Nepal Norway Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NNCCI) expressed solidarity to the pro-democracy movement of the country and urged all to find the solution of the present problem through consensus.
A public notice issued by the NNCCI said that the country failed to take right direction since the King’s direct rule since February 1 last year and the economy is on the verge of bankruptcy as donor countries and organizations are reducing their assistance.
The statement also appealed all to find the consensus through dialogue as the economy could not bear present situation for long time.
The statement also urged all to respect people’s rights for complete democracy and find peaceful outlet of the Maoist insurgency. nepalnews.com pb Apr 16 06
Representatives of various professional organizations have said that the ongoing agitation should not be called back until it achieves its objective.
Speaking at a pavement interaction in the capital organized by the Reporters’ Club Saturday, they said the country’s development was possible only in democracy and urged all to move in this direction.
Chairman of Teachers Association Mohan Gyawali, Krishna Dhakal of Teachers Union, Pankaj Singh of National PABSON, Babu Ram Adhikari of National Teachers Organization, Wangche Sherpa of Guardians’ Association said that no school will resume operation before restoration of democracy in the country.
They also claimed that the education sector can prosper only in a democratic environment.
Speaking on the occasion, artists Nikhil Upreti, Manoj Gajurel, Nil Hari Kafle also expressed solidarity with the ongoing agitation and urged the state not to suppress the pro-democracy movement.
Players Giri Prashad Budathoki and Ani Raj Gautam also pointed out the need of checking the moves aimed at suppressing pro-democracy movement in the country.
Police intervened a demonstration held after the interaction and rounded up around 18 persons. nepalnews.com pb Apr 16 06
The student wing of Maoists All Nepal National Independent Students Union -Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) has said that it has been participating in the ongoing general strike called by both the “seven party alliance and the Maoists” that started from April 7.
“This is our right,” stated a release issued by the union president Lekhnath Neupane, adding, “It is not infiltration, but our declared programme.”
The Maoist-affiliated student union has also said that its presence in the movement would increase.
The union also said that it would begin changing the names of the educational institutions named after past kings and take action against security officials involved in suppressing demonstrations.
The statement further said that many cadres of the union were injured and arrested in course of the agitation.
The statement came at a time when leaders of seven political parties are ruling out the Maoists’ infiltration in general strike and claiming that the general strike is solely their programme. nepalnews.com pb Apr 16 06
Leaders of the seven-party alliance have said that the goal of the ongoing movement is to hold election of the constituent assembly to establish people’s supremacy bringing an end to the King’s autocracy.
They said the movement has already become a people’s movement led by the alliance, in keeping with the front’s common political programme.
Speaking at an interaction programme held by the Civil Society Alliance for Political Reforms on Saturday, standing committee member of CPN-UML Bharat Mohan Adhikari said, “The movement has become the people’s movement, in the sense that it has pervaded a large swathe of the country and more than 2.5 million people from different social strata have already joined it.”
Adhikari ruled out dialogue with the King unless the latter concedes that the state authority and the country’s sovereignty rest with the people.
General secretary of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) Prakash Man Singh defined the term of “total democracy” as a democratic system that would respond to the problems faced by women, Dalits, ethnic communities and people from backward regions.
CP Mainali, general secretary of the CPN-ML, said that the alliance had already set its goal of ending the King’s autocracy and bringing the Maoists to the political mainstream.
He further said, “The alliance set its goal keeping in mind the concerns of friendly nations and Nepal’s geo-political situation.”
Anil Kumar Jha of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi) said the two-week long movement of political parties had become more effective than the decade-old armed struggle of the Maoists.
Professor Krishna Khanal urged the political parties to move ahead in tune with the people’s wishes.
The seven political parties are holding general strike since last 10 days for the restoration of complete democracy putting an end to autocracy. nepalnews.com pb Apr 16 06
The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has released probable names for the AFC U-14 Festival of Football to be held in Islamabad from April 21-27.
According to the general secretary of ANFA, Narendra Shrestha, the team will leave for Pakistan on Monday. The seven-day event will be played at Jinnah Stadium; the venue of the 1986 Quaid-i-Azam International Tournament and the 1989 and 2004 SAF Games.
Being the hosts, the Pakistan Football Federation will be allowed to field two teams – Pakistan and Pakistan A – in the event. Other competitors will be from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal.
The 25-player U-14 Nepal’s squad is comprised of :
Goal Keepers (3) : Bishal Shreshta, Nabin Maharajan, Dinesh Thapa Magar.
Defenders (9) : Naresh Pokhrel, Badal Ghising, Sudeep Sikrakap, Tapan Khadka, Suman Khadka, Kovid Karki, Sabindra Shreshta, Ravi Thapa, Niraj Thapa Magar.
Midfielders (8) : Jagajeet Shreshta, Shiva Shreshta, Satish Bhandari, KC Shushil, Ritesh Malla, Karfu Rasaili, GC Ram Krishna, Bijay Gurung.
Strikers (5) : Nirajan Malla, Ganesh Khadka, Bishal Rai, Hari Ale, Sujal Shrestha. nepalnews.com bt Apr 16 06
Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has expressed grave concern over the present situation of the country.
A press statement issued by CNI said that the economy of the country is in very difficult situation due to the general strikes and curfew.
Stating that the goal of poverty alleviation and social development is possible in complete democracy, the CNI urged all to give peaceful outlet to the current crisis of the country and make consensus through the means of dialogue. nepalnews.com pb Apr 16 06
A group of Nepali scientists have announced the launch of the International Nepali Biomedical Society (INBS) and the society’s website, to bring together the global network of Nepali Biomedical scientists with a view of promoting world-class biomedical research and education programs in Nepal.
“INBS aims to provide a platform for all Nepali students, scientists and other professionals of Biomedical Sciences located throughout the world,” a press statement issued by the INBS quoted Dr Iman Singh Gurung, a postdoctoral scientist at the University of Cambridge, UK and one of the ad-hoc executive committee members as saying.
INBS aims to provide a platform for all Nepali students and scientists of Biomedical Sciences, located throughout the world, to foster an effective communication between Nepali and foreign biomedical scientists, societies and educational institutes, and to promote biomedical education and research in Nepal, the statement said.
“For foreign and Nepali researchers who are interested in understanding the status of biomedical research and education in Nepal, they can acquire information in the website. Besides its web-based resources, INBS plans to initiate regular seminars, workshops and short courses in Nepal with well-known foreign and local Nepali scientists in the near future. It also plans to establish biomedical libraries and to supply essential scientific journals such as Science and Nature, along with the latest scientific textbooks and equipments to different Nepali educational institutes,” the statement adds.
As its long-term goals, the society plans to work with international agencies to develop educational and research projects and gather the necessary funding and resources to launch them in Nepal in coordination with the local establishment. nepalnews.com pb Apr 16 06
The Seven Party Alliance (SPA) supporters and people of various walks of life have been continued demonstrations on Sunday, the 11th day of the general strike called by the SPA.
According to latest reports, protest rallies were organised in different parts of Kathmandu, Kirtipur, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur.
Twenty journalists were arrested from a demonstration organized by Press Chautari Nepal in Bhotahiti of Kathmandu. Press Chautari Nepal organized the demonstration protesting the recent attacks on journalists.
The arrested journalists include Bal Krishna Chapagain, president, Press Chautari Nepal, Bharat Raj Pokhrel, Shambhu Shrestha, Ganesh Basnet, Gagan Bista, Rajendra Fuyal, Bhimsen Raj Bahak and Dev Raj Rimal among others.
Issuing a press statement the Federation of Nepalese Journalists has condemned the continuous arrests and attacks on journalists and asked the government to immediately release them.
Likewise, 12 protestors have been taken into custody from Anamnagar area from a rally organized by the ethnic and minority community.
Protesters vandalized six vehicles for defying the general strike in the morning.
Meanwhile, protestors also vandalized the Himalayan Bank Limited Branch at Pulchowk. According to bank sources, the protestors broke most of the windowpanes of the first floor of the Bank (the shutters of the ground floor was closed). Police arrived at the scene to disperse the protestors, but students of Pulchowk Engineering Campus continued throwing stones from the campus premises at the main road.
All the vehicles remained off the road on Sunday. Business houses and educational institutions remained closed for the 11th consecutive day, while work in government offices were also affected due to the protest of civil servants in support of the pro-democracy movement of the country.
Employees of corporation and banks have expressed solidarity to the ongoing movement and brought office work to a complete halt.
Various professional organizations and labour unions have also expressed solidarity to the ongoing pro-democracy movement.
Valley people have started facing an acute shortage of daily consumer goods due to the strike.
There are reports of similar demonstrations in different parts of the country from early morning. Protestors demanded early restoration of democracy and human rights in the country.
Meanwhile, at least three tourism entrepreneurs were arrested from a peaceful sit-in protest, organised by the Democratic Tourism Society Nepal at Thamel area in Kathmandu on Sunday morning. Police intervened and arrested Jyoti Adhikari, Ram Nepal and Shanker Adhikari. Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
The SPA on Friday decided to intensify the nationwide strike from Saturday, after partially relaxing it for a couple of days. The SPA called the general strike for the restoration of complete democracy in the country from 4th.
Five demonstrators were killed and some 1,500 people injured during the protest programme launched by SPA from March 24.
Of the injured, over two-dozen are in critical condition, reports say. nepalnews.com pb Apr 16 06
Former US President Jimmy Carter has cancelled his visit to Nepal in view of the existing political turmoil here.
The former US President’s four-day Nepal tour scheduled to begin from May 3 has been cancelled at the recommendation of the US embassy, news reports said today.
Carter’s visit was deemed highly important in the context of current political crisis in Nepal as was scheduled to meet the King and the leaders of the opposition political leaders.
He was scheduled to go on a trip to the mountainous district of Mustang.
Citing continuous curfews and general strike, the US embassy last week announced to close down its consular office and the American Library in Kathmandu and authorised its mission personnel for voluntary departure from Nepal.
Lamenting the recent government crackdown on pro-democracy movement of the seven-party alliance, the US has urged the King to reach out to the parties and return to democratic exercise.
US military assistance to Nepal has been suspended since February 1, 2005, when the King assumed direct power. nepalnews.com mk Apr 16 06
Over twenty thousand people participated in demonstrations in Chitwan on Sunday calling for early restoration of democracy in the country.
The mass also visited all government offices and asked the civil servants to join the pro-democracy movement.
All employees of more than 15 government offices took to the streets expressing solidarity to the ongoing movement bringing office works to a halt.
A Chitwan district based journalist informed Nepalnews over telephone that officials of all government offices except District Administration Office (DAO) joined the rally of the SPA. “Official of the DAO came out of the office and expressed solidarity to the ongoing movement but did not participate in the rally,” he added.
Over 100,000 people participated in the funeral procession of late Tulsi Chhetri, a resident of Bharatpur-11, Chitwan last Friday. Chhetri was killed by a bullet of security personnel last Sunday. nepalnews.com pb Apr 16 06