ALL-PARTY MEET
Deuba formally pleads for emergency ratification

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 16: Less than a week before the House of Representatives deals with a crucial vote on the state of emergency imposed in the country in November, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday formally requested leaders of the opposition parties to help him ratify the state of emergency.

His request came at an all party meeting held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar. The meeting was called to discuss the ratification of the state of emergency, which needs the support of the main opposition CPN-UML.

However, the opposition leaders, who were adamant that some conditions for socio-economic reforms, national consensus and constitutional reforms be met, turned down the request. All this, after his fellow leaders in the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) party "played spoilsport", according to government sources.

Even before the meeting started at around 4 p.m., sources in the government said, NC General Secretary Shushil Koirala, Govinda Raj Joshi, Mahantha Thakur, Chakra Prasad Bastola and Ram Baran Yadav insisted that "issues other than the ratification of emergency be banned."

Emerging out of the meeting hall, the opposition leaders said they reiterated they would support the Prime Minister only if he heeds their demands for constitutional amendments, radical socio-economic reforms and national consensus for "minimum national programme".

The House is scheduled to decide on whether or not to ratify the state of emergency—imposed since November 26, 2001—on Thursday, February 21. The House needs to ratify it with a two-thirds majority within three months, according to the constitution.

The ball is now in the CPN-UML court as the ruling Nepali Congress party with its 113 lawmakers only enjoys a simple majority. To ratify emergency and prolong it for another three months, it needs the support of UML, which commands 69 seats in the Lower House.

Minister for Physical Planning and Works Chirinjiwi Wagle, told newsmen at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar, that the meeting reached a "kind of consensus" to resolve the present crises through radical socio-economic reform measures so as to "politically disarm" the rebels.

"Theoretically, there are no differences between us (political parties)," he said.

He added, "But we have got to take the proposals up to our party, because there is a need for interaction among the government and the party…The government can take a firm decision only after we hold consultations among ourselves."

Asked when the ruling party’s central working committee would hold such consultation, he only said, "Soon; as soon as possible."

Leaders like KP Sharma Oli of CPN-UML and Surya Bahadur Thapa of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RRP) emerged from the meeting hall even before it reached a conclusion, and said it was "inconclusive one and merely a tea party".

"The government has not been able to justify the rationale behind imposing, or prolonging, the state of emergency," UML leader Oli told reporters. "And although we have put forth our demands, the government does not seem keen to take immediate steps. The ruling party itself is confused."

Said RPP Chairman Thapa: "The meeting ended abruptly, without any outcome. Nepali Congress has backed out from it earlier stance to chalk out minimum national programme on the basis of national consensus."

The previous all party meet had agreed to a three point agenda: It had agreed to form a task force comprising representatives from all the parties; release workers of all the parties except the underground Maoist party who were arrested after emergency was imposed; and issue directives to better-manage the state of emergency in accordance with Article 115 (7) of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990.

The two-and-half-hour-long meeting ended at 6:30, and was participated by leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress, UML, RPP, Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party, Nepal Sadbhawana Party, Nepal People’s Front and United People’s Front.

‘NC alert against emergency excesses’

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 16: A Nepali Congress minister today reiterated that its government will not allow any atrocities to be committed on innocent civilians in the name of emergency.

Minister for Physical Planning and Works, Chiranjivi Wagle, addressing a function here today, said that the Nepali Congress is staying on high alert to check any excesses under the cover of emergency.

"NC will not remain silent if innocent civilians are tortured or killed by the security forces. The NC is answerable if anything goes wrong during the operation launched by the armed forces," said Wagle at the function organised by Nepal Intellectual Council (NIC).

Wagle said that the NC door is always open for other political parties to hold discussions about the current fluid situation of the country. "We are ready to hold dialogues with any political party about the current crisis in the country."

He also reminded the audience that the government did try to resolve the Maoist problem politically. "We tried to resolve the problem through several rounds of talk with the Maoists. But they abruptly broke the four-month-old truce by killing dozens of security personnel," said Wagle.

Speaking on the same occasion, Jhal Nath Khanal, Central Committee member of the main opposition, CPN (UML), stressed on the need for constitution amendment. "Constitution amendment is the prime need of the hour. It is high time that the existing Constitution was amended," said Khanal.

He also emphasized the importance of forging a consensus nationally. "Only a national consensus can resolve the current imbroglio."

The UML leader held both the rebels and the government for the troubled situation of the country. "Both the government and the Maoists are equally responsible for the present crisis. It (the government) was not serious during the talks with the Maoists," said Khanal.

On his part, General Secretary of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Pashupati SJB Rana, said that the NC should be serious in resolving its internal squabble. "NC should think seriously about putting their house in order. The crisis will automatically be solved if NC is serious about resolving its internal disputes," said Rana.

Four ‘terrorists’ killed, 10 arrested

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 16: Three "terrorists" were killed and a large cache of arms and ammunitions were seized by the security forces during their operation against the Maoists in several parts of the country on Friday, Defence Ministry said today.

According to Home Ministry, one more "terrorist" was killed in the clash between the security forces and the Maoists. The ministry statement said that the Maoists shot dead one Bhanu Dhungana in Shantipur village of Ilam district. In Parbat district, the Maoists also shot and seriously injured a secretary of Deurali VDC, Laxmi Prasad Upadhyay.

The Defence Ministry said that the security forces also arrested 10 "terrorists", besides investigating a further 27 suspected Maoists around the country. A bomb disposal unit of the army defused a banner bomb to destroy a suspension bridge at Kuringhat lying between Gorkha and Dhading districts.

Traffic project underway in the capital

RSS

KATHMANDU, Feb 16: The road intersections at ten major areas in the Kathmandu Valley are to be improved keeping in mind the frequent road accidents, the high level of air and noise pollution, traffic congestion and the longer commuting time and delay often resulting in inconvenience to both vehicles and pedestrians as a result of heavy traffic pressure at these areas.

The road intersections that will be repaired and improved under the Kathmandu Valley traffic intersections improvement project are the Maitighar, Kalimati, Koteshwar-Teen Kuney, Padmodaya turning, Keshar Mahal, Koteshwar- Ring Road, New Baneshwar, Singhadurbar, Ramshah Path - Dilli Bazar and the Kalanki intersections.

The Nippon Koie Company Limited of Japan and His Majesty’s Government Department of Roads had signed an agreement for the project in October 2001. The project will be undertaken with the grant assistance of the Government of Japan.

It is learnt that the total construction cost of the project to be completed by March 2003 is 1.3 billion Japanese yen.

The project will focus on maintenance of the traffic signs and the traffic lights, improvement of the footpath, repair of drains, railings and flag poles, traffic safety measures and training.

Minister for Physical Planning and Construction Chiranjivi Wagle and Ambassador of Japan to Nepal Zenji Kaminaga jointly laid the foundation stone for the Maitighar Intersection Improvement Project here today.

On the occasion, Minister Wagle expressed the view that the road intersection improvement project will be of assistance to His Majesty’s Government in its policy of reducing the overall expenditure on road transport, construction of roads that are safe to pedestrians, effective management of the road drains and thereby reducing road accidents.

Praising the important role of the Japanese government in Nepal’s road improvement programme, he hoped the cooperation will be continued in future also.

Ambassador of Japan to Nepal Zenji Kaminaga hoped that the project will help control the growing traffic pressure in the valley, prevent road accidents and reduce air pollution and its negative impact on people’s health.

He said the project will provide the necessary physical infrastructure required mainly for construction and repair of the road intersections and the traffic signs, expressing the hope that His Majesty’s Government and the bodies concerned will effectively carry out the task of enforcing the traffic rules, repair and maintenance and creating traffic safety awareness.

Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Construction Dinesh Chandra Pyakurel expressed the belief that the project will improve the traffic management system.

Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Bidur Mainali said that KMC will take care of the project after its completion. He also drew the government’s attention to the need of constructing additional bus parks in the Kathmandu Valley.

Under the project, traffic lights will be operated by "solar cell system" introduced for the first time in Nepal and alternative arrangements will be made later in times of emergency.

It is expected that besides reducing the traffic congestion, construction and improvement of the intersections will bring about effective results in terms of improved environment as well as traffic management.

Whose land? Kirtipur farmers don’t know, nor do authorities

By Razen Manandhar

KIRTIPUR, Feb 16: When the government acquired 4,500 ropanis of Chirrup farmland for setting up the Tribhuwan University three decades ago, the displaced farming families were handed out plots in the outskirts of Kirtipur village. But the distribution of this public land by the local authority, Gaun Sabha, was so arbitrary that the families are now caught in a legal wrangle to prove their ownership over the individual plots.

To complicate matters further, some of the owners of these plots which have no legal certificates, later sold them off to others without any legal basis whatsoever. The Gaun Sabha had also distributed lands to some University deans who later sold it off.

Matters came to a head recently when 95 Kirtipur residents filed a writ (on February 1) against five buyers of such plots, who are building houses there. Acting on the writ the Supreme Court on February 7 passed an interim order to stop construction work. The writ also addresses local authorities like the Municipality, the Chief District Office, the Land Revenue Department and the Land Reform Ministry as respondents.

"We have filed the writ not against those particular houses, but our aim is to save the whole of Kirtipur from such encroachers who have brought a bad name to the town," says Surendra Manandhar, claimant from the petitioners’ side.

Between 1968 and till around 1986, the Gaun Sabha’s Pradhan Panchas distributed innumerable public plots of size 24' x 36', to anybody who ever applied paying the stipulated Rs 100 fee to the village office. In return, the applicants received a chit in small-type, which gave them the right to ownership. There is no "complete" record of the number of plots distributed nor on who got them.

Manandhar says the court’s verdict will help in solving a problem that has vexed Kirtipur farming families for the last three decades.

The local residents say that some 150 houses have been built illegally in Kirtipur Nayabazaar alone, and over 400 more "illegal" houses have come up on the public land around the heart of Kirtipur town.

Seventy-one-year-old Dwarika Maharjan, former Pradhan Pancha, who initiated the illegal distribution, says that the step he took 30 years ago, was the need of the time.

"That was a necessary decision at that time when we saw hundreds of people being displaced from their homes," he says.

At that time, Maharjan even had to appear before the then prime minister, Kirtinidhi Bista, to explain his actions.

But locals say the Pradhan Pancha earned thousands from the whole deal.

The former Pradhan Pancha says his decision to hand out plots to three Tribhuvan University deans—Prachanda Pradhan, Upendra Man Malla and Shekhar Pradhan-was made so that the village would benefit from these educationists. It makes him furious that they sold off the plots. "We thought them to be Gods but they turned out to be demons," says Maharjan.

Maharjan adds that like him, the Pradhan Panchas of neighbouring villages such as Layaku, Paliphal, Bahiri Gaon, Panga, Chobhar and Macchhe Gaon, had also distributed public lands in the same way.

Amidst all this, the Kirtipur Municipality is caught in a dilemma-it can neither call these plots and houses legal or illegal, as the Municipality has to own up to the decisions taken by the earlier local authorities.

Says Kirtipur Mayor, Hira Kaji Maharjan: "We cannot say they are legal. And we have been trying to stop this as far as we can. We have been requesting the police force and the Chief District Officer from time to time that something has to be done to stop illegal construction. But they don’t act saying that it is a political problem."

He says the Municipality did now and again try to stop such constructions, even by seizing construction equipment, but they continued. Asks a helpless Mayor, "What more can we do?"