Bush flies over California fires

Bush flies over California fires
Estimated fire damage stands at more than $1bn.
Fire devastation US President George W Bush has flown over the area devastated by the California wildfires to see the extent of the damage for himself
After his tour with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, he said the federal government would provide every help to victims of the infernos.
The air tour came as the death toll rose to 14, with four bodies found near the Mexican border east of San Diego.
Meanwhile, fire crews began to prevail after winds fanning the flames lulled.
Mr Bush praised the efforts of the emergency services following his bird's eye view of the seven-county disaster zone in southern California.

'Heartbreaking'

Touching down in Escondido, California, Mr Bush assured victims of the infernos: "We're not going to forget you in Washington DC.
"We want the people to know there's a better day ahead. Your life may look dismal today, but tomorrow life's going to be better. And to the extent that the federal government can help you we will do so."
TACKLING THE FLAMES
8,000 firefighters - including a number of prison teams
1,500 national guards
50 helicopters
55 firefighting planes
Source: Office of Emergency Services
In pictures: Fires blaze on
A fireman's account of 'hell'
Evacuees' upmarket home
The fires, which broke out last weekend, have forced one million people from their homes in the biggest US evacuation since Hurricane Katrina two years ago.
Mr Bush was heavily criticised for the federal government's sluggish response to that disaster and analysts say he is keen to avoid repeating the mistake.
The US president heaped praise on Mr Schwarzenegger and made an apparent dig at the authorities in Louisiana, which bore the brunt of Katrina.
"There is no hill he's not willing to charge, no problem he's not willing to solve," Mr Bush said of the governor, adding: "It makes a significant difference when you've got someone in the statehouse willing to take the lead.''
Mr Schwarzenegger said their tour had been "heartbreaking" and thanked Mr Bush for his prompt signing of a disaster declaration, which will free federal funds to help victims.
The Republican governor said: "I want to say thank you to the president for his tremendous support and immediate help in this disaster and for taking the time to come and see what the people of our state are going through."
On Thursday afternoon, the charred bodies of three men and one woman were found in the Barret Junction area east of San Diego, near the US-Mexican border.
A US Border Patrol spokesman said they could be illegal immigrants.
San Diego police said two bodies had been found in the burned ruins of a house in Poway.
One death directly linked to the fires was reported on Sunday and authorities say several others could have died during evacuations.
Detailed maps of the fires
Battling the inferno
Readers' experiences
Meanwhile, police have offered a $70,000 (£34,000) reward and called in FBI investigators to capture an alleged arsonist they believe started one of the larger fires.
Orange County officials are convinced the Santiago Canyon blaze, which broke out on Sunday, was no accident.
Around 15 blazes remain untamed but fire chiefs said they had "turned the corner".
Maurice Luque, spokesman for the San Diego Fire Rescue Department, told the BBC: "There's no Santa Ana winds. The weather has turned a little more calm, the humidity is up, the temperatures are down a little bit in some areas."
The firestorm has ravaged at least 704 sq miles (1,825 sq km) of land from Santa Barbara down to the Mexican border.
More than 1,600 homes have been incinerated and over $1bn (£488m) of material damage caused by the wall of fire.

What is today

Women carry Fulpati offerings from the Nishani Mai temple at the start of the Fulpati festival at Birgunj on Thursday.
(Photo : SAILENDRA KHAREL ) Aftermath of Kapilvastu riots (Photographs)

Maoists will rejoin govt after Dashain: Home Minister





BIRATNAGAR, Oct 18 - Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula has claimed that the Maoists would rejoin the government after the Dashain festival.
Talking to Kantipur at the Biratnagar Airport on his way to his home district Jhapa, Sitaula also claimed that the new date for the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections will also be fixed shortly after the Dashain, which ends next week.
Home Minister Sitaula is also a senior NC leader who played an important role in forging the alliance of the parliamentary parties and the Maoists that led to the April uprising.
The Maoists quit the coalition government on … after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala-led Nepali Congress (NC) did not agree on the new “pre-requisites” demanded by the Maoists for “meaningful” CA elections.
The Maoists have even summoned the special session of the interim parliament to fulfill their key demands--immediately declare the country a republic and make a provision for a proportional representation system of voting for the CA elections.
The poll has also been put off indefinitely and the country is facing political and constitutional crisis due to the stand-off between the NC and the Maoists. Meanwhile, Home Minister Sitaula reiterated that the government will take all seven parties on board to deal sternly with the groups unleashing violence, abductions, extortions and murders in the Terai.
When asked about the government’s effort to find the whereabouts of journalist Birendra Sah, Sitaula said that the government was “hopeful about disclosure of his whereabouts” as the home administration has intensified the search and parliament has also formed a panel to probe his case.
A parliamentary panel was formed on Tuesday to find the whereabouts of journalist Sah, who was abducted 13 days ago from Bara district by the Maoist cadres.
Expressing concern over the failure to find the whereabouts of journalist, a meeting of the parliamentary Human Rights and Social Justice Committee held in the presence of Speaker Subash Nembang formed a four-member panel led by lawmaker Urmila Aryal.
Sah, a Bara based journalist- affiliated to Nepal FM, Dristri Weekly and Avenues TV was abducted by Maoist cadres on October 5 from Pipara Bazaar, Kalaiya VDC-6, the district headquarters of Bara.





Maoists have no alternative to peace process: Nepal





KATHMANDU, Oct 18 - UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal Thursday said that there was no alternative to the Maoists besides joining the government.
Speaking at a function in the capital today, Nepal said that the Maoists don’t have any other alternative than to move ahead in the way of agreement.
He also said that the Maoists should forget the way of revolt and street agitation and engage in political debates.
“The CPN-Maoists has no alterative than to move ahead the peace process and on the way of agreement,” he said.
That’s why it’s not important to resort to agitations, he added.





Fulpati today





KATHMANDU, Oct 18 - The seventh day of Dashain, the greatest festival of Nepal, is known as Fulpati, which means holy flowers and leaves. From this day people begin the real celebrations as all the government and private offices throughout the country remains closed until the end of Dashain—on the day of Kojagrat Purnima.
As part of the religious and cultural celebrations of Fulpati, general people take five different flowers and leaves to the place where Jamara (tiny yellow sprouts of crops such as barley) is being sown at their homes. On this day Hindu religious people take various flowers and
On Fulpati, the seventh day of Nava Ratri, five Magars carry a palanquin of flowers and sacred leaves from Gorkha Durbar, the ancestral royal palace of the ruling monarchy, all the way to Kathmandu which is finally kept at Tundikhel. In previous years the King used to observe it.
With the PM in his new capacity as the head of state, all the religious and cultural ceremonies will be headed by him.
Earleir, the Army used to offer 31-gun salute to the monarch on the occasion. Later the fulpati is taken to the temple of Taleju, one of the forms of Goddess Durga, at Hanumandhoka, the old royal palace. Then the palanquin is taken to the royal Dashain ghar at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace amid a procession.
The government of Nepal welcomes Jamara to Hanuman Dhoka from Gorkha Palace. Earlier the King of Nepal used to perform the ritual, but from this year the ritual will be carried out by the government of Nepal.
History of Jamara procession The procession apparently seems to have begun from the time of the King Prithivi Narayan Shah, who moved to the capital, Kathmandu, from Gorkha after unifying Nepal.
On this day, Jamara for the royal family carried from their ancestral Royal Gorkha palace arrives at Rani Pokhari Kathmandu and in the evening. They are taken to the Royal Palace along with a huge parade.





'Face challenges for lasting peace’





KATHMANDU, Oct 18 - Stating that the country is going through transition, Inspector General of Nepal Police Om Bikram Rana on Wednesday directed police personnel to face all
sorts of challenges in order to establish lasting peace in the country through full professionalism and by abiding by the law.
Speaking at a function organized to express condolence to martyred police personnel, Rana said he country is undergoing transition to institutionalize the outcomes of Janaandolan II. "Of course, there are complex challenges ahead for the police. All police personnel will have to face those challenges through professionalism," he added.
During the function, he informed that establishment of Crime Investigation Bureau has reached the final stage in a bid to develop suitable and scientific system in crime investigation. "I believe that crime investigation and control will be more scientific and systematic as priority has been given to produce a group of specialists in the coming days in this sector," he said.





Villages shun sacrifice since 90 yrs





GORKHA, Oct 18 - It's quite hard to imagine a place in Nepal where animal sacrifice is shunned even during the greatest festival of the Hindus, Dashain. But two remote VDCs in Gorkha are exceptions -- there has been no animal sacrifice there for the last 90 years.
Chum area (Chumchet and Chhekampar VDCs), which is eight days’ walk from district headquarters, was declared a 'no violence zone' 90 years ago. Interestingly, there is no buying and selling of cattle either these days.
Guru Dukpa Ringpoche Serab Dorje initiated the violence free zone.
"It has been our tradition now," said Nima Lama, a local at Chhekampar VDC. He said that 'non-violence' has become their creed these days. In a country that has suffered a bloody insurgency for over a decade and is still struggling to break from the past, these two villages offer hope.
After the arrival of the Bhutan- born Rimpochhe Dorje in the village, he worked hard to convince people to follow the path of non-violence. He preached relentlessly to make villagers aware of the impact of any kind of violence. Five years after his arrival all the villagers had gone vegetarian.
With the help of local leaders, a strong rule was enforced to prevent animal sacrifice. One had to pay 250 rupees penalty if s/he sacrificed an animal.
"Nobody breached the rule," said 91-year-old Chhewang Laharke, adding, "Everyone follows the teachings of the guru and it has now become an integral part of our precious culture."
Locals have not even reared cattle except cows. "Why rear other animals since there is no use for them," said a local.
Villagers have also blocked the trading of animals through these villages. "We have taken the decision to discourage other people from animal sacrifice," said Dawang Khenrab, guru of a local monastery.

What is new

Tourists wait for the sun to break through over the hills in Sarangkot, Pokhara on Tuesday. Although tourist arrivals in Pokhara have increased this year, the frequent bandas, strikes and street protests have reduced the expected number of visitors to the region.
(Photo : Kulchandra Neupane ) Aftermath of Kapilvastu riots (Photographs)
Over Rs 1.5 billion poll budget gone with the wind

KATHMANDU, Oct 17 - The postponement of the Constituent Assembly (CA) poll has caused an over Rs 1.5 billion loss to the government.
The amount, put up by the government and received from the international community was spent for CA poll preparation.
The Election Commission (EC) said it has spent over Rs 510 million and various donor communities have used up over Rs 540 million for election related activities.
Unveiling a report on the expenditure, Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokharel on Tuesday said that out of Rs 1.28 billion allocated in fiscal year 2006/007 the Commission spent Rs 234 million to update the electoral rolls.
In 2007/008, the government had released Rs 287.1 million from its annual budget of Rs 1.911 billion for election purposes, and the Commission has already spent Rs 118 million.
According to Pokharel, the preliminary estimate of the total expenditure to date at the center and district level is Rs 281 million.
Similarly, Pokharel informed that various foreign countries mainly the US, UK, India, China, Japan, Denmark, Austria, Canada, Norway and Korea andincluding international donor agencies, provided technical and logistic assistance worth Rs 540 million.
"The EC has not received assistance in cash from the donor community," he said.
He also said a detailed report on international assistance provided for different social and non-government organizations to launch civic education and voter education campaigns across the country is yet to receive allocations.
Besides, the US had decided to provide US$ 2.8 million to arrange over 500 million ballot papers required for the CA polls, whereas the EC has already set up three wave machines and imported 300 tons of paper needed to print the ballot papers.
In order to carry out voters' education programs by mobilizing over 8,400 volunteer, the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction had released Rs 121 million from its Peace Trust Fund. Similarly, the ministry had released Rs 118 million to train over 234,025 staff and volunteers needed to conduct the polls, whereas the EC has already spent in total Rs 123 million for the above mentioned purpose.
Besides, over 940,000 billboards, stickers and posters and 1,800,000 pamphlets and 3,682,270 invitation cards among other things were printed for the voter education campaign.
Similarly, the EC had allocated Rs 32.65 million for a media campaign across the country.
When asked about exact figures on wasted goods and items that can be used in future, he said, "The budget meant for institutional capacity building and several logistics items can be used, but those documents prepared for the mixed electoral polls on November 22 can perish if the government decides to adopt a different electoral system."
Meanwhile, 24 non-government organizations have already received Rs 162.11 million from different foreign donors to launch media and voter education campaign across the country.
Scores of non-government organizations, which were allowed to observe the election, have received over Rs 90 million for the purpose.

Paras' vehicle meets with accident

KATHMANDU, Oct 17 - A vehicle driven by Crown Prince Paras hit an escort vehicle from the rear at Chabahil, damaging both vehicles.
Eyewitnesses said Paras escaped serious injury. A van escorting Paras on the way back to Nirmal Niwas from Gokarna hit a traffic divider and derailed before being hit by Paras's vehicle. Paras' vehicle was driven to the crown prince's residence while the escort vehicle was dragged away by a traffic police crane.

Maoists up extortion in Ilam, imply threats

ILAM, Oct 17 - Claiming that it is necessary to start a second Janaandolan to establish a republic in the country, Maoists in the district have recently made it mandatory for civil servants to make 'donations'.
Intensifying their latest extortion drive, Maoists here have written letters to individual teachers and officials, in more than three dozen government offices, including VDCs, instructing them to either pay the demanded sum or contribute physical labor.
The VDC secretaries in the district have received verbal or written instructions from Maoist cadres to contribute Rs 20,000 to Rs 50, 000 from the development budget. Similarly, Maoists have demanded all permanent teachers employed at lower, secondary and higher secondary schools to hand over money equivalent to every Saturday's salary.
The Maoists have also demanded Rs 80,000 to Rs 130, 000 donation from different tea estates in the district.
"The letters we received from Maoists does not bear any official letterhead, party's stamp or even authorized signatures," one of the principals at a secondary school in Western Ilam said showing the letter he received. "They have threatened that anything could happen if we do not give the asked for sum," he said, adding that the cadres told him that they would return after a week.
Meanwhile, VDC secretaries stated that they would not be able to carry out administrative tasks if the Maoists resumed their "old tantrums". "They have been repeatedly coming to us and threatening physical action," a visibly terrified VDC secretary said requesting anonymity, adding, "Perhaps it's time for us to desert the villages again."
Condemning the latest forced donation drive, VDC Secretary Rights Forum in Ilam released a statement recently, stating that "the VDC secretaries will be bound to start a fresh agitation after leaving their respective workplaces if the government did not address
the problem." The statement also deplores the Maoist party for breaching the Comprehensive Peace Accord, claiming that the party cadres this time chose VDC secretaries as their target.

Current news

Government should punish abductors of journalists: IFJ

KATHMANDU, Oct 16 - International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has urged the government to take action to ensure that those responsible for attacking and abducting journalists are punished.
In a statement issued here Monday IFJ said, "We believe, in order to promote and protect journalists' rights, a strong message must be sent out that these attacks and persecution of journalists will not be tolerated." The government needs thorough investigation of the incidents to support the work of the media and allow them to continue independent reporting, free from harassment, it said. The statement further said that the IFJ is concerned that personal attacks on journalists are continuing simply for carrying out professional journalistic duties. "The abduction of journalists is a shocking occurrence and demonstrates the challenges media personnel face in trying to report on information which the public has a right to know," it added.
The statement comes in response to the abduction of three journalists within a few weeks period. On October 5, Birendra Sah, a Bara-based journalist associated with Avenues Television was abducted from Pipara Bazar, Kalaiya - 6, and his whereabouts is still unknown. Reports indicate that the abduction of Sah, and another journalist who was later released after torture, was the work of Maoists. Similarly, on October 3, an unknown group abducted journalist Pappu Gurung from Dodhara.

OHCHR raises HR violations by Maoists

KATHMANDU, Oct 16 - Richard Bennett, representative of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal), on Sunday raised concern over human rights violations with Maoist Chairman Prachanda.
In a meeting with Prachanda and senior Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Bennett raised concern over the right to physical integrity, liberty and security, pointing at the use of violence and intimidation by some cadres
of the CPN-M and affiliated
organizations.
A statement issued by OHCHR-Nepal said Bennett also raised the issue of abductions, including allegations of Maoist cadres' involvement in the case of missing journalist Birendra Sah.
"The Representative expressed concern over acts of public humiliation and threats by the CPN-M, including those directed against alleged 'criminals' or 'corrupt' people. He also noted reports of intimidation when asking for 'donations'," the statement said.
While stating that OHCHR has been monitoring the development of the Maoists' United Revolutionary People's Councils (URPC) in parts of Nepal, the statement said the OHCHR Representative sought clarification during the meeting about the role the Councils play, particularly in relation to governance and justice.
"Chairman Prachanda stated that they will not function as a parallel authority and that the CPN-M remains committed to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)," it said.
It further said OHCHR considers that public confidence in the CPN-M's commitment to human rights is undermined by human rights abuses committed by some of its cadres.
OHCHR reiterated its comment made in its June 2007 report into allegations of abuses of human rights by the CPN-M and Young Communist League (YCL) and said, "While there are legitimate concerns in relation to weaknesses of law enforcement agencies and other state institutions, as well as delays in implementing the CPA, these arguments cannot be used to justify people taking the law into their own hands, or any actions that amount to human rights abuses."

Govt, Badis reach deal

KATHMANDU, Oct 16 - The government talks team and Badi Struggle Committee have finally reached a two-point agreement.
Both the sides agreed to form a taskforce to study the entire problems of Badi community including their identity, rehabilitation, population, education, and alternative employment, among others, and recommend solutions. Both the talks teams agreed to solve the Badi community's problems through the government based on recommendations made by the taskforce.
Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel led the government talks team while Uma Devi Badi led the Badi women's talks team. Also, Minister of State for Water Resources Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, leaders of Nepali Congress Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat and NP Saud were present during the talks.
The Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction will coordinate with the taskforce while representatives from Home, Local, Finance, Labor, Land Reform, Education, Forest, Health, Women and Children ministries will be members, according to Binod Pahadi, who was present during the talks on behalf of Dalit and Civil Society Movement.
Likewise, the government agreed to cancel their citizenship certificates and other government documents that described them as Badeni, Pattar, Bhand and other derogatory words and give them new citizenship certificates and other documents with surnames of their castes and ethnicity, according to Pahadi.
Badi women, who are traditionally involved in prostitution due to economic as well as social backwardness and ostracism, had been protesting in the capital for the last few months demanding proper rehabilitation, an alternative respectable occupation and education, among other facilities from the government.
The Supreme Court in September 2005 had instructed the government to ensure their overall welfare, including social security and alternative employment. However, the government had not addressed their demands earlier.
Many children born to Badi women are still deprived of citizenship certificates and other opportunities.
The Badi community is found in Banke, Bardiya, Kanchanpur, Kailali and Dang districts of western Nepal.