Govt demands public apology from Maoists

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 16 – The government has added a key condition for the rebel Maoists to fulfil. In addition to laying down arms, returning looted weapons and cash and surrendering, the Maoists are also to issue a public apology for their violent deeds, a senior cabinet minister said here Sunday.

Minister for Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta on Sunday asserted that the emergency would remain in force until the Maoists publicly apologise for their deeds and committed themselves to the present Constitution.

The demand for an apology is a new condition put forth by the government. Earlier, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, in an interview to this newspaper, had reiterated that the emergency would continue until the rebels were disarmed and defeated, and until they return looted weapons and cash.

Minister Gupta today reiterated that position but added the apology condition. "They must seek public apology for the demands they have made and abide by the present condition," he said. "Until these goals are achieved, there is no question of lifting emergency."

Gupta also revealed that the government’s ultimate political objective was to bring the Maoists into national mainstream after the stated goals are achieved.

He was speaking to reporters at a face to face programme organised in the capital today by Reporters’ Club, Nepal.

When asked about the government’s position on the Maoists’ appeal to the international community to intervene, a visibly agitated Gupta dismissed the reports. "There is no proof of this cunning appeal and the reports on it are condemnable to the maximum extent."

Speaking about the reported conditions of the Maoists for holding elections to the Constituent Assembly for the resumption of peace talks with the government, the Minister said that since the Maoists had already dropped their demand (for a Republic), "we are not ready to discuss any of their demands in the present circumstances."

Replying to yet another question, he reiterated that the government had no intention to muzzle press freedom. "Journalists can move freely in any part of the country they wish." But unlike that assertion, several reporters of this newspaper and Kantipur, who had been reporting from Dang and surrounding villages where the army has been carrying out operations, were ordered out of the area recently by the local administration and security officials.

Minister Gupta urged the media to consider the present sensitive time and ignore if there were any "isolated instances" of high-handedness by the authorities. A few days ago a journalist with Nepal Samacharpatra was beaten up by policemen outside the Singha Durbar gate despite possessing a government issued press pass.

The Minister also refuted that Girija Prasad Koirala, president of ruling Nepali Congress, had called for a formation of national government. He had only spoken about broad national consensus to solve the present problems, he asserted. Gupta also dismissed the apprehensions expressed in certain quarters about the army going beyond the mandate given to them.

He criticised the efforts to sow confusion regarding statements of His Majesty the King and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on the nature of the army operation. However, he revealed that His Majesty had expressed his desire that "it would have been better if things had not come to such a pass".

On foreign investment in local media, the Minister said that the government was very serious and had formed a ministerial committee to look into the whole issue and it was expected to come up with its decision in 15 days’ time.

"If the rules have been bent, then the corrective measures will be taken."

Regarding directives to FM stations to broadcast the state-owned Radio Nepal’s programmes for the 25 per cent of their total air time, the Communications Minister disagreed with the reported language used in the directive. "We will immediately take some corrective steps," he said.

Road Dept wakes up to haphazard constructions

By Ranjana Pradhan

KATHMANDU, Dec 16 – The Department of Roads (DoR) ordered heavy bulldozers and cranes to demolish illegal construction lining the road at Tinkune, driving hoards of roadside owners and tea-stall vendors out of business.

The road clearing and beautifying project is being carried out in preparation for the 11th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) Summit which is scheduled for Jan 4-6 in Kathmandu.

While road widening and re-paving work was begun elsewhere in the capital some days ago, it was only today that authorities decided to demolish the illegal constructions at Tinkune, near the triangle which the government plans to develop into a green park.

On Sunday, the DoR started the demolition today at Tinkune by breaking down two houses, some huts and some sheds. According to Hari Krishna Bhagat, Chief of the Department of Roads, Division 2 of Min Bhavan, the occupants of the houses were given prior notice about the demolition.

"Fifteen days’ notice had been issued to the house owners and we had publicly announced on Friday and Saturday for the owners and the occupants to vacate the houses," said Bhagat. "As per the government rules, people are not permitted to make houses fifteen metres from the centre of the road", he said, adding that the demolished constructions fell within that perimeter.

Bhagat said that the clearance of the area would be over by tomorrow. He further added that they had assisted the occupants in vacating the houses. Altogether 4 bulldozers, one crane and two loaders were put to work to pull down the sheds, huts and hoarding lining the road.

The structures that were brought down were occupied by small eateries, motor cycle workshop, retail shop and hair saloons. The advertisements and hoarding that were displayed were also pulled down.

"We have carried on with the demolition in and around Tinkune as per the directions given by the Ministry (of Physical, Planning and Works)," said Bhagat.

However, the house owners blamed the government for misusing the emergency period and destroying the houses without even paying them the compensation. "We have been chased out. We do not have any agreement with the government regarding the compensation," said Uddhav Parajuli, one of the owners. "We have always favoured the plan to construct the park but not at our expense. We have to be given the amount of money that we have invested for our houses, "he said.

According to Subodh Devkota, overseer at the DoR, the buildings that were demolished were illegally built and whenever notices were given, the people never paid any heed to them. "We gave them the last notice some fifteen days back and when there was no response we had to take this step," said Devkota.

"When the people take permission for construction, they have a certain limitation as far as the area is concerned but when they start the work, they forget about the boundary, "he added.

The construction should have been stopped at the earlier stages when they became aware of the illegality but the municipality "overlooked the matter" says Devkota. "We have orders to demolish everything that comes within our parameter today and continue the remaining work tomorrow," he added.

Kamala, a tenant of one of the houses demolished pointed out that the landlord gave them no notice whatsoever about the demolition. "The landlord told us that there was nothing to worry about when we inquired about the rumours that spoke about houses being broken down. It came as a shock when the DoR officials came today afternoon and started this chaos," she cried.

Maoists launch fresh attack in Solu

Post Report

BIRATNAGAR, Dec 16 – Defying a state of curfew, Maoist rebels launched concerted attacks on the District Police Office and military barracks in Solukhumbu district, today. This is the second such attack in three weeks, however this time no casualties or property losses have been reported.

"Around 20 Maoists all of a sudden entered the DPO premises and started firing," said a policeman at the DPO. One of the officers at the Rajbiraj Regional Police Office said that the rebels were forced to disperse after the joint security team of the Armed Police Force and the Royal Nepal Army (RNA), repulsed the offensive in a half-hour clash.

Three weeks back the rebels had struck at many places including the army barracks and the District Administration Office leaving around around 34 security personnel dead. In that attack, the Maoists had also destroyed the Land Revenue Office and the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).

Eid Mubarak! The fast is over, now for the feast

By Perina Pathak

KATHMANDU, Dec 16 – Nepali Muslims are all set to celebrate their biggest festival, Eid ul-Fitr on Monday, the first day of the Arabic month of Shawwal when the crescent moon makes its appearance.

For the thousands of believers in the Islamic faith, Sunday was the last day of the month of Ramzan, the period of abstinence when Muslims observe Roza or the fast from dawn to dusk.

"Tomorrow is feast day, we will get to eat delicious things like sebai, (a milk delicacy). And we will be wearing new cloths and getting pocket money from our elders," says 8-year-old Munajir Khan who was selling sebai at Ratna Park to make money for the big day tomorrow.

On the Eid day, the average Muslim gets up before dawn, takes a bath, and gets into new clothes before he heads for the local mosque for Namaaz, the Muslim prayer. Then the whole day is spent in celebration, exchanging greetings with friends and families for a propitious year.

And most Kathmandu Muslims will be observing their prayers at the two mosques—Jami and Kashmiri Jami—near Ratna Park. Around 20,000-30,000 believers are expected in each of these mosques, says Syed Nehal Shah, Chairman of the Kashmiri Jami Mosque.

"We will all be gathering for the prayers tomorrow morning at 10:15 and exchange the special greeting of Eid-ul-Fitr Mubarak," says Kamruddin Miya, Executive Secretary of the Jami Mosque.

Before the prayers begin, each Muslim is expected to pay Satkar Fitr, the alms for the month of Ramzan, which can be either 2.45-kg wheat or money equal to that. This is different from the usual Jakat, which is 2.5 percent of a Muslim’s wealth that he gives away to those in need.

The festival is especially heartening for children and women, as they will be at the receiving end of gifts. It’s also mehndi time for the women, who are busy making all kinds of patterns on their palms and feet. But they don’t go to the mosque tomorrow, but will be saying their prayers at home, says Secretary Miya.

The night of the festival eve is regarded as one of great sanctity. The faithful spend this night in prayers after taking the solemn bath (Ghusl). It is believed that one who offers six different prayers on this night will be pardoned off all sins.

Muslims believe that Ramzan is the month when their holy book Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed. Throughout this month they practise abstinence so that the mind and the body is purified. Eid signifies the end of the month-long fasting and a day to get the blessings from Allah.

"People fast for each and every part of the body so that they do not commit any sins with these body parts even after the holy month," says Chairman Shah.

Eid Mubarak!

Surviving Mrs Gandhi’s draconian emergency

By Ajit Bhattacharji

KATHMANDU, Dec 16 - The conditions prevailing in the emergency situation in Nepal is completely different from the emergency imposed in India some 26 years ago, especially in terms of press freedom.

The night when the emergency was declared in India on June 26, 1975, the power supply to newspapers was cut off. But The Indian Express and, to some extent, The Statesman attempted to oppose this blackout by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

There was total censorship on the Indian newspapers. The government authorities would take away all the pages of newspapers before they were printed. The authorities used to spike the news items that they did not digest.

We were in a state of confusion for about a week. We then calmly began studying the situation and stated thinking of ways to oppose the emergency. We began publishing articles, quoting some bold and honest leaders who spoke against the ban on the press freedom. I recall how once I had asked Pyarelal, who was Gandhi’s personal secretary and who had written the most authoritative biography of Gandhi, to write against the emergency in two issues of my newspaper. But the Indira Gandhi government did not dare to touch me or my paper, The Indian Express.

As an editor of the paper, one of my prime concerns was to maintain my paper’s credibility among the readers and keep intact their respect for the paper. We and The Statesman did not support the emergency. Some of the big newspapers—The Hindustan Times and The Times of India—switched to the government side. But the regional print media strongly condemned the emergency and press censorship.

There is a classic comment made by the present Indian Home Minister L.K. Advani: "Mrs. Gandhi wanted them (editors) to bow down only a little bit, but they started crawling." But The Indian Express never did crawl. The overall role of the Indian press during the emergency was far from pleasant. The government was able to get away with a lot of atrocities because of the ineffective role of the press.

My colleague, Kuldeep Nayar, the chief of Express News Service, was arrested for writing letters to PM Gandhi opposing the emergency and its atrocities. Those days, everyday I used to go to my office carrying an extra pair of clothes in my briefcase, in anticipation of my arrest at any moment. But I was not arrested.

As for The Indian Express management, they stood against the emergency like the Rock of Gibraltar even though business was plunging because the authorities had an indirect control on the advertisement flow. But Ramnath Goenka, the proprietor, was ready to take on the government; he was a staunch opponent of Mrs. Gandhi. And then an amazing thing happened: the circulation of our paper shot up by 300 per cent. The readers duly acknowledged our courageous fight against the emergency.

When I was associated with The Times of India before the emergency, I had once gone to Patna for covering a rally of Jaya Prakash Narayan. I was very much impressed by the man. Soon I left The Times of India and joined Narayan’s Everyman.

That was in 1974 when JP was waging a campaign against corruption in Bihar. That was also the time when the Allahabad High Court had deemed Indira Gandhi’s election to the Lok Sabha as null and void. Mrs. Gandhi was becoming increasingly unpopular. Across the country, protests and demonstrations were taking place. Narayan was the moral leader; he was the one who gave spirit to the anti-corruption movement. I was really impressed with his views against corruption. But people would deceive him as he trusted almost everybody. It might have been his magnanimity, but I took it as his weakness. He was a real democrat. Even when I wrote editorials against him in his own publication, he always took it positively.

In the case of Nepal, although the fundamental rights, guaranteed by the Constitution, have been suspended in the wake of the emergency, the Constitution still has protected the right to habeas corpus. As far as the Indian emergency was concerned, the right to habeas corpus was also suspended. We had even a case of a Supreme Court Judge resigning in protest against the government decision to withholds the habeas corpus right.

Even the Parliament was barred from bringing up the emergency issue, and the government was not willing to part with any information to the lawmakers.

Here I have been hearing a lot about some Nepali leaders making a big deal about how trains used to run on time in India during the emergency, and how government offices used to function properly. But I do not know whether this is a good time to talk of such things. The trains might have reached their destination on time but the nation had to pay a heavy price.

This state of emergency in Nepal has arisen in a totally different and difficult circumstance. This emergency has been declared to fight "terrorism". The government appears to be positive and sensitive about fundamental rights and press freedom.

(Bhattacharji, a former editor of The Indian Express newspaper, was here last week to attend a programme of the South Asia Foundation. This article is based on his discussion with Yubaraj Ghimire and Bishwamani Pokharel of Kantipur.)

Massive arrests after Janakpur blast

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 16 - Officials have arrested 33 suspects in connection with a powerful bomb blast outside the Janakpur residence of Lila Koirala, a former minister and current member of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee.

Koirala was unhurt in the blast which occurred yesterday but a government vehicle she was using was completely destroyed.

According to Vishwa J.B.Rana, Superintendent of Police (SP), the attack was the handiwork of suspected Maoist rebel. He said the explosion was very powerful.

In an another incident, Maoists hurled a bomb at the Joshipur village residence of Chairman of Kailali Distrcit Development Committee (DDC), Narayan Dutta Mishra, damaging property worth Rs 1.8 million, police sources said. The rebels also looted almost 150 quintal of rice, clothes and other materials.

Similarly, a different group of armed Maoist rebels attacked Biru Prasad Chaudhari, elder brother of State Minister for Land Reform and Management, Ram Janam Chaudhari, on Saturday night in Tikapur, police said. A tractor was burnt down and property worth 1.5 million was destroyed in the attack.

Meanwhile, in Mahottari district yesterday, a woman was severely injured in Hattilet VDC, when a powerful bomb planted by suspected Maoists exploded, district police said.

In Parbat district, Maoists set off a bomb in Talhar VDC. According to the locals, group of 50-60 Maoists chanted slogans before bombing. Though the site where the Maoists bombed was partially damaged, no casualties have been reported so far.