kathmandu, 19 March: Students affiliated with main opposition NC
Monday burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai at Chabahil
in the capital demanding free student union elections in campuses rai at Chabahil chowk in the Capital on Monday morning.

They demanded dates b fixed for the vote
The students earlier submitted the signatures of students to TU vice-chancellor and registrar demanding polls
Unions affiliated with parties are still discussing election system tobe adopted for the vote.
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NEWA JOURNALISTS FORM SECRETARIAT
Kathmandu, 19 March: The Newa Patrakar Rastriya Daboo, a forum of journalists from the Newar community, has constituted its 11-member Secretariat Committee.

The Secretariat comprises forum's central president Shree Krishna Maharjan, vice-presidents Upendra Pradhan, Nripendra Lal Shrestha and Mahesh Shrestha, general secretary Uden Nhu Sayami, secretaries Manoj Shrestha and Suroj Bir Bajracharya, treasurer Ramesh Manandhar and members Rachana Shrestha, Shila Sayami and Natikaji Maharjan.

The first central committee meeting of the Daboo on Sunday constituted the Secretariat Committee.
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NEPAL NEEDS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAWS
Kathmandu, 19 March:: If the country is able to implement arbitration law, anti-dumping law and protect intellectual property, Nepal can benefit, according to the International Chambers of Commerce (ICC), The Himalayan Times reports.

During a meeting with Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai here today, the ICC team led by ICC Nepal president Rajesh Kazi Shrestha, highlighted the role played by ICC and said that the country could benefit if ICC’s policies of arbitration, protecting intellectual property, and anti-dumping were introduced.

He said that ICC Nepal aims to organise programmes to educate people on international economic laws and legal provisions.

Shrestha requested the premier to derive benefits from ICC and increase ICC Nepal’s representation in various government bodies by including ICC policies through an amendment of the existing laws.

Similarly, vice-presidents of ICC Nepal Lok Manya Golchha and Chandra Prasad Dhakal briefed the prime minister about the benefits that the country could derive from the World Trade Organisation and ICC by adopting their policies to legally compete in the international market.

Prime minister Bhattarai assured the private sector about taking their feedback while framing development policies.

“The government is always ready to address the issues raised by ICC Nepal,” said prime minister Bhattarai.
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PM’S FIAT ON REGULATING RAMPANT TRANSFERS
Kathmandu, 19 March:: In the wake of the row among civil servants generated by recent transfers of government employees, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai today directed his ministers, chief secretary and secretaries to effect transfers on the basis of
Regulations, Santosh P.Pokharel writes in The Himalayan Times..

After an hour-long discussion with Cabinet members, chief secretary and secretaries, the PM directed them to respect rule of law while transferring civil servants.

According to the PM’s Press Adviser Ram Rijhan Yadav, the PM directed ministers and secretaries not to step on each other’s toes in the course of executing their duty, saying that the duties and responsibilities of ministers and secretaries were clearly defined in the Good Governance Act, 2008.

In his seven-point directive, Bhattarai suggested that all the ministers and secretaries should come up with clear transfer norms and standards after discussion with experts while implementing legal provisions and then make them public after approval.

Saying that transfers should be effected from within the authority provided by law, the PM directed them not to be affected by any pressure or recommendation.

Directing immediate action against bureaucrats who act on the bases of recommendations and favouritism, Bhattarai warned he would take action himself against ministers if he were given clues about any kind of pressure or recommendation from ministers in order to affect lawful transfers.

Commanding ministers and secretaries to be well informed about their duties if they are still not clear and not to interfere in each other’s jurisdictions, Prime Minister Bhattarai directed ministers to judge the decisions of secretaries so as to check anomalies.

“If any trade union comes with recommendations for transfer of their members or supporting employees, reject them straightaway. I am concerned about regulations and management of civil servant trade unions in a constructive way,” Prime Minister Bhattarai said.

The PM further directed them to prioritise the projects of national pride, government offices in rural areas, VDC secretaries and offices of direct public concern while making transfers of civil servants.

He asked bureaucrats and ministers to immediately inform security agencies if there is any threat against them or any act of violence or vandalism of public property takes place. If the concerned authority does not inform about vandalism of public property, action will be taken against the chief of the authority, he warned at the meeting.

Stating that no one can come clean by hiding their mistakes in other’s weakness, the PM said no one could hide weakness by blaming bureaucrats and civil servants cannot hide their inefficiency blaming trade unions.

In recent incidents , Irrigation Secretary Brinda Hada protested the mass transfers made by Minister Mahendra Yadav while Education Secretary Kishor Thapa is about to put in his papers after failing to endure pressure from trade unions on the transfer issue. Earlier, transfers made by the Ministry of General Administration were cancelled by the Commission for the Abuse of Authority, which found irregularities.
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UN TO PRESENT DAMNING REPORT ON BLANKET AMNESTY FOR CRIMES IN NEPAL
Kathmandu, 19 March: In a new report to be presented this week in Geneva, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has alarmed the UN and the international community that Nepal could go for blanket amnesty for all conflict-era crimes. The report warns that such a move would place Nepal in contravention of the international treaty obligations, Kamal Raj Sigdel writes in The Kathmandu Post.
Navi is scheduled to present the report to the 19th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday. The 18-page annual report prepared by her Kathmandu-based office urges Nepal’s political parties to ensure that the proposed bills on transitional justice mechanisms comply with the international standards. The two bills on Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of Inquiry on Disappearances have been pending in the Legislature-Parliament for over two years.
Of all her concerns raised in the report, the most serious one is over a gentleman’s agreement among top leaders of the major political parties to grant amnesty for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. Though Pillay does not mention any specific document to base her concern, she refers to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s public statements in support of
amnesty and the understanding reached in December among top leaders on removing some clauses in the bills that speak of prosecuting serious crimes.
Political agreements made towards the end of 2011, the report reads, raised serious concerns that the transitional justice commissions would serve as amnesty mechanisms. “These concerns were exacerbated by public statements from the Prime Minister emphasising reconciliation rather than justice and prosecutions.”
The report, which is the final document to be presented and discussed at the Council, has seven recommendations, including on amnesty issues to the government of Nepal and the political parties.
Human rights defenders say the report will have serious implications on Nepal’s standing among the international community, as it will draw the world’s attention towards the darker side of Nepal’s peace process.
“The serious concerns expressed in the report could be understood as an official statement that the Nepali state itself is becoming a perpetrator,” said former member of the National Human Rights Commission and Chairman of Accountability Watch Committee Sushil Pyakurel. “If Nepal continues to ignore the call from the international community, it will have serious implications on foreign aid.”
Only about two weeks ago, German Minister Gudrun Kopp made it clear that her government would not accept blanket amnesty for conflict-era crimes, and how Nepal addresses human rights concerns would play a role in forthcoming governmental negotiations on development cooperation.
Prominent rights watchdogs, including the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), have expressed solidarity with the OHCHR report and warned that ignoring the UN body’s call would be damaging. “Both the ICJ and the OHCHR in their reports to the Human Rights Council have warned that granting blanket amnesty would place Nepal in contravention of international treaty obligations,” said Frederick Rawski, ICJ country representative for Nepal. “The ICJ urges the government to find a way forward that respects those obligations and rights of conflict victims to a remedy, including prosecution of perpetrators of serious human rights violations.”
This document is the sixth and the final report of the OHCHR to the Human Rights Council on human rights situation and the activities of her office in Nepal. The government decided not to renew the mandate of the UN body to operate a field presence in Nepal beyond December 8, 2011.
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PARTIES CLOSE TO DEAL ON MAOIST INTEGRATION IN ARMY
Kathmandu, 19 March: Political parties are inching closer to a deal on providing some top ranks for former Maoist combatants in order to resume the stalled
integration process, The Kathmandu Post reports.
According to leaders engaged in negotiations, the UCPN (Maoist) has demanded two colonels and four lieutenant colonels for its former guerrillas in the proposed Nepal Army directorate while opposition parties are flexible on providing one colonel and two lieutenant colonels “for the sake of the peace process”. According to leaders, parties may seal such a deal within a week.
The Maoist party has sought their representation in the secretariat of the proposed directorate saying that this would make solving any difficulties that surface during the integration process easy. A meeting of the Special Committee scheduled for Sunday did not take place.
PM’s political adviser Devendra Poudel said the meeting was deferred as preparations for the cross-party committee meeting were incomplete. “The prime minister plans to hold discussions with leaders of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the Madhesi Morcha on individual basis,” he said. “Parties are yet to reach an agreement on the representation of combatants in the secretariat. I expect a breakthrough within a week,” he added.
On Friday, three members of the Special Committee cancelled their foreign trips following pressure that their presence in Kathmandu was crucial to ending stalemate over the integration process. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai had called a meeting on Sunday after Friday’s meeting failed to make any headway.
“There was a tentative agreement that the meeting would convene on Sunday,” said Madhesi Janadhikar Forum General Secretary Jitendra Dev, also a Special Committee member. “It seems that differences within the Maoist party are also stalling the progress.
PM’s adviser Poudel said Bhattarai was busy settling disputes within the party. The rift, according to him, has created complications for advancing the peace process. Leaders close to Dahal and Bhattarai say that the intra-party rift would not affect the integration process.
The hard-line faction of the Maoists led by Mohan Baidya has hinted at not obstructing integration despite their reservations about the process.
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FURTHER DETAILS OF PM ASSURANCE TO SENIOR GOVT. OFFICIALS.
Kathmandu, 19 March:
Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai Sunday issued a 7-point instruction to all the ministers and the secretaries for, among others, ensuring good governance, The Rising Nepal reports.
"The Prime Minister made instructions in seven points to ministers and secretaries," PM’s press advisor Ram Rijan Yadav informed the reporters after the instructive meeting held at the PM’s office in Singha Durbar.
The PM’s move comes amidst reported tussle between some ministers and secretaries and an incident of vandalism of government offices by employees.
According to Yadav, the PM instructed the Ministers not to make any transfer of employees violating the provisions and under the pressures of trade unions. He, however, suggested them to hold discussions with the trade unions while framing the criteria for transfer.
"Do not run after recommendation, but stick to the law," Yadav quoted the PM as saying while issuing the instructions.
He asked them to report him if there were pressures.
He ordered them to follow the work division regulations of ministers and secretaries. "In order to avoid misunderstanding, ministers and state ministers should also be clear about their work division."
He instructed the ministers not to force secretaries to make decisions against the law and check any decisions with the existing laws.
The PM said that concerned secretaries and head of departments should make a written complaint to the security forces whenever there are obstructions to perform duties or whenever there are incidents of vandalism by the employees.
He said that the ministers would not get any excuse blaming the employees nor would the employees get rid of their responsibility by accusing the ministers.
"Ensuring good governance is our responsibility and we can achieve it working collectively."
The PM asked the ministers to communicate him if they had any complaints about their secretaries. "The secretaries can also approach me if they have any grievances about the ministers, but they should first report that to the chief secretary and seek for the solution."
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DETAILS OF MINISTER TRIPATHI DEPOSITION BEFORE PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE

Kathmandu, 19 March:
Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hirdayas Tripathi Sunday said that the government was ready to provide compensations as per the existing legal provisions to those who were affected by the road expansion drive of the government, The Rising Nepal reports.
"But we cannot compensate anyone on the basis of their demands alone," Minister Tripathi said at the meeting of the Development Committee under the parliament.
Minister Tripathi informed the road expansion works were also to be launched in other cities outside the Kathmandu Valley,
He said the present government had launched the road expansion drive as per the plans and budget prepared by the previous government.
"We have only given continuity to the plans of the previous governments," he said.
Tripathi said some people were helping the government build Kathmandu beautiful while others obstructed the road expansion task in some place.
At the meeting, the lawmakers and concern government officials were divided over the issue.
Chief of the Kathmandu Valley City Development Committee Dr. Bhaikaji Tiwari said that the encroachers sought help from the leaders to protect their homes when the road expansion task was in progress.
He said that the government employees were facing difficulties while demolishing the illegally built structures after their owners reached the leaders asking them to stop the demolition.
Lawmaker Rama Guragain said the government staff had to feel ashamed to blame the leaders as working against the people.
"They get salary from the state coffers and terrorise the people," she said.
"We support to pull down the illegally built structure. But as people’s representatives, we have responsibility to help the people in trouble," she said.
Committee members Narahari Acharya, Krishna Prasad Sapkota, Jivanprem Shrestha, Harilal Thapa Magar, Santoshi Bika, Yamlal Kandel, Lalita Tinarinal requested the government not to bulldoze the personal property before introducing measures to provide them compensation.
At the end of the meeting, committee chairman Jitendradev Sonla said that widening road in Kathmandu Valley was essential but at the same time the victims should be provided compensation as per the legal provisions.
He sought information about the rebuilding the demolished structures.
"The Committee wants information when the widened areas will be converted into roads," he said.
Sonal said that actions should be taken against all those who passed maps violating the law.
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