Govt-Maoist talks get underway
First round leads to second; Next round two weeks later

By Damakant Jayshi

GODAVARI, Lalitpur, Aug 30 – The government and the Maoist rebels kicked off their first ever official dialogue at an opulent resort here, spending much of the marathon hours familiarizing themselves with each other. In the end, the meeting yielded an agreement to meet again, two weeks later.

That may not be much of a progress, but no one expected far-reaching agreements on the first round of the dialogue anyway. Just the fact that the two sides are talking officially after nearly six years of violence and mayhem is progress enough for many.

Having familiarized themselves, both sides are now preparing for the nitty gritty of delicate negotiations when the second round begins in two weeks time. The western district of Rolpa, a rebel stronghold, has been proposed by the rebels as the venue of the second round. Government negotiators said, they would think it over.

From what has emerged about today’s historic meeting, the Maoist delegation led by Krishna Bahadur Mahara stuck to its guns - new Constitution, an interim government and an end to this Hindu Kingdom in favour of a republic. In reply, the government side led by Minister for Physical Planning and Works Chiranjivi Wagle said that they would get back after further consultations, according to information provided by Mahara.

What this denotes is, either the Wagle team didn’t have the mandate even to reject outright the Maoist’s republican demands.

Or, they simply wanted to listen to the rebels rather than giving their own opinion. Government officials say, the latter case is true since it had all along been decided that the Wagle team would not furnish any agenda but rather just listen to what Mahara and company had to say. "We will be presenting our position in the second round," a senior government official said.

Besides Wagle, the five-member government committee includes Minister for Agriculture Mahesh Acharya, Minister for Water Resources Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar and Nepali Congress leaders Chakra Prasad Bastola and Narhari Acharya. The three-member Maoist team is led by former leftist lawmaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara and includes Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and Agni Prasad Sapkota. Also present were two independent facilitators - former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana and former leftist MP Padma Ratna Tuladhar.

Both the government and the Maoists stressed that the talks were held in highly cordial atmosphere. "We placed our demands, the ones that we have been raising all through … like republic … a new Constitution … a new interim government," said Mahara from a speeding car after the talks ended. He was with only one of his comrades, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi. The other, Agni Prasad Sapkota, left immediately after the talks for Janakpur.

Although Prime Minister Sher Bahadur had previously said that the venue and the details of the talks will be kept a closely-guarded secret, the secrecy was blown away by the heavy presence of security personnel leading to the Godavari Village Resort, the venue for today’s talks.

After the talks, the two sides issued a joint-statement which read: "Both the government and the Maoists have expressed their commitment to resolve all the differences and the problems through peaceful dialogue." The statement further added that the government side, while stressing on the solution through peace, urged the Maoists to desist from resorting to any pressure tactic or use of force. Mahara presented his party’s views and assured the Wagle team that they would not allow any such activities.

Later, briefing the reporters, Wagle said that he was hopeful of a solution to the Maoist problem, declining to reveal any further. Talking about today’s dialogue, Wagle said that "initially we tried to understand each other. After all, this is the first time we were meeting," revealed the Minister. "Then we came to the conclusions about today’s meeting which is in the joint statement."

Dhungana and Tuladhar, the two facilitators who had taken part only after the two committees were huddled closed doors, expressed their satisfaction at the turn of the events. Speaking to reporters, they said that if both the sides displayed the same cordiality and commitment to resolving the problem as evident today, the problem will be resolved very soon.

"Today the subject matter was introduced," said Tuladhar. When asked about the constitutionality of today’s talks, former Speaker Dhungana, declined to comment.

Mahara somersaults, threatens to resume armed struggle

BANKE, Aug 30 (PR) – The leader of the Maoist team in the talks with the government today threatened to resume the armed struggle to achieve their goals of republic, making of people’s Constitution and the interim government.

Krishna Bahadur Mahara’s threat came on the day the Maoists held the first ever formal talks with the government to resolve the nearly six year old insurgency raging in the country. He was addressing a gathering in Nepalgunj after flying here from Kathmandu after the talks with the government-formed committee earlier today.

"If we fail to achieve our objectives through talks, we will use force," thundered Mahara. He added that the Maoists agreed to hold talks not due to their own wish, but because it was the wish of the people and the country.

Meanwhile, our reporter from Janakpur said that Agni Sapkota, one of the three team members vowed that the Maoists trio was ready to get hanged but would not bow down to the government in the talks. Sapkota had left the Godavari meet soon after the talks ended. He added that the government was compelled to hold talks due to the growing influence of the Maoists.

NC CWC sets ceiling on land ownership

By Binaj Gurubacharya

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 – The people in Kathmandu Valley will be able to own as much as 30 ropanies of land compared to the inhabitants of the Terai region in the south who will have land no more than 11 bigas or 143 ropanis.

The rest of the people in the hills and the Himalayan region, which covers most of the country, would have the right to own 75 ropanis at the most.

The Central Working Committee (CWC) of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) today endorsed the proposal setting the ceiling on land ownership as part of the government’s controversial land reforms proposal.

The land ceiling would be limited to only three categories unlike earlier proposals that suggested other subcategories like land within the perimeters of metropolis or municipalities and outside due to the differences in cost.

This is good news for the residents of Kathmandu Valley and other bustling cities whose concern had been losing land if such a provision had been slapped on them. Now, the land in Kathmandu Valley would be categorized in one single category whether it is inside the perimeters of the Ring Road that is in prime locations or outside it which is used mostly for farming.

Even though the proposal says 25 ropani for farming and five for residence, experts say it would not make too much of a difference what purpose the land is being used as long as the person does not exceed the total ceiling.

Most of the lawmakers from the Terai region have been protesting the proposal since Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba announced it early this month.

Protests in Parliament has been stalling House of Representatives for nearly two weeks now and even within the NC, there are protests against the leadership for brining in such a proposal.

The committee, formed under the coordination of Ram Chandra Poudel by the CWC, today handed over its recommendation to be endorsed by the party’s apex body. These recommendations would be weaved into the Bill that the government hopes to present in Parliament in the next few days.

Though it is only a recommendation, it is pretty much set that this will be the final figures unless there are some agreements made with the opposition parties while being debated in Parliament.

Even Poudel, who headed the committee, and another influential member Pradeep Giri have signed a not of dissent against the ceiling set on Terai land. Poudel was also unhappy with the fact that they had to bring the proposal through the CWC when it was supposed to be directly passed on to the government.

"I have expressed my disagreement with the decision since this provision does not meet the main objectives of the program initiated by the government," Poudel said after the meeting.

When the discussion did come up during the emergency CWC meeting at the Prime Minister’s official residence, there was a state of confusion. Members from Terai like Mahanta Thakur wanted the ceiling set to 15 bigas while Ram Baran Yadav wanted 14.

"This decision should have been left with the Prime Minister who wanted it fixed at 10," said Bimalendra Nidhi, a member of the recommendation committee. "If it had been set at 10 then there would not have been so much debate."

However, party President Girija Prasad Koirala and senior leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai both endorsed the idea of 11. And in NC when the two senior figures agree on a matter, there are no protests.

There were some that totally rejected the idea of ceiling like Shaileja Acharya, Gopal Pahadi and Laxman Ghimire, but were mum after Koirala and Bhattarai gave their decision.

The ceiling on the land ownership would be imposed only after land is distributed to the rightful people like sons and brothers who are entitled to their share and to the tillers or Mohis who are entitled to half the land by law. Then only would the land be decided if it is within the boundaries set by the ceiling.

Other recommendations include issuing one single land ownership certificate to an individual for all the land he or she owns in the country, giving ample compensation to the people losing land, giving priority to the problem of citizenship certificate and priority to Dalits, nationalities and the indigenous people when distributing these lands.

The opposition, however, are not amused with the proposal. The main opposition CPN-UML that has been lauding the government so far is now warning protests against the government.

"We will not cooperate with the government and this would not be able to meet the objectives of land reforms," said Keshav Badal of the CPN-UML who had once prepared a report on land reforms.

Dr Regmi passes away

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 – Pacifist, follower of Gandhian non-violence, freedom fighter and historian, Dr. Dilli Raman Regmi passed away Thursday morning at 10:00 while undergoing treatment at Norvic-Escort Health Care and Research Centre. He was 89. Late Regmi was suffering from multiple ailments for a long time.

Dr Regmi was suffering from various medical problems like cronic renal failure, liver dysfunction and compromised cardiac function. He was admitted to Norvic seven days ago after a fall in his bathroom that resulted into clotting of blood in his brain (altered Sensoriumn) which was removed surgically the same day. He died this morning due to heart failure, according to the hospital sources.

His body will be kept at his home premises in Lazimpat till 4 pm Friday and will be criminated at Pashupati Aryaghat at 5 pm. Various personalities, dignitaries and politicians including Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Girija Prasad Koirala , Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, , Sushil Koirala, Bamdev Gautam, Madhav Kumar Nepal among others today visited Lazimpat and paid homage to late Regmi.

Born in 1913, December 17 at Kilagal tole in Kathmandu, Regmi was an active member of the freedom movement that overthrew the Rana Oligarchy in 1950. He also held several ministerial berths during the first stint of multiparty democracy in the country.

Regmi was one of the founder members of All India Student’s Federation in Patna India, 1937-40. He was imprisoned in Indian jails for five years in the period as he was actively involved in Indian independence movement.

He founded Nepal Rastriya Congress Party in 1946 which later merged with Nepal Democratic Congress of BP Koirala and formed the present Nepali Congress.

He was Minister of Education and Foreign Affairs in 1954, and held the portfolio of Home Minister from 1958-59. He actively came out for the restoration of multi-party system during national referendum of 1979 and also gave moral support to the democratic movement of 1990.

Regmi was also the founder of Kabyani Library and Regmi Memorial Library to which he left all his property. Regmi has authored many books on politics and history of Nepal and had been decorated with numerous national and international awards.

In his later days Regmi always was vocal about solving the Maoists problem through a dialogue. Several months back he even tried initiating a dialogue between the government and the rebels. Coincidentally he died the very day when the first round of peace talks took place between the Government and the Maoists.

He is survived by his wife, son and three daughters.

Meanwhile, various political parties and other organizations have expressed grief over Dr Regmi’s demise. Political parties including the main opposition CPN-UML, CPN-United, Nepal Sadvabhana Party, Nepal Prajatantra Party and other organizations including Former MP’s Club Nepal, Nepal Tarun Dal and Nepal University Teachers’ Association have issued condolence messages.

Nephews file lawsuit against Shailaja

By Rudra Sharma

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 - Following the series of fake lawsuits filed all over the country in a bid to save property, some of the bigwigs in Kathmandu including Nepali Congress Central Working Committee member Shailaja Acharya are sued by their beloved or family members.

Two sons of Shailaja’s brother Pradeep Acharya-Mayank and Priyas-filed a law suit last Friday against Shailaja Acharya, her mother Indira Acharya and brother Pradeep Acharya demanding partition of their joint family.

While contacted by telephone Shailaja told The Kathmandu Post " I don’t know anything about it and there is no such lawsuit filed". According to the sources, the plaintiff duos have stated in the plaint that they were deprived of education expenses and they were also denied their demand of partition of property when they asked for the same.

All the property is registered in the name of the three elders (defendants)leaving a few property in their names. As it was impossible to continue their education due to lack of property, they demanded a partition of the ancestral property into the five coparcerners and also demanded for an enforcement of the same by the court itself.

Representing all the three defendants, their attorney Matrika Acharya filed counter statement of the plaint Thursday. Though they accept the relationship of the plaintiffs as coparcerners, they deny the claims of the plaintiffs and thereby demand for a quash of the plaint.

After Premier Deuba announced the radical land reforms on August 17, Shailaja on August 18 had come down heavily accusing the PM for bringing the programme without the approval of the party’s authentic view and against the 10th General Convention of the party.

Criticizing Deuba’s move, Acharya had said " NC has a moderate view in Nepali politics between the two extremes - leftists and rightists.

NC has its own ideological history. The party can not barrow the Maoist agenda as its own. NC will be nowhere if it goes against its identity and ideology in the name of national consensus."

Acharya had further said attacking on land cannot establish an equitable and just society. Another bigwig sued today is Dr Sundar Mani Dixit whose wife Rekha Devi Achrya (Dixit) and three unmarried children have filed a lawsuit at Lalitpur District Court demanding their share of property including marriage expenses.

The plaint states they don’t know the exact amount of their ancestral property and all of the property is in their father or husband’s name.

Their father or husband is not providing any maintenance for them. They are now eating in separate kitchen.

Such partition of property cases are pouring in the Kathmandu District Court. Over 40 such cases were filed in the Kathmandu District Court on Thursday alone. " Flow of cases is increased but only a few of defendants have filed counter statements," said Krishna Kamal Adhikari, a senior official of the Kathmandu District Court. In Lalitpur District Court, 6 cases were filed Thursday. But sources from Bhaktapur District Court say, only around 20 cases of partiton property were filed after Aug 17.

Samrat hits big-time with Arresting God in Kathmandu

By Akhilesh Upadhyay

NEW YORK, Aug 30 - Following a trail of favorable reviews, Samrat Upadhyay started his five-city tour here yesterday devoting a good part of his big-stage debut to explain to a mostly-American audience that it was time the West stopped seeing Nepal as a mystical Shangri-la mired deep into medievalism.

All but one story in Arresting God in Kathmandu, a collection of short stories released last month, is based in Kathmandu. People grapple with their desire to establish links outside marriage, safeguard family reputation, and keep away from prying neighbors.

At a Barnes and Noble bookstore, Upadhyay read The Good Shopkeeper, arguably the best story in the collection, as the audience chuckled. Pramod, an unemployed accountant who fails to find a job, is appalled at his wife’s suggestion that he become a shopkeeper.

Adding Upadhyay to the ranks of a talented brigade of English writers from South Asia, critics say the first Nepali author writing in English to be published in the West is refreshingly "un-American."

A reviewer in New York’s Newsday said Upadhyay’s is "a plain prose that skillfully accentuates the emptiness and tension of each character. It is a style as fresh as the coconut oil one of Upadhyay’s women might comb into her hair." Another compared him with Chekov, the Russian dramatist and short-story writer, "Upadhyay has mastered the short story fictional genre with such humanity and apparent ease that he reminds one of Chekov…"

A day later as he prepared to wind up his New York tour, Upadhyay recalled Alan Cheuse’s remarks on his new book on National Public Radio. "If you are interested in a well-crafted work," Cheuse said, "here’s your book." Within the next twenty-four hours, Arresting God had jumped from a lowly 50,000th to top 50 in the best-selling list.

"The places it’s been reviewed have been unusually prominent for a first story collection," said Heidi Pitlor, Upadhyay’s editor at Houghton Miflin, the publisher of the book. The book has received top-billing in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and the Village Voice, among others. Pitlor expects that the sales will go up further, given the reviews and his tour.

The book is expected to receive a boost as it has been included in Barnes and Nobel’s "A Best American Discovery" category, which features promising new writers. Pitlor said Barnes and Nobel stores will soon start displaying Arresting God prominently, accompanying them with flyers. Another leading book chain Borders has similar plans. Upadhyay is not complaining. In an era dominated by novels, any short storywriter will be happy to get his stories published at all. The rave reviews are a bonus.

While the reviews have generated enormous interest in Arresting God, they don’t guarantee commercial success. Heads start rolling once the first 10,000 copies are sold out.

Asked why he was so obsessed with Kathmandu, Upadhyay said, "It’s is the place I am most familiar with. It’s my emotional landscape." Born and raised in Kathmandu, Upadhyay, now 38 years of age, came to United States when he was 21.

To him, Kathmandu offers a curious mix. "It is cosmopolitan with Durbar Square with its modern hotels," he said, "and in Asan people still throw garbage out of the window. There’s a tension between the modern and the medieval."

Upadhyay considers craft a very important part of his writing, but insists that he is not obsessed with language. "I am always trying to find balance between language and physical reality."

Among the contemporary Nepali writers, he singled out Mohan Koirala for his craftsmanship. "His poetry takes me to a different world within myself. To me, that’s much more powerful than someone who’s trying to impose political landscape into his or her work. The work then becomes very didactic, propagandist." He said Manjushree Thapa is another Nepali writer whose works are very well crafted. "She is the best among Nepalis writing in English. For a writer, it’s always a pleasure to read well crafted works."

Upadhyay teaches creative writing and post-colonial literature at Baldwin-Wallace College in Ohio.

Cable Car re-opens today

By Satyendra Timilsina

KURINTAR, Chitwan, Aug 30 - The Manakamana Darshan Private Limited (MDPL), the operator of Nepal’s first cable car, and the Manakamana Village Development Committee (MVDC) have reached an agreement to resume the cable service from Friday.

The representatives of both the sides are due to sign the agreement on Friday morning. The talks were held here today at Gorkha District Administrative Office in presence of the Chief District Officer Kashinath Marseni. The cable car service had stopped last Sunday after the confrontation between the two sides when there arose dispute over the use of development fund provided by the MDPL to the MVDC. The two sides also had a dispute over the issuance of local-residence privilege card, a heavily discounted card issued only to the residents of the MVDC and the Darechowk Village Development Committee for travelling through the cable car. Due to the dispute, 21 cable cars of the company are still hanging on cable, as the agitated locals stopped the cable car last Sunday.

As per the agreement the cable car would resume its service from Friday. But the station Manager D N Kayastha informed that the service would further be stopped for next two days for its yearly scheduled maintenance.

Indra Jatra begins with the hoisting of Lingo

By Perina Pathak

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 – Hundreds of devotees thronged the Kathmandu Durbar Square at local Basantapur today to observe the beginning of Indra Jatra, the eight-day festival, celebrated primarily by the Newar community of the capital.

Devotees from different parts of the Kathmandu valley gathered to watch the Indradhwajotthan, hoisting the Lingo (a wooden pole), which symbolizes the beginning of the festival.

Lingo, also known as Yonshi in Newari, was erected at 6.21 a.m., an auspicious time according to the lunar calendar.

This particular Lingo was brought from Nala, Banepa. A he-goat is worshipped and is blindfolded. The first tree, which the blindfolded goat strikes, is cut off and brought to Basantapur, according to Tej Ratna Tamrakar, Hakim (Chairman) of Hanumandhoka Palace.

Before erecting the Lingo, Sarduljung Gulm of Hanumandhoka Palace, Royal Khadga (a traditional sword) and a horse are brought from Narayanhiti Royal Palace, representing the King, who is regarded as the reincarnation of Lord Bishnu. The Lingo is then erected amidst beats of traditional drums called Pachhima, played mainly by Manandhar community, along with the traditional Royal military band. Priests, assigned from the Royal Palace, did all the worshipping.

This whole process is done in a festive mood, combined with Lakhe (A traditional mask dance) at another corner of the Hanumandhoka Palace by the people of local Kilagal.

Indra Jatra is celebrated in respect of god Indra and his adventurous deeds performed in the Valley. According to the mythology, when Indra and other gods were defeated by the mighty demon, Lord Bishnu granted the victory flag to them, they fought under that flag and demons were defeated. From that very day, the festival is celebrated and the victory flag (Indradhwaj) is hoisted to commemorate the victory.

On the Indra Jatra eve, the god Bhairab of every house is cleaned. Similarly, Aakash Bhairab at Hanuman Dhoka is cleaned and only one part of the wooden curtain is opened, according to Yam Tuladhar, one of the caretakers of Aakash Bhairab temple.

The huge head of Aakash Bhairab, which remains closed for a whole year, is displayed from today for eight days after the Lingo is erected. Also the statue of god Bhairab and Indra are displayed outside the temple.

The beginning of the Indra Jatra is also celebrated as Mateya Wonyu (Lighting oil lamps), during which the family members of those deceased in a year go around different parts of the Valley lighting lamps in their memory.

‘UN to launch strong poverty alleviation programme’

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 - The UN is now ideally equipped to launch "very strong poverty alleviation programme" in Nepal and is looking for other new areas of cooperation to reach out to the "ultra poor" in the villages to try to alleviate poverty as early as possible, Dr Hafiz Pasha, UN Assistant Secretary General and the UNDP Assistant Administrator for Asia and Pacific who is currently in Kathmandu on his first ever visit said today.

Dr Pasha who also inaugurated UNDP Sub-Regional Resource Facility centre for South and West Asia region (SURF) here in Kathmandu reiterated that the UN is considering to locate its regional Peace and Disarmament Center for Asia and Pacific in Kathmandu.

When asked about the proposed location of Regional Peace and Disarmament Office in Nepal , he said citing his meeting with the foreign ministry that the location of SURF in Kathmandu is an indication that UN will possibly consider Nepal for setting up its Regional Peace and Disarmament Center for the South and West Asia region but he indicated that it will depend on the progress of SURF.

He also expressed his satisfaction over the progress of poverty alleviation programme in Nepal which has fallen from 42 percent in 1998 to over 38 percent now. He also appreciated the growth in GDP at the rate of 5.8 percent and a present 19 percent growth in export.

Addressing the questions on Bhutanese refugees raised by the reporters at a press conference organized by the UNDP today, Dr Pasha said, "This is a subject of great interest to UN, who is supporting the livelihood of refugees."

Dr Pasha also met with the Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Foreign Secretary. Dr Pasha also had his audience with His Majesty the King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah.

When asked about his visit with the high level government officials, he said, "I have been impressed by an attempt made on "reform agenda on the poor" particularly, agenda focused on disadvantaged group after meeting with the Prime Minister and other government officials."

"There has been a considerable degree of social mobilization in Nepal, I am particularly impressed by the enormous participation of women in community development programme and local institutions," he said sharing his experiences of Wednesday’s field trip to Baglung, Pokhara, Shyangja and Kaski districts.

Considering the predominantly large rural poverty in Nepal, he urged to invest more in education and health and in physical infrastructure development such as roads and called for an equitable distribution of agricultural gains.