All major Nepali and English newspapers published from Kathmandu on Tuesday have given the topmost priority to the government decision to declare all civil servants and security personnel killed during the conflict-era martyrs; and first meetings of provincial assemblies in provinces 1 and 4. Likewise, the Cabinet has also decided to extend the terms of Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons and hence issues about transitional justice have also received a significant coverage today. Other contemporary political issues including intra-party struggle to secure positions of chief ministers and provincial speakers, preparations for the National Assembly elections scheduled for Wednesday among others have also received priority.
Important
NHRC wants conflict-era disappearances criminalised
Nepal’s constitutional human rights body, National Human Rights Commission, has asked the government to come up with a law criminalising conflict-era torture and enforced disappearances so as to prevent a situation of conflict-era victims seeking justice through international institutions, according to Republica.
NHRC Chairman Anup Raj Sharma unveiled a 11-point recommendation to the government on Monday and urged all the concerned authorities to amend the law on transitional justice to meet the international standard, according to the report.
The Kathmandu Post reports that Sharma has slammed the delays in the investigation process of war-era cases of human rights violation.
The recommendation coincides with the government decision to extend the terms of two transitional justice mechanisms by one more year.
Meanwhile, Rajdhani comments that two transitional justice mechanisms have not make any significant progress so far though the government has been repeatedly extending their tenure.
Race for CMs, provincial speakers begins
Kantipur lead story for the day says leaders in CPN-UML, CPN-Maoist Centre and Madhesh-centric parties have expedited lobbying to secure positions of chief ministers and provincial speakers as elections for the positions are likely within next two weeks.
So far, Lal Babu Raut of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal for Province 2 Chief Minister, Dor Mani Poudel of UML for Province 3 Speaker, Shankar Pokharel of UML for Province 5 Chief Minister and Trilochan Bhatta of Maoist Centre for Province 7 Chief Minister have been seen as sole contenders for the positions whereas multiple leaders are vying for other positions, according to the report.
Meanwhile, the Forum-Nepal has begun talks with other parties for the government formation, according to Republica.
Ignored
House of Representatives poll results to be declared by Feb 17
The Election Commission plans to announce final results of House of Representatives elections held on November 26 and December 7 last year by February 17, according to Naya Patrika. The results have not been announced owing to a constitutional hurdle that elections of National Assembly should be held before announcing the results. Now, the Upper House polls are going to be held on Wednesday and the results would be published by Friday. The Commission has planned to declare the number of seats each party has got under the proportional representation system in the Lower House and give them a time to send the names from the closed list sent earlier, according to the report.
“The Commission now will move ahead with a mission to submit the final results to the President by February 17,” the Commission’s spokesperson Nawaraj Dhakal has been quoted in the report.
Forest ministry has single veterinarian for all wild animals of the country
The Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, which oversees all wildlife conservation issues, has just one senior veterinarian in its permanent workforce, according to Karobar anchor story. Senior veterinarian Kamal Prasad Gaire complains that the government has nominal technology and investment for treatment of injured wild animals.
Gaire is currently posted at the Chitwan National Park, but he has to travel anywhere within the country if some emergency occurs.
Interesting
36,629 staff proposed for local governments
The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has proposed that total 36,629 staff be mobilised to operate 753 local governments across the country, according to Rajdhani. The proposal will be soon sent to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, according to the report.
The local governments have been categorised in six categories for temporary management of the staff.
The report informs that current 17,209 staff have been mobilised at the local level.
Meanwhile, Nepal Samacharpatra says around 1,700 staff have been mobilised for provincial governments.
Provincial governments will conduct SEE from next year
The government has decided to authorise provincial governments to conduct annual Secondary Education Examinations that the students have to take after completing Grade 10, according to Nepal Samacharpatra anchor story.
A recent meeting of Ministry of Education has made the decision, the report says. So far, the Office of the Controller of Examinations under the Ministry of Education at the central level has been taking the examinations known as School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations till few years back.
