Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Kathmandu : Better late than never, King Gyanendra has offered an "olive branch" to the agitating seven and the Jungle insurgents as well.

Whether the King Gyanendra did it on his own or carefully listened to some "logical suggestions backed by equally competent political interpretations" pushed to his perusal by some sensible and responsible "friendly" brains from abroad will be a matter of debate which is though loaded with meaning but what is more important of it all is that finally the King sensed the need as to what the "guardian of the state" should do and how he should act at such critical junctures.

Good omen indeed.

Now that the King has made it abundantly clear that he too wanted real peace and that he too longed for the restoration of the now derailed system and for that he wanted the full cooperation of all "legitimate" constitutional forces to come to terms "forgetting" the bitter past in the larger interest of the nation and preservation of national unity.

Interestingly, for the first time perhaps a Nepali Royalty has used the word, "solidarity" which had till yesterday remained the preserve of the communists only. However, the word solidarity amply hints that the King in effect wanted to see a real, and a rock-solid unity in between the legal and the constitutional forces of the country coming at a point from wherein they all could devise mechanisms on how to chart a better democratic future of this beleaguered country.

What is pleasing of it all that the King in his Democracy day message has also directly appealed the Maoists to join the mainstream. This is a grand departure from the old practices. This means that the King is not angry with the insurgents but understands their political compulsions for which they have had to enter into the jungles and hence allows them space to join the political mainstream.

Implied in the message to the rebels is that the King from the core of his heart admits the fact that they too were sons of the same soil and thus they should alone be not left in the cold provided they shun violence.

Not a bad proposition indeed.

A careful analysis of what the King remarked on the D-day is that the King prefers a "domestic" solution to the exclusive "domestic" problem and hence hopes that if "we the Nepalese" ourselves rose up to the occasion we can sort out the differences that have divided us for over a decade plus.

This clearly means that the King would keep the idea of foreign mediation in Nepali affairs in a long queue until all the domestic efforts were exhausted.

This indicates that the King believes that if "we" agree in between ourselves, all the problems plaguing the country could be settled for good.

No less significant is King's reiteration that while being on the table, let's listen to others while forwarding our own contentions and then let's arrive at a common agenda that satisfied the inner political considerations of the parties concerned.

This means that the King too will provide "concessions" to the political parties if things appeared positive at time of the negotiation. This is indeed a gesture that is not only timely but does also an indication of the fact that the King can be flexible to an extent that ensured a better, prosperous, prestigious and peaceful Nepal at time of the talks with the agitating seven.

King's message have come under scathing criticism. The message has invited positive comments also from various quarters.

Be that as it may, is not it a coincidence that King's "reconciliatory" remarks have come immediately after US Ambassador Moriarty had met with President Koirala and Surya Bahadur Thapa and a few days after he himself made a "remark" on February 15 afternoon that practically changed the very "dynamics" of the Nepali politics. No less significant is the rumor that Ambassador Moriarty made these gestures well after an hour-long conversation with the King at the Royal Palace . This meeting is supposed to have taken place prior to Ambassador Moriarty's meeting with Thapa and Koirala .

The King has done his job well to the extent that even his die-hard critics declare that this fresh message was the mildest of all since the King took over the charge of the country on February 1, last year.

Moriarty's Feb 15 speech; a bolt from the blue to seven party conglomerates

Kathmandu : Nepal 's moribund politics have been offered a sort of vitality of late and suddenly the country's politics has taken a different turn that both contain the seeds for positive change and concurrently if not handled with proper care could also bring about disasters to the already devastated country by the ongoing conflict.

What impelled the United Ambassador James F. Moriarty to blast at the seven party alliances and also on the Maoists and what inner factors tempted him to "correct" his old preferences and observations of the host country's politics could well be a matter of intense discussion among the nation's academia and interested circles. Nonetheless, what is for sure is that Ambassador Moriarty's February 15 speech on Nepali affairs must have jolted the politicos housed in the seven party "corporation" and the sympathizers of the agitation in the academic sector to an undesirable extent.

All that came from the Ambassador that afternoon was a "bolt from the blue" to all those who were present there at the Hotel Annapurna last week. The gathering practically comprised of those academics that either were close to the NC or at best known for their open support to the front that is up against the King and his rule.

Moriarty in no vague terms expressed practically his irritation over the seven party alliance for their having inked a deal with the Maoists and made it abundantly clear to all that the agreement in summation bode ill for the political parties itself.

Moriarty considers that the said agreement has brought the constitutional forces to the crease of the Maoists and not the otherwise as has been given to understand to the Nepali population.

Look what he says: " actually, a close reading of the understanding reveals that the insurgents seek to bring the parties further into their sphere, and to the Maoists' advantage".

This reverberation clearly means that America concludes now that the 12-point agreement will only encourage the rebels and inflict much harm than good to the agitating constitutional forces ultimately.

American fury against the Maoists too is logical from their own point of view. Prachanda's interviews that appeared in series in the recent weeks invariably hinted that it was the United States of America whose uninterrupted backing to the RNA and the Palace that had been causing several reversals to their militia in the battlefields.

The US side also appears to have taken proper note of the contemptuous criticisms made against her by Prachanda and also of the threat-loaded ultimate designs of the radical communists for this country which in the US eyes were not and could not be "attuned" with the wave of democracy sweeping the world over in the world of 21 st century.

It is an altogether a different matter as to why a Moriarty who too had beamingly landed in Delhi at time when the Maoists and the agitating seven were all prepared to sign a deal in order to corner the Nepali monarchy now comes suddenly to his sanity and makes a volte face? This is a mystery that he must disentangle, the sooner the better.

Moriarty must answer this question as to what role that time he played in Delhi and he also clarify through a separate lecture as to what really transpired in between him and FS Shyam Saran other than what was made known then through a press note issued by the US embassy?

He is answerable to Nepali population regarding his real intentions of being in Delhi around the time of the signing in of the Maoists-parties' deal that he now claims or wants to prove that one of the contracting parties to that deal were a TIGER? How come the Maoists become a tiger within a short of span of three months time? What were they then when he so pleasingly landed in Delhi last November?

That he is really fuming at the Maoists becomes clear from his own admission wherein he appeals the parties and the King to "successfully ride the Maoists tiger for their own advantage or else he warns, in his own words, "one could easily fall off… and the tigers get hungry".

This is loaded with meaning in the sense that the American Administration now has no illusion that the Maoists could not be tames so easily as could have been thought by the contracting parties.

That the US would love to see the King and the parties coming closer to each other at the earliest gets reflected from Moriarty's remarks wherein he urges the parties and the King to jointly say, "how can we work together to return to democracy to Nepal and defeat the Maoists threat to our country and its people".

The Ambassador at one point hints that should the state of affairs become positive and a new democratic civilian government formed in Nepal , his country might extend the needed support eagerly.

In such an eventuality, the US will not hesitate to "renew its support to the RNA". Sounds interesting.

This is not all, in such a situation, if any in the impending future; Ambassador Moriarty hopes that "other nations, friends of Nepal , would do the same".

Ambassador Moriarty made the gathered Nepalese to bow down their heads in shame when he declared that his address that day had been "dedicated" to those four Nepali citizens who recently perished. The first three at the hands supposedly of the Maoists and the fourth perhaps by the security forces.

The sympathies that the Nepalese should have poured over the innocent four Nepali lives instead came from a distinguished American national.

To recall, the first three who were killed at time of the municipal elections by unidentified gunmen have not been in the street agenda of the agitating seven as if those three were not the Nepali souls and were no more no less than crippling insects and worms. Nevertheless, the fourth one, a UML cadre, was made a national hero for a variety of political reasons. However, analysts say, we the Nepalese forgot our own brethren, others, such as Moriarty from a far flung country, at least prayed for eternal peace of the departed four kind souls.

Three countries' "AXIS" now defunct and redundant

Kathmandu: With American Ambassador's fresh February 15 speech whose content and substance both went against the agitating seven party-Maoists inner will and intent that both have had expected through the 12 point agreement signed in New Delhi under the supposed "wise counsel" of the Indian establishment on November 22 last year, what now becomes abundantly clear that the United States Administration will henceforth not get carried away by the recommendations and the proposals of the rest of the two member countries comprising the much publicized "Three country Axis"-US, UK and India.

This also clearly indicates that now the United States of America will see Nepal through her own "eyes" for now the US concludes that there was no need to "consult" India and the UK on Nepali affairs as she has herself gained ample knowledge as to where the nepali problem lay and what needed to be done in order to get Nepal out of the present political mess and also from the ongoing conflict.

Though the Ambassador's speech does not specify as to why he opted to have his own exclusive opinions on Nepal , analysts presume that the American envoy appears to have realized of late as to who were the real "villains" adding fuel to the fire to the Nepali events.

Better late than never, American realization bodes well for all, the King, the agitating seven plus the rebels as well.

The Ambassador in his February 15 statement no where in his speech rejects the idea of a sort of dialogue with the Maoists, however, in the same he is found urging legitimate forces to unite and take up the Maoists issue "effectively".

With American new perception and commitment made through the speech, analysts presume that the three country has become redundant and defunct from the first minute of Moriarty's 15 February speech.

Now how the two "conflict ridden" countries remaining in the Axis react to the American changed views on Nepal will determine the future course of Nepali politics. Interestingly, the two remaining in the now defunct axis is a former colony and a colonizer. Bitter past does not matter?

Analysts opine that either America will have to convince the rest of the two or the latter will make efforts at changing the hearts of America so that a pressure is again built on the Nepali establishment.

Will America change her ideas now under their influence will have to be watched?

Understandably, why the leaders of the agitating seven have been rejecting the Royal call for a dialogue is not for nothing. Some countries near and far who have some way or the other come to the open in support of the agitation would want that their preferred men in the political paraphernalia capture the power in Singh Durbar so that they can reap political benefits later.

London does not want water from Nepal . Granted. London has no territorial ambitions in Nepal . Granted. All that London and her EU colleagues would want a say of the rebels as well in the would-be Nepali politics as and when such a dialogue in between the state and the rebels concluded in a positive matter. Granted because King also has said this in his D-day message.

However, Delhi appears to have nurtured some designs that bode ill for the country. In effect, backed by experience gained over the decades, what Delhi wants is a politically, socially, economically weaker Nepal so that she can twist the arms of Nepal's future leaders and impose series of unequal treaties on Nepal and take all the water for free or at a dirt price.

For Delhi what could be best other than to weaken the Nepali nationalist forces for all time to come and swing the country's politics at its will.

The tragedy is that President Koirala though understands this fact but for a variety of political reasons he prefers not to expose these.

It is not for nothing that President Koirala has remains tight lipped on Moriarty's earth-shaking speech made last week.

By all means, the three-country axis stands completely defunct and remains in a very bad shape now.

Ambassador Park winds up Nepal tenure

Kathmandu : The Ambassador of Republic of Korea, Park Sang-hoon has completed his Nepal assignment and is leaving Nepal on February 26 back to his home country.

Talking to this weekly at a farewell reception organized by the Embassy of the ROK last week, the outgoing South Korean diplomat said, "It was an interesting time for him during his entire job-period because the difficulties that Nepal was facing at the moment, a similar sort of experience his own country have had as back as three to four decades back".

"My country too have had to undergo very difficult times in those days", recalled Ambassador Park .

To a query on how he viewed the Nepali situation as it stood today, the sober and suave Korean diplomat opined, in his own words, "I view the Nepali situation with utmost sympathy and understand the inner feelings of the sensible and the responsible Nepalese wherein they all want a way out of the present crisis".

"'I hope that Nepal as a nation-state will ultimately find a way out of the crisis that has engulfed the country over a decade or so", continued Ambassador Park .

Wishing all the best to the people and the country, Ambassador Park Sang-hoon said adding, "I hope the Nepalese will put their entire efforts together in tackling the situation and overcome the difficulties that they have now been confronting".

Diplomatic watchers in Kathmandu opine that Ambassador Park 's tenure in Kathmandu was a period wherein some important developments happened in enhancing Nepal 's bilateral ties with Korea .

To recall, Crown Prince Paras visited Korea during his Kathmandu tenure which is perhaps the first ever high level visit to that country from this Himalayan Kingdom .

Sources close to the Korean embassy in Kathmandu say that Ambassador Park's successor is Mr. Nam Sang-Joung who is expected to take up his new Nepal assignment some where around the second week of March next month.

Telegraph extends its best wishes for the outgoing Ambassador Park in his future assignments.

Reflections of Hope Award to Ms. Ghimire

Kathmandu: Ms. Durga Ghimire, an outstanding Nepali woman engaged in humanitarian activities since decades and decades in Nepal's countryside, has been selected as a personality for "2006-Reflections of Hope Award" by the Oklahoma City National Memorial and museum for her Himalayan contributions that she rendered for improving the lives of the marginalized people of far flung Ramechhap, Nepal.

The award, established in 2005 as part of the tenth anniversary commemoration of the Oklahoma City Bombing, honors a living person or a group whose extraordinary work has significantly impacted a community, state or nation, it is learnt.

"It is truly an honor for us to recognize Durga Ghimire's works that she did in providing hope and empowerment to families in her own part of the world", said Kari Watkins, Oklahoma City National Memorial Executive Director.

A press release issued by the organizers of the award on February 2, this prestigious award will take place on April 19, 2006, at Meinders Hall of Mirrors, Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City which also includes a $ 25,000 honorarium and in addition to that Ms. Ghimire will partner with the Museaum in its education and outreach programs in the coming year.

The Reflections of Hope Award was created by the Oklahoma City Foundation to recognize those who find and by their actions exemplify in the midst of tragedy respond selflessly and give of themselves to improve the lives of others.

The Telegraph congratulates Ms. Ghimire for this award and hopes that this event will encourage her further to do works wherein she is currently engaged with.

HR activist Sangita's life faces threats

Kathmandu : One has to admit that Nepali civilians have been living a life of hell of late.

Fear, intimidation and threat to life even have been a common feature.

Under these terrific circumstances, the country, it's people more so the civilians including those who have been working in the monitoring activities of such killings, abductions, tortures and the likes have been forced to witness and bear with the sad events that goes unabated till to date.

One a peace Shang-rila , Nepal today has completely lost its part glorious credentials.

This is not all. More often than not it has been seen that even the Human Rights workers have become the targets of the rebels in the countryside. This too have become a matter of regular phenomenon.

To the extent that some of the HR activists that are actively engaged in monitoring human rights violation events see their families getting tortured because of their work by the invisible insurgents.

Among the crowd of many such acts of intimidation, one, for example, only last year, on May 2004, Sangita Tiwari, a distinguished Program Manager of IHRICON, was involved in program monitoring in the areas of Sindhuli, Dang, Gorkha and Kailali by her employer-the IHRICON.

Naturally her works demanded Ms. Sangita's trips to those places during a Bandh (closures) period that was sponsored by the Maoists for completely a month or so.

According to one IHRICON source, the Bandh was fixed while she, unknowing of the fact that it was a Bundh period, reached Sindhuli district.

The story runs like this as per the IHRICON:

She had hired a vehicle from Kathmandu for 15 days. When she reached Bhadrabah VDC of Sindhuli district, she was stopped by one group of Maoists and received threats. They said that they would provide her physical punishment if she refused to cooperate. Since it was difficult for her not to use the car and pay the money Maoists were asking, she decided to move from Sindhuli (eastern region) to Kailali (far western region) to continue her work.

She had similar fate to encounter with once again even if she decided to leave the area for some other place of her assignments. On her way to Kailali, western region of Nepal , here also she was threatened by one Maoist group while crossing Bardibas area of Sindhuli. But she refused to stop traveling and continue to Kailali for monitoring. On the highway of Kailali (named Pahalwanpur area) Sangita also monitored one incident that happened during an encounter between the police and the Maoists. At that time also she was stopped by the Maoists.

This well explains the mental torture that Ms. Sangita must have undergone under the circumstances at that time.

Such sad events have become a normal feature. Only those who report of such incidents get printed in the papers and the people know.

IHRICON is an organization providing trainings to the Security Forces to protect children and women during the conflict. Till December 2005, this organization has provided around 12 trainings to the Security Forces and 10 workshops. That is a challenge for IHRICON's staff that works in the districts.

According to one IHRICON source and a report, Sangita got also received threats when she came back from the districts. Maoists told her that "if she wanted to be safe enough, she should pay 250, 000 thousand rupees." But she decided to ignore their request and continue her work.

On last June-July, Sangita attended one training program for Peace Study in Washington D.C. After that program she said that she could not return from the US and left IHRICON saying that she was afraid to return back in Nepal . When she left from her house, Maoists started to threaten her family and have given life threats to her husband.

Nawaraj Tiwari, the husband of the lady whom we are talking about in these columns, said in a voice choked with emotion that he was also receiving threats from the Maoists. He had to file a report for these threats to some Human Rights organizations, to the nearest member of the Nepali Congress and to his Municipality, Madhyapur, Thimi. He had to do this to protect his life.

A typical humanitarian case indeed.

Indian assistance for Primary School

Kathmandu : The    Ambassador of  India,  Shiv  Shankar Mukherjee,  laid the  foundation stone  for the Gram Sudhar Primary School at Baluwa VDC, Kathmandu .  

A press release issued on February 17 by the Embassy says that India will extend assistance of NRs. 16,09,490/- for the construction of the school building that includes 5 classrooms and related facilities.  The 75 children studying at the school come from Baluwa VDC and adjoining area.

The school is providing free education to them, as almost all of them are underprivileged and are being  exposed to modern education for the first time.  The construction of the   new building will provide these children with an improved environment for their learning. 

This school project is part of  India ’s ongoing economic cooperation programme with Nepal ,  mainly in the areas of  education,  health and infrastructure,  under which at present 131 projects are being  carried out in more than  61 districts,  with an outlay of around NRs.14 billion. 

ENBREF

BJP-chief confirms Prachanda’s Delhi presence

Kathmandu : The Bharatiya Janata Party, India ’s major opposition party-president Rajnath Singh demanded that the government should immediately convene a meeting of all opposition parties to discuss the internal situation in Nepal .

News reports claim that Singh also confirmed, Prachanda- the Maoist supreme leader was not only holding press conference in Delhi but was also getting in touch with leaders of political parties. "But the Centre was remaining unmoved on that matter", he said.

Sixteen Nepalese arrested in Jammu

Kathmandu : Sixteen Nepalese who were trying to board a plane at Jammu airport were arrested by the anti-hijacking squad of the police deployed at the airport. Reports claim that they were trying to board a Leh-bound plane on tickets allegedly issued in the name of others.

International sanctions needed to end abuses

Kathmandu : Ms Irene Khan, Amnesty International secretary-general has said that international sanctions against the Nepalese government are needed to end human rights abuses and restore democracy in the country." It might be assumed that because it is a small country the world will forget Nepal and the king can do whatever he wants," she said. "The message that must go out to the king is that he cannot. We need to think of other ways of turning up the pressure on the regime."

Ms Khan suggested targeted sanctions, travel restrictions or the seizure of assets. "But whatever happens needs to be targeted otherwise it will be the people who will suffer," she said

US refutes evacuation claim

Kathmandu : The Embassy of the United States , Kathmandu in a communication to 'Asian Tribune' – online magazine, said that the chancery is not "expected to evacuate" as suggested by 17 February report of the online newspaper.

Quoting the probable assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs State Department's Richard Boucher, tribune reports that, “We face a difficult situation in Nepal . We believe Nepal ’s internal struggle can only be addressed by the King taking steps to reverse the course he embarked on over a year ago – last February 1st – and to return to democratic government.”

"The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu is not “expected to evacuate” as a February 17 article in your Online publication stated. The report was wrong", Public Affairs Officer at the US embassy in Kathmandu , Robert L. Hugins said. In the February 17 article the magazine giving reference to a Palace source also said that the Royal Family in Nepal was preparing for an exile.

Nepal tops list on arresting journalists

Kathmandu: The Paris based Media Organization, Reporters Sans Frontiere(RSF) in a statement said that, Nepal arrested more journalists than any other country since 2004, many during pro-democracy protests, a number totaling to 114.. It also urged the royalist government to free journalists still in detention.

More French to visit Nepal if peace restored: H.E. Jolivet

Kathmandu: TheFrench Ambassador to Nepal H.E. Michel Jolivet while talking to the new executive committee members of Nepal-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NFCCI) said that, more trekkers and climbers from France will visit Nepal, as the country has many attractions to offer and the number of French tourists visiting Nepal would go up considerably if peace were restored in the country.

He called on the new executive committee of NFCCI to play an important role in promoting trade and tourism between Nepal and France . "The French market has and will have high demand for Nepalese goods if quality is maintained," he said.

Nepal makes history, beats NZL in final

Kathmandu : Nepal registered a one wicket victory over New Zealand to win the Plate Championship being played in Sri Lanka in a thrilling final-over. Nepal seemed down and out at 75 for six chasing 205 for victory but Prem Chaudhary (26) and MoM Basanta Regmi (66) launched the fight-back with a stirring 70-run stand. SCORES - NZ 204 in 49.2 ovs (T. Astle 66). Nepal 205/9 in 49.4 ovs (B. Regmi 66).

Bhutani refugees ready to take up arms

Kathmandu : While addressing a meet in Amritsar , India Nepal-based Bhutanese refugee representative DP Kafle drawing the world's attention to the plight of Bhutanese refugees, warned that the refugees could revolt against the Bhutanese monarch.

"If Nepal , Bhutan and India continue to ignore our plight, our youth would be forced to join hands with the Maoists and the ULFA rebels of Assam and take up arms", he added.