News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Maoists Destroy Infrastructure

The Maoist insurgents have destroyed a sub-station of the state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) by exploding a powerful bomb at Harsaha VDC in Rautahat district Saturday night. Electricity supply in adjoining 30 VDCs has been disrupted due to explosion in the sub-station. The terrorists have also destroyed a mobile tower and telephone tower at Nitanpur in adjoining Bara district in central terai Saturday evening by exploding a powerful bomb. The explosion has also damaged a F. M. relay-tower of the Radio Nepal that was located within the premises of the local unit of the Nepal Telecommunications Corporation. Several industries and businesses have been affected due to the explosion in the telephone exchange with the 2000-line telephone capacity. Gorkhapatra Sep. 16.

Police Chief's Remarks Spark Row

Political leaders taking part in the all-party meet convened by the Election Commission on Thursday were taken aback when none other than chief of Nepal Police, Pradip Shumsher JB Rana, suggested that the elections should be postponed by at least four months "due to the deteriorating law and order conditions in the country." Saying that he was expressing his views as a voter and citizen, Mr. Rana suggested that the polls be held during February-March next year. Talking to reporters after the meeting, leader of the Jana Morcha Nepal, a left outfit, Amik Sherchan, said that it was a dangerous sign. Krishna Sitaula of ruling Nepali Congress claimed that police chief's remarks hinted towards a deep conspiracy. Analysts say the country will fall into a constitutional crisis if the elections could not be held on November 13. In a written clarification submitted to Home Ministry on Sep. 16, Rana refuted having said anything for postponement of the elections. Compiled from reports.

"Economy Heading Towards Recession:"

Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, Dr. Tilak Rawal, has said the Nepalese economy was heading towards a state of recession mainly due to deteriorating law and order situation in the country. Addressing an interaction program here Thursday, Dr. Rawal, however, hoped that the country's economy could reach the target of four percent growth in the current fiscal year if the security situation improved. The governor said that though the economy was not in a good shape, Nepal could emerge out of the present economic crisis if the country could regularize the flow of remittance in 'hard currency' and promote tourism. He also added that the economic fundamentals of the country were still sound. Compiled from reports Sep. 13.

NHRC Calls Upon Maoists To Respect Human Rights

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has stated that the heart-rending and brutal incidents caused by the Maoists at Sindhuli, Arghakhanchi and some other districts in the last few days have resulted in not only irreparable loss and extreme violation of human rights but the sentiments of the Nepalese believing that the problem should be resolved peacefully through dialogue has also been hurt. In a statement issued Wednesday, NHRC chairman Nayan Bahadur Khatri has called upon the Maoists to be serious about the rights of the people to live and immediately stop damaging physical structures, private and public property, triggering blast at educational institutions and business firms and abducting people. The NHRC stated that it is of the firm view that under no condition should the human rights of any person be violated and called upon HMG/Nepal and concerned parties to create a conducive atmosphere to ensure law and order through dialogue. RSS news agency reports.

"Emergency Will Not Be Re-imposed :" Deuba

Ending weeks-long uncertainty, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has categorically ruled out the possibility of re-imposing the state of emergency in the country. Talking to a visiting delegation of the Vienna-based International Press Institute here last Wednesday, premier Deuba said that he was not in favor of extending the state of emergency. He, however, hinted that emergency rules could be imposed partially in certain parts of the country worst affected by the Maoist violence. The premier admitted that the security agencies were still learning to respect human rights while fighting terrorism. He said a democratic government could not be irresponsible like the terrorists. Interestingly, Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel has said that the government is set to re-impose the state of emergency in wake of the sudden rise in criminal and terror activities following the end of the state of emergency in the country. Addressing an interaction program in the capital Wednesday, the junior minister said a decision to this effect will be taken soon after consultations with all the political parties by premier Deuba.Space Time Sep. 13.

Maoist Leader Says His Party Is Ready For Dialogue

Three days after devastating attacks by his guerrillas in Sindhuli and Arghakhanchi districts, chairman of the underground CPN (Maoist) Comrade Prachanda has expressed his party's readiness to declare a cease-fire for a 'positive and peaceful' political way out. In a statement issued Wednesday, Mr. Prachanda said, "We are ready to declare cease-fire and participate in the process of dialogue at any point, should the government desires so for a positive and political way out. He did not explain. Kantipur daily reports.

PM Refutes News Report

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has, in a statement here, said that the news published in a weekly newspaper Wednesday in connection with the relations between HM the King and the Prime Minister is totally false and misleading. Publication of such 'erroneous and malicious' news by using the word "misunderstanding" between HM and the prime minister is a very objectionable matter, Prime Minister Deuba said. Recommendation for reconstitution of the cabinet is the prime minister's business and the constitution of the kingdom of Nepal also guarantees that including or excluding anyone in the cabinet comes under the authority of the prime minister, Deuba said, adding that His Majesty does not make any suggestion or expression for including the name of any person in the cabinet nor has His Majesty done so at the present. RSS news agency reports.

"India Behind Maoist Attacks On Nepal :" Ranabhat

Speaker of the dissolved House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat has leveled serious allegations that India has been waging attacks upon the King and people of Nepal by providing shelter to Nepalese Maoists. Addressing the function to launch the book, "Nepal's national security and border management" written by Buddhi Narayan Shrestha here Friday (Sep. 13), Ranabhat categorically said that India was behind the Maoist attacks on Nepal. "We are very sorry to say that India has turned out into the shelter for the Maoists. Only if our neighbor had been sympathetic to us, the guns being carried out by the Maoists would have turned into logs of wood," Ranabhat added. He did not elaborate. The Speaker also alleged India of diverting Bhutanese refugees to Nepal and imposing the refugee problem on her. "We should regulate our open border as soon as possible in order to avoid such problems," he said. CPN (UML) leader Hiranya Lal Shrestha said that the Maoists were importing arms and ammunition from India through over 1,700 km long common, open border. He said that due to open border, invasion of a 'silent population' was taking place which was very dangerous from the point of view of national security. Nepal Samacharpatra Sep. 14.

Transparency Intl Calls For Fair Rolls

Transparency International Nepal (TIN) chapter, an anti-corruption watchdog, has appealed all the political parties, the Election Commission (EC) and the public to ensure free, fair and meaningful general elections in November. The elections could lead to control of corruption and hope for a positive turnaround for Nepal, TIN said in a statement. TIN alleged that not only the winning and losing candidates breached the commitments mentioned in their manifesto, the political parties are also not holding up their commitments. TIN has asked the parties to commit to the distribution of voters' identity cards. As far as the candidates were concerned, it said that only those with a clean image should be allowed to contest in the upcoming mid-term polls. In its appeal to the EC, TIN has asked for transparency in election expenditures and to ensure that the parties not accept donations from those with doubtful image and character. The names of those donating money to the parties must be made public, it said. "EC should ensure that parties spend within the limits." TIN also called upon the general public to ask the candidates many questions to determine their commitment towards them. The electorate should know whether their chosen one is capable to handle the public post or not, it said. "It is the duty of the citizens to ensure that the corrupt do not enter the parliament," TIN asserted. Compiled from reports.

Deuba Visits Arghakhanchi, Assures Help

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba visited Sandhikharka, the district headquarters of western district of Arghakhanchi, Tuesday morning two days after nearly seventy people had been killed, most of them security personnel, in a major Maoist attack. The team comprising Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka and other senior officials, inspected the site of devastation and was badly shocked to see the carnage, reports said. The premier and other officials were shocked to see the level of devastation, sources said. The premier has assured that the government would release funds to reconstruct government offices and provide compensation to local people who were killed or whose houses burnt by the rebels. The premier later held meeting with senior security officials in Pokhara before returning to the capital. The premier will consult political leaders and security chiefs before announcing new measures to fight insurgency, sources said. A meeting of the council of ministers, probably on Wednesday, is expected to take a crucial decision on whether to extend the state of emergency or not. Over one hundred security personnel were killed due to Maoist attacks in Sindhuli and Arghakhanchi during the weekend--- days after the nine-month long state of emergency expired late last month. Compiled from reports.

IMF Asks Govt To Continue Reforms

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called upon the Nepalese authorities to demonstrate a firm and sustained commitment to reforms in order to reinvigorate growth. In a statement issued after the annual Article IV consultation of the party early this month, the IMF noted that the deteriorating security situation and adverse external shocks had contributed to the recent weakness in growth. The Executive Directors of the IMF, however, welcomed the authorities' efforts to maintain macroeconomic stability and to push ahead with structural reforms under difficult circumstances. The IMF has urged the authorities to strengthen public sector reforms and revive their efforts to privatize public enterprises listed for early sale and assess the financial position of other enterprises with a view to making decisions on future privatization. Compiled from reports.