News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

School Kids Planting Mines Under Duress

Maoists are exploiting school students in Banke and Bardiya districts to plant road-mines on the highway. The students themselves narrated their woe to journalists who went visiting the obstructed Banke-Bardiya section of Mahendra Highway. A local Maoist leader, however, scoffed at the students’ allegation. Talking over telephone, he said, “We never compel them. They must have volunteered.” A student from Pushpanagar of Beluwa-6, Bardiya, said on condition of anonymity, “We were in class on Friday when Maoist cadres barged in and ordered us to set mines on the highway.” The student said they had never seen such explosives, but were having to do the Maoists’ bidding without caring for their lives. He added, “The Maoists hid nearby and instructed us how to set mines. We followed accordingly.” The Maoists are setting mines to the west of the Rapti to disrupt the Mahendra Highway, saying it is the last phase of their counter-attack from the third week of November. Parents complained they were cowed into silence and forced to watch their wards undertaking such risky operations. Students said 20-25 Maoists made five children dig up the highway at 8 pm yesterday. Pointing to a mound of earth, a student said, “There are two bombs under the soil.” The boy added some of the students who had dug the soil last night left for India this morning. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

Bhotekosi Presents New Proposal To The Govt.

The Bhotekosi Power Company has presented a new proposal to settle the payment dispute with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) including License Amendment and new Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to the government. Water Resource Ministry officials said that the proposal is aimed at resolving the payment settlement dispute, which arose after the company began to demand settlement for excess power than was earlier agreed upon. The company has the investment of US Texas-based Panda Energy International Inc. The government is under pressure to amend its generation license within this month. The 36-MW strong project is generating 45 MW of power and has been demanding payment for the excess power generated. The disputed amount has reached US$ 3.5 million. Kantipur daily reports.

Maoists Announce Bandh During Buddhist Conference

Maoists have announced two-day Rupandehi district bandh on November 30-December 1 to coincide with the Second Buddhist International Conference to be held in Lumbini (November 30-December 2). Even as the Tourism Minister Deep Kumar Upadhyaya had called the Maoists to declare truce for the conference period, the latter have responded with district bandh. The conference organizers have said that the bandh would not affect their program. They even hoped that the decision to announce bandh would be revoked by the Maoist leadership. If bandh takes place, the movement of the participants could be affected as many of them have been booked hotels in neighboring Bhairahawa and Butwal cities. Over 137 participants from 17 countries are taking part in the conference including ministers from eight countries. Leading dailies report.

PM Comes Down Hard Against Businessmen

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has charged the businessmen and industrialists of not helping the government in its efforts to initiate peace process. Likewise, he also accused them of non-cooperation in efforts to curb corruption. “Those who could resolve the crisis overnight when it affected them, are inactive to restore peace in the country,” PM Deuba said addressing the 38th Annual General Meeting of the FNCCI on Friday (November 26). He was referring to the successful initiative of the business community to break the impasse following the Maoist-imposed shutdown of industries a couple of months ago. PM Deuba also accused the business community of buying their safety by paying money to the Maoists. “You are able to buy your safety but what about poor countrymen?” PM Deuba asked. He charged them of forgetting their duty towards nation. “It is the business sector that would benefit the most if peace is restored.” Likewise, he also accused the business community of encouraging corruption in the country. “You people give bribes and the bureaucrats accept them. However, only those taking bribes have been subjected to punishment,” he said. Speaking at the same program, FNCCI President Binod Bahadur Shrestha charged the government of trying to obstruct the business environment in the name of ‘black-listing defaulters.’ He said that only businessmen were being targeted for the surge in bad debts of the banks. Kantipur daily reports.

RNA Told To Follow SC Order

Supreme Court (SC) chief justice Gobinda Bahadur Shrestha has asked the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) to follow its order. Shrestha urged Chief of the Army Staff General Pyara Jung Thapa - who had gone to meet him - to avoid human rights abuses to uphold the rule of law and also urged him to study past court orders. Army chief is said to have replied that the RNA had not intentionally turned down the order of the court. He had replied that in many instances Maoists use several names and there are practical difficulties in releasing the ‘right person’ when court issues an order. Likewise, the chief also met with the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Nayan Bahadur Khatri. It is reported that Khatri raised the issue of illegal detention and detention of persons in army barracks during the meeting. Army chief is said to have reiterated the commitment of the RNA to avoid rights abuses. Leading dailies report.

‘Mohsin Spoke King’s Mind’: Koirala

Nepali Congress (NC) president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has alleged that Information Minister Dr. Mohamad Mohsin spoke the mind of the King when he recently warned that the alternative the current government (or the liberal regime) could be the authoritarian regime. “His remarks came days after Thapa (former PM Surya Bahadur Thapa) announced to float a new political front, which again had followed his (Thapa’s) audience with the King,” Koirala traced speculating that efforts were on to form some sort of ‘Advisory Council’ – which could be chaired by the King. Koirala said that NC was the only alternative democratic force in the country at present. He announced that beginning Friday (November 26), the anti-regression agitation would again pick up. Addressing party cadres’ meeting on Wednesday (November 24), Koirala said that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s latest statements about holding polls have come at a time when the justifications for restoring the House of Representatives were growing. Meanwhile, Koirala has lauded the efforts of villagers of Dailekh to resist the Maoist atrocities. “This must be seriously seen by the Maoists. And more important is whether the government is able to provide security to these villagers,” he said. Leading dailies report.

RNA Claims Of Seizing Control Over Maoist Strategic Center

The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has claimed of having seized full control over the far-west strategic center of the Maoists in Pandaun area of Kailali district, which they were using as their sub regional headquarters. Officials have said that this ‘big success’ could be achieved by incurring relatively ‘less damage.’ Ten RNA soldiers were killed in the clash to take control of the center and 18 were injured. The chief of the far western RNA division Brigadier General Rajendra Thapa estimated that around 300 Maoists could have been killed in the incident. But only 23 dead bodies could be recovered so far. The officials said that since the area is in a remote place and inside thick forest, the search and clearing mission was turning out to be difficult. Brigadier General Thapa told reporters who were taken on a tour to Pandaun that it was a ‘model success’ in which a small unit of security forces (around 200) were able to force their way up and capture and seize control over a huge concentration of armed Maoists (around 1500-2000) and that, too, located uphill. Maoists have accepted the loss of Pandaun but have said that they would soon reclaim the area. Compiled from reports.

US Congress Attaches Riders On Military Assistance To Nepal

According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) – a US-based rights NGO – the US Congress has agreed to attach certain riders in the military assistance to be provide to Nepal to fight the Maoists. The HRW claims that the US Congress has approved a four point proposal which demands that the Nepal government’s activities should be in keeping with the habeas corpus decisions of the Supreme Court. Likewise, it has asked the Nepal government to take help of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the investigation of incidents of disappearances; take stringent actions against rights abusers; and give access to the NHRC to detention places. Kantipur daily reports.

Govt. Sets Up Security Camp In Dullu

As per the demand by the residents of Dullu – a heavily Maoist-affected village of Dailekh district – the government has set up a joint camp of the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) and Nepal Police. The residents of Dullu and some other VDCs of Dailekh had been rallying against the Maoist atrocities for the last two weeks. The Maoists have already killed at least three of the residents for trying to resist them. The uprising began after the Maoists started to forcefully recruit ‘whole time’ cadres. Government ministers had visited Dullu on Monday to assure the residents of security. Thousands of villagers of Dailekh have also flocked to district headquarters searching for security and relief. The government has also assured of helping them. Meanwhile, the Maoists exploded bombs at the source of drinking water for district headquarters and Narayan municipality disrupting the supply line. In what appears to be the first such display of mass revolt against the Maoist atrocities, residents of around 13 VDCs gathered in Dullu to organize a mass rally. The locals of the area, particularly the women, have been holding rallies against the Maoists for the last one week after the Maoists launched campaign to forcefully recruit ‘whole-time’ party cadres – at least one from each family. Meanwhile, three ministers including Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka, Local Development Minister Yubaraj Gyawali and Science and Technology Minister Balaram Gharti Magar – along with other senior officials – visited Dullu on Monday (November 22) and addressed the mass program. Minister Khadka lauded the courage shown by the Dailekh people and assured them of setting up security as well as Ilaka administrative offices in Dullu area within one month. Minister Gyawali urged the Maoists to sense the mood of the people and warned that such revolt could spread throughout the country if it does not realize the truth. Compiled from reports.