EU calls on Nepal to conclude peace process

   Kathmandu (dpa) - The European Union Tuesday called on Nepal to
rapidly conclude its peace process and meet a May deadline for
writing a new constitution for the Himalayan state.

   Maoists in Nepal waged a decade-long insurgency from 1996, which
ended with the signing of a peace deal in 2006. In 2008, the Maoists
joined mainstream politics through the Constituent Assembly election.

   One of pact's items was to write a new constitution, due by 2010.
However, that deadline has been extended four times, with a date now
set of May 28 for both a constitution and the completion of the peace
deal.

   A group of European External Action Service officers led by
Viorel Isticioaia-Budura called on top-level politicians, army chief
and government officials to complete the pending tasks.

   He urged "concluding the peace process at the earliest and writing
a new democratic and inclusive constitution within the stipulated
deadline" in a statement.

   The EU group urged the parties to seek compromise and show
flexibility in order to settle the outstanding issues of the peace
process.

   "The EU is concerned that the failure to draft a constitution on
time will be a clear disregard of Nepal's aspiration for a more
prosperous, equitable, democratic and inclusive system,”
Isticioaia-Budura said.

   Drafting a new constitution has been repeatedly delayed as
politicians squabble over the system of governance, the division of
provinces and the electoral system.

   Nepal is also expected to complete the integration of former
Maoist rebels in the national army by the end of May.
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Author: Pratibha Tuladhar

Nepali woman gives birth to baby while sitting school exams

   Kathmandu (dpa) - A student sitting for her final exams Tuesday gave birth to a baby and then resumed writing her paper, local media reported.

   Rekha Garti was taking the School Leaving Certificate exams in the western district of Rukum when she gave birth to a boy, Avenues television reported.

   The examiners granted her a time extension, and she resumed the test after an hour's rest.

   The report did not give her age. Students must be at least 16 years old to be eligible for the final exams.
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Nepal announces first multi-sports meet for gays in Asia

http://www.digibet.info/topnewsgbtease/00_20120319164739_Nepal_announces_first_multi_sports_meet_for_ga.php
   Kathmandu (dpa) – Nepal will stage the first sports competition for lesbian, gay, bisexual, third gender and intersex in Asia, organizers said on Monday.

   The organizing Blue Diamond Society-Nepal said in a statement that the two-week sport meet will take place in in September and feature sports including volleyball, football, athletics, martial arts and tennis.

   "The aims for organizing this 'Blue Diamond National Sport Competition – 2012' are to mainstream LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, third gender and intersex) into the larger society, promote healthy life styles, encourage physical fitness, and promote health mentally and spiritually so that one can serve humanity better,” the statement said.

   The president of the society, and country's first openly gay lawmaker, Sunil Babu Pant, said Nepal's top coaches would provide training to the participants.

   Nepal's Supreme Court ruled in 2007 to implement laws guaranteeing gay rights. However, the Blue Diamond Society says the verdict has so far not been implemented.
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Nepal emerging as a drug trafficking point, police say

   Kathmandu (dpa) – Nepal is fast becoming "a major transit point" for illegal drugs trade, officials said Sunday.

   Police said weak security at the country’s only international airport was the cause, the Kathmandu Post reported.

   "After India opened up a number of new flight routes, traffickers turned their eyes towards Nepal, owing to our poor security management at Tribhuvan International Airport," Nawa Raj Silwal, head of Narcotic Drugs Control Law Enforcement Unit, said.

   He explained that traffickers were smuggling opium and heroin produced in Afghanistan overland to Pakistan and then to Nepal by air. They would then use local couriers to smuggle the drugs to India, before shipping them overseas.

   Afghanistan produces more than 80 percent of the world's opium and white heroin. Nepal Police has stressed on the need to increase vigilance on their part to tackle the challenge.

    More than 30 kilograms of heroin and opium was seized from airport and other parts of the capital Kathmandu in last two years.

   Narcotics were made illegal in Nepal only in 1978, before which the country was a hub for hippie travellers to indulge in drugs.
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Nepal celebrates festival of colours amid tight security

   Kathmandu (dpa) – The Nepalese capital celebrated its annual festival of colours amid tight security Wednesday, due to violence in recent years.

   Nearly 2,700 policemen were deployed in Kathmandu, 300 of them undercover.

   The Holi festival is celebrated by Hindus in Nepal and India to celebrate the victory of good over evil, according to mythology.

   Traditionally, the festival is celebrated by rubbing colours on each other's cheeks and exchanging sweets amid singing and dancing.

   The festival turned violent in recent years due to hooliganism and excessive consumption of alcohol.

   Police arrested nearly 150 people in different parts of the city on Tuesday evening.

   “We arrested them as they were throwing water balloons at others, despite being forbidden to do so,” police officer Ravi Raj Shrestha said.
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Six die in Kathmandu market fire

   Kathmandu (dpa) – Six people were killed and one inured, when the biggest vegetable and fruit market in the Nepalese capital caught fire, police said Sunday.

   Four members of a family were among those killed, while another survived in critical condition.

   The fire apparently caused by a short circuit engulfed the entire market late Saturday.

   Firefighters, police, soldiers and volunteers were still trying to douse the fire Sunday morning.
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Nepal, India deny presence of US special forces teams

   Kathmandu (dpa)- Nepal and India denied congressional testimony by a US military commander that special forces troops were stationed in South Asian countries, including Nepal.

   Nepal's Defence Ministry and the army said they were not aware of any such arrangements, according to the daily Kathmandu Post.

   The Himalayan Times quoted Army spokesman Ramindra Chettri as saying the US and the Nepal military were involved in joint training exercises and other exchange programs, but denied the presence of so-called "Pacific assist teams."

   India's defence and foreign ministries also denied the reports.

   “The US government has neither sought nor has the government of India approved stationing of US special forces personnel in any capacity in India," a government spokesman said.

   "The two countries occasionally conduct short duration Special Forces exercises in India and the US in the context of their counter-terrorism cooperation and capacity building.”

   Admiral Robert Willard, chief of the US Pacific Command, told a congressional hearing in Washington this week that special forces teams were in five South Asian countries for counter-terrorism operations.

   “We have currently special forces assist teams — Pacific assist teams in the term - laid down in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, as well as India,” Willard said.

   The US embassy in Nepal also dismissed the statement, saying there are "no US Special Operations units stationed in Nepal."
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