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At least 50 Maoists and two security personnel were killed in a clash between the Maoists and the security forces in the Jaraytar area of Sindhuli district, 40 km northeast of district headquarters Sindhulimadi, on Sunday (May 15) afternoon. The security forces clashed with the Maoists for over four hours from 3 pm . The forces were chasing the Maoists who were fleeing along the bank of Kamala river after their failed attacks on security camps in Siraha on May 9. A Janakpur-based security source said at least 50 Maoists were killed and over 100 injured in the clash. Two security personnel were killed and seven injured, the sources added. Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) spokesperson Brigadier General Deepak Kumar Gurung confirmed the clash in Sindhuli but said he didn’t have details of the incident. According to local security sources, the security forces had increased patrolling in the forest area of Jaraytar after getting tip-offs that the fleeing Maoists were passing through the area. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

Security forces have rescued unharmed around 650 students abducted at different times by the Maoists from Niskot area of Myagdi district. The Maoists fled leaving the students behind after a patrolling team of security forces reached the area. Officials said the students had been abducted from various schools from surrounding districts. Radio Nepal reports.

In a meaningful remarks, former prime minister and president of Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) Surya Bahadur Thapa has hinted of some kind of political change within days in the country. “The coming change will help resolve country’s problems. For this, the political side should become more responsible.” Thapa said, adding, “They should be compelled to take path towards resolution.” He also urged the King and the political parties to become flexible for resolution of problems. “Everybody has to bow before the call of the time,” he said speaking at a program organized in the capital. “Let us wait for a few days. There are talks about finding ways to resolve the crisis. There are talks of search for ways to bring about complete change. The pressure for resolution of the problem by coming together of all has also increased,” he said. Leading dailies report.

The general secretary of the People’s Front (PF) – a radical leftist outfit – Navaraj Subedi was arrested on May 14 by police at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) just before he along with a delegation of political leaders and journalists were leaving for Islamabad, Pakistan to take part in the South Asian Parliamentary Forum to be organized by the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA). After his arrest, other members of the entourage cancelled their visit in protest. The members of the entourage included deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Chitralekha Yadav, acting president of Nepali Congress (Democratic) Gopal Man Shrestha, members-duo of the Standing Committee of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) Pradip Nepal and Jhal Nath Khanal, central member of Nepali Congress Binaya Dhoj Chand, president of United Leftist Front Chandra Prakash Mainali, central member of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Ram Chandra Raya, president of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Bishnu Nisthuri and general secretary of FNJ Mahendra Bista. Kantipur daily reports.

A security official in India has claimed that the cadres of the Maoists are engaged in drug smuggling to make up for the financial crisis in their party. DIG of Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) of India, Hemchandra Khagrawal, said this while addressing a press conference organized by the Eastern Regional Police Office (ERPO) in Biratnagar on Saturday (May 14). A study has suggested that the Maoists need a lot of money to buy arms and, therefore, they are involved in supplying of narcotics, DIG Khagrawal said. One kilogram of the narcotics can fetch them as much as five million rupees and this may be a source of income for the party, he added. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

The seven political parties have come up with code of conduct and fresh set of programs of their agitation aimed at restoring peace and democracy. The parties have announced that the restoration of the House of Representatives is their exit point. As per their code of conduct, their agitation will be peaceful and non-violent. The agitation will begin from May 15. They have urged people from all walks of life to take part in their agitation. They have also vowed not to publicly criticize each other and have said they would sort out any problem through a meeting of their top leaders. Leading dailies report.

Indian police have raided an arms factory located only one kilometer away from Nepalese border in Mihipurwa and seized a huge cache of weapons. The Indian police surrounded Lonienpurwa and Balsinghpur of Bahraich district and located the factory along with arms. Two persons were arrested and equipment of making arms also seized. According to local chief of Indian intelligence agency U.C. Gupta, the two arrested persons have revealed that 90 percent of the arms manufactured there were being sold to the Nepalese Maoists while the rest were sold to Indian criminal elements. Among the seized weapons include a huge cache of .303 rifles, country-made guns and ammunitions. They also revealed that the factory had been in operation for the past five years. A day before the raid took place, a meeting between security officials of the two countries had been held. Kantipur daily reports.

Even as the international community has been urging for the reconciliation between the monarchy and the political parties, vice chairman of the Council of Ministers Dr. Tulsi Giri has said that the King should not listen to the demands of the parties. “The political parties have been asking the King to bring to life the parliament, which they themselves so mercilessly killed. But the King should not listen to their demands,” said Dr. Giri addressing district, zonal and regional administrators in Birgunj on Wednesday when the government led by the King completed 100 days in office. Dr. Giri said that the conflict between the parties who talk of “murder of democracy” and the government who believes “democracy should be given new lease of life as it was made inactive” would continue. He also criticized the foreigners for first telling that Nepal was becoming a failed state and now saying that the royal action was anti-democracy. “The force behind the leaders (of the parties) have become the foreigners’ response and not the Nepalese people,” he said. Leading dailies report.

Security forces have claimed to have killed at least 37 Maoists when they tried to storm security camps along the Mahendra highway in Bandipur, Mirchiya and Choharba of Siraha district on Monday (May 9) night. Six civilians also died in the crossfire that followed throughout the night. Five security personnel including two army men were also killed in the attack. Security forces said that they successfully repelled a major offensive by the Maoists and were able to recover dozens of weapons. They said that the Maoists took up positions in the residences of civilians to launch attack against their camps. Twenty-five civilians were injured in the incident. In Bandipur, a 25-year-old pregnant lady and a seven-year-old girl were also killed in the crossfire. “Doctors had told that she would be delivering her baby anytime. But she died,” said Raj Kumar Mukhiya, husband of Rekha Mukhiya. He said that although they had tried to flee from their homes, the Maoists surrounded their house and ordered them not to flee. Kantipur daily reports.

After weeks of speculations, the Indian government has finally decided to resume the arms supplies already in pipeline to Nepal. The Cabinet Committee on Security made this decision last week. Reports say the consignment includes trucks, jeeps, cars, bullet-proof jackets and ammunitions. “The government has decided to release some of the supplies currently in the pipeline,” Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh told reporters while returning after a three-day visit to Russia. “At the same time, we will keep the situation under review.” In New Delhi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Navtej Sarna said, “With the lifting of emergency and the release of several political party leaders and activists in Nepal, the government of India has decided to release some of the supplies currently in the pipeline, including vehicles.” Compiled from reports.

The Chinese government has said that the issue of Kalapani border dispute is a bilateral problem between Nepal and India. The Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu has said: “Chinese side always holds the view that the problem of Kalapani between Nepal and India should be resolved through friendly bilateral consultation,” and “the Chinese side fully understands the concerns of the Nepali side and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nepal.” In response to media reports of Kalapani in the recent border protocol between India and China concluded during the visit of Chinese premier Wen Jiabao to India in April, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made it clear that the matters relating to the demarcation of boundary between Nepal and India, including the issue of Kalapani, is being looked into by a joint technical committee between the two countries and will be resolved bilaterally in the spirit of bilateral understanding and cooperation. The Foreign Ministry has, in a press release, issued on Tuesday (May 10), said that the government of China has informed the Ministry that “there is no concern belonging to Kalapani among the documents signed between China and India during the visit of Chinese premier Wen Jiabao to India.” Leading dailies report

The Armed Police Force (APF) stormed into the building of Rato Ghar (Red House) in Bagbazaar and forcefully evacuated it arresting over a dozen student activists after the 35-day evacuation notice issued by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) ended on Tuesday (May 10). There were scuffles between the police and the student activists before the building was evacuated. Since 1990, the building has been used by various organizations including the All Nepal National Federation of Student Union (ANNFSU) – student wing of the UML. It is owned by the Public Garden and City Hall Management Department under the Ministry of Local Development. Reports say the Rato Ghar will now be given to APF. Leading dailies report.

Senior journalist Bhagirath Yogi recently presented a paper on building of solidarity network of conflict-affected journalists. At a program organized jointly by the International Press Institute (IPI) and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Yogi, who is the general secretary of IPI (Nepal), presented the paper detailing the situation of journalists and the impact of conflict on their profession. Gokul Pokharel, chairman of IPI (Nepal), said that restrictions on media should be lifted. Likewise, Dev Raj Dahal, chief of FES, addressed the program calling for safeguarding of democracy and press freedom. At the same program, senior journalists and media experts commented on the present situation of media in the country saying that journalists were demoralized due to government's illiberal policy. Leading dailies report.

Even as many foreign embassies are issuing Travel Advisories cautioning their citizens from traveling to Nepal, two European ambassadors, who recently trekked in Nepalese mountainside said they faced no insecurity. British ambassador Keith George Bloomfield recently visited Nar and Phu valley of Manang and trekked for ten days whereas French ambassador Michel Jolivet made the trekking trip to Khumbu region. Both the ambassadors spoke highly of the natural beauty of those regions. At a talk program organized by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on Monday, the two envoys said that tourists in Nepal had no problem in those areas. While sharing their experiences the two said that the country’s tourist destinations were ‘absolutely safe’ and ‘peaceful.’ Bloomfield said there is ‘absolutely no problem of security’ in what he called was the ‘peaceful’ Manang area where he was fascinated and enthralled by the ‘unbeatable combination of landscape and Himalayas.’ Jolivet added that trekking in Nepal was ‘quite safe.’ He described the Khumbu region as ‘beyond my expectations’ and ‘completely safe.’ He claimed the Khumbu region has the ‘best panoramic views’ he had ever seen. Leading dailies report.