Everything Will Be Done As Per The Understanding, Says PM Koirala
Prime Minister and president of Nepali Congress (NC) Girija Prasad Koirala has said that everything, including the formation of next government, will be carried out as per the understanding. In a brief reply to queries by the journalists, Friday (Apr 25), regarding the formation of next government, PM Koirala said that he will move ahead as per the understanding. "The government will have to be formed on the basis of understanding," he said. The journalists had asked him the question at a tea reception organized by Prakash Man Singh. His comments have come at a time when Maoists are preparing to lead the next government. His comments have been interpreted as something that is not supportive of the Maoists' move. The comments gain significance since another senior Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba clearly indicated that Koirala should continue to lead the next government. Girijababu has been leading since the peace agreement and everyone should accept his leadership, Deuba said. Earlier in the afternoon another NC leader and finance minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat had said that NC itself will lead the next government. Compiled from reports
Six Cases Filed In CA Court
Accusing of election rigging, half a dozen cases have been filed in the Constituent Assembly (CA) court. The petitioners have demanded re-polling in a number of polling centers. “There are half a dozen cases registered at the court,” Nahakul Subedi, registrar of the court told Kantipur. Sharat Singh Bhandari, who won from Mahottari-6 as a candidate of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF), faces two cases against him. Other winning candidates who have faced cases at the court include Rambabu Prasad Yadav (MJF, Bara-1); Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat (Nepali Congress, Nuwakot-2); Sher Bahadur Deuba (NC, Dadeldhura); and Ramesh Rijal (NC, Parsa-1). The court has already summoned Dr. Mahat to discuss about case against him on May 7. The CA court is authorized to hear cases of election rigging and could even overturn the results if it finds enough evidence of rigging. The court is headed by Supreme Court judge Anup Raj Sharma and includes judges Tapa Bahadur Magar and Ram Kumar Prasad Shah as members. Compiled from reports
NC, UML Leaders Attribute Their Electoral Loss To Poor Security, Maoist 'Intimidation'
Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, the two major parties that suffered huge blow in the constituent assembly elections at the hands of the Maoists, have started assessing the causes behind their humiliating defeat. NC's central working committee (CWC) meeting began Thursday (Apr 24) with leaders presenting their views on the causes of the electoral loss. In the meeting held at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's official residence in Baluwatar, most of the CWC members blamed poor security during election time and "Maoist terror" for the party's defeat. NC assistant general secretary Arjun Narsingh K.C, who lost the election from Nuwakot-1, said that atmosphere of fear and forceful activities of the Maoists could be largely attributed to the election results going in favor of the Maoists. Likewise, other CWC members are also learnt to have blamed the government for failing to ensure security during the election. Some of them were also critical of the party leadership for not being able to mobilize cadres in an effective way. A source said that most of the central leaders suggested their top brass not to be a part of the next government to be led by the Maoists. The CWC meeting will resume on April 29. Similarly, a meeting of the UML's central advisory committee also analyzed the loss faced by the party in the CA election. The committee members pointed out that apart from Maoist intimidation and the poor security arrangement the party leadership's failure to devise effective election strategies was also a cause for the poor performance in the polls. According to UML sources, the committee also suggested that the party's organizational structure be changed so that the party would be able to gradually regain its lost status. Compiled from reports
Indian Maoists Refuse To Draw Lesson From Nepal
Dismissing the suggestions from mainstream Indian communist parties, a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) has said his party would never follow the example of Maoists in Nepal and come into open politics. "We will never follow the example of Maoists in Nepal and fight elections," Associated Press quoted Srinivas, a central committee member of the CPI (Maoist), as saying. Talking to reporters Wednesday (Apr 23) outside a court in southern India where he was on trial for his alleged role in the assassination of a former state government minister, Srinivas said, "We believe in capturing power through armed struggle." The Indian Maoists also known as Naxalites are waging armed struggle in states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Andra Pradesh. Their relation with Nepali Maoists went sour after the latter joined the peace process two years back. The link between the two parties is believed to have broken since then. Commenting on the success of the CPN-Maoist in the April 10 constituent assembly elections, leaders of Indian mainstream communist parties had recently suggested the Naxalites to draw positive lessons from Nepal. Nepalnews.com reports
First CA Meeting Can’t Abolish Monarchy, Says Yadav
Coordinator of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Upendra Yadav has said the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly cannot abolish the monarchy. Speaking at a felicitation program organized for CA members by the Sunsari Chambers of Commerce and Industries (Apr 23) , Yadav, who was elected to the CA from Sunsari-5, said, “It is impossible for the first meeting of the CA to abolish the monarchy. Those who are saying that the first CA meeting will abolish the monarchy are fooling the people.” Yadav claimed that the first meeting will be over just after the new members take the oath of office and observe silence for martyrs. It will have no time to deal with any political agenda, he said, claiming that the constituents of the seven-party alliance will try to divert the CA meeting towards technical aspects to keep the monarchy. “I even drew the attention of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on this, but he paid no heed.” He claimed that the proposed federal state system is the outcome of the Madhes agitation. Asked about the possibility of the MJF joining the government, he said that the parties should come up with a Minimum Common Agenda (MCA) for this. “The MCA should realize the promises made in the past for the Madhesi cause. The issue of an alliance comes after that,” he said. Yadav said the MJF had not yet received any proposal of power-sharing in the government. He said the MJF was against joining the government just for the sake of power-sharing. He threatened to launch an agitation if the government disregarded the demand for the declaration of Madhes as one Pradesh. The Himalayan Times daily reports
Caught With Free Tibet Banner, A Climber Is Forced To End Everest Climb
Authorities forced a Western climber caught with a "Free-Tibet" banner to end his climb of Mount Everest, about a week before a planned ascent by Chinese climbers carrying the Olympic torch, officials said on Wednesday. The climber, said to be an American, was caught with the banner in his bags at Everest's base camp, the Associated Press quoted mountaineering officials in Katmandu as saying. The officials did not want to be named because they are not authorized to speak to reporters. The climber is the first to be stopped by soldiers and policemen stationed on the Nepali side of the world's highest mountain to prevent anti-China protests during the planned torch run to the summit. The climb, which is expected to start some time next week, will take place on the Chinese side of the mountain. But the government, complying to pressure from Chinese government, has posted soldiers on the southern side and banned climbing near the summit between May 1-10 as a precaution. Compiled from reports
Malaria Risk High In Nepal
Around 75 percent of total population of Nepal run risk of catching malaria. According to Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, people living in Terai districts, particularly around border region, are in higher risk of malaria. The Division states that while 65 out of total 75 districts of Nepal are in risk of catching malaria; 12 of them run particularly higher risk. They include Jhapa, Ilam, Morang, Mahottari, Dhankuta, Sindhuli, Kavre, Nawalparasi, Bardiya, Dadeldhura, Kanchanpur and Kailali districts. From this year, Banke district, too, has been included under higher risk category, said G.D. Thakur, chief of the Division. Meanwhile, the government is preparing to distribute 2.2 million mosquito nets that are sprayed with insecticides within next five years. Malaria is caused by mosquito bites. Compiled from reports
Nepali Workers To Fly To South Korea From Mid-July
The Ministry of Labor and Transport Management has said that some 4000 Nepali workers will start flying to South Korea for jobs under the Employment Permission System (EPS) by mid-July this year. Ministry spokesperson Shyam Prasad Mainali said at a news conference on Sunday that 4000 applicants out of the total 6768 who passed the Korean language test recently will fly to South Korea in the first phase, after completing standard medical tests. He said the medical reports would be sent to Korean authorities for approval. The medical check-ups would be carried out in government hospitals. Over 31,500 people had appeared in the language test held last month. Selected candidates will have to pay a total of 64 thousand rupees, which covers all the expenses including medical check-up, visa fee and air ticket. These workers will get a minimum monthly salary of USD 900. Compiled from reports
