Nepali Maoists participate in attack on Bihari police

Nepali Maoists reportedly took part in the attack on a police post in Champaran district of Bihar, India, according to the Patna edition of Dainik Hindustan.

The attack was carried out by the Indian Maoist outfit, Maoists Communist Centre (MCC), who have similar ideology to the Nepali Maoists.

The Maoists looted seven self-loading rifles, five rifles, two carbines, one sten gun and a wireless set. None of the 15 policemen stationed at the post were killed in the three hour-long skirmish. nepalnews.com pd July 16 04  

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Maoist leader shot dead

Sujit Mandal, the chief of the 'people's government' at Kapileswor of Dhanusha was killed in security action on Friday morning. 

The security forces had reportedly received an anonymous tip that Mandal was nearby and launched a search operation for him. nepalnews.com pd July 16 04

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Two Maoist leaders killed

The chairman of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Peasants Association (Revolutionary) Bharat Dhungana and alternative central committee member of the All Nepal National Independent Students Union (Revolutionary) Baikuntha Pokharel were killed during a security action in Dhading Thursday.

Reports from Dhading said the rebel leaders were killed this morning at Ward No. 7 of Gumdi VDC.

In the meantime, a statement of issued by the Directorate of Public Relations of the Royal Nepalese Army has claimed that both the Maoists were killed when they tried to run away breaking the security cordon.

Dhungana who was the secretary of the contact office of the CPN-Maoists in Kathmandu during the last round of peace talks last year was the head of the self-styled ‘People’s Government’ combining Dhading, Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts.

Meanwhile, reports said the district committee of the CPN-Maoist issuing a press statement said Dhungana and Pokhrel were killed after being arrested. nepalnews.com mbk July 15 04

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Civil servants to run local bodies

The government has decided to run the local bodies by civil servants as the tenure of the members appointed by the earlier government ended from today (Thursday). 

A meeting of the Council of Ministers today took the decision. With this decision, all the appointed members will have to step down. 

Though the decision is said to be provisional, efforts of the CPN-UML, a key ally in the Deuba government, to reinstate the former elected members has fallen flat. From the very beginning, the UML has been insisting for a blanket reinstatement whereas other allies have opposed it categorically.

Local development officers will be handling the affairs with District Development Committees while the municipalities will function under chief executive officers. Similarly, the secretaries will be running the Village Development Committees. 

The government is preparing to issue an ordinance governing the new provision, it is learnt. nepalnews.com mbk July 15 04

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Nepal’s rights situation grave: UN

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights Thursday said that human rights abuses in Nepal are on rise. 

Issuing the statement today the UN right body mentioned that eight independent experts have, after a study, reiterated that the human rights situation in Nepal is grave. 

Mentioning that the experts had, since the beginning of 2004, transmitted 146 urgent appeals to the government concerning human rights abuses, the statement further said most of the appeals were related to the arrests of individuals by security officials and the subsequent disappearances.

“It is reported that these individuals are subsequently taken to undisclosed locations, which puts the detainees at risk of being tortured or of suffering other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, including rape,” the statement quoting the report of the experts said. 

It is also mentioned in the statement that the government failed to respond to the appeals and did not provide any information on the whereabouts of the people who have gone missing after being arrested.

The rights experts have also expressed serious concern over the significant increase in reports of abuses and attacks against civilians by insurgents, the statement said and added that an Investigative Commission is needed to address the issue of disappearances.

The experts, according to the statement, have stressed that the Royal Nepalese Army should cooperate with the courts.

UN body further also called on the concerned sides to strictly abide by the international humanitarian laws and asked them to find a peaceful solution to the problems. nepalnews.com mbk July 15 04

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Chinese Embassy to convey death penalty concerns

The Kathmandu based Chinese Embassy has said to convey to the Chinese Court the concerns raised by Nepalese people and Nepal based rights organisations regarding the death penalty issued to two Nepalese. 

Two Nepalese, Ishwor Kumar Shrestha of Sindhupalchowk and Rabi Dahal of Morang were recently given death sentences after being charged of drug trafficking by the Intermediate Court of China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. They had appealed against the Intermediate Court’s verdict at a higher court in Tibet. 

In a press release issued on Thursday, the embassy has said that the case is in the process of second trial and “the verdicts made in the first trial have not come into force legally”. 

The embassy has further said that the “concerned Nepalese parties should believe that the Chinese Court will make just verdict.” 
nepalnews.com amt July 15 04

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FNJ condemns arrest of journos

The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Thursday condemned the arrest of four journalists in Rukum demanding their immediate release. 

Issuing a statement, the FNJ said the arrest of the journalists was a blatant misuse of authority. “The FNJ demands action against the security officials that misused their authority to apprehend the journalists,” the statement read.

Correspondent of Kantipur daily Hari Bishnu Oli, Drishti Weekly’s Narayan Shah, Dil Bahadur Shahi of RSS and correspondent of Budhabar Weekly Kamal, who reported financial irregularities at the District Veterinary Service Center, were arrested on Wednesday. nepalnews.com mbk July 15 04

Teacher killed in capital

Tika Bahadur KC, a teacher in Ranidevi Secondary School, was shot dead by the Maoists at Samakhusi, Kathmandu, on Wednesday evening.

According to the police, KC, who was from Tanahun district, was shot five times. The reason behind the murder is unknown. 
nepalnews.com pd July 15 04

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Bhutani refugees qualified to return home: UNHCR

Visco Mimika, chief of the Damak office of the UNHCR, said that the Bhutani refugees presently living in the refugee camps in east Nepal are qualified to return to their homeland.

According to Nepal Samacharpatra, Mimika said this during a brief conversation with media personnel in his office on Wednesday.

However Mimika added that there was no point in having the refugees return to Bhutan unless there is a reliable way of checking that the repatriation process is being implemented by Bhutan. "UNHCR must be allowed to go together with refugees and to set a office in Thimpu which is being denied by the Bhutan."

Unhappy with the Bhutani attitude towards the refugees living in Nepal, Mimika noted that the December 22 incident might have occurred due to an error in the execution of the verification process.
nepalnews.com pd July 15 04

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Tony Blair congratulates Deuba

British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has congratulated Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for forming a new multi-party government.

According to a press release of the British Embassy, Kathmandu, Tony Blair has applauded Deuba's goodwill and determination in bringing a spectrum of political opinion into the government. "This is a promising step towards a resolution of the conflict in Nepal," said the statement quoting the British prime minister.

In the statement, Blair reiterated the UK's and the international community's stand in helping Nepal push ahead with a peace process, commitment to help reduce violence and abuse on both sides of the conflict, maintain human security and alleviate poverty.

British ambassador, Keith Bloomfield, delivered the personal message to Prime Minister Deuba on Wednesday. nepalnews.com dr July 15 04