NEWS NOTES (Spotlight Weelky)

Deuba Says Maoists Are Ready For Talks

Convenor of the high-level committee formed to recommend ways to resolve the Maoist problem Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that the Maoist leadership is ready to hold talks with the government provided the latter makes public whereabouts of its leaders and activists, including Dinesh Sharma, languishing in police custody. In a brief statement issued late Sunday, Deuba said he had recently met a top leader of the underground party in which he was told the Maoists were ready to stop all their `activities' if the government fulfilled their single demand. The proposal from the rebels have come at a time the government has been thinking of deploying army personnel in the Maoist-affected areas after the rebels devastated headquarters of remote Dolpa district in a deadly attack last month. Compiled from reports Oct. 16.

UML Makes An Appeal For Peace Initiative

A day after announcing that his party was keen to broker a peace deal between the government and Maoist rebels, the main opposition UML has made an appeal to all the parties concerned to start a peace initiative. In a statement issued on Sunday, leader of the main opposition and UML general secretary Madhav K. Nepal has appealed to the ruling Nepali Congress to adopt a political approach, not administrative and military one, to the problem and build a congenial environment for resolving the problem through dialogue. Mobilizing the army is not a solution to the problem, he said. Nepal has also appealed to the Maoists to prepare themselves for peace talks, put their practical demands on the negotiating table. The UML has also urged all the political parties, organizations and individuals to help build a congenial environment for bringing the Maoists to the negotiating table. Leading dailies report Oct. 16.

Left Parties Bring Our Protest Rallies

The main opposition, UML, and nine left parties took out separate rallies in the capital Sunday to protest recent hikes in the petroleum products. The opposition leaders asked the government to withdraw its decision and give relief to the people. Some of the demonstrators even asked the Prime Minister to resign alleging the Koirala government of being 'murderer of common people.' UML and nine left groups have announced a number of programs to press the government to roll back its decision. The government, on its part, has said it was compelled to hike the prices due to surge in price of petroleum products in international market. Leading dailies report Oct. 16.

Army To Deliver Arms To The Police

Royal Nepal Army (RNA) has decided to deliver the arms, it promised to Nepal Police and at the same time has initiated moves to procure weapons of the latest models for itself, KANTIPUR daily reported Sunday quoting a highly placed army source. According to the source, the arms will be delivered to Nepal police this week. The police force would possess 9,000 semi-automatic weapons after the army supplies the weapons. The army is presently selecting the weapons it needs and the process of negotiation for the purchase would start after sometime, according to the source. Meanwhile, district based Royal Nepal Army (RNA) units have asked the Chief District Officers (CDOs) to provide the army with information about the possible striking points in the district headquarters by the rebels. The army units have also sought information regarding the state of security and intelligence in the districts. Compiled from reports Oct. 15.

Rana Asks Police Not To Raise 'Hafta' Any More

Newly appointed acting Inspector General of Police, Pradip Shumsher J. B. Rana, has issued directives to all the police officers in Kathmandu to stop the practice of raising 'hafta' and `mahinawari' (weekly and monthly collection of money from businessmen in an illegal way) within three days, a leading daily reported today. The daily quoted police sources as saying that Rana issued directives on Friday immediately after assuming office. It had been alleged that such practice was rampant in the capital valley. A police inspector posted at a 'ward police station' within the capital could collect up to Rs 400,000 (approx. US$ 6000) every month through 'voluntary donations,' the report said. The police inspectors had to pay part of the money they had collected to their superiors, the report claimed. The news report exposes the massive corruption going on within the police department, analysts say. Kantipur Oct. 16.

Koirala Undergoes Health Check-up, Advised Rest

Immediately after returning to the capital from his home town, Biratnagar, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala flew to eastern town of Dharan to undergo a medical check-up, reports said . Doctors attending on him at the B. P. Koirala Institute of Medical Sciences on Friday have advised him to rest as he is suffering from cold and fever. "Koirala's health conditions are normal," said vice chancellor of the Institute, Dr. Shekhar Koirala. The premier returned to the capital on Saturday. The 76-year-old Prime Minister is taking part in public functions and is expected to take important political decisions regarding reshuffling of his cabinet and ruling party's central working committee this week. Compiled from reports Oct. 15.

Army Stationed IN The Maoist Affected District

A Company of the Royal Nepalese Army has been stationed at the headquarters of Sindhuli in central Nepal, official RSS news agency said. Sindhuli is one of the highly affected districts by Maoist insurgency. The army personnel have been stationed in the district headquarters in accordance with the government's policy of setting up army barracks in all 75 districts of the country, the report said. The company stationed at the camp of the Roads Department located at ward no. 6 of Kamalamai Municipality comprises 45 army personnel including a captain and other officers. The company will remain in the Roads Department premises until a barrack is set up in the district, the local district administration said. Meanwhile, newly appointed Inspector General of Police Pradip Shumshere Rana has said the police will work closely with the army to counter the on-going Maoist rebellion. Leading dailies report Oct. 15.

UML And Others Condemn Indian Publication

The main opposition, CPN (UML), has condemned a publication by a Hindu fundamentalist group of India portraying Nepal as part of India in one of its publications. Nepal was incorporated into undivided India in the Marathi language book "Amritpath" published by the Rashtriya Swayamshevak Sangh (RSS), an organization affiliated to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ruling circles in India are trying to undermine Nepal's sovereignty, the party blamed. Similarly, Rastriya Prajatantrik Vidyarthi Sangathan, student wing of the opposition Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has also condemned the said publication in a statement. Kantipur daily reports Oct. 15.

Report On Dolpa Incident Submitted

The government-appointed committee to probe into devastating Maoist attacks at the district headquarters of northern district of Dolpa last month has submitted its report to the government Friday, reports said. 14 policemen were killed, 40 injured and 11 abducted by the rebels during the attacks. They had also looted nearly Rs 60 million from a local bank. Though the findings of the report submitted by the committee headed by Madhusudan Gorkhali are yet to be published, media reports said the report has pointed toward lack of coordination among security agencies in the district including police and military. The rebels have released the abducted policemen on the eve of Dashain festival. Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi resigned from his post and police chief A. K. Kharel went on an extended leave prior to retirement in the aftermath of the Dunai incident. Compiled from reports Oct. 15.