Tuesday, September 29, 2020

SWC asked to nullify inactive NGOs

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

The Women and Social Welfare Committee of the House of Representatives has directed the Social Welfare Council to nullify the non-government organisations that fail to renew their registration under the prevailing law.

At a meeting held with office-bearers of the SWC held in Kathmandu yesterday, the house panel warned that many of the NGOs had not renewed their registration at the SWC. “A report from the SWC shows that there are nearly 50,000 NGOs across the country. Many of them got registered with the SWC but don’t get renewed as per the rules. Despite non-renewal of the organisations, they have not been nullified,” the parliamentary panel said.

“We direct the SWC to furnish a reason as to why it did not take initiative for cancellation of such NGOs.”

The SWC is the authorised body of the government to regulate and monitor NGOs and their activities. It is also mandated to evaluate the projects implemented by NGOs. It is mandatory for the NGOs to obtain approval from the SWC.

The parliamentary panel has also directed the SWC to select and approve the projects proposed by NGOs based on national priority, while ensuring equitable mobilisation of their budget for regional balance.

The SWC has been told to determine outcome indicators of the projects to be implemented by NGOs.

“The SWC is expected to submit its annual report as per the directives of the house panel beginning the current fiscal,” read a decision of the committee.

The house panel said the rent of land and physical structures leased out by the SWC in Kathmandu valley and other places of the country was lower than the prevailing market value.

“People have complained that the process of leasing out land and structures was not transparent and lacked competition. The SWC is directed to submit reasons explaining the issue to the house panel as soon as possible,” read the decision.


A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post SWC asked to nullify inactive NGOs appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

CIB refuses to arrest persons operating networking business

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

The Central Investigation Bureau said it had no jurisdiction to arrest owners of 25 suspicious companies over illegal networking business.

Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection had written a letter to the CIB around a week ago, requesting it to arrest above 50 business persons and company owners for allegedly running networking business.

Networking business is a multi-level marketing business.

The business has been declared illegal in Nepal.

CIB said it could not arrest any person for operating networking business because the issue was no more under its jurisdiction and there was no court order asking it to do so.

Superintendent of Police Bel Bahadur Pandey, spokesperson of CIB said, “We have made the concerned body clear that we won’t be able to support them as per their need as the issue did not fall into our jurisdiction.” Pandey further said that it was the same department which had denied the police to investigate into the networking business.

“Since they don’t have idea about how to handle the case, they are trying to pass the responsibility to us. But, honestly, we don’t have authority to look into that case anymore,” Pandey added.

The Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumer Welfare Committee of the Parliament on July 31, had directed the government to halt issuing licenses to networking businesses.

The directive was issued following the prior decision of the DoCSCP to issue multi-level marketing business licences to various firms.

The act was widely criticised by consumer rights activists citing that such firms were notorious for cheating customers in the past.

Netra Prasad Subedi, director general of DoCSCP said they were only seeking support from police for the arrest as expected from another government body. Talking about the Parliamentary Committee’s directive on issuing licenses, he said the lawmakers were confused about it and have already sought the department’s clarification about the issue.

“We have issued licences to only those companies that would directly do business with the public and avoid all kinds of multi-layer marketing.” He said they sought police help to arrest only those who they had suspected of operating such business in disguise.


A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post CIB refuses to arrest persons operating networking business appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Spurs edge Chelsea in League Cup shootout

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur overcame visitors Chelsea 5-4 in a penalty shootout to progress in the League Cup following a 1-1 home draw in their fourth round clash on Tuesday.

Erik Lamela, Tottenham Hotspur

Chelsea appeared to be heading into the quarter-finals thanks to a 19th-minute strike from Timo Werner but Erik Lamela forced a shootout with an equaliser in the 83rd minute, finishing from close range after controlling a cross from debutant Sergio Reguilon.

In the shootout, Chelsea‘s Mason Mount struck the post to miss the decisive fifth penalty after every other spot kick had been converted.

Germany forward Werner scored his first goal for Chelsea in his fourth appearance, lashing the ball into the net from the edge of the area after receiving a cut-back from Cesar Azpilicueta.

Chelsea‘s new goalkeeper Edouard Mendy had a confident display in his first game since switching from Stade Rennes, making a good save to keep out a vicious shot from Spurs’ Spanish left back Reguilon in the second half.

But Mendy was finally beaten in the 83rd minute when Reguilon turned in the box and found Lamela, who controlled the ball at the far post before netting from close range to force the shootout in which Tottenham prevailed.

The victory was revenge for Spurs for a 2019 League Cup semi-final second-leg defeat to Chelsea on penalties.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, got one over his former Chelsea player Frank Lampard, whose Derby County side beat a Manchester United team then coached by the Portuguese in a League Cup shootout in 2018.

“We were ready to fight. I told the players before the penalties that they were magnificent in the second half, we made Chelsea look ordinary. The team waited for the right moment,” Mourinho said.

The League Cup fixture, which came only two days after their 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, was the second game of a gruelling run of four matches in eight days for Spurs.

Mourinho’s side face Maccabi Haifa at home in a Europa League playoff on Thursday before a league fixture at Manchester United on Sunday.

Mourinho made nine changes to the team who had faced Newcastle, sticking with first-choice goalkeeper Hugo Lloris instead of new signing Joe Hart and giving a second start in three days to Eric Dier, who stepped up to score the first penalty.

“I have to think about three games at the same time but the players only thought about this game, they were phenomenal. Phenomenal,” added Mourinho, who praised England international Dier despite the defender leaving the pitch to go to the toilet during the second half.

“What happened to Eric Dier is not normal, I have to praise him in a special way. It should be forbidden for a player to play two games in 48 hours at this level. What he did is not human to do.”

The post Spurs edge Chelsea in League Cup shootout appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Babbles: China also has encroached Nepal’s border!

By Babbler

Some broadsheet dailies, quoting local officials and residents in Humla district, reported that the Chinese side has constructed around ten buildings inside Nepal in Lolungjong, near Lapcha.

The next day of publishing the report, the foreign ministry issued a press note refuting the media claim stated that the Chinese side has constructed buildings in the Chinese territory which is around one kilometre inside from the Nepal-China border.

Again, some media reported that the No 11 border pillar has been disappeared, therefore, the Chinese side was able to encroach Nepali territory. However, media again reported that the No 11 pillar was recovered.

In Kathmandu, one group led by said to be Siddhartha Gautam organised a demonstration nearby the Chinese embassy.

Again, some youths belonging to the main opposition party Nepali Congress organised a demonstration near the Embassy even after the foreign ministry clarification.

NC spokesman himself appeared to denounce the government for issuing a note refuting the encroachment even not waiting for the border inspection team’s report.

Perhaps, they might have faced pressure from China’s rival countries to laud the issue without any issue!

To note, five years ago, when the Chinese side had constructed two buildings, that time too, the government had received a report on Chinese encroachment on the Nepali territory. When the border inspection team inspected the site and reported the government that there was no encroachment by the Chinese side, the Nepal government dismissed the fake report.

In Indian media, Nepal’s news rarely gets coverage but the alleged Chinese encroachment on the Nepali territory got good coverage. May be, Indian media felt that not only the Indians but also the Chinese are encroaching Nepal’s border!

Be that as it may, the district authorities should not speak to the press without fact-finding. Also, media colleagues should have verified the news with the concerned authorities before making the report public. All seem to have been enjoying “loktantra”!

The duty of our federal government, as well as provincial and local government, is to protect Nepali territory and preserve border pillars either it is with India or with China. The home ministry must increase the number of the Armed Police Force and construct more border outposts to monitor Nepal’s border and other activities taking place from such border. The government must cut down unnecessary PSOs deployed to different political leaders. At any cost, the border pillars should not be disappeared.

MCC war in NCP

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is learnt to have said that at any cost he should endorse the MCC, an American grant project as it has become his prestige issue.

Oli, therefore, has consulted with the other party chairman Pushpakamal Dahal to support him in adopting MCC. To note, without Dahal’s green signal, speaker Agni Sapkota is not going to table the grant project at the parliament. This is why Oli had taken stance on assigning his “yes man” as the speaker. Similarly, Oli tried his best to keep continue Yubraj Khatiwada as the finance minister. Khatiwada is the point man of Oli in continuing his relations with the westerners. When Oli was unable to continue Khatiwada as the finance minister, he assigned to Khatiwada as his special advisor!

How will Dahal response Oli’s request, it is yet to be seen, however, based on a task force constituted by the party, its secretariat and standing committee have given the directive to Oli to endorse MCC only after an amendment on its “objectionable” terms and conditions.

People’s Review Print Edition

 

The bad days ahead 

Where lost Modi’s Rishiman?

By Prof. Dr. Shastra Dutta Pant

Nepal is heading towards the end-result of the twelve-point New Delhi pact. Nepali commoners are unaware of the hidden meaning of the pact and the continuous two decade long ongoing exercises. It will not come into normal position, I guess, as the ill intentions are fulfilled. The present political exercises being practised in Nepal are highly fatal or I would say suicidal.

Since PM Modi visited Nepal and launched the new strategic behaviour dealing with neighbours was very positive. His Rishiman address to Nepal’s parliament had deeply touched the heart and mind of Nepali people. Since he visited lady chancellor of Germany, introduced himself as the representative of the Budha born country. Soon after, he visited China and signed an agreement to construct a road via Lipulek pass without consulting Nepal. While addressing Nepali parliament he had clearly stated that Kalapani area is a disputed one. These two things touched my mind ‘would India may come out of double standard principle since home minister Balav Bhai and PM Neharu’ as they were habituated with the culture of dominating others.

After a couple of weeks, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh, coming close to Nepal’s border Maharajganj, Bihar, said, “Although the Madhesi problem, is an internal issue of Nepal, the Indian government will protect the interests of the one crore Indians living there, Madhesis are Indians who had migrated to Nepal years ago. While many have received Nepali citizenship, the majority of them are still without a nationality…however, the BJP has been supporting the Madhesis for a long time.” (Daily mail online India). India is accused of providing logistic support to the movement of the Madhesis against the Nepal government since a pretty long time. All Nepali intellectuals and journalist must understand that all Madeshis residing in plain Tarai are the genuine son of the Nepali soil. They are not the Indian migrants as the Indian home minister claimed. Madhesis, who claim that the Nepal government deliberately ignores the Tarai area to relegate them is the language they express, no more than, coined by RAW and South Desk. The unethical and unnatural demand of one Madesh one Pradesh is also coined by those Indians, not by the Tarai people. It is to note that Tarai is Nepal’s only developed and prioritized area, compare to hills and mountain areas. Any unbiased researcher can make a detailed survey.

It is crucial at this point of time because the entire Tarai area of Nepal is caught in violent clashes due to those words of Indians and agents such as Girija who even amended the constitution and made a Citizenship Law to enter any Indian easily making a majority of them so that Nepal become next Sikkim in the long course of time.

Earlier, so-called Nepal experts Prof. Suka Dev Muni, General Mehata, ex-foreign secretary and ambassador to Nepal, Shyam Saharan, had met those activists and exited them. They had given the guidelines for unrest and provided them with the required financial and logistic support. Both Tharuwan and non-tharuwans are the outcome of their support.

At the same time, UN Secretary-General Baanki Moon had warned the government of Nepal through PM Sushil Koirala not to loose the so far gained outcomes. Clearly, he meant the secularism and the republicanism. Christian countries’ i.e. Union of the then EU Ambassadors’ met (undiplomatic delegation) PM Koirala, speaker of the parliament and communist leaders who were in relation to Banki moon. Prachand, Sherbahadur, Baburam and Khadga Prasad met with the Indians without the presence of the Nepali officials, has relation to this point directly or indirectly. General people say that they were taken there to judge to whom to make Lendup Dorji. Now, to this moment, they require to clarify themselves in front of the sovereign Nepali citizen.

It looks that the present drama in Nepal is the repetition, played during the time of 12 point Delhi Pact, in which the presence of missionaries, ambassadors, the Samuel Tamrat (as a UN envoy) was abnormal. Now, both the external forces are very much aware to insert their interests in the constitution. It seems that the amendment of the map of Nepal and the Kalapani issues are also drama as the PM Oli asked the education minister not to insert the amended map in the textbooks.

It is now clear that the 19 days long revolutionist had received one billion cash to collect the people inside the valley from all over Nepal. Presently the missionaries alone have allocated one billion for one day conference of the janjati related activities to insert the secularism in the constitution. They have mobilized 10 thousand people visiting door to door. Half of them are high school level students.

During the 2006 unrest, there were running two parallel currents for and against republicanism. Now the same types of currents are flowing for the sake of Bhutanization or Sikkimization. On the other hand, the missionaries had building pressure to PM Koirala, Subas Nembang, and Prachand and so on in favour of secularism. The dollar boosted party leaders are making tricky affairs that the secularism will be removed after the amendment of the forthcoming constitution soon after it is enforced. It is to note that there will be no two-thirds majority to amend the constitution even if the sayer is positive. The parliamentarian will be purchased, for the alien have no shortage of money. That is why Nepal is to keep poorer always.

It is now clear that the foregone struggles were for the aliens, by the aliens and of the aliens. The Nepalis were used as the mercenaries. The change made so far is not for Nepal. Nor, the change will give a positive and fruitful result to Nepalis in future. Those alien forces are rather answering Nepal’s protest on Kalapani, Sino-Indian treaty and the return of the Greater Nepal indirectly. It is now high time to explore and exhibit the hidden meaning of the alien change-forces by the intellectuals and the journalists. People should know the reality. They have to ask questions about why are not Christian or Muslim countries secular. Why the UK has remained as the Christian kingdom? I would like to request to all help save Nepal now to build a prosperous in near future. If Nepal’s identity is lost, what is the meaning of saving of minor’s identity? If Nepal’s national identity is lost what is the meaning of protecting ethnic identity? All identities are saved when all Nepalis are united saving each other; fighting each other will eliminate all the identities of all the ethnic groups. Converting into Christianity is mainly to create conflicts.

Why a country having 94.6 percent Hindu and supported by the 4 percent Nepali Muslims for the Hindu kingdom is ignored? I have a question what the westerners mean by democracy? Western democracy, I understand, will lead Nepal politically, economically, socially and Dharma into a deep ditch. Nepal’s bad days are ahead.

The writer can be reached at: dr.shastra.dutta.pant@gmail.com

People’s Review Print Edition

25 Years Ago: Army profits from peacekeeping

25 Years Ago

 

Former Chief of the Army Staff, Gen Gadul Shumshere Rana has admitted in a controversial newspaper interview that the Army profits from its UN peace missions and the savings are invested in welfare schemes.

“The daily allowance, medical and clothing expenses and other expenditures for training and equipment are financed by the United Nation.”

“The government has not earmarked any money for such missions.”

People’s Review, 8 June 1995

Games Nations Play

Editorial

When the Chinese crashed through their ideological blinds and struck off on their course to ‘four modernizations’ they made sure that their domestic politics would sustain the change. A similar luxury was denied the erstwhile Soviet Union and it took Vladimir Putin re-assimilate the Russian change politically for political sustenance. Both Putin in Russia and Xi in China face a Western onslaught that has hardly been tempered by the change. What was, in the 1990s, thought to have emerged as a uni-polar world with potentials to emerge as a multi-polar one is, by the Western challenge being engineered into a bipolarity through alliances that could once again slide the international community to another Cold War, this time not with ideological differences but purely on industrial and commercial ones. The rhetorical divide that is being pitched is perhaps too naked for comfort and the West a long time back was already forecasting a conflict beginning the 20s placing possible geographical conflict zones as in the vicinities of the South China sea (China-Japan-Korea), the Indian Ocean region (India-China), West Asia (Turkey-Russia and the Aegean and Crimean region) and Eastern Europe (Poland and the Balkans) included. Remarkably, the two former Communist giants will have been verily effectively encircled by these conflict zones in which they appear to have been placed smack in the middle.

Nepal, an independent, unstable, unreliable, piece of impoverished territory in between India and China is at its lowest political ebb at a juncture when its dominant southern neighbour, India is being vehemently wooed a role in this scheme of things. Long-nurtured hegemonist hangovers from colonial days would seem a dangling prize deterred only by down to earth assessments of the actual costs of such indulgence in the region. Just as a Nepali system has squandered popular beliefs in Nepal, an emerging South Asian system too continues to be squandered by the same Indian hegemonism the restoration of which is being dangled for temptation in the emerging strategy. Just as Nepali politics can escape unscathed only if they venture to spin out of the emerging magnetic pulls, the Indian system must also prevent itself from falling prey to traditional ambitions with an actual assessment of geo-strategic capabilities which can otherwise be complemented by dependence on non-regional elements, a dependence on which can suck the region into a costly destabilization spiral that can ultimately be detrimental to a coherent united Indian entity itself. It is another matter that the Indian system is being threatened by these same sources as the price for non-cooperation. Be warned. The onus lies on India. Nepal must decide already that it cannot be a victim to Indian dalliance. We must spin or opt-out of these games that nations play since we cannot sustain it. Our politics cannot, that is to say.

People’s Review Print Edition