Thank You Nanda Bhai for sending me this card!

Dear Friends, 

Greetings from Darjeeling! Thank you for all your best wishes. It means a lot to me. Frankly, I feel quite depressed with festivities. And Birthdays are something that I simply abhor. It reminds me of so many things that yet remains to be done and one less year to do it in. Its like the sand slipping down your palm while the responsibilities behind your back growing up into a mountain.

Yes, it does sound pessimistic, pessimistic beacuse today, I realized that no matter what one thinks of doing, the right way may not be taken to be the right way by everyone. Any way, enough with that. I will elaborate on it someday, in an autobiography perhaps. 

Thank you once again to every one for your blessings and best wishes. All Journalistic ethos suggests that I should not post this card wishing me Happy Birthday. But then what the heck!

Regs

Barun

A great gift by Nanda bhai which really touched my heart.

Church Vandalized In Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand – Gorkha Reverend Fears Life

BREAKING NEWS – GORKHA REVEREND FEARS LIFE

FROM DIRECT EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP OF INDIA PRESS RELEASE TO THE HIMALAYAN BEACON

An angry mob of about 30 Hindu extremists vandalized a church, accused the Christians of ‘forced’ conversion, took the donation and offering bags and seriously injured a pastor’s ear drum on November 3 in Clement town, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

According to Rev V S Bhandari, an EFI correspondent in Uttarakhand, the extremists belonging to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bajrang Dal barged into the worship hall of Bethesda Church, accused the Christians of forceful conversion, and damaged the Holy Bibles, gospel literature and furniture. They also took the church offering and donation boxes along with important documents.

Fearing for his life, members of Bethesda Church hid Rev. Hemant Gurung.

In the meantime, Pastor Asher Wasker from the Assembly of God’s Church from Rajpur, a neighbouring area, went to the spot to help the believers. On his arrival, the assailants mercilessly beat him up. The pastor suffered internal injuries and his right ear drum was seriously affected.

Bethesda Church caretaker and Pastor Asher Wasker lodged a police complaint with the help of area Christian leaders.

The police arrested three extremists under Sections 323, 427, 452, 380 and 295 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for voluntarily causing hurt, causing damage, trespassing and wrongful restraint, theft and for defiling a place of worship respectively.

Secret GNLF meeting convened at Siliguri – GNLF meeting in Darjeeling after the Tripartite Meeting

BREAKING NEWS – GNLF SECRET MEETING AT SILIGURI

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

BY BARUN ROY

Subash Ghisingh. From Beacon Online Archive

 

 

SILIGURI/DARJEELING: “There is no demcracy in the hills. Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has been unleashing dictatorial and anarchic reign in the name of Gandhism. None of the political parties are allowed to hold public meetings and reach out to the people by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. So much so that places like Sumeru Maanch have been taken over by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha cadres who literarily live there only to stop other political parties from holding any public meetings. The freedom of speech and expression have been kept hostage and even the lays and the political parties are subjected to it. The people are now struggling against this grip of terror unleashed by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.” The agenda of a suddenly and secretly convened Gorkha National Liberation Front read. The meeting held at a bungalow at Sevoke Road in Siliguri. The meeting started at 11 am and ended by 1 pm. It is beleived that 11 former Gorkha National Liberation Front Councillors attended. 

Political observers beleive that Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) which was previous the de facto party in the Hills had been almost brought to an end with the rise of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. However, the meeting of the prominent Gorkha National Liberation Front leaders has led many to beleive that the party is trying to ressurect itself from ashes. Political Observers further beleive that though Subash Ghisingh has so far remained silent, the GNLF leaders are now trying to make a come back. 

According to a former GNLF leader, the party is presently observing intensly the political equation building up in the Hills. 

Gorkhaland Hysteria

BY KAMAL PRADHAN

CLICK ON THE SCANNED IMAGE TO ENLARGE

“A day of terror” by Pinky Pradhan

BY PINKY PRADHAN

THE AUTHOR IS A COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY OFFICER WITH UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME

A native of Guwahati, Pinky holds a postgraduate degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the Indian Institute of Mass Communications in New Delhi. She has more than five years' professional experience and she specializes in development and marketing communication. She has worked with international and national organizations both in the development and private sector on issues which include CSR, media engagement, environment, health, micro-finance and livelihood. Her previous assignments have been with WWF-India, North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project for Upland Area (a partner of International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Government of India) and Dmas Communications Pvt. Ltd. She has also interacted extensively with local communities in Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya.

Mr. Barua, had left his home to buy some fish for the afternoon; Harilal, a rickshaw puller, was looking forward to his days wage; Mrs. Malati was busy shopping the days errand …unfortunately, they and others never got to go back home. They become unsung martyrs in the bomb blasts that charred Guwahati, Assam, on 30 October 2008. An irrevocable carnage ripped the whole of Assam, killing 70 people and 400 people injured.

Sitting at home in Delhi, an inconsolable anger filled me up, as I helplessly watched visuals of charred and mangled body, injured and shell shocked people lying all around, sprawling pool of blood; dismembered body parts and angry people protesting against the failure of the state machinery. Thick smoke prevailed over the city. Metallic skeletal of cars, scooters, lied everywhere. My city, my home, my people, my identity was burning up in inconsolable flames. And, experts have warned that it is just a prelude, a more deadly strike of terror is yet to follow.

Northeast has been a bed fellow with terror and violence for a long time. Centre’s apathy and the lack of political commitment by the political leaders has further worsened the situation. I really don’t care who is the mastermind behind the gruesome mathematics of these bomb blasts? Whether the banned outfit ULFA or Bagladesh’s jihadi outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islam (HuJI)? Or what their demands are? The fact of the matter is that carnage took place, killing innocent people, disrupting and scarring the lives of many, for ever. And no matter how much we try, we won’t be able to restore what is lost.

I remember before the Thursday’s event, a bomb blast was a common place event. Besides, grabbing a few lines in the daily local media, no body really cared (except for the ones affected by it). We had happily developed a sense of immunity against it. My area – Ganeshguri Chariali- where I grew up, has witnessed several bomb blasts in the last decade. Whenever we hear a loud noise or our house received an earthquake like bolt, our reaction is ‘must be another bomb blast in the market’ .That’s all. We had accepted it as a part and parcel of our life. But it is to be no more. Ironically, it took 13 bomb blasts to shake us up from our state of disillusionment. It also, strangely, united people into an unknown and unspoken solidarity, as people, irrespective of religion or community, rushed to help each other; thronged the streets in protests against the failure of the administration; lit candlelights in memory of those who lost their near and dear ones; held peace protests condemning terrorism ‘Terrorism down, down’. Thanking the good samaraitans, Mr. Nazir Hussain, a petty shop owner, and a survivor of the bomb blast said, ‘I was lying in a pool of blood and had sustained injuries on my leg. Some bystanders brought me and others to the hospital. I am alive because of their prompt actions.” I am glad that this time round, people have come out of their cocoon and have understood that if anybody can stop this gruesome vortex of terror, it is us.

NEPAL: ‘Gangrape’ by Indian police creates furore in Nepal

FROM SIFY NEWS

NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

Kathmandu: The powerful youth wing of Nepal’s ruling Maoist party has said it will start a protest programme in the India-Nepal border area if Indian authorities did not punish the policemen responsible for the alleged gangrape of two Nepali migrant women.

On Sunday, the Young Communist League (YCL), the strong arm of the former underground party, and a local youth organisation, the Khukuri Club, blocked the India-Nepal border entry point at Rupandehi for an hour in the morning, demanding an apology from the Indian authorities for the alleged gangrape.

Nepal’s leading daily Kantipur as well as its sister publication in English, the Kathmandu Post, reported that two Nepali women, who were part of a group of six travelling to Mumbai, were gangraped by policemen of India’s Uttar Pradesh state on Tuesday.

Godman accused of raping college student

The women were reportedly heading for the Gulf countries via India when they were stopped at the railway station in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur town.

According to the reports, two of the women were marched to a local hotel and raped by five policemen.
Inspector General of Police (Gorakhpur) Harish Chandra Kashyap was reported as saying that two of the policemen named in the incident had been suspended while action was being taken against three more.
The incident was taken up by an NGO, the Indo-Nepal People’s Solidarity Forum, which said the Indian police were trying to hush up the case.

Father gets life term for raping minor daughter

“After this matter came to light, the UP Police is now trying to cover this heinous crime by projecting the rape as an incident of molestation and eve-teasing,” Pavan Patel, the general secretary of the NGO, said in a letter sent on Monday to the media in Nepal.

“In the name of ‘action’, two policemen Manoj Patel and Harinder Singh were suspended and no action has been taken against the others, policemen Binay Kumar Pathak, Rajesh Kumar Pandey, Binay Kumar Singh and others as well as the owner of the Mallika hotel.”

Uttar Pradesh: Hunt on for cops accused of holding Nepal citizens hostage

FROM EXPRESS INDIA

NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

Lucknow, November 03 The Uttar Pradesh Police are hunting for four absconding constables accused of thrashing, molesting and making seven citizens of Nepal hostage, among them five women, in Gorakhpur on October 30. The absconding constables are Harendra, Shatrugan, Manoj Patel and Kameshwar. 

Four persons, including constable Rajesh Pandey, were arrested the same day. The Nepalese were Mannaya, Neema, Chameli, Budhimaya, Nanu Maya, Bhagyaman and Man Bahadur.

On October 30, Inspector General (Gorakhpur zone) Harish Chandra Kashyap received a call that some miscreants had held hostage a few Nepalese at Mallika Guesthouse near Gorakhpur Railway Station. A police team rushed to the hotel and rescued seven Nepalese from room number 209.

Circle Officer of Gorakhpur, Vishwajeet Srivastava said the victims informed that they were held hostage by the policemen and the guesthouse owner. The Nepalese also accused the policemen of molesting the women. “Since the women did not complaint of rape, we did not send them for medical check-up,” said Srivastava.

The Nepalese were going to Dubai via Gorakhpur and Mumbai for work. They told the police that on October 27, they had come to Gorakhpur from Nepal by road with one Gopal, who had arranged their ticket and visa for Dubai. When they reached Gorakhpur, one Rajesh Verma alias Raju met them and told them that he could arrange their stay at a guesthouse.

According to the police, when the Nepalese reached the guesthouse and retired into the room, four policemen barged in, beat them up and demanded Rs 25,000. “After the beating, the Nepalese decided to give money. They sent Gopal to their house to arrange the money,” said Srivastava. Gopal did not return.

NORTH EAST INDIA: 2 killed, 17 injured in bus mishap

FROM THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Kohima | November 3 : A bus (MN-05-1112), heading to Darjeeling from Imphal today met with an accident near the Kohima Municipal Council dumping site, by-pass road in Kohima, killing two passengers and injuring 17 others. The two deceased were identified as one Tulsi Prasad, 41, and a Ram Narayan, 65. Source said out of the 17 injured persons, four of them are in serious condition. The injured persons were rushed to Naga Hospital, Kohima.

Source said the bus was carrying 44 passengers including two drivers. The bus fell below the road about 125 ft, at around 4:30 AM. The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained at the time of filling this report. Meanwhile, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee expressed sadness over the tragic accident. “Despite the unfortunate mishap, the NPCC express its profound appreciation to the police and medical authorities for taking timely action in mitigating the problem,” said the NPCC in a message. The NPCC also conveyed its condolences to the bereaved families and wished speedy recovery to the injured.

Two vehicles collide

In a late evening accident today, two vehicles collided, opposite the Pentecostal Church at Purana Bazaar, around 7 pm. According to eye witnesses, a Tata Mobile negotiating a pothole, collided with another truck. The two vehicles were damaged to a considerable extent while the drivers were injured and have been hospitalized. The traffic police said the vehicles would be seized and a case of “rush-driving” (rash-driving) has been registered against the drivers.

BHUTAN: Coronation Amnesty

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

His Majesty the King granted amnesty to 132 prisoners across the country in the spirit of the Coronation celebrations.

The convicts who were released were serving life sentences and prison terms for breaking law. They also included juvenile delinquents and prisoners suffering from different illnesses.

The prisoners serving life sentences had already served a minimum of 17 years and the others had served three-fourths of their sentences. All the prisoners were selected for their good conduct while in prison.

“This amnesty granted by His Majesty is not just a compassionate act but one that allows juvenile delinquents to be forgiven and good conduct to be rewarded,” said drangpon Lungten Drubgyur from the Office of the Gyalpoi Zimpon.

He said that such acts of amnesty strengthened the laws of the land by encouraging the reformation of wrongdoers and relieving the burden on the government.

BHUTAN: His Majesty with his people

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

By Kinley Dorji & Kesang Dema in Punakha

His Majesty with his people

1 November, 2008 – Ngawang Chozom, 30, from Laptsakha village, left her farm unattended yesterday and walked three hours to the Dzong because she heard that His Majesty the King would be there. She prayed that she would get a glimpse of the royal countenance. At noon she sat on the ground, with thousands of people who were being served lunch, and opened her bangchu. Suddenly His Majesty was there, right in front of her, and poured her a large scoop of red rice.

Ngawang Chozom was the first person to be served by His Majesty. She sat stunned for a long time. Then she was overwhelmed by emotion. She closed her bangchu. “This is not just rice, it is jinlap (blessing),” she said, tears streaming down her face. “I’ll take it home to share it with my old parents.”

People from Punakha, Wangduephodrang, Gasa, and many from other parts of the country left their homes and their fields and gathered at Thangzoena, a broad meadow at the foot of the Punakha Dzong, beside the calm Mochu river, yesterday. In the shade of the tall Junipers, Cypresses, and Eucalyptus trees, they relived Bhutanese history.

His Majesty the King, on the eve of his sacred dar ceremony, spent a relaxed day with His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo, the royal family, and his people.

The entertainment, presented by the people and students of the three dzongkhags was traditional songs, dances, and games. His Majesty and the royal princes played archery with the people.

The people, from all walks of life, shared a variety of perspectives on the Coronation.

For the youth it was about the future and even students about to do their examinations refused to be left out of the celebrations. “This is the beginning of the future,” said a high school student. “If I fail, I can re-sit for the examinations. But this, I will see only once in my life time.”

A retired RBA soldier who had taken part in the march past for the Coronation of the fourth Druk Gyalpo said that it actually took years to understand the full significance of being a part of such celebrations. “It feels like it was only yesterday,” he said. “The future comes quickly. I would advise the youth to enjoy the present.”

A former chimi of Shari village said that, for him, it was enough to see the father and son walk together. “I was there when the fourth Druk Gyalpo was enthroned,” he said. “Today I see his heir walk among us with the same quiet confidence. Tomorrow I will bring my entire family to offer thridar.”

BHUTAN: Bhutan’s first daily debuts

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

By Tandin Wangchuk

The release of Bhutan Today - Daily Newspaper by the Information and Communication Minister, Lyonpo Nandalal Rai. Also seen in the picture (left) is the daily's managing editor, K. B. Lama

3 November, 2008 – The information and communication minister, Lyonpo Nandalal Rai, said that the government was ready to support free media as he launched the country’s first daily newspaper, Bhutan Today, on October 30.

“Democracy means responsibility and journalists have an important role to play in making democracy to success,” said the minister.

The eight-paged morning daily is a newspaper written in simple English covering all sections of life to cater to all audiences, said the daily’s managing editor, K B Lama.

“The language of the paper is made so simple that a person who know basic English can easily understand the content,” he said. Being a daily, he said, the newspaper will have a greater advantage over other papers when it comes to urgency and news breaking. “Bhutan Today was not to compete with other bi-weekly and weekly papers, but to complement each other. And we’ll survive,” he said.

The management of Bhutan Today said that their sole objective was to keep the Bhutanese people informed continuously and provide choice of communication. “We’re very confident about our timing on circulation and the paper quality is environment friendly,” said one of the editors.

Bhutan Star: The final countdown

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

By Tashi Dema

An emotional moment during the elimination round on Wednesday

3 November, 2008 – With two eliminated, Bhutan Star contestants have come down to five. The drama, however, is building up.

During the elimination round on October 29, host Tawchu Rabgay announced in a voice choked with emotions that Kinley Wangmo, 15, from Bumthang Tang, and Tshering Phuntsho, 19, from Thimphu Chamjang, could no longer be in the competition. That caused the running contestants to immediately shed copious tears. It was hard to tell if it was out of relief or genuine feeling of sadness that a fellow artist was leaving them.

Kuensel met the top five contestants the next day. They were worried and concerned of the voters- will they boot me this time? Will I be able to impress them this time?

They need not worry. If one has a most humble background- that is their ticket because Bhutan Star, the Bhutanese version of the immensely popular American Idol, seems to be driven by empathy than talent. The poorer the contestants the better their chances of staying in the race.

At the moment, the voter’s favourite pick is a farmer boy, Tshering Namgay, 20, from Wangduephodrang. His simplicity is an added attraction.

But except for Karma Phuntsho, 20, a son of a store in-charge in Phuentsholing, all the remaining contestants share the same history. They are either orphans or brought up by single parent.

BHUTANl: Paro museum’s new exhibition hall

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

National Museum in Paro

3 November, 2008 – The National Museum in Paro boasts a brand new exhibition hall, funded by the government of India at a cost of Nu 24.5 million. On October 29, Her Royal Highness Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck inaugurated the hall at a ceremony attended by senior government and elected leaders, the ambassador of India, Mr Sudhir Vyas, the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Nicholas Rossellini and representatives of Paro society. Her Royal Highness also officially released eight books written by Bhutanese authors as a part of the centenary and coronation celebrations.

BHUTAN: New Nu 1000 notes

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

By Passang Norbu

New 1000 Ngultrum notes released in Bhutan with the image of the new King

3 November, 2008 - The Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) will be releasing new ngultrum notes of Nu 1000 and Nu 50 denominations to mark the Coronation of His Majesty the King.

The notes will be released from November 3.

The new notes bear the portrait of His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and also have several features, which cannot be detected by the naked eye.

According to RMA sources, 10 million notes, each of denomination 50 and 1000, were printed in the UK and Germany at a cost of 1.6 million euros, with each note costing Nu 7.96.

“These notes will be released for the people to use during the coronation,” said an RMA official.

RMA officials said that, unlike the old notes, additional security features were incorporated, which cannot be photocopied or scanned and can only be viewed through a microscope (refer Kuensel supplement).

The new notes, designed by Dasho Karma Ura and Sonam Phuntsho of Centre for Bhutan Studies, has many traditional features incorporated, which include the fierce head of a swooping male dragon behind His Majesty’s portrait, a gold embossed national emblem, a dakini descending from heaven to offer the Raven Crown and printed marks for recognition by the visually impaired. The size of notes is also bigger than the old series.

BHUTAN: A King of Destiny

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

By Tandin Wangchuk

PICTORIAL TRIBUTE – Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck doing the honours at the launching ceremony

3 November, 2008 – Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck formally launched in Thimphu on October 29 a pictorial book entitled “A King of Destiny” published by Rabsel Media services as a tribute to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.

The book covers the life and reign of His Majesty through pictorial depiction from His Majesty’s birth to his abdication from the golden throne in 2006. Excerpts from His Majesty’s speeches and interviews also feature in the book. The book has 13 chapters and 200 pages.

The 30 cm by 28 cm book has more than 180 pictures including rare snapshots of His Majesty’s private moments. The book also shows glimpses of His Majesty with eminent political figures around the world.

The general manager of sales and marketing of Rabsell Media Services, Tshering Wangchuck, said, “Perhaps no time is more opportune than now, that is in line with the centenary and the coronation, to pay our tribute to the King of destiny.”

The pictures in the book were contributed by His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck, the prime minister and international dignitaries and a former Kuensel photographer, Ap Dorji. The book is being sold at Nu 2,500.

BHUTAN: A very distinguished guest-list

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

3 November, 2008 – The President of India, Mrs Pratibha Patil, will be the guest of honour during the Coronation and Centenary celebrations, which start from November 6. India’s external affairs minister, Pranab Mukherjee, will also attend the function.

According to foreign ministry officials, the Gandhi family, close friends of the Royal Family, will attend the coronation ceremony of the King. Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Vadra and her children will attend the function on November 6 and 7.

The visit of the Gandhi family coincides with the 50th anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit to Bhutan in 1958. Fifty years after Jawaharlal Nehru rode a yak on his way to Bhutan for a five-week long visit. Official guests at the Coronation function also includes Ambassadors from 20 countries.

BHUTAN: A dynasty lives on

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

By Phuntsho Choden

3 November, 2008 – At 8.31 am on November 6, the Wangchuck dynasty will formally step into a new stage of the royal lineage when His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo formally crowns His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as the fifth King of Bhutan.

The ceremony will take place in the Golden Throne Room at Tashichhodzong in the presence of the members of the royal family, the President of India, Mrs Pratibha Patil, Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley and other Bhutanese leaders, Mrs Sonia Gandhi and her family, who are friends of the royal family, and other dignitaries.
As a part of the ceremony, His Majesty will be offered Gyalse Na-duen (seven precious objects of the Universal Emperor) for worldly and spiritual mastery, inexhaustible speed, strength, love, wisdom, and power by His Holiness the Je Khenpo as an offering of empowerment.

His Majesty will also receive Tashi Zegye (eight auspicious elements) that symbolise wisdom, long life, concentration, mindfulness, understanding, purity, right action and speech. His Majesty will then receive Mendrey, the objects of Ku (body), Soong (speech), Thuk (mind), Yonten (qualities) and Thrinley (deeds) from representatives of the dratshang, government and people.

NEPAL: India to provide Rs 49.17m to Nepal

FROM SOUTH ASIAN MEDIA NET

KATHMANDU: India will provide an assistance of Rs 49.17 mn to Nepal for upgrading the infrastructure of three educational institutes, besides construction of a rural electrification project in the country. The new infrastructure being developed with the assistance will upgrade the capacity of the schools in order to meet the requirements of increasing number of students.

The rural electrification project in Sarlahi district will cover six villages — Manpur, Bhawanipur, Mahinatpur, Dhankaul, Ramnagar Bahuarwa and Rajghat — and will benefit over 4000 people in the district.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood, who laid the foundation stones of the new buildings of schools and the electrification project said development, particularly in the areas of education, health and infrastructure was needed for a Nepal’s smooth transition to democracy.

“India would continue to extend all possible assistance in this direction,” Sood added.

NEPAL: Nepal’s casino industry caught in war with government

FROM HINDUSTAN TIMES

By Anirban Roy

Nov. 3–KATHMANDU: The Roulette wheel, which once used to be the money-spinning machine in Nepal, is now stressed to rotate as thousands of employees are now caught in a war with the government.

Thousands of casino employees on Sunday staged protests in downtown Kathmandu demanding immediate release of a senior official of one of the casinos. They accused Home Minister Bamdev Gautam of disquieting the casino business in Nepal.

Nepal Police on Saturday had arrested Ram Krishna Chakradhar, the general manager of Casino Anna in Kathmandu for interrogation. Operations in most of the casinos remained affected because of the agitation.

“The government is now all out to destroy the casino industry,” Rajen Chetri, one of the agitating employees told Hindustan Times on Sunday claiming that the government will be responsible for the losses.

The downtown areas in Kathmandu were tense on Sunday following clash between the protestors and the police personnel. Shops remained closed and vehicular movements were also badly affected in the city.

The casino employees have been protesting since the police raided Casino Anna at around midnight on October 25 on the suspicion that Nepali nationals were engaged in gambling.

NEPAL: Nepal records highest tourist arrivals in eight years

FROM INDIA ENEWS

Nepal, regarded a Shangri-La for holiday makers with its Himalayan ranges, assortment of religious shrines and network of casinos, has recorded the highest tourist arrivals in eight years.

According to the Nepal Tourism Board Monday, figures released by the Immigration Office at the Tribhuvan International Airport indicate that 50,567 tourists visited Nepal in October, the highest in a single month since 2000.

The opening of two more casinos, a host of adventure sports like Everest skydiving and mountain biking as well as international music and film festivals have contributed to lure more foreign tourists.

The total number of visitors till October 2008 reached 307,748 and if the October growth is any indication, by the year-end, it could catch up with the idyllic situation in 1999 – when the country had hosted 421,000 visitors.

India remains the largest tourist-generating market for Nepal, registering a 14 percent growth in October. It has set the trend for South Asia with an overall positive growth of 26.3 percent. In this, Bangladesh and Pakistan registered growth respectively by 73.9 percent and 35.3 percent. Only Sri Lanka showed a decrease of 5.9 percent.

Outcry in Nepal over ‘gangrape’ by Indian police

FROM INDIA ENEWS

The powerful youth wing of Nepal’s ruling Maoist party has said it will start a protest programme in the India-Nepal border area if Indian authorities did not punish the policemen responsible for the alleged gangrape of two Nepali migrant women.

On Sunday, the Young Communist League (YCL), the strong arm of the former underground party, and a local youth organisation, the Khukuri Club, blocked the India-Nepal border entry point at Rupandehi for an hour in the morning, demanding an apology from the Indian authorities for the alleged gangrape.

Nepal’s leading daily Kantipur as well as its sister publication in English, the Kathmandu Post, reported that two Nepali women, who were part of a group of six travelling to Mumbai, were gangraped by policemen of India’s Uttar Pradesh state Tuesday.

The women were reportedly heading for the Gulf countries via India when they were stopped at the railway station in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur town.

According to the reports, two of the women were marched to a local hotel and raped by five policemen.

Inspector General of Police (Gorakhpur) Harish Chandra Kashyap was reported as saying that two of the policemen named in the incident had been suspended while action was being taken against three more.

The incident was taken up by an NGO, the Indo-Nepal People’s Solidarity Forum, which said the Indian police were trying to hush up the case.

‘After this matter came to light, the UP Police is now trying to cover this heinous crime by projecting the rape as an incident of molestation and eve-teasing,’ Pavan Patel, the general secretary of the NGO, said in a letter sent Monday to the media in Nepal.

NEPAL: Over 500 Nepal-India border pillars missing

FROM PEOPLE’S DAILY ONLINE

Nepali Police said that 557 border pillars along Nepal-India borders in the five eastern districts were missing, local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported on Monday.

According to latest records of eastern regional headquarters of Armed Police Force (APF), 1,108 border pillars in the border areas of Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Saptari and Siraha districts in eastern Nepal were found intact while records at the Survey Department showed that altogether 1,665 pillars were erected in the same areas in the past.

The APF began keeping records of the pillars after the establishment of APF’s Border Security Force two years ago.

“It’s mainly because of encroachment, erosion by various rivers and lack of awareness among locals about the border issue,” said the APF headquarters in Biratnagar, the headquarters of Morong district, some 240 km east of Nepali capital Kathmandu.

Deputy Inspector General of APF, Krishna Kumar Tamang, admitted lack of implementation of various issues pertaining to the border and pillars although authorities in both the countries agreed on the issues during meetings.

“Now, our border posts are collecting information on the border pillars with its photographs and are also sending it to the Home Ministry via our headquarters,” Tamang added.

Border expert and former Director General of Survey Department, Buddhi Narayan Shrestha, said that works of joint mechanisms at central and local level have been stalled since the last 25 years.

“The joint committee of technicians at the central level and border committees at the district level, which are supposed to discuss the various border related issues twice a year are ineffective for many years,” he said.

NEPAL: 3 die, over 60 fall ill in Nepali camp

FROM THE PEOPLE’S DAILY ONLINE

Three people died at a flood victim camp in southeastern Nepal and over 60 were ill due to unknown diseases.

A four-year-old boy from Sunsari district died due to pneumoniaat Bhardaha flood victim camp in Saptari district, some 190 km southeast of Nepali capital Kathmandu. He, with his family, has been staying at the camp following the Saptakoshi floods.

On Saturday, two other people died due to diarrhea at Bhardaha camp, local news website eKantipur reported on Sunday.

The report also said more than 60 have fallen ill due to an unknown disease at flood victim camp at Othraha in Saptari district. Among the patients, 43 were receiving treatment from local medical posts.

According to the report, the patients show symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting and fever.

Chief of the District Public Health Office Chandradev Mehta informed that a medical team has been sent to the affected areas.

Over 5,000 people displaced by the mid-August Saptakoshi flood are suffering from various health problems.

NEPAL: Nepali parliamentary delegation wraps up study visit to Japan

FROM PEOPLE’S DAILY ONLINE

A 13-member parliamentary delegation returned to the capital of Kathmandu after completing a study visit to Japan, the Nepali national news agency RSS reported on Sunday.

The delegation had gone to observe the management of the legislature and the political parties in Japan and had come back on Saturday, according to the report.

The delegation made an observation of the functioning of the parliamentary system in Japan, the constitution writing process, the operation of the political system, functioning of the government, political parties and election and the decentralization since Oct. 19.

During the tour, the delegation also held interaction on Japan’s experience and practices on these topics.

The delegation comprised eight Constituent Assembly members, two officials of the Election Commission and three officials from the Constituent Assembly Secretariat. The delegation went to Japan with the assistance and at the initiative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Benedict’s songs touches hearts

BY JANUKA SHARMA

Vijay Benedict singing at Gangtok

Gangtok: A live musical concert of Vijay Benedict organized by United Christian Welfare Society of Sikkim was held at Palzor Stadium on Saturday. Mr. B.B.Gooroong, political advisor to Chief Mininster, was the chief guest of the programme whch was attended by ministers Mr. Menlom Lepcha, Mr. P.S.Goley, Mrs. Kalawati Subba and MLAs Mr. Dawcho Lepcha, Norjang Lecpha, Bhim Dhungel, N.K.Pradhan, Manita Mangar.

Before the musical concert, Parivartan Group of Kalimpong performed choreography dance and Rev. Robin Chettry welcomed the artists and the guests. Mr. Chettri, in his address, said the main objective of the programme is to give messages to youths to avoid drug abuses and participate in the process of society building. He also introduced singer Vijay Benedict saying, Benedict is not only a professional singer but he sings for the betterment of the society also.

Benedict, a popular singer of Mumbai whose famous song Disco Dancer in Disco Dance film of 80’s had created a new wave in Bollywood, said he is very happy seeing the gathering in the evening programme. He sang a few selected Christian songs that gave immense enjoy to the audience. Local artists, Sukmit Rai and George S.Pega, also performed in the programme. Mr. Menlom Lepcha, Transport minister and Mr. T.B.Rai, general secretary, UCWSS, spoke on the occasion. Rev. P.S.Tingbo, moderator, EPCS, performed benediction and prayer.