Govt willing to reciprocate if Maoists formally propose peace initiative: PM

By Yubaraj Ghimire

KATHMANDU, Dec 22:Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand has said that the Government was willing to take a positive stance if the Maoists came forward with the peace proposal in an ‘authoritative and credible’ manner.

"Their suggestion for dialogue has come through newspapers in the form of a message. If this proposal comes officially in a credible manner, the government will take a positive stance", the Prime Minister said.

In his first ever official interview to the media after he took over as the Prime Minister more than nine weeks ago, Prime Minister Chand told The Kathmandu Post that he would soon be talking to different political parties on building a consensus about the Maoist problem.

"They all have spoken in favour of the dialogue from different platforms. Let there be a unity in approach, and I will invite them for dialogue sometime next week ". The Prime Minister said that he would also want to discuss with the political parties regarding holding election as soon as possible, which is also the main responsibility entrusted to his government by the king.

He said the government had never said that the election would take place only after the Maoist problem was firmly and fully brought under control. These are the issues that all should decide together- how, when and how many phases ? He said he was still in favour of political parties joining his council of ministers and "I have not given up on that".

The Prime Minister, said while his effort for an all party meeting and the council of ministers with their participation will continue, he would also be consulting human rights groups, regarding exploring peace initiative with the Maoists. "I will be meeting them in a day or two", he said.

When asked how positively does the government view the fact that Maoists have not gone for major attacks on the security posts in a big way for the past few days ?, the prime Minister’s answer was cryptic, " We cannot call it a positive gesture because the talks have not begun yet. And the government obviously cannot relax its security arrangements".

Prime Minister Chand said that both the US and the UK, who sent high level officials to Nepal recently, had pledged continued support-both moral and physical to Nepal and they want that the mainstream political parties as well as the Maoists should contribute in the stability and developmental process of the country.

India also shares the same view, and both Nepal and India have agreed to exchange information to check activities of violence and terror by groups abusing the long porous border, said the Prime minister.

Admitting that the recent report of the Amnesty International was far too serious a indictment of the country’s human rights records, the Prime Minister said that the security council has frequently issued instructions to the security forces to be sensitive to the human rights. The human rights cells set up in the Army and Police Department would be activated in the capital as well as outside, he said.

The Prime Minister said that the government spent its initial weeks for ‘necessary home work" in many areas pertaining to policy matters and its implementation aspect. A relief package for those displaced by Maoist violence as well as those who have deserted the rebels would soon be announced . The package would include their rehabilitation and employment Similarly, a model programme for employment of people at the lowest rung of society in five districts would be identified, with special opportunities offered to them in the field of education and health, besides absorbing them in jobs. The programme would be extended to other areas if it was successful in the first five districts, which he declined to identify. Soft loans, technical assistance or knowledge as well as insurance scheme would cover this programme.

Belgian-hired airliner blamed for arms cargo stand-off

By Surendra Phuyal

KATHMANDU, Dec 22:The government is in close contact with authorities in India and Belgium, to fly a cargo plane carrying a consignment of sophisticated machine guns to Nepal from Kazakhstan, where the plane has remained grounded for more than a week. The plane is expected to land in Kathmandu "any time soon".

"We are in close contact with the government of India and the Belgian authorities," a highly placed source in the government told The Kathmandu Post late on Sunday night. "The plane will fly to Nepal as soon as offices in New Delhi and Belgium re-open on Monday."

On December 14, the yet-undisclosed airliner entered Indian airspace on its way to Nepal, when civil aviation authorities in India - which encircles Nepal from east, south and west -denied permission to the aircraft carrying military arms.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu clarified on Saturday that neither of the two parties involved in the arms deal - Belgium and Nepal - had sought an overflying permission from India, before flying the arms-carrier to Nepal.

The source also disclosed that an inquiry held by the government has found that the aircraft was denied overflying permission by authorities in India, because the airline hired by the Belgian government, had not bothered to get such permission beforehand.

"All this happened because the Belgian government had hired the cheapest cargo carrier to make the arms delivery," he said. "It is neither the fault of the government of India nor that of Nepal. It is the fault of the airline, if not the Belgian government."

Fabrique Nationale (FN) Herstal, the south Belgium-based arms manufacturing company, owned by the Belgian government, announced the delivery of the first shipment of Minimi machine guns to the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) on December 14. The shipment s was due to arrive in Nepal shortly afterwards.

The delivery is part of the Euro 25 million arms deal hammered out earlier this year by the Sher Bahadur Deuba government. Under the deal, the Belgian government is to deliver 5,500 Minimis to the RNA, which joined the civilian and the armed police forces last year to fight Maoist insurgency. Officials in the RNA are deeply concerned that since the aircraft has remained grounded for more than a week in central Asia, the stand-off could mean increased costs, which Nepal might be forced to cough up.

But the government source maintained that HMG would not be forced to pay additional bills. "No, we wouldn’t be required to make any payments - just because the plane has remained grounded in Kazakhstan," he claimed.

The arms delivery was made after two groups of Belgian observers that visited Nepal recently submitted their reports about the overall situation in Nepal. The report also said that the shipment was made, just when the Belgian parliament prepared to pass a new and stricter arms sale law.

The deal has remained controversial all along. In August, the Belgian government was rocked when one of its allies in the ruling ‘rainbow’ coalition protested against the arms delivery to a country, where democracy and human rights were not very positive.

The row also saw the resignation of senior cabinet minister Magda Aelvoet. Besides the Minimi machine guns from Belgium, the RNA is also getting 5,000 M-16 rifles from the USA very soon and 45,000 more, after a few months. Of the 50,000 M-16s made-in-USA, 45,000 are being delivered as part of the US military hardware assistance to Nepal.

RNA rights cell begins probe into minors’ deaths

Post Report

BIDUR, Nuwakot, Dec 22:A three-member human rights cell, formed under the Royal Nepal Army (RNA), today continued discussions with people from different walks of life, about the deaths of five minors in Kahule Village Development Committee (VDC).

The rights cell began investigations following news reports that security personnel shot dead the schoolboys on November 27, when they were returning to their respective homes after performing the last rights of their relative. Family members of the deceased children had filed a joint complaint at the district administration office last week, seeking compensations for their deaths.

Officials of the RNA cell held discussions with representatives of human rights organisations, media persons, locals and the bereaved family members in the district headquarters, here, said a cadre of the Human Rights and Peace Society, Nuwakot, who also participated in the fact finding meeting. Altogether, 60 people spoke to the RNA team.

The RNA team, according to sources, had chiefly asked the bereaved families why they delayed lodging complaints, what is their financial status and what could be done not to repeat such incidents in the future.

"We have received enough information about the incident and it will help us investigate the case properly," Major Pankaj Karki, a member of the investigation team told The Kathmandu Post.

"Our preliminary investigation suggested that such incident should not have occurred," said Karki, but was quick to add that it was too early to come to the conclusion. The three-member probe committee had begun its work since Thursday and is expected to finalise its report by Monday.

ANNISU-R puts off two-week-old strike on conditional note

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 22:All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union- Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) today put off the indefinite strike that closed down all education institutions in Kathmandu for nearly two weeks, but warned that it would be forced to launch a similar strike in mid-February if all of its demands are not met.

The union has urged all concerned parties including government to fulfil all its demand by then.

The announcement of ANNISU-R came a day after the Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation, Nepal (PABSON) decided to open all the schools defying the strike. PABSON had also announced certain concessions and commitments on their parts which included slashing the tuition fees, preference to Nepalis in employment and withdrawing various other financial burdens on students.

Although ANNISU-R had not responded to the reform announcement yesterday, the decision to put off the strike followed tremendous pressure from guardians, civil society, political parties and consistent efforts from the human rights organisations.

Making the announcement on a statement, ANNISU-R’ president Devendra Parajuli said, "We have postponed the ongoing indefinite strike in the valley and other protest programmes in the eastern and western parts of the country till February 12 in view of pledges from guardians, human right activists and other organisations".

The pro-Maoist students’ organisation has, at the same time, warned strikes against educational institutions from February 13, 2003, if their 13-point demands are not met by the date.

More than 2,000 thousands private and public educational institutions in the valley suffered due to the strike since December 9, which had affected over 500,000 students. Any attempts to end the stalemate by Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation, Nepal (PABSON), guardians’ association, human right activists and academicians failed as the government and the ANNISU-R stuck to their stance.

ANNISU-R has been targeting educational institutions, especially private and boarding schools, over the past few years, demanding radical changes in the existing education system. Among their demands to the government, abolition of ‘commercialisation and privatisation’ of education in the country is the major one.

In the recent days, the rebel student wing forwarded revoking of "terrorist tag" on their organisation as its an agenda for targeting education institutions.

Saying that the announcement of tuition fee cut and 11-point code of conduct by PABSON, which aims at reforms in private and public schools, yesterday has drawn his organisation’s attention, the rebelling students’ leader Parajuli has labelled the move as "minimum reforms and facilities" and "not sufficient".

"We expect announcement of more such reforms and see translation of such announcements in practice," Parajuli has said in the statement. The statement has alleged the government for mobilising army to quell their movement for "minimum educational reform, which the government can easily meet" and for not taking seriously and positively to solve the stalemate in education.

Meanwhile, the PABSON has welcomed the decision of ANNISU-R, demanding the government to work out to avert possible strikes after the given dateline. "We have met the demands of ANNISU-R, now their demands are concerned with the government and the government should think over it to avoid such strikes in future," Rajesh Khadka, the president of PABSON, told The Kathmandu Post. All the private and public schools will open from Monday, he said.

Article 128 is dead: Home Minister Thapa

Post Report

BIRGUNJ, Dec 22:Home Minister Dharma Bahadur Thapa today said that Article 128 of the Constitution is dead in the present context, as it was made for the transitional phase and to give legitimacy to the interim government, formed immediately after the people’s movement in 1990.

He was commenting on the demand made by the Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML), which has been insisting that the present crisis could be solved after forming an all-party government under the Article 128.

"The Article 128 became infructuous with the formation of the Krishna Prasad Bhattarai-led interim government," the Home Minister said, talking to the reporters here. He further added that the article could only be revived on the condition that the current constitution is replaced with new one.

When asked about the progress made in holding dialogues with the Maoists, Thapa said it was in the initial stages and, added that human rights activists were trying their best to materialise it. At one point, he claimed that the king was forced to take the October 4 move to safeguard the country.

He also accused the political parties of manoeuvring the people, by saying that democracy was in danger and the government would not hold elections. "Who is a democrat—those who cannot hold elections on time or we, who are committed to holding the election?", he questioned. During his stay here, the Home Minister also gave instructions to the government employees to perform their duties according to government’s policies.

‘Local body polls to be party-less’

HETAUDA, Dec 22 (PR) - Minister for Home, and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dharma Bahadur Thapa said today that the government was considering to hold the elections to the local bodies on a party-less basis.

Addressing a gathering of businessmen, leaders of political parties and former local body representatives and journalists, the Home Minister said that in India and other democratic countries, local body elections have been conducted on party-less basis.

"So the government is doing homework to hold the elections similarly," Thapa revealed. He argued that through this process, there would be no division in the village and development will get a boost too. Thapa also added that the government would soon form an all-party committee to operationalise the local bodies.

RPP at the cusp of transformation

By Yuvraj Acharya

KATHMANDU, Dec 22:The years after multi-party democracy was established in 1990, Nepal’s political landscape was dominated by three major players: centrist Nepali Congress, leftist Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and rightist Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).

Then in early 1996, an ultra-left force emerged: the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).

Now, 12 years after that seminal political change, Nepal could be witnessing the emergence of a nationalistic rightist force that could have long-term implications for the nation. The emergence of such a force is occurring within the RPP, which began as a rightist force but was inching slowly towards the centre in recent years, especially under the leadership of its outgoing chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa.

Many political analysts seem to think that this transformation within the RPP coincides with the rise of the ultra-left, and more importantly, with the presentation of opportunities which were unforeseen even a year ago.

For many observers, the RPP’s recently concluded Third General Convention in Pokhara sends the clearest signal of the transformation now underway. At that convention, the party adopted a political agenda that, among other things, calls for adherence to democratic principles but also advocates a more active role by the monarch in the nation’s politics. Moreover, the election of Pashupati Shumsher Rana as the party’s new chairman by an overwhelming majority, also indicates that the RPP is willing to abandon its careful right-of-centre image for a more forthright royalist and rightist political agenda.

" It seems like an intention of the new party leadership to turn back to the autocratic regime under king’s patronage and leadership," says Prof Krishna Khanal, political analyst associated with Tribhuvan University, who is considered close to the Nepali Congress party.

"Concept of constitutional monarchy does not have any role of the king, as the people’s representatives must be responsible for all the acts of the government."

RPP chairman Rana, meanwhile, counters that his party wants an influential role for the monarch in the current climate, not an effective role as has been alleged by detractors. "What we want is an influential role by the monarch, not an effective role, and that too from within the bounds of the present constitution," he told The Kathmandu Post. Such a role was essential for a broad consensus between the Crown and political parties, if the present crisis is to be solved, Rana has said in various forums since his election.

But many observers are unconvinced. The rightward lurch of the RPP however had been in the making for quite some time, they claim. Beginning with clear-cut rightist origins in the immediate aftermath of the overthrow of the Panchayat regime in 1990, the RPP which consisted mostly of former Panchas, had in recent years been evolving into a more centrist force, especially under Thapa’s leadership.

But with Thapa now bowing out, his legacy within the party is slowly being dismantled, analysts say. The signals began emerging soon after the royal take-over of October 4. Even though Thapa and some of his party colleagues were dismayed by the action, many other party stalwarts openly welcomed the king’s move, more so after the monarch hand-picked senior RPP leader Lokendra Bahadur Chand to head the new government.

The cool response Thapa got during the recent general convention also sends some clear signals. Addressing the convention on its opening day, when Thapa cautioned the next generation leadership that the party would cease to exist if the convention failed to express its strong commitment to democracy, there was hardly any claps from the audience. But when some other leaders used derogatory remarks about democracy and the last 12 years of democratic practice, the hall exploded in loud applause. Clearly, analysts say, most of RPP’s rank and file wants a return to more familiar, if not authoritarian, times.

Dhruba Kumar, a senior analyst with the Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS), says that the RPP’s political agenda, seeking a more active role for the king, could be a longing for an association with the Panchayat past, in which the king’s leadership was codified in the constitution as well as in reality.

But like Prof Khanal, Kumar too seems to think, this is something of an anachronism in modern times. "Democracy and advocacy for an effective role of the king are contradictory matters and cannot go together," he says. "King’s active role means popular sovereignty no longer exists."

Some within the RPP too seemed to have struggled with the party’s new political document. At the convention, a few top leaders and activists, who claim they are democratic to the core, raised questions about the language used in the document, but were over-ruled by the majority.

Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani, who lost out to Rana in the race for the post of RPP chairman, was ambivalent when The Kathmandu Post asked him why the document was adopted by the party convention in its final form. Dr Lohani said that only Rana could answer why such a document was introduced and adopted by the convention.

Accham, Bajura, Bajhang reel under shortage of medicines

By Dil Bahadur Chhatyal

DIPAYAL, Dec 22:Health institutions in Achham, Bajura and Bajhang, three districts in the remote areas of far-western Nepal, are devoid of medicines for the past three months and locals have resorted to using traditional herbs for treatment.

Medicines to health institutions in these areas were earlier brought in by porters or carried on the back of mules. However, activities of both the security forces and the Maoists have disrupted the regular supply of medicines to these districts, revealed sources.

Furthermore, as senior health officials stay away from these areas, ostensibly on deputation to the urban areas, health institutions in these areas are being managed by assistants and junior officials. The absence of common medicines like paracitamol and antibiotics has worsened the situation further.

"People carrying patients come here after walking for hours. When I tell them that there are no medicines, they get infuriated and curse me," said an Auxiliary Health Worker (AHW), at a health post located at a distance of a six-hour walk from Mangalsen, the headquarters of Achham.

The health post would receive medicines at interval of six months in the past. However, the routine supply of the medicines stopped altogether since last year, it is learnt.

A local at Pandusen VDC in north Bajura district said that the villagers have turned to herbs. "There is no use of health posts. We now depend on herbs. When anyone is seriously sick, all we can do is to pray to the Lord," said Harke Rokaya, a local.

Dr Bhojraj Shah, director at Regional Health Directorate (RHD), Dhangadhi, admitted the lack of medicines in these districts. "District Public Health Office (DPHO) is accountable for procuring and supplying medicines to the concerned district," said Dr Shah.

Shah also revealed that some medicines meant for Achham were distributed to Doti and Dadeldhura districts two months ago, as the authorities from Achham caused considerable delay in acquiring those.

Gajendra Bista, Chief at Regional Pharma Store (RPS) in Dhangadhi informed that it has been dispatching medicines to all the districts once every year. However, supply of drugs this year was delayed as RPS is yet to receive three different types of medicines.

The drugs sent by RPS to Achham has been languishing for the past three months in district hospital of Doti, according to Sher Bahadur Chand, a doctor at the hospital.

Alliance for united movement against royal move sans Deuba

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 22:An alliance of political parties today unanimously called for a united movement to resolve the current crisis dogging the nation. However, the leaders of the respective parties, excluding Sher Bahadur Deuba-led Nepali Congress (Democratic), could not categorically mention the point of common consensus among them on how to protest the royal proclamation.

Speaking at a mass-meet, organised in the capital by the Peoples’ Front Nepal, on the last leg of the party’s month-long protest programme against the royal takeover, K P Sharma Oli, leader of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist and Leninist (CPN-UML) said that the UML, though in tight schedule because of the party’s seventh general convention slated for February, was still continuing its movement against the royal move.

He also reiterated that the king should immediately rectify the constitutional error committed by him - unceremonious sacking of the democratically elected Prime Minister and forming the so called ‘courtiers’ council of ministry.

UML has been urging the king to form a national government under the letter and spirit of Article 128 of the constitution as the best solution of the current crisis.

Addressing the same mass meet, Arjun Narsing KC, spokesperson of the Nepali Congress (NC) said that the NC was supporting constitutional monarchy just out of respect and king should not take it as a weakness.

"Our respect is for the monarchy as an institution but not for an individual," KC said. "If any individual in the institution tries to be more powerful, the institution will not remain long."

Similarly, Narayan Man Bijukchhe, president of the Nepal Workers’ and Peasants Party (NWPP) said that the 1990 peoples’ movement was not enough to assure the public sovereignty.

"Another greater revolution is required to assure people of their rights," Bijukchhe said. "Constituent assembly is the need of time."

Amik Sherchan, president of the Peoples’ Front Nepal (PFN) said that he wanted all the leaders of the political parties to raise their voice from a common platform.

"PFN provided common platform to all the political parties and wanted them to come to a consensus at least to preserve the achievements of the 1990 peoples’ movement," Sherchan said.

He also stressed that the constituent assembly only could give way out to the burning problems facing the nation. He declared the party’s second round of protest programmes against the royal move. UML on the other has not yet made public the party’s second round of protest programmes.

Four killed, six injured in bus accidents

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DHADING, Dec 22:At least four people were killed and six others seriously injured, after a passenger bus going from Baglung to Kathmandu, fell about 50 metres off the Prithvi Highway at Gadauli of the Gajuri Village Development Committee on Saturday afternoon.

Police have identified the deceased as the driver of the bus with registration number Ga 1 Kha 1446, Ishwor Bahadur Kamali of Lamjung and Tej Kumari Suwal of Dhanusha. The bodies of two persons are yet to be identified.

Police said that the seriously injured people were rushed to hospitals in Kathmandu for treatment. There were at least 35 people travelling in the ill-fated bus. Police have begun investigating into cause of the accident.

Meanwhile, a report from Biratnagar said that a six-year-old girl, identified as Manisha Chaudhary, died instantly when a passenger bus from Biratnagar to Kathmandu ran over her at Khanar of Sunsari district on Sunday. Police said that the girls was crossing the busy highway when the speeding bus hit the girl, studying at grade one at a local school.

ISACPA preliminary report suggests country-specific approach

By Damaru Lal Bhandari

KATHMANDU, Dec 22:The team of commissioners of the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation (ISACPA) has handed over the preliminary draft of a report that outlines development strategy for South Asian region to SAARC Secretary General QAMA Rahim.

The preliminary draft, which was presented to SAARC Secretary General on Friday, has recommended country-specific measures for each SAARC nation "based on past experiences".

The ISACPA, which is represented by at least two commissioners from each SAARC countries, is the highest level body instituted to suggest desired development strategy to reduce incidence of poverty in the SAARC region. It was formed at the end of the 11th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu early January 2002.

While former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai is the convenor of the commission, two commissioners representing Nepal are National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice Chairman, Dr Shankar Sharma, and independent economist, Dr. Biswambhar Pyakurel. The commission has two commissioners each from remaining six SAARC nations.

Referring to the preliminary recommendation, Dr. Pyakurel said, "The report is in its preliminary stage, but is comprehensive in substance. In fact, we have suggested strategies based on field experiences gathered from SAARC nations."

The recommendations have been drawn up after making intensive field visits to places where community mobilisation programmes were implemented in respective countries. Considering its popularity and outcome, the concept of community forestry is likely to be prescribed as further remedy to fight out socio-economic despondency in the case of Nepal.

Similarly, other SAARC nations have been suggested differing strategies based on their respective experiences in different sectors of the economy and socio-economic trend. " In fact, what we have taken into consideration while suggesting strategies is the socio-economic trend demonstrated in the respective countries," Dr. Pyakurel said, declining to elaborate.

Dr. Pyakurel further said the recommendations were drawn up after paying visits and conducting meeting in five SAARC capitals. The last was held in Kathmandu on December 5. Each of the meetings involved analysing the ground reality on the issue of people’s participation and development.

Meanwhile, as he further added, the importance of the recommendation lies in the fact that the respective SAARC member nations will be obliged to formulate "doable" projects as and when SAARC leaders pass it. " We have just analysed issues involved, identified areas of comparative advantages to the communities and suggested implementation of the same."

He also said that donor and multi-lateral agencies are likely to extend much-needed assistance once the projects are formulated in the respective countries. "The thrust will be on uplifting the lot of the down-trodden section of society. It is also about how to bring backward section of population into the socio-economic mainstream."

NSP readies for general convention

KATHMANDU, Dec 22 (PR) - The central committee meeting of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) has decided to hold the general convention of the party by mid-March, with the actual date likely to be announced at the end of another meeting next week.

Sunday’s meeting ended after deciding to hold organisational elections of the party, ranging from regional to town and village level committees. The party has also decided to expand the organisation of the party by distributing over 12,000 active membership forms of the party by January 15.

Meanwhile, the party meeting also witnessed queries from central leaders of the party on the performance of the government and possibilities of the government-Maoist peace talks. However, the issue was raised at the informal level, thus ruling out any unpleasant development for the party president who is also the deputy prime minister.