UN Official Optimistic About Peace Process
B Lynn Pascoe, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, wrapped up his two-day visit to Nepal on Sunday (August 19) by addressing a brief press meet. “I should say that from the point of view of New York we feel very strongly that the process in Nepal is a very positive one, very optimistic that the process will move forward, and in talking with various groups I am even more optimistic than I was when I came. I should also say that this includes the holding of the election on the 22nd of November,” said Pascoe. He said that the UN will do everything it can to help make it a huge success. “It is critically important to the people of Nepal that their vote be clearly counted, to be very effective, that the election be open and fair and totally transparent, and the United Nations wants to do everything we can to help that to be the case and make sure that is the case.” Earlier, he met with Prime Minister Koirala, Maoist leader Prachanda, other major political party leaders, the Foreign Minister, other senior government officials, including the Chief Election Commissioner, civil society leaders, and as well as colleagues at UNMIN led by Ian Martin. Compiled from reports
Jwala Singh Threatens To Derail CA Elections
The Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Jwala Singh) has unveiled a month-long agitation program. Terming the dialogue offer by the government as a drama, the JTMM-J has said that Constituent Assembly election will not liberate Terai. Issuing a statement, Jwala Singh, chief of the armed outfit, has claimed that hill-regime does not have the authority to hold the election in Terai. Leading dailies report
VDC Secretaries’ Strike Affects People
The strike by VDC secretaries has affected the people. Due to the strike, service delivery activities like providing recommendations for birth, death, citizenship, land ownership, migration certificates and so on have been stalled. The VDC secretaries have launched strike refusing to carry out jobs assigned for people’s representatives. According to Bhawani Prasad Ghimire, president of the VDC secretaries’ association, the government failed to live up to its agreement to have political mechanism in place. The government and the VDC secretaries had reached the agreement one and a half month ago when the government had agreed to set up political mechanism within 15 days to operate the local bodies. Leading dailies report
Prachanda Refuses To Express ‘Commitment’ For Elections
The eight party meeting held on Saturday (August 18) ended inconclusively after Maoist chairman Prachanda rejected Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s proposal to issue joint commitment for the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections and end the session of the parliament. Prachanda said such commitment should be expressed after doing homework. The next meeting will be held next week. “PM proposed to end the parliament session and demonstrate commitment to the election through joint public meetings. Prachanda replied they will do so after further homework,” said Ram Chandra Poudel, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction. At the meeting, Maoists forwarded 18-point proposal to create atmosphere for the elections. “There were calls for expressing abstract commitment for the elections. Abstract commitments would only create confusion among the people so we said that we should create a new basis for republic first,” said Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, senior Maoist leader. He said Maoists had reiterated their commitment for CA elections. “We have said that new unity can be formed after Congress takes action against the King and decides on establishing republic,” Dr. Bhattarai added. The Maoists’ 18-point proposal states that the parliament should immediately declare republic since the King and monarchists were conspiring to derail the elections. Their proposal also includes demands to start the process of nationalizing the properties of late King Birendra and also the properties of King Gyanandra which he acquired in his capacity as the monarch. Likewise, they have demanded total withdrawal of army from the palace and set in place an ordinary security mechanism for the palace; take action against those found guilty by Rayamajhi commission, if necessary, by enacting laws with retrospective effect; immediate formation of security council and democratize Nepali Army; expediting the process of integration of NA and PLA through special committee. They have also called for adoption proportional representation election system, formation of inquiry commission on involuntary disappearances, roundtable conference of all sections of the society including Janajatis and Madhesis, release of political detainees, and compensation of at least Rs 100,000 to families of those killed during “people’s war”. Kantipur daily reports
RPP Honest Towards CA: Rana
President of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Pashupati SJB Rana has said that though his party is honestly committed towards CA elections, the parties responsible to conduct the polls, themselves, have not prepared for the polls. Speaking at a party program in Banepa on Saturday (August 18), Rana said RPP was preparing its election manifesto. “Eight parties are in the government but they are not ruling the country. There are over a dozen armed outfits in Terai but the government has not resolved the problem,” Rana said. He added that the government had indefinitely suspended talks with Madhesi group. “Two CDOs and two police posts have already been attacked,” he said. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports
Khimti Power Plant In Troubled Waters; Extra 5 Hr Power Cut Likely
The 60 MW Khimti Hydropower project could shut down any time due to a strike staged by the Maoist aligned workers, the plant management warned Saturday. The country will immediately face at least five hours of extra load-shedding a day if the plant closes down. The approximately USD 140 million plant meets 35 percent of energy need of the capital.
The “run of the river" plant with an annual production of 350 million kilowatt-hours (units) of electrical energy has increased Nepal's installed capacity by approximately 25%. Daily wage workers employed by Khimti Services Private Company, have padlocked the powerhouse since last Sunday, which might result in closure of the plant, said an official with the Himal Power Limited, which runs the project. Forty-three workers are demanding a permanent status. “From today, they are allowing only one operator to enter the powerhouse”, the official said, adding “if they don’t let six operators in then we will have no other choice than to shut down the plant.” The workers are also threatening to padlock staff quarters and the mess. The management has also claimed that though the agitating workers were ready for talks to resolve the row, they are being instigated by the local Young Communist League (YCL) activists not to opt for a negotiated settlement. However, Maoist district secretary Kripashwor refuted the allegation. But, he admitted that local Maoist organizations have extended moral support to the agitating workers. The Maoist leader also informed that the party will form its stance on the Khimti project soon as they have invited the workers to discuss the problems. The leader of the agitating workers, Bhakta Bahadur Khatry said they were forced to resort to the agitation after the management turned a blind eye to their 13-point demand, including a permanent status. He said they were working in the project on a daily wage for more than six years. Commercial Operation of the first private sector power project in Nepal based on a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) structure had begun in July 2000. Himal Power Limited was established in 1993 when Butwal Power Company (BPC) together with the Norwegian companies Statkraft SF, Alstom Power and GE Energy registered the company under Nepal's Company Act 2021 BS. Kantipur reports
Govt Vows Action Against Those Who Attacked MP
Speaking at the parliament, Thursday, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula has assured to take action against those who attacked MP Som Prasad Pandey. He promised an inquiry and action against those found guilty of attacking UML MP Pandey on Wednesday (August 1 5) in New Baneshwore. A group of people calling themselves as members of pro-Maoist Young Communist League (YCL) had vandalized Pandey’s vehicle and set it to fire. Pandey narrowly escaped unhurt in the incident, which occurred in course of snap bandh called by YCL and pro-Maoist students in the capital on Wednesday. Enraged over the incident, various MPs demanded an immediate investigation and action against the culprits. Leading dailies report
No Excuse For Not Holding Election: Mukherjee
Indian ambassador to Nepal, Shiv Shankar Mukherjee has stressed the imperative of holding the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections on time. “Vast majority of Nepali people are saying that no excuse can be given for not holding the elections, except perhaps by an act of God,” Mukherjee told reporters after he addressed a program to mark the 60th anniversary of independence of India within the Indian embassy premises in Kathmandu, on Wednesday (August 15). The envoy indicated that further postponement of the elections could raise all sorts of questions regarding the legitimacy of the government. While underscoring the need to strengthen the situation of peace and security, Mukherjee promised India’s help in holding the polls. He told reporters that the situation or Terai or law and order cannot be held as excuse for not holding the polls. Compiled from reports
Police Arrest 46 Armed Cadres Of YCL And ANNISU-R
Police, on Tuesday (August 14), have arrested 46 cadres of Young Communist League (YCL) and All Nepal National Independent Students Union (ANNISU-Revolutionary) who had resorted to protests against Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Students Union (NSU). Police arrested them after they demonstrated wearing combat dress and carrying weapons in Bagbazaar area. Police have also confiscated two vehicles from YCL possession, 28 khukuris, and six iron rods from them, according to Superintendent of Police Sarbendra Khanal. He said the cadres were arrested from Sundhara, Ratnapark, Ghantaghar, Shahidgate and Bagbazaar areas. Police said that some had covered their weapons with clothes or paper while some were openly demonstrating them. Clashes had occurred between pro-Maoist students/YCL and NSU students as well as pro-Maoists students/YCL and police. In Bagbazar, NSU activists had gheraoed the office of the ANNISU-R, which enraged the latter. The ANNISU-R has decided to hold demonstrations in the capital on Wednesday. On Tuesday, all the educational institutions had remained closed at the call of NSU. Tuesday’s clashes ensued as NSU protested against attack against its cadres in Thapathali campus on Monday. Meanwhile, the Home Ministry has raised strong objections on the use of combat dress by some cadres of Young Communist League (YCL) in rallies taken out by YCL and pro-Maoist students protesting against Nepal Students Union (NSU). Issuing a statement on Tuesday evening, the Ministry has said that wearing combat dresses and demonstrating them in public are a clear violation of peace agreement. The Ministry has asked the Maoists and its sister organizations to immediately stop demonstrating combat uniforms and creating terror in the public. Compiled from reports
Deuba Sees Little Possibility Of Congress Unification
Unlike earlier pronouncements, Sher Bahadur Deuba, president of Nepali Congress (NC-Democratic), has said that the prospects of unification of Congress parties have diminished. Addressing his party cadres in Bhairahawa, Deuba urged them to concentrate on strengthening party organization and involve in election campaigns. Deuba said that Prime Minister and president of NC Girija Prasad Koirala was stalling the unity between the two parties. “I told him numerous times that I do not need any position for myself, just ensure respectful unity among leaders and cadres up to district level. He has just been procrastinating,” he said, adding, “Now I do not see any prospect for unity. There is no alternative to announcing that there will not be any unity.” Leading dailies report
