Newspapers published in Kathmandu on Tuesday carry reports related to a host of political, social and economic issues. The controversy surrounding new appointments to transitional justice bodies, the poor performance of higher secondary students in their annual exams, and the Indian government’s hint that it is ready to accept the EPG report are some of the important issues that have received the attention of the editors.
Here’s a summary of important, ignored and interesting reports that made it to the front pages on Tuesday.
Important
International rights bodies criticise govt over transitional justice record
The Kathmandu Post, The Himalayan Times and Kantipur report that four major international rights watchdog bodies have criticised the government for failing to take concrete steps towards ensuring transitional justice. The Kathmandu Post says that Amnesty International, ICJ, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International in a statement on Monday asked the government to postpone the nomination of office bearers to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission on the Disappeared until a key piece of legislation under deliberation in Parliament is passed. The statement comes three months after the UN expressed concerns over the selection process of the new leadership in the two bodies. The Himalayan Times says that the rights bodies have accused the government of pushing forward instead of amending the legislation in accordance with Nepal’s international commitments and Supreme Court Verdicts. Kantipur reports that the rights bodies have deemed Nepal’s transitional justice mechanism a failure.
Modi ready to accept EPG report: Thapa
A prominent member of the Nepal-India EPG formed to review the entire gamut of relations between the two countries says Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has hinted that it will finally accept the group’s report. EPG member Bhesh Bahadur Thapa told Naya Patrika that he received a call from his Indian counterpart Bhagat Singh Koshiyari saying that Prime Minister Modi will soon accept the report, a year after it was prepared. The paper reports that Modi was reluctant to accept the report after the Bihar government put forward its reservations against recommendations in the report that suggest that ID cards be made mandatory for people crossing the Nepal-India border. The paper says that Modi did not want to take chances with the issue during elections and was therefore reluctant to accept the report. However, as the elections are over, he is willing to accept to report now.
Nepal-China yet to issue notifications on new transit deal
The Kathmandu Post reports that Nepal and China are yet to issue notifications to each other to implement the three-month-old transit agreement between the two countries that allows Nepal to access key ports in China. The report says that Nepal is dealing with various logistics issues to implement the agreement. It says that the agreement can only come into effect one month after such notifications are issued.
Ignored
Govt to seek Rs 13 billion in loan for employment programme
Kantipur reports that the government plans to seek Rs 13 billion in loan to implement the controversial Prime Minister’s Employment Programme. The report says that the government has formed a team to negotiate a deal with the World Bank’s International Development Agency to provide Rs 13 billion for the programme as the Rs 5 billion allocated by the government this year is not enough to sustain the programme.
Interesting
Kathmandu Valley transport authority bill to be presented in Parliament
Arthik Abhiyan reports that the government is preparing to present the Kathmandu Valley Transport Authority Bill in Parliament. The bill envisages the formation of a powerful authority to regulate the transport business in Kathmandu. According to the report, the bill will be presented within a week. The authority will have the right to formulate and implement transport policies in the Valley as well as set standards and fix fares.
