News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

UML To Join Govt. Only If Regulation Is Scrapped

The Standing Committee of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) has decided that the party will join the Deuba government only if it scraps the regulation for the working procedures of the Council of Ministers. “The first step towards correcting the regressive move is to scrap the regulation governing the working procedures of the Council of Ministers that has given the residual power to the King,” said party general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, addressing a cadres’ meet at the party headquarters on Sunday (June 13). “Revival of the Panchayat-era regulation was a burning example of a regressive step taken by the King,” he said. The regulation was introduced by then Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand after his appointment following the October 4, 2002 step by the King. Apart from this demand, the party has put forth seven-point conditions to the Deuba government. Other conditions include reinstatement of elected local bodies, activating National Assembly and respecting human rights, among others. Likewise, the party has also unveiled its 51-point proposals for progressive moves in the days ahead. Its proposals for resolution of national problems include changing the national anthem; making the institution of monarchy transparent and democratic; keeping the military under the control of elected government; declaring the country secular; allowing provision for referendum to decide on issues of national importance; setting aside 33 percent reservation for women in parliament; and scrapping the 1950 Treaty with India, among others. The party has also proposed that a peace talk be held with the Maoists; determine the agenda for progression through roundtable conference including the Maoists and draft new constitution. Leading dailies report.

Koirala Sticks To His Stance On Constituent Assembly

Despite the growing clamor for the constituent assembly within his own party, Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala has ruled out the possibility that the party will include it in its demands. “The constituent assembly would trigger a serious political accident in the country,” Koirala told the reporters in Biratnagar. “If the King proclaims a new interim constitution based on demands by all political parties for constituent assembly, who will be responsible? The constituent assembly will not only lead the country towards republic but also towards religious and ethnic division. At a time when demands for ethnic and regional autonomy are being raised and when there is increased international activities here, going for constituent assembly would be fatal,” he said. Koirala also added that the regression could be corrected through royal declaration. “The King should issue a statement declaring that the people’s rights and sovereignty has been restored,” he said. Kantipur daily reports.

India Delivers Two Choppers To RNA

The Indian government has delivered two Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) to the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) on Sunday (June 13). The Nepalese government paid India only 30 percent of the total cost, that comes to around Rs 0.8 million for the ALHs. According to an agreement between the two countries, India is assisting Nepal counter the Maoist insurgency by bearing 70 percent of the cost of any military hardware, including helicopters. India is also expected to deliver Mine Protected Vehicles (MPV) to the RNA in the near future. India had earlier delivered two Chitahas to RNA. Apart from two Lancers and two ALHs, the army currently has four MI-17 helicopters, two Ecquirels, two Puma, one Avro and five Alevators. The army also has a MI-17 helicopter with a sophisticated spy camera called Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR). Meanwhile, the United Kingdom will deliver two spy Islander aircraft within this week. “The Islander aircraft are already on the way to Nepal, and will land at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) anytime this week,” said an official at the RNA headquarters. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

Maoists To Approach AI

The Maoists plan to raise before international forum Bihar Police’s alleged human rights violations against its activists. In a press statement released in Patna of Bihar on Sunday (June 13), the Maoists have said that they would file formal complaints before Amnesty International (AI) and International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) about torture in custody of its leaders arrested there. A Maoist leader Roshan Kumar compared the torture with the US security forces’ torture of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison. Bihar police had arrested ten Maoists from hotels in Patna in the first week of June. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

RNAC Evaluation Soon

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will be starting property evaluation of the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) by the end of this month and will present its report to the government within two weeks. The ICA team is expected to arrive in Kathmandu this month. The government will decide the RNAC’s fate based on the team’s report. The RNAC has already transferred Rs 14.8 million to ICAO’s account for evaluation. The corporation with 1500 staff members and a one billion rupees annual deficit, is barely surviving on two Boeings for the international operation. On the domestic front, four out of seven twin otters are in operation. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

PM Deuba Addresses The Nation

A week after his appointment Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba addressed the nation on June 9 reiterating that this is the reinstatement of an elected Prime Minister. In his address, Deuba has stated that along with his appointment, the constitution has become activated. He added that the source of Rajakiya Satta (Royal executive powers) is the sovereign people and it shall be exercised as per the constitution. Urging the political parties to end the agitation and join the government, PM Deuba has said that the country can make forward leap only through common program, which can be formed based on various roadmaps and suggestions forwarded by parties like the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) and civil society representatives. Stressing on the need to achieve peace, he urged the Maoists to be ready for effective talks. “I am willing to exhibit maximum flexibility (to realize the peace),” he said. Among others, PM Deuba also stressed on the need to hand over the power to elected representatives through new elections, deliver good governance and curb corruption. Leading dailies report.

Pakistanis Held With Fake Currency

The special investigation cell of the Crime Investigation Branch at the police headquarters have arrested four persons on Tuesday (June 8) night, including two Pakistanis, with fake Indian currency worth Rs 0.4 million and Nepali currency worth Rs 0.3 million. “Those held are Mahamad Ejaj Hussain and Mahamad Rasid, both from Pakistan, and Samjan Haluwai and Jayprakash Adhikari, residents of Nepal,” police officials said. The police team acted on a tip-off. “The special police team confiscated Rs 1.7 million and Rs 91,000 Indian currency in the current fiscal year and Rs 65,000 in the last fiscal year,” Rajendra Singh Bhandari, superintendent of police at the special team said. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

PM Deuba Expands His Cabinet, Appoints Two Ministers

In view of the delay in the joining of the government by major parties like Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba briefly expanded his cabinet by appointing two ministers from his party Nepali Congress (Democratic). Prakash Man Singh and Bimalendra Nidhi were appointed as Minister for Work and Physical Planning; and Minister for Education and Sports and Industry, Commerce and Supplies respectively. Rest of the portfolios have been kept by the PM himself. Singh and Nidhi are both sons of late Congress leaders Ganesh Man Singh and Mahendra Narayan Nidhi respectively. Leading dailies report.

Indian Envoy Saran Promoted To Foreign Secretary

Indian ambassador to Nepal Shyam Saran has been promoted to the post of Secretary at the Indian External Affairs Ministry by the government in New Delhi. He will assume the offices of the Secretary at the South Block from August 1 this year for two years. He will be leaving for New Delhi in July. He had been appointed an ambassador to Nepal in October 2002. Shiv Mukharjee, the current Indian ambassador to South Africa, is expected to be appointed as India’s new ambassador to Nepal. Meanwhile, Saran called on PM Deuba on Wednesday (June 9) at his office for a meeting in which the latter assured Saran of ensuring security to protect Indian properties and citizens in Nepal. On Wednesday, Maoists had bombed Modern Indian School in Kathmandu. Leading dailies report.

Nepalese Go To Iraq For Work

Although the government is yet to give approval for working in Iraq, a large number of Nepalese have gone there. Most of these Nepalese leave the country purportedly for Kuwait or Saudi Arabia but their ultimate destination is Iraq where they work as guards, drivers and so on. The employment agencies who advertise for jobs in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia tell the prospective workers about their real destination beforehand. According to Labor Department’s unofficial estimates, around 5000 Nepalese have gone to Iraq in this manner. Nepalese government had prohibited travel to Iraq (for work) two months before America-led forces attacked Iraq. According to Nirmal Gurung, president of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NEFEA), there is a big demand for workers in security, construction and catering sector in Iraq. “Since the labor market of Iraq is not formally approved for Nepalese, the manpower agencies are compelled to send them there in the pretext of sending them to Kuwait,” he said. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labor has started to consult with the Foreign Ministry on how to reach into a labor pact with Iraq. Kantipur daily reports.

21 APF Personnel Killed In Ambush Explosion

Twenty-one personnel of Armed Police Force (APF) including a police inspector of Nepal Police died in a powerful ambush explosion near Khairi Khola of Banke district on June 14. Four trucks of unified command were on their way from Bageshwori APF base camp in Shamshergunj to Kusum when two of them fell into an ambush. Sixteen personnel were also injured in the incident. After the ambush explosion, the Maoists opened fire at the security personnel. Two trucks of Royal Nepalese Army (RNA), which were trailing behind, also came under fire. Security sources said that the Maoists too have sustained casualties in the incident. The Maoists also made away with some weapons from the site. The accident site is located 150 km north of Nepalgunj. Leading dailies report.

Five Party Leaders Meet

The top leaders of the five agitating parties met at the residence of Amik Sherchan of People’s Front (PF) on Monday (June 7). The informal meeting was participated by Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala, Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) president Narayan Man Bijukchhe and Bharat Bimal Yadav of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP – Anandidevi). This is the first time the top leaders of the five parties had met after the appointment of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. Sources said the meeting was successful to bring the parties closer. “I came to the meeting because I was invited,” said Nepal without elaborating. The meeting assumes significance as the UML had clearly been indicating that it would break off its two-year-old alliance with the five parties. Sources said that the meeting was organized to woo back the UML to the five party fold. The leaders of the four parties, particularly Koirala, urged Nepal to come back to their hold making several promises to lure the UML party. Leading dailies report.