News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Dr. Bhattarai (middle) with members of Maoist talk team

Dr. Bhattarai Meets With Foreign Media

In an interaction with representatives of foreign media on March 30, the Maoist number two Dr. Baburam Bhattarai said he was trying to meet with the representatives of foreign missions in Kathmandu. "We are trying to fix appointments with the US, Indian, Chinese, EU and British missions," he said. He said that the United States should stay away from Nepal's internal affairs. "The US is unnecessarily interested here. It should stop interfering and creating unnecessary confusions," he said. Talking to foreign media, leader of the Maoist talk team Dr. Bhattarai said that they have enough strength to overthrow the government any time if India and China do not intervene. He said that the Maoists had to agree to ceasefire because there were international pressures. "There were lot of pressures particularly from the US, Britain and India. We came for dialogue because there were risks of interventions by them," he said. He repeated Maoist demand for a roundtable conference of all the parties led by the King, formation of interim government and election for constituent assembly. He also warned the King saying "history will decide" if the King is not flexible. "If he abdicates it would be ideal, we will find a proper position which can be discussed," he said. Dr. Bhattarai along with other leaders of Maoists including Ram Bahadur Thapa aka Badal, Dev Gurung, Matrika Yadav and Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who became public on Saturday, were present at the interaction with the correspondents of foreign media. Leading dailies report.

Maoists Meet With Koirala, Nepal

In what appears to be renewed attempts to gain confidence of sulking political parties, leader of the Maoist negotiating team Dr. Baburam Bhattarai met with the president of Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala and general secretary of Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) Madhav Kumar Nepal and assured them that Maoists had no intention of sidelining them. According to Krishna Prasad Sitaula, NC leader who was present during the meeting (with Koirala), Dr. Bhattarai, in his two hour long talks with Koirala, agreed there should be joint efforts from the political parties and the Maoists in order to establish people's rights. Koirala reportedly told Dr. Bhattarai that it would not be a good idea to go for the constituent assembly without proper homework as it could lead to further instability and confusion. Dr. Bhattarai also held similar talks with UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal. Leading dailies report.

Concern Over Psychological Problems

At least 30 percent of the residents of Kathmandu suffer from some sort of psychological problems. According to a research conducted recently by Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Public Health Department and Community Mental Health Center, the reasons for such a high number of psychological problems could be attributed to the busy schedule, job insecurity, complicated lifestyle, lack of family environment, noise pollution and political instability. "Over 38 percent of Kathmanduites have some psychological disorder, 11 percent have been facing different psychological problems since last year. And 45.33 percent of them had problematic family," states the report released on Sunday. "Most of the disorders are related to insomnia, anxiety, stress and drug addiction, terror, violence," said Dr. Baburam Gautam, chief of the Public Health Department. He said that these problems have been on the rise along with the growing urbanization. The research was done interviewing 300 households from six wards of KMC in December 2002. Compiled from reports.

Party Hold Over Military

The Maoist military wing leader Ram Bahadur Thapa aka Badal said that the party had total control over its military. "As the party became flexible for talks, so has the military," he said during the March 29 press conference in the capital. There were reports that one of the reason for the failure of previous talks between the Maoists and then Deuba government in 2001 was Thapa's anti-talks stance. Reports alleged that Thapa forced the party to pull back from the talks. Back then, Maoists withdrew from the talks and attacked barracks of Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) in Dang triggering the imposition of emergency state in the country. Meanwhile, when asked about the assassination of Armed Police Force Chief Krishna Mohan Shrestha and his wife, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, addressing the press meet, said that they were killed "in course of the battle". He also added that the party had come forward for the talks forgetting the past incidents. "Lets not talk about individuals. Many people died during the war. If you continue to rake up those things, the environment for talks could be spoiled," he warned. Compiled from reports.

Political Leaders Threaten Agitation

Even as the top leaders of Maoists were holding their first ever press briefing in the capital on March 29, the leaders of mainstream political parties met in the far-western town of Nepalgunj to deliver yet another salvo against the King asking him to either form all party government or reinstate the House of Representatives. Terming the current Chand government as unconstitutional, the leaders of Nepali Congress (NC), Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) and United Fronts (UF), vowed that they will organize movement to "return back the people's right from Narayanhity palace to Singh Durbar". "Shortly, the four parties will be declaring joint movement," said Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of the UML. Likewise, Sushil Koirala, general secretary of NC, said that all democrats have united to protect and promote the 1990 Constitution. Narayan Man Bijukchhe, president of NWPP, and Amik Sherchan, president of UF, also said that by sidelining the popular parties no peace process can succeed. Compiled from reports.

More Indian Choppers

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited of India is delivering two light Lancer choppers to Nepal this week, reports said. The choppers designed to be used in controlling rebellion in mountainous and jungle terrain, are improvement on the Chitah brands. According to reports, Nepalese government had placed orders for those choppers costing six million US dollars in total. The report quoted sources of the company that the Nepalese government had requested for those choppers to use it in its fights against the Maoists. At present, however, the Nepalese government and the Maoists have agreed to sit down for peace talks and there is a truce in the country. Nepal Samacharpatra March 30.

Jute Industries Face Bright Prospects

As many countries in the European Union are preparing to bring jute into use to replace polluting synthetics and plastics, Nepalese jute producers are keeping their fingers crossed about their future prospects. The jute industry, which had been suffering a terrible slowdown thanks to increase in the use of plastics and synthetics both in and outside the country, is now bracing for expanding the jute farming in the country. The Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) organized an interaction program last week to discuss ways to expand jute farming and to rescue the industry given its bright prospects. Leading dailies report .

Increase In Heroin Transaction

According to the Narcotics Drug Control and Law Enforcement Unit (NCDLEU), the transactions of contraband drug heroin have increased rapidly in the capital in the last two years. The officials at the unit point to increased production of opium in India as the reason for the rise. Heroin is produced from opium. The officials said that three years ago they had recovered 4.132 kg of heroin in the capital. Last year, they recovered 6.535 kg of heroin and this year they have already recovered about 6 kg of the drug. "Till few years ago, recovering even 100 grams of heroin used to be big news. It isn't so now," said an official at the unit. Leading dailies report.

Iraqi Refugees Trickling In

A few Iraqis have arrived in Kathmandu in order to escape the US-led war in their country, according to sources, but none can tell how many of them are seeking refuge in Nepal currently, reports THE HIMALAYAN TIMES daily. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has information on Iraqis arriving here but denied having any knowledge whether they are seeking asylum. "We have received information that Iraqis have been here but know no detail about them ñ whether they are here seeking refuge or in connection to some private works," said Abraham Abraham, officer in-charge at UNHCR. According to him the UNHCR is planning to hold a meeting with Nepal's government after attaining appropriate information regarding their influx to Nepal. The UNHCR has planned not to send back Iraqis because of invasion in Iraq by the coalition forces. "It is a very sensitive issue and individual safety should be ensured. The government's role will be important in handling asylum seekers," said Abraham. Meanwhile, government officials are not making any comments about the issue. Leading dailies report.

Gautam Defies Party Order

Bamdev Gautam, senior leader of the Unified Marxist Leninist, defied the party directives and made a speech on Monday (March 31). Gautam had been ordered by his party not to make statements in the public after he made controversial stand favoring the constituent assembly against the official party line, a few weeks ago. "I am breaching the party order not to speak in public. And I have no alternative," said Gautam. He also lambasted the party for taking action against him. Compiled from reports.