September 14, 2004: Headlines: COS - Nepal: New Kerala: The US Embassy in Nepal has decided to pull out the families of staff based here and suspend activities of its Peace Corps following last week's twin blasts at its information centre in Kathmandu

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Nepal: Peace Corps Nepal : The Peace Corps in Nepal: September 14, 2004: Headlines: COS - Nepal: New Kerala: The US Embassy in Nepal has decided to pull out the families of staff based here and suspend activities of its Peace Corps following last week's twin blasts at its information centre in Kathmandu

By Admin1 (admin) (151.196.185.151) on Saturday, October 02, 2004 - 3:27 pm: Edit Post

The US Embassy in Nepal has decided to pull out the families of staff based here and suspend activities of its Peace Corps following last week's twin blasts at its information centre in Kathmandu

The US Embassy in Nepal has decided to pull out the families of staff based here and suspend activities of its Peace Corps following last week's twin blasts at its information centre in Kathmandu

The US Embassy in Nepal has decided to pull out the families of staff based here and suspend activities of its Peace Corps following last week's twin blasts at its information centre in Kathmandu

US recommends staff pullout from Nepal:

[World News] Kathmandu, Sep 14 : The US Embassy in Nepal has decided to pull out the families of staff based here and suspend activities of its Peace Corps following last week's twin blasts at its information centre in Kathmandu.

The American ambassador to Nepal, James Francis Moriarty, has asked Washington for permission to allow families of American employees in Nepal to return home.

He is reported to have informed Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba about the decision by phone Monday.

Moriarty has recommended temporary suspension of programmes conducted in Nepal by Peace Corps, a government agency working with volunteers for community development across the globe, in areas like education, health care, farming, forestry and sanitation.

Though the Nepalese government reportedly assured the envoy of security, the pullout recommendation has been forwarded to Washington.

The decision was taken after two bombs went off at the American Centre in Kathmandu Friday evening, on the eve of the anniversary of the Sep 11 terror attacks in the US in 2001.

The blasts are suspected to be the handiwork of Maoist insurgents who have been increasingly critical of the US, accusing it of trying to crush their movement for a communist republic by training and arming Nepal's army.

However, a statement by the US Embassy said: "Attacks on US diplomatic facilities would only serve to increase American support for efforts of the government of Nepal".

While the pullout recommendation was made due to security concerns, Washington said it would not let up on its anti-terror activities and has pledged an additional $1 million as security assistance for Nepal.

The statement said it would work with the Congress to make the fund immediately available. Also, in the next financial year, the US would seek additional assistance funding for Nepal.

US embassy staff family members in Kathmandu are said to number about 40 while there are nearly 130 Peace Corps volunteers.

The first volunteers came in Nepal in 1962, just a year after the organisation was established.

The US became the target of increasing aggression by the Maoists since Washington put them on its list of terrorists for killing two Nepalese security guards employed at the embassy in Kathmandu.

The two countries have signed a pact under which the US will assist Nepal to fight terrorism and deter future terrorist acts.

In April last year, a team of American military advisors visited insurgency-affected districts and recommended that the strength of the Nepalese army be raised to 2,00,000 from the then 50,000.

The Maoists retaliated by "banning" all American NGOs in areas where they have a stronghold and recently, said they would close down all companies with American investment in Nepal.

--Indo-Asian News Service





When this story was posted in October 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:


Director Gaddi Vasquez:  The PCOL Interview Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview
PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before.

Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security.
Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention
Governor Schwarzenegger praised the Peace Corps at the Republican National Convention: "We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to teach village children." Schwarzenegger has previously acknowledged his debt to his father-in-law, Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver, for teaching him "the joy of public service" and Arnold is encouraging volunteerism by creating California Service Corps and tapping his wife, Maria Shriver, to lead it. Leave your comments and who can come up with the best Current Events Funny?
 Peace Corps: One of the Best Faces of America Peace Corps: One of the Best Faces of America
Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and can you come up with a Political Funny?


Read the stories and leave your comments.








Story Source: New Kerala

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Nepal

PCOL13951
78

.


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: