PM Flies To Biratnagar
Leaving the much-awaited eight-party meeting high and dry, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala flew to his hometown of Biratnagar, on Sunday (May 13), for two days of rest. In Biratnagar, he met with local security and administrative officials. He refused to make any comment with the media saying that he will talk with them on Monday. Leading dailies report
Police-Maoist Clash Leaves 44 Injured In Nepalgunj
Maoist activists clashed with the policemen on Sunday (May 13) in Nepalgunj leaving 44 injured including Maoist lawmaker. The clash occurred after the Maoists violated the District Administration Office’s prohibitory order in the center of the city. The Banke administration office had issued the order a week ago to maintain peace and order. Maoists have accused that three dozen of its leaders and workers including MP Purna Subedi were attacked by the police. Eight policemen were injured in the incident. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports
Ex-COAS Thapa Barred From Flying Abroad
The former chief of army staff Pyara Jung Thapa was barred by security personnel at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), on Sunday (May 13), from flying abroad. Officials said he was barred as per the directive by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which is investigating persons named as accused in the report by Rayamajhi Commission regarding repression of Janaandolan II. Thapa was flying to London via Doha. After he was stopped, Thapa returned home immediately. Leading dailies report
Minister Mahato For Autonomy To Madhesis
Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Rajendra Mahato on Saturday (May 12) said that the Madhesi people should be allowed the right to rule themselves in the Madhes. Speaking at a press conference organized by the Nepal Journalists' Forum here, Mahato warned that the people of the hill community might be forced to displace from the Madhes if Madhesis were denied the right to rule themselves. He stressed the need for involving the people of the Madhesi community to the level of leadership. He said that a probe team would be formed to ascertain the extent of the suppression during the Madhes agitation. The team will be formed after holding talks with the agitating forces. The Himalayan Times daily reports
Bill To Clip King’s Authority To Confer Awards
A bill clipping the King’s authority of conferring awards, honors and decorations has been registered at the parliament. As per the bill, a separate committee headed by the Prime Minister will be formed to confer awards, honors and decorations from now onwards. The committee will include Home Minister, Defense Minister, Information and Communication Minister, Education and Sports Minister, chief secretary and one nominee by the PM from among distinguished personalities. The bill has also introduced new honors, awards and decorations abolishing the past ones. In the category of honors, the bill has introduced Nepal Ratna, Rastra Gaurav, Rastra Deep, and Jana Sewa Shree. The bill introduces decorations such as Rastra Yashobardhak, Nepal Sewa Pravin, Samaj Sewa Ratna, Param Paurakh Bhaskar, Ati Paurakh Bhaskar, Maha Paurakh Bhaskar, Nepal Pratap Subhushan, Nepal Pratap Abhushan and Nepal Pratap Bhushan. While the Param Paurakh Bhaskar, Ati Paurakh Bhaskar and Maha Paurakh Bhaskar decorations will be conferred to Nepali Army soldiers who display outstanding valor, the Nepal Pratap Subhushan, Nepal Pratap Abhushan and Nepal Pratap Bhushan will be conferred to gallant members of police force. Likewise, the bill introduces awards such as Lok Shree Padak, Rastra Sewa Padak, Satkarya Padak, Samaj Sewa Padak, Sagarmatha Padak, Sukirti Padak, Birta Padak, Shaurya Padak, Prakritik Prakop Piditoddar Padak, Bikas Ratna Padak, Shanti Padak and Bigyan Pravin Padak. nepalnews.com reports
Home Minister Vows To Declare Bista Martyr
Home Minister Krishna Sitaula has said that the government will declare Nabaraj Bista a martyr. Bista, a government engineer, was shot to death by the cadres of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Goit faction) on Friday. The JTMM-Goit cadres had killed one engineer and abducted three other government staffs. The cadres descended upon four government employees in Khelonatole of Karkatti VDC of Siraha district. They killed engineer Nabaraj Bista – who worked in district technical office. Of the three others abducted including driver Ram Kumar Yadav, engineer Murli Gopal Ranjit and contractor Tek Bahadur Lama – Yadav has been released while the whereabouts of other two remain unknown. Leading dailies report
Prachanda Regrets Dang Incident, Mahara Unhappy Over YCL Activities
Maoist chairman Prachanda has said that his party expresses deep concern over the incident in Dang last Sunday (May 6) when a Nepali Congress leader was thrashed by Maoist activists outside the Tulsipur municipality where senior Maoist and NC leaders were discussing ways to resolve the issue of seized properties. In a statement he issued on Thursday, Prachanda has said, “Our party expresses deep concern at the sad incident that occurred after dispute erupted between tenant farmers and land owners even as consultations between our party leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and NC leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala was reaching to conclusion ( to resolve the issue).” He has said that the incident appeared ‘spontaneous.’ Prachanda also said that setting of fire in Dang on Wednesday was also against the policy of Maoist party. He vowed to take action against any of his party members if found involved in that incident. “It is the burning need of the country today to fix the date for CA elections by maintaining political understanding on republic and building an environment of trust through appropriate management of PLA cantonments, release of detainees, making whereabouts of disappeared persons public and correctly resolving issues regarding land-house disputes,” Prachanda states. “Our party feels that consolidation of eight party unity is mandatory to achieve these results. Expressing our commitment (on the unity) we appeal to all to move ahead in the direction of unity and trust by correcting their weaknesses,” he adds. Meanwhile, Maoist minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara has said that the violent activities being carried out in the name of Young Communist League (YCL) were against the policies of the party. Talking to reporters, Minister for Information and Communication Mahara said, “The violent activities carried out by the YCL itself or by others in the name of YCL are against the policies of the party.” Mahara said incidents of looting, arson and beatings were against party policies. He, however, said the peaceful campaign by the Maoist-affiliate YCL were as per the party policy. Meanwhile, in Bardiya on Thursday, YCL cadres set fire to Small Farmers Cooperatives Limited and looted documents. Reports say that the cooperative had safely tucked away monetary deposits fearing such attacks. Consequently, only documents were looted. The cooperative has provided over Rs 12.5 million loan to farmers of the region. Compiled from reports
YCL Steps Up Violence, Thrashes Assistant CDO In Kailali
The Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL) has stepped up its violent activities on Tuesday (May 8) when its cadres thrashed assistant chief district officer and policemen in Kailali district. The YCL cadres and Maoist-affiliated Tharu Liberation Front (TLF) activists, demanding the release of their comrades in Bardiya, ran amok the District Administration Office in Dhangadhi and severely thrashed assistant CDO Ganja Bahadur Mahara Chhetri. A few security personnel were also injured. The YCL cadres padlocked the DAO. Sis UN officials who had reached Kailali DAO when the incident occurred were also locked inside the DAO office for half an hour. Meanwhile, in Dandagaon of Rasuwa district, the YCL cadres chased away 9 police men on duty at Dandagaon police post. The policemen fled to Betrawati in search of safety after Maoists attacked the post claiming that the police had booked YCL cadre Kumar Tamang on a complaint filed by workers of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). Leading dailies report
YCL Intensifies Actions
The Maoist activists belonging to Young Communist League (YCL) and Tharu Liberation Front (TLF) set the office of land reform in Ghorahi of Dang district on fire on Wednesday (May 9). The group of Maoist activists who had gone to District Administration Office (DAO) to protest arrest of their comrades in Bardiya district, set the office on fire. According to chief of land revenue office Keshav Acharya all the documents including land records were gutted in the fire. When police intervened to disperse the protesters, a clash ensued, which resulted in injuries to four policemen and a dozen protesters. Meanwhile, in eastern district of Sankhuwasabha, YCL cadres beat one worker to death. Bir Bahadur Kalakheti, a 67-year-old person was beaten to death by YCL cadres named Harka Bahadur Gole and Sher Bahadur Gole. He was killed after a dispute erupted over building of a bridge in Lafunga river – located in northern part of the district, some four hours of walking distance from district headquarters Khandbari. Leading dailies report
Janajatis Threaten Stir
Five Janajati organizations, on Thursday (May 10) announced protest programs beginning May 17 to press the government to meet their demands, including federal system of governance. the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), Indigenous Nationalities Joint Struggle Committee (INJSC), Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities Students (NEFINS), National Indigenous Nationalities Women Federation (NINWF) and Nepal Indigenous Nationalities Youth Association jointly announced the struggle programs at a press conference here on Thursday. addressing the conference, NEFIN president Pasang Sherpa said that the indigenous people were forced to take to the streets, as "three rounds of talks with the government remained fruitless". He, however, said the dialogue with the government would continue. He said rallies and mass meetings would be organized throughout the nation on May 17. A sit-in protest will be held at Maitighar Mandala on May 24 and 25 and torch rallies will be taken out from various parts of the country on May 31. The Janajatis have announced Nepal bandh on June 1, 10 and 11. The Himalayan Times daily reports
