Political Accident If Parties Fail To Cooperate, Says PM
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said that there would be political accident in the country if the parties fail to cooperate with each other during the election. Talking to reporters in Biratnagar, Saturday (March 29), PM Koirala said that Nepal had never received such a huge amount of help and good wishes from the international community. He warned all that could vanish if election is not held. He made these remarks in reference to growing discord among seven parties and poll-related clashes and violence. Earlier, he instructed security officers based in eastern region to tighten the security in view of the nearing election. He gave the instruction following a briefing by heads of police agencies in eastern region at his residence in Biratnagar Saturday morning. Regional chiefs of the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department attended the meeting with Koirala. PM Koirala also asked them to provide security to the election candidates. Compiled from reports
Armed Terai Outfits Announce They Won't Talk With Govt
Stating that the government did not release their cadres during the ultimatum they had given till 3 pm, Saturday (March 29), the four armed outfits based in Terai have announced that they would not sit for talks with the government. The talks between the government and four Terai-based armed outfits had become uncertain after the latter issued ultimatum to the government to release their cadres detained by police by 3 pm Saturday. While the armed outfits had said they will not sit for talks if their cadres are not released by then, the government talks team comprising seven party representatives had said it will not be possible for the government to release the detainees before the talks. The four armed outfits – Samyukta Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha, Terai Cobra, Madhesi Mukti Tigers and Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha – had earlier agreed to hold talks with the government. They had even formed their talks team headed by Sanjay Gupta and including Jagadish Adhikary, Rajiv Jha and Binay Lal Das as members. The four outfits, however, do not include Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Jwala Singh) and Akhil Terai Mukti Morcha led by Jai Krishna Goit – the two most active armed outfits in the region. Compiled from reports
Bandh In Three Districts; Prachanda Asks Govt To Clarify Arms Episode
The Maoists enforced bandh (shutdown strike) in Rupandehi, Nawalpasari and Kapilvastu districts on Tuesday to protest what they call clandestine import of arms from India Monday night. Main bazaars, educational institutions and highways in these three districts were closed as the Maoist cadres staged angry protests at several places. Butwal particularly remained tense with the cadres of the Maoist-aligned Young Communist League (YCL) clashing with riot police during their demonstration. Reports said YCL's street protest started early morning in Butwal and continued till evening. The Maoists were angered by the "mysterious import of arms" by the police force at a time when the nation is preparing for a crucial vote on April 10. Their anger intensified after police forcefully freed two trucks from Yogikuti area at around 3:30 am in the morning from the clutches of YCL. YCL cadres led by Maoist central leaders Devendra Poudel and Bamdev Chhetri had seized the trucks on Monday night. The trucks were coming from Sunauli border point into Nepal. Officials have claimed that it contained logistics for Armed Police Force (APF). Meanwhile, talking to reporters in Biratnagar, Maoist chairman Prachanda has asked the government to clarify about the arms import episode. He said he has already talked with Home Minister regarding the issue. Home Minister Krishna Sitaula, on the other hand, said the government will sort out the issue at central level. Home Secretary Umesh Mainali urged all concerned not to create any disruption over this episode since the trucks were only carrying logistics for police personnel. The Indian Embassy, in Kathmandu, said that the supplies consisting of riot gear had been made on Nepal government's request. "The supplies consist of items required by the Armed Police Force in the context of their responsibility for augmenting security for the forthcoming CA election," said Gopal Bagley, spokesperson of Indian Embassy. The supplies include riot gear, tear gas shells and communications equipment. Compiled from reports
Prachanda Deplores Media For Writing News Against Maoists
Maoist chairman Prachanda stepped up his criticism at what he called big media for writing news against the Maoists. Addressing a program in Itahari, Tuesday, Prachanda accused that media was writing against them guided by 'foreign money.' "What are these journalists writing? What do they think of themselves? Writing news against Maoists by pocketing foreigners' money? Who gave such right to these journalists?" he thundered at the program. He further accused that the media did not give enough coverage to the killings of one dozen Maoist cadres but highlighted 'even petty' interventions by YCL. Amid the continuous criticism by the Maoist chairman, the journalists covering the event walked out of the venue. Leading dailies report
TMLP, SP Announce Electoral Alliance; MJF Opts Out
Following days of negotiations, the Terai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP) led by Mahantha Thakur and Rajendra Mahato's Sadbhawana Party (SP) have announced their electoral alliance. Organizing a press conference in Kathmandu Wednesday (Mar 26), the heads of the two Madhesi parties disclosed their agreement to forge electoral alliance which, they said, is meant to ensure that the rights of Madhesi people get due place in the new constitution to be drafted by the constituent assembly. According to the arrangement, the SP will support TMLP candidates in Jhapa constituency no. 6 and 7, Morang 2, 3 and 6, Sunsari 4 and 5, Siraha 2 and 6, Dhanusha 1, 3 and 5, Salahi-6, Banke-3, Bardiya-1, Dang 1 and Kanchanpur 1, 2 and 3. Likewise, the TMLP will support SP candidates in Jhapa constituency no. 1 and 4, Morang 4, 5 and 7, Sunsari 1, 2, 3 and 6, Siraha-1, Bardiya 2 and 3 Dhanusha-6, Banke 2 and 4, Udaypur 1 and 2 and Kailali 3, 5 and 6. Meanwhile, Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF – led by Upendra Yadav) – the third party in the United Madhesi Democratic Front that jointly launched Madhesi agitation – has not been included in the alliance. Compiled from reports
Forty EU Observers In Nepal
Forty European Union long-term election observers have arrived in Nepal to join the EU's Election Observation Mission (EOM). The observers are from 15 different EU countries as well as Norway and Switzerland, the EOM office said Monday (Mar 24). After an extensive briefing in Kathmandu, the long-term observers will be deployed throughout Nepal in two teams on 25 March. They will cover 62 out of the 75 districts, with two mobile teams traveling around other less accessible districts. "The fact that we have such a large number of observers, who will be staying in the field for several weeks after election day, shows our commitment to transparent elections and democratic reform in Nepal," said Deputy Chief Observer Thomas Boserup. According to the EOM, which is led by Jan Mulder, a Dutch member of the European Parliament, further 70 short-term observers are due to join the mission on 1 April. They will be deployed to the districts before election day in order to observe the voting and counting processes. In total, the mission will be made up of 120 people from 22 EU countries as well as Norway and Switzerland. "All EU observers are bound by an internationally accepted code of conduct as well as the Nepali code of conduct for election observation. This means that they maintain strict neutrality in the course of their work and cannot interfere in any way in the electoral process," the EOM statement stated. Compiled from reports
Logistics For Election Almost Ready, Says EC
The Election Commission (EC) spokesperson Laxman Bhattarai has said that the task of printing the ballot papers has completed. "Ballot paper printing has finished. 20.4 million ballot papers for the first-past-the-post election and 20.8 million ballot papers for proportional representation based election have been printed and are being transported to districts," said Bhattarai, at a press meet, Sunday (Mar 30). "Likewise, all the 61 different kinds of election materials have been transported to districts," he said. He said that the EC has written to political parties to correct 'some' mistakes in age and citizenship of some candidates. "We have asked them to respond by April 2," he said. There will be 20,888 polling centers in 9821 places. Bhattarai said 234,000 polling staffs will be deployed to carry out the election. "In the FPTP category, of the total 3947 candidates, there are 367 women. Of the total 6000 candidates under PR category, there are 3068 women," Bhattarai said. Compiled from reports
Baidya Blames India And US For Leftist Alliance Not Materializing
Influential Maoist leader Mohan Baidya has claimed that the leftist alliance didn't materialize because India and the US didn't want it to happen. Addressing an election assembly organized by the party in Butwal Saturday (Mar 29), Baidya said India and the US used their influence to avoid this scenario because they were afraid that if there were a leftist alliance then there would be a "huge miracle" in Nepal. He also accused Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) of making sure that there was no leftist alliance during the election. Baidya, who is often referred to as the mentor of Maoist chairman Prachanda, remarked that UML was not a leftist party and that it didn't have even a least bit of morality in it. He also said that although UML general secretary Madhav Nepal has been talking about leftist alliance during the polls his party is in reality against the idea. Compiled from reports
