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Abject poverty leads woman to kill daughters, self

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Abject poverty led a mother to strangle her two daughters to death before killing herself in Bajhang of far-western Nepal last week, reports say.

Jashuli Bista, 26, who was living an impoverished life in Sunkada VDC of the district on Friday, killed her daughters, four-year-old Ramkala and eight-month-old Ramita, before she hanged herself to death.

Far-western police chief DIG Prakash Kunwar said they found no other reason behind the killings other than poverty.

Bista had been raising her daughters all alone as her husband Min Bahadur Bishta had gone to India for work.

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Indian ambassador, UNMIN chief meet new PM

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Indian ambassador Rakesh Sood and United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) chief Karen Ladgren have separately met with newly elected Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at the latter’s residence, Koteshwor Sunday afternoon.

Both the Indian ambassador and the UNMIN chief congratulated Nepal on his election as the new PM of Nepal and extended best wishes for his successful term.

Indian ambassador Sood said the bilateral ties between Nepal and India would be further strengthened during Nepal’s term as PM and assured of continued support from the Indian government for peace and prosperity in Nepal.

UNMIN chief Landgren expressed hope for a logical conclusion to the ongoing peace process during Nepal’s term as PM.

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BNCC organises discussion on investment opportunities in Nepal

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

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Nepal Financial Forum on Banking, Investment and Remittance in Nepal was organised at the Nepali Embassy in London on Wednesday.

In the programme organised by the Britain Nepal Chamber of Commerce (BNCC), issues related to Nepal’s emerging banking system, importance of remittance to Nepal and its role in national economy, among others, were discussed.

Raja Ram Giri, director Samsara Nepal Financial Services UK (Associate Partner Kumari Bank, Nepal), made his presentation on the role being played by remittance in Nepal.

According to Nepal Rastra Bank, Nepal receives remittance worth Rs 120 billion every year from Nepalis living and working around the world, out of which around 82 million pound came from UK alone. Giri, however, estimated that the actual figure could be as high as �180 million pound every year.

Chairman of the BNCC, Anthony Wieler, said despite recent political instability, Nepal presented unrivalled opportunities for foreign investors especially in the areas of hydropower, horticulture, tourism , garments and many other infrastructure projects. He also called upon British investors to come forward to invest in Nepal with which Britain has nearly two-centuries-old relations.

Charge d’ Affairs at the Nepali embassy in London, Jhabindra P Aryal, welcomed the delegates and said that Nepal presented one of the best investment regimes for foreign investors. He said despite changes in the governments, successive Nepali administrations were committed to facilitate foreign investors in whatever way possible. He also called upon British investors and businessmen to contact the embassy if they needed any information or support.

Peter Fowler of the Cairn Energy, a leading British company, spoke about the petroleum exploration work his company was engaged in India and potential sites in Nepal. Richard Dewdney, deputy director for South Asia at the Department for International Development (DFID) said British government was working on to promote bilateral trade relations and support British businessmen who wanted to invest abroad including Nepal.

Representatives from around 50 leading British companies, Nepali businesses and organisations took part in the Forum.

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Gurkhas demand Lumley honour

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

KATHMANDU: Euphoric Gurkha veterans and their families categorically call themselves great admirers of model-turned English actress Joanna Lumley for her tireless support to the one and half decade of legal battle against the British government. They are obliged to Lumley, 63, who is also popularly known a human rights defender, for helping them end the British government’s unfair treatment of the Gurkha heroes for centuries.

The British government on May 21 officially decided to allow Gurkha war veterans, who retired before 1997 with at least four years’ service to settle in the United Kingdom. Had Lumley not taken up the cause, the Gurkhas would probably not have been relieved, until too late.

Although Lumley is a towering personality in the British entertainment world, she is best known for her support of Gurkhas. Krishna Kumar Rai, acting president of Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organisation (GAESO) called on the Government of Nepal to confer Lumley the highest civilian award to recognise her contribution to Nepal and the entire Nepali people. “She backed the thousands of Gurkha veterans to press the British government to surrender to the Nepali people. The government should do the necessary groundwork to honour Lumley since this success is associated with national prestige,” reasoned Rai, adding that she unquestionably deserved the recognition.

He said that plans were afoot to formally call on the government to honour Lumley. Queries may arise as to why Lumley showed up in the frontline. The reason is, her father Major James Rutherford Lumley, served in the 6th Gurkha Rifles, a regiment of the British Indian Army. During the World War II, Mr Lumley was entrusted with leading Gurkhas in a battle against Japanese forces at a command post in Burma. When the ground battle was at its climax, he was badly hit by a bullet from the enemy side. Tul Bahadur Pun, who was later conferred with the Victoria Cross (VC), rescued his commander putting his own life on the line and rushed him to the medical post.

One day, Lumley stumbled on a diary left by her father after his natural death. All these accounts were recorded in the diary. “Nepali Gurkhas are loyal, honest and gallant soldiers. Had it not been for Tul Bahadur Pun, the enemies would have eaten me alive in the battlefield”, Rai quoted the diary as written by Major Lumley. It was the diary that inspired Lumley to fight on behalf of the Gurkhas.

She calls VC Pun her father figure. Acting president Rai said, “We will invite her to Nepal to honour her on our own if the government pays no heed to the matter”.

Meanwhile, Universal Society of Hinduism in the UK has joined the campaign urging the Government of Nepal to honour Lumley with the highest civilian award. She is also a recipient of the Padma Awards, the highest civilian award in India, for her human and animal rights campaigns. Lumley is reportedly in line to receive a damehood from the British government.

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Suu Kyi readies defense case

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

: Lawyers for Myanmar pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi said Sunday they were preparing to open the defense case at her trial this week, as the junta looked set to face further pressure from the West.

The tribunal´s second week promises to be crucial, with European nations likely to push Asian countries for help at a meeting in Vietnam and Aung San Suu Kyi´s official period of house arrest due to expire.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner pleaded innocent Friday at the court in Yangon´s Insein prison, where she faces charges of breaching the terms of her house arrest after an eccentric American man swam to her lakeside home.

“We expect to begin our defense case this coming week,” Nyan Win, a spokesman for her National League for Democracy (NLD) party and also a member of her legal team, told AFP.

“Now we are preparing a witness list and are preparing what we need for tomorrow (Monday),” he said, adding that the prosecution was expected to call final witnesses early next week.

Nyan Win estimated it would take another two weeks for a verdict at the trial, which has provoked a storm of international outrage over the military regime´s treatment of Suu Kyi.

The opposition leader faces up to five years in jail if convicted. American intruder John Yettaw and two female assistants who live with Suu Kyi are also on trial.

The latest, six-year period of Suu Kyi´s house arrest is due to expire on Wednesday and the junta has not yet said whether it will extend it.

Wednesday is also the 19th anniversary of Myanmar´s last general elections, which Suu Kyi´s NLD won by a landslide although the ruling generals never allowed it to take power.

On Friday Nyan Win quoted Suu Kyi as saying: “I have no guilt as I didn´t commit any crime.”

The prosecution case centers on her allegedly allowing Yettaw, a former US military veteran, to stay at her home for two days after the bizarre incident earlier this month in which he swam to her home.

Yettaw has said in the trial that his motive for the stunt was that he wanted to warn Suu Kyi that she would be assassinated.

He brought a number of unusual objects to her house including two black shawls for Muslim women and a copy of the “Book of Mormon”.

Myanmar´s ruling generals opened up the trial to journalists and diplomats on Wednesday for a day, in an apparent concession to international criticism of the trial, but then put the proceedings back behind closed doors.

The junta went on the offensive Friday, blaming “anti-government elements” for Yettaw´s visit and alleging he was a “secret agent or her boyfriend”.

Differences over how to handle the Myanmar regime are expected to dominate a meeting of European and Asian foreign ministers in Hanoi starting on Monday.

EU nations have talked of boosting their sanctions against Yangon, but while Myanmar´s partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have issued a rare expression of “grave concern” they have ruled out further action.

Myanmar´s giant neighbors China and India have been silent on the trial.

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Church blast kills 2, injures 14, Nepal Defense Army owns up

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

: At least two persons were killed and 14 others injured Saturday morning when a pressure-cooker bomb went off inside a Catholic church at Dhobighat, Lalitpur, according to police.

A little-known Hindu fundamentalist group, Nepal Defense Army, has owned up responsibility for the gory incident at the sacred site.

Eyewitnesses said the explosion at the Church of the Assumption occurred when a congregation of over 300 was about to start Saturday mass, and just a few minutes after an unidentified woman exited the prayer hall at about 9:15 a.m, leaving behind a bag.

Prabin Tandukar, who was inside the prayer hall at the time of the explosion, said there were two big bangs. “Initially, we thought the electric lights had gone off,” he said recalling the harrowing incident. “But we realized that it was a bomb when we saw a number of people maimed or injured.”

The deceased in the incident have been identified as Celeste Joseph, 15, and Deepa Patrick, in her early 20´s. Both of them were from Patna, India and had been living at Dhalku, Kathmandu. Joseph was a Grade X student at St Mary´s School, Jawalakhel. The husband of Deepa, the other slain in the blast, also sustained injuries, according to police.

Joseph died on the way to the hospital. Likewise, Patrick died while undergoing treatment at Patan Hospital.

Doctors fear that many of the injured may have lost their hearing or eyesight.

While eight of the injured are undergoing treatment at Patan Hospital, five others are at Alka Hospital, Jawalakhel. Likewise, one 10-year-old child has been referred to Bir Hospital from Patan for further treatment. Six of the injured are in critical condition, a hospital source said. Three of the injured have been discharged from hospital after treatment.

The explosion shattered reinforced glass on the roof of the church, besides causing minor physical damage inside the prayer hall.

The Church of the Assumption is the first and the biggest Catholic Church in Nepal. A large number of expatriates visit the church every Sunday.

Nepal Police chief Ramesh Chand Thakuri, other senior police officials and various religious leaders visited the church following the incident. Police have seized bomb remnants and a some pamphlets of the Nepal Defense Army (NDA) left at the incident site, for necessary investigations. Investigation officials said the pressure-cooker bomb was found to have contained metal splinters and iron nails.

Metropolitan Police Crime Division, Hanumandhoka has started investigations into the incident under the supervision of Police Headquarters.

Father Bogati of the Assumption Church said they had not received any apparent threats from any party lately. However, an unidentified group had warned the church over the phone some six month ago against conducting church activities.

Bogati said the NDA, which claimed responsibility for the bomb blast, was also behind the killing of Father John Prakash at Don Bosco School in Sirsiya, Morang, on July 1, 2008.

Meanwhile, police have beefed up security around mosques and churches in the Valley.

What is NDA?

One Ram Prasad Mainali of Sarlahi district formed the NDA after the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly last year declared Nepal a secular state and abolished the 240-year-old institution of monarchy. The armed outfit claims that it is fighting for the re-establishment of a Hindu kingdom in Nepal.

The group detonated bombs at a mosque and a church in Biratnagar, besides carrying out bomb explosions in various parts of the capital. Police in Sarlahi and Kathmandu had initiated separate legal cases against Mainali for illegal possession of arms and ammunition. He walked out of prison after serving jail terms and paying fines.

Religious leaders urge restraint

Leaders of the Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities have urged everyone to exercise restraint over the incident.

The appeal comes in the wake of fears that the incident would pose a threat to the religious harmony that has obtained for so long in the country.

Chairman of World Hindu Federation Nepal chapter, Damodar Guatam, has denounced the attack. “I urge all to exercise restraint and not to be involved in activities that affect the sentiments of people belonging to other religions”.

Nazarul Hassan, President of Islamic Association, Nepal, claimed that the incident was aimed at disturbing religious harmony in the country. He urged the government to take necessary measures not to let similar incidents occur in future.

Those killed in the incident

1. Deepa Patrick, 22, of Patna, India, recently residing in Dhalku, Kathmandu

2. Celeste Joseph, 15, also of Patna and recently residing in Dhalku

List of injured

1. Father Rakesh, 28, of Patna, India

2. Annie Amatya, 13, Patandhoka, Lalitpur

3. Manisha Shakya, 19, Pulchowk, Lalitpur

4. Kanchhi Tamang, 45, Patandhoka, Laliptur

5. Renuka Thakuri, 50, Dhobighat, Lalitpur (already discharged)

6. Rabi Shrestha,10, Morang, currently residing at Gwarko, Lalitpur (later referred to Bir Hospital)

7. Sweety Singh,17, Patna, India, currently residing in Dhalku, Kathmandu

8. Munna Singh,21, of Patna, India, currently residing in Dhalku

9. Binaya Patrick,21, Patna, India, currently residing in Dhalku

10. Buddha Laxmi Joseph, 21, Patna, India, currently residing in Dhalku,

11. Shyam Kumar Rai, 30, Morang, currently residing in Pulchowk, Lalitpur

12. Reena Tamang,15, Thapathali, Kathmandu (already discharged)

13. Roji Singh,15, Patna, India, currently residing in Dhalku, Kathmandu (already discharged)

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Congress-led UPA sweeps Indian polls

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

Even as the final and formal results are yet to be announced, supporters of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) have already started celebrating victory across India as they take a clear lead in the 543-member Lok Sabha elections.

Prime Minister and UPA leader Manmohan Singh has declared victory, while their opponents Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the left-wing parties have accepted defeat.

Opposition leader Lal Krishna Advani, projected Prime Ministerial candidate by the BJP, has resigned as opposition leader owing to the party’s unprecedented defeat in the national polls.

“I express my deep sense of gratitude to the people of the country for the massive mandate they have given the alliance”, PM Singh said as results indicated his alliance had achieved a sweeping – and surprising – success in the month long polls that will keep him in power for another term, Associated Press reported.

The Hindu nationalist BJP, the country’s other main party, failed to convince voters to change the national leadership during a time of economic uncertainty and regional instability.

“We accept the people’s verdict,” said Arun Jaitley, a senior BJP leader. “Certainly something did go wrong.”

News channels called the election in Congress’ favor based on more than 70 percent of votes counted.

The CNN-IBN channel said the Congress-led alliance could win 258 seats in the 543-seat Parliament, and the BJP-led alliance could take 162. It projected that the Congress party alone – without the support of its coalition allies – would take 198 seats, putting it far ahead of all other parties. Other channels predicted similar results in the massive vote – the largest in the democratic world – which for logistical and security reasons was held in five phases between April 16 and May 13.

If counting trends continue the same direction, it would be a clear victory for the Congress coalition – but would still leave it short of the 272 seats needed to govern alone and it would require the support of other parties. India has been ruled by coalition governments for most of the last two decades. However, the results appeared far better for Congress than nearly everyone expected. For months, polls and political observers have predicted that neither of the country’s two main parties would emerge a clear winner, forcing an unstable and unwieldy coalition that could have conceivably included dozens of smaller parties.

Things now appear far clearer: Congress “seems to have the upper hand,” said Venkaiah Naidu, a BJP leader.

The “Third Front,” an alliance of communist, regional and caste-based parties that had banded together – and which for a time had been seen as a wild card that could emerge with immense power – appeared to have done poorly. Most news stations predicted they would win less than 80 seats.

As results came in, celebrations erupted outside the Congress party headquarters. Party workers set off fireworks and danced in the streets carrying posters of party leader Sonia Gandhi.

“We have won a thumping majority,” Congress activist Parag Jain said outside the party offices, in a leafy, elegant south New Delhi neighborhood. “Successful rule begins and ends with Congress and the Gandhi family.”

The BJP’s office compound offered a somber contrast, as supporters and party workers held quiet discussions inside the shuttered gates, decorated with the party symbol of a lotus flower.

The Congress party has long said that Singh, 76, an economist and technocrat who helped open India’s economy nearly 20 years ago, would return to power if it won. But the election appeared to also be a clear victory for Sonia Gandhi’s son, Rahul, who emerged as a key strategist during the campaign and became the party’s most visible face. While a relative political newcomer, he has been increasingly viewed as a future prime minister.

Rahul, 38, is a scion of India’s most powerful family – the son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, grandson of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and great-grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister. The family was closely allied to the pacifist icon Mohandas Gandhi, though they are not related.

The results also indicated that the communist parties, a traditional power in Indian politics, had dropped from 60 seats to less than half that number.

Prakash Karat, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said it was cause to re-examine their approach, saying they had “suffered a major setback.”

The communist parties had supported Congress for much of the previous term, but broke ties over the Indian-U.S. civilian nuclear agreement, the cornerstone of warmer relations between New Delhi and Washington. According to the Indian Constitution, a new legislature has to be in place by June 2.

The long, grueling campaign season produced few central issues that resonated across the wildly diverse nation of 1.2 billion people and 714 million eligible voters. Total voter turnout was approximately 60 percent, the national election commission said, up slightly from 58 percent in the last national vote in 2004.

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Congress victorious in India poll

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

NEW DELHI: India’s ruling Congress-led alliance swept to a commanding election victory Saturday, crushing its Hindu nationalist rivals and setting up a second term for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

With results still coming in from the Election Commission, projections gave the Congress grouping as many as 250 seats against 160 for the main opposition bloc headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“It is a decisive vote for the Congress,” said Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi, as wild celebrations broke out at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

Although the Congress alliance was still expected to fall short of the 272 seats required for a majority in the 543-seat parliament, its projected margin of victory was much greater than exit polls had predicted.

A shortfall of just 20 to 30 seats would allow it to pick and choose from India’s myriad regional parties to make up the numbers needed for a viable government.

Congress was expected to pick up more than 190 seats in its own right — the party’s best showing since 1991.

Conceding defeat, the Hindu nationalist BJP admitted that the results were “far below” expectations.

“We accept this verdict of the people,” said senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who suggested a period of soul searching ahead for his party which had been pilloried during campaigning as anti-Muslim and communally divisive.

“When you lose an election it gives rise to a debate within the party,” Jaitley said.

Outside the Congress party headquarters, supporters banged drums and danced in the street, holding portraits of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Singh.

Political analyst Neerja Choudhury said India’s 714-million electorate had voted for stability.

“I feel that people did not want anything divisive in these times of uncertainty. They felt that Manmohan Singh, being an economist, can handle the economy for instance,” Choudhury said.

After five successive years of near-double digit growth that lent the country the international clout it has long sought, the Indian economy has been badly hit by the global downturn.

And there are major security concerns over growing instability in South Asia, particularly in arch-rival Pakistan, with whom relations plunged to a new low following last year’s bloody militant attack on Mumbai.

Exit polls had predicted that only a handful of seats would separate the Congress and BJP alliances — a scenario that had prompted gloomy forecasts of a badly hung parliament that would throw up a weak, patchwork coalition.

The picture that emerged Saturday was of a far more stable government that would be less vulnerable to the whims of its coalition partners.

“Based on the trends, I think it’s clear this government will last a full term,” said political analyst Rasheed Kidwai.

Congress spokeswoman Ambika Soni said party leaders and their allies would meet later in the day to discuss how they would go about building the support they need to govern India’s 1.1 billion people.

Before Saturday’s result, conventional wisdom dictated that the Congress alliance would need the support of the communist parties who withdrew from the ruling coalition last year in protest over a nuclear deal with the United States.

But the Left was trounced in its stronghold states of West Bengal and Kerala, leaving its leaders to concede that it had lost any kingmaker status.

“We have suffered a major setback,” admitted Prakash Karat, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

“This is a victory for the Congress and its allies who will now clearly form the government,” Karat said.

According to the constitution, a new government must be be in place by June 2.

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Nepalese can be priest at Pashupati

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Pashupati Area Development Trust has promulgated the PADT Working Procedure Regulations which has opened up doors for Nepalese priests as well to be chief of the Pashupati temple.

The Himalayan Times has quoted a PADT official as saying that candidate’s nationality is no bar for appointment as a priest in the new provision. However, the official has not made it clear whether he meant the priest can also be from countries other than Nepal and India.

The regulation has also specified selection procedure, qualification of candidates and remuneration applicable for the Bhattas and Bhandaris. For instance, candidates need to sit for written as well as practical examinations and should be between 30 and 45 years of age.

The regulation ends the priests’ monopoly over the donations made at the temple. Donations and offerings have to be deposited with the Trust.

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IOC, NOC agree for petro pipeline

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) have agreed to build a 41-km long petro pipeline linking Raxual of India and Amlekhgunj of Nepal.

In a joint meeting held between the tow companies recently also decided to start working for preparing the model of the pipeline that will facilitate oil supply to Nepal.

Petroleum supply to Nepal through tankers has been facing difficulties due to frequent strikes in Terai districts since few years.

According to the agreement, IOC will invest 70 percent and the NOC agreed to invest 30 percent for the estimated Rs 3 billion project.

Feasibility study for the project will start soon.

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