BK MAN SINGH APPOINTED TO NRB BOARD Kathmandu, 21 Feb.: BK Man Singh has been appointed member of the Nepal Rashtra Bank (NRB) board. He replaces Sambhu Sharan Kayastha. Singh is former chairman of Nepal Airlines Corporation and NIDC. nnnn ARMY CAN’T OPERATE IN VACUMN SAYS ARMY CHIEF Kathmandu, 21 Feb.: Chief of Army Staff Gaurav Shumsher Rana today said military has been a crucial force and instrument of power in the country‚ however‚ it cannot operate in a political vacuum, The Himalayan Times writes.. Addressing the Graduation Ceremony of Command and Staff Course-19 in Sivapuri‚ Gen Rana said‚ “The Army is only one decisive element and an instrument of national power available to the state to exercise its authority.” He went on to say: “Military force by itself‚ usually does not achieve the intended consequences. Military power can contribute significantly to resolving some political problems and sometimes may be necessary in doing so‚ but it never operates in a political vacuum.” For total harmony among the ‘Trinity’ — People‚ Government and the Army – any other attempt to promote national security will be futile‚ he added. The Army Chief was appraising the nature‚ roles and use of military to the new graduates. While referring to the nation passing through a period of complex political‚ social‚ economic and psychological change‚ he said this prolonged transition phase will hopefully reach an amicable solution. “It is imperative to arrive at a long-term solution for the betterment of the country‚” he said. “This needs time‚ patience‚ tolerance‚ determination‚ understanding and compromise and most importantly a realistic home grown approach‚” he emphasised. Gen Rana said the Army must be competent and capable of constantly delivering to the demands of the government and the people. Earlier‚ he endorsed a ten-year reform plan floated by his predecessor General Chhatra Man Singh Gurung last year. “Our current organisational structure is still based upon a traditional understanding of security and conflict hen-ce; it needs some redesigning to accommodate new realities without damaging our intrinsic strengths‚ traditions and core values‚” Gen Rana said‚ adding‚ “The new structure so created‚ must reflect our priorities‚ address our real needs‚ and ensure an efficient command and staff organisation‚ tailored to achieve any given mission effectively and in time.” Nnnn FOUR WOMEN BEING TAKEN TO AFRICA RESCUED FROM TIA Kathmandu, 21 Feb.: Four women were rescued from being trafficked to Tanzania as professional dancers from Tribhuvan International Airport on Saturday, The Himalayan Times writes.. They were later handed over to Maiti Nepal‚ police said. Police said that three of the four women rescued were professional dancers and all of them were lured with lucrative jobs as dancers in Tanzania by a trafficking agent. Speaking at a press meet organised by Maiti Nepal today‚ one of them said they were promised monthly salary of Rs 100‚000 for the job and the middleman Sabin Shrestha had paid each of them Rs 90‚000 in advance to shop for costumes before leaving. She said she had already been to Dubai‚ Malaysia and Singapore for Indian cultural dances. However‚ the 22-year-old woman of Lalitpur said that she came to know about the middleman through a friend and she did not know much about him apart from his name. Sabin Shrestha is currently in the police watchlist. Her friend‚ a 25-year-old woman from Morang‚ had acquired a work visa to UAE as a cleaner. She said she only came to know she was flying to the UAE at Maiti Nepal‚ where she read her visa documents. For another victim‚ a 22-year-old woman of Dhading‚ it was the second time she found herself at Maiti Nepal. Two months ago‚ she along with six others were rescued by Maiti Nepal volunteers from Nagdhunga when she was on-board a Delhi-bound bus. She was handed over to her family following brief counselling at Maiti Nepal‚ after she promised that she would not let herself be trapped again in the name of handsome salary. Interestingly‚ the same person was behind the racket this time too. On being asked why she could not gauge the intention of the middleman this time around‚ she said she was tempted to earn the money promised to her by Sabin Shrestha. According to her‚ she was engaged at a beauty parlour when she was told that her dance steps were enough to draw her a hefty pay cheque in Tanzania. The fourth woman‚ who was from Bhaktapur‚ claimed she had already been to Tanzania twice as a dancer. Shelter in-charge at Maiti Nepal Sumitra Shrestha said the women were sneaked in by bribing officials so that they did not have to go through the procedure of filling up immigration forms like other people. All of them had given their passport and other documents to Shrestha in the hope of landing lucrative jobs for themselves abroad. GIRLS SOLD AS HOUSEMAIDS IN UAE Nepali girls are being sold in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as housemaids for between Emirati Dirham 7‚000 (Rs 165‚000) and 9‚000 (Rs 212‚000)‚ The News reported‚ quoting Dipak Adhikari‚ counsellor and deputy chief of the Nepali embassy. “Some agencies bring women here and keep them until they find good buyers. They sell the girls against their will‚” he said‚ adding that selling women is human trafficking. According to him‚ employers in the UAE preferred to hire housemaids without fulfilling basic requirements set by the Nepali government. The government had made it mandatory for employers to submit personal documents to be attested at the Nepali embassy‚ put up a guarantee of Emirati Dirham 5‚000 (Rs 118‚000)‚ and ensure wages of Emirati Dirham 900 (Rs 21‚000) per month‚ and a separate room for housemaids to hire Nepali women migrants last year. The government has also banned women below 30 years to join jobs as housemaids in Qatar‚ Saudi Arabia‚ UAE‚ Kuwait‚ Oman and Bahrain. However‚ recruitment of women below 30 years has not stopped. “Clandestine agents exploit them with big promises. When they arrive in the UAE an unscrupulous agency receives them and sells them to willing residents‚” he said. The embassy receives three to four women below 30 years every week‚ who have run away from their employers due to exploitation and abuse. The embassy repatriated about 100 such housemaids last year. It is currently sheltering 11 women‚ all between the ages of 22 and 26‚ with the aim of repatriating them. About 17‚567 Nepali women have joined foreign jobs in the last seven months — mostly in Gulf countries — and they were working as housemaids‚ according to Department of Foreign Employment. Number of undocumented women migrants is also expected to be at the same level. However‚ there is no study on it. nnnn