Take Legal Course For House Restoration: Dr. Giri
Vice chairman of the Council of Ministers Dr. Tulsi Giri has requested lawyers and political parties to take legal course to fulfill their demands for the restoration of dissolved House of Representatives. He warned that the House would not be restored from the pressures from the street. “If it is restored through legal course, then it will be acceptable to us,” he said in response to the demands for the restoration by the seven political parties as well as the Nepal Bar Association (NBA). “Whether the Article 127 of the Constitution is constitutional or unconstitutional? They themselves (parties) are agitating in the streets demanding for the restoration of the parliament they jointly killed. They should approach the Supreme Court (for legal recourse),” he said, addressing a program organized by the Office of the Attorney General. “It is against the rule of law to pressure the state to do something from street actions. If somebody comes to the street defying the rule of law, then the responsible agencies will have to take action,” he said. Earlier, the SC had upheld the decision of then government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba to dissolve the House of Representatives in June 2002. But many constitutional experts believe that since the primary condition of holding elections within six months (of dissolution) could not be fulfilled, there are possibilities to revive the old parliament. Leading dailies report.
MoD Seeks Rs 18 Billion
The budget for the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) in the coming fiscal year may rise substantially as the Ministry of Defense (MoD) has proposed a budget of around Rs 18 billion. “Although the MoD is currently working on a three-year budget, we have demanded Rs 18 billion for the first year – 2005/06,” said an official at the Ministry, “the proposal is under consideration of the Ministry of Finance. If cleared the defense budget will be almost double than that of this year, when only over Rs 8 billion was released though the MoD had initially demanded about Rs 16 billion. The hike in the budget is sought to finance the RNA’s plan to recruit 13,000 more men in near future and to buy a few helicopters and other equipment. As the proposed budget is being negotiated, some officials say that it may finally be settled at around Rs 12 to 13 billion. The Himalayan Times daily reports.
Study To Build Natural Gas Pipeline
A study is going to be conducted to find out the possibility of laying down pipeline to transport natural gas from Bangladesh to Nepal and Bhutan . This agreement was reached during foreign secretary-level meeting of BIMSTEC in Dhaka last week. “We have agreed to undertake such study,” said Foreign Secretary Madhuraman Acharya, who led the Nepalese delegation at the meeting. Officials say that stress on natural gas is relevant given the increasing price of petroleum products. BIMSTEC has Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand as members. Myanmar and Bangladesh are rich in natural gas. Kantipur daily reports.
Open House Passes 13 Points
The mock session of the parliament organized in the street of Patan on Friday (June 3) passed a 13-point resolution unanimously declaring that the reinstatement of the parliament and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 will be the starting point to resolve the current problems faced by the country. Chaired by deputy Speaker of the dissolved House of Representatives Chitra Lekha Yadav, the session was participated by members from most of the political parties – in fact 95 percent of the parties represented in the earlier parliament were present in the session. Altogether 19 National Assembly members and 132 lawmakers from the House of Representatives were present at the mock parliamentary session. It also endorsed the common agenda of the seven political parties. Leading dailies report.
Koirala Leaves For Delhi
In a meaningful trip, Nepali Congress (NC) president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala left for New Delhi, India on Saturday (June 4). Although termed as a trip for health treatment – Koirala is suffering from respiratory ailments and is scheduled to received treatment at renowned Apollo hospital in New Delhi – the trip has assumed greater significance as it is the first one by Koirala after February 1. Besides, Koirala is expected to meet with high-level Indian officials and politicians including Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. “I will meet many of my friends in India,” said Koirala, adding that political situation in Nepal will figure prominently in his talks with Indian leaders. Talking to reporters in Kathmandu, Koirala said he had no intention of meeting any Maoist leader in New Delhi. He was welcomed by Indian External Affairs Ministry official Ranjit Rae in New Delhi, where he will be meeting with seven party leaders stationed there since February 1. Leading dailies report.
Lawyers Call For Democracy
A huge rally of lawyers went around the city demanding the restoration of democracy and civil liberties in the country. Expressing solidarity with the demand of the political parties to reinstate the parliament, the lawyers’ rally (on June 4) even entered into restricted areas defying prohibitory orders. Near Ratna Park, police personnel tried to disperse the rally by using force but in vain. The rally was taken out after the completion of the anniversary celebrations of Nepal Bar Association (NBA). Meanwhile, the NBA passed a 17-point declaration at the end of the 25 th and 26 th Central Executive Council meeting. In the declaration, it has described recent political events unfolding since February 1 as an ‘infringement’ on the rule of law, and has demanded the immediate dissolution of the ‘unconstitutional’ government. They have also demanded the ‘scrapping’ of the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC). Leading dailies report.
UML Student Wing Warns India Against Building Dam
A delegation of the student wing of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) made a field trip to the Keuliya-Farena dam, which is under construction near Nepal border in Phulpur of Rupandehi district. The delegation led by ANNFSU president Khim Lal Bhattarai asked for immediate stop to the construction as it would inundate a huge swathe of Nepalese territory during monsoon. The Indian side has claimed that they are only constructing a road there. Addressing a meeting organized at the border point, Bhattarai warned India against building such dam and said students were prepared to shed blood for the purpose. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.
5 Quintals Of Hashish Seized
The officers of the Anti Narcotics Drugs Law Enforcement Unit raided a house in Bishnumati, Kathmandu on Friday (June 3) and seized 507 kgs of hashish – the country’s second biggest such haul. One person was arrested from the house. Investigations are on to locate other drug runners. Earlier, a few years ago, the police had seized 669 kgs of hashish from new Banewshore, the largest haul so far. Leading dailies report.
I Will Present The Proposal To The Palace: Speaker
Although Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat has declined to chair the mock session of the dissolved parliament to be organized by seven parties in the streets on Friday (June 3), he has assured the parties that he would present the proposals they adopt in the streets to the palace. After Ranabhat’s decline, the parties are expected to make eldest MP or deputy Speaker or deputy chairman of National Assembly to chair the session, which is going to be held in Patan in the afternoon. Ranabhat had declined the offer to chair the session when a delegation of Congress leaders approached him with the request. He had remarked that it would be difficult for him to take part in street agitation before he steps down from the current constitutional position. “Constitutional parliament is my place. I cannot take part in street parliament,” he said, adding, “Or else the party should order me to step down.” Kantipur daily reports.
Khanal Stopped From Flying To India
Security personnel have stopped the Standing Committee member of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) Jhal Nath Khanal from flying to New Delhi. He was returned back from the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) on Thursday (June 2). UML has expressed grave concern at the stopping of Khanal who it said was flying for regular health check up at New Delhi. Leading dailies report.
US Team To Train RNA Soon?
The United States is planning to send instructors to train Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) and a team will arrive next week to conduct a course related to International Humanitarian Law, sources said. This will be the first training by US instructors after February 1 royal takeover. The training, which US army instructors were scheduled to provide to a unit of RNA’s special forces in March, is also expected to begin soon. RNA officials hope that the annual joint training exercises between the RNA soldiers and US Army, particularly the US Pacific Command officials, too, will take place this year. However, US military assistance other than non-lethal still remains under review. The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) recently proposed delivery of some bomb disposal equipment to the RNA. “The equipment will be delivered to RNA, if no member of parliament objects to the proposal within 14 working days of its registration,” a British Embassy official said. Asked if the proposed delivery of the equipment amounts to resumption of military aid, or it was a fresh proposal from the MoD, the official said, “It is the resumption of military assistance.” Meanwhile, the RNA officials still deny receiving any equipment from the government of India. The Himalayan Times daily reports.
Late King Birendra Remembered As Peace Lover
Speakers at an interaction program organized by “Hamro Nepal” on late King Birendra and his role in pursuing “Nepal as a Zone of Peace,” remarked that the late monarch was devoted to the cause of peace and development. At the program organized four years after the palace massacre in which King Birendra and nine other royal family members were killed (June 1, 2001), the speakers remembered the late monarch and opined that his Zone of Peace proposal was still relevant. Buddhiraj Bajracharya, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation remembered how 116 countries around the world had endorsed the Zone of Peace proposal of Nepal. Leading dailies report.
UML Leaders In Lucknow, Could Meet Maoist Leaders
A team of leaders of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) led by its Standing Committee member Bamdev Gautam has left for Lucknow, India from Nepalgunj. The team is expected to hold talks with the Maoist leaders there this week. Gautam and Hari Parajuli of UML did not come into contact with anyone soon after they landed in Nepalgunj airport. They then crossed the border into India in a Maruti Car (registration no. Bhe 1 Cha 534). In Indian border town of Rupediya, leader Gautam and his team boarded UP Roadways bus (no UP 32 AN 6842) destined for Lucknow, said the source, adding, “They could meet the Maoist leaders.” Security sources also said that the team of the leaders did not return after crossing the border into India. Last year, UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal had met with Maoist chairman Prachanda in Lucknow. UML has not said anything about Gautam’s visit. Kantipur daily reports.
