217 VIPs in Maoist hit list on red alert

BY BIKASH SANGRAULA

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 : In the wake of Maoists’ urban warfare targeting army officials and political figures, security has been tightened in the residences of high ranking government officials, former officials, political figures, former politicians, diplomats, party offices of major political parties and vulnerable public areas. Security personnel have been heavily deployed in civil dresses throughout the valley.

A reliable police source told The Kathmandu Post that the residences of 217 VIPs suspected of featuring in the Maoists’ hit list have been tightly secured. A joint team of army and police comprising the valley security co-ordination committee has guarded residences of Speaker Taranath Ranabhat, former army chief Sachit SJB Rana, former minister Ramesh Nath Pandey, and many others.

Similarly, the Nepali Congress central office in Teku, Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s office in Kamalpokhari, CPN-UML’s office in Balkhu, and Nepal Sadbhavana Party’s office in Naya Baneshwore have been encircled by a tightly knit group of security personnel.

Security has been beefed in public places including important temples to prevent attacks like the bomb blast recently in Ram Janaki temple in Janakpur. Today, traffic was strictly restricted around the Pashupatinath temple area fearing violence while thousands of women visited the temple to perform worship on the occasion of Teej, a Hindu festival when women fast for the welfare of their husbands.

Meanwhile, Valley Deputy Inspector General of Police Keshav Baral told The Kathmandu Post today that former state minister Devendra Raj Kandel, who was shot yesterday by the Maoists, had been warned by the police about the attack. Relying on information provided by police spies, Kandel had shifted from his house in Jawalakhel and rented a house in Kusunti where the shooting took place.

Police have arrested 30 individuals from Lalitpur suspecting them of involvement in the attempt on life of Kandel. According to Dr Manohar Lal Shrestha, Director of Bir Hospital, Kandel had received five shots in yesterday’s shootout. All the bullets have been successfully extracted from his body. Kandel’s condition has improved considerably, according to Dr Shrestha.

Army personnel have been strictly directed to keep from loitering in public places unless under security commands. Many high ranking army officials have left behind their official vehicles in their offices and have taken to public transport in civil dresses, security sources said.

DIG Baral claimed that many secretaries, joint-secretaries and under-secretaries of various ministries featuring in the Maoists’ hit list are being escorted to their respective ministries and back home by security personnel.

SC Justices worry about their security

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 (PR)- Taking note of the serious security situation across the country, the Justices in the Supreme Court have expressed concern over their own security.

The security situation of the Justices was discussed in the full court meeting of the apex court including the Chief Justice yesterday.

The Justices also expressed their opinion to inform the government in this regard.

"But we have not taken any decision yet," a Justice told The Kathmandu Post. Currently only the Chief Justice has been provided with security.

‘Include UNHCR or face aid cuts to refugees’

By Saraswati Karki

DAMAK, Aug 30 : The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have warned the governments of Nepal and Bhutan of slashing foreign aid should they fail to include the UNHCR as third-party mediator in resolving the Bhutanese refugee crisis.

This was disclosed here by a eight-member joint team from UNHCR and WFP headquarters, which visited refugee camps to take stock of the latest situation and to plan their future support to refugees.

The UN also raised concerns over the complication of the refugee crisis in Nepal during an internal meeting with the donor agencies. They were unhappy with the bilateral-level talks between the two countries and said the talks had complicated the refugee imbroglio instead of resolving it.

As they left the refugee camps, all the eight-team members looked dispirited, supposedly to find the slothful pace of talks between Nepal and Bhutan and the grim chances for refugees to return home.

"Since refugees came to Nepal, it was the government of Nepal who should be more concerned about refugees. We have simply distributed emergency relief measures," a source quoted UN official as saying.

"If there is no solution, it is Nepal which will have to face grave problem," warned officials.

The meeting was held soon after the officials completed review of the latest refugee situation. The eight-member joint team from UNHCR and WFP said since the refugees had proofs of Bhutanese citizenship, they were registered in the UNHCR camps and had every right to return to their country voluntarily.

The officials are expected to hold discussions with the Home Ministry and Foreign Ministry officials during their stay in Kathmandu.

The team has raised concerns over the issue of UNHCR/WFP food items being detected in local markets.

Clashes on between rebels, security forces; 2 Maoists killed

POST REPORT

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 : At least two Maoist rebels were killed during an hour-long clash with the joint security forces in Dumre village, 65 kilometres west of Udaypur district headquarters Gaighat today morning. Three security personnel were injured in the incident.

The rebels were killed during retaliation of security force after the Maoist militia opened fire with sophisticated weapons when the patrolling team arrived in the village. Our reporter from Gaighat, citing the security sources, said that the injured security personnel have been airlifted to Katari-based military camp for treatment.

The Maoists had fled to jungle after one-hour of firing with the security forces. The security forces backed by the helicopters chased the Maoists.

In another incident yesterday night, the Maoist rebels killed a police constable Min Bahadur Gharti at Mankhola, near the border of Banke and Bardiya districts.

Reports from Bara district said a group of six armed people kidnapped Dr Rabindra Kumar Singh, a medical doctor, yesterday night. Singh is a ex-central committee member of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP). The NSP has condemned the abduction.

According to reports from Dipayal, the Maoists have forcefully taken children from several schools in southern belt of Doti district with them. The students who arrived at Dipayal after fleeing the group told The Kathmandu Post that more than 60 students, including 46 from Raghunath High School alone, have been taken by the Maoists for ten days to attend a "special programme".

The local administration has issued curfew orders in adjacent areas of Bidur bazaar, district headquarters of Nuwakot, beginning Saturday night.

How fair and square is the CIAA?

BY GHANASHYAM OJHA

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 : Based upon the controversial report submitted by the Judicial Investigation Commission on Property (JICP) a few months ago, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has been probing politicians and civil servants. But as the probe continues to lumber on, voices questioning the CIAA’s jurisdiction in the matter, and indeed its impartiality, is increasing.

Critics of the CIAA charge that the anti-corruption watchdog body is overreaching its mandate and prosecuting cases with "political bias." But its defenders reject the charge and counter that prevailing laws and regulations give the CIAA enough authority to probe persons fingered by the JICP report. These debates will only likely increase in the coming days as more and more bigwigs are drawn into the CIAA dragnet.

The CIAA hasn’t helped itself either. The incumbent CIAA Chief Commissioner Surya Nath Upadhyay drew a sharp rebuke from the Supreme Court recently for failing to investigate alleged improprieties in the Mahakali Irrigation Project while probing and prosecuting similar irregularities in the Bakraha River project. Critics say, Upadhyay ignored the Mahakali issue because he himself was involved in the alleged improprieties as the then Water Resources secretary.

While the Supreme Court will ultimately decide on the matter, the inexplicable failure to investigate a case against its chief has given ammunition to those who charge that the CIAA is biased in its probe, especially of the those fingered by the JICP report.

Ganesh Raj Sharma, senior advocate, argued that the Commission had no authority to launch a ‘biased’ hunt on the basis of the JICP report, and demanded that the JICP report be made public. He even questioned the accountability of the Commission.

"To which body is the CIAA accountable? In no country is there a constitutional body against corruption without accountability," Sharma says. "The CIAA is on a choose-and-pick spree." He added that the CIAA should function within the limits of the law complying fully with its letters and spirit.

"But unfortunately, it is repeatedly and persistently flouting even the legal principles declared by the court. Preservation of the fundamental rights of the people must be the highest priority for the organs of the state. But that, among other things, is the least bothered concern for such authorities," Sharma adds.

The very idea of a body such as CIAA is to act as an ombudsman, a watchdog authority that discourages corruption and abuse of authority. Sharma says that this ideal is nowhere to be found in the workings of today’s CIAA. "Nepal’s CIAA is being modelled after an authoritarian political commissariat to persecute the undesirable persons," he asserts.

Another senior advocate and former Attorney General Motikaji Sthapit argues along similar lines. In the eyes of the law, all accused are innocent until proved guilty, but in the eyes of the CIAA all accused are guilty even before it is proven, he contends. "The burden of proof should be on the CIAA to prove the guilt of the accused, but it is just the other way round with the Commission," he says.

Replying to his critics, CIAA chief commissioner Upadhyay meanwhile rejected charges of biases. "Such charges are an attempt to malign the Commission," he said. He also asserted that since the Commission is accountable to parliament, the accountability question is irrelevant.

Despite what the CIAA chief says, the fact remains that most of those fingered in the JICP report and being investigated by the CIAA are affiliated to the political parties who are currently in the midst of an agitation against last October’s "regressive" action by the King. Is CIAA then being used as a political tool?

Some legal experts react in the negative. They in fact turn the argument around. Prakash Wasti, a senior advocate, wondered as to why did the political parties begin airing such ‘rumours’ only after the political figures came under the CIAA’s dragnet? "Politics is the most corrupt field in our country. So the Commission’s actions are justified," Wasti said.

But another legal expert, Lalit Bahadur Basnet, opines, "We do need a body like CIAA. It should not only be neutral, but also must be seen to be neutral and without bias. But the present CIAA does look biased in its approach."

Govt showed ‘haste’ in branding Maoists terrorists

By Damaru Lal Bhandari

KATHMANDU, AUG 30 : The Nepali Congress (NC) has flayed the government for not demonstrating desired degree of restraint before branding the CPN-Maoist as a "terrorist" organisation, following the latter’s abrupt ending of the talk process and violation of cease-fire by embarking on assassination bids.

The party has also rapped the Maoists for resorting to assignation of the individuals, including political figures and security personnel.

"The government should not have over reacted even if the rebels had walked out of the peace process," NC spokesman Arjun Narsingh KC told reporters at the end of the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

A party source said the view that the government has over reacted came from the party president Girija Prasad Koirala, which was later passed at the end of the meeting as the official view of the party. "Since talks is the only way out, branding them terrorists would not pay off," said Narahari Acharya, a CWC member.

The party has also criticised the rebel outfit. "This certainly is something which they ought to have avoided," Acharya further said, explaining why the party has billed the assassination bids as bordering on criminal activities.

In yet another message to both the rebels and government, the party has said the way out still lies in reviving the House of Representatives and that every one concerned, including the king, must pay attention to the need to seek a constitutional way out.

"Once the House is in place, it can explore a number of options," KC said. He, however, declined to say whether parliament would consider the demand for election to the constituent assembly.

Since the party has said that the onus of any disruptive activities setting in during the seventh phase of movement would lie on the government, it appears that the party leadership is maintaining a belligerent posture. The party has, much like in 1990, promised a peaceful, disciplined and systematic agitation. But sources said some members, including Ram Chandra Poudel, were not in favour of adopting a belligerent posture. The agitation will kick off on September 4.

"The movement is much in line with the popular movement of 1990, rather than the satyagraha launched in 1985," said Acharya, debunking claims that the movement was in for a setback should the disruptive activities unfold midway.

He also argued that the parties should not expect any positive moves from King Gyanendra just yet, with people who had a seedy past still calling the shots. This was in reference to controversial appointments to sensitive positions.

The united colours of Teej

BY INDU NEPAL & ARCHANA PARAJULI

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 : Red saris, heavy jewellery and of course, the perpetual queue at Pashupatinath; little does it seem anything has changed in the women’s quest to uphold the tradition of Teej. Listen closely and you will notice that the reprehensions and reproaches about the in-laws are now long gone, though only to be substituted by the melancholy of the political turbulence in the nation.

Why are the moments of peace so sparse?

Are we facing our own motherland’s curse?

Striding along the peak venues in Kathmandu, it is difficult to avoid the new theme in the beats of the Teej songs. "We encourage the participants to sing the songs of awareness and edify the women-folk about the grievance of their time," according to the organisers of a Teej Mela at Shankha Park, Dhumbarahi.

Dancing to the despondent notes isn’t easy either, that may prove why people didn’t turn up as expected at Pashupati, as Shyam Shekhar Jha, Administrator at the Pashupati Area Development Trust, explains the cause of apprehension, "The security problem prevalent in the country has discouraged people from moving about."

Even without the large crowds as was expected, the situation was just as precarious around the temple. "With such a large crowd it is never easy to predict a misfortune," said Ganesh KC, Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office. "To manage the security situation in the temple premises, over one thousand police and a few hundreds armed police force soldiers have been deployed."

"It aches when we have to live in the environment of hostilities not knowing who we might lose next, especially when we thought peaceful days were near," said a worshiper at Pashupatinath. "That is why I prayed to Lord Shiva, appealing for peace and prosperity in the country." Teej may have come and gone but as these women showed, the festival manifests the essence of peace which lives forever.

UN chief appeals for talks resumption

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 (PR)- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan voiced deep concern over the breakdown of the cease-fire and recent upsurge of violence in Nepal and called on all sides, especially the Maoists, to return to the negotiating table.

The Secretary-General made the remark in New York today, according to his spokesperson. Annan "remains convinced that there is no alternative to the continuation of dialogue and a peaceful solution to the conflict," the statement said.

He also reminded the parties in the conflict of their responsibilities to protect civilians and abide by international humanitarian law.

The international community has roundly expressed concern and condemnation of the breakdown of cease-fire and resumption of hostilities.

On Wednesday, the Maoists announced the end of the cease-fire declared on January 29.

Nepal questions India on bund issue

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 : The Nepal government has written a letter seeking explanation from the Indian side
for its one-sided decision to construct a bond at the international borders between the two countries.

Officials at the Department for Water Induced Disaster Control today revealed that it has sent a letter to Bibas Kumar, a contact person of a committee on Nepal-India inundation problem to explain its provocative move.

However, the letter has no reference to the Ministry of Water Resource and Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

Officials said since the Indian Embassy did not respond, the letter was directly sent to the committee, which is actually dispensed with the task of resolving the border inundation issues.

The Indian side has begun construction of the bund near Lamhi, some 14 kilometres south of the district headquarters of Dang.