Kathmandu, Mar.15:Police arrested 30 Bhutanese refugee activists this afternoon as they tried to force their way inside the Foreign Ministry where the secretary level talk between Nepal and Bhutan on the Bhutanese refugee issue was still in progress for the fourth day today.

The arrested refugees including eight women were carted off in a police van at five p.m. to the nearby Maharajgunj Ward Police Station where they were detained for around an hour before being released, the refugees said.

The refugees, representing the Appeal Movement Coordination Council, a Bhutanese human rights organisation, were staging a sit-in programme with their three-point demands at the Foreign Ministry’s entry for the second day today.

According to the refugee leaders present in the scene, they had sent three written requests seeking an appointment with the Bhutanese Secretary leading the Bhutanese delegation here. “We wanted to know what decision was being taken about the refugees. We have the right to know,” said Ratan Gajmer, a representative of AMCC.

Having received no response, the refugees claim, they tried to force their way in when police intervened and whisked them away. “We have been told not to continue our programme at the ministry entrance,” said Gajmer.

The police, however, dismissed of having issued such instruction. “We arrested them since they wanted to push themselves in and we could not allow them to do so because the talks were still going on,” said Inspector Raj Kumar Lamsal who headed the police team that arrested the refugees. “They were insisting to get in as the office time was about to be over.”

The refugees who staged a sit-in in front of the Foreign Ministry have made three specific demands: Drop the categorisation of the Bhutanese refugees, invite Tek Nath Rijal, Bhutan’s ace Human Right Leader, in all future refugee talks, and halt the resettlement of the other Bhutanese citizens in refugees’ lands in Bhutan.

Nepal and Bhutan in 1993 agreed to categorise the refugees into four groups: Bonafide Bhutanese citizens, Bhutanese who have emigrated, Non Bhutanese, and Bhutanese who have committed crimes.

The ongoing bureaucratic level talk has been focussing on the modality of verification process of the four categories of refugees. Nepal’s stand has been interviewing the head of each family member of the refugees. According to Foreign Ministry officials, the talks between the two sides were continuing till late night today.

The refugees involved in sit-in programme today have arrived here from all the seven refugee camps from eastern Nepal where around 100,000 of them have been languishing for the last eight years.

The UNHCR built the camps for the Bhutanese refugees who entered Nepal after the Dragon Kingdom forcefully evicted them under its ethnic cleansing policy. Guided by its “one nation one people” policy, Bhutan began to crack down on its southern Nepali-speaking citizens, locally known as Lhotsampas, in the late 80’s.

Kathmandu, Mar. 15:Despite His Majesty’s Government’s willingness to establish a export processing zone (epz) in the Eighth Plan with a view to promoting Nepalese exports, this could not come into force due to lack of concrete programmes.

A budget of five million rupees has been allocated under the current Ninth Plan for the export promotion fund aimed at establishing the epz, free trade export zone and technological park and export oriented unit.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Finance Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat inaugurated a seminar on ‘Investment opportunities in Nepal’ organised with an objective of familiarising Nepal’s industrial and business community with the export processing industry under the joint auspices of the Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Indian Embassy and the B.P Koirala India-Nepal Foundation here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Dr. Mahat said as Nepal is a landlocked nation, the plan to establish the export processing zone for the high price products near the Tribhuwan International Airport did not materialise due to lack of availability of land, it has been planned for Birgunj.

Stating that investment and export trade have increased because of the industrial policy adopted by Nepal after 1991, Dr. Mahat said despite some constraints 40 percent increase has been recorded in exports to India.

He said South Asia is rich in manpower, the number of consumers and talents adding that an export oriented strategy is necessary for the economic development of the country.

Royal Nepalese Ambassador to India Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa said we should develop ourselves as an attractive market keeping in mind the three million economically capable Indian consumers adding that we could learn from the experience of our neighbouring countries.

Indian Ambassador K.V. Rajan said Indian investment in Nepal and the Nepalese exports to India have been increased after the agreement signed on trade and transit in 1996.

Director of the Indian Ministry of Commerce Amita Prashad said the concept of export processing zone was for the first time developed in India in 1965 and that the concept has changed after liberalisation and globalisation.

President of Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rukma Shumsher Rana said there have been improvements in Nepal-India trade relations since a few years after the signing of various agreements and treaties.

Convenor of the seminar Diwakar Golchha spoke highly of Indian cooperation in the economic development of Nepal.

Kathmandu, Mar. 15: Minister of State for Women and Social Welfare Mrs Kamala Devi Pant has said that the present government has formulated a national policy to combat girl-trafficking.

Inaugurating the first convention of the national group against girl trafficking here today, Minister of State Mrs Pant emphasised the need to generate social awareness to resolve the problem of girl-trafficking which had remained a national issue.

The government has launched women awareness and income generation programme for empowering women and raising their awareness and economic status, she said, adding that the participation of women with low income would be ensured in the income generation programme and all efforts would be made to prevent girl-trafficking.

Stating that collective commitment was needed to resolve the problem, Mrs Pant pointed out the need to launch awareness programmes in various villages and ensure equal participation of men in it.

Group vice-chairperson and mp Shilupyari Karmacharya said that the commitment made to provide equal opportunity to women in the national mainstream of development was yet to be implemented.

Member cum secretary of the Social Welfare Council Dr. Tika Prasad Pokharel made it clear that considering the plight of the Nepalese women, hmg had introduced women awareness and income generation programme to uplift them.

Project coordinator Madhavi Singh, treasurer Tulasalata Amatya, Dr. Shanta Thapaliya and Pratibha Subedi shed light on the various activities carried out by the national group to combat girl-trafficking and flesh trade.

Group chairperson Durga Ghimire was on the chair.

Kathmandu, Mar. 15:Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has issued a press statement denouncing the news in media fixing the date of discussion on 17th March following a no-confidence motion against him.

“I am the elected leader of Nepali Congress parliamentary party. I express serious objection to this process of taking the signatures of Members of Parliament by my own parliamentary party secretary through coercion and enticement and unilaterally fixing a date for the meeting of the NC Parliamentary party without even consulting me,” the PM said in press release issued today.

Earlier, NC Parliamentary party secretary, Benup Raj Prasai had issued a press circular informing that a meeting of the NC parliamentarians was summoned at 8 A.M Friday to discuss the no-confidence motion registered according to Article 19(5) of the Party’s constitution.

On Tuesday, 69 members of the ruling party registered a no-confidence motion following the NC president Girija Prasad Koirala’s declaration that the NC MPs were free to do as they wish.

The Prime Minister and the NC parliamentary party leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and NC party President Girija Prasad Koirala were said to have reached a ‘secret’ understanding two weeks ago following a no-trust motion brought against the Prime Minister by 58 MPs. Koirala now claims that the said understanding was not being followed by Bhattarai.

On the other hand, PM Bhattarai claims that since Koirala did not honour the previous ‘secret’ understanding reached between the two of them, he was also not bound to follow the second ‘secret’ agreement.

Kathmandu, March 14: Saroj Mulmi and Tenzing Ngodup entered the semifinals of the All Nepal Carlsberg Open Snooker Championship, following their respective win over Mohan Rai and Sanjay Mulmi in the quarterfinals played at Covered Hall here Tuesday.

Saroj Mulmi from Black Stallion, dropped the opening frame at 45-67 to Annapurna Club’s Rai. But he quickly staged his comeback with a break of 23 points in the second frame to level at 1-1, winning on 67-21.

As Rai, who earned a walkover from Durlav Karki in the previous round struggled to concentrate, Mulmi also took the next three at 53-41, 109-19 and 107-7 for a commanding 4-1 lead. But he, trying to finish off the game quickly, missed a straight forward red to allow Rai to get into the game who cashed in the opportunity to narrow the difference to one frame at 4-3, taking sixth and seventh by 57-43 and 59-29. Mulmi, however got back to his rhythm in time to wrap up the match by winning the eighth frame at 90-27.

In the other quarterfinal, Tenzing, Ngodup of Hong Kong Snooker was in dominant form as he humbled Sanjay Mulmi of Bosss Snooker. Ngodup, with the aid of an initial break of 29 points went 1-0 up, taking the opening frame at 101-31. His perfect cue control and positioning gave indication that it would be a straight forward passage to the semifinals.

But after having won next three frames at 67-16, 67-14, 81-48, he played couple of lose shots in the fifth and Mulmi cleared up the table to win it by 68-28. Mulmi however, failed to match the potting skill of the much formidable opponent in the sixth while Ngodup brimmed with confidence pocketed 21 points in succession to win at 98-7 for a comfortable 5-1 win. He will meet Saroj Mulmi in semifinal on Thursday.

Kathmandu,  Mar 14: Tribhuban Club  (TC) sealed their  spot in  the semis with 2-1 win over Ranipokhari Corner team (RCT) while Friends’ Club  of Kupondole (FC) continued to maintain the winning spree  by  defeating Sunsari 3-2 in the last leg of the of  the league cum knock- out in the ongoing Khukuri Soccer championship at the National Dashrath Stadium, Tuesday.

TC needed to win or draw to reach into the semifinals, surged into the attack  from the start  against RCT and took a 4th minute lead through  Surendra Shrestha. Shrestha slammed home from the striking  zone through a cross from Adarsha Malla’s  off a spot kick a little  outside the area.

Self shocked RCT went all out for to level up the score but due to the lack of combination of the front strikers and  due to poor game built their moves failed to make moves deep into the rival’s post.

Riding high in the lead, TC made more aggressive moves into the RCT defence line and they seemed to be enlarging the margin in any  time. As expected Saila Maharjan took the charge in  the front along with Suk Bahadur Gurung and Adarsha Malla and  were equally supported  from the midfielders to launch attacks.

The RCT looked vulnerable in the defence and they even failed to clear the ball from their  half  as TC pressed in to widen the margin. Saila Maharjan consolidated the lead in the 30th minute. Saila picked up a deflected  shot from keeper and turned superbly to steer the ball low past keeper Mirgendra Mishra too keep  TC well for the title hunt.

Though RCT within a minute missed golden opportunity to  curtail the lead  but Nirajan Rayamajhi ‘s penalty shot  missed the target. RCT was awarded a penalty shot for rough tackle on Rayamajhi by  Kedar  inside the striking zone.

However, in the 38th minute, Madhu Karki curtailed the lead through cross from the right, giving a much needed boost for RCT supporters. Both the teams exchanged attacks in each other goalposts but both the teams failed  to make any headway’s.

After the lemon break, RCT displayed better performance and  managed to  make raids in the rival’s post. In the 8th minute, Madhu Karki nearly level the score but his shot kissed the bar denying RCT the much needed goal. As the time flew by both the teams failed to cash in the given opportunities. Saila from the TC had chances to widen the margin while Ritesh , the late  substitute failed  for RCT. In the 38th minute, Deepak Limbu of RCT was marched out from the ground for rough tackle leaving the RCT with ten men squad.

Friends’ Club of Kupondole (FC) after going down two goals in the first-half came  from behind to beat Sunsari . Sunsari  taking a charge from the onset of the game took a lead in the 41st minute through  Surendra Tamang and had consolidated the lead with the help Tamang by  Ganesh Limbu within four minutes.

FC dominated the show today also but inept shooting and ill-directed passes stood in their way in the first-half. Bill Tamang, Sukra Tamang and Aman Adhikari came close to the striking but failed to capitalise on the opportunities.

On the other hand, Sunsari displayed more organised game than the rival’s. Despite of knowing that even the win would not let them anywhere in the tournament. Being booked in the semis, FC failed to keep up with same rhythm as they were poorly let down by the defence and strikers.

Though in the second-half, they surged ahead with through  goal  within a two minutes of play through Bill Tamang . In the 30th minute Shushil KC level the  score and again  within three minutes latter  Shushi KC l took the team to a lead.

With the today’s win, FC topped their group and will now face Mahendra Police Club on Thursday in the second semis.

Kathmandu, Mar. 14: Minister for Labour Bal Bahadur K.C. has said that it may be inviting disaster for management, labour or the government to move forward alone without seeking coordination with the others.

Inaugurating a two-day first national seminar of the Nepal Motion Picture Workers Association, he said the government is always in favour of institutional development in order to benefit both management and labour.

Labourers should rise above party politics, he said adding, the government has done a lot for the rights and interests of labour over the past ten months.

Media advisor at the Ministry of Information And Communication Purushotam Dahal said rule of law includes the security of labourers, and both management and labour should shoulder the responsibility of translating the pertinent labour laws into action.

President of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Suresha Acharya said that labour related problems are onthe rise for lack of labour laws and initiative on the part of government.

Secretary of the Democratic Confederation of Trade Unions Nepal D.P. Aryal said the confederation would raise its voice over most of the cinema halls not giving appointment letters and making arrangements for provident fund, medical allowances and minimum wages.

During the function chaired by Mohan Kapali, DECONT president Rajendra Bahadur Raut and general secretary Khilnath Dahal spoke of the rights and problems of labourers.

Kathmandu, Mar 14 :Royal Nepalese Ambassador to China Rajeshwor Acharya met vice-governor of Shichuan Province of China Xi Shiqunyesterday and exchanged views on various matters of bilateral interests.

On the occasion, they discussed the possibilities of Chinese cooperation in hydro power development and tourism promotion in Nepal.

Ambassador Acharya also attended a business meeting organised by the foreign affairs office of the province this morning.

The meeting was attended by about 20 leading Chinese businessmen, according to a press release of the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Beijing.

At the meeting, Mr Acharya apprised the participants of economic liberalisation process in Nepal and highlighted the prospects of joint venture industries in various areas in Nepal.

He also met Mr Zhu Mingling, vice chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of Sichuan Province today and apprised him of the ample opportunity for joint venture investment in Nepal that has been unfolded following the introduction of liberal economic policy.

Kathmandu, Mar. 14: Member of National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Nirmal Prasad Pandey inaugurated the Fourth Nepal-German International Medical Conference with the theme of pain, hypnosis, orthopedics, ayurveda and rehabilitation organised jointly by Forderkreis-Help for Nepal, Germany and Milton Erickson Society, Germany in collaboration with Maryknoll Nepal/Asha Deep amid a function here this morning.

Speaking on the occasion, chief guest Dr. Pandey said that this year is the third year of the Ninth Five-year Plan and we have a heavy task of improving the overall health management system of the country. Pointing out the government’s massive expenditure on the health sector, Dr. Pandey shed light on the need of developing the ayurveda with our experience and expertise on that regard.

Ambassador of Germany to Nepal Dr. Klaus Barth said that the theme of the conference is most commensurate with growing concerns and needs of our contemporary societies not only in the industrialised and sometimes over-civilised west, but also in the exploding urban centres of the east with their newly emerging problems connected with rapid development. ‘Ayurvedic medicine has won a strong following in the west, inspire of the closely knit financial safety net surrounding western medicine, because of its apparent lack of pernicious side effects’, he said.

Trenkle Bernhard, organising Chairman from Milton Erickson Society of Germany informed that the Milton Erickson Society is the largest hypnosis society in the German speaking countries.

Dr. Dhurba M. Shrestha, Chairman-organising committee delivered his welcome speech.

Kathmandu, Mar. 14 :The National Democratic Youth Association (NDYA) organised a race in protest of the increasing rise in market price, corruption and insecurity in the country.

The race beginning from Sundhara went through Bhotahity, Jamal, Ghantaghar and converged into a mass meeting at Ratna Park.

Initiating the programme, RPP president Surya Bahadur Thapa accused thegovernment of not being sensitive towards rise in market price, corruption and law and order in the country.

Mr Thapa said thatnationwide protest programmes have been organised to draw the attention of the government towards such abberrations.

NDYA central president Bhuvan Pathak also spoke on the occasion.

In Nuwakot, Vice president of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani has accused the popularly elected government of the Nepali Congress of failing to properly embrace the concepts of consensus, balance, impartiality and rule of law for the success of multi-party democracy in the ten years since its restoration.

He was inaugurating the 2nd district convention of the National Democratic Youth Organisation (NDYO) here yesterday.

On the occasion, central member Buddhiman Tamang MP said that if party workers are active the party will become consolidated.

During the programme held under the chairmanship of NDYO Nuwakot district chairman Deepak Rai, speakers including central vice chairman of the organisation Surendra Dhakal extended best wishes for the success of the convention.