News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Maoist Sanction Cripples Life In The Country

Thanks to Maoist-imposed sanctions, the life of ordinary people in large part of the country have been severely hit. The Maoists had announced the sanction for May 10-17 apparently to cut off the supply line of foodstuffs and other items for the security personnel. However, their action has worked to affect the ordinary citizens the most. Although the Maoists had announced that their sanction would only obstruct government vehicles, even private and public vehicles have been forced out of the roads. The Maoists torched a couple of buses raising fear among the transport entrepreneurs. According to traffic police post at Thankot, only around 5 percent of the vehicles are plying in places outside the capital valley. Normally, around 150 buses, 400 trucks and 125 cars used to ply through the Thankot point. But, on Saturday (May 15), the police recorded only 13 trucks and 16 cars on the road. Farmers in Chitawan dumped their vegetables in the road to protest the sanction that has been bleeding them. Even tourists have suffered from the sanction. Meanwhile, the government has announced that it has beefed up security in order to ensure smooth flow of vehicles and normal life in the country. The Home Ministry has stated that security services would be made available to the people if contacted for help. Kantipur daily reports.

18 Point Would Not Obstruct Talks: Nepal

Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), has said that the 18-point agenda put forth by the five agitating parties would not come in the way of their talks with the King. Speaking at an interaction organized by the Civil Society for Peace and Development (CSPD), Nepal said the parties were clear on what the agenda was and that it was something, which could only be achieved in the long run. “The immediate demand is that sovereignty should rest in the hands of the people and that the state’s power be exercised on the recommendation of the people,” Dr. Sundar Mani Dixit attributed Nepal as saying. Dr. Dixit is the chairman of the CSPD. Apart from Nepal, Nepali Congress leader Sushil Koirala, Nepali Congress (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Deuba, Rastriya Prajatantra Party president Pashupati SJB Rana and other leaders of the agitating parties took part in the interaction. Leading dailies report.

Prachanda Proposes Joint Meeting

Maoist chairman Prachanda has proposed for a joint meeting of all forces including the King, political parties, Maoists and civil society leaders under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) to find a way out of the political impasse. In a statement he released on May 15, Prachanda has said that the joint meeting would take stock of the new realities of the power balance and move the process of forming new constitution ahead. Prachanda has warned that the current political problems would not be solved without including the concerns of the Maoists, agitating political parties and civil society. Kantipur daily reports.

“I Am Ready To Become PM” Bhattarai

Founding leader of the Nepali Congress (NC) and former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has said that he is willing to carry out his responsibilities if the King appoints him as the Prime Minister. “If the King appoints me, I am ready to become PM,” said Bhattarai talking to reporters at his residence in Bhainsepati on Saturday (May 15) after meeting with the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and its Standing Committee member Bamdev Gautam. Bhattarai had met with King Gyanendra a few days ago. The two UML leaders had visited Bhattarai’s residence to ask for his support to the ongoing agitation. During the talks, Bhattarai clearly indicated that he wanted to become the Prime Minister even as the UML leaders urged him not to become a nominated Prime Minister at a time when heir agitation was going on. Nepal reportedly told Bhattarai that his national and international standing as a democratic leader could take a beating if he accepted a nominated Prime Ministership. Bhattarai, on the other hand, replied that he enjoys the support of NC (Democratic) and is also able to overcome the problems. Bhattarai had led the interim government back in 1990 after the successful movement to restore the democracy. It was his government that held the general elections and promulgated the current constitution. Meanwhile, UML leaders including Nepal met with NC president Girija Prasad Koirala after meeting with Bhattarai. The UML leaders apprised Koirala about their meeting with Bhattarai. Leading dailies report.

Army In Maoist Heartland

With the objective of controlling Maoists and encouraging them to surrender, the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has been carrying out special operations in the Maoist heartland in Rukum district of mid-western region. A contingent of RNA led by colonel Jhankar Kathayat has set up a temporary camp in Taksera village – the so-called special area of the Maoists – after walking through remote villages for 18 days. Interestingly, the army has not met any serious obstruction from the Maoists’ side till now. Although the Maoists used to say that they would not allow the army to step in the villages, this time around they have vacated the places for the army to move in. The army, too, seems to have changed its strategy and is now actively engaging in direct public relations with the villagers. In the Taksera village, they have set up a temporary camp near a local Mahendra secondary school and have directly met with around 2000 villagers. The local people have said that the Maoists had tried to force them to vacate the villages saying the army was coming there to kill them. Last year also the army had organized two special operations called Gorakh Ka and Gorakh Kha in the region. That time as well, the Maoists had vacated the villages only to return once the army went out. But this time, the local villagers seem to have defied the Maoist order to vacate the area. “We have reached this place without having to face any obstruction,” said colonel Kathayat. The army has said that it is in the region to create respectable environment to bring the Maoists to the mainstream. “We are not here to kill but to protect,” said chief of the western division headquarters general Rukmangad Katuwal. Since the last three weeks, the army has gradually moved into the Maoists’ ‘base areas’, ‘model villages’ and ‘shelters’. But there has been no clash. The operation is expected to continue for a month more. Kantipur daily reports.

Heat Increases, One Dies In Dhanusha

Kathmandu Valley experienced the hottest day of this season on Saturday (May 15) with the mercury levels shooting past 33.6 degree Celsius. Likewise, in Terai areas, the temperature has soared over 40 degrees. In Janakpur of Dhanusha district, Devendra Karki, 50, died of extreme heat. He was cycling in the Kanakpatti area in the heat, which later took his life. Nepalgunj was the hottest town in the country recording 43 degree Celsius of maximum temperature followed by Bhairahawa, Dhangadhi and Dipayal with 43 degree Celsius, 42.5 degree Celsius and 42 degree Celsius respectively. Leading dailies report.

Govt. Employees Join Agitation

Expressing the solidarity with the five party agitation aimed at restoring the democratic process, the employees of the government offices as well as corporations took part in the rally on Wednesday (May 12). Nearly a dozen of such employees were even detained by police. The employees’ participation in the agitation resulted in standstill of the activities in government offices. Compiled from reports.

Ambulance Ambushed, Three Injured

Three passengers were injured when an ambulance en route from Hetauda to Kathmandu fell into an ambush laid by the Maoists near Charaundi of Dhading district. The glasses of the ambulance were all broken and three passengers were injured while the other two including a patient of appendicitis were not hurt. All of the passengers were provided with basic treatment in Kurintar and were returned to Bharatpur in another ambulance. Leading dailies report.

Nepal Can Achieve Four Out Of Eight MDGs

According to Dr. Shankar Prasad Sharma, vice chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Nepal can attain only four out of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) fixed by the leaders of the world during the UN Millennium Summit in 2000. Dr. Sharma said that Nepal could attain goals like halving the poverty by 2015, access to primary education, reducing child mortality rate and access to drinking water. “Our recent Nepal Living Standard Survey and other reports have shown that the level of poverty is coming down satisfactorily,” he said. “Besides, as most of the MDGs are also in the priority sector of our national Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), there is a degree of compatibility.” He, however, stressed that if the situation of conflict and instability deteriorates, the goals might not be attained. Speaking at a program organized by Sancharika Samuha and UNDP on the MDGs and the role of media, Dr. Sharma said that media should be taken as a partner in the process of development. Matthew Kahane, resident representative of the UN, said that all sectors should come together in order to realize the MDGs. “After all the MDGs are nothing but issues about sending our children to school, ensuring that our mothers and children are safe. Basically, they are related to bread and butter issues,” he said. At the program, Bandana Rana, president of Sancharika Samuha, emphasized the need to look at the development issues through gender lens. Compiled from reports.

Maoists Abduct Brides And Bridegrooms

In the last couple of weeks, Maoists have abducted 42 pairs of brides and bridegrooms right from the site of their wedding in different parts of far western district of Dailekh. Often, a group of armed Maoists make an uninvited entry into the wedding site and abduct the couple as well as priests. They sometime charge of under-age marriage while making the abduction. Locals said that the abducted pair have been kept at Naumule area of the district. Meanwhile, in Lamjung district, the Maoists abducted 208 students and 13 teachers from Laxmi secondary schools of Shribhanjyang VDC. The Maoists took them to unknown destination saying they will be made to take part in their special program. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.