News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Maoists Call 'Bandh' Coinciding With Polls

In what is seen as a pressure tactic and a bid to disrupt polls, the CPN (Maoist) party has called three-day nationwide shutdown strike (Nepal bandh) from November 11 to 13 this year coinciding with the mid-term polls. The polls are slated on November 13. In a joint statement faxed to media organizations on Saturday, chairman of the underground party, Comrade Prachanda alias Pushpa Kamal Dahal and leader of the 'joint revolutionary people's council' (parallel government of the Maoists) Dr. Baburam Bhattarai have said that their party was ready to withdraw the protest program and observe 'cease fire' if the government was ready to opt for a positive political way out. The underground party has been demanding formation of an interim government and (elections to the) constituent assembly as the political way out to the current political impasse. The government is yet to respond to the latest Maoist move. Kantipur Sep. 22.

Malla (right) and Gurung after their release

Pilot And Passenger Of The Chopper Realeased

Captain Arun Malla and passenger Indra Bahadur Gurung of the Karnali Air chopper that was burnt by the Maoist rebels in eastern Nepal on Thursday returned safe to the capital Saturday. The rebels had released them after taking them into custody for several hours. Talking to reporters upon his return, Captain Malla narrated the tale of how a group of over two dozen armed Maoist rebels abducted him and Gurung before setting fire on the chopper at Jubu in Solukhumbu district. The chopper, with five people aboard, was on a humanitarian mission. The rebels had also torched another private sector chopper in Jiri two years back. Compiled from reports Sep. 22.

Dr. Koirala

Koirala Appointed As Chief Secretary

The Council of Ministers on Thursday has appointed Finance Secretary, Dr. Bimal Prasad Koirala, as Chief Secretary of HMG/Nepal, newspaper reports said. The decision is yet to be announced formally. Koirala will be succeeding outgoing Chief Secretary, Keshav Raj Rajbhandari, who is retiring on the basis of his age with effect from Friday. Dr. Koirala was in the third position in terms of seniority. Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office Sri Kanta Regmi has already gone on three week's leave as a form of protest and Secretary at the Election Commission, Shambhu Prasad Khanal, has also expressed his dissatisfaction over the government's decision. Compiled from reports Sep. 20.

"Maoists' Head Quarter Is In India": Pathak

A day after Indian envoy to Nepal, Mr. Ashok Kumar, said that India would apprehend and hand over Maoist insurgents upon being informed about their whereabouts, a noted human rights activist, Sudip Pathak, has gone on record saying that the headquarter of the underground CPN (Maoist) is based in India. Talking to reporters in mid-western town of Nepalgunj Wednesday, Pathak said that the Maoist headquarter was being operated by a five-member team. He did not provide their location. They have re-structured their organization after the state of emergency and launch their activities through a chain of command comprising headquarters, politburo, central committee, regional committees and district committees, he said. Pathak said that the Maoists have authorized secretary of the respective district committees to carry out 'actions' at the local level. Meanwhile, Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka has said that talks between the government and rebels were possible only if the latter gave up their demands for (elections to the) constituent assembly. Space Time Sep. 20.

Koirala Calls For Party Unity

A day after the Election Commission recognized it as an official Nepali Congress, NC President and former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has called for broader unity in the ruling party. In a press statement issued Wednesday, Koirala said the EC's decision had provided a new opportunity for rethinking to friends within the party who were confused following dissolution of the House of Representatives by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. The central working committee has already approved the concept paper for a new policy and program for farsighted reforms and changes in the party taking into consideration the present situation and challenges of the country, democracy and Nepali Congress, Koirala said adding that the concept paper also includes policy decisions regarding the development and amendments to be made in the present constitution for a political resolution of the Maoist problem. Koirala alleged that the government had done nothing so far to promote an atmosphere congenial for resolving the Maoist problem, holding the forthcoming mid-term elections in a free and fair manner and safeguarding the life and property of the people, Koirala demanded that the government to give serious attention towards these ends. He also called upon all his party colleagues to forget the past differences and unite and fulfill their responsibilities in accordance with the decisions taken by the 10th NC general convention held in Pokhara. Leading dailies report.

Maoists Abduct Jaisi And Others, Kill Prople

A group of armed Maoist rebels have abducted outgoing chairman of Achham DDC and UML activist Krishna Prasad Jaisi while he was on his way to Dhangadhi via Doti, along with his colleague, early this week. Jaisi's colleague has already been released. A popular local leader, Jaisi was actively engaged in reconstructing Mangalsen, the district headquarters of Achham, destroyed during the Maoist attacks early this year. In yet another incident, a group of half a dozen armed Maoist cadres have kidnapped four UML district committee members in Tanahun in western Nepal, the party said. The CPN (UML) has deplored the act and demanded immediate release of its party workers. In mid-western region, a group of Maoist terrorists have brutally murdered Hansaraj Chaudhary of Beluwa, Bardia and Ram Prasad Tharu of Naubasta, Banke Monday night. They chopped off the limbs of Tilak Mahat, a local resident. In Gorkha, the Maoist insurgents freed head master of Bindabasini secondary school, Nareswar SB Upadhyay who had been abducted from his house on Sunday after taking him into custody for two days. Compiled from reports Sep. 18.

Travel Entrepeneurs Demand RNAC Split

Tourism entrepreneurs have urged the government to dissolve the state-owned Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) and form two separation companies to carry out domestic and international services. Taking part in an interaction program organized by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation here Tuesday, tourism entrepreneurs said there was an urgent need to rescue the national flag carrier without further delay. The RNAC has a total liability of nearly Rs 2.05 billion while it has yet to collect over Rs 280 million from different agencies and individuals. The high level task force led by National Planning Commission (NPC) member Dr. Shanker Sharma had recently suggested that the RNAC should either be split into two companies or be privatized according to the existing Privatization Act. Leading dailies report Sep. 18.

"India Doesn't Provide Shelter To Maoists"

Charge d' affaires at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu, Ashok Kumar, has categorically said that the government of India doesn't provide shelter to Nepalese Maoist rebels. Addressing a face to face program here Wednesday, Kumar said that Indian authorities had been apprehending and handing over Maoist rebels wanted by Nepal from time to time. He reiterated his government's commitment to extend Nepal every possible support in its fight against terror. Kumar said condemned the violent methods adopted by the Maoists and said India would welcome any information that will enable it to take action against the Maoists. He said India had already provided two helicopters, arms, ammunition, training, transport and communication equipment to Nepal as per the latter's request. He said that his government was considering Nepal's request for more (military) support. But he did not give details. Kumar was addressing the media days after senior leaders including Speaker in the dissolved House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat had alleged that India was sponsoring Maoist terrorism against Nepalese people and the King by providing shelter to top Maoist leadership. Compiled from reports.

Nearly 50 Maoists Killed

At least 50 Maoist rebels were killed at the weekend as security forces shot dead 38 of them during separate encounters and eleven more were killed while trying to manufacture a bomb in the mid-western district of Banke, reports said. According to Defense Ministry, 17 terrorists were killed in various places of Rolpa district and six in Chitwan district during the on-going search operations. Eight more rebels were killed in Dadeldhura district. Likewise, three more rebels were killed during action of security forces in Syangja , three in Salyan and one Ilam district. The security forces confiscated arms, ammunition and explosives from the sites of encounter, the Ministry said. A security personnel who was injured in an encounter with the insurgents at Bhikimli area of Myagdi district on Saturday died while undergoing treatment, the Ministry said. In a separate incident, 12 people including eleven Maoist terrorists were killed while they were trying to assemble a "pressure cooker bomb" at the house of Jukhu Ram Chaudhary at Fattepur VDC-7 in Banke district Saturday afternoon. One of the deceased included a seven year old grand-daughter of Chaudhary. Police quoted Chaudhary as saying that the rebels had forcibly used his house to manufacture the explosives. Meanwhile, the Indian Police have arrested three Maoist activists who were taking shelter at the bordering town of Raxual, reports said. Leading dailies report Sep. 23.

Currency Notes Exhibition Concludes

An exhibition of Nepalese currency notes concluded here Sunday showcasing a total of 98 currency notes in use since 1945. The exhibition, organized by Jaya Hari Jha, with support from Nepal Chamber of Commerce, was visited by around 10,000 visitors. According to experts, issuance of Nepali currency notes had begun some 1400 years after the first Nepali coins were minted. The first currency notes were sealed by Janak Raj Pandey, the cashier of Sadar Mulukikhana during the Rana regime. After the establishment of the Nepal Rastra Bank in 1959, first governor Himalaya Shumsher JB Rana had signed on the notes. Compiled from reports Sep. 23.