Delhi Decision Will Be Made Public After It Is Endorsed By Parties: Nepal
The decisions taken in the meeting between top party leaders and the Maoists recently in New Delhi, India, will be made public after it is discussed and endorsed by the seven party alliance. This was informed by Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) in Butwal on Sunday. He said that since both the parties and the Maoists have common demand of constituent assembly, there were good possibilities of agreement between the two. “But till such understanding is reached, we will continue to focus our attack against authoritarian regime separately,” he told reporters. Nepal added that he would be returning to New Delhi again on Monday or Tuesday to “obtain the medical report.” He added that everyone should be happy since the Maoists have indicated they would join competitive politics and accept democracy. “But since the government army has weapons the Maoists would not lay down their arms in a simple manner. They have indicated they are willing to lay down their arms under the observation of the United Nations,” he said. Meanwhile, another UML leader K.P. Oli who accompanied Nepal in New Delhi visit, rejected reports that they met with Maoist leaders in Indian capital. Oli said that the Maoist policy of adopting competitive politics and democracy had been passed by their recent central committee meeting. Kantipur daily reports.
Two Security Men Killed, Seven Injured
Two security personnel were killed in separate incidents on Saturday (November 19) and Friday (Nov 18) after Maoists attacked security forces who were busy in search operations in Kavre’s southern region. Seven other security personnel were injured. A security man was killed on Friday when the Maoists laid an ambush while the forces were returning to the district headquarters from Falametar. Sources added that the security man died in the encounter that ensued at Falametar’s Dayagaun. The forces were returning after combing the Maoist-affected southern region Dhartichhap, according to number nine brigade Bhakunde of Royal Nepalese Army (RNA). According to the brigade, seven injured security men are under treatment in the Birendra Army hospital in Kathmandu. An army man died in an ambush by Maoists at Sola Bhanjyang of Gokule VDC on Saturday, the brigade said. Two security men were injured in the incident. In another incident, five security men were injured in an ambush planted by Maoists at Mahabharat’s Chaukidanda on Saturday afternoon. The Himalayan Times daily reports.
500 Kids Killed Due To Conflict
Around 500 children have already lost their lives due to conflict in Nepal, according to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Sudip Pathak, a member of the Commission, has said that the NHRC is going to introduce a Charter on Child Rights in next two months by making the state side, political parties and the Maoists to sign it. Pathak said that the conflict has seriously disturbed the lives of children. He accused that the army maintained barracks in school premises and used children as informers. Likewise, he accused the Maoists of building bunkers in school premises and using child soldiers and kid porters. The Maoists have also been accused of repeatedly abducting school children. Kantipur daily reports.
Maoists Positive Towards Returning To Mainstream: Koirala
Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala, who returned to Kathmandu on Saturday (Nov 19) after 10-day visit to New Delhi, said that the Maoists were positive towards returning to mainstream politics. Talking to reporters he said that though he did not meet the Maoist leaders in person, he had telephonic conversations with them. “I urged them to return to mainstream politics. And they were positive,” Koirala said. The NC president also met with Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh along with other Indian leaders during his stay in New Delhi. Earlier, general secretary of Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) Madhav Kumar Nepal – who returned to Kathmandu on Friday from New Delhi – said that the Maoists have shown willingness to join competitive multiparty politics and abandon their arms if solution is sought through constituent assembly. He, however, declined to confirm that he had met with Maoist leaders in New Delhi. He also added that there was no possibility of dialogue with the King at present. Leading dailies report.
UML Holds Mass Meeting In Butwal
Despite obstructions posed by the administration, thousands of party workers and common people attended the mass meeting organized by UML in Butwal on Saturday (Nov 19). Even though administration had blocked movement of traffic in various entry points to Butwal in Nawalparasi and Kapilvastu districts, the people came to attend the meeting, which was addressed by top leaders of the party including its general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal. In the surrounding districts, local administration had actively discouraged people from traveling to participate in the meeting. Addressing the meeting, Nepal said that the Maoists were willing to join the competitive politics and abide by democratic norms. He further revealed that the Maoists were also willing to give up their arms under the mediation of the United Nations. Nepal also came down heavily against the King for defying people’s wishes. Leading dailies report.
Major Parties Can Still Contest Election: CEC
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Keshab Raj Rajbhandari has said that even though the deadline for the registration of political parties for the purpose of forthcoming February 8 municipal polls has ended, the major ‘national parties who have obtained more than 3 percent of total votes cast in previous election’ can contest the municipal polls by putting up their candidates even 15 days before the polls. “They can put up their candidates and inform the same to concerned election official and be able to contest the polls in their own party symbol,” said Rajbhandari. Till the deadline last week, 72 political parties have registered with the Election Commission (EC). However, the seven agitating parties have not registered at the EC. CEC Rajbhandari also urged media to report any event of breach of election code of conduct by government officials. he vowed to take action against such officials. Leading dailies report.
Choose Between Monarchy And People: Leahy
An influential member of the United States Senate said on Friday (Nov 18) the “skeptical” US government and the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) may have to make a choice between the monarchy and “the people”. Speaking on the Senate floor, Senator Patrick Leahy also asked the US government to encourage negotiations between Maoists and “representatives of all sectors of society who support a democratic, peaceful Nepal”, as their pleas to King Gyanendra have fallen on deaf ears, reports Kantipuronline.com. He said the RNA may have to make a choice soon. “It may not be long before the army is faced with a fateful choice,” he said. “Will it continue to side with the palace even if it means turning its weapons on pro-democracy protesters and facing international censure? Or will it cast its lot with the people? It is a choice that we [United States] may also have to make,” he stressed, while reviewing a new US law, approved by President George W Bush on Monday that imposes strict restrictions on military aid to Nepal. The restrictions were proposed by Leahy himself. “The Congress took this action only after it could no longer ignore the pattern of arbitrary arrests, disappearances, torture and extrajudicial killings by the army.” However, he also said the US understands that the RNA needs help, “but it also needs to respect the law and the rights of the Nepalese people.” “The army’s abusive conduct, coupled with the king’s repressive actions since February 1, have contributed to a political crisis that threatens not only the future of democracy but the monarchy itself.” He also sharply criticized the “ruthless Maoist insurgency”. However, he said a military solution could never be an option. He also charged the announcement of municipal elections, without consulting the political opposition parties, as the king’s move just “to placate his critics”. “Not surprisingly, the parties say they will not participate in an electoral process dictated by the palace, and when the army and the King’s handpicked representatives have taken control of local affairs and are unlikely to relinquish power.” Kantipuronline.com reports.
India Will Give Bank Guarantee To West Seti
A senior Indian official has said that Indian banks are willing to provide guarantee to the investment in West Seti hydropower project. The construction of the project, which is located in far-west Nepal, has not gone ahead due to lack of such guarantee. According to Power Trading Corporation (PTC) of India, which has already entered into Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with an Australian company Snowy Mountain Engineering Corporation (SMEC), there is no problem of guarantee and that only “few financial issues” remain before the project takes off. The SMEC and Exim Bank of China have also entered into agreement to construct the project. But the Exim Bank has been asking for guarantee from Indian banks as well – delaying the project. Vice president of PTC Rajiv Bhardwaj has said that the Indian banks are ready to provide such guarantee. “India needs huge quantity of energy. Those needs can be fulfilled only through mutual cooperation. Therefore, we are very hopeful about West Seti,” Bhardwaj said. The PTC had reached into PPA with SMEC for the 750 MW West Seti project three years ago at the rate of 4 cents per unit (around Rs 3.6). The total cost of the project is said to be US$ 1 billion. SMEC will hand over the project to Nepal government after 30 years of operation. It has also agreed to construction a separate power plant to provide 10 percent of the total power of West Seti to Nepal for free. India, which has the total installed capacity of 115,000 MW, aims to add 50,000 MW of power by 2012. Kantipur daily reports.
NBA Drops Its Protest Programs
The Nepal Bar Association (NBA) has dropped its earlier announced protest programs like boycotting the court proceedings after it reached into an understanding with the Supreme Court (SC). The NBA dropped its protest program after the SC and NBA, in a joint statement, said they were fully committed to the protection of the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law and fundamental rights of the people. The statement was issued after three-hour meeting between bar officials and Chief Justice and other SC judges. The NBA had earlier said it would boycott court proceedings on November 16 to protest the SC decision not to extend interim order in the hearing of media ordinance case. Leading dailies report.
NT Change System To Upgrade Quality
Nepal Telecom (NT) has shifted into new system to improve the quality and capacity enhancement of its mobile phone service. NT is replacing the existing GSM system in Kathmandu valley with the mobile operation service of ZTE. According to Madan Kazi Shakya, director of New Services Directorate of NT, with the change in the mobile operation system, NT will be able to provide 1 million lines of mobile phones. At present, it has distributed 300,000 lines of mobile phones. He added that with the new system, NT can provide internet, email and Multi-media messaging (MMS) services as well. The existing Global Positioning System (GPS) will also be replaced by Global Positioning Radio System (GPRS). The NT started making changes in these systems from Friday night (November 18) at 9 pm. Shakya said that since they need to stop the existing 91 base stations and install new ones, the mobile phone connections from Friday night till Sunday had been disturbed. Consequently, the NT had offered free of charge mobile phone service (local and domestic) during this period. Meanwhile, the NT has also announced new “Friends and Family” service to its mobile users based on which a customer can provide three numbers, which he/she uses frequently and for which tariff will be reduced by 25 percent. Leading dailies report.
