Reality World

UK Minister's Call for Govt Formation THT Online Kathmandu, June 21 British Minister for International Development Shahid Malik arrived in Kathmandu on Friday for a three-day visit to help the political parties move forward to form a government. Talking to reporters at the airport, Malik said he plans to visit Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and leaders of the CPN-UML, CPN-Maoist and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, among others, including UN representatives and civil society members. "In the next few days we will have interactions and positive discussions with the political leaders and see how we can help Nepal," said Malik. Claiming that Nepali people wanted a government more than anything else, Malik said, "There have been 13,000 deaths in the past and the violence should be dead by now. Therefore, the rule of law and respect for human rights are crucial in this new Nepal." He said that responsibility now falls on the representatives of political parties to dec...

Maoists Yet to Return Seized Property THT Online Kapilvastu, June 21 The Maoists are yet to return the land, houses and property belonging to individuals, schools and industries they had seized during the conflict. Although the former rebels have repeatedly promised to return the seized property, they are yet to turn their words into actions, Maoist victims say. The Maoists have not returned the land and property belonging to 15 families, the Kapilvastu chapter of INSEC said. The displaced families said they have started doubting whether their property would be returned at all. They urged the local administration, journalists and human rights activists to press the Maoists to return the property. The Maoists have not also returned a land belonging to Harihar Sanskrit Higher Secondary School in Bandganga VDC and a land belonging to Bansbari Leather Shoes Company in Chanai VDC. However, Maoists' district in-charge Chandra Bahadur Chand said all seized property had been returned and t...

CA Members Flay Govt's Failure on Security Front THT Online Kathmandu, June 21 Members of the Constituent Assembly condemned the government for failing to maintain security in the country. During a meeting of the legislature on Friday, Nepali Congress CA member Jivan Prem Shrestha called the Home Minister to provide security to the people. "The Home Minister is busy in peace process. But he cannot escape from the responsibility of providing security to the people," he said. UML's Ramji Prasad Sharma criticised the government for failing to provide security to the public. Rastriya Jana Morcha's Rashmi Raj Nepali and Rastriya Prajatantra Party's Surya Bahadur KC questioned how the government would provide security to the commoners when it failed to protect the Chief Justice. The assembly members also accused the government of being insensitive towards the demands of students and low-wage people for relief from skyrocketing prices. Nepali Janta Dal's Gayatri ...

SC Fiat to Home Ministry Over Attack on CJ's Car THT Online Kathmandu, June 21 The Supreme Court on Friday told the Ministry of Home Affairs to investigate into yesterday's attack on Chief Justice Kedar Prasad Giri's car by agitating students at Putalisadak. The apex court told the Home Ministry to book the persons responsible for the attack and sought its clarification on why security personnel did not forewarn the CJ about the situation on the streets. "The SC asked the ministry how security lapses happened when the mob attacked the Chief Justice's car," apex court assistant spokesperson Hemanta Rawal said. "We wrote a letter to the Home Secretary urging it to find out the facts," Rawal added. Though the SC was supposed to discuss the matter with the security officials on Friday, the apex court told the Home Ministry to carry out an investigation. The apex court also told the ministry to come up with effective mechanism for the security of VVIPs.

Achham Reeling Under Severe Food Shortage Binod Thapa Achham, June 21 Achham district is reeling under severe food crisis due to a sharp fall in production of winter crops. Chief of Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) depot here Dil Bahadur Thapa said all 75 VDCs were facing food shortage and people there have been demanding food supply. People in 12 VDCs of Pandrabis area and 15 VDCs of Chhabis area have started relying on wild roots and fruits due to the lack of food grains. Production of winter crops in 25 VDCs of Bhaikh area, which has comparatively more fertile land, too, declined sharply this year, according to District Agriculture Development Office (DADO). A local of Turmakhand of Baikh, Khadak BK, said people had been buying rice from Dailekh bazaar. But supply to Dailekh, too, stops after the onset of rainy season. "It is certain that we will starve once the supply to Dailekh bazaar stops." "We are eating staple food only once a day. The rich may manage the food anyho...

Govt Preparing to Ratify Law on Disabled's Rights THT Online Kathmandu, June 21 The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW) is going to organise a meeting of the secretaries of line ministries on Sunday in connection with the ratification of the Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities. The government had signed the convention on January 3. Representatives from the MoWCSW, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Local Administration and others will attend the meeting, an official at the MoWCSW said. He further said the ministries would invite representatives from different rights groups to inform them of their decision and that the matter had already been discussed with representatives from the organisations working for the welfare of disabled people. Addressing a one-day training to disabled women on independent living, president of the Nepal Disabled Women's Association Tika Dahal said the state should listen to the voices of di...

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Koirala Can't Lead Nation Now: Gautam THT Online Bhairahawa, June 20 Standing committee member of the CPN-UML Bam Dev Gautam on Thursday ruled out the chances of NC president and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala becoming the first President of the country. Speaking at a press conference organised by the district chapter of the Press Chautari Nepal here, Gautam said that people had had enough of Nepali Congress (NC) as it was responsible for the ongoing political deadlock in the country. "As Nepalis have been experiencing an NC-led government for the past two years, Koirala cannot lead the nation now," he said, adding, "A sick Koirala should go for treatment rather than hold the presidency." Gautam said that the UML had several personalities suitable for the post of the President. "The Maoists have agreed on Sahana Pradhan's name for the presidential post," Gautam said, "However, the UML is in favour of former party general secretary Madhav...

SC to Examine Case on Facilities to Ex-royals THT Online Kathmandu, June 20 Revoking the Supreme Court Registrar's earlier decision, a single bench of Justice Kalyan Shrestha directed Registrar Dr Ram Krishna Timalsena to register a case that challenged the government's decision to provide facilities to the deposed king and his family members. "Since the issue in question is related with the Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2007, Registrar's decision to reject the petition is legally unsound," the SC order said. "The SC will decide whether the issue in question is political or not," it said. On June 10, the Registrar had refused a petition challenging the government's decision to allow deposed king Gyanendra to stay in Nagarjun palace with state security and providing buildings on the Narayanhiti Palace premises and state security to his mother and grandmother. Registrar Dr Timalsena had maintained that the case was of political nature and that it woul...

Displaced Accuses Cops of Seizing Relief Materials THT Online Rolpa, June 20 A displaced person on Thursday complained that the Dang District Police Office (DPO) took control over the relief materials he had got from the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS). "A team of cops questioned me where I got the materials from and then took them away on Tuesday," Kaluram Shahu BK, 70, a displaced from Rolpa said, adding that the policemen were under the influence of alcohol. Policemen held BK and beat him up, a relative, Bishnu Shahu BK, said, adding that the police released him only after pressure from the relatives yesterday. Kaluram, who was displaced from Jengwang of Rolpa district during the conflict, is staying in a hut in Shantinagar, Dang. According to BK, he was returning to Dang with the relief materials -- including 195 kg of rice, 25 kg of pulses and other utensils -- from Rolpa when the police intervened. BK has urged human right activists and journalists to take initiatives to...