UML holding talks with Maoists
Says rebels positive on alternative to NC

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KATHMANDU, Oct 21 - Leader of the main oppo-sition in the Parliament said Saturday that his party has been holding talks at different levels with Maoist rebels.

Madhav Kumar Nepal, General Secretary of Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist, said this just a week after his statement that his party was ready to mediate between the government and the rebels.

Nepal said that some leaders of his party had met Maoist leaders recently in a insurgency-hit district and "both sides agreed to remove the mistakes prevalent in their respective parties".

The opposition leader was speaking at the third national convention of National Democratic Youth Organisation of Nepal, Kathmandu district.

"Although the rebels wanted to terrorise our leaders by using guns, they stopped doing so when our leaders protested their action. They also made comments about some leaders of our party," said Nepal. However, he did not name the leaders who had met the rebels nor the district where they had held talks. He reiterated his belief that Maoists were ready to hold dialogues with the government.

"Our leaders had suggested to the rebels that we can look for alternative to Nepali Congress by uniting the people and not only by lifting guns," said Nepal, adding "their (Maoists’) response was positive."

However, reliable sources in the party said it was Madhav Kumar Nepal himself who had held talks with Prachanda, General Secretary of the underground Nepal Communist Party (Maoist). Party insiders said the two sides had held talks even earlier and it was on this basis that Nepal had publicly declared his party’s intention to mediate to bring government and the rebels to the dialogue table.

On October 14, at his party’s tea programme, Nepal had offered to take initiative for the peaceful resolution of the Maoist problem. The next day the leader of the opposition had urged the Maoists to prepare for peace talks and asked the government to treat the problem as a political one. The two sides are yet to respond to the offer of UML’s mediation.

Nepal also said that Maoists themselves are doubtful of the success of their violent campaign. "They too are in a dilemma as to kill how many more people above the 1500 who have already died. Even Maoists have killed innocent people but police too have killed people."

Coming down heavily on non-left parties, Nepal said his party, the group of nine left parties and Maoists were all, in their capacity, were fighting against the reactionary government.

Nepal criticised the government for not responding to Maoists’ offer of holding dialogues under the present Constitution and multi-party system. "If the government is not willing to talk then it is they who are the problem, not the Maoists."

NC blamed for flaring Maoist problem

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KATHMANDU, Oct 21 - Victims of Maoists insurgency today blamed the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) of flaring up the Maoist problem and demanded an all-party committee to resolve the four-and-half year old ‘People’s War’.

Speaking at an interaction programme on ‘The Pain of Maoist Terrorism and Readiness in its Resolution’ organised by Nepal Maoist Victims’ Association (NMVA), vice-president of NMVA Dharma Raj Neupane said, divided mentality of NC provided a conducive environment for the Maoists to grow. "There are two conflicting approaches about Maoist insurgency within NC itself," Neupane said, adding, "one says that it is a political issue and others label it as terrorist activity."

"Maoists are increasing day by day because of two conflicting views about them within the ruling NC," said member of NMVA Laxman Prasad Timilsina, whose father was killed by the rebels. "Army should be mobilised according to its necessity," he said, adding "Deuba-led High Level Recommendation Committee to Resolve Maoist Problem merely made a suitable environment for the Maoists to grow, but failed in solving the problem."

"Now, we need an all-party committee to give the final resolution to the state of terror in the country," Timilsina said.

"Leaders (of NC) are fighting for power, but have not thought anything for the people," said Prithvi Bahadur Budha, president of NMVA-Jajarkot.

Widow of a Maoist victim from Gorkha Janak Kumari Koirala blamed politicians for not helping people whenever they were in need. "Though NC has its government and many NC workers have been killed by the Maoists, the government has become reluctant towards solving the problem and pain of the people," she said.

"Though Home Minister goes to visit a Maoist-hit district in a helicopter by spending hundreds of thousands of rupees, he declines from giving a penny to the Maoist victims," said Devananda Purbe, secretary at NMVA-Kalikot. Speakers at the programme said that the political parties have incorporated the Maoist issue in their political agenda and have made it a ladder to reach to power.

NC rebels to expose irregularities

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KATHMANDU, Oct 21 - The anti-Koirala camp of the ruling Nepali Congress is preparing to present accounts of irregularities while issuing active membership of the party at the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting tomorrow.

The members of anti-Koirala camp today held a meeting at the contact office of the former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. According to sources close to Deuba, the meeting has decided to raise the issues of active membership in the CWC meeting.

The accounts to be briefed to the CWC tomorrow will have details of all the irregularities that the Koirala camp is accused of while issuing and renewing the active memberships, said the source.

"We have already found evidences of irregularities made while issuing 3,000 active memberships," said a member of the disgruntled group.

The dissatisfied group claimed that the active membership has been denied even to those who were active members during the party’s ninth general convention and accused that new members were added against the party’s decision.

Recently Prakash Man Singh, the party’s erstwhile Kathmandu district president had revealed that 938 new active members were added against the party’s decision and renewal of active members to 618 former active members was denied including Singh himself.

The Bhattarai camp has been accusing the Koirala camp of irregularities alleging them of issuing and renewing the active membership to Koirala supporters only.

The controversy over active membership even delayed the reshuffling of the Cabinet that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala intended to do within the last week. In recent weeks the Bhattarai camp has taken a stance not to go into the Cabinet or reconstitution of the CWC until the dispute over the active membership is resolved.

Koirala had to call a meeting of the CWC after the Bhattarai-camp declined from giving the names of people to be inducted to the Cabinet as asked by the Prime Minister.

The distribution of active membership affects the election of all the local and high level leadership of the party.

The two leaders during their agreement in August had agreed on resolving the fight over active membership, reshuffling the Cabinet and reconstitute the CWC with equal members from both the Koirala and Bhattarai camps.

Nepali Congress presently has 105,000 active members. Any decision taken over the active membership would have an impact on the fate of the government and affect the tenth general convention of the party scheduled for January.

Koirala urges insurgents to give up violence

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KATHMANDU, Oct 21 - Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Saturday urged Maoist insurgents to abandon the violence which was "smearing the image of the country acclaimed as the land of peace across the globe."

"This birthplace of Lord Buddha, the messenger of peace for the whole of the world, has been disturbed by the insurgency," the Premier said. "I urged these distracted citizens of the land of peace to abandon violence and help not to smear its image."

PM Koirala was addressing the 57th annual meeting of Dharmodaya Sabha (DS) here today. The DS is a pioneer Buddhist organisation which has been disseminating the teachings of the Buddha in Nepal.

Reiteratating the government’s commitment to resolve the four and half year old rebellion which has claimed some 1450 lives altogether, he said, "Since peace is essential for development, the government has been not only anxious but also working hard to solve this (Maoist’s) problem."

He also said that social irregularities like robbery, murder and terrorism were not merely affecting the normal lives but posing serious threats to all the effort for the human and the national development altogether. "Above all, the violence just doesn’t help anyone," said he.

Commenting on a long dispute over the construction of a temple over the exact birthplace of the Buddha, Koirala said that the government, with the approval of UNESCO and other concerning international bodies, will take initiation to build the temple. "The construction works will begin soon," he said.

A long debate has been going on among the government, UNESCO and Japanese Buddhist Federation over a construction of the temple the Buddha’s birthplace. Lumbini has been enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Prime Minister also stressed on developing a Buddhist university in Lumbini. "I wish a Lumbini University be built there soon," he said.

Bikshu Sudarshan Mahasthavir, who has served in the development of Lumbini area for many years, said Lumbini Development Fund (LDF) is in the grip of mismanagement. He urged the fund to work something concrete in a time bound period than talking endlessly on almost impossible projects.

The vice-chairman of Lumbini Development Fund Omkar Prasad Gauchan, who is also vice-chairman of the DS, said the much awaited temple at Lumbini would be built as soon as possible. He said, "All we need is people’s cooperation and positive attitude."

DS Chairman Lok Darshan Bajracharya claimed if given authority, DS would build the temple which has been lingering for around a decade.

The general secretary of DS, Subarna Shakya urged the government to produce truthful statistics of the Buddhists in the up coming census of 2001.

Food adulteration remains a serious problem in Nepali bazaar

By Archana Parajuli

KATHMANDU, Oct 21- While the food inspectors claim that the practice of food adulteration has been decreasing each year, many housewives complain that sub-standard or adulterated foodstuffs still flood the market.

"Turmeric powder does not give the colour it is supposed to give", complains Prabha Gurung of Machhapokhari.

Another housewife Sujata Thapa says, "once I tried to make paneer from milk obtained from the market. But the milk would not coagulate even though I added a large amount of lime juice".

Anubha Adhikari, a housewife from Kalanki, says, "black pulse is adulterated with black colour to such an extent that when washed before cooking, the water turns black. Similarly small white-coloured stones are found mixed in rice, which are difficult to detect. High content of soda and powdered-milk are the adulteration in milk".

Food adulteration has remained a serious problem in Nepali bazaar whether it is in Mahendranagar in the west, Birtamod in the east or the capital. With very inadequate numbers of food inspectors, lax laws and their weak implementation, unscrupulous businessmen have been running their business as usual and they openly say that adulteration still remains a part of their business.

Bijaya Tuladhar, a retail shopkeeper at Ason says consumer’s practice of bargain compels the businessmen to mix low quality product in high quality foodstuff. "This has happened mainly because of lack of fixed-price system and quality control, and consumers’ practice of bargaining," says Tuladhar. He however, denies the use of sand, stone, and inedible colours in the products sold at his shop.

Adulteration can be said to be a form of simple cheating but at times it could be leading to serious health hazards.

Mansuli rice is mixed with Basmati rice, and the price of Basmati is charged. Animal fat is mixed in ghee, soyabean oil is mixed in mustard oil, sugar is mixed in honey... the list is long.

Metalin yellow, a colouring agent which causes cancer, was found in sweets last year. The presence of these kinds of colouring agents in sweets can raise serious concerns as they are more significant especially during festive seasons. And with the advent of Tihar when the demand for such sweets increases tremendously, more caution while buying sweets should be taken.

Contamination of cooking oil with Argemon seed last year was the cause behind Dropsy which caused a panic in the Nepali consumer market. But there are other types of food adulteration, which seem to be of minor nature, but have affected consumers even more seriously as they occur on a regular basis.

These types of problems worry housewives, as well as the food inspectors who claim that the trend of adlteration has been on the decline.

According to Urmila Joshi, Food Research Officer at Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, formerly known as he Central Food Resarch Laboratory, the incidents of food adulteration has been gradually declining, though many housewives might dispute her claims. Last year’s annual bulletin published by her office confirms her claims.

Though the legal provisions to penalise those involved in adulteration is there but the penalty is minimal. Moreover these laws are not strictly enforced.

Chief District Officer of Kathmandu Tulshi Prasad Bhattari says the act should be ammended and more stern punishments and fine should be included so that those involved in it abstain from it.

According to Food Act 1966, an offender gets a penalty of Rs 10,000 to 25,000 and three years of jail if a consumer dies of adulterated food products. This paltry sum of money paid in case of death also indicates that this Act places no value on human life.

Moreover the Act also makes it difficult to control distribution of adulterated food products. As was told by the personnel at DFTQC, they cannot accept the food items purchased by a consumer for the analysis of food quality. A consumer can only report the case, and food inspectors take samples from the market.

Rebels release 13 captives

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JAJARKOT, Oct 21 - Thirteen persons who were abducted by Maoist guerrillas from various Village Development Committees of this district during Dashain festival have returned to their homes after they were forced to sign separate papers promising not to go against the rebels, the victims said.

Some of the abducted victims said they were forced to pay hefty ransom while others were severely beaten. Five youths who were selected previously for the police service said they were released after they pledged not to join the force upon their return home.

The five youths--Ashok KC, Padam Pariyar, Purna Bahadur Khatri, Kiran Sunar and Suresh Karki from Khlanga VDC-6--were selected in the first phase of interview for the police service.

Rajendra Bahadur Singh, a rural health worker in Rukum district, was abducted by the rebels from Khlanga VDC-8 while returning home to celebrate Dasain festival.

Singh was brought before the Maoist People’s court on charges of manhandling a Maoist commander’s wife a few month ago. Singh was released after he apologized for the misdeed. Likewise other five persons, including a District Development Committee member, were also released from three-day Maoist captivity on the condition that they would pay the ransom demanded by the rebels within a specified time.

DDC member Bisnu Kumar Pun was forced to sign a paper stating that he would pay the rebels Rs 40,000 within 15 days.

Similarly, Bhim Bahadur Pun, Chairman of Danda Gaon VDC, who was elected on behalf of the Nepali Congress returned home after being beaten by the rebels for three consecutive days in their torture camp. He was, later on, air-lifted to Nepalgunj hospital for treatment, police said. Another person Krishna Bahadur Nepali from the same VDC-5 also came home after being severely beaten up by the rebels.