NEFTA Award scheduled in America turns controversial; Accusation of Human Trafficking

Kathmandu: It has not been much that people have been arrested for misusing power in the human trafficking crime. A similar case to the fake Bhutanese refugee scandal has come to the horizon. Another incident of human trafficking has been reported in the name of an award ceremony.

‘Film Award Ceremonies’ have been flourishing in Nepal for the past few years. Organizers are organizing such events under various names. But their purpose behind the event seems to be different. The underlying motive of such events has appeared to be Human Trafficking rather than promoting culture and tradition. This has decreased the charm of the award ceremonies. And even celebrities have started paying less attention to such events.

On the one hand, the number of artists attending such functions is decreasing. On the other hand, organizers are taking people to foreign countries as celebrities. A collection of a large sum of money from the people. Then, such people are stranded.

Recently, an organization has been accused of charging 30 lakh rupees from the people to take them to America for the event. This accusation has resulted in sponsor, Aryan Films Production Pvt. Ltd., backing off from the event. The award function has become uncertain after the company stepped back from the event. The company was responsible for the overall management including all the economic ones. Human Trafficking has been sensed in the ‘NEFTA Film Award.’

Nepal Film Technical Association (NEFTA) is the main organizer of the ’11^th season of the NEFTA Film Award.’ The program is scheduled for Shrawan 6 (July 22). Aryan Films Production was the sponsor of the event.

However, Aryan Films Production said that it decided to back off from the event as they discovered the act of collecting money up to 30 lakhs rupees from the people for attending the program. The production house has published a statement stating the addition of unofficial people to the list as the reason behind taking hands out of the organization of the event. This is not the first time that the event of the NEFTA award has become controversial.

An accusation of collecting up to 30 lakh rupees for the event

Gopal Katuwal, the general manager of Aryan Films, said that they released the statement to aware people after finding out about the visa application of about 41 unauthorized people attending the event in America.

Katuwal said to Nepal Views, ‘We received the notice of human trafficking in the name of organizing an award ceremony. We discovered that even 30 lakh rupees were collected from a single person. This seems to damage our brand image. There was the danger, even for us, to face legal action. We backed off sensing the danger.’

The press release of Aryan Films has mentioned 41 unofficial people applying for visas for the event. The company belongs to the Film producer and director Ramesh M.K. Poudel. The company had even asked for a refund of the expenses of about 15 thousand Dollars that was invested while in the inaugural ceremony of the program in the Soaltee Hotel.

According to General Manager Katuwal, even two people visited America for preparation of the program. He said that they would take legal action if they didn’t get the return of the amount, which was invested for taking those people to America.

Organizer claims-Program will happen, Only concerned people will go

Pushkar Lama, Chairperson of the NEFTA, has rebutted the blame for taking unofficial people to the event. He claimed that the program would not stop just because of the stepping back of Aryan.

Lama said to Nepal Views, ‘The program will happen on the scheduled date. We have been trying to contact the manager of Aryan Films, Ramesh MK Poudel. The act of taking unofficial people and collecting money is a rumor. We appeal not to believe such rumors.’

NEFTA is preparing to refute the accusation in a few days. Chairperson Lama said, ‘We will put forward our perception in few days. Do not spread any rumors regarding the accusation.’

But, NEFTA has also included the name of a few illegal media houses as media partners in the poster. NEFTA has been promoting an online portal located in Bagbazaar, Kathmandu as the US-based media.

‘Collecting money for taking to America’

Many people have been asking money for to arrange the departure of people to America. The middlemen, artists as well as some journalists have been finding people for taking them to America.

The film circle is hyped with the rumor of collecting 30 lakhs rupees from each person for the event. Unofficial people, who have no link with the NEFTA, have been found actively collecting money to take people to the USA.

With the stepping back of Aryan Films, NEFTA, US Khabar, Fame Nepal, and R&S Global Foundation are the remaining organizers for the event.

Pressure for Organizers to organize the event, Visa Procedure in Limbo

The backing off of Aryan Films has resulted in NEFTA taking 25 out of 41 people to America for the event.

Few journalists are also suspected to be involved in the process. However, their visa process is still in limbo. Organizers are busy visiting various government agencies and business houses for sponsors.

US Embassy in Nepal has tightened the visa application process, after getting the notice regarding human trafficking in the shade of the Award ceremony. An official of the Embassy said, ‘A lot of applications have been submitted for the award ceremony. The normal procedure is as usual strict but the recent events have increased our alertness.’

NEFTA has been requesting a few popular celebrities to help with the award. But, even artists have been ignoring it as the award has become controversial.

Nepali version of the story was published on Monday.