Biratnagar, May 7, 2008

At a time when their peers go to kindergarten nursery schools, Sushma Rishidev (4) and Sushil Rishidev (2), who are infected with AIDS since birth, have to go to the hospital every day to take anti-retro viral medicines just to stay alive.

Both are too young to understand the impact of the dreaded disease. They are also innocent of why they have to go to the hospital and take medicines but the anxiety of ensuring that they stay alive, grow up and go to school someday is worrying their 28-year-old mother Rekha Devi.

For Rekha, it is partial relief that the government started the ARV treatment service and she takes these little children to Kosi zonal hospital for their daily dose. She said the children’s monthly quota of medicine costs between Rs 2,500 and 4,000. Sushma and Sushil each have to take the medicines twice a day. Looking at others’ children, Rekha worries about her children’s future and laments, “What sin had they committed that they have been cursed like this?”

When Rekha got married to Ramdev Rishidev six years ago, little did she know that her husband had already contracted AIDS while working in India. She knew that her kids were also infected with the disease only when she brought them to Koshi zonal hospital where they tested HIV-positive after they started falling sick frequently. When she grilled her husband, he admitted that he was afflicted with AIDS.

No roadblock to govt formation: CJ

Kathmandu, May 7, 2008

Chief Justice Kedar Prasad Giri today ruled out any constitutional hindrance to government formation. He, however, called the parties to form the government after forging a consensus. “I do not see any political impasse,” Giri said.

“The consensus will work,” he said, adding, “The option of forming a government with the support of two thirds of the Constituent Assembly should be searched only if consensus cannot be reached.”

The CJ was talking to mediapersons after felicitating newly-elected office bearers of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) at a programme organised by the Reporters’ Club of Nepal.

The CJ said that the new constitution should make the judiciary independent and competent. “An independent and competent judiciary is a must to protect rights of the people,” he said. “I hope that members of the Constituent Assembly will promulgate the constitution respecting these principles of the judiciary.” Giri urged the press to respect the boundaries set by the law. “The judiciary expects support from the fourth estate to protect rights of the people,” he added.

“I found that the new leadership has a vision to establish harmonious relation with the judiciary. Such a thinking is a must,” he added.