FRONT PAGERS

Khum Bahadur and Gachhedhar to be kicked out of cabinet

Except for publishing ‘routine statements’ through the government media, the present government has done nothing. It is more than a month since Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai sat on the chair of power, but his inability to do anything has proved he has become a prisoner of indecisiveness.

Even the expansion of the cabinet, which he said would be done ‘quickly’ has not been done.He has even kept the Home Ministry, which is of utmost importance to run the administration, vacant. In the absence of a Home Minister, the civil servants of that ministry are on summer vacation. The police administration is being run on ad hoc basis. The police has begun indiscriminate killing of the people in the name of Maoists, and nobody is responsible for this. A high level official at the Home Ministry says that the police has become all in all.

The Bhattarai government is quiet on the two incidents— Kosovo and Kargil, where Gurkha soldiers are involved. Even if they have taken ‘salt and water’ of those countries, aren’t the citizens of this country? If the government does not have the power to say not to use Gurkhas in those conflicts, it could at least express condolences on the death of the Gurkha soliders. Instead US President Bill Clinton expressed condolence over the death of Gurkha soliders in Kosovo. But our prime minister, whether he does not know or he has no time. The Foreign Ministry officials are at a loss on who to ask. They say the Prime Minister can not be met, and his advisors does not say anything. Does it mean our foreign has been changed?

Meanwhile, the tug of war between Bhattarai and Koirala has turned to both the leaders trying to get hold of the second generation leaders. The Koirala camp has turned completely against Sher Bahadur Deuba fearing Deuba might benefit from the ongoing confusion. Former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is trying to cut the wings of Deuba through Sushil Koirala. Among the three second generation leaders — Sher Bahadur Deuba, Shailaja Acharya and Ram Chandra Poudel, Koirala camps already has Acharya and it believes Poudel will not come to its fold. If Poudel can be made deputy prime minister with a powerful ministry Koirala camp believes it can get Poudel on its side. Then, it believes Deuba could be isolated and Poudel will have his position safe.

However, Prime Minister Bhattarai has several times asked Sushil Koirala to join the cabinet. But Koirala has put Bhattarai in a difficult situation saying that he would not become a minister until ‘tainted’ minister like Khum Bahadur Khadka and Bijaya Kumar Gachhedhar are a part of it. Both Khadka and Gachhedhar turned anti-Girija some time back. The Koirala camp thinks if they are kicked out of the cabinet they will either surrender to Koirala or will have their size cut down. Congress sources say if they are removed from the cabinet, Sushil Koirala will even accept a low profile ministry like Women and Social Welfare.May be Bhattarai will have to show the door to Khadka and Gachhedhar in the next cabinet reshuffle.

Meanwhile, Bhattarai supporters are also playing their own game. They have sidelined a person like Taranath Ranabhat by making him the Speaker. Deuba had proposed Ranabhat’s name as the Speaker, and Koirala had to accept it reluctantly. Bhattarai supporters also believe if Poudel has to be taken into the cabinet under pressure from Koirala, he will downsize himself.

However, Bhattarai is likely to expand his cabinet this week.

(Nepalipatra, June 25, Friday)

Maoist killed in Gorkha

A person belonging to the NCP(Maoists) was killed during the clashes which occurred between the police and the Maoists in the Bhirkot Village Development committee of Gorkha district.

The Maoist had been killed by a shot fired by the police patrol. According to police sources, when the police patrol had been attacked by a group of 10/12 maoists armed with hand grenades and muzzle loader guns they had answered with guns themselves. As the police are keeping a strict vigil on the area, full details have not been known.

News has also been received that Gyanu Lama, a citizen of the Madankodari Village Development Committee of Kavre district, has been attacked by a group of Maoists at seven in the morning today and has been severely injured. According to DSP of District Police Office of Kavre, Kesav Basnet, the injured Lama has been brought to Kathmandu by helicopter and is being treated in the Teaching Hospital.

(Himalaya Times, Sunday, June 27)

Violence mars Sunsari election

Election was held successfully at Constituency No. 3 of Sunsari district today(Saturdy, June 26). The election had been postponed due to the death of a candidate in that constituency. According to the Election Commission, the work of bringing in the ballot boxes to the District headquarters is going on and the counting of votes will be started as soon as all the ballot boxes are brought in. According to preliminary reports, 70 percent of the votes were cast in this constituency.

During the election, an unidentified person exploded a bomb in the polling centre at the Devangunj VDC at the southern bordering areas.The police fired more than 15 rounds in the air to control the situation. Seven people have been injured during these events.

Hawaldar Dilliman Nepal and four other police have been injured by the bomb explosion,while Islam Miyan and Ibrahim Ansari has taken shots in their hands and legs which were fired by the police to control the situation.

According to SP Bhishma Prasai, Atal Kumar Mehta and Sahadev Yadav were arrested as both the excited persons tried to complicate the situation even more. He also said that the police were trying to find out the person or people responsible for the incident.

The election, disturbed by the explosion, otherwise went smoothly and the injured police and several others were taken to the B.P. Koirala Health and Science Research Institute in Dharan for treatment said the police.

(Himalaya Times, Sunday, June 27)

Another slap for government

The citizens are slowly losing faith in the government led by the top and saintly leader of Nepali Congress, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. The NC lost the election held in Constituency No.5 of Siraha district after its government was established. Pradeep Giri, who is considered as the right hand man of the PM, lost to Dharmanath Shah, a districtlevel official of the UML with a very measly number of votes (105).

The PM himself had gone to Siraha to campaign for Giri, who is considered a socialist thinker. The younger generation leaders like Sher bahadur deuba and Ram Chandra Poudel had also spoke on Giri’s behalf by highlighting the necessity of a person like Giri in the Parliament. But despite this big effort he lost. The blame for this loss has been put on the workers of the party in the district, who are considered close to party president Girija Prasad Koirala.

(Deshanter, Sunday June 27)

Ranabhat not to become a political hermit

"If the prestige of the Speaker is to be uplifted, then the person who sits on the seat of the Speaker should not involve himself in active politics. As long as he is the Speaker, he should remain distant from party politics". Intellectuals, political scientists and other top echelon persons have been expressing such views time and again.

But exactly opposite this, the newly elected Speaker Tara Nath Ranabhat has said that he will not remain far from active politics.

Speaking at a function organised by the Reporters Club on Saturday, Speaker ranabhat said, " It does not mean that as soon as one becomes the Speaker one has to give up active politics. I have not become the Speaker to become a political hermit".

(Deshanter, Sunday, June 27)

Fight against Vikram tempos

The diesel run Vikram tempo (three wheelers) have been boycotted by commuters of the Boudha- Jorpati - Sundhara route due to the increasing protests of local residents. This vehicles is considered the main cause for the increasing pollution in Kathmandu Valley.

The government had stopped vehicles without the "Green Tag" and also the Vikram tempos to operate in the Dilli Bazar - Ram Shah Path - Kamaladi route from last Sunday. The tempos then started to operate from the Charkhal - Naxal route, but the residents, clubs and ward offices in those sectors made stringent protests and thus the tempos have not been allowed to run from those routes too.

However about the 100 tempos, which emit foul smoke, are preparing to run from other routes. However people in other localities too have become alert about this and it looks like these three wheelers will now be completely ousted from the roads.

After the Vikram tempos have been stopped from plying on the Dilli Bazar route, it is felt that the pollution in the air in that area has decreased by about 50 per cent. The local residents and businessmen have said that they feel this has improved their health and also business.

(Himalaya Times, Sunday, June 27)

FIFA fines ANFA US $ 10,000

A decision has been made to make the match played between Nepal and Malaysia in the Olympics qualifying tournament a draw. The football match was played in Hong Kong. The decision was made due to the unfortunate incident which occurred just a minute before the match ended. The match had to be stopped when nepalese fans came on the field after Malaysian players attacked one Nepali fan.

FIFA has also decided to fine the Hong Kong Football Association US$ 15,000 for not being able to provide adequate security, the Malaysian Football Association US$ 5000 for starting the whole incident and the All Nepal Football Association US$ 10,000.

FIFA has decided to fine all the three teams involved because the Malaysian side started it all and the Hong Kong Football Association could not provide the security.

FIFA has decided to fine the Malaysian football team who attacked the Nepali fans first, when they came to the field to celebrate a goal, less money and the Nepali football team who had nothing to do with the incident at all more money. This fact has not been considered suitable by the concerned authorities and other newspapers. By the report given to FIFA by AFC it has been known that the All Nepal Football Association has been fined.

(Himalaya Times, Sunday, June 27)

Front against Chairman Thapa

Conflict within RPP is at its height now. The party’s influential leaders like the party president Surya Bahadur Thapa, Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani, Pashupati Shumsher JBR and Kamal Thapa have been working to make get a strong hold of the party and make their group strong within the party.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that some central committee members of the party have demanded explanation from President Thapa for his biased attitude towards party workers in the last general election. He has also been charged of misusing millions rupees of the party fund which were collected from donation.

(Asan Bazar, Saturday, June 26)

Pakistani Embassy says

It is said that Pakistani Embassy in Nepal has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal that if any Gorkha soldier is caught in Kashmir, they will not be treated as prisoner of war and will not be provided with any of facilities as POW, but will be treated only as mercenary.

(Asan Bazar, Saturday, June 26)

Uproar on the first day of session

Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai is to expand the cabinet on Monday.

Meanwhile, on the very first day of the new Speaker sitting on the Chair, he had to face the wrath of the opposition party. The main opposition, CPN(UML) disturbed the house for about one and half hours raising the issue of election conflict in Siraha district.

(Ghatna Chakra, Saturday, June 26)

Increasing number of Tibetans entering Nepal

Tibetans are entering Nepal in growing numbers in last few years. A couples of years back, they used to enter Nepal singly or two. Presently, they have begun entering in groups. According to police, sometimes the group consists of 55 people or more.

In the last 21 months 293 Tibetan entered Nepal through a post of Lamabagar of Nepal-China border only.

The government statistics shows that every year 1,500 to 2,000 Tibetans enter Nepal. When they enter Nepal, the Central Immigration Department arrests them and hand them over to the UN High Commission for Refugees based in Nepal. They enter Nepal as refugee, but there is no record how many Tibetans as refugees are there in the country.

(Ghatna Chakra, Saturday, June 26)

Why RNA silent?

Immediately after the appointment of Prajjwol Shumsher Rana as the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), some newspapers published reports criticising the Royal Nepalese Army. But the RNA has remained silent. Concerning a purchase aircraft, RNA has said nothing till date. Similarly, the RNA is silent on issue of sacking of four colonels by the new COAS.

(Ghatna Chakra, Saturday, June 26)

Coca Cola and Pepsi spreading cholera

Every onset of Monsoon sees bouts of diarrhoea and cholera in various parts of Kathmandu and other parts of the country. Nobody has given serious thought on it and the readymade answer is the ‘rotten and stale food’ and ‘polluted water’.

But do not canned foods, mineral water, soft drinks etc. come under the category of stale food and polluted water? It can be said that soft drinks like Coca Cola and Pepsi are responsible for spreading diarrhoea and cholera.

A couples of days back, the Belgium government banned on all products including Coca Cola, Fanta, Sprite, and such products were displaced from the market.

The products of Coca Cola available in European market including Belgium are of higher quality than those available available in Nepal. All international companies take special precaution while producing goods for developed counties. If Coca Cola sold in the Belgian market are of inferior quality, what could be the situation in Nepal? So, it is important to check the quality of goods, including Coca Cola, Pepsi products and the mineral waters.

(Sanghu, Saturday, June 26)

Army involved in timber smuggling

A terror has been spreading within Royal Nepalese Army. Prajwol Shumsher JBR, after his appointed as the Chief of the Army Staff, has been violating all rules and regulations. RNA personnel are angry with the attitude of C-in-C and another army official Sadeep Shah.

According to a high level source, Prem Singh Basnet of Siraha Barrack was arrested couples of days back while trying to illegally export two truckload of timber. Instead of taking any action against Basnet, he was transferred to Nagarkot and the issue was dismissed.

(Sanghu, Saturday, June 26)

Girija to take tough action against Bhattarai

The internal conflict within the Nepali Congress will enter into the next phase following the expansion of the cabinet on coming Monday.

NC President Girija Prasad Koirala has been silently watching the conflicted started by PM Krishna Prasad Bhattarai by forming the cabinet on his own wish. It seems Bhattarai is trying to side line Koirala supporters by appointing anti-Koiralals in the political posts. In the cabinet to be expanded on Monday, only four to five pro-Koirala MP will be included in the cabinet.

In the present cabinet, there is only one, Mahesh Acharya, who is pro-Koirala. But he is being ignored in the cabinet.PM Bhattrai has not been giving time to Acharya as a part of planned conspiracy whhen Acharya is busy preparing the budget for the next fiscal year. Acharya has to have regular consultations with the prime minister concerning the budget.

On the other hand, NC President Koirala has decided to restructure the present central executive committee of the party. He will do so immediately after the expansion of the cabinet. It is assumed that there will be hardly any ministers in the new central committee of the party.

(Sanghu, Saturday, June 26)

Lacking of security causes banks closure

Local residents of Khimti of Ramechhap district have locked the branch office of Nepal Bank Limited to give pressure to the bank officials not to shift the bank.

Sometime back armed Maoists had looted the bank and burnt the documents. Then it was decided to merge the branch office with another branch office of the bank situated in Charikot. When the people knew they locked the bank demanding that the bank should not be shifted.

The Bank has suspended all its transactions after the documents were burnt.

(Gatibidhi, Saturday, June 26)

Deuba, Sushil cause of delay

The cause of delays of reconstitution the central committee by NC President Girija Prasad Koirala and the cabinet expansion by PM Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has been revealed.

According to party sources, Bhattarai wants (Sher Bahadur) Deuba as president in the next party convention of the party whereas Koirala wants Sushil Koirala as his successor. Things have been delayed because of this.

As per the constitution of the Nepali Congress, the general convention needs to be held in every five years. However, the convention has been postponed for one year. According to the schedule, the party’s 10th convention should be held in next April.It is because of the special cause, it has been postponed for one year.

(Patrika, Friday, June 25)

TU Professors in black list

Tribhuvan University has enlisted several university teachers in a black list for not paying the rent of the official quarters. National Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Pritvi Raj Ligal, ML Bidur Mainali, and other well known professors have been included in black list. Ligal has to pay Rs. 47,068.00 to TU.

(Sarathi, Fridya, June 26)

Bamdev still has his spies in govt.

When Bamdev Gautam was the deputy prime minister and home minister in the Chand-led coalition government he had appointed 37 of his men to spy on the Maoists and on the political workers in the Maoists-affected districts. They are still drawing their salaries from the National Investivation Department. It is now known whether Gautam’s successors in the Home Ministry know about this or they are unaware.

It is said the high official at the Department has a hand in keeping them there. The high official remained trusted of all the Home Ministers by offering handsome gifts.

After the split of the UML, it is said, those persons are spying on the UML. What is more interesting is that they have now started spying on the government for the Maoists.

(Nepalipatra, June 25, Friday)