VC recipients and WWII veterans dying in poverty through lack of access to medicines

Ian Macdonald QC and Rebekah Wilson Barristers from London and authors ofthe report, "The Gurkhas: The Forgotten Veterans' visited Mr Pun with a copyof the report at his sons home in Pokhara. Mr Pun has had to leave his ownhome in the countryside because of the Maoist insurgency- the Maoistscontrol all of the country side now and his only property is worthless. Heis fortunate, his son works illegally in Japan and he has a home in Pokhara. But his son has had to work abroad for fourteen years to help support hisfather who requires a great deal of health care. He would like to see hisson again before he dies.
Mr Pun now 87 and suffering from high blood pressure, poor eyesight andoccasional paralysis in the left hand side of his body, received the VC in1947 but like all of the WWII veterans in the UK he has to pay for hismedical care, a crippling and often prohibitive cost.Mr Pun feels the government should help those like him before it is too latefor them. Veterans of WWII, they should not be left without proper medicalassistance, dependant on charity.
Up until 1995 Mr Pun had been able to travel to the UK for an annual servicewhere he was able to wear his Victoria cross which is kept in the UK. Nolonger able to travel he asked the government to bring his Victoria Cross toNepal. He wishes to be able to wear his own medal one last time before hedies. He has to-date only been told it will be too difficult to allow himto have his own medal.
It is clear that the government must respond to the needs of WWII veteransas a matter of urgency, they are dying from lack of effective and propermedical care. The government are yet to respond to the report, "TheGurkhas: The Forgotten Veterans" which outlines the veterans concerns.

International Advocacy Mission for Press reedom in Nepal

The day started with the meeting between the international participants and discussed the mission strategy and its agenda. This was followed by the meeting between international and national key organizations that are involved in organizing the mission and discussed mission about the impact of the mission on the current media situation in Nepal. Participants of the program shared their experiences and their views on the role of mission to improve the media situation in the nation. They also expressed their appreciation and gratitude for the solidarity that the mission partners showed towards the movement for press freedom in Nepal. They also expressed their dissatisfaction saying that the mission couldn't stop the promulgation of media ordinance. The participants also said that the mission should provide assistance for the capacity building of national media organizations. Participant from online journalism said that the mission also give attention to the online media and its journalists.

Meanwhile, the mission team comprising of Vincent Brossel from Reporters sans Frontieres, Sadaf Arshad from SAFMA, Laxmi Murthy from IFJ Asia Pacific, Vice President of FNJ Shiva Gaule, former member of FNJ central committee Binod Dhungel, Catherin Power from International Press Institute and Sheila Gruner from IFEX visited prisons and talked to four journalists that are currently in detention.

The second session was the meeting with foreign media correspondents where the mission put forth their objectives to them and also said that the mission expects coordination and support for the press freedom in Nepal. The correspondents put their queries in front of the mission.

The mission was formally launched at third session with a welcome address by Bishnu Nisthuri and counter address on behalf of international participants by Jesper Hojberg.

Speaking at the program, President of FNJ, Bishnu Nisthuri, said Nepalese journalists will continue to fight for press freedom in the country despite repressive policies, obstacles and challenges imposed by the government. He further said media personnel in Nepal had dual role to play – as journalists advocating the freedom of _expression and as representatives of the people in the absence of elected parliament.

On behalf of international participants, Jesper Hojberg, said international community was very much concerned at what he called the deteriorating situation of media freedom in Nepal since the royal takeover of last year.

He also emphasized that Nepali media should develop persistent strength to overcome the repressive policy and atrocities of the state. Hojberg said they would continue their advocacy at the international level to garner more support for restoration of media rights and freedom of _expression in Nepal and would return the next year to monitor if things have changed for the better. Hojberg said they would continue their advocacy at the international level to garner more support for restoration of media rights and freedom of _expression in Nepal and would return the next year to monitor if things have changed for the better.

Senior journalist, Kanak Mani Dixit, has expressed his appriciation on the efforts and struggle of Nepalese journalists to resist the government’s atrocities by rejecting all restrictive regulations and laws that the royal regime had been trying to enforce to curb press freedom. He alleged that the state had adopted the policy of attacking the entire independent media rather than targeting individual journalists as in the past.

At the end of the session, a visual documentary on the situation of media freedom in Nepal after the royal coup was demonstrated.

The mission delegates also visited offices of Nepal FM, Radio Sagarmatha F. M., Kantipur FM and Kantipur Publications this evening. Three teams of the mission together with FNJ representatives is to visit Pokhara, Surkhet and Birtamod over the next two days to study the situation of media freedom in the districts since the royal takeover.

In the meantime, due to the tremendous pressure from the national and international media community including international media mission, governemt was compelled to release Jay Prakash Gupta, Editor of Kathmandu based "Weekly Sandhyakalin" yesterday.Gupta was arrested by the police on March 3, 2006 for publishing news of bomb blast near by (300 meters away) the Royal Palace at Pokhara where His Majesty King Gyanendra and Queen Komal are staying for few days.

Nepal

Nepal

The Second Memorandum of Understanding between the Seven Parties Alliance and CPN (Maoists)

Everyone is well aware of the 12-point understanding reached between the seven party alliance and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on November 22, 2005 for loktantra, peace, prosperity, forward thinking, and national independence. The understanding created a nationwide wave which completely defeated the February 8 municipal polls orchestrated by the autocratic regime. This failure leaves no doubt that the understanding has been endorsed by the people. The widespread international support for the 12-point understanding also proves that it is the real foundation for the resolution of the conflict. On this occasion we express our strong commitment for the firm implementation of the understanding from all quarters.

We would like to once again recall that the seven parties are fully convinced that the force of the movement will restore parliament which in turn will form an all powerful interim government and conduct constituent assembly elections on the basis of dialogue and agreement with the Maoists. Such elections will end the conflict, establish loktantra, and restore people's sovereign and state power. The Maoist feel and are committed that an interim government formed by a national conference of democratic forces and the constituent assembly elections conducted by it can lead to the above-mentioned political goal. We [political parties and Maoists] have agreed that we will continue dialogue on this procedural issue and reach a common agreement.

We have agreed that the People's Movement is the only means to achieve our goal. We appeal to all the democratic forces, civil society, professional groups, marginalized and oppressed people, the press and public to actively take part in the ongoing peaceful movement that will establish absolute democracy which will restore people's sovereignty and state power through constituent assembly elections. Likewise we would like to appeal to the international community to provide all support in our attempt to end the 10-year old armed conflict and establish peace and loktantra by ending Nepal's autocratic monarchy.

Together with this understanding, Seven Party Alliance has made a call for a non-cooperation movement and massive mass mobilization programs on April 6, 7, 8, and 9 in Kathmandu. The SPA has also requested CPN (Maoists) to withdraw its ongoing blockade programs and extend its full support to the SPA programs.

In response to the SPA's demand, CPN (M) has issued a statementagreed to withdraw the ongoing blockade programs effective from tomorrow and extended its full support and cooperation to the April 6,7,8 and 9 SPA's Kathmandu centered agitation programs.

The Statement was signed by
Girija Prasad Koirala President - Nepali Congress
Amrit Kumar Bohara Acting G.S. – CPN (UML)
Sher Bahadur Deuba President – Nepali Congress (D)
Lila Mani Pokhrel Vice President – Janamorcha Nepal
Narayan Man Bijuchhe President – NWPP
Rajendra Mahato G. S. – NSP
Nanda Kumar Prasai President – ULF
# Prachanda President of CPN (Maoists) has issued a same statement

signing seperately

Introduction

Dear All,

This blog is stared with an aim of promoting Nepal as it was, as a land of peace. This is very unfortunate that we are the witness of wreckage of Nepal and we are the ultimate victim. This blog is just in offing. We welcome all your suggestion for its development and you all are envited to publish your feelings here. Our dream of making Nepal a peaceful and prosperous country is depicted in the name of this blog.

In Solidarity,

Oasis-Nepal