RPP Heading Towards Split
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) moved one step further towards split after top leaders of the party began slinging mud at each other. A day after he sacked vice president Padma Sundar Lawati, RPP president Pashupati SJB Rana, on January 1, said that the RPP leaders who joined the government as ministers are actively seeking to split the party. “There is no use of special general convention,” Rana said hitting at Lawati who has already called special convention. “After he could not digest the democratic path taken by the party, (Lawati) saw the party as being direction-less,” Rana accused. On the other hand, Lawati has vowed to bring new party leadership after the special convention on January 16 and 17. Lawati claimed that Rana ousted him from his position ‘without so much as giving a chance for explanation.’ Within RPP, president Rana leads a faction that is calling for correction of February 1 step whereas the faction led by Lawati have welcomed the royal move. The party has already allowed its district-level units to discuss and decide whether they want to take part in the forthcoming polls or not. Kantipur daily reports.
Load Shedding Begins
Power-starved Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is imposing daily load-shedding of three and a half hours beginning Monday (January 2). Every consumer would now face load-shedding in evening or morning at least once a week. The NEA has said that the load-shedding would continue till the onset of monsoon. The dried up rivers and the falling level of water in the Kulekhani reservoir has led to this situation, the NEA aid. Most of the hydro projects in Nepal are run-of-the-river type and the snow-fed rivers generally dry up during winter season leading to cut down of capacities. According to NEA, it faces shortfall of 70 MW to 170 MW during winter. The demand of power stands at 600 MW whereas the supply is only 470 MW. Although the total installed capacity is 609 MW, the actual generation is lesser during the dry season. In Kathmandu valley, the load-shedding will be imposed on two phases – one between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm and another between 7:30 pm and 9:00 pm. Kantipur daily reports.
UN Urges Govt To Reciprocate Truce, EU Supports UN Call
Two days before the unilateral ceasefire of the Maoists was set to expire, the United Nations (UN) General Secretary Kofi Annan urged Nepal government to ‘reciprocate’ the ceasefire. “The secretary general is seriously concerned that fighting could escalate in Nepal after the four-month-old unilateral ceasefire declared by the Maoists expires on January 2, 2006 ,” a spokesman for Annan said in a statement on December 30. “In the interest of peace and the welfare of civilians throughout the country, the secretary general, therefore, reiterates his strong appeal to the government of Nepal to reciprocate the ceasefire and to the Maoists to extend its unilateral ceasefire,” the statement urged. “The UN stands ready to assist in the realization of this objective should the parties so desire,” it added. Likewise, the European Union (EU), on Saturday, reiterated its call to King Gyanendra and the government to announce a ceasefire to build the necessary confidence required for a political solution to the conflict. The EU also urged the Maoists to extend their truce permanently and unconditionally. “Presidency of the EU notes and supports the UN Secretary General’s call on the government of Nepal and the Maoists to agree to a mutual ceasefire,” an EU statement said. “Extending the present unilateral ceasefire will be an important step towards permanently renouncing violence and participating in a peace process in which the Maoists put their arms verifiably beyond use and rejoin the democratic mainstream,” it said, adding, “The Presidency supports the Secretary General’s offer of assistance.” Saying that the EU has ‘consistently’ urged the King to reach out to the political parties to develop a common agenda for a full return to multiparty democracy, the EU also called on the Maoists to announce an unconditional ceasefire. Compiled from reports.
Koirala Urges Maoists To Give Another Chance To The King
Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala has urged the Maoists to extend their ceasefire and give another chance to the King. “I ask the Maoists – extend ceasefire and give another chance to the King. It is up to them (King’s government) to accept it or not,” Koirala said, addressing a program in Lalitpur organized to mark the National Reconciliation Day. Koirala accused that the King and the army kept on provoking the Maoists to break the ceasefire. He said that the door for national reconciliation could open if the King revived the constitution. Every year on December 31, NC marks National Reconciliation Day in memory of the return of its illustrious late leader B.P. Koirala from exile in India . Koirala also urged the Maoists to allow displaced persons to return home and hand over looted properties, as per the 12-point understanding. Likewise, Koirala said that he was not quite assured about the ‘ultimate objective’ of both the Maoists and the institution of monarchy “when it comes to embarking on a peaceful future,” reports The Himalayan Times daily. He, however, claimed the “feudal force was on its way out.” He said the “main concern” was that both the political forces were armed and that “those with arms cannot be taken simplistically.” “If I were to tell a truth, I am not assured about the motive of both the Maoists and the King. The rest of us are caught in the crossfire. What is also true is that the King, too, may not benefit if he does not make amends,” Koirala said in front of thousands of party workers. Reinforcing the need to strike reconciliation between the institution of monarchy and the political forces, Koirala said the efforts initiated at bringing the Maoists to the mainstream were undertaken with a view to bring the rebels in the ambit of reconciliatory politics. Leading dailies report.
Pact With Maoists Endanger Congress Existence: Shailaja
Senior leader of Nepali Congress (NC) Shailaja Acharya has said that the NC has endangered its survival by entering into parties-Maoists pact. Speaking at an interaction at Reporters’ Club, Acharya said NC was shouldering the agenda of the Maoists. She claimed that the nation itself could be endangered if the NC abandoned its middle-path and identity. She added that the King’s steps had pushed the country in such crisis. She urged the King to revive the parliament. Acharya also disagreed with the demands for constituent assembly. Leading dailies report.
Two Projects Registered For Carbon Credit
Nepal has made a claim in the world carbon credit market. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Executive Board of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) has recently registered two of Nepal’s projects on biogas support program, which will give the nation a total of Rs 36.5 million annually. After undergoing a lengthy procedure of application and tough competitions, Nepal ’s projects- “Project 0136: Biogas Support Program Nepal (BSP-Nepal) Activity I” and “Project 0139: Biogas Support Program Nepal (BSP-Nepal) Activity II” are now registered list of projects as small-scale CDM project activities, as per a decision made on December 27. Authorized participants at Activity I are the Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC), Maiya Gautam and Suk Man Tamang, whereas those of Activity 2 are AEPC, Min Prasad Gautam and Madhu Prasad Simkhada. “It is a historic success and a milestone in Nepal ’s status n the world carbon credit market,” said Jivan Acharya, a research officer at Winrock International, which provided technical assistance by preparing all the necessary documents. It is estimated that the projects will reduce around 94,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year. “It is almost sure that the countries are ready to send us money. The Community Developed Carbon Fund of the World Bank has shown interest in purchasing carbon credit from these projects,” he said. “The government will get the money. It should be used to support biogas plans.” The Himalayan Times daily reports.
Seven Parties Appeal People To Boycott Polls
The seven agitating political parties have issued a joint appeal urging all Nepalese citizens to peacefully boycott the forthcoming municipal polls on February 8. The parties have termed the elections as a ploy to eyewash domestic and international community in order to strengthen the autocratic regime. The joint appeal is signed by top leaders of the seven parties including Girija Prasad Koirala, president of Nepali Congress (NC) and Madhav Kumar Nepal , general secretary of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML). The parties have vowed to conduct door-to-door campaign to convince people to boycott the polls saying it would only reinforce authoritarian regime and not resolve any of the problems facing the nation. The parties have also warned that any of its leaders or workers found taking part in the poll process – as candidates or backers or campaigners – would be expelled from the party for five years. The parties have blasted the government for failing to make any effort towards peace. Leading dailies report.
Govt. Can Consider Postponing Civic Polls, Says Giri
Dr. Tulsi Giri, vice chairman of the Council of Ministers, said if the political parties come with a positive attitude, postponing of municipal polls could be considered. He added that first and foremost, the parties should make their stance clear and only then the government may agree to postpone the municipal polls. Speaking at the mass meeting organized in Birtamod of Jhapa on Wednesday (December 28) the political parties must be clear in their motive whether they want dialogue to postpone the municipal polls or postponement of municipal polls for dialogue. “I won’t say much about this right now,” Dr. Giri said, adding, “However, the government can sentence the political leaders to jail if they try to disrupt the municipal polls. We can term them fanatics and send them to jail if they start talking too much.” Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala had some days ago said there was a possibility of talks with the King if municipal polls were postponed. Dr. Giri said if the nation is led by the King, Nepal ’s fate won’t be ‘as that of Sikkim ’ and the nation won’t have to ‘accept dependency.’ “Everyone must know why the King made the move of February 1. The King himself is a supporter of multiparty democracy and has urged everyone, time and again, to restore peace in the nation and strengthen democracy. In this situation, some political parties are wrongly saying there is autocratic regime in the nation,” Dr. Giri said. He blamed the political parties’ leaders for making inconsistent remarks. Meanwhile, police arrested 12 students from Birtamod for waving black flag at Dr. Giri. The Himalayan Times daily reports.
No Program Of Killing Or Abduction: Maoists
Maoists have clarified that they do not have any program to kill or abduct candidates and poll officials during the forthcoming municipal polls. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Maoists have clarified that their announcement of action to disrupt the municipal election “should not imply that the cadres have been instructed to abduct or kill the contestants.” A few days ago, Ian Martin, chief of OHCHR in Nepal had issued an appeal asking the Maoists to clarify what they meant by “people’s action” and “special action” against candidates and poll officials. Leading dailies report.
RNA In Thawang
The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has started its operation in Rolpa district. According to Public Relations Directorate, RNA has seized weapons from the Maoist fortress of Thawang on Sunday. The army has said the operation is a regular one. “Regular operation is going on at local level,” said deputy director of the directorate Umesh Bhattarai. “The operation continues.” Meanwhile, a Maoist company commander Bibas Thapa has been killed in Dang. Kantipur daily reports.
