FRONT PAGERS

Is it because of habit?

Sometimes the habits and behaviours of political leaders put everyone in difficulty. There were several such incidents during the visit of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai hosted a formal lunch in honour of the Sri Lankan President, but he delivered his speech sitting down. It is not yet clear whether Bhattarai did not know about the diplomatic etiquette or he ignored it. This is considered a grave faux pas on the part of Prime Minister Bhattarai.

Even the guests were amazed at Bhattarai’s behaviour. Or, how do they know our prime minister ignores formalities and takes even the sensitive things lightly? But mind you, Prime Minister Bhattarai will be the next chairman of the SAARC heads of the states.

Again, the Bhutanese Foreign Minister had left before his President for Bhutan. He was seen off at the airport by Foreign Secretary Murari Raj Sharma and Joint Secretary Lila Sharma. We have a system of a minister seeing off or receiving another minister. But not one of the 32 ministers of the government found time to see off the Sri Lankan minister. If Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat was too busy, it would not have been wrong if another minister was sent.

The faults were not from the Nepalese only. The Sri Lankan President continued with her habit of reaching late at every programme. Her arrival in Kathmandu was also one hour late, and His Majesty the King had also to wait for her at the airport. The Sri Lankan President’s delay caused long traffic jams. At every programme, the organisers, invitees and even diplomats had to wait wearily for her.

(Bimarsha, July 9, Friday)

Dr. Mahat’s bank account illegal

When the issue of Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat’s US$ 45,000 in the account of the Chemical Bank in New York was raised in the parliament as being illegal, Dr. Mahat, who was then the Finance Minister, had tendered his resignation. Mahat, though resigned, had then said that it was the money he had earned when he was working at the UNDP. But Mahat was reinstated after the Revenue Investigation Department and the Finance Ministry had cleared Dr. Mahat of any wrongdoing.

However, Mahat’s claim has been challenged by a expatriate Nepalese living in the United States. Nanda R. Shrestha in his book ‘In the Name of Development’ has pointed that the money was deposited in the bank after he became the finance minister.

This has now challenged Dr. Mahat’s appointment as the Foreign Minister. Until Dr. Mahat proves that he had indeed earned the money honestly and legally and prior to his joining the government in 1996, the allegations in the book remain a strong point of his wrong-doings.

(Nepalipatra, June 9, Friday)

900 lost lives to Maoist campaign

About 900 people have already lost their lives because of the Maoist campaign. People have died because of the Maoist actions, police actions and police-Maoist clashes.

The so called people’s war has emerged as a major challenge to the country. The problem, which began during the premiership of Sher Bahadur Deuba, has become more complex and more sever in the following days despite the governments’ claim.

The unstable governments of the past neither created a congenial environment for its solution nor the Maoists were willing to talk.

Present Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai while speaking in first public meeting after being prime minister had said that he was still ready to talk with Maoists in Open Theatre. But Maoists are not in position to believe this.

After the formation of new government, at least 10 police personnel have been killed. The number of people killed exceeds that number. Police has killed more than 15 Maoists during this period.

The Maoists, who had remained silent during the election, have increased their activities in the recent days, but the government has remained quiet.

(Bishwodeep, Saturday, July 10)

Bangladeshis wary of providing transit corridor to India

Speakers at a round table discussion on 'Transit through Bangladesh, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, expressed the view that transit to India through Bangladesh should be allowed only on a multilateral basis and not bilaterally.

Most speakers strongly felt that a transit facility could not be bilateral bust must involve more countries on a multilateral or regional basis.

There were of the opinion that it would not be wise to compare the transit issue with Europe or other regions of the world because those countries had equity in all major sectors, including economic, political and social, whereas no country in the South Asian region could compare with India in any sector.

Indian Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee during his recent bus ride to Bangladesh had discussed with Bangladeshi leaders of importing gas from Bangladesh and the transit issue.

They said India needed the corridor mainly for military and political purposes, not for economic or any other benefit to the people of Bangladesh.

Former army chief of Bangladesh and Awami League MP K.M. Shafiullah said, "We must take a decision on all issues, including transit, on the basis of our national interest. It will not be wise for Bangladesh to proceed towards other issues or think of new ones until a solution is found to the Bangladesh-Nepal transit issue," the former army chief said.

Political scientist Prof. Talakdar Moniruzzaman of Dhaka University said transit issue is an imposition of illogical formula by India on Bangladesh.

(Khaleej Times, July 5, Monday)

Conspiracy to fail Bhattarai

Various power centres are becoming active to foil the present government of Nepali Congress. They have been organising meetings in various places. News source claim that some Nepali Congress MPs are also involved in the conspiracy. Lately, sources say the Congress party has begun to keep an eye on such MPs.

(Asan Bazar, Saturday, July 10)

UML leaders trying to enter palace?

In a parliamentary system, generally the ruling party has its men in both the post of Speaker in House of Representatives and Chairman in National Assembly. But in Nepal, the opposition parties are trying to have the Chairman of the National Assembly from the opposition parties. The Nepal Communist Party (UML) has been provoking the MPs nominated by the king and of small parties for not making NC representatives as Chairman of the House of Representatives.

(Asan Bazar, Saturday, July 10)

Chand-Marichman talk failed

RPP (Chand) leaders, who were silent following their shameful defeat in the general election, have still failed to infuse energy into the party. The party’s leaders, who were trading charges against each other for their failure in the polls have now trying to carve out separate paths.

A group within the party has been trying to convince Marich Man Singh, Kirtinidhi Bista, Bishwo Bandhu Thapa and others to join the party.

For this, a group under the leadership of the party’s General Secretary is active for talk with those leaders. The team has met Marich man Singh, Kirti Nidhi Bista and others. The talk seems positive. However, Rastriya Janata Parishad President Kirti Nidhi Bista and Bishwobandhu Thapa had said that they would join the party if the name of the party was changed. But the team did not succeed in convincing Marich Man Singh to enter the party.

(Asan Bazar, Saturday, July 10)

Students to launch joint campaign

Four students’ union affiliated with Leftist parties have agreed to stage joint protest programme opposing the misdeed of police and administration, looting, illegal arrest, increasing privatisation and commercialisation in education sector etc. In a meeting held in the office of All Nepal National Free Students Union (Revolutionary), such a decision was taken. It is also decided to present a memorandum to Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai on Tuesday.

(Mahima, Saturday, July 10)

Maoists develop warring skill

In recent actions Police has captured 17 pieces of arms, documents valuing 9.5 million rupees, 287 land ownership certificates, 981 bullets and other war equipment from the Maoists in Kaski, Ramechhap, Jajarkot and Baglung districts.

(Mahima, Saturday, July 10)

Secret understanding between Ramesh Nath and RAW

Many may not believe it but there is a secret understanding among palace-UML and the India intelligence agency. RAW. Well-known persons say that it is because of this secret understanding that Ramesh Nath Pandey was nominated as National Assembly member by the king. Ramesh Nath has also been trying to be chairman of National Assembly.

As no party holds majority in the National Assembly, MP nominated by the king may play vital role in nominating chairman of the assembly. Cashing this opportunity, Ramesh Nath has been trying to be the chairman.

(Mahima, Saturday, July 10)

UML active in making royal nominee as chairman

Constitutionally, the position of National Assembly is quite respectable. But the major political parties have devalued the National Assembly by various ways. Several National Assembly members fought the general election without resigning from their posts. In case of winning, they resigned, otherwise remained in the post.

Meanwhile, the Nepali Congress and the Nepal Communist Party (UML) have signalled that they would take rational decision this time. For the post of the chairman of the National Assembly, not only these two parties but other small parties have also been trying for unanimity.

No political party holds a majority in the National Assembly to have its candidate elected to the post. The NC, which has the highest number of seats, can also get its person elected only if it gets outside support, say from the royal nominees.

However, there is increasing feeling that National Assembly Chairman should be a neutral person. A reliable source says that UML has been trying to portray Ramesh Nath Pandey, who has been nominated as the member of National Assembly for the second time by the king, as neutral person.

One of the senior leader of the UML said to Janasatta, "We being the main opposition can not support the Nepali Congress. NC President Girija Prasad Koirala had sent a letter to us requesting us to support the NC candidate. But we replied that we could not support them. As our position itself is not strong we are considering supporting a neutral person. Possibly, such a person will be Ramesh Nath Pandey."

(Saptahik Janasatta, Saturday, July 10)

Nine left parties support Kurdis Liberation Front

Nine left parties including Nepal Communist Party (ML) has been preparing to submit a protest letter to Mohan Gopal Khetan, honorary ambassador of Turkey to Nepal. They have been planning to deliver protest letter opposing the decision of death sentence to Abdulla Ocalan, leader of Kurdistan Liberation Front by a court in Turkey.

About 30 million Kurds living in various parts of the country has been launching campaign since the last 30 years for independence.

(Saptahik Janasatta, Saturday, July 10)

RPP-Chand opposes

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Chanda) has opposed the increment of facilities of the ministers and the MPs. In a statement signed by central spokesman of the party, Chanda Shah has asked not to discredit the parliament by increasing the facilities.

(Gatibidhi, Saturday, July 10)

Kishunji active to make Deuba president

Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai wants Sher Bahadur Deuba as the next president of the party, say party sources. Sources in Baluwatar says that Bhattarai has been playing his political cards accordingly.

Bhattarai has also been preparing all the strategies to make Deuba the next prime minister as well.

On the other hand, a source close to NC President Girija Prasad Koirala says that necessary works have been done to present Sushil Koirala as rival to Deuba.

(Patrika, Friday, July 9)

Relation of romantic couple cooled

Relation of romantic but aged Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai with much-talked PA Amita Kapali has cooled down.

Amita used to take undue advantages from ministers and general managers of corporations. She was trying to expand her position. Seniors leaders like former Speaker Ram Chandra Poudel and senior minister Yog Prasad Upadhyaya and police chief have easy access to the prime minister. One day, Kishunji found Amita threatening a general manager of a corporation on telephone. He was very angry. Baluwatar sources say PM had instructed to Amita to ask him before making any such call.

(Patrika, Friday, July 10)

Government to be defeated?

It is still not clear, who will the chairman of the National Assembly? This Tuesday the election for the post of chairman will be held.

The expected ones as possible candidates for the post are NC General Secretary Basudev Risal and former minister and king-nominated MP Ramesh Nath Pandey.

RPP has presented the name of Bala Ram Gharti Magar or Tshering Tenjing Lama (yet to be nominated). Generally, ruling party gets the post. But the present ruling party, the Nepali Congress, does not hold majority in National Assembly. So, the government is in trouble. By the date of election, there will be 24 MPs from Nepali Congress and 17 from UML. RPP and ML will have 3-3 each. RPP (Chanda) hold two seats. The Palace has secretly issued whip to 10 MPs nominated by the king to cast vote unitedly. It is sure, out of the nominated ones Ramesh Nath will stand. It is for same purpose that the king broke the tradition and nominated Pandey for the second time.

(Saptahik Bimarsha, Friday, July 9)

Congress more slack!

Though there is a single party government of Nepali Congress, party central office is calm, lonely and passive. There is nothing that shows this is the party which had gained majority in the general election and has formed majority government. Not only the party but also all the works of the party seems to have stopped.

About 50 per cent of the central committee members have joined the government. One of the two general secretaries, Tara Nath Rana Bhat, has already resigned as General Secretary after being elected the Speaker of the House of Representatives and another general secretary Basudev Risal may also resign any moment.

But Ranabhat has not resigned from the party’s central committee. May be he will wants a postponement for the central committee like his predecessor speaker Ram Chandra Poudel. Possibly, Risal will also demand the same if he is elected to the Chairman of the National Assembly.

(Saptahik Bimarsha, Friday, July 9)

Bam Dev says sorry to Kharel

NCP (ML) Secretary General Bam Dev Gautam begged pardon publicly with IGP Achyut Krishna Kharel. Gautam and Kharel were rival since long time back. Both had neither talked nor met with each other since long time back.

During the tenure of Deputy Prime Ministership, Gautam had sacked Kharel from the post of IGP. Kharel was reappointed as IGP during the coalition government of Nepali Congress and Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

(Saptahik Bimarsha, Friday, July 9)

Will PM visit US, Europe ?

Narayan Khadka, Chief Advisor of Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, has suggested prime minister to visit United States and Europe.

(Sarathi, Friday, July 9)

Women police raped

Recently a woman constable who had entered a hotel to have a drink has been gang-raped by about 6 or 7 persons in Krishnanagar of Kapilvastu district.

The lady police, who was drunk, was taken about 100 metre from the hotel, where the group of boys raped her. The place she was reaped is only about 200 metres from the police station where she works. When police reached the spot, she was found unconscious and the rapists had ran away.

(Sarathi, Friday, July 9)

Decision of kitchen cabinet

Kitchen cabinet of Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has decided to dismiss all the political appointments done by previous governments. However, the rule and regulation does not allow dismissing all the persons at once. So, the proposal was not present in yesterday’s cabinet meeting. It is said that the names to be sacked and to appointed will be presented in the next cabinet meeting.

(Saptahik Bimarsha, Friday, July 9)

Misfortune of Nepalese girls working in circus

About 140 Nepalese girls working in Rajmahal Circus of India are being tortured and are kept as prisoners. Most of the girls has also become the victims of sexual exploitation. The owner of Circus treat them inhumanely if they reject his sexual advances.

A 13-year-old girl and two of her companions who fled the Circus and reached in Nepalgunj recently disclosed the bad condition of Nepalese girls in the Rajmahal Circus.

(Sarathi, Friday, July 9)

Congressmen forming group, sub-groups

Every time the Nepali Congress reaches to power, the tradition of forming group, sub-group starts. This thing is happening this time also. It can not be ruled out that the formation of the ‘Group of 36’ and ‘Group of 74’ will not be repeated now. Though Girijababu (Girija Prasad Koirala) and Kishunji (Krishna Prasad Bhattarai) have remained above those groups, the second and third generation leaders have been doing their best to make their groups strong.

This is more so, with the chances of transferring the leadership to the second generation. It does not seem that the present government under Krishna Prasad Bhattarai will remain in power for long. If he leaves the post, Girija Prasad Koirala will again get a chance to become prime minister. But Koirala does not want to undermine his sacrifices done by coming prime minister again. According to Koirala’s family source, the Koirala family are considering who will become the successor of Bhattarai. Some of the members of Koirala family are putting pressure on Koirala to take over again, and they have been advising him to play the games accordingly. But it is said that Koirala is not ready for that.

(Khabarkagaj, Thursday, July 8)

Reconstitution of NC’s central committee

The controversy within the ruling Nepali Congress is not fully over yet. Cold war between Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and NC President Girija Prasad Koirala may surface again, and even increase.

The reconstitution of the party’s Central Committee by Koirala and the political appointments to be made by Prime Minister Bhattarai could worsen the situation. Party president Koirala may reconstitute the party’s Central Committee by next week.

It has also been said that the war between former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba and Speaker Ram Chandra Poudel has started.

(Jana Dharana, July 8)

Meeting of MPs

In an initiation of NC vice-president Sushil Koirala, a meeting of MPs representing the Maoists affected areas was held in parliamentary building yesterday. The meeting was called to discuss on Maoist problem. Most of the NC presidents were present in the meeting.

(Naya Bikalpa, Thursday, July 8)

Rebellion within CPN (Masal)

Most of the time the communist parties here in Nepal have split when they don’t agree on issues related with India. For the first time there has been a serious rift on what sort of an approch should be made while dealing with India, in the Nepal Communist party (Masal) too. The present rebellion has started after the general secretary of Masal, Mohan Bikram Singh called the NCP (ML) Palace tilted and he didn’t say the same of the UML.

The rebels are not only dissatisfied with the definition of Mohan Bikram in describing ML as sympathetic to the Palace, but they also object to the fact that he has tried to project both the RPP (Thapa) and the UML at the same height and as pro-democratic.

This rebellion has been headed by politburo member Bhairab Regmi and Central Committee member Ujjwol Panthi. If the ML can be called as pro-palace just on the basis of being close to the RPP, then is it logical to call the the Masal which has supported the UML which in turn is close to RPP Thapa as pro Indian? A source close to Masal informed that this question was raised in the meeting of the party that had taken place in Butwal last month. The source also informed that questions were raised on what basis Mohan Bikram had called the Maoists as royalists. The leadership of Singh was also challenged. After this, the central committee of the party has been divided into three groups.

(Samakalin, Thursday, July 8)

Limbuwan Liberation Front leader released

President of the Limbuwan Liberation Front, Bir Nembang has been released from prison. He has been released by the local administration of Ilam on bail. He had been arrested on the charge of trying to disturb peace.

Nembang, who has been living in Barbote of Ilam district, has been charged with attempt to murder as well in another case.

On the other hand, Nembang has alleged that supporters of Nepali Congress, whom he has identified, attacked him. And when he went to file a case against them, he was arrested and put in jail for 22 days.

(Samakalin, Thursday, July 8)

Secretaries to be appointed soon

Even after so many days after the cabinet has been expanded, because secretaries have not been appointed to the ministries which don’t have secretaries, including the Prime Minister’s office, they are in shambles as far as administration is concerned.

Prime Minister Bhattarai had called former secretaries to his residence to have a discussion, but when they provided him with suggestions, one former secretary, who had also participated in the meeting informed that Bhattarai had replied," I know everything, I called for this meeting just for the sake of formality".

It is believed that the vacant posts of the secreataries will be filled after the budget speech.

According to reliable sources the secretaries will be appointed this way: Keshab Raj Bhandari (Local Development), Padam prasad Pokhrel (Home), Ram Binod Bhattarai (Finance), Hirnya Lal Regmi (), Karna Bahadur Chand (CIAA) and Dan Bahadur Shahi (Public Service Commission).

(Samakalin, Thursday, July 8)

Pandey drags Palace into controversy

In the end, Ramesh Nath Pandey, the Upper House MP nominated by the King, has finally announced his decision to be a candidate for the chairman of the National Assembly. In a talk with this weekly Saturday night he said, "I am going to be a candidate for the post of chairman".

The post has been vacant after the term of office of chairman Beni Bahadur Karki expired last month. Though the Nepali Congress has not officially announced its candidate, but it is almost certain that party general secratry Basu Risal will be its candidate. This has been made clear by a statement made by Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai while he was speaking to some party men after voting for the members of the National Assembly on Saturday. He said, " I had gone to the Royal Palace yesterday (Friday) and I told the King that we were going to make Basu Risal as our candidate for the Upper House chairman. And I also said that he was a very experienced and capable man".

But in the meantime there were reports in newspapers that a plan was being hatched to make Pnadey the chairman by the UML supporting the royalist. Pandey’s statement has proved that report right. The post of the National Assembly chairman is not that powerful as such, but some concrete basis can be seen in putting Pandey in the front.

There is a constitutional provision to have as a member of the Constitutional Council the chairman of the national Assembly as well. As among the other members of the Council, the Prime Minister and the Speaker belong to the Congress, if another member is not made from the opposition, then the Congress will have a majority in the Council. The other two members are the main opposition party leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and the Chief Justice.

As soon as the Prime Minister is in the minority in the Constitutional Council, his role becomes ineffective. The decisive role will belong to the other three. As the term of office of the NA chairman is six years, from now until then, a powerful prime minister will be powerless and neutralised.

According to some government sources, the analysis of the Palalce is to see the prime minister being weaker in the coming days because of such a situation. They want to be powerful by making the prime minister weak. According to this grand design they are putting Pandey in the front as a candidate for the chairman of the national Assembly, the sources say.

(Deshanter, Sunday, July 11)