FRONT PAGERS

Maoists intensify operations after election

The Maoists have intensified their military operations immediately after the Nepali Congress, which had said during its election campaign that it will finish the NCP (Maoists) with a majority government formed the government.

Last week, the Maoists killed five police personnel on the spot when they attacked a police post in Takukot in Gorkha district. Soon after last Friday, they attacked the Nepal Bank office in Khmti Besi of Ramechap district and robbed Rs. 3.3 million in cash and also other valuables. According to the police, the Maoists also escaped with ultra-modern rifles and also ammunition. Though a search is going on to capture those involved in the dacoity, no one has been arrested yet, the same police source informed.

It is felt that the Maoists, whom the Congress leaders said they would finish soon after the election, have instead intensified their activities by looting yet another bank of the papers and records of the loans it had given. According to a Maoist source, the insurgents burnt papers which had records of loans amounting to 33.6 million rupees at the agriculture Development Bank in Kuntibesi village development committee of Kavre district and also looted Rs. 97 thousand. The Maoists also urged the farmers not to pay back the loans taken by them.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, who also holds the Home Ministry portfolio, has been boasting that the Maoist problem is over, but the insurgents have been intensifying their activities.

According to a later report, the police posts in the Maoist influenced districts like Rukum, Rolpa, Gorkha, Dang, Salyan and Sindhuli among others have been removed and the police personnel have instead been based in the district headquarters. From there the police have been sent to the main hiding places of the Maoists. A source in the Home Ministry revealed that this was the new policy of Prime Minister Bhattarai.

(Nepali Patra, Friday, June 11)

FM Acharya forming his own team

Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya, who has been forced to be a junior minister in spite of being a member of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee, has started to make his own working group by sidelining those who weilded influence when Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat was the Finance Minister. According to a source in the Finance Ministry, Minister Acharya has not only sidelined such heavyweights, but also badly tainted personalities like Additional Secretary Lok Man Singh Karki, Your Jung Dhoj karki, Pramod Kumar karki and Tanka Khanal, but he has also taken away their powers to do any responsible work within the Ministry.

According to a source close to Minister Acharya, he has not been able to trust even controversial Finance Secretary Ram Binod Bhattarai and Yuvaraj Bhusal. He has entrusted the task of preparing the budget estimate for the coming fiscal year to special secretary Bimal Koirala, director general of the Tax Department Bidhyadhar Mallik and Laba Devkota.

(Sanghu, Saturday, June 12)

Dr. Lohani & Kamal Thapa to be Upper House members?

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) is seriously holding discussions on who the party will field in the election of the Upper House to be held on June 27 and July 10. It is believed that as there should be no shortcomings in the role to be played by the RPP in the Parliament, the party is thinking of sending Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani and Kamal Thapa to the Upper House.

It is understood that though both Lohani and Thapa lost in the recent General Election, keeping in mind the present shape of the Parliament and also effective role the party has to play by competing with the Nepali Congress and the UML, the party leadership had to take this decision.

However there is also the feeling that considering the bitter experience and incident of the election in 1995, no person, no matter how capable or worthy, should be taken to the Upper House if he or she has lost in the general election. It is said that in the Parliamentary Committee meeting of the party on Thursday, this issue was discussed, though informally.

In fact one MP participating in the meeting cited the political working paper of the Birgunj General Meeting of the party and also the party’s manifesto and said persons belonging to ehtnic communities, the backward communities and those less representated should be taken to the Upper House.

One senior member of the party confided that they would never send a person who has lost in the election to the Upper House, "Instead we will send some one representing intellectuals, journalists, academics or a youth as the party’s member in the Upper House," he said.

(Nepali Patra, Friday, June 11)

Irreguarlities, exploitation in army

There have been growing concern at the way such a sensitive institution like the Royal Nepal Army has not been able to move in a transparent way and also at the way decisions seem to be taken like it used to in the autocratic Rana regime. If the present day RNA cannot be engulfed by the sunlight from outside the walls of the Narayanhity Palace, then the future of this organisation could worry the country. The army has to be developed not as an institution that caters only to the stable of some person, but as an organisation that works for the nation and nationalism and also respects constitutional monarchy. That is why it has become necessary for the army to work transparently according to the Constitution of the Kingdom. This will be in the interest of all, it has to be understood.

When will the tradition of the battalion commanders and other such generals treating the soldiers of the Royal Nepal Army as their personal servants and also giving mental and physical torture to them end? RNA soldiers have been forced to work as laboureres to build the private homes of these officers, to look after their domestic animals, wash the saris and petticoats of their wives. To take one soldier as an adjutant is a different thing, but to take four or five soldiers at a minimum and upto a dozen at the maimum, isn’t this an anti-national work? Who will be responsible if these people who are paid and fed by the government, but have to service the officers of the army explode?

According to the exploited soldiers of the army, they have to serve not only such officers, but also retired ones. The soldiers have been compelled to work not only as household servants, but also as bonded slaves. It is a serious question on whether the government will give any thought to this plight of theirs or not.According to sources in the army, discrimination is rife also in the higher levels. Gopal Singh Bohara and Victry Rana both were retired some four months back. Bohara was the more senior among the two. But the term of office of Victry Rana was extended whereas the term of a son of a general citizen Bohara’s was not extended. Why such discrimination?

A similar incident occurred recently as well. Among the colonels, Pradip Kumar Karki, Indra Bahadur karki, Shyam Ghimire and Netra Bahadur hapa who were to be retired from June 19, the term of Netra Thapa, the elder brother of former minister Kamal Thapa was extended. Here also if the sons of ordinary people were sidelined, the term of a person who is close to powerful people was extended.

Some among those to be retired in this group protested about this to Shanta Kumar Malla, but he rudely replied, "We do not listen to the grievances of lower level officers, we only listen to such grievances of the top level", rumours say.

(Sanghu, Saturday, June 12)

Participants of referendum should get citizenship

Former Prime Minister and president of the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala has pushed forward a new proposal to solve the citizenship issue. He said all those who participated in the referendum twenty years ago (2036 B.S.) should get citizenship. Speaking at a programme in the bordering villages of Sunsari-5 (from where he won the election), he said that he had already suggested to the government to form a simple and accessible team to solve the citizenship issue.

(There are people in the Terai who have not yet formally received their citizenship papers.)

But former Prime Minister Koirala said the people themselves should be careful that no undesirable people get the benefit and that this must not be a means for corruption.

He also said he will not take rest from politics for the next five years and he would continue to caution and knock at the door of the government.

He also said that he visited 156 constituencies during the election campaign and had apprised himself with the problems of those places. He said it needs Rs.6 billion to solve their problems.

(Aajako Samacharpatra, June 8, Tuesday)

ML to change party-line

Several leaders of the CPN-ML are active in modifying the party-line. Party leaders like C.P. Mainali and Siddhi Lal Singh, along with several central committee members of the party, are working to bring about a proposal to replace the programme of the ‘People’s multi-party democracy’ with ‘New People’s Democracy’ as the party’s main programme.

The ML had adopted the ‘People’s multi-party democracy’ propagated by late Madan Bhandari after the party split from the CPN-UML.

The ‘New People’s Democracy’ was the brain-child of C.P. Mainali, and it was defeated by the CPN-UML’s Fifth party convention which had endorsed Bhandari’s People’s Multi-party democracy.

Mainali or Siddhi Lal Singh might propose the new programme at the party’s central committee meeting.

A senior member of the party said the new programme has the approval of the majority of the central committee members. But party workers are saying it will be difficult to change the party’s main programme until Bamdev Gautam remains the party’s general secretary.

(Himalaya Times, June 13, Sunday)

Nepal challenges govt. to form commission against corruption

General Secretary of the CPN-UML, Madhav Kumar Nepal, has demanded that the government form a high-level commission against corruption. He dared the Congress to form such a commission if they can, and take action against the corrupt ones. But he said that the NC has no guts, saying that if the commission finds even the UML ministers involved in corruption, he would take action against them. He said that if the administration is to be made fair and impartial, the civil servants should be kept at a distance from politics. He was speaking at the national convention of the Nepal Civil Servants Organisation. This organisation is one of the two civil servants organisations considered supportive of the UML.

(Himalaya Times, June 13, Sunday)

PM’s residence owes Rs. 200,000 in water bills

People are forced to pay their water bills even if the taps run dry. But only a few people know that the Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) has to provide water to the rulers on credit even if it is heading towards bankruptcy.

When the Prime Minister himself does not pay his water bill, why should the people pay theirs?

The NWSC has millions of rupees in unpaid bills. According to a high level source at the Corporation the Prime Minister’s official residence at Baluwater has not paid Rs. 200,000 to the NWSC. The ministers’ quarters at Pulchowk has Rs.2.6 million in arrears to NWSC. Similarly, the Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning owes Rs. 200,000.

Likewise, former Speaker of the House of Representatives has not paid his Rs.15,000 in water bills, and the parliamentary secretariat also has Rs. 200,000 in unpaid bills. The list is long and it includes people at high levels in the government. But the Water Supply Corporation, which is too willing to cut the pipe of the common people, cowers before the government and high officials.

(Budhabar, June 9, Wednesday)

Bhattarai government to announce new programmes

The government formed under Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai is to announce new policies and programmes shortly.

Similarly, Bhattarai has considered expanding the cabinet making it balanced from the point of view of ethnicity, gender etc.

(Asan Bazar, Saturday, Jun. 12)

UML sidelines Sadhana

Despite assurances, the CPN (UML) has sidelined Sadhana Adhikary, widow of former prime minister and UML President Man Mohan Adhikary, from being nominated to the National Assembly.

(Asan Bazar, Saturday, Jun. 12)

Sushilda rejected DPM post

The cabinet expansion to be effected next Monday will show whether there exists any power conflict between Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. Though Koirala has not verbally expressed his dissatisfaction towards the cabinet formation, his activities show it. This time, Bhattarai wants to expand the cabinet in consultation with Koirala, but Koirala is recommending no one. He will only comment after having a look at the list.

Koirala will reconstitute the central committee of the party if the cabinet if formed that is not favourable to him. If such a thing happens, Bhattarai may also be thrown out from the central committee. If Koirala’s persons cannot make it into the expanded cabinet, Yog Prasad Upadhyaya may not be nominated to the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Bhattarai has agreed to appoint Sushil Koirala as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home and Foreign Affairs. But it is learnt that Sushil Koirala does not want join the cabinet.

(Sanghu, Saturday, Jun. 12)

Finance Minister in trap of smugglers

Nepali Congress central committee member and Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya has been entrapped in the net of smugglers from his home town.

(Sanghu, Saturday, Jun. 12)

29-member cabinet on Monday

Nepali Congress President and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who should have been most happy and satisfied after securing a majority in the general election, is most ‘unsatisfied’ and the most ‘unhappy’ person today. Koirala is angry with Bhattarai because Bhattarai has not only formed the cabinet without consulting him, but has also appointed those persons in the cabinet who were against Koirala. So, instead of attending the swearing-in ceremony of the new government, he also went to public with his grievances with the prime minister.

Despite this, NC President Koirala arrived in Kathmandu from Biratnagar and discussed with Prime Minister Bhattarai about those persons who should be nominated to the National Assembly and those to be included in the expanded cabinet.

In the meeting, it is learnt that Koirala proposed making Sushil Koirala as Deputy Prime Minister. Though no details have been given, both the leaders have principally agreed on expanding the cabinet on Monday and on the persons to be nominated in the National Assembly.

It is said that Bhattarai has agreed to appoint Sushil Koirala as Deputy Prime Minister with the additional portfolio of Foreign Minister while Ram Chandra Poudel will also be appointed Deputy Prime Minister with the additional portfolio of Home Minister. However, many are sceptical about their appointments as Bhattarai had announced that there would be no deputy prime minister.

(Saptahik Janasatta, Saturday, Jun. 12)

Who will be NC candidate for Speaker?

Electing the Speaker of the House of Representatives has turned into a problem for the ruling Nepali Congress. Not a single MP wants that post. Those who were expected to take up that post - Taranath Ranabhat, Chiranjibi Wagle and Mahantha Thakur - have already been appointed ministers.

Meanwhile, the name of Tarini Dutta Chataut has been floated as would be Speaker. As Chataut is of the Girija Camp, some have been lobbying to make Pradip Giri as Speaker.

Bhattarai has been recommending Ranabhat for the post. But Ranabhat is willing to leave his ministerial post rather than the post of General Secretary.

(Saptahik Janasatta, Saturday, Jun. 12)

Corruption of Rs. 350 million in tender of Bagmati Irrigation

Bagmati Irrigation Project, which was started 20 years back, has turned into a den of corruption. In the fiscal year 1997/98, Rs. 224,877,595.03 was spent in the project. Out of this, the Auditor General has pointed out irregularities amounting to Rs. 62,655,252.95.

Recently the project issued a series a tender packages, but there are irregularities. The financial irregularities could be as high as Rs. 350 million in tender works. Thirty per cent of the total money will be given to the concerned contractor while the remaining will be distributed among the corrupt officials of the project.

(Saptahik Janasatta, Saturday, Jun. 12)

National Assembly: dumping site useless persons

Nepali Congress and Nepal Communist Party (UML) have converted dignified National Assembly into a place for dumping useless persons. Looking at the candidates for the National Assembly, one can say that the dignity of the House has been lowered to the meanest level.

(Patrika, Friday, June 11)

Gold smuggling, backbone of Nepalese economy

Fact one: Nepal’s budget in the fiscal year 1998/99 was Rs. 69.69 billion.

Fact two: The value of gold imported legally through Tribhuvan International Airport worth Rs. 76 billion. Gold traders say the actual volume of gold imported into the country is three times high. That means Rs. 228 billion.

This shows that gold has emerged as the backbone of the Nepalese economy. Presently, the gold-network has been expanded in Nepal’s politics and administration.

(Patrika, Friday, Jun. 11)

Young generation loves snooker

Pool and Snooker have become popular game among Nepalese young generation. Poll and Snooker have been expanded in Kathmandu valley, Pokhara, Dharan, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa and Butwal. There are 100-150 snooker boards in the valley only. All over the kingdom, there are 200 snooker boards.

Snooker was started in Nepal in 1971/72.

(Saptahik, Friday, Jun. 12)

Prime Minister claims Kedia’s property illegal

Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai while addressing a programme in Parsa District said that controversial businessman Shankar Kedia earned his property illegally. Pointing to Kedia, who was also present at the programme, Bhattarai said, "Twelve aana out of sixteen aana (sixteen annas is equal to 75x75 sq. feet) or 75 per cent of the total property earned by my close friend Shankar Kedia is illegal. He further added that if the dry port of Birgunj is completed, 100 per cent will be illegal.

(Aaparanha, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Bhattarai is challenged within party

Presently Girija Prasad Koirala is not in the capital. He is to return to the valley tomorrow. When any problem emerges, Koirala goes to Biratnagar. This time, too, after the formation of the cabinet, Koirala went to Biratnagar without meeting Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai.

Koirala’s new problem is with Bhattarai’s cabinet. While appointing ministers, Bhattarai did not consult Koirala. Bhattarai did what he liked, and appointed persons Koirala does not like. For Girija Prasad, this was not tolerable. Though Koirala has not verbally expressed his dissatisfaction, his activities show this. Koirala is not happy with Bhattarai.

In Biratnagar, Koirala announced that the central committee of the party would be changed, which signals his dissatisfaction.

(Samakalin, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Sujata from Sunsari 5

Sujata Koirala, Girija’s daughter, wants to succeed Girija Prasad Koirala from Sunsari constituency no. 5. So she has been trying to be a candidate from Sunsari constituency no. 5. "I wanted to contest from Dharan (Sunsari 1). People too wanted the same thing.

I had expected a ticket to be given considering the sentiment of the people. If I had contested I would have won. People are disappointed as I did not get a ticket. If the people wish, I should get a ticket. Now I will be active in politics," Sujata said while talking to Samakalin yesterday.

(Samakalin, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Who distributed fake notes?

Notes equivalent to Rs. 15,000 distributed in Babargunj of Sarlahi district prior to the general election have been found to be fake. A voter was informed that the note was fake when he contacted Nepal Bank Office of Bayalbas of Sarlahi district. Now, the voters are on the look out for the candidate who distributed the notes.

(Samakalin, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Cabinet to be expanded on two leaders consent

Dissatisfaction in the Nepali Congress following the formation of cabinet under the leadership of Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has not cooled down. Considering that the dissatisfaction may swallow his chair, Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has started a process of working in consultation with Girija Prasad Koirala. Congress people believe that the process may nullify the dissatisfaction that has emerged within the Nepali Congress. Ministers are not satisfied as they feel that they were not given the portfolios they want. Outsiders are dissatisfied as they were not included in the cabinet.

Bhattarai has been suggested by his advisors not to repeat mistakes. So it is hoped that Bhattarai will work in consultation with the leaders. The issue over Amita Kapali, Bhattarai’s PA, has worsened the situation even more.

(Khabarkagaj, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Govt. planning to increase police by 10,000

The Home Ministry has decided to increase the police force by 10,000 to control the Maoist movement. According to our source, 10,000 persons will be recruited in the near future and a separate cell of 5,000 police personnel will be mobilised from the existing force to control the Maoists.

(Khabarkagaj, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Opposition to form front against Congress

Opposition parties in the House of Representatives have been preparing to form a front against the Nepali Congress and work accordingly. A member of the UML said that necessary preparations are underway to form a front of opposition leaders to raise issues of common interest in parliament.

(Khabarkagaj, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Patriots are never discouraged

Patriots are not disappointed by losing in the election once, says Bam Dev Gautam, General Secretary of the Nepal Communist Party (ML). Talking to Jana Dharana, Gautam said defeat in two constituencies was not surprising as the party had lost in 94 constituencies. However, he said that the overall election result was unnatural, unexpected and surprising. "Whatever the result, we accept it," said Gautam.

(Jana Dharana, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Effigies burnt

Nationalist Front Nepal burnt an effigy of "Zee" news and Hindustan Times of May 28 at the main chowk of Dharan market last Monday opposing the news of general election covered by Zee news and editorial in the Hindustan Times.

Pictures of Surya Bahadur Thapa, Girija Prasad Koirala, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Madhav Kumar Nepal, KP Sharma Oli and Gajendra Narayan Singh were also burnt saying that they were Indian agents.

(Jana Dharana, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Palace to cross government

Palace, which had played a role of observer during the last three years of the Maoists' People’s War, has begun to take active interest on the Maoists' campaign. Some intellectual have expressed anxiety over it.

(Jana Dharana, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Capital under UML’s control

Once again the capital or Kathmandu valley has become a fort of the CPN (UML). Since the first general election after the reinstatement of democracy in the country, the capital had remained as a fort of the UML.

In the last general election, it was suspected that the UML would loose its control over the capital.

In Kathmandu constituencies No. 1 and 3, where elections were postponed following the death of UML candidate and former prime minister Man Mohan Adhikary, UML candidates Ishwor Pokharel and Pradeep Nepal won the election.

(Sambodhan, Friday, Jun. 11)

India adds force in Kalapani

According to a source close to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indian army has begun entering the border area of Sunsari district illegally. But the government has not spoken a single word. The source further says that additional forces have been deployed in the Kalapani area.

(Jana Ahwan, Friday, Jun. 11)

Police enters jungle

The police have launched an operation in the villages of Dang and Pyuthan districts to control the people’s war launched by the Nepal Communist Party (Maoists).

Police have been deputed in the jungles, too. According to news received from Dang, commando training have been given to police before sending them in Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan and Jajarkot.

Meanwhile, more police personnel have been deputed in Thawang, Vhawang, Ghoda Gaun, Mirul and other villages of Rolpa district following the general election.

(City Times, Wednesday, Jun. 9)

Palten resigns

Palten Gurung, who was elected unopposed from Manang, presented his resignation to Nepali Congress Party President Girija Prasad Koirala on the very next day of the formation of the cabinet. He tendered his resignation because he was not appointed as minister.

Many say that Gurung’s resignation is merely a threat because he has not presented his resignation to the parliament secretariat.

(City Time, Wednesday, Jun. 9)

Call for heads of judges

At the time when all the organisations fighting for linguistic rights have been staging protest programmes against a verdict given by the Supreme Court on June 1, a group calling themselves as Ethnic Liberation Army, Nepal has announced a reward of Rs. 500,000 for the heads of the judges who had given the verdict and the petitioner who had filed the case in the court. A pamphlet announcing such a ‘reward’ has been sent to all newspaper offices. The pamphlets have been found in the capital too.

(City Times, Monday, Jun. 7)

Power tariff to shoot up

Just when it is busy churning out load-shedding schedules, will Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), in utter dismay to its already vexed customers, dare to raise the electricity tariffs anytime soon? The answer is a big YES. Why? the cliche, once again: Donor pressure.

Whether power-cut or not, NEA is all set to raise the electricity-tariffs. The much-feared notice may appear in the local newspapers anytime in the near future.

(The Rising Nepal, Thursday, Jun. 10)

Nepal-Pakistan tiles problem free

Pakistani Ambassador to Nepal Kamran Niza said that Nepal-Pakistan ties have always been cordial and hold ample potentials for further improvement. Niaz said this while addressing a talk programme on ‘Nepal-Pakistan Relation - Prospects of Future Co-operation’ organised jointly by the Political Science Association of Nepal and the Department of Political Science, Padma Kanya Campus here today (in Kathmandu Wednesday)

(The Rising Nepal, Thursday, June 10)