Global News Post: Nepal

Nepal Tells India to Shut Down Its Field-Office

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">KATHMANDU, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region>   (NNN-Xinhua) -- The government of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region> has asked the reluctant <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> to immediately close its
field-office, which was basically opened to assist the flood victims in
Biratnagar, a town in eastern Terai plains in 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We have
asked the Indian government through diplomatic cables to shut down the
field-office, as it is no more relevant," <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s Minister for Foreign
Affairs, Narayan Kaji Shrestha was quoted as saying by Republica daily on
Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region>'s several requests, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
reportedly, has not shown interest to close the office, which facilitated
vehicular movements in the past following the aftermath of Koshi river floods
in the eastern Terai.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Earlier in
January 2011, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s
Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote a letter to the Indian Embassy about the
necessity to close the office. With no response in hand, Nepali side had to
remind the Indian side for the closure of the office again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"In spite
of several directives from the Nepali side, it is surprising that the Indian
side has been dilly-dallying to shut down the office," said a Foreign
Ministry official.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Initially,
the field-office was based near Koshi Barrage on Nepal-India border, before it
was relocated to Biratnagar. While transferring the office, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> did not seek the consent of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>,"
the official added.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></span></st1:country-region><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has been a key development partner of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>. However,
its non-compliance with Nepali legal system often creates rift between the two
countries. While <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region>
shares the northern border with <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>,
it shares the southern border with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. -- NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>

Nepal Tells India to Shut Down Its Field-Office

KATHMANDU, Nepal (NNN-Xinhua) -- The government of Nepal has asked the reluctant India to immediately close its field-office, whic...

Easier to Do Business in Nepal than in India: Report

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">KATHMANDU
(NNN-NEPALNEWS) -- <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country> has
been ranked ahead of <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country>
in terms of ease of doing business in a World Bank report launched on Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
report, titled Doing Business 2013, which ranks <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country>
102nd among 185 countries, places <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">India</st1:country>
in the 132nd place <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Singapore</st1:place></st1:country>
remained on top of the list for the seventh year in a row.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Compared
with the report published by the agency last year, <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country>'s ranking deteriorated on
eight of the 10 parameters in 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
parameters on which the country’s ranking slipped were starting business,
dealing with construction permit, getting electricity, protecting investors,
paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contract and resolving
insolvency. -- NNN-NEPALNEWS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

Easier to Do Business in Nepal than in India: Report

KATHMANDU (NNN-NEPALNEWS) -- Nepal has been ranked ahead of India in terms of ease of doing business in a World Bank report launche...

Facebook has been banned by Nepal Government

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By   <a href="http://www.groundreport.com/weaker41"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Shreedeep Rayamajhi</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIupnpI7ObogWBVcYxPVKOWFj15O_JH_AQMUNtsNRRIQJNafwqJ4QVHnWljCY99XnWPrgYVDG5S9ksV0lL8OrXDfRLGXHgP3H6_8tuXzCO7l_NqVK_-YRMmEhDhTNTqwZhoQa0EwcTzX0/s1600/phpThumb_generated_thumbnailjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIupnpI7ObogWBVcYxPVKOWFj15O_JH_AQMUNtsNRRIQJNafwqJ4QVHnWljCY99XnWPrgYVDG5S9ksV0lL8OrXDfRLGXHgP3H6_8tuXzCO7l_NqVK_-YRMmEhDhTNTqwZhoQa0EwcTzX0/s320/phpThumb_generated_thumbnailjpg.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Photo © <a href="http://www.groundreport.com/includes/ajax/image_popup.php?image=2947446&image_id=1"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Groundreport</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">KATHMANDU, Nepal (<a href="http://www.groundreport.com/World/Facebook-has-been-banned-by-Nepal-Government/2947446"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Groundreport</span></a>): In the central administrative wing of Nepal Government Singha Durbar FACEBOOK has been officially banned. According to sources FACEBOOK was banned with due in consideration from the IT department reasoning more visits and clicks to the website.The social networking site has been seen as a huge threat from office effectiveness and efficiency where employees are seen chatting and wasting their times and resources.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the past few incidents workers have been caught writing their dissatisfaction in their status update and leaking official information in regards to their professionalism and personal life.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div></div>

Facebook has been banned by Nepal Government

By Shreedeep Rayamajhi Photo © Groundreport KATHMANDU, Nepal ( Groundreport ): In the central administrative wing of Nepal Governm...

NEPAL: Community Mediation - Boon or Bust?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49qQNoBm0wzzxCwybvInImH6VwWy6PBrcukpd0VrGJfzzE5g5vk2uvWIds1ClCmk1IbRymqUbIB0i8Lnj6_48RKEZi7uDljA7fSJrTX5CkB6Tq-kBfql99NfhElvjtuMQMpawsTZUfu4/s1600/201109220643150203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49qQNoBm0wzzxCwybvInImH6VwWy6PBrcukpd0VrGJfzzE5g5vk2uvWIds1ClCmk1IbRymqUbIB0i8Lnj6_48RKEZi7uDljA7fSJrTX5CkB6Tq-kBfql99NfhElvjtuMQMpawsTZUfu4/s320/201109220643150203.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/photo/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Natalie Bailey/IRIN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Jury still out on impact of community mediation on women<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">KATHMANDU (IRIN) - Community mediation as an alternative to the formal justice system is gaining momentum in Nepal, revealing its successes and its shortcomings in a country without a constitution and an increasingly protracted transition out of a decade-long civil war. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A 2008 report by the Geneva-based NGO, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), found many Nepalese living in “governance, law enforcement and justice vacuums - much more pronounced than in the period before the conflict”.  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The civil war between Maoist insurgents and the government killed almost 18,000 people between 1996 and 2006, according to recent government estimates. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Disputants’ rights to a timely remedy are not being respected by the formal justice system,” said Frederick Rawski, the ICJ representative in Nepal. “This certainly has a role in affecting the support-seeking behaviour of communities.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Procedural and managerial issues make the country’s justice system - which has only one court per district or 75 in total - cumbersome, time-consuming and expensive. Official statistics list eight out of 10 people as living in remote areas and 12 districts still have no access to roads. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Courts are virtually inaccessible to a large percentage of the country’s 27 million people, particularly the rural poor and the marginalized, said a 2009 US Agency for International Development (USAID) assessment of the rule of law in Nepal. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Nepal has a long history of traditional arbitration, and community mediation builds on this, said Mukti Rijal, of the Institute of Governance and Development, a Kathmandu-based NGO. Traditional village arbiters, at times seen as elitist, are being replaced by volunteer mediators. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“You now have mediators trained in negotiation, dispute resolution, and specializing in identifying the interests of disputing parties,” said Rijal. In the past decade, local NGOs, with the support of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) as well as the UK and Japanese governments, have helped establish community mediation services. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“We’re at the stage where cases and requests are coming in from neighbouring VDCs [village development committees, a unit of local government] where programmed mediation services are lacking,” said Sundeep Bista of the Access to Justice programme run by UNDP. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“We must recognize the cost impact of the courts on an individual,” said Ramesh Kumar Adhikari, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development. Nepal’s annual per capita income is less than US$650 while legal fees in Kathmandu, the capital, can cost up to $1100 per case. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Female-led justice <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Community mediation programmes in dozens of village development committees are run by five donor agencies in Nepal, who usually require at least 30 percent of mediators to be women, and that members of marginalized ethnic groups such as Dalits, who are still widely viewed as an untouchable caste, are also included. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Less than 8 percent of registered legal professionals nationwide are women, according to 2009 data from the Nepal Bar Association. But as women mediators assume new leadership roles, they become trusted and respected members of the communities that may have ignored or shunned them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Women mediators are being selected by male disputants and are often the recipients of the Best Mediator awards [given by recently formed mediators’ societies] because communities are acknowledging that it’s the skills that are most important, not the sex or the caste,” said Rijal. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Usha Malla Pathak, 42, has practiced mediation in the capital region for the past 10 years. “While it can be a difficult job, when I am able to successfully bring two disputing parties together… the community is thankful to me for facilitating the transformation - this kind of social prestige cannot be purchased.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Domestic violence <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Typical issues handled by community mediation include money and marital disputes, road and irrigation accessibility, theft, property inheritance and, increasingly, physical assault and domestic violence. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Taking a husband to court exposes a woman to family and community ostracism and can put their sole source of income at risk, said Rijal. The formal justice system is widely seen as patriarchal and an obstacle to enforcing women’s rights, the ICJ’s Rawski noted. Nepal has no dedicated family courts. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A recent report by the National Women’s Commission of Nepal pointed out that a 2008 Supreme Court ruling extending the statute of limitation on prosecuting marital rape beyond 35 days has yet to be implemented. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The national parliament disbanded in late May this year due to political disputes. Many laws await final passage or enactment, but the Domestic Violence and Punishment Act (2008) allows victims to seek justice through mediation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Court decisions are very difficult to implement,” said Rijal. “Community mediation is becoming popular because it’s an interest-based, win-win system.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Risk of impunity <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">However, mediation - which does not seek prosecution - risks strengthening the impunity of people who perpetrate violence against women if police refuse to file a complaint and instead send them to mediation, said Kirti Thapa, of the Gender-Based Violence Unit at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">More government oversight is needed to ensure mediation does not increase impunity in a country where “patriarchal values… are deeply entrenched”, according to a report on access to justice, funded by the UK Department for International Development ( DfID). In cases of gender-based violence, “even if the case is reported to the police, priority is given for settling it within the family or community before taking it further.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Next steps <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The 2011 Mediation Act seeks to expand mediation services, but Kumar Sharma Acharya, of the local Centre for Legal Research and Resource Development (CeLRRD), said more groundwork is needed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“The Mediation Act 2011 is an umbrella act that focuses mainly on court-referred mediation. The only chapter on community mediation lacks sufficient procedural provisions.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In 2012 CeLRRD conducted research on the effectiveness of court-referred and community mediation as opposed to formal justice. Acharya, an author of the report, cited a lack of political will to professionalize mediation, “reflected in the absence of a government agency directly responsible for its operational procedures and integration”. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Donors and the government have expressed concern about how long a volunteer-based initiative can last. The USAID assessment noted that mediation was intended to lighten the courts’ workload, but there is no clear evidence of it having shortened the waiting time for cases to be heard, or reducing the number of cases before the courts.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

NEPAL: Community Mediation - Boon or Bust?

Photo: Natalie Bailey/IRIN Jury still out on impact of community mediation on women KATHMANDU (IRIN) - Community mediation as an altern...

India Condoles Death of 15 People in Nepal Air Crash

India Condoles Death of 15 People in Nepal Air Crash

NNN--- Eleven Indian pilgrims were among 15 people killed when a private plane carrying 21 people crashed in northern Nepal after hitting...

NEPAL: Muslims Call for Constitutional Input

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYmnfjhZUEa9lYtCiVyw6rDw7bOwfnvaT1BjYK0GFDQ1T4EuPWnW7lnluGOlIe3ymR-jXYb1-X8T3s0McrAxdXWfcLlfwy9AxPbf5AbKjRivadnsMn78k20hSUJ8DWDM2eIxb-06mpMM/s1600/201205010624040473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYmnfjhZUEa9lYtCiVyw6rDw7bOwfnvaT1BjYK0GFDQ1T4EuPWnW7lnluGOlIe3ymR-jXYb1-X8T3s0McrAxdXWfcLlfwy9AxPbf5AbKjRivadnsMn78k20hSUJ8DWDM2eIxb-06mpMM/s1600/201205010624040473.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Photo: Joseph Mayton/IRIN<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">4.2 percent of Nepal's population is Muslim<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">KATHMANDU (IRIN) - Sheikh Islam, a local community leader in Mantikar, a tiny mountain village of 1,000 inhabitants in Nepal, stops at the rickety steel wire bridge and with a broad sweep of his arm indicates the expanse of the Kathmandu Valley that unfolds on the outskirts of Nepal's capital city. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"We are Muslim, but we are Nepali as well. We are a growing segment of society and we hope to have our voices heard as political leaders write a new constitution," he told IRIN. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">According to the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics, 4.2 percent of Nepal's 30 million inhabitants are Muslim. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">More than 90 percent live in the Terai - the southern plains bordering India - one of the country's most densely populated and poorest areas, where they are predominant in the Banke, Parsa, Kapilvastu, and Rautahat districts. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Nepal's Constituent Assembly (CA), a legislative body elected in 2008 to draft the next constitution, is working to complete the task by 27 May - its 5th deadline. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">More than five years since the end of a decade-long civil war between Maoist forces and the government, in which 13,000 people died, many Muslims complain that they have been left out of the drafting process. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Here in our village, we are struggling to make life tolerable and our community has hopes that Muslims will have a voice in the drafting process," Sheikh Islam noted. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">His optimism does not appear to be widely shared among Muslims, who are under-represented in government. The 2007 interim constitution was the first time in Nepal's history that Muslims were officially represented. Of the 329 members of the interim parliament, four are Muslim - much lower than the 4.2 percent in the overall population. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Nepal's political leaders aim to develop a federal system that can incorporate the more than 100 ethnic groups in the former Hindu monarchy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxPPk02WU7Ruf1cBcNr1oOUCB1FGPgu6GejKqLheSupq78V8Vf6_IG_yx5tr5Ha1zZUw1ycJ0-vjx6VoUXg77st3vIyVq18Bf0qAyzywVjiZ3Fe-ci2RrE3C-s99NYdJT5qmwIqTx5_I/s1600/201205010634570655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxPPk02WU7Ruf1cBcNr1oOUCB1FGPgu6GejKqLheSupq78V8Vf6_IG_yx5tr5Ha1zZUw1ycJ0-vjx6VoUXg77st3vIyVq18Bf0qAyzywVjiZ3Fe-ci2RrE3C-s99NYdJT5qmwIqTx5_I/s1600/201205010634570655.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Photo: Joseph Mayton/IRIN<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">4.2 percent of Nepal's population is Muslim<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"In many ways, the Muslims in Nepal struggle like everyone else, but with the rising fear of Islam across the world, Nepalese remain scared of Muslims, which is why we are pressing for change," said Sheikh Islam. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Making things tougher is an incident that occurred on 24 April. Muslim activists and politicians demonstrated at the District Administrative Office in Kathmandu, a prohibited zone that is off-limits to protesters, demanding that their voices be heard in the drafting of the constitution and their identity and religious background be supported - 23 were detained. Some in the community perceive this as a crackdown on Muslim activism and further action has been threatened. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A broad alliance of 31 Muslim groups submitted a 10-point memorandum to the CA in mid-April, calling for the formation of a constitutional commission and a federation that recognizes the Muslim community as an integral aspect of Nepali society. They also asked the state to adopt a policy of positive discrimination towards the community. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"We would really like to be able to build more mosques, expand our traditions and be able to publicly practice our faith without being fearful of repression," said Sadrul Miya Haq, a Muslim MP and coordinator of the National Muslim Struggle Alliance (NMSA). "Fundamentally, the Muslim demands are part of the need to create freedom of religion that does not keep Nepal only Hindu." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As the deadline for Nepal's constitution approaches, many contentious issues among Nepal's ethnic, caste, regional and political groups remain to be resolved. Analysts warn of further political instability unless a constitution can be agreed upon soon, while NMSA says it will launch a second phase of protests on 2 May to ensure constitutional garantees for Muslims. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

NEPAL: Muslims Call for Constitutional Input

Photo: Joseph Mayton/IRIN 4.2 percent of Nepal's population is Muslim KATHMANDU (IRIN) - Sheikh Islam, a local community leader in ...

Nepal Offers to Train Indian Peacekeepers

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">KATHMANDU, Nepal (NNN-Bernama) -- Nepal has offered to train Indian Army officers who will take part in the United Nations peacekeeping operations under various international assignments, according to China's Xinhua news agency citing a local media. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"We discussed all the agendas and will forward our requirements to India later, as well as about requirements for the NA's new directorate," Dipak Dhital, joint secretary at the Foreign Ministry, was quoted by Saturday's eKantipur.com as saying. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This is the first time Nepal offered such training slots to Indian Army, he said, adding the two sides agreed to strengthen the bilateral mechanisms to manage the Nepal-India border. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Nepal Army (NA) has two training centers exclusively for peacekeepers and integrated training center. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The bilateral security meeting mainly dwelt on eight agendas that included imparting various types of training to NA personnel, purchasing vehicles for the NA, upgrading NA's Sundarijal arsenal factory, maintaining NA helicopters, and providing hardware and logistic assistance for NA's new directorate. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Nepal made such offer during the ninth meeting of Nepal-India Bilateral Consultative Groups on Security Issues that concluded in Pokhara in western Nepal on Friday. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Nepal Offers to Train Indian Peacekeepers

KATHMANDU, Nepal (NNN-Bernama) -- Nepal has offered to train Indian Army officers who will take part in the United Nations peacekeeping op...

NEPAL: HIV-positive children, orphans neglected

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQgt3lh8jMJ8mQ2F5uYXh9co7eJr21UZP6knni5fm27gediVSRWeiamDnTo7Hob7a3-aSLWqo7RN-S-SjBWyDbjezjmAlI4iMu6iu4QqrdvUxw_R387s7X3F8LudLOoMaJtbVIk_eqRs/s1600/201103021645360958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQgt3lh8jMJ8mQ2F5uYXh9co7eJr21UZP6knni5fm27gediVSRWeiamDnTo7Hob7a3-aSLWqo7RN-S-SjBWyDbjezjmAlI4iMu6iu4QqrdvUxw_R387s7X3F8LudLOoMaJtbVIk_eqRs/s400/201103021645360958.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/photo.aspx"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">David Swanson/IRIN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">There are close to 5,000 children under 14 years of age <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">living with HIV in Nepal today (file photo)<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">RAKAM (PlusNews) - In the village of Rakam in Dailekh District, about 700km northwest of the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, 12-year-old Ravi* is living with HIV and has no idea if he will finish his education.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"I feel weak all the time. My uncle is tired of hearing my complaints," he told IRIN. Barely six when he lost his parents to AIDS-related illnesses, he now lives with his father's brother and family, who are struggling to support him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is proving a challenge. They can't even afford the bumpy eight-hour bus journey to the nearest city of Surkhet for his CD4 count test, which measures immune strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to the National Centre for AIDS and sexually transmitted disease (STD) Control (NCASC), there are close to 5,000 children under 14 years of age living with HIV in Nepal today, but local NGOs and health workers estimate the real number to be much higher. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"There could be many more orphans and children living with HIV, but the government of Nepal has failed to pay any attention to their plight. Supplying medicines is not enough," said AIDS activist Deepa Bohara, the coordinator for NGO Parivartan ko Lagi Pahuch (Access for Change). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are as many as 15 HIV-positive orphans and children in Dailekh alone, the group reported. "We are extremely worried about the welfare of these children. We hope to get enough government support to help them," said Khagendra Jung Shah, chief of the Dailekh District Hospital. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">His office can only provide life-prolonging antiretroviral drugs - there is no separate budget to give these children any social support. Moreover, there are no programmes to sponsor their education, pay for medical expenses or offer psychosocial counselling. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dailekh is one of the poorest districts in the country, with most people living on less than US$1 per day, according to government figures. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Stigma remains high in Nepal, and HIV-positive orphans sometimes face neglect from relatives after their parents die. In one extreme case six months ago, a five-year-old orphaned HIV-positive child (name withheld upon request) died of exposure after his relatives forced him to sleep in the barn out of fear that he would infect the other children. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"I don't fear dying from AIDS, but constantly worry about the day when my mother dies and I will be alone in this world," said Ashim *, 10, who lives with his HIV-positive mother. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"We are extremely worried, not only about the orphans, but also those whose HIV-positive parents are alive. What happens after their parents die?" said another health worker, Sushil Bikram Thapa from Nepal STD and AIDS Research Centre, a local NGO. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to the National Centre for AIDS and STD Control in the Ministry of Health and Population, there are more than 50,000 adults and children living with HIV, and an estimated overall prevalence of 0.30 percent in the adult population (15-49 years old). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">*Not his real name <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

NEPAL: HIV-positive children, orphans neglected

Photo: David Swanson/IRIN There are close to 5,000 children under 14 years of age living with HIV in Nepal today (file photo) RAKAM (Pl...

Nepali Crown for Public Viewing

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7J6osvel1izj1iWnWaW0bPBesLJPxbh-8zhz-BQKe7-c8IKarwTEkZhUVz-gSDi7n0MaPPuI22-MZO2ZW1NGO45QL6w65zObfAwjSvG4_ziHJTMKnT5NYj5a-DcNMZiBhdaSjXfyiTeE/s1600/2012032316451533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7J6osvel1izj1iWnWaW0bPBesLJPxbh-8zhz-BQKe7-c8IKarwTEkZhUVz-gSDi7n0MaPPuI22-MZO2ZW1NGO45QL6w65zObfAwjSvG4_ziHJTMKnT5NYj5a-DcNMZiBhdaSjXfyiTeE/s640/2012032316451533.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NNN--- The diamond and ruby studded crown worn by Nepal's kings, once considered the reincarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, will be put up for public viewing in mid-July, 2012 at the Narayanhiti palace museum in Katmandu, nearly four years after the abolition of the 239-year-old monarchy. The pagoda-roofed pink palace was made into a museum after the last monarch King Gyanendra left, handing the crown to the government. A 1939 Mercedes Benz presented by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler to King Tribhuvan, Gyanendra's grandfather, is also to be displayed at the museum.Photo courtesy agencies---NNN</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Nepali Crown for Public Viewing

NNN--- The diamond and ruby studded crown worn by Nepal's kings, once considered the reincarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, will be put...

Qatar Police Interrogate Nepal Minister at Doha Airport sia

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">DOHA (NNN-NEPALNEWS) -- Qatar Police Tuesday interrogated Nepal Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Lokendra Bista at Doha airport.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The police only released him after interrogation while flying to Germany, according to the source.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The reason behind the interrogation is yet to be known. However, Minister’s personal secretariat said that the police interrogated him to receive information about his visa.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Minister Bista took off Monday for Germany to attend the ITB Berlin Convention 2012 to be held from March 7 to 11. -- NNN-NEPALNEWS</span></div>

Qatar Police Interrogate Nepal Minister at Doha Airport sia

DOHA (NNN-NEPALNEWS) -- Qatar Police Tuesday interrogated Nepal Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Lokendra Bista at Doha airport. ...

Nepal: PM Denies 'Merger Statement' With China or India

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">KATHMANDU (NNN-NEPALNEWS) -- Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Thursday flatly denied making a statement that there is danger </span><st1:country-region style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> may merge with </span><st1:country-region style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" w:st="on">India</st1:country-region><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> or </span><st1:place style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A day after the main opposition party Nepali Congress demanded PM Bhattarai’s resignation over his controversial remarks that Nepal may merge with either of its two big neighbours if the country doesn’t come out from the “buffer state mentality”, PM’s political advisor Devendra Poudel issued a statement saying that a nefarious propaganda has been started against the prime minister on something he has never said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Poudel further said that the media wrongly interpreted the remark made by PM Bhattarai during an informal talks and it has spread wrong impression about the prime minister in the public.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NC lawmakers had obstructed Wednesday’s House proceeding saying that the PM, being the top executive of the country had no rights to give antinationalist remarks. -- NNN-NEPALNEWS<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Nepal: PM Denies 'Merger Statement' With China or India

KATHMANDU (NNN-NEPALNEWS) -- Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Thursday flatly denied making a statement that there is danger Nepal may ...

Nepal-India Security Talks Conclude In New Delhi

Nepal-India Security Talks Conclude In New Delhi

NEW DELHI (NNN-NEPALNEWS) -- The home secretary-level bilateral meeting between Nepal and India concluded in the Indian Capital, New De...

Nepal to Fast Track Karnali and Arun Projects

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Nepal Industry Minister meets Anand Sharma<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SEDLAJobbUmSci7YUAT3mAfG8iBBKZj9DPc0d0MuWTkpCpIA9VXJqnqHcCmcaoSILB9agDw3hPI9HFYB0L_2htbksrR6MNWap4A-Bdr0gPUT3OZvlSZU7yq9aRv8FFSs1dhJXc9UGEg/s1600/l2012011838669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SEDLAJobbUmSci7YUAT3mAfG8iBBKZj9DPc0d0MuWTkpCpIA9VXJqnqHcCmcaoSILB9agDw3hPI9HFYB0L_2htbksrR6MNWap4A-Bdr0gPUT3OZvlSZU7yq9aRv8FFSs1dhJXc9UGEg/s640/l2012011838669.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">The Industry Minister of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region></st1:place>, Mr. Anil Jha meeting the Union Minister for<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Commerce & Industry and Textiles, Anand Sharma, in<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">New Delhi</span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;"> on January 18, 2012.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;"> Photo © PIB</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW DELHI</span></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"> (PIB) --- </span></span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Nepal</span></st1:country-region><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has assured <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> of quick resolution of issues pertaining to Indian investment in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The Industry Minister of Nepal Anil Jha in his meeting with Anand Sharma, Minister of commerce Industry and Textiles, here today, singled out Karnali and Arun power projects for fast-track clearances.  Anand Sharma said that “this move on the part of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> will send a very positive signal for deepening of economic relations and boosting investor confidence.” Indian firms are the biggest investors in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> accounting for about 47.5% of total approved foreign direct investments. There are about 150 operating Indian ventures in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> engaged in manufacturing, services (banking, insurance, dry port, education and telecom), power sector and tourism industries. Indian joint ventures in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region> have contributed significantly to increase in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region>’s exports to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. They also provide direct employment to around 30,000 Nepali citizens and indirect employment to more than twice that number. As per extant FDI policy there is no restriction for inflows of FDI from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Both Governments have signed the text of bilateral investment protection and promotion agreement.  Anand Sharma assured Mr. Jha of continued special relationship with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Nepalese Minister asked the Minister for better concessions for the jute products from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>. He also made a strong pitch for further concessions for <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region> imports and more investments from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The bilateral trade between the two countries has increased from US$ 1985 mn in 2009-10 to around US$ 2700 in 2010-11 registering an increase of around 36%. Exports from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region> to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> have also grown from US$ 452mn in 2009-10 to US$ 476mn in 2010-11 (an increase of around 5.3%). Our growing mutual cooperation in the development of the hydropower potential of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> confirms the special relationship between our two countries. <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> would like to accelerate such cooperation which would usher in a new era of prosperity for citizens of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>. It is estimated that sale of electricity from the 40,000 MW hydropower potential of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> can generate revenues of more than 10 billion US$ per annum. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region></st1:place> could also attract a lot of investment in manufacturing/services sector by overcoming its present power shortage.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>

Nepal to Fast Track Karnali and Arun Projects

Nepal Industry Minister meets Anand Sharma The Industry Minister of Nepal , Mr. Anil Jha meeting the Union Minister for Commerce &...

Nepal Assures not to allow Anti-India Activities from its Soil

Nepal Assures not to allow Anti-India Activities from its Soil

NEW DELHI (PIB) --- The Nepalese Government has assured India that it will not allow its territory to be used for activities inimical to...

India & Nepal Discuss Coorperation to Curb Cross-Border Crimes

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:country-region><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> & <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region></st1:place> today, discussed cooperation in countering cross-border crimes & terrorist activities during Home Secretary level talks between the two countries. They discussed wide ranging issues including countering circulation of Fake Indian Currency Notes, smuggling of arms/ammunitions, trafficking of narcotics & psychotropic substances and misuse of SIM Cards. Sharing of information/ intelligence reports, progress in establishment of Integrated Check Posts and border roads and <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>’s support to training and capacity building of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s security apparatus were also discussed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Indian delegation was led by R.K. Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and the Nepalese delegation was led by  Sushil Jung Bahadur Rana, Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of Nepal.  R.K.Singh appreciated the assurance of Nepalese Government for not allowing its territory to be used for activities inimical to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s interest and also assured Nepal of India’s commitment to provide all necessary cooperation and assistance. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The meeting was held in a cordial environment and both the countries expressed their satisfaction on the outcome of the issues deliberated during the meeting and hoped it will go a long way in addressing mutual security concerns, enhancing cooperation and friendly relations between the two countries.<span class="apple-style-span"> ---PIB</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India & Nepal Discuss Coorperation to Curb Cross-Border Crimes

India & Nepal today, discussed cooperation in countering cross-border crimes & terrorist activities during Home Secretary level ...

Nepal-India Trade Pact Dragged To Court

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">KATHMANDU, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region> (NNN-Bernama) -- The Nepal-India trade pact, that has ruffled many a feather here since it was inked during Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's recent <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> visit, has now been taken to court, reports Press Trust <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> (PTI). <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Hardline Maoist leaders have been demanding that the treaty be scrapped and on Sunday a case was filed against the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) in the Supreme Court. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Advocate Balkishan Newpane, who filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the issues, asked the apex court to intervene to annul the agreement, according to court spokesperson Hemanta Rawal. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In his PIL, Newpane has claimed that some of the provisions of the agreement were against the sovereignty and integrity of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> and therefore urged the Supreme Court for intervention. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The hardliner faction of the ruling UCPN-Maoist led by Mohan Vaidya 'Kiran' has been protesting against the agreement since the signing of the pact lastweek. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The petitioner claimed the protests launched from within the UCPN-Maoist and from opposition parties make the agreement's harmfulness evident. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Prime Minister Bhattarai, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Maoist chief Prachanda and Minister for Industries Anil Kumar Jha have been made defendants in the petition. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The main opposition Nepali Congress has, however, welcomed the agreement, saying that it was needed for economic progress of the country. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The court is set to hear the case on Wednesday. -- NNN-BERNAMA <span>  </span><o:p></o:p></div></div>

Nepal-India Trade Pact Dragged To Court

KATHMANDU, Nepal (NNN-Bernama) -- The Nepal-India trade pact, that has ruffled many a feather here since it was inked during Prime Ministe...

Nepal Arrests Tibetan Protesters

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Nepalese police detained more than 60 Tibetan refugees early Tuesday as they demonstrated in support of Buddhist monks who have set themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule in their homeland.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Police say the demonstrators were arrested after shouting anti-China slogans during a prayer service outside a monastery on the outskirts of the capital, <st1:place w:st="on">Kathmandu</st1:place>. Nepalese authorities are increasingly cracking down on gatherings of exiled Tibetans.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On Monday, <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>'s military chief, General Chen Bingde, said <st1:city w:st="on">Beijing</st1:city> approves of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region>'s “firm stance on issues related to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tibet</st1:place></st1:country-region>.”---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Chen made his comments in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beijing</st1:place></st1:city> during a visit by his Nepalese counterpart, General Chhatraman Singh Gurung, who reaffirmed his promise to never allow “anti-Chinese activities” to take place on Nepalese soil.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">More than 20,000 Tibetan exiles are living in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>, after a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> has prohibited demonstrations by Tibetan exiles and cracked down on such gatherings in recent years as part of its “one-China” policy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">At least 10 Buddhist monks have set themselves on fire in southwest <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> in recent months to protest harsh Chinese rule of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tibet</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Nepal Arrests Tibetan Protesters

Nepalese police detained more than 60 Tibetan refugees early Tuesday as they demonstrated in support of Buddhist monks who have set themse...

Nepal PM Bhattarai Urges Indian Business Community to Invest in Nepal

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW DELHI</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-NEPALNEWS) -- Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has urged the Indian business community to make investment in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s potential sectors while he assured them of necessary security.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Speaking at the joint business meet of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) representatives on Friday in <st1:city w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:city>, PM Bhattarai said <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> government has given top priority to providing security to businesses with Indian investment. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Bhattarai also mentioned that the <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region> government is also preparing to mark 2012/13 as "investment year" to attract and promote foreign investment in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The government is also in the process to introduce Board of Investment under the chairmanship of Prime Minister to ease and execute the process of investment in the potential sectors, informed Bhattarai.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Highlighting that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s security situation has improved significantly and is improving further and the PM said the improved situation has also reduced the business costs. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Similarly, FNCCI president Suraj Vaidya also urged Indian investors to look for the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s potential sector for investment like hydropower, fast-tract road, railways, tourism, education, herbs, and infrastructure, among others. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> is the largest and major market of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>, Vaidya also called for both the governments to establish favourable economic relationship. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Lawmaker and industrialist Binod Chaudhary said that with the political change <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> has emerged as a significant market with high investment potential.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Highlighting global heritages, trekking-routes, high capacity of hydro projects in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>, Chaudhary also invited Indian investors to identify those potentials for investment. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">FICCI executive committee member Devin Narang said that tourism and hydropower are the most potential sectors in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> which could be beneficial to both the nations. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Saying that <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region> should attract Indian investment to reduce its trade deficit, Narang also urged the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region> government to solve the issues related to industrial security, power crisis, labour unrest among others. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Similarly, past president of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Rajiv Kaul also urged investment friendly environment highlighting hydropower, health, education and tourism as potential sectors. -- NNN-NEPALNEWS<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Nepal PM Bhattarai Urges Indian Business Community to Invest in Nepal

NEW DELHI (NNN-NEPALNEWS) -- Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has urged the Indian business community to make investment in Nepal 's ...

Nepal: Bhattarai to Visit India Later This Month

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">KATHMANDU (NNN-PTI): <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region>'s Premier Baburam Bhattarai is set to undertake a crucial visit to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, his first to the country since assuming the top post over a month ago, and is expected to discuss issues relating to a bilateral peace and friendship treaty, economic cooperation and the Constitution- drafting process here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The visit has been tentatively fixed to start from October 21 and will last for 4-5 days, sources close to the Prime Minister said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The India trip of Bhattarai, the second Vice-chairman of UCPN-Maoist, will be significant as it comes at a time when he is facing protests from hardliners within his party, who are opposing the 4-point deal inked with the Joint Madhesi Front while forming the coalition government and handing over of keys of the arms container to an all-party Special Committee.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">It is also crucial for Bhattarai to secure support from the opposition parties, including the Nepali Congress, for his efforts to conclude the peace process and promulgate a new Constitution.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">During the high-level talks in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:place></st1:city>, Bhattarai is expected to discuss with the Indian leadership the ongoing peace process, integration of Maoist army with the Nepal Army, drafting of the Constitution, Indo-Nepal Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950, bilateral relations and economic cooperation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Unlike Maoist chief Prachanda, who chose to visit <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> before going to <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> after becoming Prime Minister, Bhattarai, a scholar from JNU, has preferred to visit <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:place></st1:city> first. -NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>

Nepal: Bhattarai to Visit India Later This Month

KATHMANDU (NNN-PTI): Nepal 's Premier Baburam Bhattarai is set to undertake a crucial visit to India , his first to the country since a...

NEPAL: INDIAN EARTHQUAKE PROMPTS "WAKE-UP CALL"

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0svSt2nQmp2lPjpXbTDMefGWoYJO0X2b3Iu_HhdN_haH6AoEx_akvrKPkvgIpyPo0uQrh_KXU-OapaSlxIaMHleOF2lSNWxpy8saWxWXpcGJPm3eG6nzDyFx31KPEhjTLm5xP2zHLCM/s1600/indiaquake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0svSt2nQmp2lPjpXbTDMefGWoYJO0X2b3Iu_HhdN_haH6AoEx_akvrKPkvgIpyPo0uQrh_KXU-OapaSlxIaMHleOF2lSNWxpy8saWxWXpcGJPm3eG6nzDyFx31KPEhjTLm5xP2zHLCM/s1600/indiaquake.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>EARTHQUAKE HITS WEST BENGAL, SIKKIM.Medical team attend to an injured earthquake victim at a hospital in Siliguri in West Bengal, India, Sept. 18, 2011.  People have been killed in India, Nepal and Tibet, and over 100 injured from the earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale shook Sikkim. About 4000 people, involved in search and rescue operations, including the personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have rescued 15 foreign tourists and 150 villagers Photo courtesy NNN-xinhua</i></b></span></div><i>  </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">KATHMANDU  (NNN-IRIN) -- A 6.9 magnitude earthquake on Sept 18 in northeastern India which also caused deaths in parts of Nepal and China, serves as a stark warning to the earthquake-prone region, experts say. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“This is a wake-up call for many, for all of those indifferent to earthquakes,” Amod Mani Dixit, executive director of Nepal’s National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET), told IRIN (www.irinnews.org) in Kathmandu. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“I am happy the earthquake took place, though I am sorry for the loss of life. I feel earthquakes are being forgotten. Now they are saying, ‘Don’t forget me’.” </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Reports say dozens of people were killed in the region - including 16 in India, six in Nepal and seven in Tibet. Scores more were reportedly injured by the quake, which was felt as far away as Delhi and parts of Bangladesh. The tremor was felt across 20 districts of Nepal. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The main affected districts included Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung, Ilam, Dhankuta, Pachthar, Sunsari, Okhaldhunga in the Eastern Region, and Bhaktapur in the central region, Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Centre within the Ministry of Home Affairs reported on Sept 19. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The tremor in Kathmandu, though relatively mild, brought people onto the capital's streets, 272km west of the epicentre in India's mountainous Sikkim State. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Some residents leapt from windows, a reaction experts say reinforces the need for greater preparedness - in particular what to do and what not to do before, during and after an earthquake. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“This generation has never experienced an earthquake like this before,” said Umesh Prasad Dhakal, executive director of the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRC), urging the need for increased earthquake preparedness and awareness. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kathmandu Valley has a history of major earthquakes every 70-80 years. The last big quake (8.1 on the Richter scale) was in 1934 and killed 10,700 people. Scientists say major seismic activity is inevitable; the city has been bracing itself for “a big one” for years. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">According to NSET, if an earthquake of the same magnitude that struck Haiti in January 2010 were to hit Kathmandu, some 200,000 people would die, 200,000 would be severely injured, some 1.5 million would be made homeless, and 60 percent of homes would be damaged beyond repair. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And while some experts believe the Sept 18 quake was a seismic energy release which could help avoid such a scenario, others warn against complacency. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“At the moment we are not very sure whether or not this will be repeated,” said Rita Dhakal, humanitarian affairs specialist with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “Regardless, this is a signal for Nepal to be prepared.” </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Nepal’s most recent big earthquake was 6.8 on the Richter scale in 1988 and killed 721 people. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“We were lucky this time the tremor was mild. If it was a stronger earthquake the destruction could have been massive,” the NRC’s Umesh Prasad Dhakal said. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Over 16 major earthquakes have struck Nepal since 1223, the last occurring in 1988, according to the 2009 Nepal Disaster Report by the government of Nepal and the Disaster Preparedness Network-Nepal (DPNET). -- NNN-IRIN</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>

NEPAL: INDIAN EARTHQUAKE PROMPTS "WAKE-UP CALL"

EARTHQUAKE HITS WEST BENGAL, SIKKIM.Medical team attend to an injured earthquake victim at a hospital in Siliguri in West Bengal, India...