PM Wishes For Unity After CA
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Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Saturday laid stress on the need for a coalition government even after the upcoming Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, slated for April 10. Addressing an interaction with artistes at the PM's official residence at Baluwatar in the capital on Saturday (Mar 15), he added that the unity of the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) must be kept intact for the next ten years to institutionalize democracy. PM Koirala called on all political parties to focus on healthy competition during the CA polls stating an atmosphere favorable for elections cannot be created without assistance from the parties. Only the elections to the CA will bring about political stability and development in the country, he reiterated. At the interaction organized by Nepal Cultural Association, renowned artistes Hari Bansha Acharya and Madan Krishna Shrestha requested the political parties to create a free and fair atmosphere for the April polls. Compiled from reports
Rana Accuses Maoists Of Trying To Disrupt Polls
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) chairman Pashupati Shumsher Rana has accused the Maoists of trying to create hurdle in the constituent assembly election process by obstructing the election rallies of other political parties. "Activities of the Maoists are intended to disrupt the election," Rana said at an interaction organized by the Reporters Club Friday (Mar 14), "They should come out of war mentality." The RPP chief, who was prevented by the Maoist cadres from attending an election publicity program in his constituency in Sindhupalchowk last Saturday, met Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in Baluwatar Friday morning asking the latter to do something about "Maoist highhandedness". According to Rana, the Prime Minister said he was aware of the violent activities of Maoist cadres and that he was determined not to allow activities that would affect the polls. Hinting at a policy change, Rana said the RPP is not a pro-monarchist party and that it will accept federal republic if that is the verdict of the people. He even claimed that his party is going to do better than the Maoists in the election, securing third place, after Nepali Congress and UML. "RPP will be the third largest party. Either NC or UML will be in the top position." Compiled from reports
Gold Price In Historic Height
Gold price touched historic high of Rs 20,835 per 10 gram — over Rs 24,300 per tola (11.664 gram) — in the domestic market on Friday, the closing day of the week. If the current bullish trend continues, soon the price will cross Rs 25,000 per tola in the domestic market, according to the gold traders. Due to the huge price rise in crude prices that touched the historic high of $110 per barrel, slow down of US economy, weak global stock market and further weakening of dollar has been pushing the price of gold up in the last months. The price of oil is up by 256 percent in the past five years. In the international market also, Gold has hit a new milestone Friday, rising to $1,000 an ounce for the first time. The price of gold has jumped nearly 20 percent since the start of the year after rising nearly 32 per cent in 2007. Lower interest rates — and the prospect of more rate cuts by Fed — bringing the dollar's value down makes dollar-based commodities like gold cheaper for foreign buyers. The weak currency has also made gold more attractive because the metal is a hedge against inflation, according to experts. Leading dailies report
CEC Cautions Against Obstruction Of Election Rallies
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Amid reports of Maoist cadres obstructing other parties from holding election rallies and even resorting to physical attack in some places, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Bhojraj Pokharel has cautioned against such tactics. "Everyone has the right to campaign for the election. I hope no one obstructs such campaigning from now onwards," he told reporters after meeting with UN official at EC, Thursday (Mar 13). The Maoist cadres obstructed Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) from campaigning in Sindhupalchowk and Dhankuta districts, respectively, and also attacked UML leaders in Ramechhap district. Meanwhile, issuing a statement, EC has said, "The Commission has seriously noted reports of obstruction, beatings and intolerance against party candidates and workers of different political parties in various parts of the country." The EC has reminded that each and every political party has the right to campaign for election by remaining within the election code of conduct. It has also asked authorities to take action against those found engaged in such activities. The EC has also designated 49 government secretaries and first class officers to monitor the CA election and assigned them with specific districts for the purpose. It has also decided that candidates cannot use motorcycles, jeeps, tempos in course of campaigning for election. Compiled from reports
India To Support Nepal's Bid For Fair Polls
India Thursday (Mar 13) said that it would fully support Nepal in its bid to conduct the April Constituent Assembly polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee informed that talks had been held between high-level representatives of both countries to put border security on high alert during the polls and mentioned that the Indian government would control any criminal activity aimed at disrupting the April 10 polls. While not dismissing the possibility of the armed agitating groups in the Terai creating obstructions to peaceful elections, Mukherjee added that he was optimistic about the ongoing efforts to bring the armed groups to the negotiating table. When asked if the talks would be held inside the Indian embassy, he said he would welcome talks no matter where they were held if they ended positively. At the program, Mukherjee also awarded certificates to the students who received Indian Golden Jubilee scholarships. eKantipur reports
No Link Between Naxals And Nepali Maoists: Indian Home Minister
The Indian government Tuesday made it clear that there was no connection between India's Naxalites and Nepali Maoists. "There is no connection between the Naxalites and Maoists of Nepal," Indian official news agency PTI quoted Home Minister Shivraj Patil as telling the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament. The Indian Home Minister's clarification was in response to the concerns raised frequently by the main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), over the alleged connection between Nepali Maoists and Naxalites who have been waging armed movement in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and a few other states. Indian media reports say the BJP leadership had met with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh recently and conveyed its worry that the connection between Nepali Maoists and Naxalites could pose a threat to India's national security. The CPN (Maoist) leadership has long been denying allegations of forging working relation with the Naxalites, especially during the armed conflict here, even as the two sides shared common ideology. Nepalnews.com reports
New UN Chief In Nepal Assumes Office
The newly appointed Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the United Nations System's Operational Activities for Development in Nepal and the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Robert Piper joined his office in Kathmandu on Tuesday (Mar 11). Piper called on Minister for Foreign Affairs Sahana Pradhan Tuesday to present the Letter of Credentials. He had arrived in Kathmandu on Monday. Prior to coming to Nepal he was the UNDP Director of the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund and Senior Advisor on UN Reform in New York. Beginning his career at AusAID, Piper has assumed positions of increasing importance in a number of countries and UNDP headquarters including Thailand, Cambodia, and Fiji. From 2005 to 2006, Piper worked on the Tsunami Recovery process serving as Chief of Staff to the UN Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, former US President Bill Clinton. He also worked as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Serbia, Kosovo, from March 2002 to July 2004. "I feel privileged to be taking up this assignment at such a historic time. Perhaps more than ever in our 40-year history in Nepal, the UN's development and humanitarian organizations has a critical role to play in lending our expertise, energies and resources to the government and people of Nepal. Peace and development are the two sides of the same coin," he said taking over the charge of Nepal. Piper, an Australian national, is a political science graduate and a Yale University World Fellow 2004. Mathew Kahane, left Kathmandu in February after completing his tenure here. Compiled from reports
WB Unhappy Over NT's Activities
The World Bank (WB) has expressed its dissatisfaction over the role played by the largest telecom service provide Nepal Telecom (NT). In its report submitted to the Ministry of Information and Communication, the WB has noted the unnecessary delay in providing inter-connection facilities by the NT to other private sector telecom companies; creation of unhealthy competition; its refusal to allow other companies to make use of optical fiber; and its cross-subsidy on internet service, which has affected other Internet Service Providers (ISPs). A mission of WB, which visited Nepal last week, also submitted a written report to the Ministry suggesting the functions for the telecom regulatory authority – the Nepal Telecom Authority (NTA). As the government is planning to privatize the NT, the WB has advised the government to look for NT's strategic partner. In Nepal, the WB has provided loan assistance of $28 million for the telecom sector assistance project. It has said that the project is only 'partially satisfactory' as it has not yet attained its objectives. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports
An UNMIN Staff Found Dead
Fifty-year-old Russian national Evegeny Alexandrov allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with a nylon rope in a rented-house at Kapan Saturday (Mar 8) evening, police said on Sunday. Alexandrov, who was working for the Russian Airlines company, was hired by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) as an engineer "for air service support in Nepal," the police said. The police suspect that he was depressed by the loss of his friends during UNMIN helicopter crash at Ramechhap on March 3. DSP Bikash Khanal at the Metropolitan Police Circle, Maharajgunj, said Alexander left a suicide note in Russian, in which he apparently held himself responsible for his death. Six foreigners, working for the helicopter company, had rented the two-storey house from Dipak Khatri and had been living there for more than a year. Three of them died in the helicopter crash. As one of his friends saw him hanging at round 6:30 pm Saturday, he reported to the UNMIN who, in turn, reported the matter to the police. The Himalayan Times daily reports
