UN SECURITY COUNCIL ENVOYS’ STATEMENT

Representatives of the Member States of the UN Security Council in Kathmandu today toured the site of the Nepal Army Weapons Store at Chhauni and visited the Maoist army Cantonment at Chulachuli (MCS1). The visit reflected the Security Council’s desire to encourage a permanent and sustainable peace in Nepal.

The visit enabled Ambassadors to evaluate progress on implementation of the peace agreements, including the process of integration and rehabilitation of Maoist army personnel, in advance of the Security Council’s mid-term discussion of the UNMIN mandate on 6 November. The Ambassadors welcomed progress made in preparing for the discharge of disqualified Maoist army personnel, including minors, and urged immediate follow-up action. They also welcomed the reformation, and resumption of work, of the Special and Technical Committees.

Ambassadors and Charges d’ Affaires of China, France, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States took part in the visit.

This is the first collective visit by Security Council Ambassadors to a Cantonment and the Nepal Army weapons storage site. It reflects the concern of the Security Council members to urge progress on the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and subsequent agreements. It also underlines the desire of the Security Council to see the completion of UNMIN’s mandate by the end of the current mandate on 23 January 2010.

According to press release issued by British Embassy, the Ambassadors reiterated the deep concern of the Security Council to support the strong desire of the Nepalese people for peace and the restoration of democracy and the importance in this respect of the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the subsequent agreements by the relevant parties.

Army Chief General Gurung Left

Chief of the Army Staff of Nepal Army General Chhatraman Singh Gurung left for Honululu, United States to take part 12th Chiefs of Defense (CHOD) which is going to held from October 24-27. This is the first visit of General Gurung after the appointment as chief of Nepal Army.

In his absence, General Toran Jung Bahadur Singh look after his work as an officiating chief.

British PM Brown praises PM Nepal

The British Ambassador to Nepal Andrew Hall met Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal recently to hand him a letter from Prime Minister Gordon Brown. In the letter, PM Brown, while thanking PM Nepal for his participation in a high-level UN meeting on health, said, "Your leadership and support for free health services and maternal and child health in Nepal was a crucial part of the event." 

DFID Minister Mike Foster also wrote to PM Nepal to welcome the launch of Nepal's campaign to end gender-based violence.  Noting the link between political stability and economic development, he wrote, "Without consensus between the parties little progress is possible, and this threatens the efforts your government is making to improve the lives of poor people across Nepal.  Many elements of the CPA are outstanding.  If the peace process stalls, development will not be possible, and without development, any peace will be fragile."

Ambassador Hall also discussed other issues with PM Nepal, including work to tackle corruption, human rights, and progress on pressing issues in the peace process.

Handover of KOICA Volunteers

The KOICA Volunteers handover ceremony to government and public organizations took place at the Ministry of Finance on October 21st 2009. The ceremony saw interaction among MoF, KOICA, KOICA Volunteers and representatives of recipient organizations. The volunteer recipients were Bhaktapur Hospital, National Information and Technology Center, Korea Nepal Friendship Hospital, Nepal Red Cross (Pokhara), School of Health Science (Chitwan), District Public Health Office (Kathmandu), Trishuli Hospital, Kathmandu University, District Education Office (Chitwan) and TU Bishwa Bhasa Campus. Ten new KOICA Volunteers briefly explained about their future plans.

KOICA Volunteers program dispatches Korean nationals to partner countries to share expertise, knowledge, and experience in order to make practical contributions to socio-economic development. Between 1990 and 2008, a total of 5,808 volunteers were sent overseas to work in sectors such as education, health, rural development and information & communication technology (ICT). 

Since 1990 Nepal has received a total of 238 Korean volunteers to work in different sectors. KOICA dispatches about 20-35 volunteers annually to Nepal, and they are receiving positive feedback from the recipient organizations as well as the local people. They have been working to promote friendship and cultural ties between Nepal and Republic of Korea. KOICA is responding to requests from many Nepalese organizations in various fields by increasing the number of volunteers.

A total of 42 KOICA Volunteers from different backgrounds are currently working in various organizations and are engaged in fields such as nursing, medical technology, childhood education, computers, agriculture, automobile maintenance, social welfare, special education etc and are getting recognition and respect for their efforts and contributions.

Wash hands, save lives

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Planning and Works, Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadhar launched the second Global Handwashing Day on 15th October at Nepal Administrative Staff College, Jawalakhel.

To mark the occasion, three ministries, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Local Development signed a joint commitment paper to promote sanitation and hygiene in schools with child and gender friendly facilities.

A survey conducted in 2004 showed that only 17 percent of Nepalese washed their hands after defecation. “Hand washing with soap is the easiest and cheapest way to reduce child mortality,” said UNICEF Nepal Representative, Gillian Mellsop. “Studies have shown that newborn lives can be saved if birth attendants and mothers wash their hands with soap before delivering and touching babies.”

Similarly, WaterAid Nepal also supported the program organized on the occasion of Handwash Day with the government

UNICEF is supporting various innovative activities in many districts of Nepal coinciding with the Global Handwashing Week. These activities include demonstrations on the best way to wash hands with soap in schools and communities, hand washing festivals, slide shows in major cinema halls, song and slogan competitions and developing hand washing with soap model schools.

Thai Embassy donations

The year 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of Nepal-Thailand diplomatic relations. To commemorate the event, the Royal Thai Embassy made a donation of NRs 100,000 for organizing a free Cataract Surgery Camp. The money was handed to Dr. Siddhartha Ranjit, Chairperson of Youth Eye Service (YES).

According to Asi Mamanee, Chargé d’ Affaires a.i. of Royal Thai Embassy,  a donation of NRs 40,000 was handed over to Naba Raj Adhikari, general secretary of Children’s Forum Nepal, at the Embassy on 21 October 2009 to promote understanding on Nepal- Thailand relations among school students.

KOICA Volunteer’s Service Camp in Dhadhing 

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Volunteers organized a three-day Medical and Educational Camp between October 14 and 16, 2009 in Nallang of Dhading. 

Twelve KOICA Volunteers, who are from health background, along with 18 other KOICA Volunteers (total 30) from different backgrounds participated in the camp.  The camp provided health check up, free medication, health education and other extra activities.  About 600 people attended the program.  Similarly the camp also included a recreational activity for the students of the Shree Naya Prathamik Vidhalaya, Dhadhing. Children were encouraged to participate in activities like art, music, drawing, learning basic Korean language etc. KOICA has been conducting service camps since 2002 in different remote areas.  

The program has helped promote emotional integration between the community and KOICA volunteers and simultaneously, it will help in raising the health standards of those people who do not have easy access to health facilities.  By conducting this kind of program KOICA is also helping enhance the cultural ties, mutual understanding and friendship between Korea and Nepal. 

 Right approach to dogs

The Animal Welfare Network Nepal released the report ‘Dogs in Kathmandu Valley– Man’s best friend betrayed’. The report shows that people’s awareness regarding dog care remains low and that Kathmandu’s pet and stray dogs continue to live a life of neglect and abuse. 

The report was launched at Animal Nepal’s newly constructed Chobar Animal Sanctuary. The Sanctuary caters to the southern part of Kathmandu Valley. Apart from rehabilitation of sick and injured cats and dogs, it will introduce Animal Birth Control/Anti Rabies program to reduce the dog population and incidences of rabies. Dogs received tika and mala and – as per need – vaccinations at the premises.

According to the network the report findings call for immediate intervention by government authorities, civil society and the public at large in this matter. “Today we ask everyone to take a vow to treat dogs humanely, not just on Kukur Tihar, but 365 days a year,” says Animal Nepal’s director Pramada Shah. “The government must take immediate action to address the problems of pet and stray dogs. We as citizens should not wait – all of us in our own way can do something to alleviate the sufferings of man’s best friend. Dogs look up to us; we should not let them down.” 

A shocking 64% of pets are kept on a chain, of whom 36% on a very short one. Pets die at a young age, possibly due to general neglect and a lack of awareness on canine health. Only 17% receive some kind of family planning. This is a great cause for concern as offspring tend to be abandoned on the street, further increasing the stray dog population.