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Minister Lohani for talks with Maoists Finance Minister Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani Tuesday urged the Maoists to come to the negotiating table. Insisting that the government did not favor forceful means to solve the problems, Lohani asked the Maoists to respond to the urges of the general people for peace. “If the Maoists want a negotiated settlement, they should declare a ceasefire as early as possible,” he said, albeit not clarifying whether the government was ready for an early truce. The Minister said this while addressing a function in Nuwakot this morning. Yesterday, government spokesperson and Home Minister Kamal Thapa had ruled out the possibility of talks saying the Maoists have duped the previous government in the name of peace talks. nepalnews.com mbk March 29 04 Related
News
Property worth a billion destroyed in Phungling fire Over 75 families have become homeless and property worth a billion have been completely destroyed by the devastating fire outbreak in Phungling Bazaar Sunday evening, various dailies said Tuesday. According to Nepal Samacharpatra, nine people have been injured by the fire. Rajdhani daily reported two people missing whose identity was not immediately known . According to the reports, people have begun collecting relief funds and materials for the fire-victims. The government has allocated Rs. 3,00,000 as immediate relief fund to the victims. In the same vein, government personnel working in neighbouring Dhankuta, Panchtar and Ilam districts have also decided to provide their one days salary to the fire victims. It took seven hours for security forces and local people to extinguish the fire, it is reported. nepalnews.com pd Mar 30 04 Related
News Endangered animal skins, bones found unclaimed The Security forces Monday found a cache of skins and bones of endangered animals from an unclaimed vehicle in Daklang of Chautara district, a daily said Tuesday. Kantipur
daily quoting Police Office at Barhabishe said the animal skins and bones
were supposed to be smuggled to Khasa Bazaar of The security personnel have recovered 172 pieces of rhino skins, seven tiger skins and six skins of different unidentified animals of the cat family, the daily said. Moreover, according to the daily, 165 pieces of tiger bone were also recovered. The
recovered bones and skins are being kept in the Army camp in Barhabishe
while security forces are reported to have been deployed for the
investigation of the smuggling. The owner of the goods has not been
identified yet, the daily added. nepalnews.com pd Mar 30 04 Maoists abduct 40 students, kill two civilians Maoist rebels on Saturday abducted 40 students from different VDCs of Baglung district, published reports Tuesday said. According to Spacetime daily, the Maoists abducted them from Amalachauri, Jaidi, Chhisti and Binamare VDCs. These VDCs are located in the southern part of the district. The daily quoting locals said the rebels abducted the students to recruit them in their military. Similarly, according to the locals, the ultras forcibly recruited 56 students following a similar abduction in Baglung district two weeks ago. In another incident, the Maoists have killed two among six civilians kidnapped in Talihum VDC of Jumla district, Kantipur daily said. The dead have been identified as Chandra Bahadur Shahi and Amrit Shahi. According to the daily, Mana Prasad Upadheya, who was also one among the six abducted, killed himself by jumping into the Tila river. nepalnews.com pd Mar 30 04 Related
News Koirala to open dialogue with Maoists Following the party’s decision to initiate dialogue with all parties concerned to resolve the current conflict in the country, NC President Girija Prasad Koirala Monday said he will ‘soon initiate dialogue with the Maoists to rescue the country from the current crisis’. He expressed this while talking with media personnel at his daughter's residence in Mandikhatar on Monday. Koirala flaying the King and the royalist government for being rigid on holding talks with the Maoists said, “My initiative to begin dialogue is a result of continued reluctance of the government towards rescuing the country from the 8 yearlong conflict, anarchy and violence.” Koirala, however, denied discussing the modalities of how he will begin talks with the Maoists. Koirala criticized royal address and commented it as a baseless address, “The country cannot go for elections at the current situation.” NC President, as earlier, welcomed the UN General Secretary Annan’s call to the Maoists and the government ‘to resume political process in resolving the conflict’. He flayed the government for being reluctant towards Annan’s call. Talking to Nepalnews, Arjun Narsingh KC, NC Spokesperson said, “Our party has authorized President Koirala to hold talks with different political forces including Maoists to resolve the current political deadlock in the country at the earliest.” “We have asked our President to initiate talks with Maoists, however, no modalities regarding how to conduct the dialogue has been discussed,” he said adding, “That depends on him as we have given him full responsibility to begin dialogues”. KC also said that the NC has come to a conclusion that the problem only can be addressed through ‘political means’. Related
News Blast at Defense Account Controller’s Office Suspected Maoists exploded two bombs at the office of Defense Account Controller’s Office at Sundhara Monday evening. The blasts occurred simultaneously within a gap of five minutes at around 7.15 pm at the back of the office. Nobody was injured. The blast smashed a few window screens and caused minor damage to the office building. Police said the army has arrested a few suspects and the area has been cordoned off. nepalnews.com mbk March 29 04 Related
News Govt. vouches for timely elections Government spokesperson and Home Minister Kamal Thapa Monday said the government is avowed to holding general elections within 2061. Addressing a gathering of party workers in Hetauda this afternoon, Minister Thapa claimed the government is fully on its toes to hold general elections on time in line with the guidance of King Gyanendra. “The government is prepared to conduct the elections on the timeframe give by His Majesty,” the minister said, claiming that preparations have already started. On dialogue with the Maoists, Thapa said the government was not against a negotiated settlement provided the Maoists shun violence. “It is solely for them to make an environment conducive for peace talks,” he said concluding, “Maoists used peace talks to regroup and re-strengthen their military force. We cannot afford to repeat that mistake anymore.” nepalnews.com mbk March 29 04 Related
News 72 houses gutted in fire in Siraha 72 houses were destroyed in an outbreak of fire in two places in Siraha district on Monday. According to reports, a deadly inferno that broke out in Betaha village of Sotiyain VDC this afternoon completely destroyed 69 houses. Hundreds of villagers have been rendered homeless but reports are yet to come regarding the extent of loss of property. Likewise, three houses were destroyed in a fire at Chatari village Sunday midnight. Loss of property is estimated at half a million. nepalnews.com mbk March 29 04 Related
News Rijal announces indefinite hunger strike from Tuesday In attempt to pressurize the governments of Nepal and Bhutan as well as the international community for early repatriation of refugees, Bhutanese human rights leader Tek Nath Rijal has announced an indefinite hunger strike beginning Tuesday. He declared the hunger strike through a press statement today. In his statement, Rijal has said all three sides should be serious on the problems refugees have been facing. Rijal has long been urging the Nepal government to take serious steps to send back the verified refugees and ask for involvement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the repatriation process. According him, the Bhutanese side must unconditionally take back the refugees and let them settle in their own places back in Bhutan along with guarantee of their human rights. Similarly, the international community has been requested not to back out of assistance being provided to the refugees. He
will stay at Ratnapark during the strike period. Related
News Nepal lost to Sri-Lanka by one goal Monday morning in its second match of the football tournament of the 2004 SAF Games being held in Pakistan, reports from Rawalpindi said. The match was played at the Army stadium in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Though Nepal played well, they could not hold Sri Lanka with Latif Mohammad scoring the winning goal in the 56th minute. Earlier on Sunday, Nepal was held to a goalless draw against Bhutan, a game which Nepal should have won with ease. nepalnews.com pd Mar 29 04 |
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