News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Maoists Should Be Brought To Talks

Stating that Maoists were already isolated nationally as well as internationally, former prime minister and president of ruling Nepali Congress party Girija Prasad Koirala said the time was ripe for bringing them to the table for talks. Giving his moral support to the security forces, he said all the democratic forces should unite to press rebels for talks. "More time we take to initiate talks, more will there be danger for foreign activities in our country," he said. Koirala castigated rebels for destroying development infrastructure and bringing country to the brink of ruin. He challenged rebels for killing "him" rather than killing ordinary citizens. "What do they gain by killing simple farmers and ordinary teachers. Had they been real Maoists, they could have killed people like myself," he said addressing a party program in Bhairahawa. Compiled from reports.

CBS Estimates Lowest Growth Rate In 18 Years

Hounded by rising security expenses and violence-hit business and industrial environment, Nepal is set to achieve less than a percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate in the current fiscal year ñ lowest in 18 years. According to preliminary estimates by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), GDP growth rate for fiscal year 2001/2002 has tumbled to 0.76 percent against a projected growth rate of 2.5 percent. The numbers, which are yet to be unveiled officially, show a marked decline from last year's 4.71 percent growth rate. Two years ago, Nepal's GDP grew by 6.14 percent. The CBS findings, however, project considerably less growth rate than those projected by Asian Development Bank (ADB) in its recent Asian Deve! lopment Outlook. The Kathmandu Post daily reports.

Deuba Meets Bush, Secures Firm Support

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba met with the President of the United States of America George Walker Bush at the Oval Office, White House on May 7 and discussed with him matters of bilateral concern with special focus on garnering US support in Nepal's campaign against terrorism. "I am very glad. President Bush is very much supportive to our campaign against terrorism and he has assured us he will help in many ways," Deuba told reporters at White House after the meeting. He said the United States will extend assistance on both military and economic fronts, adding that employment generation and fight against poverty remain crucial in tackling the rural insurgency. PM Deuba handed over the letter from His Majesty the King to President Bush. He also extended an invitation for President Bush to visit Nepal at a convenient time. He also met with Dr. Condoleeza Rice, National Security Advisor to Bush Administration. PM Deuba addressed the Widrow Wilson International Center for Scholars on May 8 on "War on Terrorism: Nepal's Perspective" before he left for New York to address UN General Assembly's special session on children. PM Deuba would leave for London to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair before returning home. Leading dailies report.

Maoists Must Lay Down Arms: UML

In a remarkable departure from what it had been publicly saying, the main opposition CPN (UML) has concluded that the government should not talk with the Maoists before they lay down arms. The party reached the conclusion during its ongoing central committee meeting. Previously, the party had been calling for the government to initiate talks with Maoists to resolve the problem. The party asked rebels to lay down their arms as precondition for talks and offered to mediate if they complied. The central committee concluded that the rebels had lost "confidence" as they had unilaterally pulled out from earlier talks and attacked Royal Nepalese Army. In another significant development, the central committee rejected rebels' demand for constituent assembly. It rather decided to press the government to introduce amendment in the present constitution. The party also decided to launch ideologic! al fight against Maoists from grass roots level. Leading dailies report.

Maoists Admit Using Indian Territory

The Royal Nepalese Army has recovered a significant document of the Maoists revealing the rebels' decision not to oppose India as they needed to use Indian territory to expand their activities. The document, which was briefed by Brigadier Prakash Basnet to the visiting members of State Affairs Committee (SAC), exposes the Maoist duality as they had earlier been criticizing India as expansionist force. The document, which analyzes the contemporary situation, also has declared the central territory (including western region) under the command of its influential leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai as traitor region. It has declared the region as traitor following the arrest of senior leaders and revelation that Maoists had been using money looted from government banks for clandestine and illegal business. The SAC members said that the security situation in the region has greatly improved with the success of security operation there. Compiled from reports.

A Wanted Maoist Surrenders

A day after the Royal Nepalese Army released pictures of additional 20 wanted Maoist terrorists, one of the rebel leaders named has surrendered before the district administration in Kavre. Former labor minister of state Govinda Upreti gave himself up by being personally present at the office. A leftist political leader from the district, Upreti had been representing the district in various capacities in the past. He was elected as MP on UML ticket during the first two general elections after the restoration of democracy. He then switched to the ML party. During the government-Maoist talks last year, Upreti was seen addressing meetings organized by the rebels. The Royal Nepalese Army released his picture as wanted rebel leader in its television program on Monday. The army has already released pictures of 60 key rebel leaders including its chairman Prachanda and has requested public to help capture them. Compiled from reports.

Govt. Undecided On Emergency Extension

A senior minister in Deuba cabinet on Wednesday (May 8) conceded that the government was still undecided on the issue of extension of emergency. The state of emergency imposed last November will end on May 25 unless it is extended by further six months by the parliament. Mahesh Acharya, Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives, said that the cabinet meeting has not sit to discuss the issue. He said such meeting could take only after Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba returns from his overseas trip next week. Meanwhile, newly appointed Attorney General Prem Bahadur Bista said that he would recommend the government for further extension of emergency period. Compiled from reports.

Gurkhas File Case In UK Court

Alleging that Gurkha soldiers in British Army have been receiving raw deal and have been meted out with discriminatory pay schemes, their lawyers filed case in the High Court in London. They allege that they received less pay and pensions and less access to their families than other soldiers. Barrister Cherie Booth, a leading lawyer and wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair, is representing the Gurkhas. It is reported that if they are successful it could cost the British Ministry of Defense up to 2 million pounds. Leading dailies report.

All Party Public Meeting

Leaders of seven political parties addressed the public on Friday (May 10) in Open Theater in Kathmandu in what is seen as an important all party meeting to show solidarity against violence and terrorism. President of ruling Nepali Congress, leader of the main opposition as well as presidents and senior leaders of other political parties addressed the meeting. Girija Prasad Koirala, former prime minister and Congress president, said the meeting was organized to show the unity of all political parties. The political parties have said that the meeting was organized also to safeguard the achievements of the people's movement of 1990. The meeting is also a part of their bid to mobilize people and isolate Maoists. Compiled from reports.

Maoist Threats Force Youths To Leave Homes

Unable to cope with the persisting pressures from the Maoists to join their armed group, youths from several villages in mid western region are leaving their homes en masse. "I had to leave my house at 3 am in the morning as Maoists continued to pressure that at least one member of each family must join their forces," Nar Bahadur Budhathoki of Simli VDC of Rukum district told KANTIPUR daily. The vice chairman of the VDC who has come to Nepalgunj leading a team of 260 youths ñ including those ranging from 12 to 65 years of age ñ said all youths of his village have already migrated. Thousands of youths are fleeing the villages and coming to either urban centers in the country or migrating to India for the fear of Maoists. Leading dailies report.

Maoists Have Looted 330 M From Banks

In their campaign of destroying physical infrastructures and looting public banks, the Maoists have already looted 330 million rupees from three major public commercial banks. Besides, they have also destroyed physical properties worth tens of millions of rupees by attacking 162 bank offices in the country. Likewise, they have also looted 100 guns and destroyed important financial documents of those offices. The destruction of such important documents have hampered the functioning of those banks. Till now, the Maoists have destroyed 132 branch offices of Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), 17 offices of Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) and 13 offices of Nepal Bank Limited (NBL). Leading dailies report.

Nepalese In US Pledge Support

Nepalese citizens living in the United States have pledged their support and assistance to the visiting Prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on the country's ongoing fight against Maoists. The support from Nepalese citizens comes days after the US government gave full backing and pledged military and economic assistance to the Nepalese government. In a united display of solidarity, various Nepalese organizations in the US came out with firm support for Deuba. They even supported Deuba's stance of resuming talks only after the Maoists surrender their arms. Leading dailies report.