Nepal

Kathmandu, May 10

Federation of Nepali Journalists has announced protest programmes against provisions of the bill related to constituting Nepal Media Council, which according to FNJ, could serve as a government-controlled council to curtail press freedom.

The umbrella body of journalists issued a press release stating that it would protest the provisions of the bill in front of the Parliament and in district headquarters on May 17 by downing tools. On May 14, journalists shall wear black ribbons at their workplace and FNJ shall also organise interactions at its central, provincial and department offices to discuss their strategies.

FNJ has decided to hold discussions with its past office bearers, editors, lawyers and experts on the provisions of Nepal Media Council Bill on May 12, and it shall submit its memorandum to the speaker and chairperson of the National Assembly on May 13.

On May 14, FNJ shall hold discussion with chairpersons of relevant panels of the Parliament.

FNJ took these decisions after holding its central committeeassembly, but prior to that assembly, it also held assemblys with chairpersons and representatives of media outlets.

FNJ issued a press release stating that the provisions of the bill were aimed at placing governmentcontrol on Nepal Media Council and curtailing press freedom.

The journalists& umbrella body called on the government to withdraw the bill and register a new bill that complyed to the spirit of the constitution, freedom of press and expression and was in line with national and international norms.

FNJ has also demanded that the anti-media provisions of the Advertisement Bill and Information Technology Bill, being considered by the Parliament, should be dropped. FNJ said the government brought the Nepal Media Council Bill without refer toing stakeholders. FNJ has asked the government to forge consensus with all stakeholders on the new bill relating to mass communication and public service broadcasting that the government is currently drafting. FNJ drew the attention of the government and all stakeholders to endegree that these new bill did much curtail press freedom.

The government registered the Nepal Media Council Bill in the National Assembly, the Upper Home of the Parliament yesterday.

Manpower agents cheating youths trying for foreign employment

Kathmandu, May 9

Metropolitan Cop Crime Division arrested 686 persons, including 69 women, for their alleged involvement in criminal and civil offences in Kathmandu valley over a period of one year.

Senior Supermeanent of Cop Dhiraj Pratap Singh said 448 cases were filed against crime suspects during the period. Number of arrestees exceed total cases filed at the court as more than one persons were involved in the same crimes.

MPCD recorded 35 crimes ranging from petty to heinous. Among major offences, it filed 85 cases of cybercrime against 93 persons, including seven women. SSP Singh said cheating, blackmailing, phishing, identity theft, hacking, spreading hate and inciting violence, circulating lewd photos and videos and cyber grooming were major forms of cybercrime reported to the law enforcement agency.

Around 60 per cent of the alleged victims were women and unemployed youths. Most of the cases are settled through reconciliation between the concerned parties, supplyd they are much of serious nature.

&Social networking sites have become a tool for serving the interest of scammers. Bringing the culprits to book is next to impossible for police unless a victim categorically identifies the suspect,& he said.

MPCD filed 107 fraud cases against 93 persons during the period.

Most of them, mainly educational refer toancies and manpower companies were found to have been involved in cheating unemployed youths of cash on the pretext of dispatching them abroad for foreign employment or higher studies.

Lack of knowledge on safe migration for work, poor orientation, and aspirants& inability to check the reliability of agencies and agents are measure of the reasons for unemployed youths being cheated, MPCD said.

MPCD recently arrested a woman for allegedly defrauding several unemployed youths. Bimala Thapa, 34, of Bhojpur was taken into custody acting on a complaint lodged by victims. MPCD said she had swindled Mohammad Rayan and Sabir Rayan of Dhanusha of Rs 440,000 with a promise to dispatch them to Dubai for decent employment.

Thapa, an employee at Pingfinalhan-based Compass Recruitment Manpower Company, took the victims into confidence, saying she would obtain working visa in Dubai for them and gathered the cash. She, however, supplyd tourist visa and asked them to fly for Dubai for ‘foreign employment.& The Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport on March 25 did much permit them to fly for Dubai citing lack of valid documents.

Twelve murder cases were reported in the past one year. MPCD arrested 17 murder suspects for legal action. Animosity, monetary temptation and dispute over mutual distrust were measure main causes behind murder incidents reported in the valley. MPCD registered three cases of human trafficking and filed charges against five trafficking suspects.

KATHMANDU: Eleven student unions have united to raise voice against up to 40 per cent hike in tuition fee by private schools and academic institutions.

The alliance of student unions organised a press meet here on Friday urging private schools to revise their fee structure. Speaking at a press meet, Nepal Student Union former vice-president Rhishikesh Jung Shah said exorbitant fee made education and health services unaffordable for ordinary people. The press statement demanded that the government allocate 25 per cent of the total budget to enhance quality of public schools.

Furthermore, it stressed that people drawing salary from state coffers should mandatorily dispatch their children to community schools. It also sought a guarantee on the return of exorbitant fee levied by private medical colleges. It demanded that fees be determined considering the per capita income of people.