News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

A Kid Dies In Explosion

A 12-year-old boy Ijan Shrestha was killed after the Maoists exploded a bomb apparently targeting a police vehicle. Three other civilians and three police personnel were also injured in the incident that occurred in busy street of Narayangadh on Sunday (August 15) evening. Shrestha was traveling with his father in a motorcycle when the explosion occurred. Shestha died in a hospital where he was rushed after the incident. His father, too, was injured. Meanwhile, a Maoist cadre and a villager were killed after a group of villagers tried to stop the Maoists from abducting Kamal Lal Thandar, a former chairman of Tetariya VDC in Morang district. Four Maoists had come in motorcycles to abduct Thandar. When the local people stopped them, a Maoist opened fire and killed Shiva Narayan Majhi. Consequently, the villagers nabbed one of the Maoists and killed him. Other three Maoists fled the scene leaving behind their motorcycles. Leading dailies report.

CIAA Files Cases Against Three Ex-IGPs

The anti-corruption watchdog - the Commission for the Investigation of the Abuse of Authority (CIAA) - has filed cases of corruption against three former police chiefs (Inspector General of Police) at the Special Court on Friday (August 13). The CIAA has charged former IGPs Achyut Krishna Kharel, Motilal Bohara and Pradeep SJB Rana of corruption. The commission has charged the former top cops of amassing wealth beyond the known source of their income. Meanwhile, all the three of the former IGPs were found to have ‘absconded’ as the CIAA failed to produce them in the court. The CIAA has accused Rana of amassing Rs 37.78 million; Bohara of amassing Rs 23.82; and Kharel of amassing Rs 16.33 million through corruption. Compiled from reports.

Agitation Against Price Hike

The seven student organizations affiliated to various political parties have vowed to carry on with the agitation against the recent government decision to increase the price of petroleum products. In a meeting of the organizations held on Saturday (August 13), they decided to fix programs of agitation including holding rallies and demonstrations. Interestingly, among the seven student organizations include organizations affiliated to ruling Nepali Congress (Democratic) and the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) party. Leading dailies report.

Maoist Attack In Hospital

Patients, doctors and nurses had to run for their lives after the Maoists opened fire at security personnel resulting in two-way fire at the Mahendra Hospital of Ghorahi in Dang on Tuesday night (August 10). Although nobody was hurt in the incident, the bullet pierced a hole at the wall of the emergency room. Likewise, the bullets also hit the pharmacy room. Patients, doctors, nurses and attendants had to take shelter under the beds. According to the Superintendent of Police Biswo Raj Singh, the incident occurred after the Maoists opened fire from a hiding to a team of security personnel who were visiting the hospital to see their colleague. Meanwhile, the health professionals of the district have issued a statement deploring the incident and strongly urging the concerned parties to respect the sanctity of hospital and recognize it as peace zone. Kantipur daily reports.

Maoist Bomb A Passenger Bus

In a blatant act, the Maoists have exploded a bomb inside a passenger bus in Dhangadhi on Wednesday (August 11) killing an innocent driver. The bomb exploded soon after the passengers boarded off it. Navaraj Bhatta, a driver from an impoverished family, was instantly killed after he tried to take out a bag that had been left unattended inside the bus. Bhatta is survived by a wife and two kids. Kantipur daily reports.

Air Attacks Continue In Achham

The air attack launched on Tuesday by the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) against the Maoists in Achham district continued on Wednesday (August 11). The RNA had launched an air attack against the Maoists at Kamal Bazar and Binayak area of Bhasule, said Navraj Dhakal, the officiating chief district officer (CDO) of Achham. No casualty has been reported so far. As Kamal Bazar and Binayak areas are known to be infested by the Maoists, the RNA had undertaken the operation, said major Manoj Panta of RNA’s western division headquarters, Nepalgunj. Meanwhile, in another incident, around 800 Maoist trainees were able to escape the place when the security forces gheraoed the Chhatedhunga area of Tehrathum district. The forces had gheraoed the area on the basis of information that the Maoists were undergoing training there. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

Govt, CE Ink Pact For Petro Exploration

Government signed two agreements with the Cairn Energy Plc of Britain on Wednesday (August 11) that allow the British multinational to explore petroleum at five locations in southern Terai plains of Nepal. Dinesh Chandra Pyakurel, Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Dr. Michael John Watts, exploration director of CE signed the accords on behalf of their respective organizations. The first agreement will allow the CE to explore petroleum in Dhangadhi and Karnali areas, whereas the second one is for Lumbini, Birgunj and Malangawa areas. The exploration rights agreements are for a four-years contract period, with a four year of extension period based on progress in work. As per the agreement, CE will have to submit a work-plan within a month. The five blocks cover a combined area of 24,521 sq. km. “Though petroleum exploration is like gambling, we are confident on our mission in Nepal. Our experience in Bangladesh and India motivated us to come to Nepal,” said Dr. Watts. “We are expecting to invest about US$ 20-25 million initially. This amount will go up once we discover reliable petroleum reserves,” he said. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

PM Deuba Heads The High Level Peace Committee

The cabinet meeting on Thursday formally formed a High Level Peace Committee headed by the Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. The committee, which will guide and direct the government towards peace efforts and draw up common political concept, has general secretary of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) Madhav Kumar Nepal, president of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Pashupati SJB Rana, president of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) Badri Prasad Mandal and Information Minister Dr. Mohamad Mohsin as members. The government spokesperson Dr. Mohsin said that the committee will now soon form a peace secretariat. Leading dailies report.

Shobhraj Sentenced To Life

The Kathmandu District Court has sentenced Charles Gurumukh Shobhraj for life imprisonment and ordered confiscation of his property convicting him of killing an American national Connie Jo Bronich in Nepal in 1975. Shobhraj, an international serial killer, was arrested ten months ago in Kathmandu after a newspaper detailed his presence in the capital. As per the Section 13(3) of the Murder Chapter of Civil Code 1963, Shobhraj’s life term means 20 years in jail. However, the court is silent on the charge of murdering a Canadian national Laurent Ormond Carrierre, who was a friend of Bronich and was staying in Kathmandu then. Carrierre was also killed on the same day in Kathmandu. But case file registered at that time against Shobhraj in connection with Carrierre’s murder could not be found. Meanwhile, Shobhraj has vowed to appeal the verdict in the Appellate Court soon. Leading dailies report.

SC Stops Lumbini From Carrying Out Selection

In response to reply furnished by the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management, the Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 10) ordered the Lumbini Overseas Manpower Agency to stop selecting employees to be sent to South Korea. The Labor Minister Raghuji Panta and authorities under him had filed pleas at the SC against a recent court order staying the lottery system in picking manpower for South Korea. Leading dailies report.

Koirala Endorses NSU Dissolution Decision

Girija Prasad Koirala, president of the Nepali Congress (NC), has endorsed the decision of the party general secretary Sushil Koirala to dissolve the Nepal Students Union (NSU) central committee. Koirala made the decision a day after he was asked by the Central Working Committee (CWC) members to settle the controversy. Over a dozen CWC members who had opposed the move of Sushil Koirala had asked party president to make the decision. Contrary to party president’s assurances that he would decide after hearing all sides, he quickly endorsed the general secretary’s decision surprising many. “The decision is unfortunate,” said Gururaj Ghimire, president of the dissolved NSU. “He has made the decision contrary to assurances he had given,” said Ram Chandra Poudel, senior Congress leader. Compiled from reports.

Nepal Vows UML Will Not Step Down From The Govt.

The general secretary of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) Madhav Kumar Nepal has vowed that his party would not step down from the government before completing its tasks. “The UML has joined the government with the objective of fulfilling certain tasks like peace building. We will not return without completing those tasks,” said Nepal, addressing a Farmers’ Conference in Kathmandu. Trashing the claims made by certain quarters that the UML was in double mind over continuing in the government, Nepal said, “Let everyone understand clearly that UML is firm in its commitment to carry out the tasks in hand.” Nepal added that the people-oriented budget and efforts to root out irregularities in manpower business were two major achievements of the current government. Compiled from reports.

EU Urges For Ceasefire

The European Union (EU) has urged both the conflicting parties to announce ceasefire and start lasting and sustainable peace process. The EU has assured of all sorts of political support to the government in this regard. The Union has stated that the present Sher Bahadur Deuba government could provide an appropriate opportunity for the resolution of the problem. In a statement released by the Danish Embassy in Kathmandu, the EU has also asked all to respect human rights. Leading dailies report.

No Labor Exploitation Here: Hotel Soaltee

The management and the employees’ union of the five star Hotel Soaltee have clarified that there is no exploitation of labor in their hotels. At a press meet organized on Tuesday (August 10), the hotel management and employees refuted, in one voice, charges of exploitation and spying leveled by pro-Maoist trade union. They said the recent news reports that quoted a statement by the pro-Maoist trade union alleging the Hotel of the charges were baseless and ill-informed. “Compared to other hotels, we are providing attractive salaries and remunerations to our workers,” said Surya Bahadur Kunwar, chairman of the Nepal Independent Hotel Employees Union, Soaltee Hotel chapter. “We have the practice of sorting out all problems through dialogue between employees and management,’ he added. Likewise, other employees also said that although the Hotel ran in loss, their regular increment in salary had not been affected. There are 767 employees working in the Hotel and any move to obstruct the hotel would hamper the livelihood of their families. At the press meet, general manager of the Hotel Rajib Malla said that although they had not received any formal or informal letter from the pro-Maoist trade union, they had to respond to the news reports that were being circulated. It was also revealed at the program that the investment in Hotel Soaltee was divided in the following manner: Soaltee Enterprises 39.37 percent; Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation 12.26 percent; Holiday Inn Investment Nepal Ltd, Hong Kong 10 percent; Oberoi Hotel Pvt Ltd, India 6.84 percent; and employees and staffs 31.33 percent. Leading dailies report.