FRONT PAGERS

Maoists knows about police plans

  The relations between the constitutionally recognized political parties and the Palace. The two main political parties - Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML - have begun accusing the Palace’s hand in the escalation of the Maoist movement. Recently, at a dinner at the Foreign Ministry, UML leader K.P. Oli even pointed fingers at the Palace saying that the source of the Maoist problem is the Palace.

  Even Girija Prasad Koirala, when he was prime minister, during his weekly meeting with the King had complained to His Majesty about the role of the official and others of the Royal Palace. But when the King asked for proof, he could not give any.

  Meanwhile, Home Minister has begun saying that there is a deep rift within the congress about the Maoist problem.

  He had told his close confidants that former Home Ministers Khum Bahadur Khadka and Govinda Raj Joshi have begun saying that the Maoist problem would be solved with the change of the Home Minister. Now the Maoist problem has become the politics for chair within the ruling party. It would not be incorrect that the internal rift within the ruling party is one of the reasons of the escalation of the Maoist activities.

  The Home Minister has also drawn a conclusion that the Maoist have infiltrated into the police, and they are getting information of the police activity from within the anti-Maoist cell of the police. The ministry’s conclusion is based on the revelation of a Maoist central committee member who surrendered to the Ministry. The Ministry has asked for explanation and investigation in the police and the police now  look at each other with suspicion.

  After the Maoists kidnapped police DSP Thule Rai, police activity against the Maoist has slackened. Police is in the defensive fearing the Maoists might kill the kidnapped DSP.

  However, police will take departmental action against DSP Rai (after his release) and six other policemen under Rai’s command. They will be charged for surrendering before the Maoist and handing them their weapons. The police are taught in their training to run away if they can not fight.

  Meanwhile, the Maoist high command has taken action against nine of its workers against the Harjung incident. In the incident several months back, 8 UML party workers were burned alive in their house in Harjung village of Rukum district. The Maoist take the incident has made their party unpopular among the people.

  Meanwhile, the main architect of the Maoist activities today is not comrade Prachanda and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, but a core group of four others. They are agriculture engineer Ram Bahadur Thapa of Rolpa, Khamba Singh Kunwar also an engineer from Sindhuli, Bir Bahadur Lama or Mahottari and Matrika Yadav. Now, comrade Prachanda ranks fifth and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai ranks 8th in the power hierarchy. On the sixth and seventh position are Kiran Vaidya and C.P. Gajurel.

History of the Maoist: The decision to launch a Maoist-style guerrilla war in Nepal was decided when Leonid Brezhnev in was in power in the then Soviet Union. According to former Prime Minister Marichman Singh that time the Russians main aim was to influence the students gone their under scholarship, both in education and ideology, against the US. Among them Ram Bahadur and Khamba Singh were given training in guerrilla warfare along with the Afghanis along with engineering course. Ram Bahadur had returned to Nepal in 1980.

  After his return Thapa began giving training retired army personnel of the Indian army in Rolpa. Even that time he had tried to establish a ‘commune’ in Thawang of the district.  But he failed because of the administration that time.

  Meanwhile, according to a high level army source, during Brezhnev’s time, 84 boxes of arms and ammunitions had entered Nepal from Russia. That time Surya Bahadur Thapa was the prime minister here. Former Prime Minister Marichman Singh says, they could be brought by Thapa, and they could still be with the Maoists. Now, Khamba Singh Kunwar is the Maoist in-charge of Ramechhap and Sindhuli districts and Matrika Yadav is the in-charge of the Terai bureau of the Maoists.

  Sources say the Maoists had plan to start Maoist warfare in Nepal since the early 80s. But it did not succeed because of the difference of Russia and China because China has a great respect to monarchy in Nepal.

  According to a high level security officer, the Maoist war has full support of India and the Western countries. The Westerners want to spread their religion and they have not been able to do so because of the monarchy. Their main aim is to make Nepal a non-Hindu state. India, on the other hand, favour the Maoist war because of Tibetan issue and its economic interests.

  On the other hand, the Maoists want to keep the security personnel on the defensive through traditional weapons. So, they are using ambush instead of bobby trap.

  Again, according to another source, the Royal Nepal Army has submitted a report to the Royal Palace saying that the Maoists are likely to launch their attacks directly on 56 districts of the country. That could be the reason why the King send a letter to the Prime Minister and other political parties.

(Ravibar, October 3, Sunday)

Koirala instructs to remove K.C. from cabinet

  Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala has given a written instruction in the name of Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai to remove Minister for Housing and Physical Planning and Labour Bal Bahadur K.C. from the cabinet.

  The letter was delivered on Saturday to Yog Prasad Upadhyaya, who is the acting prime minister as Prime Minister Bhattarai is out of the country.

  In the letter, it has been said that K.C.’s involvement in the incident at Hadigaon in the house of one Indira Thapa has made the party and the government hang their heads in shame. The letter has also instructed the government to take immediate action against K.C. and to inform the party about the same.

  Similarly, one NC parliamentarian Devendra Raj Kandel has demanded the removal of KC from the cabinet for insulting the name of the party. Chairman of the NC’s information and publicity committee J.P. Anand Gupta has said that party is very serious about the incident.

(Nepal Samacharpatra, October 3, Sunday)

   According to reports, Minister KC had gone to Indira Thapa’s house at midnight on Thursday. The relation between KC and Thapa, who is a married woman, is nothing new. There is nothing left in their relations. However on Thursday, fighting broke out between KC and Thapa and the window panes were broken and Indira’s dress was torn. When he shout and cry for help were heard by neighbours and chased Minister KC away. KC was also said to have made his brother beat Indira brother Himal Thapa severely.

  However, the next day both Minister KC and Indira gave separate statements to the press. Indira in her statement said that there was no fighting between her and Minister KC She also accused the press for trying to  defame her. In her statement he has said that her relation with KC is no more than a relation between a political leader and a party worker. Similarly Ministry KC, in his statement, has also said that it was an attempt to defame him.

(Chalphal, October,3 Sunday and Deshantar October 3, Sunday)

Thule Rai is still alive

  Maoist sources have indicated that DSP Thule Rai, who was kidnapped by the Maoist on September 22 during an attack on a police post in Rukum, is still alive and that he would be released to the government without being harmed.

  However, they are wanting information from the government about their missing comrades on whether they have been killed and if so where, when and why before they release DSP Rai.

  With this the Maoist are trying to push the government to treat the Maoists according to the Geneva Convention, and they want to prove that they are doing the same. That means the Maoist are trying to prove that there has been a civil war in the country.

  So, there is no possibility of Rai being released before Prime Minister Bhattarai returns from America. However, the Maoists are facing a problem on where and how to hand over Rai to the government safely.

  Until the police give its assurance, the Maoist can not bring DSP Rai to the police. If he is released alone, they doubt, police themselves would kill Rai. However, it is possible that Rai could be handed over safety through some human rights organization.

(Deshantar, October 3, Sunday)

Rein of government in Koirala’s hands

  President of the Nepali Congress party has also taken the rein of the government in his hands. Koirala has started taking governmental initiatives by himself sensing that  the relations between the Palace and government is not as cordial and the law and order situation of the country has deteriorated. Last week he has instructed the parliamentarians the responsibility of the making contact with the people and he has also started dialogue with the opposition parties on the law and order situation of the country.

  Koirala to his initiative after the Maoists intensified their attacks against the NC men and also against the police. Previously he had instructed the government to take all possible steps — political, administrative and legal — actions to tackle the Maoist issue. But Prime Minister Bhattarai did not listen and he also did not try take the opposition parties into confidence.

  Now Koirala and others have no hope that Bhattarai will do anything.  Koirala even told a NC’s parliamentary committee that only legal framework will not help solve Maoist problem. However, the Prime Minister’s weak dealing has made the police administration inert and incapable.

  Now if Prime Minister Bhattarai does not change his style of working, it will not be surprising if the NC MPs themselves made efforts to change their leader-the Prime Minister.

(Deshantar, October 3, Sunday)

Maoists plan to take revenge

  The Maoist have increased their activities in the recent days. Their main aim could be to take revenge of the “search operation” introduced by the police as the operation was effective to control Maoist terror, Maoists have shown their aggressive attitude.

  The Maoist have taken extreme attitude after the killing of their alternative member of the central committee of the party, Suresh Wagle and disappearance  several of their influential leaders including Bishnu Pukar Shrestha. Maoists even destroyed local people’s property at the Mahat village in Rukum after the death of wagle.

  They have also announced that they would organise a countrywide bandh (closure) on October 7. They have already deployed trained commandos in Kathmandu valley and other cities to made the bandh successfuly.

  On Tuesday, Maoists even organised a corner rally at Thahiti, at the heart of the capital, openly challenging the security management of the country. Posters urging people to make the October 7 bandh have also appeared at different places in the valley. But, the police have not been able to arrest a single Maoists in the Valley. The Maoist have also launched people’s mobilization programmes against the proposed ‘black’ Act.

  They are also launching ‘people’s action’ programme this week. The aim of this programme is said to murder top level politicians and workers especially of the Nepali Congress as a revenge for Wagle death.

  Accordingly, they have also plans to kill or kidnap high government officials or their families to make the government release the Maoists arrested by the police. Meanwhile, there is a possibility of the nine Left parties, including the ML, supporting the October 7 bandh called by the Maoists.

(Ghatana Ra Bichar, Wednesday, September 29)

Government involved in anti-China activities

  For sometimes, anti-China activities have been increasing in Nepal. The government itself is unwittingly getting involved in such activities.

  The handicraft sales store, a government unit under the ministry for industry, is openly selling T-shirts bearing “Free Tibet” logo. The T-shirt is priced at Rs. 150.

  According to our news source, there are efforts to make Nepal a centre of anti-China activities. India, as well as different Western countries are trying to make Nepal a centre for anti-Chinese activities. Even some ministers have been found to be involved in Free Tibet programmes organised under the sponsorships of Western NGO’s.

  Espcially when the Nepali Congress, UML, RPP and Sadbhawana parties reach or join the government, such activities increase.

  Whenever Nepalese political leaders visit China, they say that Nepal has followed one-China policy and that they will not allow any kind of anti-China activity in Nepal. But, the political parties are failing to live by their words.

(Prakash weekly, Monday, September 27).

Secret meeting between KV Rajan and Khadga Oli

  Indian Embassy is again planning to throw a weapon to destabilize the NC government. Prime Minister KP Bhattarai has, however, foiled the weapon fired against him through some ruling party MPs.

  Now, the embassy is preparing to launch another weapon through the main Opposition party, UML leader.

  Indian ambassador K.V. Rajan met with UML’s K.P. Oli for two hours in the morning of September 26. The deputy leader of the opposition party in the parliament, who had entered the Indian Embassy at 8 A.M. exited fromt he embassy at 10 A.M.

  It is learnt that, among others, the talks was focussed on how to create and widen the differences between the government and the ruling party and what would be the appropriate time for the UML to launch its street protests.

  Meanwhile, the Indian ambassador is also keen on ousting Minister for Sports Sharat Singh Bhandari. It might be mentioned here that Dipak Malhotra was given the responsibility (by the minister) of importing sporting good for the SAF Games and he imported them from China.

  However, during the visit of former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, China has also shown interest to construct the Arun-3 hydro-power project. During his visit Deuba had met with important Chinese leaders. This has also created doubt in the mind of the Indian ambassador.

(Tarun weekly, Monday, September 27)

Herbs smuggling by helicopter

  Helicopter and small airlines have been used to smuggle out herbs, including the banned herbs, from the remote hill and mountains of the country. By doing so they are not only cheating the revenue but also violating the law.

  Smugglers have followed various measures including calling for helicopter in the name of sick persons. According to news a big group of smuggler is active in Humla, Jumla, Mugu and Kalikot to smuggle such herbs from those places. Although the police has increased its activities they has failed to nab those smugglers so far.

(Asan Bazar, Saturday, Oct. 2)

MPs to be stopped from returning districts

      Maoists people’s war is taking a dangerous shape. Country’s overall politics has been divided in Maoists and non-Maoist groups.

  Now, country’s attention is diverted to Maoists problem. Now, the Maoists have felt relieved that the parliamentary session is over without passing the bill to amend several internal administration Acts.

  However, responsible leaders from the ruling party seems serious on people’s war. It is learnt that Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and other important leaders have begun dialogue with leaders of other political parties to solve the problem.

  Meanwhile, MPs of Maoists affected districts are not willing to return their districts even if the party has instructed them to go to their district to make contacts with the people. But the government does not seem to want to send them to their districts because of security reasons.

(Gatibidhi, Saturday, Oct. 2)

Another agreement with RAW

  It has gradually been revealed that a secret agreement was done during the visit of Jasawanta Singh, Minister for External Affairs of India, to Nepal to suppress the Maoists activities in the country.

  However, Foreign Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat misinformed the parliament saying that no secret agreement was signed between Nepal and India.

(Jana-Ahwan, Saturday, Oct. 2)

Tulasi Giri in active politics!

  Dr. Tulsi Giri, the clever player during the Panchayat regime, is not in Nepal at present. But his name still creates tremors in the country’s politics. It is rumoured that Dr. Giri is to return to the country soon. He may even get involved in active politics again.

  Dr. Giri’s basic thought was that the monarchy should be placed at the highest position. His thinking has not been changed. His political activities may concentrate around the same periphery after his return to the country. He will meet his political friends - from senior to junior - and make future plan on politics. Six months back, during King’s India visit, Dr. Giri had met King and talked for more than two hours. Dr. Giri had decided returning the country after that meeting.

(Janata, Friday, Oct. 1)

Giving more bite to CIAA

  The government is to empower the Commission for the Investigation of the Abuse of Authority with a tough act. A bill regarding this has been registered in the parliament. If the bill is passed  by the parliament without any change, it will give the CIAA the power to seize their properties even after their deaths.

(Saptahik Bimarsha, Friday, Oct. 1)

Koirala camp active

  The Nepali Congress may be heading towards another crisis due to the increasing conflict between Prime Minister and the party President.

  If the situation is not improved, Congress may suffer a big problem. The clash may surface again after   Bhattarai returns from New York. Taking benefit of Bhattarai’s absence, the Koirala side has begun making preparation. Nepali Congress General Secretary Sushil Koirala not only strongly criticised the government's political appointments but also called for cancellation of appointments. Congress sources say Koirala raised the question, of appointments of persons who have been labelled as corrupt by the CIAA.

  Last week, Koirala called a secret meeting of some of his close aides at his residence. Those present included Jaya Prakash Ananda, Narahari Acharya, Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya and several others. Congress sources say pressure will be given to Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai after his return from the UN General Assembly.

  However, the Bhattarai side also are arming themselves. The Bhattarai side even looks stronger. The Nepali Congress has an altogether 134 MPs in Upper and Lower House, and only 58 of them have signed against the government.

(Patrika, Thursday, Sept. 30)

Looking for porno magazines?

  More and more people seek porno magazines. Recently a group of ladies entered a shop in Dillibazar and asked for sexy and porno magazines. They even had the names of four such magazines they were seeking. They found only two of them in the shop. They took them. According to the shop keeper, the group frequently comes and asks for such magazines.

The number of people seeking porno magazines has dramatically increased in the capital. A lot of them are women and girls. A magazine seller in Lazimpat says people asking for porno magazines have increased drastically in the last seven years.

(Patrika, Thursday, Sept. 30)

ML-UML towards unity

  The CPN-UML and ML, which split about one and half years ago are again very close to unity. The ML leaders and workers may join the UML in the name of party unity or in the name of unified communist movement. It is yet hard to believe this news, but this was the indication of first interaction between the ML and UML. The reason for this both personal, national as well as international. The result of the general election is one of the causes. ML lost the battle whereas UML won. Still the UML is not feeling secure.

(Nepal Aawaj, Thursday, Sept. 30)