The index of Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) continued its upward trend posting growth of 2.02 points over the week.
The Nepse index that opened at 306.90 points on Sunday, the opening day of the week and climbed to 308.92 points on Thursday, the last day for trading under the regular lot.
The index posted nominal growth of 0.98 points in the previous week.
According to the data released by the Nepal Stock Exchange, a total of 131,794 unit shares worth Rs 46.8 million traded last week. A total of 62,532 unit shares worth Rs 23.1 million were traded in the previous week.
Commercial banks group the largest group of the index saw a growth of 3.67 points, reaching its index to 335.15 points from 331.48 points. The index of development banks group increased to 246.20 points from 245.32 points.
Manufacturing and finance groups registered declines, their indices decreased to 274.00 points and 246.79 points respectively, down from 274.42 points and 248.10 points.
Likewise, insurance group witnessed a nominal decline of 0.34 point. Its index that opened at 331.69 points decreased to 331.35 points.
The index of the other group dipped to 336.41 points from 339.40 points. Hotel and trading groups did not see any change as their indices remained static at 181.26 points and 142.78 points respectively.
Like in the previous weeks, the commercial banks group captured the lion’s share, capturing 88.38 percent of the total share transaction. Insurance group made up for 4.94 percent share. Finance group constituted 4.60 percent while development banks group had 1.03 percent share.
Dhatananda Bhattarai, a 25-year-old student, has been elected unopposed to the post of mayor of Tansen municipality — that was devastated during Maoist attacks last week, reports said.
Before the Maoists’ attack
According to the state-run RSS news agency, a resident of Ward No.9 of Tansen municipality, was the lone candidate to file nominations for the post.
He is doing his graduation in Science.
However, nominations were not received for any other post including deputy Mayor of the municipality.
RSS quoted newly elected mayor, Bhattarai, as saying that he had filed the candidacy on his own and expressed the determination to work in the interest of the people and for establishment of peace.
Located at an altitude of 1372 meters from the sea level, Tansen is a well known and popular tourist destination for foreign as well as domestic tourists.
After the Maoists’ attack: courtesy: blog.com.np
Blessed with natural beauty, Tansen carries a glorious history of the Sen dynasty in Srinagar that overlooks the town.
Tansen was originally known as Tansingh taken from the Magar language meaning a densely populated habitation of the north.
It is believed that building of concrete houses in Tansen began in 1886 B.S. after receiving a royal approval from His Majesty King Rajendra Bir Bikram Shah to replace the thatched roof houses gutted in an incident of fire.
The historical Tansen was declared a municipality in the 1950s and is the third oldest municipality of the Kingdom of Nepal, the RSS news report said.
A number of hisotoric monuments of the ancient town were destroyed and damaged during overnight raid by the Maoists last Tuesday. At least 11 security personnel and eight rebels were killed during the clashes.
The government has said it will provide Rs 10 million to undertake reconstruction activities in the town but locals were apprehensive that the money could be utilised judicioulsy in the absence of representative bodies at the district.
The Nepal Telecom (NT) has launched the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) telephone service from Sunday.
Talking to Nepalnews on Sunday, Surendra Thike, spokesperson of the NT informed that NT is distributing 100,000 telephone lines in Central region, 75,000 telephone lines in Eastern development region and 75,000 in Western, Mid-Western and Far-Western development regions.
He informed that the NT will distribute telephone lines in Kathmandu, Narayani zone, Janakpur, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, Pokhara and Dhangadhi in the first phase.
He further said that the CDMA telephone lines will be distributed to the applicants, who are in waiting list of the NT, from Sundhara Exchange in the first phase.
He informed that CDMA is the latest technology, which has upto 153 kbps speed.
He further said that they are planning to distribute some one million-telephone line in five stages and also provide telephone line on demand.
The total demand of phones in the capital at present is estimated at 100,000 while the total demand of phones across the country is around 400,000.
The CDMA telephone service is based on the latest wireless technology. Besides, the technology is expected to make telephone network expansion cost effective and time saving. The technology is said be suitable for Nepal’s geographical terrain where wire telephone services is a difficult proposition.
NT hopes distribution of telephone services with this technology to rural parts will increase the country’s telephone density from around 3 percent at present to 20 percent within six years.
However Thike did not say anything about the resumption of the pre-paid mobile service that remained stalled from January 19.
Earlier responding query of journalists on Saturday, Minster of state for Information and communications Shrish Shumser Rana said that the service could resume anytime or other telecommunication services could be closed anytime, depending upon the security situation of the country.
One Maoist was killed in an action of the security forces while trying to detonate a bomb at the house of municipal poll candidate at ward number five of Dashrathchanda municipality of Baitadi district on Saturday night.
A press statement issued by the far western divisional headquarter of the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) said, one Maoist cadre Balsingh Bhandari who was carrying a bucket bomb was killed in the action. Two other injured in the incident managed to flee from the site, the statement adds.
The RNA recovered some bombs and other logistics from the incident site.
Maoists have been targeting the houses of candidates of the municipal polls in a bid to disrupt them.
Local residents of Jaleshwor have started migrating to India to avoid the possible violence and pressure to participate in the upcoming municipal elections, a newspaper report said.
Many people who had left their houses in order to avoid elections was seen in Bhitthamod Bazaar in the neighbouring region of India. Many people left their houses without understanding the reason.
Some of the houses have been completely deserted whereas in some houses there are some men to look after the houses.
The bombing of various government buildings by the Maoists in Jaleshwor and the unilateral firing launched by the security men thereafter has terrorised the locals of the region.
The residents of the municipality have said that the candidates who have been coming for election campaign with security men around them have further tensed the situation.
Nepal Samachapatra daily quoted a woman from Jaleshwor-6 who was heading towards India along with her three small children as saying, “Rumour has it that the headquarters would be attacked. We don’t know what will happen next. On the other hand if we go to vote in the election our neighbours belonging to the political parties will be angry and there is a possibility of falling prey to the explosion. If we don’t go to vote there is a possibility that the security men would come to our home and compel us to vote. Therefore it will be better for us to go and live with our relatives in India for some days.”
The paper quoted another woman from Jaleshwor-1 as saying that she had heard rumours that she would be compelled to vote. She said, “If I go and live with my relatives for some days then I will not have to face all this.”
The seven political parties are actively boycotting the municipal polls slated for Wednesday and the Maoists had warned to disrupt the municipal polls.
A total of 38 candidates including Mayor and deputy Mayor of Birendranagar municipality have been elected unopposed.
Shrawan Kumar Singh was elected Mayor and Radhika Thapa the deputy Mayor of the municipality.
Likewise, nine ward chairmen and 27 ward members also elected unopposed.
All the elected members except three members Indra Lal Kharel, Kamala Koirala and Purna Nepal have acquired their certificates and also assumed office after taking the oath of office, reported State Run The Rising Nepal.
“Maximum alertness has been adopted for the security of the elected office-bearers and members of the municipality,” the paper quoted Administrative Officer at the District Administration Office, Surendra Poudel as saying.
Talking to state run news agency Rastriya Samachar Samiti, after assuming office, Mayor Singh said “I would also work to bring back the Maoist to the right path”, adding that the country would find a way out through the 21-point programme of His Majesty’s Government.
With only three days for polls, candidates in various municipalities have been withdrawing their nominations through press statements due to the Maoist threats.
The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has said that it has arranged shuttle bus service for tourists and other passengers arriving at and departing from Tribhuvan International Airport from Sunday on the occasion of the seven day long Nepal Bandh (general strike) called by the Maoists.
As per the information given by the NTB, the shuttle bus service will be operating from 6.00 am till the last flight in the evening. It operates every hour from airport to different hotels in the capital.
The NTB has said that it will continue shuttle bus service throughout the bandh. According to NTB, the shuttle buses will operate in the following routes:
Route 1: Vehicle No Ba 1 Kha 7867
Airport- RNAC –New Road -Hotel Annapurna -Hotel Yak & Yeti- Thamel Chowk- Lainchour Chowk- Hotel Shanker- Hotel Ambassador- Airport
Route 2: Vehicle No Ba 1 Pa 274
Airport- Hotel Radisson- Hotel Shangri-la -Narayan Gopal Chowk -Maharajganj Chowk- Hyatt Regency- Chabahil Chowk -Hotel Dwarika -Airport
Route 3: Vehicle No Ba 1 Pa 275
Airport -Tinkune Chowk- Hotel Everest- Maitighar Chowk- Hotel Himalaya – Jawalakhel -Hotel Bluestar -Hotel Soaltee- Hotel Grand- Airport.
NTB has asked concerned persons to contact its Media Center at 4225709 or Tourist Police at 4247041, if they need further information.
Maoists called week long bandh to disrupt the municipal poll slated for Wednesday.
Local residents of Jaleshwor have started migrating to India to avoid the possible violence and pressure to participate in the upcoming municipal elections, a newspaper report said.
Many people who had left their houses in order to avoid elections was seen in Bhitthamod Bazaar in the neighbouring region of India. Many people left their houses without understanding the reason.
Some of the houses have been completely deserted whereas in some houses there are some men to look after the houses.
The bombing of various government buildings by the Maoists in Jaleshwor and the unilateral firing launched by the security men thereafter has terrorised the locals of the region.
The residents of the municipality have said that the candidates who have been coming for election campaign with security men around them have further tensed the situation.
Nepal Samachapatra daily quoted a woman from Jaleshwor-6 who was heading towards India along with her three small children as saying, “Rumour has it that the headquarters would be attacked. We don’t know what will happen next. On the other hand if we go to vote in the election our neighbours belonging to the political parties will be angry and there is a possibility of falling prey to the explosion. If we don’t go to vote there is a possibility that the security men would come to our home and compel us to vote. Therefore it will be better for us to go and live with our relatives in India for some days.”
The paper quoted another woman from Jaleshwor-1 as saying that she had heard rumours that she would be compelled to vote. She said, “If I go and live with my relatives for some days then I will not have to face all this.”
The seven political parties are actively boycotting the municipal polls slated for Wednesday and the Maoists had warned to disrupt the municipal polls.
Asstt. Secretary General of the UN, Kul C. Gautam (File Photo)
Asstt. Secretary General of the UN, Kul C. Gautam (File Photo)
Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, Kul Chandra Gautam, has said that the international community, and especially those countries with the greatest possible influence on the government of Nepal such as India, China, USA, Japan and the European Union, can and need to take stronger action to restore peace, democracy and human rights in Nepal.
In an exclusive interview with the latest issue of Nepali Aawaz (www.nepaliaawaz.com), a bilingual fortnightly newspaper published from New York, Mr. Gautam said to be effective, these countries should send joint and common message to the King and other parties in Nepal. These countries also ought to empower the United Nations to take more effective action to help Nepal, he said.
Gautam– a Nepali citizen– however, admitted that repeated statements of concern by the international community had not produced dramatic change in the behavior of the various parties to Nepal’s conflict. However, some significant changes have taken place. A number of countries have suspended military aid to the government. The UN High commissioner for Human Rights has established its largest office in the world in Nepal to monitor human rights violations. The Maoists have agreed to honor Basic Operating Guidelines for allowing unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to people in need in areas under their control or influence, he said.
Responding to a query on whether it has been a mistake on part of the Nepal government to repeatedly refuse the UN’s offer to mediate between the Maoists and them, Gautam—who is also the deputy executive director of UNICEF—said ideally, Nepalis should try to solve their own problems without any external mediation. However, it is clear that all efforts to do so have failed so far, he said.
“ Many observers and friends of Nepal believe that it would be in Nepal’s interest to seek the support of a friendly, neutral, respected organisations like the United Nations to help resolve the conflict in Nepal. The 12 point memorandum of understanding between the seven party alliance and CPN-Maoist specifically calls for UN’s support in negotiations leading to the election of a Constituent Assembly and for disarmament,” said Gautam. “In the absence of a better and more credible road-map by the government of Nepal to resolve the conflict, it’s refusal to seek UN’s offer of help seems unwise. Let us remember that Nepal is a long-standing, loyal member of the UN. It has a right to seek the UN’s help, and the UN has a duty to offer such help. As the UN does not have any other vested interest in Nepal, nobody should think of UN’s help as interference by an external third party,” he insisted.
Gautam further said the UN believes that there is no military solution to Nepal’s conflict. It must be resolved through Negotiations, and that any solution must guarantee such universally agreed principles as a multi-party democracy, respect for human rights and rule of law .
Describing the role of the UN in Nepal, Gautam said through the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal, the UN is strengthening its capacity to monitor human rights violations by all parties to the conflict. “Many Nepali Human Rights activists and civil society leaders have found the presence of OHCHR in Nepal reassuring and helpful. However, at present the UN does not have the mandate or the resources needed to effectively protect and defend civilians against atrocities by the Royal Nepalese Army or the Maoists,” he said, adding, “Nepalis and international community should continue to advocate for giving the UN a stronger mandate and more effective in helping Nepal to end the conflict, strengthen democracy and help in post-conflict reconstruction and development.
Responding to a query on whether Nepal’s membership of the UN could be suspended to censure the royal government, Mr. Gautam said while many deplorable things are happening in Nepal, these do not constitute adequate grounds for suspension of its membership in the UN. Besides Nepal, there are many other odious, dictatorial regimes in the world which continue to be members of the UN. But there are other indirect ways in which a government that violates international treaties, conventions and the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations can be ostracized. The fact that the King of Nepal had to cancel his attendance at the UN General Assembly and World Summit in September 2005 is an example of such moral pressure, he added.
Similarly, Gautam said the UN does take into account the discipline and conduct of a country’s military in accepting them in peace keeping troops. So far the behaviour of the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) in UN peace-keeping operations has been exemplary. However, as evidence emerges of human rights violations and war crimes by RNA inside Nepal, it will be a serious impediment to its continuing participation in UN peace keeping operations. One hopes that the leaders of RNA are intelligent enough to realise this danger,” he said.
“It is the duty of independent journalists, human rights activists and civil society to bring such issues to light. In doing so, one must not forget similar violations of international law by the Maoist’s, which also must be denounced unequivocally. In particular, the Maoist’s abuse of children must be condemned as a serious crime,” Gautam added.
At least three persons including a civilian were killed in an explosion at Mirgualia in Morang district on Saturday night.
Reports today said the explosion occurred when the Maoists were making bombs at a local house. Two Maoists identified as Nibhang and Kushal were killed on the spot while the house owner, Manmaya Limbu, died while undergoing treatment at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan, reports added.
Meanwhile, suspected Maoists exploded bombs at the house of assistant minister for Land Reforms and Management, Yagya Bahadur Budathoki, in Tribhuvannagar, Dang district, last night.
Reports said the house was completely destroyed in the blast at around 10:30 p.m. but nobody was injured as the rebels evacuated the house before setting off two bombs. The rebels also looted Rs.20,000 and 20 tola gold from the house.