Transport Strike Likely To Continue

After the government expressed its unwillingness to agree to all demands raised by the transport entrepreneurs, the latter have announced they will continue with their 6-day-long transport strike in the western region of the country. The western transport entrepreneurs had reached an oral agreement with the government representative on Saturday (June 21) after they sat for dialogue to end the five-day-long bus strikes in the western region of the country. But on Sunday, the Ministry of Transport Management declined to sign the agreement saying the government was unable to implement some of its points. Subsequently, the entrepreneurs have threatened that they could now impose transport strike across the country. Compiled from reports.

NC Meets To Decide On Common Agenda

Koirala

With the view to forge the party's line on the common agenda to be agreed by the five agitating parties, the central working committee of the Nepali Congress is meeting since Sunday (June 22). The CWC meeting is expected to come to an agreement on Monday. The five parties have said they will announce their common agenda to restore people's rights. Meanwhile, Girija Prasad Koirala, president of NC, warned of action against any leader who speaks against the movement. With particular reference to senior Congress leader Shailaja Acharya, he said as the five parties' joint movement was democratic, it would be wrong for any leader of Congress to speak against it. Acharya, on the other hand, replied that the NC made a mistake by following the agenda of other parties and not taking the lead. Leading dailies report.

Bhattarai Calls For Sticking To Agreement

Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, coordinator of the Maoists talks team, said the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) should not be complaining about the agreement reached in the second round of talks relating to the restricting the army movement within 5 kilometer radius of its barracks. "We will also honor the agreement and not venture outside our areas," Dr. Bhattarai said speaking at a program organized by its students wing All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU-Revolutionary). Dr. Bhattarai warned that the country would be forced into a tragic period if the talks were broken. Annapurna Post daily reports.

Refugees Burn JVT Report

The refugees of the Khudunabari camp burned the result published by the Joint Verification Team (JVT) on Sunday (June 22). Irked by the results that categorized less than 3 percent of the 12000 plus refugees of the camp that were verified as the bona fide Bhutanese citizens, the refugee leaders have vehemently opposed the JVT calling for its dissolution. Thinley Penjore, president of Druk National Party, said that the JVT result has triggered uncertainty among the 100,000 refugees languishing at different camps in eastern Nepal. Compiled from reports.

Bush Administration Asks For Nepalese Army Support

The Bush Administration has asked for the military support from 40 countries around the world including Nepal to establish peace in Iraq. The Bush Administration has estimated that it requires 20,000 additional troops from other countries to maintain peace there. Madan Prasad Aryal, spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense, confirmed that the Bush Administration has made such request to Nepal. He said Nepal was positive to this request. The details of the report regarding the number of troops requires is still not made clear. Currently, there are 213,000 US army in Iraq and Kuwait. Leading dailies report.

Maoists Accuse US Of Hatching A Conspiracy

Krishna Bahadur Mahara, a politburo member of the Maoists and spokesperson of its talks team, accused that the United States was hatching a conspiracy by playing its cards from behind the scenes.Addressing the Maoists' rally in the capital on Friday (June 20), Mahara said they had declared ceasefire four months back ėrealizing the ground reality of the country and increasing US interference'. He also accused the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) and ėold regime' of trying to disrupt the peace talks. Leading dailies report.

8 Killed In Jajarkot Incident

Eight persons were killed including an assistant commander of the Maoists last Wednesday in Jajarkot when the rebels attacked the army team that had gone to the remote Dalli Village Development Committee (VDC) to provide medical services to the local people. The Maoists objected to the presence of army and asked them to return. The mediators even tried to broker a dialogue between the two sides but in vain. According to reports, Maoists opened the fire. In the ensuing clashes that lasted for 5 hours, seven Maoists and one innocent bystander was killed. Kantipur daily reports.

Badal Seeks Support From India, China

Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal, a politburo member of the Maoists and its military wing chief, asked for help from China and India to make the peace bid in Nepal successful. Badal, who is also a member of the talks team, said China and India would lose most if the United States succeeds in its conspiracy (to disrupt talks). Pointing to US' 5-year anti-terrorism agreement with Nepalese government and its decision to enlist Maoists as terrorists even after they came for peace talks, as indications of US intention. It is the first time Maoists have asked for international help in peace talks since they entered dialogue process four months ago. Badal even asked for similar help from European Union (EU). Of late, the Maoists are increasingly coming out against the US. Their rally on Firday also focused on shrill anti-US sloganeering. Meanwhile, Badal also said that the Maoist leaders want to meet directly with the King before sitting for the third round of talks. He said requests to that regard has already been forwarded to the palace. He said conspirators in between as having tried to obstruct their direct meeting with the King. Rajdhani daily reports.

Five Parties Announce Fifth Phase

The meeting of the five agitating parties announced their fifth phase of agitation against regression. The fifth phase of agitation includes programs like protest rally, demonstrations, boycotting Prime Minister and ministers and calling meeting of the members of the dissolved House of Representatives. They decided to continue to press for making the properties of King Gyanendra and Late King Birendra public. They decided to collect people's signature regarding this. Meanwhile, the leadership of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) has directed its cadres to intensify the agitation programs. Leading dailies report.

NHRC Officials Meet With The PM

The officials of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) met with the Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa on Thursday (June 19). The officials discussed about the human rights situation. They urged the Prime Minister to enter into separate human rights agreement with the Maoists. The officials even submitted a draft human rights agreement to the Prime Minister. Chairman of the commission Nayan Bahadur Khatri, members Dr. Gauri Shankar Lal Das and Sushil Pyakuryal met with the PM. Leading dailies report.

PM Meets With Facilitators

The government wants to go ahead with the peace talks without drawing into controversy the issues and decisions taken at the earlier talks. Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa told the facilitators of peace dialogue that his government wanted to initiate talks with the Maoists as soon as possible. Four facilitators Shailendra Prasad Upadhyaya, Daman Nath Dhungana, Karna Dhoj Adhikari and Padma Ratna Tuladhar met with Prime Minister on Wednesday. Government talks team members Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani and Kamal Thapa were also present at the meeting. According to Tuladhar, the government talks team members expressed confusion regarding the controversial ėdecision' of restricting the movement of army within five kilometer radius of their barracks. "The Prime Minister said that the government is very serious on dialogue and wants to make it more managed and effective," Tuladhar said. Meanwhile, the peace dialogue coordination secretariat became operational since Wednesday. Janak Raj Joshi, a joint secretary, has been appointed to head the secretariat. The first cabinet meeting of the Thapa government had decided to form the secretariat to give institutional identity to the peace process. Leading dailies report.

House Can Be Reinstated Either By King Or By SC: Speaker

Ranabhat

Speaker Taranath Rana Bhat has said that the House of Representatives could be reinstated either by King or by the Supreme Court. "The House can be reinstated either by King or by Supreme Court. However, we must go for fresh polls, then," said the speaker. Addressing an interaction organized by Forum for Intellectual Debate, he said the apex court could review its decision and form ėprovisional parliament' to go for the polls. Leading dailies reports.

Ministry Investigating Lhakpa's Record

The Ministry of Tourism is scrutinizing the claims of fastest ascent of Mount Everest made by Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa. Initial probes show that Lhakpa's claims of having climbed the mountain in record 10 hours 56 minutes will be established. Lhakpa turned up at the ministry on Tuesday (June 17) together with his pictures at the Everest peak where he is seen with another reputed climber Appa Sherpa, who has climbed the peak for 13th time. Lhakpa also took some of the climbers who he met during his climb to corroborate his claims. Lhakpa's record of fastest climb came under cloud after another climber Pemba Dorje Sherpa' whose record of climbing Everest in 12 hours 56 minutes was broken three days later by him, charged that he had made false claims. Pemba Dorje Sherpa had filed a case at the Ministry making the charge. The Ministry called Lhakpa to investigate the charge. According to Shankar Koirala, joint secretary at the Ministry, the facts will be made public soon. Kantipur daily reports.