Panel to fly to South Korea for ‘study’

KATHMANDU, JUL 10 -
Four days before the deadline for report submission, a committee formed to recommend ways to resolve the burial ground crisis for the Christian community in the Capital has decided to go on a foreign trip for “necessary study”.

A 16-member committee was formed to recommend possible areas to be designated as burial ground in Kathmandu or its outskirts as an outcome of the community’s 39-day relay hunger strike in March-April 2011.

An agreement was reached between the agitating Christian groups and the government on May 1, 2011. The committee was formed in April this year.

According to informed sources, a 10-member team comprising representatives from the Culture Ministry, Peace Ministry and the Christian community on Tuesday applied for visas at the Korean Embassy.

“This is ridiculous,” said a committee member, who is not going on the trip. “Nothing was done in all these months. And while just four days remain, they seem to be working on it.”

Committee coordinator Binod Pahadi said the trip is aimed at studying some of the best burial practices in Asia.

“We were unable to work on this earlier owing to the political turmoil,” he said. “As per the agreement, the committee should have representatives from seven ministries. The government bodies took over two months in assigning officials for the committee.”

According to Pahadi, the work would progress unhindered now on. “We have not got a penny from the state coffers to work for the committee,” he said, adding that the trip would be sponsored by churches in Kathmandu and Korea.

“We have also decided to seek an extension of our deadline by a month once we are back from Korea.”

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