News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Ruling Partners Differ Over Governor Nomination

After the leaders of the two major coalition partners Nepali Congress (Democratic) and the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) failed to arrive at a consensus candidate for the position of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) governor, the top leaders of all four coalition partners – including the leaders from Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) – are going to meet on Monday (January 3) to decide the final name. The meeting between Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and UML ministers failed to reach to an understanding on the same issue on Sunday (January 2). The committee formed by the cabinet and headed by Deputy Prime Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikary had recommended three names for the post – Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Bijaya Nath Bhattarai and Dr. Parthiveshwore Timilsina. The committee – whose two other members included Dr. Badri Prasad Shrestha and Ganesh Bahadur Thapa – had been formed for the purpose of making the recommendations for the post. However, PM Deuba is said to have disapproved of the recommendations. He is reportedly mulling to appoint the current chief secretary Dr. Bimal Koirala to the post. Deuba’s team had complained that DPM Adhikary made the recommendation for such an important post without consulting the Prime Minister. Sources have revealed that the UML, too, has warned Deuba that the party could step down if their recommendations were not honored. Kantipur daily reports.

King Trying To Diffuse Demand For House Restoration: Koirala

Nepali Congress (NC) president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has alleged the King of trying to diffuse the growing demands for the restoration of the House of Representatives. “At present, the palace is busy in only one thing and that is attempts to diffuse the demands for House restoration,” said Koirala, addressing a program organized in the capital on the occasion of National Reconciliation Day. Koirala has been most vocal in demanding the restoration of House. He has said that the restored House would become a meeting point for all the constitutional forces including the monarchy. Compiled from reports.

Mohasin Raises The Bogey Of Foreign Intervention

The government spokesperson and Information Minister Dr. Mohamad Mohasin has said that the foreign intervention cannot be prevented if the Maoists continued to turn down the government’s offer for negotiations. “No power can stop foreign intervention if the Maoists continue to increase violence,” said Dr. Mohasin. He added that the government would be compelled to go for polls if the Maoists refuse to sit for negotiations. He said that since this government had the two-point mandate of either holding the peace talks or going for elections, there was no other alternative. Kantipur daily reports.

12 Security Personnel Die In Ambush Attack

Twelve security personnel including eight Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) soldiers died when armed Maoists attacked their team near Malbanse area of Kosi highway where they had gone to clear the road obstructed by the Maoists on Saturday (January 1). According to security sources, at least 25 Maoists were also killed in the incident. This incident is the latest in the series of Maoist attacks against teams of security personnel who are dispatched to clear highways and roads. Of late, the Maoists have adopted the tactic of luring the security personnel to clear the roads and attacking them all of a sudden. Meanwhile, the Dharan-Dhankuta section of the Kosi highway remains obstructed. Leading dailies report.

NC (D) Embraces Poll Position

Despite reservations from some of its central members, the ruling Nepali Congress (Democratic) has decided that the party would go for holding elections. The decision came even as some of its central members supported restoration of the House of Representatives. They had urged the party to at least keep all options open – including the restoration and holding elections for the constituent assembly. Along with this decision the seven-day-long meeting of the party’s central committee, too, ended on Saturday (January 1). Kantipur daily reports.

Restoration Not Possible: Minister Mohasin

The government spokesperson and Information Minister Dr. Mohamad Mohasin has ruled out he possibility of restoring the parliament ‘that has already lost its mandate.’ Dr. Mohasin said, “Restoration cannot be an alternative to the elections.” The minister, who is said to be a royal nominee at the present Deuba-led cabinet, added that the fresh elections were the only way out. If we restore the old parliament, the same old things will continue, he said pointing to corrupt practices of the past. He claimed that the government was capable of holding elections. Kantipur daily reports.

No Threat To Rights Activists: RNA

The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has denied reports that the rights activists are under threat from them. “Security forces express serious concern regarding rights activists’ statements saying that they are under risk at the hands of security forces,” said Brigadier General Deepak Gurung, RNA spokesperson, addressing a press meet on Friday (December 31). Claiming the allegations to be false, he assured that the security forces ‘will never threaten any rights activist in the future as well.’ According to him, the incident refers to the arrest of Kailash Thakur, Nasrulla Ansari and Dhan Sharma at Paklihawa and Suryapura VDCs in Nawalparasi district. “The villagers had requested the forces to arrest these men who called themselves rights activists but were actually threatening civilians,” he said. Likewise, Gurung said that six soldiers would be handed over to police in connection with their involvement in raping a 15-year-old girl at Bharaul VDC in Sunsari district. “The probe committee found that six personnel were involved in raping the girl on November 8. They will be handed over to civilian court,” he said. Meanwhile, the UN Working Group in Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances had given a list of 217 missing persons recently. Gurung said that 85 out of 217 were arrested before the army was mobilized for quelling the insurgency, so the army ‘cannot tell their whereabouts.’ Forty people have been released after investigations while 16 have been handed over to civil administration, according to army statistics. The army denied reports of Indian government’s suggestion not to send troops for UN peacekeeping missions in view of the conflict. “We have a commitment of 3000 plus troops to UN, and India as a sovereign country will never interfere in the internal affairs of another nation,” said Gurung. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

White Paper Against Caste-Based Discrimination

In a historic move, 13 political parties have released a white paper expressing collective commitment against the caste-based discrimination. The 13-point white paper vows to celebrate the year 2005 as the Year for the Elimination of Untouchability and the period between 2005-2015 as the Decade for the Elimination of Untouchability. The parties have also expressed commitment to take initiatives from all level to dispel negative notions prevalent in society. They have also declared that none of their workers or cadres would engage in such activities. They have also vowed to introduce laws and rules that discourage such practice and help uplift the vulnerable communities. The parties that released the white paper include the Nepali Congress, NC (D), Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP), NSP-Anandidevi, People’s Front, Green Nepal Party, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Nepal Samata Party, Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist Leninist), Nepal Dalit Shramik Morcha and CPN (Marxist). Compiled from reports.

NSU Convention Suspended

Nepali Congress (NC) has suspended the 10th general convention of its student wing Nepal Students Union (NSU), which was scheduled to be held in Pokhara from December 31. The party said that the decision was taken in view of blockades in different parts of the country, which could hinder the arrival of participants from across the country. Compiled from reports.

CJ Is Not Clean: Former Justice Kumar

Former judge of the Supreme Court (SC) Baliram Kumar has accused that Chief Justice (CJ) is involved in the Robinson episode. Kumar and another judge Krishna Kumar Burma had resigned after the controversy snowballed with charges that they set free British drug-lord Gordon Williams Robinson under ‘influence’. Kumar, however, denied any undue influence, which made him take the decision to set him free even after the Special Court had found him guilty and sentenced to prison. Kumar alleged that CJ Gobinda Bahadur Shrestha, too, is as much involved in the case. Shrestha got away by putting us in this mess, Kumar argued. Kantipur daily reports.

Rhino Count This Year

The government is undertaking fresh rhino count beginning April, 2005. In view of increasing incidents of poaching and gradual withdrawal of security outposts, there are fears that wildlife conservation could have been affected. In the rhino count conducted five years ago, 600 rhinos were found in Royal Chitwan National Park (RCNP). The new rhino count will present fresh picture of the ground situation and enable the government to adopt appropriate policies for the conservation of the endangered species. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.

Blockade Called Off

A week after they imposed it, the Maoists have called off the blockade in nine districts surrounding the Kathmandu valley – which had been affecting the capital. In a statement released by so-called Tamang Autonomous People’s Government (a wing of the Maoists), Kumari Moktan, its chief, has said that the Maoists called off the blockade in view of demands made by the human rights activists, civil society and media representatives. Leading dailies report.

Thapa Forms Committee

Former Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa has formed a 340-member committee – headed by himself – with the purpose of organizing greater national conference. Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani is the joint-chairman of the committee whereas Buddhiman Tamang is its member-secretary. Thapa had vowed to float a new political force in the country after deserting the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), which he helped founded after the restoration of democracy in 1990. Leading dailies report.

Kathmandu Records Coldest December In A Decade

Meteorologists have said that Kathmandu recorded coldest day for the month of December in a decade on Monday (December 27) with mercury plunging to –0.3 degree Celsius. This is a record temperature level for valley since 1992. According to experts at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, valley had experienced – 2 degree Celsius on New Year’s Eve in 1977. “Chances are that the mercury might still go down and set another record,” said Mandira Rajbahak, senior divisional meteorologist at the department. The fall in temperature has been attributed to the heavy snowfall in the northern Himalayan ranges. The Himalayan Times daily reports.