 |
Kathmandu Tuesday December 11, 2001 Marga 26, 2058.
|
Emergency to continue till Maoists
defeated: PM
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Dec 10 – Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba
today said that the state of emergency would continue until the Maoist terrorists are
defeated and disarmed.
He also hinted the possibility of issuing "some
orders" from the King to ease the problems that might have caused due to the state of
emergency.
"Until and unless the Maoists are defeated and disarmed,
the emergency will continue," said the Prime Minister.
"If there are problems caused by the emergency, the King
may issue "orders" easing them," he said. He, however, did not give details
about it. "We will go on easing the problems caused by the emergency," he said.
He also expressed his gratitude to political parties and
friendly countries for supporting the emergency.
Speaking on the occasion, he lauded the role of the press for
helping the government responding in a self-control and matured way. "I would like to
extend thanks to the press for their co-operation during the present state of
emergency."
On the occasion, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba also
reiterated the government’s commitment for directing the ongoing state of emergency
towards the "terrorists and its aides", and not towards any political party or
citizen of a civil society.
He said, "The government is conscious of making the
emergency fruitful," he said.
The Prime Minister was speaking at a one-day workshop on the
Role and Responsibility of Media Personnel in the Present Situation organised by the
National Union of Journalists.
At the programme, the Prime Minister also assured the
gathering of politicians and journalists to bring transparency in the
"activities" of the government during the emergency.
Other politicians from opposition parties and media persons
speaking at the workshop said that the government should not have declared the emergency
as there were ample legal provisions that could allow the mobilisation of the army. They
also expressed worries over the suspension of people’s fundamental rights in the
emergency. They also asked the government to terminate the emergency period as soon as
possible.
Leader of the opposition CPN-UML Khadga Prasad Oli, speaking
at the same programme, said that the government could mobilise all security wings being
confined in the Constitution. "Government could mobilise the army even without
declaring the emergency since the Constitution has given the government the authority to
use army for maintaining peace and security in the country".
He expressed disagreement over the emergency saying,
"Our party has not supported the emergency as the government could take the present
actions against the Maoists even in the situation of not declaring the emergency".
He also criticised the government for suspending the
constitutional fundamental rights. "It was not necessary to suspend the fundamental
rights of the citizen while declaring the emergency".
General Secretary of Nepali Congress Sushil Koirala asked all
political parties to solve the present problems. "It is the responsibility of all the
parties to get the country come out of the problem".
Pashupati Shumsher Rana, lawmaker of the Rastriya Prajatantra
Party, asked the government to educate people about what they should and should not do
during the emergency through government-owned media.
He also suggested the government to forward other reform
programmes along with the state of emergency. "Government should move ahead with
development initiatives, reforms while taking step of maintaining peace and
security," he said.
He said his party would decide about its support to the
government for the emergency after evaluating the government’s activities during the
period.
General Secretary of CPN-ML Bam Dev Gautum held the Maoists
responsible for the present situation of the country. He also asked the government to
solve the problem politically. "Government should look for political solution of the
problem," he said.
Media persons speaking at the programme asked the government
to allow the press to enjoy the freedom of speech. Those who expressed their views at the
programme include: Hari Har Birahi, Chairman of the Press Council, P. Kharel, media
adviser of Fedrich Ebert Stiftung, Kulchandra Wagle, chairman of Press Union, Sambhu
Shreatha, chairman of Press Chautari and Tej Prakash Pandit, president of National Union
of Journalists.
Other Stories
|
