NEWS NOTES (Spotlight Weelky)

DPM Condemns Maoist Attacks

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel has condemned the recent attacks by Maoist rebels upon police personnel in different parts of the country. Delivering a statement on public importance in the parliament Sunday, Poudel termed the killings as a highly deplorable act by the 'terrorists' that came at a time when the government had asked the Maoists to sit for dialogue. He said the government would take every possible measure to contain such activities. Meanwhile, Monday's RAJDHANI daily has reported, quoting sources, that the central security committee, at the Home Ministry has decided to request the National Security Council (NSC) to mobilize army personnel in four more districts, namely Dang, Dailekh, Surkhet and Dolakha. Except Dolakha in the central region, all three districts belong to the mid-western region, a hotbed of Maoist activities. The government has already mobilized army personnel in seven districts under the Integrated Security and Development Program (ISDP). The committee meeting, headed by Minister Poudel, also decided to strengthen surveillance system at some 50 points at Nepal-India border to stop illegal import of arms and ammunitions by the rebels, the report said. Compiled from reports.

Koirala Refuses To Step Down

Despite repeated call for his resignation by the opposition parties, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has refused to step down, at least not in the immediate future. Responding to queries raised by the opposition lawmakers in the Parliament Sunday, Koirala said the Prime Minister could be removed through constitutional procedures or as per his wish. "(So), you should take patience," he advised the opposition legislators. Communist lawmakers then boycotted the House proceedings and remained absent in the crucial vote for 'thanks motion.' Leading dailies report.

Maoists Preparing To Declare 'Central Govt.'

After assessing that the 'district level people's governments' formed by its party in more than half a dozen districts in the country had strengthened their positions, the underground Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is preparing to announce a `people's government' at the central level, a newspaper report said. According to Monday's NEPAL SAMACHARPATRA daily, the politburo meeting of the underground party had taken a decision in this regard a couple of months back "with a view to mobilize district level 'people's governments,' expand diplomatic relations at the international level and treat the present government of Nepal on an equal footing." The government, that will also have representation from other patriotic and left forces, will pose a challenge to the present regime in Nepal, the daily quoted a senior leader of the party as saying. The party has appointed its senior leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai as Prime Minister and head of the central government and has decided to include independent personalities, former Prime Minister Kirti Nidhi Bista, former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana and human rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar, in the government, the report said. Bista, Dhungana and Tuladhar, however, have refuted of any such proposal forwarded to them from the Maoist leadership, the report said. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.

Explosion At PM's House

An explosive went off within the premises of Prime Minister GP Koirala's residence in Biratnagar Saturday night, reports said. According to Police, there were no casualty or damage due to the explosion. Police suspect the incident to have been caused by the Maoist rebels. Only last week, the rebels had exploded a device in front of the residence of Chief Justice, adjoining the Prime Minister's official residence, in the capital. In a separate incident, suspected Maoist rebels attacked two TATA Mobile trucks parked within the premises of Sipradi Trading, said to be owned by the royal family, in the capital Saturday night. The rebels also exploded bombs in Palpa, Chitwan and Sindhupalchok districts the same night but there are no reports of any casualty. On Friday night, more than 40 policemen were killed and dozens injured in three separate attacks by the armed rebels in Nuwakot, Lamjung and Gulmi districts. Leading dailies report.

Economy To Grow By Close To 6 Percent: Survey

The Nepalese economy is estimated to grow by 5.8 percent in the current fiscal year 2000/01, lower than the last year's GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth of 6.4 percent, the latest Economic Survey said. The Survey report, presented in the Parliament Sunday by Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, said agriculture sector is expected to grow by 4 percent and non-agriculture sector by 6.9 percent this year. Though the survey indicates toward strong growth prospects and sound macroeconomic stability, it paints a bleak picture in the areas of poverty alleviation, social services and basic infrastructure. The survey also showed that the budget deficit has widened further and foreign debt service liability has also gone on the rise due to devaluation of the Nepalese currency vis a vis the convertible currency. There is a practice of presenting of the survey to the parliament every year on the eve of the presentation of the annual budget. Compiled from reports.

Oppositions Hold Strategic Meeting

Frustrated by the constant lingering by the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on their demands seeking his resignation, the top notch leaders of the opposition parties are meeting here on Friday (July 8) for what they call as a strategic dialogue. The main opposition party Unified Marxist Leninist has called the meeting on the day when the parliament is to pass the government's policies and programs. The party decided to call the meeting following its standing committee meeting on Saturday. The leaders invited to the meeting include opposition leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, RPP President Surya Bahadur Thapa, NSP chief Gajendra Narayan Singh, leader of National People's Front Chitra Bahadur KC, President of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party Narayan Man Bijukchhe and leader of United People's Front Lilamani Pokharel, among others. Meanwhile, the much touted dialogue between the opposition leader Nepal and Prime Minister Koirala failed to materialize on Saturday, too. Leading dailies report.

Nepal Raps Maoists

The leader of the main opposition and General Secretary of Unified Marxist Leninist Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal came down heavily against the Maoists' policy vis-a-vis the monarchy. The underground Maoists, who claimed late King Birendra as liberal and patriot after his death, may also say the same of new King Gyanendra if they get "green signal" from him, Nepal said. ìIt was during the reign of same liberal and patriot king when they went underground. And as soon as the new king took over, they showed desperation to come out in the open even as they started sloganeering against him,î he added, addressing party workers meet in the capital. Leading dailies report.

Acharya Resigns Over Heir Dispute

Spokesman of the ruling Nepali Congress party Narahari Acharya has resigned from his post following his differences with the party General Secretary Sushil Koirala regarding the party's stand on the issue surrounding heir to the throne. Acharya alleged Koirala of speaking in violation of the party's official stand regarding the need to empower parliament to protect the dignity and give continuity to constitutional monarchy, remaining within the constitutional parameters, and to review the provision on heir to the throne. Leading dailies report.

ADCs Sacked By The King

His Majesty King Gyanendra, upon the recommendation from the high-level military committee formed to review the palace security arrangements following the June 1 Narayanhity massacre, has sacked four ADCs, dismissed four other palace employees and terminated then Crown Prince's Secretariat. The ADCs sacked include late King Birendra's ADC Colonel Sundar Pratap Rana, late Queen Aishwarya's ADC Major Ananta Keshar Singh and then Crown Prince Dipendra's two ADCs Major Gajendra Bohara and Major Raju Karki, according to the Defense Ministry. Royal orderlies Shiva Bahadur Thapa and Ram Krishna KC, too, have been dismissed and so have been the two employees at then Crown Prince's Secretariat. The high-level military committee was formed by the Royal Palace in the aftermath of the royal killings. It was headed by former Principal Military Secretary Lt. General Shanta Kumar Malla. The committee has recommended to employ new strategy to ensure security arrangements inside the palace and take care of the weapons there. Leading dailies report.

Astrologers Predict Grim Future

The noted astrologers of the country have predicted that the series of misfortune, which have hit the country since the beginning of 2058 BS, will continue in the rest of the year as well as in the next year 2059 BS. A group of astrologers speaking at a program organized on Tuesday by the National Astrological Science Service Committee, said that the months of Shrawan (July/August), Mangsir (November/December), Poush (December/January) and Falgun (February/March) are particularly prone to misfortune this year. They even predicted that in these coming months of this year and the next year, bad incidents of even greater magnitude could befall the nation. They, however, refused to pinpoint the nature of such incidents. Compiled from reports.

SC Declines To Entertain Case On King's Property

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined from registering a case filed demanding the property of late King Birendra and new King be made public. The case was filed by an advocate Jhak Kandel asking the apex court to issue necessary directives to make the property public and protect them from any kind of Illegal encroachment. The Supreme Courtës registrar declined to entertain the case saying that the present constitution does not allow any question to be raised against the Kingës action in any court of law. Leading dailies report.