Biratnagar, February 8 , 2007

As the Terai today showed signs of normalising, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s second address to the nation has evoked mixed reaction in the region. The Madhesi community in the eastern Terai termed yesterday’s address positive, but said genuine demands of the community are yet to be met.

Morang secretary of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF), Jay Ram Yadav, said the PM’s speech addresses 70 per cent demands of the Madhesi community. “The PM’s address is ambiguous, incomplete, anti-Madhesi and against the aspirations of the indigenous community and Dalits,” MJF’s central vice-chairman Kishor Bishwas said. Curfew clamped in Biratnagar from 10 am was lifted at 6 pm, Morang CDO Modraj Dotel said, adding that the situation is limping back to normal. Central secretary of the Terai Madhes Media Mission Bramha Dev Yadav urged Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula to resign. MJF Morang secretary Jay Ram Yadav said peaceful protest rallies were staged today in Biratnagar’s Bakhari, Ikrai, Materwa, Katahari, Rangeli, Dainiya and Buddhanagar areas.

The Sunsari district executive committee of the  MJF, claiming that the PM’s address failed to deal with problems of the Terai, today declared the formation of a Madhes Government in Inaruwa. SN Mehta of the forum said the move was taken after an emergency meeting. The term ‘Nepal Government’ figuring in government offices will be replaced with Madhes Government, Mehta said.

He demanded that a committee be formed to probe last Thursday’s incident in Inaruwa, in which two protesters were killed.  Demanding proportionate electorate system and establishment of a Greater Madhes, MJF cadres organised protest rallies in Siraha and Lahan today.

Schools urged to shun corporal punishment

Kathmandu, February 8, 2007

School education experts have called schools not to subject children to corporal punishment. Speaking at an interaction today on violence against children in school education, Karna Bahadur Shahi, general secretary of the National Private and Boarding Schools Association, Nepal (N-PABSON), called for an end to such punishment.

Stressing the need to maintain discipline with dignity, he said, “No child should be subjected to corporal or psychological punishment in the name of maintaining discipline.” “The percentage of violence is high in private schools in comparison to government schools.” “There is a high chance that children may resort to revenge if they are harassed in public,” said Ram Swarup Sinha, executive director of the Educational Human Resource Development Centre (EHRDC). “There should be democracy for students in schools. Private schools, in the name of imparting quality education, coerce students.”