Godawari (Lalitpur) Mar. 10:The government with the joint effort of civil society will outline Nepal’s first National Human Rights Action Plan (HRAP) by the end of this year.

A two-day HRAP consultative meeting that concluded here this afternoon decided to form a joint steering committee within next month to complete the process.

First of its type in South Asia, the action plan would promote and strengthen human rights within the country, said the participants of the meeting jointly organised by the government and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). “It is a plan which gives equal attention to civil cultural, economic, political and social rights of people.”

The action plan is being prepared as per the recommendations made by the 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, which requires each of the member states to draw up a national action plan and identify steps to improve and protect human rights with the respective states. Nepal is one of the signatories of the Vienna convention.

Following the conference, 11 signatory countries have developed action plans on human rights: Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Indonesia, Latvia, Malawi, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa and Venezuela.

“Though HRAP has nothing to do with the formation of the much talked about Human Rights Commission (HRC), it will certainly support the overall efforts of improving and preserving the human rights situation in the country,” the participants said.

Chief Secretary Tirtha Man Shakya in his closing remarks said that the government would constitute the commission by mid-April. “It will come out any day before April 14,” he said.

HRAP would not prevent the formation of HRC but would assist and facilitate it in its functions, Shakya said. He also showed the necessity of conducting awareness programmes to remove the existing public confusion about the definition of human rights and its spheres.

Henning Karcher, UN Resident Co-ordinator in Nepal, said that the consultation process was a constructive effort to put the plan into practice and had a non-confrontational approach in protecting human rights in Nepal. “It has nothing to do with the HRC formation but will certainly support the overall effort to achieve the goal,” he said. “Nepal has a comprehensive legal framework that supports the formation of HRC.”

He said that the principle aim of the whole process was to incorporate human rights issue into the development process.

During the two-day meeting, NGO representatives said improvements in the rights of women, children and ethnic people should be included in the plan, according to a press release distributed at the closing of the meeting. Officials said that drafting a national human rights action plan was an important way of showing their commitment to the human rights in the constitution and in the international human rights agreements that Nepal has ratified, it said.

The decision to open consultations on what should be in the plan follows regional human rights meeting in Bangkok in 1999 and a meeting between Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and special representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Brian Burdekin, the press release said.

Kathmandu, March 9: In the ongoing L.R.I. Inter-School Millennium Basketball Fest-200 L. R. I registered a hard-fought victory over RIBS by 47-29 while Little Angels defeated E.P.S. in the similar fashion by 45-28 in the boys’ event, Thursday.

In another match Galaxy girls recorded a last-moment victory against L.R.I. with 28-27 while Sagarmatcha played excellently to defeat Little Angeles at 30-15.

Kathmandu, Mar. 9:In the ongoing Vice-chancellor Cricket Running Shield, Tri-Chandra Campus defeated Vishwa Niketan by 89 runs, Thursday.

Opted for batting Tri-Chandra Campus made 198 runs losing all the wickets in 40 overs. Rajib Panta of Tri-Chandra massed 36 run while Rajesh, Amit and Gaurav hit 15, 27 and 25 runs respectively.

Rohit of Vishwa Niketan hit the maximum of 29 runs. Vishow Niketan managed to hit 109 runs in 34 overs.

In today’s match, Gaurav Pokhrel of Tri-Chandra Campus declared man of the match.

Kathmandu, March 9:Saroj Mulmi, Amrit Chettri, Mohan Rai, Shiva Narayan won their respective best of five frames second round matches to enter the third round of the All Nepal Carlsberg Open Snooker Championship on Thursday.

Mulmi beat Sudhan Shakya 104-31, 68-27, 50-31 while Chettri overcame from a frame down to beat Hom Bahadur Nepali with the score of 46-64, 34-33, 77-45, 64-29.

Mohan Rai improvising his mistakes made short work of Amar Lama, winning the match at 68-39, 71-26, 49-42. In the other second round match, Shiva Narayan win, 70-49, 78-30 over Palsang Gurung.

Meanwhile, Pranil Dhoj Karki and Durlav Karki entered the third round through walkover as their respective opponent Utsav Shrestha and  Pankaj Singh Shah failed to turn up.

Other first round results of the day:

Rajen Lama bt Diken Suwal (3-1), Manendra Joshi bt Ajad Shrestha (3-0), Bikash bt Sudeep KC (3-0), Ang Tsering Sherpa bt Saroj Shrestha (3-0), Suraj bt. Dharmendra Manandhar (3-0), Mukhiya Gurung bt Bharat Karki (3-2), Gopal Shrestha bt Sushil KC (w/o).

Kathmandu, Mar 9 : Two athletes were selected  for 2000 Sydney Olympics, recently. In the selection round organised by Nepal Amateur Athletic Association (NAAA) Gyan Bahhadur Bohra came first in the 5000m to get selected for Sydney Olympics 2000 .Bohra clocked 14.: 59.14 sec.

It may be recalled that Bohra had picked up silver medal in the Eight South Asian Federation Games (SAFG) in the 5000m.

Meanwhile, Devi Maya Paneru who won the  100m sprint in 12.54 sec. Eight athletes had vied it out in the 5000m run while there were only two women athletes in the 100m. This is  stated in a press release issued by NAAA today.

Mahendranagar, Mar. 9: Judge of the Appellate Court (Kanchanpur) Paramananda Jha, declaring open the 10th district council of Kanchanpur District Development Committee here stressed the need for all political parties to make concerted bid for development works.

DDC Vice Chairman Bhojraj Joshi, academician Dr Devi Prasad Ojha, campus chief Dr Tekraj Panta, DDC Vice Chairman Rajendra Singh Rawal, senior journalist Ram Bahadur Chandra and other speakers also expressed their views.

The DDC chairman Rishi Raj Lumsali presented a budget of Rs. 201,119,000 for the next fiscal year at the district council.

Meanwhile, the district animal health services office here held a seminar on zoonotic diseases  to bring public awareness on the diseases transmitted from animals to man through various mediums.

The participants of the seminar discussed a working paper presented by the chief of the office Dr Shambhu Shah and stressed the need to launch public awareness campaign to control zoonotic diseases.

Journalists, teachers, health workers and representatives of various offices attended the seminar inaugurated by mayor of Charikot Shanta Bahadur Basnet.

Kakarbhitta, Mar. 9: CPN-ML general secretary Bamdev Gautam says that on the shoulders of the present Communist campaigners has devolved the task of materialising the dreams of those who were martyred while fighting against exploitation and oppression in the country.

Inaugurating the first Mechi town convention of the party at Dhulabari the other day, general secretary Gautam said the Nepalese people were assessing the ten years of rule after the restoration of democracy in the country.The Nepali Congress which remained in power for a longer period could not draw even a blue print for nation-building, nor could it chalk out a definite plan to deliver   the goods to the people, he alleged.

He also accused Nepali Congress government of unleashing terror on innocent and helpless people in the name of resolving the Maoist problem.

CPN-ML with its national perspective for the cause of the nation, nationality, territorial integrity of the nation, and Nepalese people, was marching on the path of liberation, but it came under the attack from extreme leftist activities and capitulationist policy, he said, adding that his party would lead a movement against exploitation and oppression.

Ex-minister and CPN-ML politburo member alleged that CPN-Maoist was heading towards terrorism, while CPN-UML was moving toward liquidationism.

He stressed that CPN-ML should muster its strength to start a people’s liberation movement right from jhapa, a venue which he called “noted for the communist struggle”.

CPN-ML Mechi town committee secretary Gopal Budhathoki presided over the convention.

Other speakers including its central member Yaman Kumar Gautam, Naresh Kharel, Narayan Subedi, its Dang unit secretary Susma Sharma, Mayor of Mechi town Rabin Koirala also expressed their views.

On the occasion, general secretary Gautam presented shawls a mark of honour to 33 dedicated workers who had made special contribution to the communist movement in Nepal.

Kathmandu, Mar. 9: The 90th International Women’s Day was observed by organising various programmes in various part of the Kingdom on Wednesday.

In Myagdi, the women’s development branch organised a rally and mass meeting on the occasion.

At the mass meeting, chief district officer Vishnu Prasad Aryal, the Women’s Development Officer Laxmi G.C. And other speakers shed light on women rights and interest. In Pokhara, Amnesty International Annapurna Group-54, teachers and social workers group-82 and women’s group-85 organised a talk programme on women’s rights, while a rally and a talk programme were held jointly by INSEC Women Services Centre, All Nepal Women’s Association, GIFONT Women Labour Department and the Save the Children S.O.S. Village.

In Gorkha, a programme of interaction on “ creation of a society free from poverty and violence in the 21st century” was held by the Bonded Hill Forest and Pasture Development Office to mark the occasion.

At the programme, most of the speakers including CDO Madhav Raj Regmi, DDC chairman Chetman Shrestha and the Forest Users Federation chairman Bhola Bhattarai stressed on gender equality and creation of a healthy society.

Meanwhile in Nepalgunj, since women’s rights form a part of human rights all should contribute from their respective quarters to protect and promote them.

This suggestions were made by the participants of a talk programme on woman’s right and human rights” by Amnesty International, Bageswari Group-62 here Wednesday to mark the International Women’s Day.

Amnesty International central member Vishnu Lal Kumhal said human rights would be best protected if people were literate and aware of their rights.

Another central member Mrs Mohamadi Siddiqi said, “Amnesty International has a world-wide ramification and it has over a hundred groups in Nepal alone.

NGOs’ Co-ordination Committee, Banke unit general secretary Vishnu Prasad Shrestha said women’s emancipation movement was in no way directed against men   and women had to determine their course of action by themselves.

Ai Bageswari group-62 programme co-ordinator Mona Ansari presided over the programme.

Likewise in the Women Development branch office of Dang held here, a quiz contest and a poetry symposium to mark the 90th International Women’s Day.

Devi Mahila Bikas Samiti of Lalabhati stood first, Women Development Multi-Purpose Co-operative Enterprises of Tribhuvannagar second in the quiz contest.

Likewise in competitive poetry symposium, Balkumari Subedi of Hapur, Sabitri Rana of Tribhuvannagar and Tara Adhikari of Deukhuri stood first, second and third respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, the District Development Committee Vice Chairman Khagaraj Pandey advised the women to strive hard to be self-reliant.

Mayor of Ttribhuvannagar Amar Bahadur Dangi presided over the programme. Mahendra Multiple Campus also organised an open oratory competition to march the occasion.

Kathmandu, Mar. 9 :Technology and Trade Information System (TIPS) has started to provide “Global Business Access Services” to the Nepalese businessmen through internet.

Information on production and services technology will be provided through the database of internet under the “Tips Global Business Access.”

The National Bureau of TIPS provide information on production and other related topics to the Nepalese businessmen through the network and also helps to prepare proposals for grants and investment under the Asia Investment Programme. TIPS has been providing its services to 44 countries including seven countries in Asia.

President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Pradip Kumar Shrestha and first counsellor of the European Commission in India Rudiger Wenk jointly inaugurated the information services here today.

On the occasion, FNCCI president Shrestha said that in the present context the concept of globalisation had broken the traditional frontiers and become a challenge for the private sector to take its products to every part of the world. This kind of information service will be helpful for the Nepalese business community, he added.

European Commission first counsellor wenk said the cooperation is being extended to Nepal for development in the fields of  trade and commerce.

TIPS national bureau director Armila C. Shakya disseminated information on TIPS while FNCCI first vice-president Rabi Bhakta Shrestha also expressed his views.

Kakarbhitta, Mar. 9:A person who was living in a rented room at the house of Roshan Kumar Agrawal of Mechinagar municipality, ward No. 3 has fled without paying telephone bills of around Rs. 16.4 million to the Nepal Telecommunication Corporation, Dhulabari for the use of two telephone lines.

The accused, who identified himself as Binod Sharma, 55, a resident of Rajesthan, India, is said to have installed two telephone lines (no. 60519 and 60520) and made international calls to the United States of America, the United Kingdom, India and Dubai over a period of two months.

It has been detected that in one unusual incident he made a continuous call for 21 hours.

According to chairman of ward No. 3 Suresh Agrawal, the accused, who seemed to be a respectable type and used to speak only English and the Marwadi languages had said he was an insurance agent.

He had also started to threaten local businessmen through by telephone.

Local people suspected that he might have misused the citizenship certificate of somebody else for installing the telephone lines.