June 09, 2006

In a significant decision, the House of Representatives has declared Nepal free from all kinds of caste-based and ethnicity-based discrimination and untouchability. A proposal to this effect was introduced by MP Parshu Ram Meghi Gurung and later endorsed unanimously by the parliament. The proposal aims to end all discriminatory practices and traditions and include the disadvantaged lot in the national mainstream. It calls for special education, health and employment opportunities to dalits and those under the absolute poverty line. It also calls for involving Dalits in the process of constituent assembly. Leading dailies report.

Local Bodies Not Restored

In view of sharp warning by the Maoists, the government decided not to restore the local bodies. The cabinet meeting on Sunday decided to hand over the local bodies like VDCs, DDCs and municipalities to the government officials for the time being. Likewise, the cabinet decided to appoint Mukund Sharma Poudel as Acting Chief Secretary. It also decided to reverse the transfers effected by Regional Administrators and zonal commissioners after February 1, 2005 . It declared 21 persons who died during People’s Movement as Martyrs. Leading dailies report.

Oli Briefs The Parliament About India Visit

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister K.P. Sharma Oli briefed the House of Representatives, on Sunday, about the impending India visit by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. “This is a goodwill visit and the PM will not make any controversial deal or decisions which are against national interests,” he said. Meanwhile, MPs have urged the government to make use of the visit to win Indian support in inviting the UN for monitoring the current truce and for decommissioning of weapons of Maoists for holding elections to Constituent Assembly. “We want to hear that India has supported the proclamation of the House,” said Bharat Mohan Adhikary of UML. Leading dailies report.

Oli Tells Maoists To Stop Issuing Threats

Deputy Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli said the Maoists would do well to wait to “talk up their problem” rather than stepping up pressure on the government. Addressing a function in the capital, he said that the rebel leadership should not issue threats to “go back to the jungle when the government is ready to talk. There is absolutely no need to raise doubt over the motive of the state,” he said, adding, “Don’t use language of issuing warnings,” he told rebel leaders by way of reacting to almost daily reports of the Maoist leaders telling the government something or the other as part of “intimidating tactics.” He also urged them to be patient when chasing an important agenda. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

Maoist No To Disarming

Janardan Sharma aka Prabhakar, the deputy commander of the Maoist ‘People’s Liberation Army’ has said that they would not surrender their arms before the result of the constituent assembly and unification with Nepalese Army. Speaking at a program in the capital on Saturday (June 3), Prabhakar said that they had not come here to surrender their arms. “We need the order from the people to disarm,” he said. He, however, added that the Maoist army was ready and willing to be put under supervision of credible international agency. Meanwhile, talking to Kantipur Television Prabhakar added that the Maoist army is willing to be put under 24-hour supervision where national and international community can monitor their activities. He said that the Maoist army can remain within certain area and be put under such supervision. Leading dailies report.

Hundreds Of Vehicles Captured By Maoists, Passengers Stranded

In order to gather public for the mass meeting they are organizing in the capital on June 2, the Maoists have taken over hundreds of vehicles in different districts. After they took control of vehicles plying in short and long routes, passengers in Chitwan have been stranded, particularly those planning to make long distance travel. The Maoists are planning to send over 15,000 people from Chitwan alone. Likewise, they have taken over vehicles plying in highway around Nawalparasi. Tankamani, Maoist in-charge of Nawalparasi, said that the vehicles were taken over for the services of the people. Reports from Pokhara add that hundreds of buses have been taken over by the Maoists. In many places they have issued diktat asking at least one person per household to attend the mass meeting in Kathmandu . Saying that they would bear all the travel expenses and provide food, the Maoists have asked local residents to attend the mass meeting. Transport entrepreneurs have said that the Maoists are using 65 buses belonging to Prithvi highway bus entrepreneurs’ committee and 35 buses belonging to Pokhara bus entrepreneurs’ committee. In Gorkha, they have stopped all the vehicles plying in regular routes and diverted them to transport their cadres to Kathmandu . Similarly, they have taken over the control of vehicles in Baglung, Parbat, Myagdi, Syangja and Tanahun. Kantipur daily reports.

Three Killed As Police Foil Another Bank Robbery Attempt

Three persons were killed when police and robbers exchanged fire in Jorpati on Wednesday (May 31). Around 15 robbers had just looted Rs 2.5 million from Jorpati branch of Nabil Bank Limited and were about to flee when the police arrived at the scene. In an ensuing exchange of fire, two security guards of the bank and a driver of a microbus in which the robbers had come were killed. With the help of local people, police also nabbed two robbers. Police recovered the entire looted money and some weapons used by the robbers. Reports say that the robbers consisted of former Maoist platoon commander of Sindhuli Ajay Rai and an escapee of the Armed Police Force (APF) Devraj Bhattarai, among others. In recent weeks, Kathmandu has witnessed a surge in criminal activities like murder and robberies. Leading dailies report.

Extortion Drive In Capital

Despite the ceasefire code of conduct, Maoist extortion drive continues unabated in the capital. Reports say that the Maoists have demanded ‘donation’ ranging from Rs 2 to 7 million from banks and financial institutions. Such letters demanding donation are issued by ‘Special Central Command’ and signed by the command coordinator Ananta. An official at a private bank revealed that different private banks have been demanded different amount of donation. He added that no one has given the donation as yet. Recently, private bank operators had appealed to the Maoists to refrain from pressurizing to pay donation to them. Furthermore, the Maoists are also raising ‘donations’ from entrepreneurs in the capital. A pharmacist complained that he was asked to provide Rs 25,000 as donation. Meanwhile, Maoist cadres have abducted three teachers and 40 students from Rudrasheshwore high school in Bhartauli VDC of Ramechhap district. They have been abducted to force them to attend the Maoist mass meeting in Kathmandu on June 2. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.

Appa To Climb Again

Talking to reporters, Appa Sherpa, the legendary climber who broke his own record by scaling the Everest for the 16 th time this year, said that he is not averse to attempt to climb the mountain again. “This is my bread and butter,” said Sherpa who hails from Thame village of Solukhumbu district. He, however, did not reveal how many more times he might attempt to climb the Everest. This season he climbed the Everest along with an American expedition team. Leading dailies report.

SC Orders Release Of Ex Ministers

The full bench of the Supreme Court (SC) ordered the government to release three ex-ministers of royal government. Ex ministers Ramesh Nath Pandey, Nikshya SJB Rana and Shrish SJB Rana were arrested by the government and were charged of active involvement in repressing the people’s movement and in hatching conspiracies against democracy and posing threat to security. The five-member full bench headed by Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Poudel announced, “Since the detention was against Article 15(1) of the Constitution of 1990 and Clause 3 (1) of the Public Security Act 1989, they should be freed.” Leading dailies report.

Cold Deserts Expanding In Nepal

The world is observing the World Environment Day on Monday (June 5). The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has appealed to observe this year as the year against desertification. In recent years, desertification has become a big problem due to environmental degradation around the world. The UNEP has revealed that 6 to 12 billion square km of land – equal to the size of Brazil , China and Canada put together – in developing countries is fast turning into desert. While Nepal does not have hot deserts like elsewhere, it does have the problem of expanding cold deserts. According to environment officer Batu Krishna Upreti at the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, around 10,000 hectares of land in Dolpa and Mustang have turned into cold deserts. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.

Domestic Clothe For Army And Police

With the objective of encouraging domestic production, the government is planning to use domestically produced cloth for making uniforms of army and police. Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat informed that this initiative would be introduced in the forthcoming budget. In fact, the government already has a policy of buying domestic products even if they are expensive by up to 10 percent. “But this policy has not been implemented effectively,” he said, adding, “If only the army and police use domestic products, the local textile industries could flourish.” At present, due to drop in exports, the textile and garment industries have collapsed. Speaking at a pre-budget discussion organized by the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), he said that the government is planning to provide skill training to workers who want to go overseas for work. According to him, this year till mid-April Rs 75 billion have already entered the country as remittance. “This amount can be easily doubled if we provide skill training to our workers,” he said. Dr. Mahat said the government would study reports about willful defaulters of bank loans and reach proper conclusions. He added that in order for the country to attain 5 to 7 percent growth, it would need the investment of up to 30 percent of total national income, which according to him is “challenging but not impossible task.” Leading dailies report.

Nepal To Request For Huge Economic Assistance From India

During Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s visit to India , Nepal is preparing to request for a huge economic assistance covering financial aid and support in infrastructure development. The Ministry of Finance is preparing a package asking for assistance totaling Rs 75 billion including assistance in road and hydropower projects, among others. The package requests India to provide Rs 15 billion assistance per year for five years. It includes Indian assistance in either of the three hydro projects – 300 MW Upper Karnali, 400 MW Arun III or 600 MW Budhigandaki. In the past India has shown interest in developing Upper Karnali project, which costs US$ 445 million to construct. Likewise, the package also urges for waiver of outstanding dues that Nepal needs to pay for the purchase of Indian arms. Around Rs 1.6 billion remains in arrears in this sector. Furthermore, the package would also seek Indian help in covering huge financial arrears of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC). The NOC has not been able to pay its dues to Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) that runs into a few billion rupees. Likewise, assistance of Rs 4 billion would be requested for construction and repair of road and bridges. Aid for upgrading domestic airports and budgetary support to overcome financial problems would also be sought in the package. These apart, Indian cooperation in the development of Sikta irrigation project would also be sought. Kantipur daily reports.