News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Maoists Kill Seven More Civilians In Dailekh

Maoists have killed seven more villagers of Nauli of Salleri VDC in Dailekh district, reports Nepal Samacharpatra daily. They were among the two dozen villagers abducted by the Maoists since Sunday. The Maoists have gone on a rampage killing and torturing the villagers who had tried to raise their voice against their atrocities. Previous day, they had killed three villagers including a child after they launched attack in a village residence where the locals had gathered to discuss ways to resist the Maoist atrocities. They had been taking out rallies in the villages protesting the Maoists. Meanwhile, Kantipur daily reports that villagers who were feeling insecure after the Maoists killed their brethren have begun thronging at the camp of the security forces. Around 500 residents of Naumule area had compelled the visiting security forces to stay there to provide them security. Those who can walk have begun their long trek to the district headquarters but others have come to the vicinity of the security forces. Many of them have also brought with them their cattle and properties. Leading dailies report.

Two Kids Die Of Explosion In School

Two kids were killed when a bomb planted in their school went off on November 20. The bomb had been planted at the Bhairab primary school in Talium VDC of Jumla district. Dhiraj Dharala, 7, and Muga Dharala, 3, were killed when they tried to play with the ‘object.’ Kantipur daily reports.

Bar Requests SC To Give Priority To House Restoration Plea

Nepal Bar Association has requested the Supreme Court to give priority in hearing the application urging it to review the order to endorse the dissolution of the House of Representatives. The SC had, in 2002, endorsed the decision of then Deuba government to dissolve the House and hold fresh polls. However, the elections could not be held till now stirring the experts to request the SC to review its earlier decision. The experts claim that the SC had endorsed the dissolution decision only because the government had promised to hold elections within six months. “The SC has the authority to review its earlier decision. It should do that in a priority manner,” said Shambhu Thapa, president of the NBA. Leading dailies report.

China Is Willing If Nepal Initiates In Kosi-Lhasa Highway

Chinese ambassador Sun Heping has said that Chinese government would cooperate if Nepal takes initiatives in the construction of proposed Kosi-Lhasa highway. “If the Nepal government takes initiatives, I will talk with my government,” the envoy said. The highway is estimated to cost around Rs 1.2 billion. The highway would link Biratnagar with Kimathanka in Tibet border. Speaking at a program in Sankhuwasabha, the Chinese envoy said that China is ready to help fulfill the demands of the local people. “But the Nepal government has to present proposal first,” he added. Leading dailies report.

Five Nepali Youths Die Of Toxic Gas In Qatar

In a tragic accident five Nepali youths died after inhaling a mix of toxic gas when they were trying to clean an effluent recycling tank in a paper factory in Qatar where they worked. According to reports, a sixth Nepali was rescued and is undergoing treatment at a hospital there. The deceased include Bal Krishna Simkhada, Ram Bahadur Pandey, Salam Singh Moktan, Bed Bahadur Chaudhary and Nasir Mansuri. The sixth one Deepak Khadka was rescued. The youths had gone there one by one. The first one to enter was Bal Krishna who died quickly. Pandey entered next in order to rescue Bal Krishna but met the same fate. Only Khadka was rescued by other workers of the factory. Leading dailies report.

UML Will Not Withdraw From The Govt.: Nepal

Amid various statements by various leaders of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) indicating that their party could withdraw from the present government, its powerful general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has ruled out such possibility. A day after he returned from two weeks long tour of European countries and the USA, Nepal put to rest various rumors. “We will not retreat without completing what we had set out for,” Nepal said. Speaking at a program organized in the capital on Saturday (November 20), Nepal said that there was no better alternative to this government. “Since this is a coalition government, one should realize that it has its own limitations. I have heard that the bureaucracy is not cooperating because of this rumor that UML is going to step down. I ask the bureaucracy to understand that the UML will not easily step down,” he said. Nepal also defended Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba saying that he is for the peace talks. “I have found PM Deuba fully supportive of peace talks. He has even asked me to take necessary initiatives in this direction.” A few days ago UML spokesperson Pradeep Nepal had alleged that PM Deuba was not committed towards peace talks. He also ruled out chances of changing the leadership of UML team in the government. He charged that if the Maoists do not accept the proposal of negotiation despite best efforts from the government side, they would be the one to get the blame. Meanwhile, government spokesperson and Information Minister Mohamad Mohsin met with general secretary Nepal at the latter’s residence on Saturday to clarify the remarks he made recently, which had generated much controversy. “He told me that his intention was to stress that there was no alternative to this government. I found his viewpoint good, he is supportive of this coalition government,” Nepal responded after the meeting. Leading dailies report.

Declare Schools Peace Zone: PM To Maoists

Deuba

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba once again urged the Maoists to come to a negotiation table to permanently resolve the insurgency. Deuba also asked the Maoists to publicly declare educational institutions as a zone of peace. “I want them to publicly commit that they would not attack educational institutions and the children,” he said at a program organized on Saturday (November 20) to mark the 15th International Child Rights Day. He criticized the Maoists for torturing children, barring them from acquiring education, forcefully involving them in conflict and turning educational institutions into camps. The prime minister also expressed his commitment ensuring cooperation and support to implement the National Plan of Action for Children unveiled by the government on Saturday. At the same program, Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Asta Laxmi Shakya said that the government was working to rehabilitate over 1000 conflict-hit children very soon. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

3000 Killed After The Breakdown Of Second Truce

Around 2700 Maoists and 163 army personnel were killed after the breakdown of second truce on August 27, 2003. Additional 500 Maoists are also suspected to have been killed in the same period, according to the Public Relations Directorate of the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA). Brigadier General Deepak Gurung, RNA spokesperson, revealed that 1147 Maoists have already surrendered since the government introduced amnesty package. According to Home Ministry spokesperson Gopendra Bahadur Pandey, over 6500 Maoists were killed since the start of their people’s war in police encounters. 1500 police personnel lost their lives during the same period. Likewise, over 200 personnel of Armed Police Force (APF) have also lost their lives. The RNA has revealed that 50 persons are in their detention at present. Brigadier General Gurung said that the Maoists would never come close to matching their strength. He said that the army has presence in some 2000 villages out of 4000 in the country. Out of 2000 villages, the military presence was increased to 900 villages after the declaration of state of emergency in November 2001 while the RNA is preparing to increase its presence in 100 more villages soon. Compiled from reports.

Passports Of Black-Listed Businemen To Be Impounded

The government is willing to impound the passports of black-listed bank loan defaulters in order to press them to pay up the outstanding amount. “Although primarily it is the duty of the concerned banks to make the defaulters pay, the government has agreed to help them because intentional defaulters are enemies of nation,” said Bharat Mohan Adhikary, deputy prime minister and finance minister. “The defaulters must pay what they owe or be prepared to face the law,” he said. Adhikary added that the concerned banks could request the government to take such actions through the Nepal Rastra Bank. Earlier the donor agencies and countries, too, had indicated that they would stop giving visa to black-listed persons and severe business ties with them. The two biggest banks of the country – Nepal Bank Limited (NBL) and Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) are bleeding due to huge amount of bad debts. Between them, almost 50 percent of their loans have turned bad. According to the NRB, bad debts account for 29 percent of the total investment of the banking system in the country, which is around Rs 40 billion. Kantipur daily reports.

Elections Will Not Address Us: Mahara

Maoist politburo member and its spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara has said that they would not accept if the government declares general elections. “Parliamentary elections would not address us. If at all election is to take place, it should be for the constituent assembly,” Mahara told BBC Nepali Service on Wednesday (November 17). Mahara also rejected the possibility of holding dialogue with the present government but stopped sort of ruling the talks out completely. “We are also aware about the people’s aspirations for negotiated settlement. But we want to sit in a negotiation that is going to be result-oriented. Past experiences have shown that holding dialogues with governments that do not have full authority does not bear fruit,” said Mahara. “We have not said that we will only talk with the King. What we meant is that we want to talk with the real power center wherever that may lie. Whether you accept or not, at present, King wields the real authority.” On the issue of growing Indian attention on Nepal’s security, Mahara accused India of plotting to bring in all smaller countries of the region including Nepal into its security umbrella. “We know that without fighting the Indian expansionism, our people’s war will not be complete,” he added. Compiled from reports.

Clash In Krishnabhir

On the first day of two-day Dhading district bandh called by the Maoists, five soldiers were killed when their vehicle ran into an ambush laid by them in Krishnabhir area in Prithvi highway on November 16. The soldiers had gone there upon receiving information that the Maoists had laid obstruction in that area. After the vehicle fell into the ambush, scores of armed Maoists attacked and burned an army truck. When reinforcement arrived, clashes erupted near Charaundi. At least one Maoist was killed. Security sources claim that seven Maoists were killed. Likewise, on the same day, a bitter clash occurred in Pahalmanpur jungle area of Kailali district between the unified command forces and the Maoists. The security forces had gone on the area upon receiving information of heavy concentration of armed Maoists there. The clash left six security personnel – including three Armed Police Force (APF) personnel, two RNA soldiers and one police personnel – dead. At least five Maoists were also killed in the clash. Compiled from reports.