Maoist Leader Gajurel To Face West Bengal Charges
Senior Maoist leader Chandra Prakash Gajurel aka Comrade Gaurav has been sent to Kolkata where he would face charges of treason. The Chennai Metropolitan Court has ordered, on Monday (October 9), to hand over Gajurel to the police of West Bengal state. The police of West Bengal have said that Gajurel faces charge of treason against the state and have demanded that Chennai court send him there. After serving three year jail sentence in Chennai central jail, Gajurel was released on September 18. However, West Bengal police immediately arrested him and pressed fresh charges. Gajurel was arrested three years ago on August 20, 2003 from Chennai airport as he was about to board an airplane to London . He faced charges of using fake passport. Compiled from reports.
Charge-sheets Filed Against Accused In Bibek’s Murder Case
The government prosecutor filed a charge-sheet at the Kathmandu District Court on Sunday (October 8) against the seven accused in the kidnapping and murder of 8-year-old Bibek Luitel. The prosecutor has sought life sentence (which mean 20 years as per existing Nepalese law) for them. The charge-sheet demands life-term for Bhikhari Khan, Okil Ansari, Pappu Mandal, Pateni Lama, Shakhina Manandhar Khapung, and Mokhtar Ansari. Bhikhari, Okil and Mokhtar are Indian nationals. The police produced six accused at the court but could not produce the seventh one Akabar Ansari who is absconding. Leading dailies report.
NC Hosts Tea Reception, Leaders Discuss Unity
Around 6000 persons attended the traditional Dashain tea reception hosted by Nepali Congress (NC) at its party headquarters in Sanepa on Saturday. Political leaders, diplomats, workers, civil society activists, businessmen, intellectuals and media representatives attended the reception. Maoist leaders Krishna Mahara and dev Gurung also attended the reception. Senior Congress leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, however, did not show up. Meanwhile, Congress leaders utilized the reception to discuss the prospects of unity with Nepali Congress (Democratic). NC (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Deuba said that the unification of Congress party should proceed in a systematic and practical manner. He stressed on forming task force to sort out technical matters of unification. On the other hand, prime minister and president of NC Girija Prasad Koirala said that the two parties could unite “just at this moment if Deubaji agrees.” The two Congress parties had split in May, 2002. Earlier, on Friday, the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), too, hosted its annual Dashain tea reception. Leading dailies report.
Koirala Meets With Bhattarai
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala met with senior Congress leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai on Thursday (October 4) at the latter’s residence in Bhainsepati. The two leader agreed about the need of uniting Congress party, according to sources. “I talked with him about the Congress unity. We both agreed that Congress unity is vital at this juncture,” PM Koirala told reporters. “Both the leaders were positive about Congress unity. They discussed various aspects of the unity,” said Sarat Singh Bhandari, a leader of NC (Democratic) who was present during the meeting. Leading dailies report.
Prachanda Inspects Cable Car Technology
The Maoist chairman Prachanda visited Manakamana temple area on Thursday (October 4) to inspect the cable car system. He went up to the Manakamana temple but did not worship the goddess like other devotees do. He said his visit was not a religious one. While traveling in the cable car, Prachanda inquired about its technology with Laxman Babu Shrestha – the chairman of Manakamana Cable Car Private Limited. After the inquiry, Prachanda said the technology of cable car should be expanded to other parts of the country as well. Leading dailies report.
Billions Of Rupees Worth Of Power From Middle Marsyangdi To Go To Waste
Due to delay in the building of transmission lines, the power generated by 70 MW-strong Middle Marsyangdi project will go to waste for five months. This situation has developed due to delay in contract agreement and the long wait to receive grant assistance from German development bank (KfW) to build transmission lines. Around 160 million units of electricity, would, thus be wasted because when the project completes, the transmission line would not be completed. Power will be wasted for at least five months due to lack of transmission line, said Arjun Kumar Karki, executive director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). He said that the first unit of the project will begin generating 36 MW of power from December of 2007 whereas the 132 kv transmission line will be in place at the soonest by May of 2008. The second 36 MW unit of the project will start generation from March, 2008. The wastage is certain to lead to billions of rupees worth of losses. Kantipur daily reports.
US Against Allowing Armed Groups In Political Process
Pointing out that there were concerns in the United States about the conduct of Maoists, the US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has said that "at the very least armed groups should not be allowed to stay in the political process." She said that the US wanted stable and prosperous democracy in Nepal and hoped that the peace process will go well. Rice made these remarks during her meeting with the visiting Nepalese deputy prime minister and foreign minister K.P. Oli in Washington DC on September 28. During the meeting, Oli briefed Rice about the ongoing peace process and informed that the government was trying its best to convert the peace process into permanent peace. Oli also requested Rice for the US support in launching the rehabilitation work particularly in the transition phase. The two leaders also discussed about the Bhutanese refugee issue. Oli said that he wanted to hold "one decisive meeting with the Bhutanese side as soon as possible." Rice assured him of US help in resolving the refugee issue. "As for preferential trade agreement involving textiles, she said the US side could sit and work together with the Nepalese side on areas of Nepal 's economic development," stated a press release issued by the Nepalese Embassy in Washington DC . Oli also raised the issue of Nepal 's candidature for the non-permanent membership of UN Security Council for 2007/08. On his request for US support towards Nepal 's candidature, Rice responded by saying "we are good friends, and we will certainly take it very seriously." Meanwhile, reacting to the remarks of US Secretary of State, spokesperson of the Maoists Krishna Bahadur Mahara demanded that the US government withdraw his party from the list of terrorists. "We demand that the US withdraw (us) from the list of terrorists at the soonest," said Mahara, who is also the coordinator of Maoist talks team. "We are totally against unnecessary interventions by the US in the political matters of Nepal ," Mahara added. He urged the US to give up its political interests in Nepal .
Equality Bill Passed By The Parliament
The House of Representatives passed the Equality Bill, which amended some Nepal Acts with the objective of ending existing discriminatory legal provisions against women. The government had prepared the bill in the backdrop of various international conventions on women’s rights to which Nepal is a state party; the directives by the Supreme Court issued in different times; and the commitment by the House of Representatives to provide citizenship also in the name of mother. The endorsed act will amend discriminatory provisions on inheritance of properties, divorce, rape, public service etc. The new act makes it mandatory to mention the name of mother in addition to father when revealing personal information. Likewise, the name of wife has also been added alongside name of husband in such personal record. The act makes marital rape a criminal offense and a valid ground for seeking divorce. It seeks to end the provision that allows a husband to seek divorce if his wife does not bear a child within ten years of marriage. In case of inheritance, adopted daughters will now be equally entitled as adopted sons. For both men and women, the legal age of marriage has been fixed at 20 years. And it seeks to provide paid leaves to husbands when their wives give birth.
Political Consensus Should Be Sought On Oil Price
Leaders of major parties and the Maoists have said that consultations should be held with the political leaders before taking decision on price of petroleum products. Their remarks came at a time when, the state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) is losing billions of rupees due to lack of price adjustment in domestic market. A month ago, the government was forced to roll back the decision to hike the price of petro products following intense street protests and opposition by political parties. The NOC is currently losing Rs 830 million every month. Its outstanding dues to its supplier Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has reached Rs 10 billion. Recently, a committee formed to study the petro pricing has also suggested hiking price as the only option. Political leaders, on the other hand, continue to stress for exploring other options. “Although it is clear that there are losses, we have seen what happens when prices are increased without consultation. All political parties and civil society must be taken into confidence first,” said Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh KC. Adds UML leader Dilli Raj Khanal, “First win the confidence of others by making NOC’s transactions transparent. Then political consultations should be held to lessen the loss.” Maoist leader Dinanath Sharma suspected the data about NOC’s loss and transactions that have been made public. He said his party is conducting a separate study on this matter. “Only after the conclusion of the study we can give our decision,” Sharma said, adding that the government should introduce policy of subsidizing petroleum products. Lilamani Pokharel, of People’s Front, suggested giving subsidies and imposing progressive taxes on fuel. Kantipur daily reports.
Nepal Lobbies For Temporary Membership
Nepal has stepped up its lobbying for a temporary membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the year 2007/08. Recently, deputy prime minister and foreign minister KP Sharma Oli met with dozens of leaders from other countries during his visit to New York and appealed for the support to Nepal ’s candidature. Currently, acting foreign secretary Bhagirath Basnet and senior officials Dinesh Bhattarai and Nepal ’s Permanent Representative to the UN Madhu Raman Acharya are in New York lobbying for the same. However, due to the candidature of another heavyweight Asian nation Indonesia , Nepal ’s hope has received some jolt. The two are contesting for a single seat from Asia . Nepal ’s strong points are its regular contribution to peacekeeping missions; the historic people’s movement that restore democracy and sentiments of being the birthplace of Lord Buddha. On the other hand, Indonesia is confident of winning votes from all Muslim nations as it is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. Besides, Indonesia has a wide network of its diplomatic missions abroad and is able to spend resources to lobby for its victory. Therefore, when asked if Nepal can win the membership, acting secretary at Foreign Ministry Pradeep Khatiwada replied, “We are trying.” Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.
