Madhesi Parties Conclude Govt Has Betrayed Them
The Madhesi parties have concluded that the decision of the government to introduce the supplementary bill to amend the constitution is not in keeping with their demands. Terming the move by the seven parties as 'betrayal' to the Madhesi people, the parties – Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF), Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP), Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) and a faction of NSP-Anandidevi – have said that they have been compelled to re-launch struggle. The joint statement of the parties signed by Sarita Giri of a faction of NSP-A stated that the government decision has compelled them to 'carry forward the agitation in more effective and stronger manner in the coming days.' MJF coordinator Upendra Yadav has said that they will hold further meeting on Saturday (July 5) to decide about the struggle. "Madhesi people will not accept this betrayal," said Rajendra Mahato, chief of NSP. The meeting of the Madhesi parties had reached the conclusion to launch struggle following the decision of the cabinet to introduce the supplementary bill at the Constituent Assembly (CA) meeting on Saturday. However, the CA meeting could not take place as scheduled on Saturday and has been deferred till Monday. Compiled from reports
Students Protest 'One Madhes' Demand
Student unions affiliated to big three parties - CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist) - and other fringe parties have concluded that the demand for "One Madhesh Province" raised by Terai-based parties is illegitimate and that it will prove to be counter-productive for the Madhesi people themselves. A meeting of eight students' union held in the capital on Friday (July 4) called on the government to address the demands raised by Terai-based parties through the new constitution, but advised against explicitly stating "Madhes as autonomous region" in the interim constitution. They were of the firm opinion that this demand can't be accepted under any circumstances. "Since it has already been said that the issue of state restructuring would be tackled by the Constituent Assembly, the demand of the Terai-based parties for inclusion of the phrase 'Madhes as autonomous region' and 'group entry' of Madhesis in the draft of the supplementary constitution amendment bill is not legitimate," said Pradip Poudel, president of Nepal Students' Union (NSU). However, NSU's parent party Nepali Congress has been clearly divided over the issue, although it has been seen in favor of fulfilling the aspirations for autonomy of not only people from Madhes but also of indigenous communities and backward regions. Similarly, the students' unions also asked the Madhesi parties not to disrupt the CA session as they have been doing from the past some time, saying that it would only create obstacles in the formation of the new government. Compiled from reports
Bandh Cripples Life In Terai Districts
Normal life in most of the Terai district was crippled Friday (July 4) due to a bandh called by Chure Bhavar Rastriya Ekta Party, Tharuhat Autonomous State Council and Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal protesting the Madhesi parties' demand for a single Madhes autonomous state. Transport service, trade and industry sectors were affected by the bandh and no vehicle plied in Biratnagar. The agitators staged demonstrations in Nawalparasi from morning. In Parsa, the agitators staged demonstrations and district headquarter Birgunj and other places remained close. Traffic was halted in Inaruwa, Duhabi, Khanar of Sunsari district. Normal life in Sarlahi and Rautahat districts was also affected by the bandh. "There is no Madhes region in Nepal. It is the only Tarai region," the agitators said. Agitators also warned that they would revolt if the government agreed to 'One Madhes One Pradesh' demand. Leading dailies report
Tharus Enraged Over 'Madhesization' Of Terai
Expressing serious concern over attempts being made to invent "Madhes" which never existed, in Terai parts of Nepal by resorting to "political blackmailing", ethnic Tharus have issued a strong warning against conspiracies to downplay their identity and existence. They also said that Constituent Assembly (CA) has been turned a "rubber stamp" to endorse such attempts. Thirteen different organizations working for the welfare of the Tharu community including the Tharu Welfare Assembly (TWA) issued a joint statement on Wednesday (July 2) in protest of efforts being made to turn the entire "Tharuhat Terai region" into Madhes province through 'political blackmailing'. They said they would wage a movement against the deliberate attempt of what they called Madhesization of Terai and also announced a number of protest programs. "It is not very hard to understand that the main aim of this political blackmailing is to downplay the identity and existence of the indigenous communities living in Terai and turn them into Madhesis," the statement said, adding that the closed door meetings (between seven parties and Terai based parties) including political bargaining are all exercises to end the identity of the Tharus in their own land. Stating that the big parties are being compelled to meet the "One Madhesh" demand - of declaring the whole of Terai (from Mechi to Mahakali) as a autonomous Madhes state - through threats and warnings, the Tharu organizations have said they would enforce a one-hour long transportation strike in Terai on June 4 and picket the CA venue on June 5. In the statement signed by general secretary of TWA Raj Kumar Lekhi, an appeal has also been made to the civil society and general people to help stop "Madhesization of Terai". Major political parties like CPN (Maoist) and CPN (UML) have already raised their objection to the "One Madhes province" demand of Terai-based parties, describing it as a threat to national integrity. However, Nepali Congress (NC) has maintained that the demand of Terai-based parties (Madhesi parties) should be met, but haven't come clear on whether they support their demand for "One Madhes province". On the other hand, demanding constitutional guarantee of "autonomous Madhes province", Terai-based parties have already obstructed the Constituent Assembly (CA) meeting for the fifth time in a row. They are all set to not let its proceeding go on smoothly today too as the taskforce of the three aforementioned parties who are also largest parties in CA failed to prepare the draft of a supplementary constitution amendment bill yesterday following difference over the definition of a "Madhes autonomous a province" and "group entry" of certain communities into Neal Army. Madhesi leaders have also threatened a nationwide stir if the government turned down their demand for a single Madhes province. Chairman of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) Upendra Yadav said on Monday that big political parties are trying to repress Madhesi demands by bringing in the Tharu community. Yadav, who was speaking at a program in Birgunj, claimed that "all Tharus are also Madhesi as they reside in Terai region like other Madhesi communities", and said that Madhesi struggle will continue until the establishment of separate Madhesi state. He also said that Madhesi movement is not targeted against any other community but is meant to establish the rights of both Madhesi and people of hilly origin in the Terai region. However, Tharu Welfare Assembly says that the "One Madhes" demand has been made to convert their land - Tharuhat - into Madhes. Similarly, Chure Bhawar Ekta Party (CBEP) which represents the people of hilly origin in Terai, has also raised objections against the demands for one Madhes province, saying that it would sow the seed of disintegration. Nepalnews.com reports
UML Floats YCL-Copycat
Even as the Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL) has been drawing wide criticism for taking law in their hands, another communist party, too, has decided to tread the same path. The Youth Force of the CPN-UML affiliated Democratic National Association Tuesday (July 1) beat up two persons of the Department of Labor on charges of taking bribes and handed them over to the police. The arrested have been identified as Bhuwan Kumar Regmi, a staff at the department, and Daman Chand of Shah Manpower Company. The newly formed UML Youth Force has charged Regmi and Shah with jointly taking bribes worth Rs 15,000. Kalpana Shrestha of Swargadwari Abhimukhikarn said that Regmi demanded the bribe to lift the suspension of her organization. The UML Youth Force said that they are planning to deal with employees at other offices who are involved in bribery. The other staff at the department halted their work today in protest of the arrest. Compiled from reports
Docs See Epidemic Threat In Valley Garbage
Mounds of garbage dotting the capital, coupled with scarcity of potable water, can spark an outbreak of water-borne and other diseases, warn doctors. The garbage that has been piling up in the Kathmandu valley for about a month is unlikely to be removed completely for another week. Dr Mahendra Bahadur Bista, director of Sukra Raj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, says number of infectious diseases like gastroenteritis, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, viral influenza and conjunctivitis go up in the rainy season. "Eighty per cent diseases are water-borne and can be controlled by drinking safe water," he said. He blamed the Kathmandu Metropolitan City for not managing the waste properly and warned of an outbreak of epidemic if the situation persisted. Bista said personal hygiene was a must in order to stay away from these diseases. Dr Garib Das Thakur, chief of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, stated that June and July were the months when diseases spread the most and special measures should be taken to prevent any outbreak of epidemic. Diseases caused by food, water and insects spread in this season, he said. He added that people should take utmost care of their food habits. Dr Devi Prasad Bhusal, chief physician at Sukra Raj Tropical Hospital, said the hospital had already been witnessing a surge in the number of patients with the onset of rainy season as compared to other seasons. The Himalayan Times daily reports
