Saturday, March 10, 2007
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
MPRF strike continues in eastern Nepal; now Chepangs join the fray
Due to the strike vehicular movement on the roads on the highway remains nil while the check post completely shut.
Meanwhile, both inflow and outflow of goods has ground to a halt in Sunsari’s Chodi customs office.
According to Sunsari customs office Koshi barrage, under the customs banda (strike) called by the MPRF, inflow and outflow of daily commodities from customs check posts in places like Bhantabari and Devangunj have been restricted.
Furthermore, even customs officials are not present to inspect goods at the Bantabari and Devangunj check posts.
Meanwhile, local residents and businessmen are facing a tough time due to the closure of the main check post from where goods from Birpur and Sukol in India are brought in.
In addition, due to obstructions put on the roads even light vehicles like motorcycles and rickshaws have not been able to ply the streets.
Likewise, in Jhapa although markets in the main cities like Karkadbhitta, Damak, Bhadrapur and Birtamod remain open, the transport strike has affected life to a certain degree.
Similarly, the banda has also disrupted daily life in Morang, Siraha, Bara, Sarlahi and Saptari districts.
Meanwhile, the Chepang community has announced a transport strike in four different districts in central and western development regions, demanding a Chepang autonomous region.
They have organized sit-ins at various points in the Makwanpur, Dhading, Chitwan and Gorkha stretch of the Mahendra highway.
Furthermore, they have also obstructed roads in places like Makwanpur's Manahari, Lothar, Chitwan's Narayangarh, Mugling and Dhading's Gajuri.
The Chepangs, who have been living in the forest areas for three decades, have finally taken to the streets demanding the establishment of a federal democratic republic and declaration of a separate election area for the region where the Chepang community resides.
This marks the first time the forest-dwelling community have launched protests demanding ethnical rights and identity. (ekantipur.com
MPRF strike continues in eastern Nepal; now Chepangs join the fray
Due to the strike vehicular movement on the roads on the highway remains nil while the check post completely shut.
Meanwhile, both inflow and outflow of goods has ground to a halt in Sunsari’s Chodi customs office.
According to Sunsari customs office Koshi barrage, under the customs banda (strike) called by the MPRF, inflow and outflow of daily commodities from customs check posts in places like Bhantabari and Devangunj have been restricted.
Furthermore, even customs officials are not present to inspect goods at the Bantabari and Devangunj check posts.
Meanwhile, local residents and businessmen are facing a tough time due to the closure of the main check post from where goods from Birpur and Sukol in India are brought in.
In addition, due to obstructions put on the roads even light vehicles like motorcycles and rickshaws have not been able to ply the streets.
Likewise, in Jhapa although markets in the main cities like Karkadbhitta, Damak, Bhadrapur and Birtamod remain open, the transport strike has affected life to a certain degree.
Similarly, the banda has also disrupted daily life in Morang, Siraha, Bara, Sarlahi and Saptari districts.
Meanwhile, the Chepang community has announced a transport strike in four different districts in central and western development regions, demanding a Chepang autonomous region.
They have organized sit-ins at various points in the Makwanpur, Dhading, Chitwan and Gorkha stretch of the Mahendra highway.
Furthermore, they have also obstructed roads in places like Makwanpur's Manahari, Lothar, Chitwan's Narayangarh, Mugling and Dhading's Gajuri.
The Chepangs, who have been living in the forest areas for three decades, have finally taken to the streets demanding the establishment of a federal democratic republic and declaration of a separate election area for the region where the Chepang community resides.
This marks the first time the forest-dwelling community have launched protests demanding ethnical rights and identity. (ekantipur.com
Friday, February 23, 2007
30,852 PLA combatants, 3,428 weapons registered: UNMIN
30,852 PLA combatants, 3,428 weapons registered: UNMIN
A press release issued by the UNMIN today informed that 91 mortars (55 of which were locally-made); 61 machine guns; 2,403 rifles; 61 automatic weapons (sub-machine guns); 114 side-arms; 212 shotguns; 253 various/miscellaneous; and 233 home-made weapons were registered during the first phase of arms and armies registration
"The figure also includes 524 weapons retained for perimeter security by designated guards, in accordance with the Agreement on Monitoring of the Management of Arms and Armies (4.1.2), and 49 of the weapons are so far retained away from the cantonments, pending an understanding with the Government on arrangements for personal security of leaders," the release stated.
Meanwhile, the UNMIN also said that the number of weapons registered falls short of the number purported by the Maoists to have been commandeered from the security forces.
"The Nepal Army had made available to UNMIN a breakdown by types of 3,430 weapons which it states were taken from the Nepal Army, the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force," the UNMIN release said adding that the UNMIN is in the process of registering members of the Maoist army currently engaged in leadership security arrangements or undergoing medical treatment outside the cantonment sites.
Meanwhile, the world body today said that the second phase of the arms registration would begin by mid-March
"Brief details of each combatant have been recorded at the first stage of registration, but have not been verified; each has been photographed and issued with an identity card with a UN bar code. Detailed information will be collected through individual interviews at the second stage of registration. The full modalities of the second stage process are under discussion in the JMCC, and it is expected to begin by mid-March," the release read.(source ekantipur.com)
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Adventure Activities in Nepal
Whether you choose to balloon, bungy jump, canyon, ice-climb, rock climb, climb trekking peaks, fly over mountains or fly an ultralight, you will find an adventure everyday in Nepal.
The Himalayas have long since held a mysterious attraction to travelers and trekkers alike. In recent years, there has been a surge of extreme sports to the small Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. Now, in this part of the world, you can experience some of the most physically and mentally challenging action sports in an exotic destination.
As if trekking, rafting/kayaking, biking and jungle safari are not enough, any adventure mentioned below will entice the ultimate adrenaline junkie.
Sail above the Kathmandu Valley and get your camera ready. These is a grand balloon with 20 person gondola. Your ballooning tour comes complete with a full course breakfast.
If you've always wanted to fly, you have come to the right spot. New to Nepal, this leap of faith will jumpstart an already growing adrenaline sport industry. Balance yourself on the 500ft suspension bridge nestled within the mountains, high above the river. Raw energy begins to flow through the wooden planks, then comes your six seconds of adrenaline.
After your flight, enjoy a relaxing stay in The Last Resort, in the remote areas of Nepal's Bote Kosi river. Activities include rest, relaxation, trekking, meditation in an ancient Parvati temple, and conversations with new friends at the Instant Karma bar.
The latest adrenaline cocktail of choice is canyoning, an activity that involves abseiling, sliding, jumping and climbing down canyon walls alongside waterfalls to deep pools below.
Swim into narrow passages, through powerful blasts of water and past, wild rock formations. This unique combination of skills gives you the freedom to explore some of the most ruggedly beautiful, yet forbidden places in the world.
Out of the world's 10 highest peaks, eight are found in Nepal, thus being the ideal setting for mountaineering, peak and ice-climbing.
The Himalayas, the world's most well known mountain playground in the world, is a place that every ice-climber should visit at least once in a lifetime. Demanding skills, extreme altitudes, jagged peaks, glaciers and icefalls, heightens your senses, giving you an exhilarating and powerful experience.
The growing Himalayas will also tempt those that want to be tethered to them - or do you want to free climb? Whatever your pleasure, these young mountains are sure to offer enough finger-clinging holds to give a lifetime of memories. Most trekking outfitters offer all the gear you'll need for mountaineering. But for more specific climbing needs, consider coming loaded with your own gear.
Nepal is a country well known for its Himalaya mountains. Among the 10 highest peaks in the world, eight, including the highest peak Mt. Everest, crown this country. Nothing on earth can beat the exhilaration of scaling them. No wonder Nepal is the favorite destination for mountaineers and every year more than 500 expeditions trudge up the Himalaya.
seasons
There are four seasons for mountaineering in Nepal: spring (March-May), summer (June-August), autumn (September-November) and winter (December-February). A total of 153 Himalayan peaks are open to mountaineers. Climbing permits are issued by the Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation (MoTCA) for 135 peaks known as mountaineering peaks, and by the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) for 18 smaller peaks, known as trekking peaks, which range from 5,587 to 6,654 m in altitude.