Maoists commit to nationalism and peace
Sign 22-point code of conduct for peace talks

By Yuvraj Acharya

KATHMANDU, March 13: After six weeks of confusions and speculations, the Maoists showed commitment to nationalism and peace by signing a 22-point code of conduct with the government today.

Maoist negotiation team leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and the government negotiator Narayan Singh Pun signed the code of conduct in an undisclosed location, and the latter read it out in a press conference. Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara, a member of Maoists’ negotiation team, joined the press meet.

With the promulgation of the code of conduct, the government side has agreed not to use the armed forces against the Maoists while the Maoists have agreed to stop, armed rallies, extortion and kidnapping in their strongholds.

As a "confidence-building measure" the government would gradually release the Maoists, and the rebels would immediately release all the captives in their control, if they have any.

It is understood that the Maoists have approached the government for the release of three leaders – Krishna Dhoj Khadka, Rekha Sharma and Muwa Ram Khanal. All these leaders are reportedly in ‘illegal’ custody of the army.

On the other hand Maoists have said that they have no prisoners. "We have no such captives but if there is any we will immediately release them," said Mahara. "We have already asked all our units not to keep anybody in captives," he added.

The Maoists and the government have also agreed to stop the display of weapons, and will refrain from the use of violence and other means that may vitiate or derail the peace process. Making derogatory statements against each other also has been barred.

The Maoist side has agreed to immediately stop all types of extortion, one of the major concerns of all the political parties and the government.

The agreement also talks about the exposure in the government media. The government has assured justified and fair coverage of Maoist news in the government-run media.

The Maoist side has agreed not to announce any strikes and Bandhs during the peace talks but peaceful gathering will not be affected by this clause.

Both sides wouldn’t impose any restrictions on the supply of the goods of daily usage like food-grains and medicine.

They have agreed to ensure all sorts of freedom to the people including freedom of movement across the country and enjoying other fundamental rights. Both the parties will cooperate to rehabilitate displaced people.

They have agreed to form a team to monitor the whole peace process mutual consent. If there is anything to be changed in the code of conduct, it will be made through mutual understanding.

Any party wouldn’t nullify the agreement unilaterally.

One of the signatory of the agreement, Dr. Bhattarai is still under ground. In the press meet Mahara informed that Dr. Bhattarai would come over ground within a week. "But it depends on the government’s adherence to the code of conduct," Mahara said.

On the occasion, Mahara mentioned that the Maoists had no intention to bypass the mainstream political parties during the peace process.

In response to a question, Mahara said that they were not talking with the Chand government but with the existing rulers. But Pun denied to be called the King’s representative. He said he was the representative of His Majesty’s Government.

The code of conduct was approved by the cabinet in the morning and information of the same effect was provided to the leaders of Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Nepal Sadbhavana Party.

India claims loss in power sale to Nepal

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KATHMANDU, March 13 : India has expressed its desire to review the power tariff of the power exchange with Nepal, claiming loss in its power sale to the latter.

With the completion of the seventh meeting of the Nepal-India Power Exchange Committee (PEC) in New Delhi on March 11, both the countries have decided to discuss over the power tariff in the next meeting.

A press statement issued from the Embassy of India in Kathmandu today said that the State Electricity Boards of India, namely, Uttranchal Power Corporation Limited (UPCL), Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) and the Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) are supplying power to Nepal at a loss. However, it has not mentioned the amount-incurred loss to the SEBI.

The officials at Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) claim that India wanted to review the power tariff, as Nepal was efficient enough to sell power to India. Previously, India had proposed Nepal to purchase power at Rs 2.40 per unit what Nepal had denied.

The NEA had purchased 180 million units power from India last year. Nepal during the period had sold 140 million units power.

Nepal, however, is planning to sell 200 million units of power to India whereas it will purchase 60 million units from the latter.

The recent power sector reforms in UPCL and UPPCL have rendered it difficult for these Boards to bear these losses any more. Unfortunately, no decision could be reached on this issue of revision of tariff for power exchange, the press statement said.

The exchange of power tariff between Nepal and India since 1996 has been at Rs 4.35.

ANNISUR-R acts tough; issues ultimatum to Govt

KATHMANDU, March 13 (PR) - The All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union (Revolutionary), ANNISU-R, a student wing of the CPN (Maoists) today issued an ultimatum to the government to announce the whereabouts of its general secretary Purna Poudel within the next 72 hours and release all its cadres arrested by the government by March 19.

At a meeting with the vice-chancellor of Tribhuvan University (TU), Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma, held here today, the Maoist students representatives demanded that their leader Poudel and all other detained students be released.

Dr Sharma, who headed the dialogue team on behalf of TU, has agreed to ‘make all necessary efforts’ to release the detainees, Himal Sharma, the acting general secretary of ANNISU-R told The Kathmandu Post, after the meeting with TU officials.

"The code of conduct between the government and the Maoists dialogue teams, which was finalised today, has already taken the case of detained students," TU VC Sharma told The Kathmandu Post.

"We will inform the government about the dialogue we had today and their demands, on Friday," he added.

Himal Sharma, Phanindra Devkota and Silendra Ghimire were among the ANNISU-R’s dialogue team, who parleyed with the TU officials.

Taxi owners jittery as safety belt regulation deadline draws near

By Sangeeta Rijal

KATHMANDU, March 13 : With only 24 hours to go before the compulsory safety belt regulation for all light vehicles plying in the Kathmandu Valley comes into force from Saturday, old taxis owners say that are not yet prepared to abide by the new traffic regulation.

They frankly concede that they are not bothered to meet the regulation. Instead, they are thinking to equip their vehicles with straps of bags or ropes to escape the eyes of traffic police on duty.

"We are not in a position to install seat-belt facility in our old model taxis- 73 model and 74 model- and will use bag strips or "ropes" just to meet the compulsory safety belt regulation for the front sitter in light vehicles plying in the valley," Asik Kumar Shahi, vice-chairman of Taxi Entrepreneurs’ Association, told The Kathmandu Post.

The reason is obvious: 73 and 74 model taxis, that are more than two thousand in number, do not have a system for safety belt.

Valley Traffic Police Office (VTPO) had given a two-and-a-half-month time frame to owners of cars, jeeps, micro buses and vans to make seat belts available in their vehicles. The new traffic regulation will not be applicable to three-wheeler auto rickshaws and other four-wheeler tempos plying in Kathmandu valley.

VTPO is coming up with a number of vehicular safety measures in the valley in recent moths. Just two months ago, it made it compulsory for motorcycle pillion riders to wear safety helmets.

Shahi alleged traffic police officers of trying to impose the regulation without the consent of owners of light vehicles. "They (traffic police officers) are trying to force the regulation that we have been opposing. However, we have now no alternative left," Shahi said.

There are more than two thousand old model taxis lacking safety belt system, according to Shahi. The owners say that they are not bothering to set the system in their vehicles, as it is costly. More than six thousand, including the old model ones, ply every day on nearly 11 hundred kilometres of road in the valley.

Reverse is the case of modern light vehicles. They already come equipped with seat belt systems. Same is the case of micro buses in the valley, which are nearly one thousand in number.

"We have already set seat belt facility in our vehicles since there is already system for safety belts," Kiran Kumar Khadka, chairman of Microbus Entrepreneurs’ Association.

However, taxi and microbus drivers are doubtful of implementation of the new regulation. "We do not have looking glasses in our vehicles. We have to look back frequently while driving on such narrow roads like in Kathmandu, says Netra Bahadur Tamang, a microbus driver, adding, "We have to back vehicles time and again. With these realities, I am doubtful about the implementation of new traffic regulation".

However, the VTPO is determined to enforce the regulation at any cost. "We are going to implement the regulation since it is a matter of public safety, says Indra Prasad Neupane, Superintendent of Police at the VTPO, adding, "We will not exempt any vehicle disobeying the regulation". The traffic police officers said that the Home Ministry has already sent a letter to Foreign Ministry to inform the diplomatic offices about the traffic regulation. SP Neupane told The Kathmandu Post that the VTPO will enforce this traffic regulation in three wheeler auto rickshaws, tempos and other public vehicles as well, after its implementation in light vehicles.

No dispute in political parties: Nepal

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BHAIRAHAWA, March 13: General Secretary of the CPN-UML, Madhav Kumar Nepal today said the king had no reason for complaining about disunity among political parties, after the latter gave him options either to revive the House of Representatives or to form an all-party government from the parties representing the dissolved House.

Nepal said the parties representing the dissolved Lower House reached a common understanding yesterday, after holding several rounds of discussions among themselves regarding the political options.

Talking to reporters at Gautam Buddha Airport here before heading towards Taulihawa, the district headquarters of Kapilvastu, to inaugurate a national conference of the Federation of People with Disability, he said that a joint movement of the four parties would help make peace talks with the Maoists a success.

Referring to his recent audience with the king, Nepal said he realised that the monarch was ready to grant a collective audience to the leaders of four political parties. He said that the king received their demand of collective audience positively. The parties had been demanding that the king grant them collective audience to resolve the present impasse.

"This government cannot handle the peace talks with the Maoists because it has no popular mandate," he said, adding, "main question before us is whether the peace talks with the rebels will conclude successfully or not."

Writ against Attorney General’s appointment

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KATHMANDU, March 13 : A writ petition was filed at the Supreme Court today stating that the appointment of Krishna Ram Shrestha to the post of Attorney General, failed to meet the criteria set by the constitution.

The writ petition filed by Advocate Dhan Shyam Subedi states that Attorney General Shrestha, who was appointed by the king on recommendation of Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand on February 21, is not qualified for the post.

The appointment of the Attorney General raises serious constitutional question, said the petition. According to the constitution, the Attorney General the must either be a judge of an Appellate Court or in any equivalent post of the judicial service for at least ten years, practised law for at least fifteen years, or be a jurist for at least fifteen years in the judicial field.

The petition claims that Shrestha has not worked for even five years at a first class post in the law field. The writ petition has been filed against the Ministerial Council, Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand, Attorney General Krishna Ram Shrestha and the Office of the Attorney General.

Nepal can be regional hub for cancer treatment

By Perina Pathak

KATHMANDU, March 13 : Nepal can be a hub for cancer treatment in South Asia. Nepal’s sole cancer hospital BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital (BPKMCH) commands high standard of services, facilities and equipments, said Professor Dr ABMF Karim, President of the SAARC Federation of Oncologists.

Dr Karim, the senior Bangladeshi oncologist who has served over two decades in the Netherlands, was in the capital to participate in the 2nd SAARC conference on Clinical Oncology (held from March 7-9).

"If the recent needs of specialists and technicians is fulfilled, the hospital can be a good example of comprehensive centre of excellence for cancer treatment," he said. According to him the hospital needs advanced radiation therapy (mainly for throat cancer), which would then attract patients from neighbouring countries.

"Usually the Bangladeshi patients go to Singapore or Bangkok and spend hefty sums of money. They can visit Nepal for the benefit of both. Even I will recommend this hospital to my patients," said Dr Karim.

Giving an example of success of European countries, he said, "SAARC member counties also need to adopt the preventive methods along with cure programmes."

However, the good infrastructure and services are not enough for BPKMCH. The increasing pressure of local oncology patients and limited number of beds in the hospital is a big constraint.

According to Dr Prakash Neupane, Consultant Surgeon and Chief of Department of Surgical Oncology and Endoscopy of BPKMCH, the number of cancer patients has increased alarmingly in Nepal, which is creating constraints to the hospital.

According to him every year around 50,000 cancer patients are detected in the Out Patient Department (OPD). "Within two years the number of incoming patients has increased from 30,000 a year to 50,000," said Dr Neupane.

Around 2,500 cancer, 2,100 general, and 1,300 major surgery patients are admitted every year in the hospital. Dr Neupane is worried that this increase in cancer patients shows that soon cancer may become the major killer disease in the country.

However, BPKMCH is not only strictly catering to the locals, it has already become popular among patients from neighbouring countries. Dr Neupane believes that increased hospital beds and facilities would definitely attract the foreign patients.

Established around three years ago, the hospital is financed mainly through health funds provided by the government and other international charities. The hospital boasts of quality service with minimum charge, cheap lodging and fooding facilities. Of the seven units in the hospital, one unit is exclusively serving the poor patients. The hospital is also providing free medicines to those unable to afford them.

Apart from BPKMCH, Bir Hospital (country’s oldest hospital) is providing the radiotherapy facilities and Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital is providing both chemotherapy and radiotherapy to the cancer patients.

SC order annuls PADT’s decision

KATHMANDU, March 13 (PR) - The Supreme Court today ruled that the money offered to the Pashupatinath Temple should be judiciously distributed among the Bhatta Bhandaris (priests) of the temple.

The apex court in its verdict has suggested the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) to formulate rules and regulations in this regard. Furthermore, the court has told the trust not to implement any new schemes without completing legal frameworks.

The SC order comes after nearly 100 Bhandaris filed a writ petition against PADT’s Organising Council stating that the Council’s decision to collect one fourth of the money collected at the Pashupatinath Temple as offerings by devotees from the Bhattas and Bhandaris was not lawful.

The full bench of Chief Justice Kedar Nath Upadhyay and Justices Arvinda Nath Acharya and Balram Kumar said that the Trust cannot make such decisions when there are no specific rules and regulations.

Leaders stress on all-party government

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KATHMANDU, March 13 : Leaders of various political parties stressed the need to form an all-party government with full-fledged authority to bring the peace talks to a logical end and ensure a lasting peace.

Speaking at a face-to-face programme at The Reporters’ Club today, they also claimed that the Maoists joining of main stream politics would be possible only if the talks were held between the all-powerful constitutional government and the Maoists.

CPN-UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari said, "If the Maoists want to come to open politics, they must stand for formation of an all-party government with full executive powers."

Arjun Narsingh KC, spokesman of Nepali Congress said that the agreement between two armed forces was alone not a means to ensure lasting peace in the country. "Active involvement is an essential factor to avert future uprising and it is up to the king to get maximum participation of the political parties," said KC. "The ball is in the king’s court after the parties gave him two options whether to revive the House of Representatives or form an all-party government."

Kamal Thapa of Rastriya Prajatantra Party said that involvement of all the political parties in the peace process was inevitable to ensure a lasting peace.

"But declaration of agitation cannot help achieve the goal of lasting peace which is the topmost priority of the people." He urged the government not to undermine the role of political parties even as he requested the parties not to set conditions on the government’s efforts to restore peace in the country.

An all-party government is essential but it should go through constitutional process," said Thapa. "The political parties’ two options as provided to the king would allow the king to involve in active politics that is objectionable to RPP."

CP Mainali, leader of CPN-ML urged the Maoists and the government to explore a correct mechanism through which the political parties could take part in the peace process. He claimed that a government of the political parties having popular support and Maoists’ approval could move forward the peace process and ensure its longevity. Dip Kumar Upadhyay, NC (Democratic) leader said an all-party government with full-fledged power and approval of the Maoists was the only means to address the present problem.

Family members of slain Gyawali pray for lasting peace

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KATHMANDU, March 13 ; Family members of Ram Mani Gyawali, a slain politician from Arghakhanchi district, today wished for transformation of the cease-fire into a lasting peace.

Talking to reporters in the sidelines of a programme organised to mark the first anniversary of killing of Gyawali by the Maoists, his youngest daughter Anita said, "No people in future will see the horrifying days like ours in the name of People’s War and nobody will be made orphans for political interests."

Late Gyawali, Village Development Committee chairman and general convention member of Nepali Congress, was brutally killed by Maoist rebels last year in front of his children at his own home in Kerunga VDC. "The brutal incident is still fresh in our eyes," said second daughter of Gyawali, Binita.

Speaking at the programme, Speaker of House of Representatives Tara Nath Ranabhat stressed the need to bring the present truce to a lasting peace to stop further killing of innocent people.

It can be possible through constitutional changes, the concerns of the Maoists can be addressed," said Ranabhat. "There is no need of constituent assembly election if the Maoists have given up the demand for a republican state." Hemraj Gyawali, chairman of Kantipur Publications also stressed the need for converting the truce into a lasting peace.