May 26, 2006

Leader of Maoist talks team Krishna Bahadur Mahara has arrived in Kathmandu . He arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday (May 21) from Nepalgunj via Buddha air flight. Mahara, however, did not contact with media and is reported to come out in public a few days later. Other members of his team Dinanath Sharma and Dev Gurung would also soon arrive in the capital, say reports. Meanwhile, when Mahara tried to board a flight from Nepalgunj along with his two armed bodyguards, the administration did not allow him and the Home Minister urged him to come along without armed bodyguards. Later on, the bodyguards were allowed to board but without arms. Kantipur daily reports.

PM Meets With The King

In what is seen as the first meeting between them after the May 18 parliamentary charter declaration, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala visited the royal palace on Sunday evening (May 21) and met with the King. Sources said that Koirala formally briefed the King about the declaration during the meeting. Meanwhile, The Himalayan Times daily adds that PM Koirala “sought desirable cooperation from the King in the fast changing constitutional and political scenario.” The meeting, sources close to the PM said, dwelt on the contents of the declaration and its likely fallout on the royal family. Koirala is said to have given the King a detailed briefing while the King listened avidly. Koirala is said to have told him that whatever has come in the form of the declaration was long in the coming and constituted the voice of the people at large. “The main purpose of the meeting was to impress upon the King the need to cooperate with the parliament and government which has the supreme task of enforcing what has come out of parliament,” a source said. Koirala is also said to have told King Gyanendra that “there was room for constitutional monarchy if it cooperated with the parliament in enforcing the parliamentary declaration.” “People must feel that the institution of monarchy is cooperating with their representatives. They also must feel that the monarch is well-meaning. Only this will benefit the monarchy,” Koirala is said to have told the King. Leading dailies report.

“Judiciary To Move Ahead Along With Change”

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (SC) Dilip Kumar Poudel has stated that the judiciary will move ahead along with the political change. Speaking at a program organized on Sunday (May 21) to mark the golden anniversary of the apex court, CJ Poudel said that the coming days would be further challenging before the judiciary. “We must move ahead along with the change,” he said. Later on, talking with reporters, Poudel refused to elaborate the court’s stance on the recent parliamentary charter declaration saying that the judges of the apex court were yet to discuss the topic fully. However, justice Anup Raj Sharma said that that declaration was a political document and, in absence of further decision, there is a confusion. He added that a quick decision should be made by politicians to determine which particular model of ‘parliamentary supremacy’ to follow. Kantipur daily reports.

Deuba Elected PP Leader

Party president Sher Bahadur Deuba has been elected as the parliamentary party (PP) leader by bagging 24 votes out of 37 cast. His rival Bijaya Gachhadar collected 13 votes. Despite efforts to reach agreement for a consensus candidate the president’s faction and dissident faction went ahead to the election. After the election, Deuba said he would accommodate all factions of the party. Gachhadar, on the other hand, said he would abide by the decision of the democratic election. Leading dailies report.

Congress Asks Maoists To Come Within The Parliamentary Charter

Concluding that it heralded a new era in Nepal , the central working committee (CWC) meeting of NC has asked the Maoists also to come within the perimeter of the Charter Declaration 2063 of the parliament. The meeting chaired by PM Koirala stated that it is not the duty of the government of Nepal to ensure the democratic environment in the country. The meeting urged the Maoists to immediately stop extortion, seizure of properties and display of weapons and armed uniforms. It reminded the Maoists to abide by the party-Maoists pact. During the meeting, central member Narahari Acharya urged the NC to finalize its viewpoints on the status of monarchy in the face of forthcoming constituent assembly elections. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.

Unconditional CA Is The Agenda For Peace Talks: Maoists

Addressing a public program in Biratnagar, Maoist leaders have said that unconditional elections of constituent assembly is the only agenda for the forthcoming peace talks with the government. Dina Nath Sharma, a central committee member and a member of Maoist talks team, said that the agenda of the talks would be to dissolve the parliament, frame interim statute, form interim government and go for elections of CA unconditionally. He added that “the parliament, although it is said to be vested with many rights, is the same old one.” Sharma said, “We will not back down from the talks. Rather we should be vigilant that the seven parties would back down from it.” He added that the Maoists would not compromise on even ‘ceremonial monarchy.’ Likewise, another central member Matrika Yadav said that the Maoists were already in the “mainstream of the people’s desire.” He added; “Rather it is the seven parties and other forces who need to come to this people’s mainstream.” Speaking at the program, various Maoist leaders including central members Hitman Shakya, Chandra Khanal, Ram Karki, president of Maoist women’s wing Jayapuri Gharti and president of Maoist trade union Shaligram Jamarkattel said that the Maoists could once again take to arms for the purpose of making Republican Nepal. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.

Leaders Fully Endorse The Declaration

Presenting the charter declaration at the parliament, on May 18, PM Koirala said that each word and paragraph of the declaration was written with the blood of martyrs. He warned that anybody that attempts to go against the declaration would have to face people’s wrath. The general secretary of Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) Madhav Kumar Nepal stated that the declaration has ended the dispute that had started since 1950. Sher Bahadur Deuba, president of Nepali Congress (Democratic), expressed happiness over the victory of the people. Sushil Koirala of Nepali Congress, said that the victory of peaceful people’s movement in Nepal provided a lesson to all despots around the world. Chitra Bahadur KC and Pari Thapa of People’s Front, Narayan Man Bijukchhe of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Hridayesh Tripathy of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP-Anandidevi) and Yagyajit Shah of NSP also spoke fully endorsing the declaration. Pashupati SJB Rana, president of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), said that his party also supported the supremacy of the people. He, however, regretted that the seven parties did not take other smaller parties into confidence while drafting the charter. Surya Bahadur Thapa, president of Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP), expressed pride to become a member of a sovereign parliament. “This declaration was the result of the circumstances and the background,” he said. Compiled from reports.

Maoists Welcome The Declaration But Have Some Reservations

Maoist chairman Prachanda issued a statement welcoming the charter declaration terming it as victory of 12-point pact and historic people’s movement. He said the party feels ‘glorified’ that some of the demands raised by his party have been addressed. “But the declaration has attempted to address the people’s desire of ending monarchy by politically limiting it as a ceremonial one,” Prachanda said. He said it was silent over the issues of growing foreign interference, restructuring the state, self-determination, regional and ethnic autonomy and federal system, revolutionary land reforms and fundamental rights to education, health and employment. He also said that the declaration has given birth to ‘serious suspicion’ as it has maintained a ‘surprised silence’ over finding solution to the issues of the insurgency and impending talks with the Maoists. He also expressed doubt whether the declaration would put the issues of talks, election to constituent assembly under a shadow. He added that the declaration had tried to give credit to only to the alliance by not mentioning the significance of the 12-point pact. Leading dailies report.

“Tenure Of Parliament Should Not Be Fixed”: Nepal

The Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that in order to strengthen the reinstated parliament, its tenure must not be fixed. He said that in absence of alternative representative body, the blunder of dissolving the existing House must not be committed. “If we dissolve it in a hurry, the world will call us a fool. It would be suicidal to dissolve it in absence of reliable alternative,” he said, addressing a function organized to mark the 13 th death anniversary of UML leaders Madan Bhandari and Jeeraj Ashrit. Nepal added that Thursday’s declaration would institutionalize the gains of the parliament. He said that following the declaration, the government will be stronger and will hold talks with the Maoists. He also ruled out the need for international mediation in the talks. “We have held talks a number of times in Siliguri, Lucknow , Gorakhpur , Patna and Delhi without any mediation,” he added. Kantipur daily reports.

AG Says House Is Not Be-All, End-All

At a time when the seven party alliance is about to declare the reinstated House of Representatives the supreme body of the nation and curtail the King’s powers, newly appointed Attorney General Yagya Murti Banjade has differed on the issue. “This is not the supreme body and it cannot do anything as it likes,” said Banjade. He also said it should work and decide everything within norms and values. He also questioned the legitimacy of the much-expected declaration of the House. “How can the declaration get legitimacy?” he asked. Banjade called on the government and the House to choose whether to bring a new interim constitution or to incorporate all the things which would come in the declaration from the House into the existing Constitution through amendment to the 1990 Constitution. Banjade was speaking at a program organized by a number of NGOs on Wednesday (May 17), including the Nepal Law Society. “People will not accept autocracy from any quarter,” Banjade said. “Unless the declaration is incorporated into the Constitution through amendment, how can we believe that it is part of the constitution,” he asked. Banjade added that it takes time either to bring a new interim constitution or to amend the existing one to legitimize the declaration. Advocate Bhimarjun Acharya said that such a declaration of supremacy of the parliament is sheer violation of the rule of law. “This is nothing but undermining the rule of law and lacking in legitimacy,” he said, adding that it amounted to nothing different from the “King’s autocracy.” The Himalayan Times daily reports.