News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Bhojpur Restoration To Be Started Immediately

After making an on site inspection of the headquarters of eastern hilly district of Bhojpur where the Maoists had launched bloody attack on security installations in the night of March 2, Home Minister Kamal Thapa promised that the restoration of damaged infrastructures there would be started with immediate effect. Thapa, who is also the Minister for Information and Communication, said that telecom link with the place would be restored immediately by utilizing VSAT technology. The Maoists had destroyed the telephone tower during their attack. Around 32 security personnel died in the attack. Minister Thapa also gave assurances that the local hydro power plant, which was destroyed two years ago, will also be repaired soon saying that the budget for the same has already been allocated. The attack also damaged buildings of Rastriya Banijya Bank, Bal Mandir primary school, land revenue office, court and some personal residences. The district administration office was seriously damaged. Till Saturday, 37 dead bodies of Maoists have been recovered from around the site of attack even though the rebels have claimed that only one dozen of them had been killed. Among the dead rebels include Durga Upreti (Kabil), the commander of 16th battalion of the Maoists. The Maoists had abducted around ten security personnel after the attack. Different human rights organizations including the National Human Rights Commission, have asked the Maoists to free them immediately. Leading dailies report.

Five Parties Hold Rally

In an attempt to re-invigorate their agitation against the regression, five political parties – Nepali Congress (NC), Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), People’s Front (PF), Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP- Anandidevi) and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) – organized rally in Kathmandu city on March 5. The leaders criticized King for becoming ambitious and cornering power at a mass meeting organized after the rally. The parties are also holding a major meeting of former elected officials in Kathmandu on March 11. Compiled from reports.

Encephalitis Vaccine Plan In The Ditch

The government’s plans to provide anti-Encephalitis vaccination in the Bardiya and Banke districts may not materialize this year due to lack of funds. “The program had been formulated under an immediate action plan but may not be implemented as the Ministry of Finance has not been able to allocate funds for it,” said Dr. Hari Nath Acharya, spokesperson of the Ministry of Health. Dr. Acharya also said they had expected the Japanese government to provide the grant for the program, but they have not shown any interest till date. “Hence the program cannot be implemented unless the Finance Ministry comes up with other alternatives,” he said. As announced in the fiscal budget, the vaccination program would cost an estimated Rs 220 million. Japanese Encephalitis (JE) affects 2000 to 3000 people and causes 200 to 400 deaths every year. While 24 districts are affected by the disease every year, eight districts – Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Dang, Rupandehi, Jhapa and Morang – are most affected. Over 55 percent of the patients of JE are under the age of 15. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

PM Terms Bhojpur Attack As Sudden But Not Significant

Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa has said that the Maoist attack on Bhojpur district headquarters was a sudden development. “It is sudden. But it is not entirely unexpected as such things do happen during conflict,” said PM Thapa talking to reporters in Lalitpur on Thursday (March 4). Meanwhile, two more dead bodies of security personnel were recovered from the site of incident in Bhojpur taking the total toll up to 32 security personnel. Likewise, six more dead bodies of rebels were also recovered taking their toll up to 16. In another incident, two army men were killed after their vehicle fell into Maoist ambush near Hariaun of Mahendra Highway. Compiled from reports.

Bandh Affects Life

Although hardly anybody knew who had called it or for what purpose, the Thursday’s bandh affected the life in the capital city with vehicles out of road and shops closed. Rumors had spread that the trade union affiliated to the Maoists had called the bandh to press the government to release many of its members arrested by the security forces. The bandh was called on Bagmati and Narayani zone. Leading dailies report.

Petrol Price To Rise Again

The government is preparing to hike the price of petroleum products by as much as ten percent soon. This decision has come as a consequence of increase in the price of crude oil in the international market as well as the price of petroleum products in bordering towns of India. According to an official at the Petroleum Price Review Committee, the price will be hiked by 8 to 10 percent. “The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has proposed for the hike and we are considering it,” he said. Efforts are on to hike the per liter price of petrol by Rs 5, diesel by Rs 3 and kerosene by Rs 2.5. The price of kerosene being sold on subsidized rates, however, will not be changed. Likewise, the per cylinder price of cooking gas would be increased by Rs 100. The proposal to hike the price was made after the NOC’s losses began to mount following the increase in its price in international market. At present, the NOC is said to be incurring losses of around Rs 200 million per month. Kantipur daily reports.

30 Security Personnel Die Defending Bhojpur Headquarters

Thirty security personnel – including 11 army men and 19 police personnel – were killed when 1500-2000 armed rebels launched a fierce attack at the headquarters of eastern hilly district of Bhojpur on Tuesday night (March 2). In what is seen as the bloodiest attack since the breakdown of ceasefire, the rebels reportedly used maximum force trying to penetrate the security blanket. They destroyed communication tower and damaged district administration office and local office of Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) by exploding bombs. “They had come to capture the district headquarters but our brave forces foiled their bid,” said Colonel Deepak Bahadur Gurung, spokesperson of the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA). He, however, indicated that intelligence lapse could have resulted in the incident. Security forces claimed that there have been heavy casualties on the Maoist side saying that as much as 60 of them could have been killed. But, till now, they have been able to recover only ten bodies of the rebels. Dozens of security personnel were injured while some were reported missing. Out of one dozen security personnel reported missing, seven have already come into contact, sources said. The Maoists, who were desperate to launch a big attack, had done so in Bhojpur by opening fire from three different places. Other government offices like education office, drinking water office also sustained minor damages in the attack. According to general Pradeep Pratap Bam Malla, chief of the eastern division of RNA, the night-vision helicopter had been dispatched to assist the security forces. “But we could not drop bombs for the fear of killing innocent civilians. If we had tried to protect only our forces, a lot of civilians could have been killed,” he said. According to lt. colonel Sanjay Singh Bhandari, the Bhojpur barrack had asked the division headquarters, which was monitoring the attack throughout the night, to drop bombs. “But when we looked at the map, we found houses of civilians and the general Malla did not give orders to drop bomb from the helicopter,” Bhandari said. Not a single civilian died in the Bhojpur incident. Meanwhile, Colonel Gurung, at a press meet on Wednesday, said that the RNA has launched an investigation to an incident that occurred on Tuesday at Danuwar village of Lalitpur where a ten-year-old girl had died during security operation. Compiled from reports.

US Envoy Visits Western Districts

American Ambassador Michael E. Malinowski has visited western hilly districts and inquired about the security situation with the security officials as well as local people. He had also similarly visited this area last October. This time he visited Pasgaun village in the northern area of Lamjung district as well as the rehabilitation center (for surrendering rebels) in Dhakaltar of Tanahun district. He also visited the Royal Nepalese Army central divisional headquarters in Pokhara and number 3 brigade. He was accompanied by a military attaché at the US Embassy in Kathmandu. Meanwhile, American security officials have visited Nepal to have talks with their Nepalese counterparts. Having flown in their own aircraft, the security officials even visited Nepalgunj to meet with Royal Nepalese Army officials at the Western Division headquarters last week. Sources said that they discussed on issues like Maoist insurgency, prevalent situation and ways for resolution. US Embassy officials have said that the visit is a routine affair. Kantipur daily reports.

NHRC Urges Maoists To Refrain From Involving Kids

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the Maoists not to forcibly abduct students and recruit them in their military force; not to make them participate in their programs; not to force teachers to teach what they call people’s education; and not to organize military camps within school premises. The commission has asked the Maoists to respect the children’s rights to education and security. Meanwhile, two kids of a same family were killed when the socket bomb left over by the Maoists exploded in a field in Chuchure Dhaule of Ramechhap district on Monday. Nabin Karki, 12, and Nadin Karki, 15, died on the spot while their father Bhakta Bahadur Karki, who was tilling the field, was injured in the incident. Compiled from reports.

Govt. To Press For NEA Involvement In Upper Karnali

The Nepalese government is preparing to put forth the participation of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) as the pre-requisite for allowing India to construct the 300 MW-strong Upper Karnali hydro electricity project. The two governments are meeting to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) next week regarding the construction of this project, which is perceived as being economical and highly lucrative. Earlier, the two sides have agreed to allow 49 percent of total investment to Nepali side. Kantipur daily reports.

Syaphrubesi-Rasuwagadhi Survey This Month

The detailed survey of the Syaphrubesi-Rasuwagadhi road project will be initiated later this month. The project had been agreed upon by Nepal and China some three years ago. This week, a delegation of Chinese technicians and representatives of division road office have made an observation tour of the project site. According to Madan Gopal Malegu, director general of the Departments of Road, the Chinese experts will start the detail survey beginning March 20. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.