News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Blockades Withdrawn By The Maoists

The two-week-long blockade announced by the various political and ethnic fronts of the Maoists in the Gandak region of western Nepal has been withdrawn beginning March 22. The pro-Maoist Tamuwan, Magarat and Madhesi National Liberation Fronts on Sunday announced the withdrawal of their blockade, which had been in place since March 9. Leading dailies report.

Flexibility Needed To Resolve Refugee Issue: UNHCR

Dr.Thapa

Ruud Lubbers, the High Commissioner of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), in a meeting with the visiting Nepalese foreign minister Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa in Geneva, Switzerland, has said that ‘flexibility on the part of concerned party’ is required to resolve the Bhutanese refugee issue. He said that the future of one hundred thousand refugees should not be jeopardized by getting embroiled in petty matters. According to Nepalese resident representative to UN bodies in Geneva Gyan Chandra Acharya, Dr. Thapa also requested Lubbers not to cut back any assistance to the refugees till the crisis was resolved. Dr. Thapa was also told that the UNHCR will try to understand the position of Bhutan and why it was not moving ahead towards resolving the issue. Kantipur daily reports.

EU Seeks Indian Help In Refugee Issue

A top European Union (EU) official has urged India to lend a ‘helping hand’ to resolve the issue of Bhutanese refugees of Nepali origin that has strained ties between the two nations. Poul Nielson, European Commissioner for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, emphasized the need for an early resolution of the issue and warned that, otherwise, the refugees could become a breeding ground for terrorists. Nielson arrived to India after a four-day visit to Bhutan to study utilization of EC funds for economic development. “We have urged them (Bhutanese authorities) to move ahead with the classification of the refugees. They might not all be refugees or, for that matter, Bhutanese. It is a multi-faceted issue,” he said. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

EC Able To Hold Elections Any Time

The chief elections commissioner at the Elections Commission (EC) Keshav Raj Rajbhandari has said that the commission is able to hold the polls any time. Rajbhandari said that he has found the government in a mood to hold the elections during a recent meeting with the Prime Minister and other officials. He said that the EC will start collecting and updating the voters’ list throughout the country beginning mid-April. He also said that the EC will set up its district offices in all 75 districts soon. Compiled from reports.

RNA Initiates Action Against Rights Violators

The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has said that it has initiated action against a soldier responsible for killing a girl in Chamakharka of Panauti municipality in Kavre district. Maya Tamang, 15, was shot to death for being a Maoist. “It was seen (by the probe) that excessive force was used,” said brigadier general B.A. Kumar Sharma, chief of the human rights cell at the RNA. “Whoever it may be, we will take action if anybody is found guilty of violating human rights. It is true that mistakes could be committed during security operations but it is our duty to correct those mistakes and punish the culprits,” Sharma said. Meanwhile, the RNA spokesperson colonel Deepak Bahadur Gurung has denied RNA hand in the killing of former MP Hem Narayan Yadav. “In every murder, there will be a motive behind. Security forces had no motive or reason to kill Yadav. Instead, the security forces lost a good supporter in his death,” Gurung said. The RNA also said that the report prepared by Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES) alleging army hand in Yadav’s killing was incomplete and without facts. Action cannot be initiated based on that report, Sharma said. Colonel Gurung revealed that after the breakdown of ceasefire in August 27, 1547 Maoists have been killed in operations. He said 144 soldiers also died in the period. Around 693 Maoists have surrendered till now. Compiled from reports.

Maoists For UN Mediation

In a statement issued by the Maoists chairman Prachanda on Tuesday, the rebels have said that they are for the peace talks mediated by the United Nations. In the statement, Prachanda has said that the Maoists will positively consider any concrete decision made by the forthcoming meeting of the United Nations Commission for Human Rights (UNCHR). Prachanda expressed that the Maoists are committed to international norms and human rights. Meanwhile, Kantipur daily reports that a member of Maoists Revolutionary People’s Council Jhakku Prasad Subedi has said that they had to impose economic blockades to give pressure for peace talks. “Our blockades are not targeted against civilians. We will not obstruct anybody other than government people and government vehicles,” he said. The blockades have hindered regular flow of people and goods across the country. Leading dailies report.

Rs 100 Million In The Basket Fund

The government is setting up a separate basket fund of Rs 100 million to provide compensation to vehicles damaged during strikes and Bandhs. Home Minister Kamal Thapa and Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani, who visited Pokhara to look over the preparations for the King’s visit on March 28, revealed this to media. According to the ministers, the government will put Rs 50 million and insurance company will put Rs 50 million in the fund. Dr. Lohani also assured that three vehicles that were set to fire by the Maoists recently would be compensated. Leading dailies report.

India Again Halts Vegetable Ghee

Once again, the export of Nepalese Vanaspati ghee has been obstructed by Indian authorities. The latest obstruction arose after a case was filed at the Kolkata High Court against the State Trading Corporation (STC) – the sole authority that imported the product from Nepal. After the high court gave an interim order to the STC in response to the case filed by Indian ghee and oil producers’ association, the export of Nepalese vegetable ghee has been stalled. Of late, 20 to 30 trucks of Nepalese vegetable ghee were being exported daily. Annually, vegetable ghee worth around Rs 5.5 billion are exported to India. There are 16 ghee industries in Nepal. Entrepreneurs say that there is a big demand for Nepalese vanaspati ghee in India. Kantipur daily reports.

No Foreign Mediation: PM Thapa

Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa has ruled out foreign mediation in resolving the internal problem of Nepal. He said that the third party mediation was unacceptable. He added that Nepalese mediation is adequate and that the third party mediation could only complicate things for the country as it is situated between two large neighbors. He said these things to a delegation of Peace Movement Mobilization Committee led by its coordinator Sudip Pathak, which met with him to submit their memorandum. PM Thapa added that while the country could take advices from everybody, it could not involve them in the actual process of peace. He also told the delegation that the government is continuing to respect human rights and added that within two to three months, the politics could witness major changes. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.

Foreign Militia Involved In Beni Attack: RNA

The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has claimed that foreign terrorists were involved in the Myagdi attack. The claim was made at a press conference in western division headquarters in Pokhara on Monday (March 22). The RNA asserted that the primary study of the headless bodies recovered from the spot had revealed the fact. “The headless bodies are not of Nepalis,” division chief Prakash Bahadur Basnet said. He suspected that modern weapons, including AK 47 and 81 mm bombs, that the Maoists used in the attack could have been brought by the foreign militias. “The 81 mm bombs can be hurled from a distance of three kilometers and their massive use helped inflicting huge casualties on the troops,” he said, adding such weapons have never been used earlier. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

Beni Attack Aimed At Foiling Polls: Thapa

Home Minister Kamal Thapa has said that although the Maoist attack in Beni, headquarters of Myagdi district was aimed at disrupting the poll preparations, the government would continue to move ahead with its commitment to hold elections. “Their actions are always targeted against democracy and constitutional process. But the government is steadfast in its commitment to hold the polls as soon as possible,” said Minister Thapa. The minister, who visited Beni on Monday (March 22), revealed that the reels have suffered huge casualties in the attack. He said 14 RNA personnel, 14 policemen and four civilians died and 64 security personnel were injured in the attack. He added that 12 bodies of Maoists were recovered from Singa and 60 from Arthunge Danda. He said Maoists might have buried some of the bodies and hurled others into the river. Minister Thapa has also accused that the Maoists had used children under 14 in the attack saying some of the child militia had surrendered. Minister Thapa has said that helicopter support could not be provided immediately due to bad weather. “If there are other reasons for the delay, we will investigate,” he said. Other newspapers report that 30 security personnel, 15 civilians and 40 Maoists have died in the attack. The army is continuing its operation in Ramja and Babiyachaur of Myagdi. 12 Maoists were killed in the operation on Monday. Leading dailies report.

Rebels Put Condition To Release CDO

The Maoists have said that they will release the Chief District Officer (CDO) of Myagdi district Sagarmani Parajuli, deputy superintendent of police Ran Prasad Gautam and other33 policemen, whom they abducted after Myagdi attack, only if the government releases their three top leaders – Matrika Yadav, Suresh Ale Magar and Tilak Sharma Himal. Yadav and Magar had been handed over by the Indian authorities after arresting them in India a few months ago. The condition was put forth by the western division command of the Maoists. The command also claimed responsibility for the Myagdi attack. Speaking in a telephone to Kantipur daily, Pasang, commander of the Maoist western division, said that until their conditions are met, they will not release them and that they would be dealt as Prisoners of War. The Maoists have said that the Myagdi attack was launched under the leadership of Pasang and political commissar Biplav. They have said that 49 Maoists were also killed in the Myagdi fight including two brigade VC commander, one battalion commander and one battalion VC. Meanwhile, wife of Parajuli and father of Gautam have released separate statements asking the Maoists to release them on humanitarian grounds. Leading dailies report.

Give Asylum To Rizal: Parties

Leaders of the five agitating political parties have asked Nepalese government to give political asylum to Bhutanese rights leader Tek Nath Rizal. The leaders have also asked the government to provide travel documents to Rizal so that he can travel to Geneva to take part in the 60th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. “I appeal to the government to immediately make available travel document to Rizal,” said Girija Prasad Koirala, president of Nepali Congress (NC), after the meeting of five parties. The meeting was also participated by Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), Amik Sherchan, president of People’s Front (PF), Prem Suwal of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) and Kishore Bishwas of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP- Anandidevi). Earlier, Rizal had requested political parties to press the government to provide him with travel documents. Rizal has already submitted an application to the government in that regard. But the government is yet to make any decision. Compiled from reports.