WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 63 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, , Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 32.5 C 7.5 C Tuesday, April 28, 2020 | 16-01-2077 Nepalgunj Jumla

With everyone forced indoors and online Factions fail to see by the lockdown, eye to eye, leaving Oli cases of cybercrime are increasing in a tenuous position Police ask individuals to take precautions to protect in the ruling party their data and identities online as criminals have After failing to reach a deal with the Madhav faction, the more time on their hands. prime minister will now face the Secretariat and the Standing ADITI ARYAL & SHUVAM DHUNGANA Committee, both of which are allied against him. KATHMANDU, APRIL 27 TIKA R PRADHAN When the lockdown started on March KATHMANDU, APRIL 27 24, Anoushka Pandey had already been on the receiving end of pro- Marathon meetings between the various fac- longed abuse from her partner’s for- tions in the on mer girlfriend for four months. Every Monday failed to find common ground, indi- day, she received messages, audio and cating that the ongoing tumult within the video calls, and voice messages on ruling party is likely to continue. Facebook and Instagram from fake After a failure to reach a deal among for- profiles created to harass her. But mer UML leaders, Prime Minister KP when the lockdown forced everyone Sharma Oli is now under great pressure to indoors, the frequency of those posts confront party leaders at the coming began to increase. Secretariat and Standing Committee meetings. “I knew that the lockdown would According to insiders, senior leader have been an ideal time for my harass- Madhav Kumar Nepal now holds the key, as POST FILE PHOTO ers to increase their torment, and I party chair Oli is in a minority among the KP Sharma Oli was getting anxious,” Pandey, a party’s lawmakers and has also lost his grip 24-year-old who works in the develop- on both the Secretariat and the Standing held on Tuesday, which will decide the date ment sector, told the Post. Committee. for the Standing Committee meeting. When the harassment increased sig- In a bid to strike a deal with Nepal, Oli’s Despite his failure to deliver on the gov- nificantly in the first week of the representatives on Monday held hours-long ernance front, Oli had not been pulled up by lockdown, Pandey decided to reach talks with the Nepal faction. party leaders in the last two-and-a-half years out to Body and Data, a digital advoca- “We clearly told Oli’s side that the onus for of his enture. But Oli got more than he bar- cy organisation that works to make a way out of the current crisis lies on the gained for by pushing through two ordinanc- the internet safer for all users. On prime minister,” said Raghuji Pant, a es last week. their advice, she outed her abuser on Standing Committee member who was rep- As though pressure from the faction led by Instagram and filtered her list of fol- resenting the Nepal side at the meeting. the other party chair, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, lowers. This stopped the abuse but Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokhrel, was not enough, Oli was roundly censured Pandey says she hasn’t recovered fully party general secretary Bishnu Poudel, by his former UML comrades, including from the mental agony the experience Standing Committee members Shankar Nepal, Bamdev Gautam and Jhala Nath caused her. Pokhrel and Pradip Gyawali from Oli’s side, Khanal. The country has been under a strict and Standing Committee members Surendra Ever since he was forced to withdraw the lockdown for over a month now. The Pandey, Bhim Rawal and Pant were present two controversial ordinances, Oli has been prohibitions on all public movement at the meeting from Nepal’s side. trying to convince Nepal using his two confi- have meant that everyone is stuck The Oli faction proposed calling meetings dantes—Ishwar Pokhrel and Shanker indoors with ample time on their of the Secretariat and Standing Committee Pokhrel. hands, which is leading to a rise in only after resolving the ongoing dispute in Pressure is now mounting on Oli to choose cybercrimes, according to the Nepal the party, but the Nepal faction rejected the between the prime ministership and party Police. proposal. chair. Oli, according to leaders, is prepared “During the lockdown, most people “They [the Oli faction] did not come up to hand over the party reins to Nepal, but are at home and are constantly on with any concrete proposal for a power-shar- will not be stepping down as prime minister. their computers and on the internet. ing deal, so our side stressed that they call a Nepal has long vocalised his support for This has led to an increase in cases of meeting of the Secretariat and the Standing the ‘one person, one responsibility’ doctrine cybercrimes,” said Senior Committee,” said Beduram Bhusal, a in the party. Superintendent Nabinda Aryal, chief Standing Committee member who has close Nepal might have suddenly become cru- of the Nepal Police’s central cyber relations with Nepal, although he was not cial in intra-party dynamics but he is also bureau. POST PHOTO: SANJOG MANANDHAR present at the meeting. caught between the two chairs. >> Continued on page 5 A man pushing a trolley loaded with water bottles is reflected in a pool at Makkhan in Kathmandu on Monday. A meeting of the Secretariat will now be >> Continued on page 5 Without immediate support, small and medium enterprises on verge of collapse The big employment sector and significant contributor to the GDP rarely features in policy decisions.

PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA enterprises. KATHMANDU, APRIL 27 SMEs have created 2.36 million jobs, according to a study report by Since the lockdown began on the Nepal Rastra Bank. At the end March 24 to contain the spread of of the 2017-18 fiscal year, 275,433 the coronavirus, Rishiram Poudel, registered SMEs contributed 22 proprietor of the Chitwan-based percent to the country’s gross Abiral Hatchery, has just one chore domestic product. to perform everyday—dump his Considering the impact of the chicken eggs. pandemic on businesses, the gov- “I don’t have customers for the ernment, on March 29, had decided chicks that I supply as poultry to postpone the deadline to pay farms are not buying them any- income tax and value added tax by more,” Poudel told the Post over around a month. The usual dead- the phone from Chitwan. line of mid-April has been moved “I have no option than to throw to May 7. The government also away the eggs.” decided that enterprises affected As the lockdown has prohibited by Covid-19 can pay their loan all public movement, including all instalments, also due in mid-April, transportation services, poultry at the end of fiscal year, which is farmers have not been able to buy mid-July. chicks from hatcheries. And sup- POST FILE PHOTO SME entrepreneurs, however, pliers like Poudel have been left Poultry farmers are among the hardest hit during the pandemic. say that the government has yet to with no option than to dump the come up with a stimulus package eggs that his around 17,000 chick- According to the federation, there Rajbhandari, president of the asso- targeted specifically at them. ens lay everyday. is an investment of Rs150 billion in ciation. “Then, there’s debt servic- The Nepal Poultry Federation According to Poudel, who is also the poultry sector. ing and rent.” has made a number of demands, senior vice-president of the Nepal The nationwide lockdown, SMEs employ a lion’s share of including interest waiver for a Hatchery Industry Association, which was extended by 10 days the labour force in the country and year, rescheduling of loans by a hatchery entrepreneurs have been until May 7 on Sunday, has spelled are major contributors to the econ- year, compensation for losses suf- destroying around 45,000 eggs every doom for Nepal’s small and medi- omy, but they often fail to garner as fered during the lockdown, rebate day since the lockdown began. um-sized enterprises (SMEs) like much attention as large businesses in electricity bills by 50 percent, According to the Nepal Poultry poultry farms, hatcheries and res- do in the policy-making discourse and a one-time subsidy on the pur- Federation, the umbrella organisa- taurants. surrounding the economy. chase of chicks for farmers. tion of poultry entrepreneurs, the The poultry sector, and hatcher- Experts say that a failure to sup- For the restaurant sector, poultry sector is losing Rs220 mil- ies by extension, is among the sec- port SMEs could hit the country’s Rajbhandari said they have sought lion every day, which could soon tors most affected— after tourism, economy hard. contributions from the govern- lead to a total collapse of the sector. including hospitality and travel— “SMEs are the largest employ- ment to pay workers’ wages along by the Covid-19 pandemic. ment generators in the private sec- with tax exemptions and interest According to the tor,” said Shankar Sharma, a for- subsidies. Restaurant and Bar mer vice-chair of the National “We can also work out a certain Association of Nepal, the Planning Commission. formula where restaurants bear 33 hospitality sector in “The government must intro- percent of wages while the govern- Kathmandu, and duce stimulus packages to resusci- ment contributes 33 percent and Chitwan employs 50,000- tate SMEs as they are the backbone the workers bear the rest,” said 60,000 people. of the economy.” Rajbhandari. Rajbhandari also “As our income has According to the Industrial suggested that the government dried up, we are not in a Enterprise Act 2016, businesses could make provisions for employ- position to pay employee with fixed assets of up to Rs 100 ees to go on paid leave to travel the wages, which account for million are small enterprises country, which would help revive 20 percent of operating while those with fixed assets up the tourism sector. costs,” said Araniko to Rs250 million are medium-scale >> Continued on page 5

C M Y K TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020 | 02 MEDLEY

Inside the Post Quote of the day

Without immediate support, small and medium enterprises National on verge of collapse, Page 1 The Supreme Court has rejected the government’s petition to review its landmark ruling 2015 ruling that barred authorities from granting amnesty to convicts in cases of serious human rights violations. Following the verdict on the review “As our income has dried up, we are not in a petition, the government has no option but to revise transitional justice laws to scrap amnesty-related provisions. position to pay employee wages, which account for 20 percent of operating costs. Opinion Then, there’s debt servicing and rent.” Still, the debate over Oli’s political future, sadly, overshadows the much needed national consensus and unity of purpose to battle the novel coronavirus. The Political crisis that was bred in the ruling communist party has already started Araniko Rajbhandari, president of Restaurant and Bar Association of to take a toll on efforts of containing the virus. Nepal, on the impact of Covid-19 lockdown on restaurant business. Money The construction of the Mechi-Mahakali Electrical Railway has stalled once again after locals who have landholdings under the track alignment obstructed Most read online the work demanding compensation.

World Nepal government extends Covid-19 lockdown until May 7 Countries from Italy to New Zealand have announced the easing of coronavirus The government on Sunday decided to extend the nationwide lockdown, which lockdowns but Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, back at work on Monday has been in force since March 24, by 10 days. A meeting of the Council of after being hospitalised with the disease, said it was too early to relax restrictions Ministers on Sunday decided to extend the lockdown period by 10 days, said there. Yubaraj Khatiwada, spokesperson for the government and minister for information and communications. Culture & Arts Tough times ahead for Oli as party likely to ask him to choose The lockdown has revealed many social dynamics and inequalities, and it has also proved to be more imperilling to the poor. between leading the country and leading the party Under pressure from his Secretariat and Standing Committee members, ruling Nepal Communist Party chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has intensi- fied discussions with his close confidantes, even as rival factions continue to News Quiz devise their own strategies.

1. The government on Sunday Covid-19? Vegetable imports banned to promote local products and keep extended the nationwide lock- a. Baglung POST PHOTO: HRITIK SHRESTHA down till which date? b. Myagdi An woman fills water in a jerrycan using a hand pump at a neighbourhood in Kathmandu. virus at bay a. May 3 c. Bhaktapur The local administration has banned the import of vegetables and fruits from b. May 7 d. Dang , and all contraband food items and fresh produce have been destroyed and c. May 15 the warehouses where they were stored have been sealed. Local officials and the d. May 25 5. Nepal Police on Sunday refused Dang Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the move was directed at to register the case of alleged On this day in history promoting domestic products and preventing the possible spread of the 2. When did the Cyber Bureau of kidnapping of which of the fol- coronavirus from the southern neighbour. Nepal Police arrest former sec- lowing Members of Parliament? retary Bhim Upadhyaya? a. Baburam Bhattarai Call for lifting arms embargo on Bosnian Muslims a. April 24 b. Mahesh Basnet Attorney’s office file a court case against former government b. April 19 c. Surendra Yadav KARACHI - The Organization of the Islamic Conference on Monday unanimously secretary Upadhyaya for cybercrime c. April 17 d. Upendra Yadav called for lifting the arms embargo on Bosnian Muslims and urged the United d. April 22 Nations to approve the use of force against Serbians if necessary. The District Attorney’s Office in Kathmandu filed a case at the District Court on 6. When will Serie A sides be The OIC skipped normal procedures and moved with unexpected speed in Sunday against former government secretary Bhim Upadhyaya for cybercrime 3. How many cases of gen- allowed to return to individual passing the resolution, in order to support a Pakistani resolution at the UN after he was accused of defaming the KP Sharma Oli government. der-based violence were regis- training? Security Council on the issue of Bosnia, said Munir Akram, spokesman for the tered in the first three weeks of a. May 4 foreign ministry of Pakistan, host of the OIC foreign ministers meeting here. nationwide lockdown according b. May 12 Akram said the president of the Security Council, Pakistan’s permanent rep- to the police data? c. May 7 resentative at the world body Jamshed Marker, had called the Pakistani govern- a. 362 d. May 16 ment to say that its draft resolution, calling for “stringent measures against Corrections b. 492 Serbia and Montenegro” may come up for consideration within hours. c. 566 Our reporters and editors do their best to make sure our reporting is free from d. 215 The Kathmandu Post errors. But when we make mistakes that warrant correction, we will be transparent April 28, 1993 and clarify at the bottom of the specific article. 4. Local administration in which If you believe we have got something wrong and it requires correction, please district has banned the import email us at [email protected] with “correction” in the subject line. of vegetables and fruits from Answers to News Quiz: 1(b), 2(d), 3(a), 4(d), 5(c), 6(a) For the most recent corrections, visit kathmandupost.com/corrections. India to promote local products

and prevent the spread of REUTE RS HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) CANCER (June 22-July 22) LIBRA (September 23-October 22) CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) *** *** *** *** Today, make sure you have important conversa- You’re smart enough to not bend to the will of This isn’t a very good day for getting stuff done Get creative and try to get more social with peo- tions face-to-face, even if it is online, especially others. You know that succumbing to peer pres- on your own. Instead, a lot of positive energy ple. Not only are your social skills better than if they involve finances or major purchases! It sure simply isn’t a healthy way to live your life. will be generated by partnerships of two. These ever, but there are tons of people who miss you would be easy to just click your way to a new But today, the urge to hop onto the bandwagon duets that you form throughout the day are and would love to spend some time with you. gadget online, but it wouldn’t be wise. You need will be hard to resist. Is it so wrong to go along small enough to enable you to retain your own You might prefer to just read a good book right to be able to ask questions and understand the with the crowd every once in a while? No, so identity and ideas, but the presence of one about now, but that isn’t a wise thing to do when tone of someone’s voice. stop with the guilt trip and do what you want! other person will give you the support you need. your popularity is about to explode.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) LEO (July 23-August 22) SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) **** *** **** **** You could feel a lot of compassion for other peo- You want to live your life your own way, but are Bring one of your back-burner ideas to the Today you’ll finally be able to close the door on ple today, which could distract you from what you willing to pay the price? Being independent front of your mind today. It’s time you made a past work issues. It’s all water under the bridge, you need to get done. If a deadline is looming, means that sometimes you have to be ready for move that has the boldness of someone who and you can feel free to start focusing on more try to avoid distractions. You could relate to your reputation to be bruised a little bit. But knows they can’t fail—because you can’t fail, productive goals. You’ve learned some very valu- another person in pain to such an extent today wouldn’t you rather be known as someone who not today! Take that risky business leap, or tell able lessons, and you’ve got things under con- that it could cause you pain, too, but there’s no occasionally breaks the rules than as someone that person what you’ve been trying to tell trol. You’ve proven yourself, and those in power reason for you to take on this energy. who always does everything they’re told to do? them for a very long time. are ready to give you more responsibility!

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) VIRGO (August 23-September 22) SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) PISCES (February 19-March 20) **** *** ***** *** You try to be open-minded about getting to know You can’t force yourself to get along better with A work deadline might get pushed up today. If Try not to censor your words or actions today. people, but today it’s going to be hard for you to someone if they won’t cooperate. Either you two it does, your first thought will probably be to When you open up and say what you really think avoid judging a book by its cover—because the are compatible or you’re not. Instead of contin- rearrange your day. But before you do anything without worrying how it sounds to other people, cover is so incredibly attractive! If you have uing to beat your head against the wall trying to drastic, see what you can do to negotiate a little you free yourself to think bigger ideas. You’re your eye on someone, try not to let it blind you to charm them, accept the situation as it is and wiggle room. It won’t hurt to ask. If that already known for your innovative thinking, so the truth about them or distract you from your make the best of it. You don’t have to make doesn’t work, find out who can jump in on this you have a lot of credibility with the crowd responsibilities. everyone your friend. project and help you out. you’ll be hanging with.

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K 03 | TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020 NATIONAL Biratnagar city office calls out Kathmandu Supreme Court thwarts administration and federal government for attempt to retain stopping Valley residents from going home amnesty provisions in Biratnagar city had helped 160 Valley residents to return home during lockdown but they were stopped at Nagdhunga. transitional justice law The government now has no option but to amend the Act to adhere to the court’s landmark February 2015 order.

BINOD GHIMIRE amnesty even in serious cases of KATHMANDU, APRIL 27 human rights violations. The 2015 ver- dict says convicts in cases related to The Supreme Court has rejected the rape, extrajudicial killing, enforced government’s petition to review its disappearance and torture cannot be landmark ruling 2015 ruling that granted amnesty. barred authorities from granting Human rights defenders say that amnesty to convicts in cases of seri- since the 2015 verdict was issued after ous human rights violations. a rigorous study of international Following the verdict on the review practices and the principle of transi- petition, the government has no tional justice, it was unlikely that the option but to revise transitional jus- court would revise its stance. tice laws to scrap amnesty-related pro- “There wasn’t any ground for the visions. Shrestha-led full bench’s decision to “The Supreme Court ruling clearly be reviewed,” Govind Bandi, a human states that while revealing the truth, rights defender, told the Post. reparation and reconciliation are “Sunday’s decision is a clear message important aspects of transitional jus- to the government that it has no option tice,” Gauri Pradhan, a former mem- but to amend the amnesty provisions ber of the National Human Rights in the law.” Commission, told the Post. The verdict had also asked the gov- “Prosecution is necessary for serious ernment to amend the Act by revising cases of human rights violations.” the amnesty provision. However, five The government had moved the years since the ruling, successive gov- apex court after a five-member special ernments are yet to follow the order. bench led by then chief justice Kalyan Victims of the decade-long conflict Shrestha in February 2015, issued a welcomed Sunday’s decision of the landmark ruling order to the govern- apex court and asked the government ment to revise the Enforced to amend the Act at the earliest. “Now Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and the government doesn’t have any Reconciliation Commission Act-2014. excuse left to delay the amendment,” The court had ruled that the law the Conflict Victims Common failed to adhere to the principles of Platform said in a statement. “We transitional justice and related inter- demand an immediate amendment in national practices. The bench struck the Act and the transitional justice down almost a dozen of provisions in process expedited accordingly.” the law and directed the government The government in 2018 had pre- to ensure amnesty isn’t granted in pared an amendment draft for the Act, cases of serious human rights viola- but it was withdrawn following a con- POST PHOTO: ANISH REGMI tions committed during the dec- troversy. Along with the conflict vic- People returning home from Biratnagar are stranded in Nagdhunga, Kathmandu, after the authorities barred them from entering the Valley on Monday. ade-long insurgency. tims and human rights activists, vari- In April the same year the govern- ous international human rights ANUP OJHA Kathmandu and the federal govern- tration up to?” Bogati said. to be addressed by the federal govern- ment led by Sushil Koirala had filed a organisations have also been asking KATHMANDU, APRIL 27 ment that had earlier allowed thou- A woman from Imadol, Lalitpur, ment,” Dangol said. review petition, challenging the the government to revise the Act sands of people leave Kathmandu and her daughter also walked to their The Post made numerous attempts ruling. based on the international principle The decision of Valley for their hometowns. home leaving behind their luggage at to contact the Chief District Officer The court, after postponing hearing of transitional justice and the apex Administration Office to prohibit the “We had communicated with the Nagdhunga. of Kathmandu for a comment, but he on the review petition 25 times, on court’s verdict. residents of Kathmandu Valley from local administration office in “My daughter and I were stuck in could not be reached. Sunday finally scrapped it. A special The Commission for Investigation returning home after they had trav- Kathmandu as well as the Kathmandu Biratnagar for over a month. We Ever since the government enforced bench comprising Justices Deepak on Enforced Disappeared Persons and elled all the way from Biratnagar has Metropolitan City before sending the walked home leaving behind our a nationwide lockdown to prevent the Kumar Karki, Meera Khadka, the Truth and Reconciliation exposed the double standard of the passengers who had been stranded in belongings at Nagdhunga, but many spread of coronavirus on March 24, Biswombhar Prasad Shrestha, Ishwor Commission formed based on Act city authorities and the federal gov- Biratnagar for over a month due to the passengers could not leave their lug- thousands of people, most of them Khatiwada and Anand Mohan have done nothing except collect com- ernment, an official at Biratnagar city lockdown. What kind of rule is this?” gage behind, so they were stuck,” said daily wage earners, have left the Bhattarai concluded that the February plaints from victims. Commissioners office has said. Pokharel said. the woman who did not wish to be Kathmandu Valley. 2015 orders were based on the princi- have been blaming faulty provisions On Monday morning, seven buses According to Pokharel, the passen- identified. According to the records main- ple of transitional justice. in the Act for the delay in the investi- carrying around 160 people from gers had boarded the buses after When the Post inquired SSP Bhim tained by the Biratnagar city office, The existing law gives the transi- gating around 66,000 complaints they Kathmandu were stopped by security undergoing health screening. Prasad Dhakal, chief of the ninety-four people have returned from tional justice commissions room for received. personnel at Nagdhunga, the entry Among the passengers returning Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Kathmandu during the lockdown. point to the Capital city. The passen- home from Biratnagar was Kirshna about the authorities decision to stop Deb Rai, driver of one of the buses gers, who had travelled from eastern Bogati. The 33-year-old from the buses, he said the decision had that brought the passengers from Nepal on buses arranged by the Boharatar, Kathmandu, had left her come from the higher authority. Biratnagar, said all the bus drivers Biratnagar Metropolitan City, were three-year-old daughter with her hus- “We also found out that the were given travel passes. told that they were not allowed to band at home before visiting Biratnagar city office had not coordi- “Nobody stopped us on the way enter Kathmandu on the account of Biratnagar after her father’s death. nated with the central government until we reached Nagdhunga. Only the nationwide lockdown. “I was desperate to return home to before sending the passengers,” he those passengers whose relatives “The passengers had traversed 27 be with my daughter, but we were said. Pokharel, the chief administra- came to pick them up and the relatives districts to reach Kathmandu, and on stopped at Nagdhunga,” Bogati told tive officer of Biratnagar city office, of security personnel were allowed to the way, they were not stopped once. It the Post. however, claimed that the local admin- go. Among the people who have been was when they reached Kathmandu, Bogati was among those passengers istration office in Kathmandu was stranded are elderly people who can- the local administration put an end to who managed to enter the city after already aware about the arrival of the not walk,” Rai told the Post. their journey,” Indra Mani Pokharel, their loved ones came to pick them up. passengers. Before leaving, each bus was decon- the chief administrative officer of She said she had to walk till Kalanki “We had even sent the names and taminated and the passengers were Biratnagar Metropolitan City, told the where her husband had come to details of the passengers to outfitted with gloves and masks by the Post over phone. receive her on his motorcycle. Kathmandu,” Pokharel said. city of Biratnagar. Pokharel described the move of the “I don’t understand why they would Ishwor Man Dangol, spokesperson “We never stopped, let alone trou- Kathmandu District Administration not allow the buses to enter for Kathmandu Metropolitan City, bled the passengers coming from Office, a decision it said came from the Kathmandu but were okay with my said the task of returning the strand- Kathmandu. We had hoped for a simi- higher-up, a double standard main- husband coming to pick me up on his ed people did not fall under the juris- lar gesture from the authorities in POST FILE PHOTO tained by the authorities in motorcycle. What is the local adminis- diction of the city. “This problem has Kathmandu,” Pokharel said. With the verdict, the government has no option but to revise transitional justice laws. Fewer women are visiting health facilities Public health experts question efficacy of for maternal services during lockdown rapid tests and call for more PCR tests Family Welfare Division to start a hotline to provide suggestions for pregnant women. The Department of Health Services, however, claims that rapid test results are accurate.

ARJUN POUDEL ing or after childbirth. The country their pregnancies. ARJUN POUDEL test results came negative,” said chain reaction (PCR) tests, which give KATHMANDU, APRIL 27 has committed to reducing the mater- They are also deprived of iron sup- KATHMANDU, APRIL 27 the official who did not wish to be more accurate results,” he said. “Both nal mortality rate to 125 per 100,000 plement tablets and tetanus toxoid identified. the number and capacity of laborato- Only around one fourth of women are births by 2020, which seems impossi- vaccines, which are supposed to be At a time when the government is Dr Runa Jha, director at the ries having polymerase chain test seeking maternity services at ble in the present context, as no pro- taken during pregnancies. working to perform more rapid tests National Public Health Laboratory, facilities should be increased.” Kathmandu Model Hospital after the gress has been made so far since 2016. Doctors suggest at least four antena- for Covid-19, public health experts also admitted that the laboratory had Rapid tests give misleading results lockdown started. Moreover, due to the halt in public tal check-ups and three postnatal vis- have warned that it will be a waste of submitted its report to the Health like in Udayapur where the people Over 60 to 80 women used to visit transportation services, women in its after childbirth. public money and urged the govern- Ministry based on tests carried out on residing in a mosque tested negative the hospital’s out-patient department labour pain are compelled to give Of the total number of maternal ment to focus on ramping up polymer- a few samples. in rapid tests, only to later test posi- every day prior to the lockdown but birth at home, putting their and the deaths, 24 percent occur during or ase chain reaction tests instead. “I cannot tell you the number of tive when they underwent PCR tests. now only 15 to 20 women are visiting, newborn’s lives at risk. after childbirth and 19 percent in the They have questioned the efficacy tests we performed for validation,”- There was also the incident in according to Dr Aruna Karki, consult- Health facilities of 61 out of 77 dis- postnatal period. The ongoing lock- of rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits Jha told the Post. “We have furnished Kailali where a 65-year-old woman, ant gynaecologist at the hospital. tricts lack misoprostol, a medication down, which has forced women to give being used throughout the country the report on the test results to the who was allowed to go home after “Only those having emergencies are used to treat postpartum bleeding, to birth to babies at home, has made and said that even if the test kits are Health Ministry.” spending two weeks in quarantine visiting our hospital,” Karki told the be given to new mothers through matters worse. reliable, they cannot be used for diag- Meanwhile, an official at Nepal based on her negative rapid test Post. “Due to their small number, we female community health volunteers. Even the postnatal care provided at nostic purposes. Health Research Council, which is results. She later tested positive for are attending patients from 9 am to 1 “Institutional delivery rate is home by sending trained nurses has “Rapid diagnostic test kits can be entrusted to perform the test validity, the novel coronavirus in a polymerase pm only.” already low in our country and the been halted due to the fear of infec- used for study to know if the antibody said that the council was unaware test. Dr Sherpa has suggested that the Elsewhere too, only very few preg- ongoing lockdown has compelled tions, according to officials at the has developed in the population about the results of rapid tests being government look into other reliable nant women are visiting health facili- women to give birth to their babies at division. against the disease,” Dr Harischandra carried out across the country. options instead of rapid tests. ties for consultation. Due to the lock- home,” Poudel added. “We are worried Meanwhile, the division has been Upreti, former director at the National “We do not have any idea about “Earlier, we did not have more down imposed to prevent the spread that female community health volun- working to set up free hotline services Public Health Laboratory, told the what is happening,”Dr Megnath options like we have at the present, “ of Covid-19, maternity services have teers of only 16 districts across the to provide suggestions related to Post. “I am wondering why are we Dhimal, chief of council, told the he said. “We should not spend money been obstructed throughout the coun- country have misoprostol.” maternal health. stressing more on rapid tests, when Post. As of Sunday, over 43,000 rapid on rapid test kits just for the sake of try, putting the lives of pregnant Excessive bleeding after childbirth, “It is not possible to bring pregnant several countries and several states of tests had been performed throughout testing.” women at a great risk. also known as postpartum haemor- women to health facilities like before India have stopped using rapid diag- the country, according to the Health Mahendra Prasad Shrestha, direc- “Institutional delivery rate has rhage, is the most common factor lead- the Covid-19 outbreak,” an official at nostic test kits.” Ministry. tor general at the Department of declined across the country,” Dr ing to the death of new mothers in the division said. “We are working to Several states of India have halted The government is procuring Health Services, however, claimed Punya Poudel, chief of the Safe the country. Misoprostol helps assist pregnant women via telephone.” rapid tests including Rajasthan where 100,000 RDT kits through a fast track that the ongoing rapid tests have been Motherhood Unit at the Family uterine contractions and has been Nepal reduced the maternal mortal- only 5.4 percent of the tests proved procedure. Earlier, the ministry had yielding accurate results. He went on Welfare Division, told the Post. “The used to prevent postpartum haemor- ity rate from 539 in 1996 to 239 in 2016 effective. An official at the Health purchased 75,000 kits for $600,000. to say rapid tests are not only reliable numbers of deliveries updated at rhage for a long time, officials at the for which the country received the Ministry said the rapid tests were Dr Mingmar Gyelgen Sherpa, for- but also the only option to stop the health facilities are very few, which division said. Millennium Development Goal award. rolled out after testing just four sam- mer director at the Department of risk of Covid 19. shows that women are giving birth at Apart from institutional delivery, The country has to reduce maternal ples of positive patients—three in Health services, said rapid tests do “Polymerase chain reaction is very home.” antenatal and postnatal services have mortality rate to 75 for every 100,000 Kailali and one in Baglung. not mitigate the risk of possible trans- costly and each test costs Rs 15,000,” According to the Nepal been hampered by the ongoing lock- births by 2030 to meet the “Of the four samples tested by the mission. Shrestha said. “We cannot afford Demographic Health Survey-2016, 239 down. Pregnant women are unable to UN’s Sustainable Development Goals rapid diagnostic test kits, results of “Due to more focus on rapid tests, more such tests so we are performing women per 100,000 live births die dur- reach the health facilities to examine target.” three were found accurate. One of the we are not performing polymerase rapid tests.”

C M Y K TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL Oli’s hara-kiri, in kamikaze style Corrupting democracy The prime minister's Oli and the ruling party have together bulldozed manoeuvres have taken the the very pillars of a legitimate state. spotlight away from the government's recent failures. Prime Minister KP Oli’s government and the ruling Nepal Communist Party have been mired in one controversy after ACHYUT WAGLE another in the last two years since they gained power. At dif- ferent times, the government has been accused of attempting to push through controversial laws, of running interference in the workings of state agencies, looking the other way at police brutality, and influencing the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority to be selective in charg- ing people for crimes related to graft. Many of its ministers A stark difference among the global lead- have themselves been accused of corruption in recent times; ers in handling the containment meas- some, shamefully, even related to the procurement of items ures for the novel coronavirus is increas- needed to effectively fight the spread of SARS-CoV-2. ingly becoming evident. Nuanced, At the same time, the ruling party has been willingly stand- responsible and compassionate leaders ing by, its other leaders too busy plotting to undermine Oli to have achieved better success in contain- actually see the damage his governance has done to the cred- ing the pandemic as against irresponsi- ble, arrogant and self-righteous dema- ibility of the system itself. And, instead of urging the govern- gogues. Peter Baker and Maggie ment to function better, the NCP’s leaders have instead hag- Haberman wrote in The New York Times gled and wheedled to get a share of the plunder for their about the personal traits of US President respective factions. This included the nomination of a man Donald Trump—that his ‘profound need who squarely lost the federal elections into the National for personal praise, the propensity to Assembly instead of a technocrat, all to balance internal blame others, the lack of human empa- politics. thy, the penchant for rewriting history, However, the revelations and actions surrounding the the disregard for expertise, the distor- tion of facts, the impatience with scruti- recent ordinances—which have since been repealed—show ny or criticism’ were jarring to all. how low the Oli government has really sunk. They have Incidentally, this portrayal seemed to brought the very institutions of democracy, justice and the very aptly depict the true personality of rule of law to an all-time low. For, while the ordinances—one Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Oli. For that related to the decision-making process of the Constitutional matter, the other dictatorial majoritari- Council and the other the stability of political parties ans of the world, from Jair Bolsonaro of between elections—themselves exposed the depth of the Brazil to Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, among several other heads prime minister’s desire to cling onto power, the deeds sur- of the states or governments, are hardly rounding them are untenable in a truly democratic society. any different. The controversy begins a day before Loktantra Diwas, no less, when the prime minister of the country allegedly sent Destructive move NCP leaders Mahesh Basnet and Kisan Shrestha and former But of them all, Oli seems to have gone a inspector general Sarbendra Khanal to bring a parliamentar- step further to act like a kamikaze towards democracy; in the process, per- ian, Surendra Yadav, to Kathmandu to coerce him into leav- SHUTTERSTOCK ing his party. Yadav himself has alleged that this was done so haps, performing hara-kiri on his own political career. The reason for this being against Covid-19, the government failed pay in the long run, he seems to have the Constitution itself. against his will. Oli’s plans of splitting the Samajbadi Party the issue of two controversial ordinanc- in every aspect, from mass testing to very effectively achieved his immediate As the fallout of the prime minister’s by use of sweet words, pressure and the hurriedly passed es last week—one related to the split of providing necessary relief. After a lock- objective of diverting the national politi- moves captured the discourse, thousands ordinances were foiled when the third and fourth largest par- political parties and the other on alter- down of more than a month, supply cal discourse from his failures on the of people—rendered helpless and hun- ties in federal parliament merged. At the same time, the rul- ing the decision-making process of the chains have been broken. A month ago, containment of SARS-CoV-2. For the past gry due to the government’s apathy, ing party itself rebuked Oli for his actions, and he was forced Constitutional Council (which appoints the government was telling us that there week, the national discourse has largely inhumanity and failure in manage- to back down. The ordinances were subsequently repealed at the office-bearers in all constitutional was enough food stock for the next four concentrated on the triggers of Oli’s ment—left Kathmandu Valley en masse, the behest of the government, to the prime minister’s and the bodies including the justices in the months. But on April 25, just after a political motive. The entire media was ignoring the risk of virus transmission. supreme court). Both of them were utter- month of lockdown, the finance minister awash with news and analysis on the Their return home was certainly the president’s shame. ly anachronistic misadventures, as they said that the current food stock would implication of the short-lived laws, and safest bet, for both the government In a true democracy with strong institutions in place, these don’t even have a distant relation to the only last a month. Shortages of medi- the apparent apprehension at the poten- and the returnees themselves, as food actions would have sufficed to bring down the government, most pressing need of the day. Oli’s sud- cines and other fast-moving consumer tial repetition of the ignominy of insecurity and the uncertainty of earn- with many resignations expected. Yet, in this case, the story den recommendation of the ordinances, goods are widely felt, almost everywhere. horse-trading of parliamentarians as ing opportunities loomed large in cities. becomes crazier. Instead of licking its wounds and promising and the president’s swift sanction on the Supply channels from imports and witnessed during the 1990s. But where the entire state apparatus to do better (in the least), the government seems determined same, therefore, instantly drew flak from domestic farms are only marginally Even within this political context, Oli miserably failed was in providing to sweep the whole episode under the rug without conse- all, including his own Nepal Communist functional. must have had the last laugh as the them safe passage back home by ensur- quence. The government seems to have influenced Nepal Party. The backlash compelled him On top of this, his ministers and advis- debate concentrated more on the ordi- ing reasonable sitting distances in to repeal them within four days of ers were alleged to have indulged in a nance related to defection and the split buses, providing adequate face masks, Police to not only arrest dissenters on immoral technicali- enactment. large corruption scandal in procuring of the political parties than the sanitisers, soaps etc and proper aware- ties—the arrest of former secretary Bhim Upadhyaya under Prime Minister Oli, like any other sup- Covid-19 related medicine, testing kits other ordinance on the Constitutional ness on what they can and cannot do the Electronic Transaction Act being a prime example—but posedly powerful ruler in global political and protection equipment. But the prob- Council. Whereas, from the perspectives when back home. The federal govern- also to refuse to register a case of kidnapping against the history who miserably fails to deliver on lem isn’t only the potential financial of democratic norms and constitutional- ment has not yet realised the need to accused. people’s expectations, needed to orches- irregularity involved in the process; the ism, the ordinance to enable the mend this mistake, although people still The actions of the Nepal Police and the Oli administration trate some high voltage political drama. procured materials are now turning out Constitutional Council to decide on key continue to leave large cities to go to are reprehensible. They go beyond disrepute. But time and This was primarily to deflect the public to be so low in quality that even govern- constitutional appointments even in their villages. gaze from his failures but at the same ment hospitals—despite political pres- absence of the leader of the main opposi- Still, the debate about Oli’s political again, this government has shown that it will answer to no time also to save his seat of power. His sure—have stopped using them. The tion party was a significant move that future, sadly, overshadows the much one unless facing severe rebuke from the people. Yet, the rul- government, despite being touted as the lockdown was inevitable, but what is exposed Oli’s dictatorial ambitions. needed national consensus and unity of ing Nepal Communist Party has no better alternative. Even most powerful in Nepal’s history, misera- criminal on the part of the government Article 284 (1) (e) of the Constitution purpose to battle the novel coronavirus. now, as the party Secretariat and Standing Committee stand bly failed to provide effective govern- was to focus on consolidating political clearly underscores that ‘leader from the The political crisis that was bred in the to punish KP Oli for his follies, the main goal of the exercise ance. Even before the onset of the Covid- power rather than to coordinate to con- opposition party in the House of ruling communist party has already seems to be the redivision of power, instead of bringing back 19 pandemic, the crisis of governance in tain the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Representatives’ would be a member of started to take a toll on efforts of con- legitimacy and credibility. There seems to be no hope left for key fronts—particularly in implement- the Constitutional Council. Therefore, it taining the virus. Nepal’s prime minister honest governance coming from the ruling party. It is up to ing the federal system, in managing the Deliberate diversion was not merely an effort to amend one himself cannot be at the centre of such economy and controlling corruption— Unlike many hypotheses that Oli was law by decree, but part of a larger design drama. The making and breaking of civil society to continue to keep a wary eye on as long as the was evident. forced to capitulate due to his blunders, to upend the constitution. This, in effect, political equations can wait, but the pan- current coterie continues to rule. Even in the containment efforts the price of which he may still have to was tantamount to the amendment of demic will not.

Has Covid-19 exposed the stark inequality between Nepal’s haves and have-nots?

Social distancing, the primary ic since we are less equipped to ‘respond to Covid-19 as access to basic services, especially weapon to prevent the health and sanitation, is limited; as decent work, social protection and safety at work are pandemic from spreading, not a given; and as institutions are weak and social dialogue is impaired or absent’. is a privilege. Social distancing, the primary weapon to prevent the pandemic from spreading, is a privilege, too. Wealthier people have stocked SUSHREY NEPAL up resources beforehand, and they also do not need to step outside to buy essentialities regu- larly. It is also commonly witnessed that the well-off population are routinely staying home as compared to the less privileged families. The practice of social distancing is a luxury that not all people are fortunate enough to afford. The rich of this country will build their Nepal is far away from being a perfect country walls high enough to survive this pandemic, in terms of the distribution of wealth. just like they’ve used their privilege to over- According to one 2019 report by Oxfam, the top come every difficulty this country has 20 percent of the Nepali social strata own more faced. But there seems to be no respite for the than half of the country’s wealth, whereas the working class. bottom 20 percent earn only 4 percent. This This disparity is likely to renew the sense of disparity between the haves and the have nots, social inequality. It is often argued that there however, had mostly been invisible to the priv- has always been a correlation between epidem- ileged class. But the Covid-19 global pandemic ics and political upheavals and rebellions. has reinforced this inequality in a manner that Examples include the Justinian Plague and the will have long-lasting socioeconomic conse- weakening of the Roman Empire, Black Death quences. With the beginning of a nation- and decline of serfdom, and how the Ebola wide-lockdown last month, the ones who can outbreak led to the emergence of civil unrest afford the luxury are indoors and ‘working in West Africa. from home’, while the underprivileged are SHUTTERSTOCK Covid-19 has broadcasted a cruel but honest walking—hundreds of kilometres—back that this pandemic, and the necessary response efforts to cushion the effect of reduction. It along with terminal benefits. Moreover, the truth about the social reality of our country. home. to it, has brought. While some businesses have prescribes the grounds where an employee retrenched employees must be given a priority The gap in wealth distribution and disparity in Covid-19 has already accounted for tragic directed their staffs to work from home, this may be retrenched only if the enterprise suf- in re-hiring if the enterprise revives operation access to health facilities has historically been human costs worldwide; it is expected to have a approach isn’t suited for most enterprises in fers a financial difficulty or if the business is within two years. a socioeconomic issue. But the current crisis graver impact in the coming months due to an the country. The businesses who are forced to to be shut partially or totally. The legislation Despite all the statutory safeguards that our will make sure that these issues go from severe unprecedented economic shock. The economy face financial challenges in these worrying also warrants for the procedural requirement laws warrant, this crisis will substantially problems to acute ones. In this context of in Nepal, much like the rest of the world, has times will consequently have no option but to of procuring notice to and consulting with the impact the working class. This pandemic will impending uncertainties, the government come to a standstill since the nation-wide lock- shed redundant employees—and the primary Labour Office and Trade Union before also be a litmus test for this government to must make needful policy-level interventions down was announced. The World Bank Group blow of which will be faced by the workforce retrenching any worker. The law further offers evaluate its contribution-based Social Security to reinforce cohesion and social coexistence. It recently estimated that Nepal’s economic mostly in the bottom half of the enterprise’s a priority filter where the employees are to be Fund. It will be interesting to see if this highly is expected from the federal government to growth is expected to fall to a range between organogram. shed in an order where foreign nationals, rated scheme brought by the current govern- prepare and implement response packages, 1.5-2.8 percent in 2020. The institution cites a Even though the practice of retrenchment is employees charged with misconduct, under- ment will work as it ideally should, now when such as a fiscal stimulus, to benefit the decline in remittance, trade, tourism, and bor- somewhat inevitable for businesses facing performing employees, employees appointed the workers need it the most. vulnerable and marginalised class. Such pack- der disruptions amidst this fast-changing and financial difficulties, the state must ensure later among the same category are let go first, Nepal cannot bounce back quickly from an ages must duly address the working class’s uncertain context as the significant reasons that the effect is mitigated. Our labour law, the in that order. Moreover, the Labour Act also economic downturn, such as the current one. grievances and ultimately uplift the under- for this decline. Labour Act 2017, has made prescriptions states that the retrenched staff are entitled to The International Labour Organisation (ILO) privileged. Employers are finding themselves in the regarding similar situations that may befall retrenchment compensation at the rate of one- has also feared that a country like ours will centre of the aftershock of the financial strain the economy. The labour law makes honest month remuneration for each year in service, face many burdens due to the current pandem- Nepal is a lawyer at Abhinawa Law Chambers.

C M Y K 05 | TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020 NATIONAL Shortage of supplementary equipment Without immediate support, small ... affects coronavirus testing in Karnali >> Continued from page 1 rate paid on these loans is 12.5 per- With the world economy likely to cent. “The government can cover half The recently purchased PCR machines can process a maximum of 96 samples at a time but the available VTMs and see the worst recession since the 1930s, of the interest to be paid by the SMEs developing countries like Nepal with a on condition that they don’t lay off processing kits are not sufficient to run the maximum number of tests, according to the Provincial Health Directorate. small economy could face worse con- workers,” said Sharma. “This will sequences. help revive SMEs and save jobs.” The World Bank has predicted a Economists say that the primary KALENDRA SEJUWAL growth rate for Nepal in the range of focus of governments worldwide has SURKHET, APRIL 27 1.5-2.8 percent in the current 2019-20 been on supporting SMEs because fiscal year, followed by 1.4-2.9 percent their operators are “grassroots entre- One real-time polymerase chain reac- in 2020-21 and 2.7-3.6 in 2021-22. This preneurs”. tion machine each was delivered to follows the Asian Development Bank’s “Tax exemptions, interest subsidy Karnali Academy of Health Sciences revised growth rate of 5.3 percent for on existing loans and refinancing at in Jumla and the Provincial Hospital Nepal from 7.1 percent for this fiscal very low interest rates to restart the in last week. The pur- year. businesses are other measures that chase of these two machines was The best way to prepare for the com- can be taken,” said Bista. expected to expedite Covid-19 tests in ing crisis will be to shore up SMEs, On the occasion of the Nepal Rastra Karnali but the short supply of medi- say economists. Bank anniversary on Sunday, the cen- cal tools and supplementary equip- “The lockdown has to be lifted at tral bank promised refi- ment required to collect swabs and some point. The government and cen- nance facilities for SMEs, along with process lab testings has slowed the tral bank should not delay in planning tourism and other sectors badly affect- testing process, according to the and announcing packages for SMEs to ed by the pandemic. Provincial Health Directorate in build entrepreneurs’ confidence about “For this, a refinancing fund of Surkhet. a recovery,” said economist Raghubir Rs60 billion will be increased gradual- According to Om Acharya, laborato- Bista, an associate professor at the ly,’’ he said. ry coordinator at the Provincial Tribhuvan University Department of The government earlier had decid- Health Directorate, the province has Economics. “SMEs in agriculture, ed to increase the refinancing fund to only 40 pieces of Viral Transport particularly the livestock sector, and Rs60 billion from Rs50 billion to pro- Media (VTM), which is used to POST PHOTO: KALENDRA SEJUWAL tourism and handicrafts are in seri- vide refinancing facilities for Covid- collect swabs, and around 200 PCR Rapid tests on 5,000 people and PCR tests on 926 people have been conducted in the province so far. ous danger. They need immediate sup- 19-affected sectors. processing kits. port from the government.” Easing the process of getting work- “Both the recently purchased another to the Birendranagar-based April 1 to the . from outside entering the province,” Ease in taking loans and repaying ing capital, adjustments in interest machines can process a maximum of Provincial Hospital on Thursday. The “We have asked the federal govern- said Bhandari. According to her, rapid them could help SMEs, entrepreneurs rates to be paid in the fourth quarter 96 samples at a time but the available machine was installed at the ment for an additional 1,000 VTM and tests of 5,000 people and PCR tests of and analysts say. of this fiscal year and extension of VTMs and processing kits will not be Provincial Hospital on Monday, where- as many processing kits, but they are 926 people have been conducted in the “This won’t be difficult because the repayment deadlines are other meas- sufficient to run the maximum num- as the academy plans to bring the yet to be supplied,” said Rita Bhandari, province so far. total credit extended by banks and ures announced by the central bank ber of tests,” said Acharya. machine into operation from director at the Provincial Health According to the data available at financial institutions to SMEs is rela- on Sunday. The provincial government and the Wednesday. Directorate. According to her, the the District Police Office in Surkhet, a tively low,” said Sharma. But economists say that SMEs’ Karnali Academy of Health Sciences The directorate had sent 40 VTM directorate has also asked the centre total of 7,055 people entered Karnali According to a recent study by the immediate struggles are regarding in Jumla had procured the real-time kits along with the machine, but they for 10,000 rapid diagnostic testing kits Province through the Babai entry central bank, among all loans issued working capital. polymerase chain reaction machine will not be sufficient for mass testing, after it used all the 5,000 kits provided point between Thursday and Saturday by banks and financial institutions, “SMEs lack enough ammunition to each to expedite coronavirus testing. according to the academy. by the federal government. But the last week. 19.52 percent went to small-scale survive, unlike large enterprises,” The provincial executive bought a “We need around 500 VTM and pro- centre provided just 3,000 RDT kits, “A large number of people enter the enterprises and 19.67 percent to medi- said economist Sujeev Shakya, CEO machine belonging to Tribhuvan cessing kits in the first phase” said she informed. province every day to return to their um-scale industries. Most small enter- of beed management, a management, University while the academy pur- Bishworaj Kafle, registrar at the acad- “We have completed RDT and PCR hometowns in Kalikot, Jumla, prises have taken loans of less than consulting and financial advisory chased one from . e m y. tests of those who returned from India Dailekh, Jajarkot, Salyan, Dolpa, Rs5 million while most medium-scale firm. “They are facing problems pay- Acharya said one of the machines The federal government had sent a and other countries. Testing should be Mugu, Surkhet and Rukum (West),” enterprises have taken loans of a little ing salaries and paying vendors and was sent to Jumla on Sunday and PCR machine and 1,000 VTM kits on prioritised since we still have people said Police Inspector Gopal Rayamajhi. over Rs5 million. The average interest creditors.” Automatic sanitiser machine With everyone forced indoors and online ... >> Continued from page 1 Earlier this month, 500,000 Zoom cyber bureau says that everyone needs Nearly 200 complaints have been passwords were available for sale on to be more careful while going online, installed in filed at the bureau since the lockdown the dark web for various purposes taking preventive measures and being began on March 24—an average of including ‘zoombombing’, which is judicious in their activity. PRATAP BISTA almost six a day. The bureau recorded when uninvited persons join a meet- “People should be more careful HETAUDA, APRIL 27 around four complaints a day before ing. Zoom is a popular videoconfer- while using the internet as they can be the lockdown. encing application that has reported easily scammed through other indi- An automatic sanitiser spray machine Most of the complaints received by exponential growth in the number of viduals and people they know,” he has been installed in an area in the bureau are related to the spread of users ever since the Covid-19 pandem- said. “You need to be careful while Makwanpur connecting Bagmati misinformation, identity theft, har- ic forced people indoors. opening unknown links and giving out Province capital Hetauda to Tarai and assment through social media, and The increased presence of individu- personal information.” India. defamation, according to the als online and the easy availability of Even the World Health Organization The machine has been installed at Ranipokhari Metropolitan Police their data is a goldmine for cybercrim- recently issued a statement about Churiyamai in Hetauda Sub Office. inals, says Baburam Aryal, a lawyer cybersecurity, warning about suspi- Metropolis targeting drivers, their Around two weeks ago, the Central focusing on information technology cious email messages attempting to drivers and passengers arriving from Cyber Bureau looked into a video that and cybercrime. take advantage of the Covid-19 emer- India and eastern Tarai. was widely shared on social media. In “Visual content is extremely dan- gency to steal money and sensitive Hetauda Sub Metropolis said it the video, an individual claiming to be gerous since it can easily reach perpe- personal information. installed the machine to mitigate the a journalist stated that Kathmandu trators like paedophiles and online “Hackers and cyber scammers are risk of spread of the novel Valley had over 1,500 cases of Covid- abusers, rendering internet consum- taking advantage of the coronavirus coronavirus. From Friday onwards, 19, citing a doctor from the Sukraraj ers extremely vulnerable,” he said. disease (COVID-19) pandemic by send- drivers and passengers have been Tropical and Infectious Disease Baburam attributes the rise in such ing fraudulent email and WhatsApp sanitising themselves before entering Hospital. crimes to criminals who exploit the messages that attempt to trick you the city. The video was clearly fake as the fact that many members of the gener- into clicking on malicious links or Amid a function organised in Kathmandu valley has only reported a al public might not be aware of safe opening attachments,” states the Churiyamai on Friday, Dormani total of five cases of Covid-19 so far, all digital practices. With the lockdown, report. “These actions can reveal your Poudel, chief minister of Bagmati of them recovered. Since the individu- new users are signing up for services user name and password, which can Province, inaugurated the machine. al on the video was operating a news like Zoom, without properly under- be used to steal money or sensitive Poudel said, “Drivers, assistant driv- portal, the police asked the Press standing the risks. information.” ers and passengers will only be POST PHOTO: PRATAP BISTA Council to take appropriate action for As most offices and businesses are While it is up to individuals to allowed to enter Hetauda after they Chief Minister of inaugurated the machine on Friday. publishing fake news, said an inspec- closed, criminals and unscrupulous ensure that they are secure while sanitise themselves.” tor at the cyber bureau. individuals also have more time on online, police officials say that every- Hetauda Sub Metropolis purchased chief at Hetauda Sub Metropolis, said Hetauda from the Ratomate area. The The lockdown has seen a rise in the their hands to pursue attacks and one needs to be aware of what consti- the machine at a cost of Rs 160,000. four individuals can sanitiser use the machine was installed by Nepal Yuba digital presence of many individuals, hacks. tutes cybercrime. Poudel said, “This machine will also machine at once. Udhyami Manch, Chitwan. as workplaces, classrooms and meet- A little over a week into the lock- “Cybercrime isn’t just limited to the be installed in various parts of the Hetauda Sub Metropolis is also The machine has a capacity to store ings have moved online. While these down, the internet service provider misuse of, and harassment through, province in the coming days.” going to instruct all individuals to use 200 litres of sanitiser. “It can sanitise digital tools have enabled people to Vianet suffered a data breach, leaking social media,” said Aryal. “Everything Supendra Karki, health section the sanitiser machine before entering around 2,000 individuals,” said Karki. work and study from home during the the personal information of over from the sale of illegal items to stalk- lockdown, they’ve also exposed people 170,000 customers. ing and cyber-bullying falls under this to all kinds of cyberattacks. Senior Superintendent Aryal of the category.” Factions fail to see eye to eye, leaving Oli ... >> Continued from page 1 from his 53 members, the 121 former Oli has 11 members with him in the The Dahal faction is already suspi- UML lawmakers are largely divided 44-member Standing Committee while cious of Nepal over his hours-long between Oli and Nepal. in the nine-member Secretariat, he meetings with the Oli faction. Nepal is Oli’s failure to take Nepal into confi- has just Ishwar Pokhrel on his side, under pressure from leaders in his dence could mean losing the post of with Bishnu Poudel apparently stand- faction to not upset Dahal. Parliamentary Party leader, and ulti- ing opposed to the ordinances. Dahal, according to leaders close to mately the prime ministership. Oli “If the party tries to unseat Oli as him, has no desire for becoming the needs at least 88 members to remain prime minister and party chair uncer- prime minister and that he would be leader of the Parliamentary Party, and emoniously, the party will split,” said happy to offer the post to Nepal if he he is roughly short of a dozen mem- , a Standing gets to run the party single-handedly. bers. Nepal has around 40 or so mem- Committee member and chief minis- All three factions in the ruling bers on his side, say insiders. ter of who is on party have now started a headcount. In the 275-member Parliament, Oli Oli’s side. “As the people elected him In the 174-strong Parliamentary needs the support of 138 lawmakers to as prime minister and the party’s gen- Party, 121 Members of Parliament are retain the prime ministership, should eral convention elected him as party from the former UML while 53 are he face a vote of no-confidence. If Dahal chair, party leaders should not scheme from the former Maoist party. While and Nepal stand on one side, Oli’s prime to unseat him.” Dahal appears confident of support ministership will become untenable. (Anil Giri contributed reporting.)

C M Y K TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020 | 06 MONEY

FOREX Bangladesh garment US Dollar 122.29 Locals prevent railway builders from Euro 132.57 factories reopen, Pound Sterling 151.95 defying virus Japanese Yen 11.41 resuming work over compensation Chinese Yuan 17.27 lockdown Qatari Riyal 33.59 Work on the 975-km cross-country track began in 2019 and is slated to be completed in 2022.

Australian Dollar 78.92 AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE District Administration Office. But as four months, demanding a review of DHAKA, APRIL 27 Malaysian Ringit 28.06 soon as work began, the landowners the irrigation channel and an increase damaged the JCB equipment by in the land compensation amount. Hundreds of Bangladesh’s Saudi Arab Riyal 32.51 throwing stones at it. They formed a landowners struggle garment factories defied a nationwide Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank The railway did not publicise the committee and launched a protest pro- coronavirus lockdown to reopen incident which happened three days gramme, which ended after they on Sunday, raising fears the ago in order to avoid fuss. reached a deal with the District industry’s vulnerable and largely PRICE PER TOLA It did not even file a report with the Administration Office on correcting female workforce could be exposed to BULLION police. Some political party leaders mistakes in the irrigation channel. the contagion. urged authorities not to take legal They also signed a written agree- Big-name international brands Fine Gold Rs 77,000 steps, but to resolve the issue through ment that they would not put up obsta- have cancelled or held up dialogue. cles in the construction of the railway billions of dollars in orders Silver Rs 720 as their demand regarding fixing the due to the pandemic, crippling an compensation amount had been industry that accounts for nearly all SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA addressed. of the South Asian country’s export The setback in the The contractor resumed work after earnings. construction of the talks with the coordinator of the Factories shut their doors in late GASOLINE WATCH struggle committee Prahlad Poudel, March but some suppliers said they railway will push but the landowners got in the way were now being pushed by retailers to saying that they had not received their fulfill outstanding export orders. back the completion money. A local resident of Betauna “We have to accept coronavirus as said they were compelled to obstruct part of life. If we don’t open factories, date, officials said. work because they had not been paid there will be economic crisis,” said POST FILE PHOTO as promised. Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers The railway did not publicise the incident which happened three days ago in order to avoid The setback in the construction of and Exporters Association vice presi- fuss. It did not even file a report with the police. Project manager Amit Rijal said the railway in the Santapur and dent Mohammad Hatem. they had prepared to restart work Rangpur area of the Nijgadh division He said his MB Knit company had SHIVA PURI have said that they will not allow the even amid the lockdown by taking will push back the completion date, reopened part of a factory that makes RAUTAHAT, APRIL 27 contractor to resume work unless they appropriate precautions, but were officials said. This stretch is part of clothing for Britain’s Primark and sev- get their money. forced to step back after the construc- the Bardibas-Nijgadh section of the eral other retailers. The construction of the Mechi- The contractor readied to resume tion equipment was broken. Mechi Mahakali railway track. Factories were “under pressure” Mahakali Electrical Railway has work on the railway project after the “We started work after talking with Lumbini, Apex and Thani JV from brands to meet export deadlines stalled once again after locals who government loosened the lockdown locals and getting permission from the Construction hold a Rs700 million con- and feared the risk that billions in have landholdings under the track since it proved to have been effective local administration. But we were tract to lay gravel and earth, build the orders could be diverted to competing alignment obstructed work demand- in containing the transmission of compelled to stop after they damaged base, bridges and box culverts, and operations in countries like Vietnam ing compensation. They damaged Covid-19, and declared that construc- the equipment,” he said. plant greenery along the track. or China, Hatem added. JCB excavators brought by the con- tion crews could go back to work on The police instantly reached the Construction work on the 975-km, More than four million people work tractor, forcing construction crews to mega projects by maintaining physi- construction site after the incident, cross-country railway began in August in thousands of garment factories withdraw. cal distancing. but they did not take action due to 2019 and was slated to be completed by across Bangladesh, which last year A long-standing compensation dis- Following the government decision, pressure from political party leaders. January 2022. But it will not be fin- shipped out $35 billion of apparel to pute flared up again, and landowners the contractor restarted work after The local residents had prevented ished as per schedule due to a series of retailers such as H&M, Inditex and in the Betauna area of Chandrapur-8 obtaining permission from the work on the railway project for around hold-ups, the company said. Walmart—second only to China. European Union offers Rs 9.8 billion aid package to Nepal

POST REPORT two areas: assisting the authorities to KATHMANDU, APRIL 27 respond to the immediate health crisis and boosting the country’s economic The European Union is offering an aid response and recovery. package of Rs 9.8 billion to Nepal to The EU will give Rs 1.6 billion to tackle the outbreak of the coronavirus support the government’s health and pandemic and mitigate its impact. preparedness plan. These funds are The support combines redirecting being made available either by top- existing commitments with new ping up resources for already existing funds, granted in the form of budget projects focussing on the health sector support to allow the Nepal govern- or by reorienting resources to other ment direct and swift access to this projects that would integrate financing. health-related activities and crisis “In difficult times, the European response, including tackling gen- Union is a reliable friend and partner der-based violence. POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC for Nepal. We hope that our contribu- Meanwhile, Rs 8.2 billion will sup- People buy bananas from a market in Kuleshwor, Kathmandu. tion will support the efforts of the port the government’s response to the government to respond effectively to social and economic consequences of this crisis so that the impact on the the pandemic. most vulnerable is reduced. While the government’s strict meas- International cooperation and solidar- ures to trace, isolate and treat ity are now more important than the virus have so far helped to contain Scrutiny mounts on China’s Luckin Coffee ever,” said Veronica Cody, EU the health crisis, such measures Ambassador to Nepal. will, as in all countries worldwide, Across the world, the EU is ensur- have a negative economic impact, the REUTERS not respond to requests from Reuters ing that partner countries are able to EU said. /BEIJING, APRIL 27 for further comment. fight the coronavirus pandemic and By stimulating the economy and The China Securities Regulatory its consequences. labour demand, through support to China’s top market regulator has Commission announced earlier this By combining resources from the people’s incomes, employment reten- launched an inspection into Luckin month that it would investigate EU, its member states, and European tion and the extension of social pro- Coffee, joining the country’s securi- claims of fraud at Luckin after it Financial institutions, the EU has put tection programmes that assist the ties watchdog in doing so as the coffee announced an internal investigation together a “Team Europe” package most vulnerable, the European Union chain comes under scrutiny for fabri- had shown its chief operating officer totalling more than 20 billion euros to hopes to assist the government’s eco- cating millions of dollars worth of and other employees fabricated sales support its partners’ immediate nomic recovery plan. sales deals. deals worth about 2.2 billion yuan health responses to the coronavirus, The European Union has also con- Dozens of officers from the State ($310.77 million). as well as their economic recovery, tributed Rs 14.9 billion to the World Administration for Market Regulation The source, and a second one that according to a press statement issued Health Organisation to support (SAMR) raided Luckin’s main office in has been in touch with regulators, told by the European Union. countries under particular strain and Beijing on Sunday, staying there from Reuters the Chinese regulators, in The European Commission will with weaker health systems, includ- morning to evening that day, a source particular the CSRC, were acting on a also host, on May 4, a global, online ing Nepal. with direct knowledge of the situation request by the US Securities and pledging conference to support the The European Union is working told Reuters. Exchange Commission (SEC) to look development of a vaccine. closely with the United Nations, Luckin Coffee confirmed that it was into Luckin. In Nepal, the EU is mobilising Rs 9.8 with other international organisa- being inspected by the SAMR in a post Shares in Luckin, which billion of which Rs 7.2 billion is a tions, humanitarian agencies, and on its official Weibo account on aggressively pitched itself as a chal- reorientation of existing funds with our partners throughout the Monday, saying that it was “actively lenger to Starbucks in China, and Rs 2.6 billion represents a new world, in the great global effort to cooperating” with the regulator, have plunged by more than 90 commitment. overcome the virus and its conse- which was trying to understand the percent from their January high fol- REUTERS The EU’s support will be directed at quences, it said. company’s operating situation. It did lowing the news. A deliveryman walks past a closed Luckin Coffee store in Beijing, China. After betting its future on Boeing, Embraer scrambles for elusive plan B

REUTERS when the volume you’re offering is a investors that have now vanished. lobbying for regulatory approval, will SAO PAULO/PARIS, APRIL 27 fraction of your competition’s”. First, it would pay $1.6 billion in stay without the deal. He did not Embraer’s immediate aim is to reas- dividends from the sale. Second, it respond to a request to comment. Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA sure investors. It pledged cost savings would receive enough cash to wipe In a Twitter post, he said, “Despite has been thrust into an uncertain and said it had solid liquidity. debts clean and rejuvenate defense this uncertain period in our industry, future with no immediate plan B, It also tore up arguments previously and executive-jet units. As a revamped I’m confident Embraer will emerge while not ruling out seeking a bailout used to persuade unions and company, Embraer would get a stronger.” after Boeing Co jettisoned a $4.2 bil- regulators to back the deal, saying it fresh start. On the positive side, analysts expect lion commercial aerospace tie-up could survive without Boeing Executives also hoped Boeing’s mar- demand for small jets like the A220 or amid the coronavirus crisis. rather than stating the deal would be keting would be a silver bullet for the Embraer’s E2 to lead any future The company’s shell-shocked chief its “salvation”. commercial arm, to be 80 per- rebound. executive, in the job for a year with The former state-owned company cent-owned by Boeing. The breakup may also spark a dis- little aerospace experience, sought to has not asked for a bailout but says it Instead, Embraer now has a crisis tracting legal battle. rally staff after the board held late- is open to “complementary” sources committee that meets daily and no end In Brazil, alarm bells rang when night talks to review the collapse of of financing. in sight for its troubles. Boeing lawyers began quizzing plans for surviving mounting aero- Brazilian companies, including air- That, analysts say, could not come at Brazilian counterparts on paperwork space competition. lines and automakers, are in bailout a worse time. in recent weeks. “Our history is full of difficult discussions. Sales of its E2 have lagged. Overall Industry sources said Boeing need- moments, and we have overcome all of REUTERS Embraer “will need strong govern- jet demand has vanished due to coro- ed room to maneuver as it seeks US them,” Francisco Gomes Neto told A file photo shows an Air Astana Embraer E190-E2 aircraft with a snow leopard livery at ment support to recover the (separa- navirus. Now, crashing oil prices have government support for the US aero- Embraer’s 20,000 staff before giving Almaty International Airport in Kazakhstan. tion) expenses and recover from the further weakened the case for new space industry. With the crisis expect- them a thumbs up. economic crisis caused by coronavi- jets, sold mainly on fuel efficiency. ed to resurrect economic barriers, it But Embraer now faces a historic main competitor, the Canadian- Richard Aboulafia, noting it was rus,” said Aurelio Valporto, who heads Questions have also been raised was seen in a corner over moves to crisis with its isolation reinforced designed A220. the only significant independent minority shareholder group Abradin over how long high-profile Embraer acquire thousands of Brazilian engi- by the breakup—two years after “For Embraer, it could be very dam- jetmaker. and opposed the deal. jetliner CEO John Slattery, who neers while drawing up plans to lay Europe’s Airbus absorbed Embraer’s aging,” said Teal Group consultant “It’s hard to pressure your suppliers Embraer had two main pitches for aggressively marketed the E2 jet while off its own staff.

C M Y K 07 | TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020 WORLD

BRIEFING Some countries prise open Covid-19 maintains Kim Pelosi endorses Biden for president Jong Un health WASHINGTON: US House Of lockdowns, but UK says not yet Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed Joe Biden for president, rumours are untrue joining a list of top Democrats, who Many countries are looking to ease lockdowns as rates of infections fall and fears of economic ruin rise. have recently thrown their support ASSOCIATED PRESS behind the former vice president. REUTERS SEOUL, APRIL 27 Pelosi’s endorsement of the ROME, APRIL 27 Democratic presidential candidate A top South Korean official said his follows that of US Senators Elizabeth Countries from Italy to New Zealand country remains confident there have Warren and Bernie Sanders, former have announced the easing of corona- been no “unusual developments” in president Barack Obama and former virus lockdowns but Britain’s Prime North Korea, suggesting that rumours vice president Al Gore, who all threw Minister Boris Johnson, back at work about the possible ill health of leader their weight behind Biden earlier on Monday after being hospitalised Kim Jong Un are untrue. this month. In a video statement with the disease, said it was too early Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul released on Monday, Pelosi cited to relax restrictions there. told a closed-door forum in Seoul on Biden’s experience in government, Nearly 3 million people have been Sunday that South Korea has “enough including his role in passing the infected by the coronavirus across the intelligence to confidently say that Affordable Care Act, as an evidence world and 205,948 have died, according there are no unusual developments” of his leadership qualities. to a Reuters tally of official figures. in rival North Korea that would back But many countries are looking to up speculation about Kim Jong Un’s ease lockdowns as rates of infections health, according to his ministry. Builders back at fall and fears of economic ruin rise. The minister said he would not Notre-Dame cathedral The world’s worst pandemic in a reveal what specific intelligence led to PARIS: Construction workers were century, which started in China in that conclusion, but stressed that it back at the burned shell of Notre- December before creeping across the had undergone a complex analysis. Dame cathedral in Paris on Monday, globe, has forced a dilemma upon gov- The rumours about Kim’s health resuming the mammoth task of ernments. People cooped up in their began to swirl after he missed the rebuilding after the coronavirus out- homes for weeks on end are growing April 15 commemoration of the 108th break forced a pause of a month and frustrated and anxious about what the birthday of his grandfather, North a half. Fire engulfed the 850-year-old future holds. Korea founder Kim Il Sung. Kim Jong building on the banks of the River And with economic activity from Un is the third generation of his fami- Seine on April 15 last year. The flames shops and bars to factories and tour- ly to rule North Korea, and he hadn’t destroyed the spire and roof and, ism severely curtailed, prolonged missed the event, one of the most according to officials, came within 30 recessions are forecast for many coun- important in the North, since assum- minutes of razing the cathedral to the tries. ing power after his father Kim Jong ground. French President Emmanuel But with no antidote yet found for Il’s death in late 2011. Macron promised to rebuild within the coronavirus, leaders are also The unification minister’s com- five years but work so far has been acutely aware that a second wave of ments are a reiteration of earlier slow. Delays were caused by toxic lead infections could sweep over their South Korean statements that Kim released by the fire, winter storms countries just as life gets back to some Jong Un appeared to be handling state and then by the Covid-19 epidemic kind of normal. affairs normally and that no unusual which closed the site in March. Italy, which has the world’s third AP/RSS activities had been detected in North highest rate of coronavirus deaths at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes a statement flanked by children’s drawings of rainbows supporting the National Health Service Korea. Those comments failed to dis- more than 26,000, will allow factories displayed in windows, on his first day back at work in Downing Street, London, after recovering from a bout with the coronavirus, on Monday. pel the rumors about Kim, which have China to keep coronavirus and building sites to reopen from May been fed by the silence of North 4 and permit limited family visits as it Korea’s state media about their lead- tests focussed prepares a staged end to Europe’s work after the country shifts its alert for the virus, compared the disease to recorded the world’s highest infection er’s whereabouts. BEIJING: China will focus testing for longest coronavirus lockdown, Prime level down a notch at midnight on a street criminal that the British peo- and death tolls, critics have accused Covid-19 on high-risk groups such as Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Monday, but shops and restaurants ple had wrestled to the floor. President Donald Trump of mixed people from infected areas or with Sunday. will remain closed. Johnson, who spent three nights in and confusing messages on the coro- symptoms, the head of a top state Italy is looking ahead to a second In , school children from intensive care at a public hospital in navirus as states have bickered with research institute said on Monday, phase of the crisis in which it will first to fourth grades returned to London, said he understood the con- the White House over how to handle suggesting that authorities are not attempt to restart the economy with- schools for the first time since mid- cerns of business and would consult the outbreak and when to reopen the about to rush into large-scale out triggering a new wave of infec- March, while a range of small busi- with opposition parties—but he made economy. testing. The government said recently tions. nesses, including hairdressers, were clear that there was to be no swift lift- Georgia, Oklahoma and several that it intends to carry out more “We expect a very complex chal- allowed to open. ing of the lockdown. other states took tentative steps at widespread testing to quickly lenge,” Conte said. “We will live with In , one of the worst-hit coun- “If we can show the same spirit of restarting businesses on Friday, identify and isolate carriers, the virus and we will have to adopt tries, children went outside on Sunday, unity and determination as we’ve all despite disapproval from Trump and following spikes in cases linked to every precaution possible.” emerging from their homes for the shown in the past six weeks, then I medical experts. AP people arriving from abroad New Zealanders will be able to go first time after six weeks of living have absolutely no doubt that we will The Chinese city of Wuhan, where and new local transmissions. But fishing, surfing, hunting and hiking under one of Europe’s strictest coro- beat it,” he said. the virus originated in December, now Dictator Kim Jong China has acknowledged that accura- this week for the first time in more navirus lockdowns. British Prime But he did say the government has no remaining cases in its hospi- cy of tests must be improved and than a month as it begins to ease its Minister Johnson, 55, speaking out- would outline plans for an easing of tals, a health official said. The city is Un’s health is matter more laboratories should be set way out of a strict lockdown. side his Downing Street residence a curbs in coming days. still testing residents regularly despite up as plans. (AGENCIES) About 400,000 people will return to month and a day since testing positive In the United States, which has relaxing its lockdown. of intense interest both regionally Assange extradition hearing and globally. As the absolute leader of a country with a nuclear weapons programme, delayed by virus outbreak Kim’s health is matter of intense interest both regionally and globally. If something were to happen to Kim, REUTERS curb the spread of the coronavirus, some experts say it could lead to insta- LONDON, APRIL 27 which have made it difficult to hold bility in North Korea. normal court proceedings. South Korea’s presidential office Hearings in the US extradition case Judge Vanessa Baraitser told a earlier said it has information that against WikiLeaks founder Julian hearing held by conference call on Kim has been staying out of Assange will not go ahead next month Monday that the case could not be Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, and as scheduled because of the coronavi- argued properly as long as lawyers that there had been no emergency rus lockdown which prevents lawyers were unable to appear in person. readiness order issued by the North’s from attending court, a British judge “Remote attendance by the parties military or the ruling Workers’ Party decided on Monday. in this case will not be appropriate. Mr that likely would have been made if The 48-year-old is held at London’s Assange and the lawyers on both sides Kim were truly in serious condition. Belmarsh Prison where he is fighting will need to be physically present in On Monday, South Korean President a request by the United States to the courtroom,” she said. Moon Jae-in repeated an offer to con- send him to stand trial for conspiring She adjourned the case until May 4 duct some inter-Korean cooperation to hack government computers and when a new date will be fixed, noting projects such as a joint anti-coronavi- espionage. that the Woolwich Crown Court where rus quarantine campaign. Moon also Assange was dragged from the hearings last took place had availabil- said he will strive for mutual prosper- Ecuador embassy in London last year ity for a three-week period only in ity “based on confidence between after a seven-year stand-off. He says he November. Lawyers for both sides Chairman Kim and me and our firm could spend decades in prison if con- agreed to the delay. resolve to (achieve) peace.” victed, and calls the case against Assange’s lawyers say the coronavi- Monday is the second anniversary him political and a threat to free rus lockdown in the prison makes it of Moon’s first summit with Kim at speech. The United States says he put impossible for them to meet their cli- the Korean border village of the lives of informants in danger by ent. Lawyer Edward Fitzgerald told Panmunjom. Satellite photos released publishing secrets. the judge his legal team had been Saturday by 38 North, a website spe- In February, hearings took place for unable to speak to Assange for a cializing in North Korea studies, a week and the case was adjourned month, bar a few short phone calls. showed that a train likely belonging REUTERS until May 18 for a further three weeks The judge said it was up to the to Kim has been parked at his com- A homeless man and his son cover themselves with a plastic sheet to protect themselves from rain as they walk to a shelter, during a of arguments. However, in the mean- prison to make such conversations pound on the country’s east coast nationwide lockdown to slow the spreading of the coronavirus disease, in Kolkata, India, on Monday. time, Britain imposed restrictions to possible. since last week. Mosque’s makeshift morgue shows virus toll on UK minorities

ASSOCIATED PRESS In the last few weeks, “we were coronavirus. Thousands more are worse access to medical care than BIRMINGHAM, APRIL 27 doing five to six a day,” he said. likely to have died in nursing homes. white Americans, “ in the UK we have “You can see how the families were The virus has hit people of all ages a free health care service, so we can’t The holy month of Ramadan is under- grieving,” said 44-year-old Zahid, who and backgrounds, including Prime put it down to just inequalities in way, and the Central Jamia Mosque wears a mask, coveralls and gloves as Minister Boris Johnson, who spent care,” he said. Khunti said ethnic-mi- Ghamkol Sharif in Birmingham he moves among the coffins. three nights in intensive care. But nority Britons are more likely to should be full of worshippers. But this Local government social-distancing evidence suggests that ethnic-minori- live in large, multi-generational fami- year, the main arrivals are the dead. rules allow only six people to attend ty Britons are feeling a disproportion- lies and cramped housing. Many hold While the mosque in the central each burial. ate impact. jobs with a high risk of infection: England city has been closed in “Especially when they can’t get Statistics show that 16 percent of doctors, nurses, taxi drivers and tran- response to the coronavirus pandem- their own cousins and brothers and those who died in Britain with the sit workers. ic, its parking lot has been trans- sisters around them—it’s made it real- coronavirus up to April 17 were from Black and South Asian people, in formed into a temporary morgue with ly hard for the people who’ve lost their black, Asian or minority ethnic Britain and elsewhere, also have high- room for 150 bodies. loved ones,” said Zahid, who has lost (BAME) backgrounds. About 14 per- er rates of cardiovascular disease, The volunteer-run mortuary, with two aunts to Covid-19. “What do you cent of the UK population comes from diabetes and hypertension, conditions its white tents, industrial refrigera- say to a family who’s got five sons or those backgrounds. that have been be linked to more tors and neat stacks of coffins, is evi- daughters, and some of them have to Even more starkly, data from severe Covid-19 symptoms. dence of the toll the virus is taking on stay home?” Intensive Care National Audit and Others argue that racism is a factor. Britain’s Muslim and ethnic-minority It’s a similar story at the nearby Research shows that a third of people Gurch Randhawa, professor of diver- communities. The two most diverse Green Lane Mosque, where coffins lie in intensive care with Covid-19 in the sity in public health at the University regions of the UK—London and the stacked up inside the prayer hall. UK are non-white. And many of the AP/RSS of Bedfordshire, said extensive Midlands area centred in Usually the mosque holds about 25 over 100 health care workers who have A volunteer wearing protective clothing and a face mask to protect from coronavirus, walks research shows that minority nurses Birmingham—have seen the largest funerals a year. For the past three died in the outbreak were from BAME through the car park of Central Jamia Mosque Ghamkol Sharif in Birmingham, England. and health care assistants “often number of deaths in the outbreak. weeks it has seen five a day. backgrounds. receive poorer treatment than their Mohammed Zahid, a mosque trus- “Everybody’s worrying about The government has asked public Americans who have died from Covid- the highest increases in mortality colleagues.” tee who helped set up the mortuary whether it will be their family mem- health officials to investigate the 19 were black, while African since the outbreak began. “In the context of the present crisis, with a firm of Muslim funeral direc- bers next, their loved ones,” said virus’ heavy impact on minorities. Americans account for roughly 21 per- Kamlesh Khunti, a professor of pri- this means they may have worse tors, said the mosque in Birmingham’s Saleem Ahmed, the mosque’s head of A similar trend has been seen in cent of the population in the areas mary care, diabetes and vascular med- access to [personal protective equip- predominantly South Asian Small welfare and services. countries including the United States, analysed. In France, the poor and icine at the University of Leicester, ment], more trying shift patterns and Heath district normally holds one or Britain has recorded more than where an Associated Press analysis largely immigrant neighbourhoods on said complex factors may be involved. greater exposure to Covid-19 patients,” two funerals a week. 20,700 hospital deaths of people with found that about 42 percent of the fringes of Paris have seen some of While black Americans often have he said.

C M Y K TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020 | 08 CULTURE & ARTS (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 Communities come together to respond to the Covid crisis In an inspirational display of humanity, several groups around Kathmandu are making sure the most vulnerable in our society have food to eat in this emergency.

PHOTO COURTESY: SONAM WANGCHEN PHOTO COURTESY: ANGAD DHAKAL POST PHOTO: ANISH REGMI A number of communities and individuals, along with people from private and non-profit organisations, have come together to make sure that there is food for everyone in Kathmandu.

SRIZU BAJRACHARYA & ANUP OJHA been working in a makeshift own funds and from donations have to stay hungry,” said tion would last. But days extended around 400 to 500 food packages to LALITPUR kitchen—beyond their kitchen from individuals and institutions Wangchen over the phone to the to weeks, and the most vulnerable distribute around Makhan, setup, cupboards are filled with within the five wards. “On a daily Post. “Anyone can come here and became subjected to another cri- Hyumat, Swoyambhu, Wonde, he air inside files, corners are stacked with basis, we have been spending eat,” he says. sis: starvation. And while the gov- Pashupati, Sitapaila and Khula Lagankhel Samaj has scraps of bus parts and tin shades. about eight to nine thousand a Every morning at nine and at ernment is working on relief dis- Maanch. “The idea is to be able to a strong smell of cook- But it’s not just this community day,” says Shrestha. “We haven’t four in the evening, people come tribution, the contribution of provide food to people until the ing cauliflower and that has come forward to help actually looked for outside to the Naya Basti Club and Lord’s these communities has also been lockdown lasts, but since we are turmeric. Dilip Man people who are most vulnerable to donors, as that is also a lot of has- Light Academy in Boudha to get a crucial in tackling the crisis. In an informal group, we haven’t Shrestha, a member the current pandemic. A number sle. There needs to be transparen- warm meal. “We check the tem- fact, some groups have come asked for funds from anyone,” Tof the committee, is busy mixing of communities and individuals, cy when we are working for the perature of the people before they together just to do their part in says Sthapit. “We have been try- vegetables with masala in a big along with people from private people. And so to be organised, we come inside for food, and if any- supporting this response to fight ing to come up with the money by kadai; around him, rice is sim- and non-profit organisations, only collect money from inside one has a fever we hand them the crisis. ourselves and the people from our mering in giant pots. There’s a have come together to make sure our communities,” adds Shrestha. packaged food for safety reasons,” In the second week of April, at locality. Occasionally when we do bucket full of ground tomato and that there is food for everyone in At Boudha, Geshe Sonam he says. Wangchen has about 30 Om Bahal, Kathmandu, a group receive help from the outside we coriander beside him, and freshly Kathmandu. Wangchen, a monk, is working in people helping him with the of youngsters came together to make sure to inform the person peeled and cut onions before him. Seventeen-year-old Bijay collaboration with a local club preparations, he says. distribute food packages to daily how we have used the money.” Stacks of rice sacks are pushed Tamang, a bus conductor who has called Naya Basti Club and with “It’s a wonderful feeling when wage workers and their families The lockdown has revealed against the walls. been sleeping in his bus ever since authorities of wards 5 and 6, to you can make someone happy. And after the countrywide lockdown many social dynamics and ine- “About 150 people usually come the lockdown began, says he was provide two meals a day to more warm food can always make people extended again to curb the spread qualities, and it has also proved to to eat here these days. We had relieved when Lagankhel Samaj than a thousand people, many of happy,” he says. As people grapple of Covid-19. be more imperilling to the poor, started preparing lunch for peo- started distributing food. “I don’t whom are from the street and are with fear, anxiety and uncertainty, “Initially we had started by with the pandemic deepening ple starting April 5 after realising have much savings and due to the homeless. The meals are support- Wangchen believes that compas- handing out biscuits, noodles and class division. But despite the that the lockdown was harsher to enforced lockdown, there weren’t ed by individual donors, Meta sion and empathy are what will water but we realised that what we exhausting social implication, the some people,” he says. “People any khajaghars open to go and eat. Hope and Challenge for Humanity, help people get through these over- were providing was not fulfilling solidarity of individuals to help were surviving on empty stom- The meals the community has a non-profit organisation, other whelming times. “In these trying and enough,” says Anup Sthapit, each other has been giving hope achs and that tore our heart.” The been providing has at least satiat- institutions, and Wangchen’s net- times, it’s important that we show one of the members of the Mitrata to many people, says Sthapit. “We menu they have come up with is ed our hunger,” he says. work of people. kindness to each other; you don’t Samuha that was formed after the know everyone is living through a gratifying and simple: the staple The Lagankhel Samaj, which “I remember this man who was want to add to people’s suffering,” lockdown. “Then we hired some difficult time,” he says. “And it’s dal, bhat, tarkari, and sometimes consists of five different wards (5, having chiura [beaten rice] and says Wangchen. cooks to prepare veg-fried rice, good to see people come forward chicken, says Shrestha. 6, 12, 15 and 19) in the Lalitpur water because he had nothing to When the lockdown began on which we go around to distribute to help, and this shows that we all To put together the meals every Metropolitan City, has been pro- eat. And that’s why we wanted to March 24, no one knew how long in our bikes,” he says. understand each other and that is day, Shrestha and his friends have viding the free meals from their bring people food, no one should the emergency movement restric- Sthapit and his friends prepare what is important,” he says. Yugal Gurung releases album online and donates proceeds for relief

why not launch the album on a digital album. We also created a page so people How has the response been so far? Until a vaccine is created it’s very unlike- platform. As we started planning the could track how much funds we have col- ly that we will see shows with mass gath- album’s online launch, I was becoming lected each day. Overwhelming! We have already raised erings. This will make it very tough for aware of the impact of the lockdown on We then researched organisations that Rs 329,569. We have received musicians who depend solely on live people here in Nepal. The impact of the were helping people whose lives have been incredible support from people in Nepal shows to make a living. Unlike in the lockdown on daily wage workers and hit hard by the lockdown, and with the and abroad. Listeners and fellow West, musicians here in Nepal make travellers who were stranded with help of Nepal Coronavirus Response Team musicians have also been kind enough to almost next to nothing from digital sales nowhere to go. we got in touch with Hiteri, a crowdfund- share what we are doing. This has and streaming. But I also feel that Nepal’s We—Biwek Shrestha, Nripesh Basnet, ing platform, and Volunteer Corps Nepal helped widen our reach. We’ve also had music industry hasn’t reached a level Salil Kumar Thakuri and I—decided to (VCA), a non-profit humanitarian and support from local businesses 108 wears where musicians can fully rely on music start a campaign to raise as much money development organisation. Currently, we and Fishtail Ultra Flights, both of which alone to support themselves and their from the album sales and donate all the are working with them to distribute essen- have helped us raise funds for the cam- families, so I’m sure many musicians/ money to organisations that are directly tials to a few places in Kathmandu and in paign. artists have other ventures too. Having helping the people affected by the lock- Ward 3, Haripur Municipality, Sarlahi dis- said that, the pandemic has and will go to down. The first thing we did was create a trict of Nepal. We have also donated some How lasting of an impact do you think impact the industry negatively, and even website yugalgurungmusic.com for peo- of our funds to Kat Centre, an animal wel- Covid-19 will have on the country’s music after the lockdown opens, I think it’ll be ple to purchase a digital copy of the fare organisation. industry? one of the last industries to recover.

PHOTO COURTESY: SURAJ GURUNG n April 2018, Yugal Gurung, a UK-based Nepali musician, upload- ed his first single ‘Timi’, a dreamy, laidback track on YouTube. Gurung then launched an EP, ‘Afno Sansar’, later the same year. He recently Ireleased his first full-length album ‘Lukamari’ on April 7, 2020—but not in the conventional manner. With the lock- down in effect, Gurung launched the album online and then decided to donate all its proceeds towards response projects tackling the Covid-19 crisis in Nepal. In an interview with the Post’s Tsering Ngodup Lama, Gurung talks about his love for music, the inspiration behind his album ‘Lukamari’ and his contribution in assisting Covid-19 relief efforts in the country. Excerpts:

Let’s start with the album. What are the inspirations behind ‘Lukamari’?

‘Lukamari’ is my first full-length album. It took me over a year to write this album plus another three and a half months of production. The sound is in some ways different from ‘Afno Sansaar’, my first EP. ‘Lukamari’ is mostly my attempt to stay in touch with my aspirations and dreams I had as a child. Adulting in a tough com- petitive society can surely cause you to drift away from what you purely enjoy, and while I’m learning adulting I don’t want to lose the child in me. That’s what the album is about.

Do you think you have matured as an artist since you launched your first sin- gle, ‘Timi’? And do you think that has affected your music?

I have definitely matured as an artist/ musician since the launch of my first single. I’ve learned to deal with people judging me as an artist and my songs. I’ve also learned to be bold to put out more stuff. Writing a song is personal which comes from a personal space and it’s not always easy putting it out there.

You decided to launch your album online and are donating all the proceeds from the album sale to COVID-19 response teams. What made you decide to do this?

I travelled from the UK to Nepal a few days before the lockdown was announced. Our plan was to play a few album release shows, which were planned months in advance. But then the lock- down got announced and all our shows had to be cancelled, and then I thought

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