Over 400 rebels under army seize in Rolpa

By Surya Biswokarma

PYUTHAN, May 5: Maoist rebels, who managed to escape from the cordon laid by security personnel in Lisne Lek area of Rolpa district, have admitted the presence of about 400 odd rebels in the encircled neighbourhood of the area on Monday.

Though quite a handful of the rebel leaders managed to flee the Lisne Lek area, there were still a large number of guerrillas who have managed to get out since the last four days, locals said.

A local teacher in Tebang Village Development Committee (VDC) of Rolpa claimed that rebel leaders including Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Jhakku Subedi somehow managed to escape from the scene after breaking the cordon laid by security personnel. He said this quoting the fugitive rebels.

Mahara was the leader for the three-member talk team, which had opened peace talks with the government just July. He, along with other members of the talk team, had gone underground, after holding three rounds of talks soon after the rebel attack on an army barrack in Dang on November 23.

However, local rebel leaders including Deepak KC, Chief of "Pyuthan District People’s Government", were still trapped inside the security cordons.

Our correspondent from Surkhet, Moti Poudel adds quoting security sources of 4 No Brigade stationed there, that around 200 rebels including some of their leaders who escaped from army cordon in Lisne Lek have been trapped in another place in Rolpa.

Security personnel in Pyuthan said that security operation in the area was still underway on Sunday. Food and required logistic support for the security personnel deployed in the Lisne Lek area bordering Rolpa and Pyuthan districts is being managed by Chandi Prasad Gan, which is based in Khalanga, Pyuthan.

Meanwhile, locals in Belbas VDC in Pyuthan district said that five porters, who were forced to carry rebel provisions, which including slaughtered buffaloes and cows to their base camp in Lisne Lek on Wednesday, have not yet returned to their respective homes.

A resident of Belbas VDC said that he saw the group of rebels herding five buffaloes and seven cows toward their base camp in Lisne Lek "to observe the May Day celebration and conduct a central-level training programme". He also said the rebels had slaughtered a cow and a buffalo, as they were "too tired to move ahead." The porters are feared to have been killed in the crossfire.

Dakhakeadi VDC Chairman Chet Nath Yogi said that another local, Ram Bahadur Bista, who had accompanied the security forces as a guide for the Sisne Lek area on Thursday, was still missing.

But the security personnel, who have returned from the battle site on Friday, denied having hired any local to work as a guide to the Maoist base camp, Chairman Yogi said Bista’s family members have filed a complaint at the VDC office seeking its co-operation to ascertain his whereabouts.

Meanwhile, a number of unidentified bodies of the Maoist rebels have been lying scattered at several places close to the Sisne Lek area. Bijayanagar VDC Chairman Til Bahadur Gharti said that he had requested the local administration officials to make necessary arrangement for the cremation.

15 more bodies recovered in Rolpa; 11 rebels killed elsewhere

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KATHMANDU, May 5 : Security forces recovered 15 more bodies of Maoist rebels in Lisne Lek area of mid-west Rolpa district Saturday, the Defence Ministry said Sunday. The security forces also gunned down 11 rebels in different incidents around the country on Saturday.

Earlier, the Ministry had claimed that almost 350 rebels were killed in army operation in the area near Rolpa-Pyuthan on Thursday and Friday. With the operations against the rebels still continuing in Rolpa and Doti districts over the last four days, officials were expecting more details.

The statement said that one more Royal Nepal Army soldier lost his life while raiding a Maoist base camp in the Lisne Lek area on Friday.

Of the 11 rebels killed on Saturday, three rebels were killed in Tarkughat of Lamjung, three rebels - who are suspected to have fled Friday’s military operation in Khinda area - in the jungle of Kalagadh and Gopghat area of Doti. The rest were killed in Katari of Udaypur, Babiyachaur of Myagdi, Mugma area of Rukum, Lisne Lek of Rolpa and Tripureshwor Khahare area of Dhading district. In their continued search operation in and around Lisne Lek area in Rolpa, the security forces also recovered 1,000 kitchen utensils, a large amount of supplies and training materials, various types of bombs and spare parts of firearms.

Another group of security forces conducting search and destroy operation in a Maoist training camp and hideout in the Kinda area of far-west Doti district have recovered 0.38 revolvers, three pistols, country-made guns, 114 .303 rifles, and a large amount of ammunition for various types of firearms.

The forces have also confiscated explosives, camouflage dresses, communication sets, fuse-wires, coils, cameras, radios, compass, sleeping bags, uniforms of the Nepal Police, foreign currencies and gold from the Khinda area. The government forces also confiscated a large amount of foodstuff looted by the rebels from locals and businessmen in Amabaskoti area of Kailali district.

Deuba begins landmark US visit
Says will seek support for drive against terrorism

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KATHMANDU, May 5 : Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today embarked on a visit to the United States and United Kingdom, where he is due to meet President George W Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair and drum up support for Nepal’s drive against terrorism.

"The purpose of my visit is to seek cooperation and support for our war against terrorism," an excited Deuba told journalists Sunday at Tribhuvan International Airport. He boarded a Thai Airways jet to Bangkok, on his way to Washington D.C.

Asked what kind of support he would seek from President Bush and Prime Minister Blair, Deuba said, "Their cooperation and support to fight terrorism in Nepal...and that is still under discussion." In reply to another query, he ruled out talks with Maoists. "We will disarm them first and then only talks."

When asked if India was extending support to Maoists Deuba said, "No, on the contrary they are supporting the government to curb Maoist terrorists." Deuba is scheduled to have one-to-one talks with President Bush in White House on Tuesday. He will be the first Nepali Prime Minister to meet an American President at the Oval Office.

During his stay in Washington, he will also meet Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Advisor Dr Condoleza Rice. He will interact with senators and members of the US Congress during his stay in Washington D.C. He is also scheduled address the Woodrow International Centre in Washington on May 8.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a special session of the UN General Assembly on children on May 9 in New York. Nepal will be one of the three co-chairmen of the special session. He will meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on May 13, on the second leg of his trip.

Wife Dr Arzoo Deuba is accompanying the Prime Minister. He heads a small business delegation comprising Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Rajendra Kharel, Foreign Secretary Madhu Raman Acharya, advisor Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, Major General Rookmangat Katwal of the National Defense Council and Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce Chairman Ravi Bhakta Shrestha.

Deuba’s visit to the United States comes four months after the Secretary of the States Colin Powell came to Nepal on a landmark visit. During his visit in the third week of January, Powell pledged military and development assistance to Nepal, while calling for measures to control corruption and ensure good governance.

Also, his visit comes weeks after a team the US Pacific command officials visited insurgency-hit Rolpa and Gorkha districts and assessed the situation there. The US military officials visit to insurgency-hit Nepal came as US Congress made a request for US $ 20 million assistance to Nepal.

Ex-Gurkhas manhandle journalist

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KATHMANDU, May 5 : The members of Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen Organisation (GASEO), a body of the ex-British army servicemen, today manhandled Ujir Magar, a reporter of Kantipur daily, during a press conference organised by the organisation.

Journalists, ex-Gurkhas and various circles of life have strongly condemned the misbehaviour of GAESO members.

Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) – Kantipur Chapter, by issuing a press release, has strongly flayed the miscreant of the GAESO members and its lawyer Gopal Siwakoti "Chintan" who had manhandled Magar during a question-answer session during the press meet.

"We have felt that the entire media world has been shocked by the behaviour of the Gurkha Army ex-Servicemen," the release said. FNJ – Kantipur Chapter has also asked with the GAESO not to repeat such acts in the future.

Likewise, FNJ – Spacetime Chapter has also condemned the acts of the GAESO members. In a press release issues here, Spacetime Chapter has said. "Spacetime Chapter has been deeply shocked by the acts of the GAESO members."

Nepal Ex-Army Association (NEAA) in a separate release has said that the latest act of the GAESO has derailed the movement of the ex-British Gurkhas for equal pay. "The NEAA strongly condemns the GAESO acts and demands stern action against them," the release has said.

FNJ – Lalitpur and Nepal Adibasi Janajati Patrakar Sangh have also strongly condemned the inhumane behaviour of the GAESO.

The press conference was called to inform the media about the GAESO going to London High Court to file a case against the discrimination against the Gurkha soldiers by the British Government.

Kantipur TV to go operational within 8 months

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KATHMANDU, May 5 : Kantipur Television Network Pvt Ltd, the first nationwide TV station from the private sector, is said to begin its operation within 8 to 10 months.

Jeewa Lamichhane, Managing Director of Kantipur Television, disclosed that the TV station is working at war footage to commence its broadcasting within 8 to 10 months at a press meet organised here today.

"The principal objective of Kantipur Television is to establish itself as the most popular TV channel among the locals and Nepalis living abroad with the largest number of viewers. To attain this goal, we focus on telecasting fresher domestic and world news, analysis, educational and infotainment programmes quite professionally", said MD Lamichhane.

Besides establishing the channel as the disseminator of latest news, Kantipur Television would play a constructive role in further strengthening the democratic polity and building a prosperous society through partnership approach, he further said.

As Kantipur Television is promoted by successful personalities in national media and international trade, it will add new dimension to the programme production, broadcast and marketing of mass media in the kingdom, he said.

The TV channel has been established with a view to rendering it the most capable and responsible TV station for the overall sustainable development and social transformation of the kingdom, broadcasting fair and unbiased news, he added.

Kailash Sirohiya, Director of Kantipur Television, said that despite current economic slowdown, there is very good commercial market for an electronic media like television.

Fielding queries of journalists, he said there is no cross subsidy among the sister organisations and there would be no cross subsidy between Kantipur Publications and its sister concerns in future too.

"Apart from providing various educative and infotainment programmes, the station also has responsibility towards the nation and we are committed to fulfil our responsibility," he stated.

Rajendra Bahadur Singh, AGM of Kantipur Publications, said that Kantipur Television Network would emerge as a capable audio-visual media in the resource- and infrastructure-poor country like ours.

"The chief objective of the channel is to bring those events and persons in the print media, but missing in the electronic media (TV) into limelight", he said.

Kantipur Television would focus on telecasting current affairs and decent cultural infotainment programmes. The channel will begin with 6 to 10 hours test transmission and operate 24-hours. It will begin its transmission through terrestrial system and go for satellite link from the second year.

It would gradually expand its coverage with a target of 45 per cent of the geography and to reach to 70 per cent populace within five years. To make its transmission global, the station would make agreement with popular satellite operators so that Nepalis living in any part of the world can view Kantipur Television.

The TV would dedicate 30 per cent of its airtime to current affairs, 35 to entertainment, 17 to educational and awareness generating programmes and 18 per cent to miscellaneous shows.

According to a press handout distributed during the press meet, it will set up studio and transmitter in Kathmandu and gradually set up high-capacity ultra high frequency (UHF) transmitters in the densely populated areas of the kingdom and make use of mobile link van.

The TV station has an authorised capital of Rs 500 million and plans to employ over 350 people.

Hem Raj Gyawali is the chairman, Jeewa Lamichhane MD, and Kailash Sirohiya, Binod Raj Gyawali, Dr Upendra Mahato, Arun Kumar Ojha and Ganesh Kumar Agrawal are the directors of the TV channel.

Rolpa operation books Army morale: SAC

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KATHMANDU, May 5:Last weekend’s success in the massive raid of a Maoist training camp in remote Rolpa district has boosted the morale of the Royal Nepal Army and the Nepal Police personnels fighting the Maoist rebels, members of a team of the parliamentary State Affairs Committee (SAC) said Sunday after returning from a visit to the mid-western hills.

Thirteen members of the SAC along with three Parliament Secretariat officials and Royal Nepal Army officials led by Hridaya Ram Thani visited the insurgency-hit areas of Rukum, Salyan and Rolpa on a RNA helicopter Sunday.

According to a member in the team, they also made an attempt to reach Lisne Lek in eastern Rolpa, where security forces are said to have gunned down over 350 rebels last Thursday and Friday, but gave up the idea owing to "unfavourable weather conditions".

Pradeep Gyawali, a CPN-UML MP in the team, told The Kathmandu Post late Sunday that the security forces were on Sunday afternoon continuing their operations at Lisne Lek area, where a key rebel training centre is located.

"About 350 to 400 rebels have been killed there, according to the security officials we talked to," said Prakash Jwala, a CPN-UML MP from Salyan, another member in the team. "They said they have finally penetrated the Maoist bases and hideouts."

The parliamentarians visited Liwang, the headquarters of Rolpa district, after the helicopter failed make it to Lisne Lek due to bad weather. They also visited Kapurkot, Musikot, Thawang and few surrounding areas in the Maoist hotbed.

The lawmakers claimed that the security situation in the region has improved a lot, and that the government and political parties have started to resume their activities in some of the Maoist- hit areas like Thawang. While few development activities are already on in the region, the security forces are calling for more logistic back-up, according to the team.

According to a member of the team, chief of the army-base in Nepalgunj suggested the MPs to take initiatives to fill up the political vacuum and increase economic activities to support the security forces in quelling the insurgency.

"Open border with India has still been a problem for us," said the member, quoting the security head. "They are voicing the need for more economic and developmental packages to crush the insurgency."

"We also met the army, police officials and local representatives of different political parties in Liwang," said another lawmaker Gorakh Bahadur Bogati, "most of them stressed immediate increase in economic activities in the region.

All-party meet appeals for peace talks

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KATHMANDU, May 5:All major political parties today called on the government and rebel Maoists to pave the way for peace talks, saying the negotiations have become inevitable "to stop series of violence."

Organised by the ruling Nepali Congress, all major political parties and several smaller ones sat down for the meeting today to thrash out a common platform regarding the insurgency. Another major purpose of the meeting was to help thrash out strategies to ensure success of an all-party rally in the capital scheduled for May 10.

A statement released at the meeting said that dialogue between the government and the Maoists has become inevitable to stop violence. The statement particularly urged the outlawed Maoists to stop the violent activities immediately and pave the way for resuming dialogue with the government.

Participants at the meeting also urged the government not to close the doors to talks. Some participants, chiefly representatives of the main opposition CPN (UML), criticized Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for rejecting renewed calls for peace negotiations by the Maoist leadership. "The Prime Minister’s remarks rejecting peace talks were irresponsible," said Madhav Kumar Nepal, the leader of main opposition CPN (UML). He said that both sides "must create the atmosphere for talks."

Another top UML leader, K P Sharma Oli, said that the meeting also expressed grave concerns over remarks by "apolitical institutions" on peace talks.

That such a call for talks was issued by an all party meeting convened by the ruling party was also commented upon by participants. According to Narayan Man Bijukchhe of Nepal Workers and Peasant Party (NWPP), "there should not be dual policy within the ruling party." He added that the Nepali Congress ought to make the government follow its policies.

According to the spokesperson of ruling Nepali Congress party, Arjun Narsingh KC, the meeting was confined to explore ways to consolidate and preserve the achievements of 1990 popular movement. "All the parties have shared common distress on emergence of extremist forces in the country.

The meeting has also called upon the civil society, intellectuals, industrialists, socio- religious and non- governmental institutions to join the all- party rally to build pressures on the concerning parties to take initiatives for restoration of peace in the country.

Meanwhile, chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party has strongly demanded to the Maoists to stop violent activities including destroying the development infrastructures.

According to our reporter from Nuwakot, Thapa urged the Maoists to create an atmosphere for dialogue with the government even as he suggested the government should not rule out the option of talks as a means of solution.

Commenting on the alliance agreed by all the democratic forces, Thapa said, "The alliance is the programmatic one and the Government will be run by the Congress itself.