I n d e p t h    A n a l y s i s
Making sense of it all

Kathmandu: The media has been hit hard by the emergency and the absence of clear definition of the do's and don'ts makes the professionals undecided. Given the massive investments and the swollen manpower in the Fourth Estate, there is chaos. It is this that has to be addressed first through clear legal determination and definitions.

Of course, the most hit is the political sector. His Majesty the King's reported assurance to the diplomatic community of a hundred day need to get things in order comes as a welcome relief to those who would want the political process to take its course. The hope is that the major parliamentary political parties who have contributed to the democratic mess in Nepal will realize the utility of His Majesty's actions. This perhaps is wishful thinking still.

Unfortunately, is something less said by the diplomatic community whose refrain in public has hardly nudged our erring political leadership to see sense in the King's action. There is political cash to be made from galvanizing sagging party morale in the plea for democratic freedoms. There is political handicap in recognizing the faults in democratic practice that have not only jeopardized democracy but also threatened the state. Western democratic countries and the Indian democracy would refuse to recognize this inconvenience to the common Nepali. There is a divergence therefore in the public standpoints of our democratic friends and the hopes that have been aroused among the Nepali public by the King's actions.

At this juncture therefore repeated Chinese statements favoring the "internal developments" in Nepal is meaningful in the least. While it should be obvious that these internal developments come as result of failures of political organizations and their leadership to ride the democratic norms productively, refusal of the international community to jostle our leadership in the right direction tangibly has very much also contributed to this mess. Friends of Nepal would seem to want that such version will emerge that encouraged the actually erring political sector to continue their intransigence.

In is in this light also that one expects a stronger gesture from those who comprehend that the King's actions will be read in the proper light at home and abroad.

Bilateral issues should not affect SAARC Summit-Ambassador Akram, Pakistan

Katmandu: The Pakistani Ambassador to the Nepali Court, Zameer Akram has said that the world has lived for long under the illusion that tensions were easing in between the two warring rivals, India and Pakistan, which was not true in essence.

"We in Pakistan seek peace in between the two countries and in the process President Musarraf has time and again reiterated that he could exhibit maximum flexibility to arrive at an amicable solution to the Kashmir imbroglio provided the other side matches to our gestures", said Ambassador Akram while addressing a media gathering last week at the embassy premises to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day.

According to the Pakistani diplomat, India had been continuing to forward what he called "unrealistic position".

The last round of Foreign Secretary level talks between India and Pakistan was not fruitful because of India’s hardened stance on Kashmir.

"We do not see any possibility of substantive progress in Indo-Pak talks on Kashmir in the near future, said the Ambassador adding that India at time of the talks prefers to touch upon only "peripheral issues" which were of lesser significance.

Talking on the summary postponement of the Dhaka SAARC Summit, Ambassador Akram described it as "unfortunate" and said that "we don’t agree with and comprehend" the suspension of the Summit.

"We regret such approaches where the cause for the postponements are due to bilateral issues", continued the Ambassador.

Commenting on the recent developments in Nepal, the Pak envoy opined that "no one should interfere in the exclusively internal affairs of Nepal and that the Nepali people were able to tackle their problems".

He described Nepal-Pakistan bilateral relations as "tension free".

A documentary film on Kashmir was also screened on the occasion that depicted the atrocities perpetrated on the Kashmiri population by the Indian forces. The film was a product of the BBC.

The old political maverick is back

Kathmandu: The freshly appointed vice chairman of the council of ministers, Dr. Tulsi Giri, has politely advised the media personnel not to give a brand name to CPN (Maoist).

He is perhaps the first Nepali politician in the last ten years not to call rebels as Maoists.

Talking to reporters, immediately after assuming office at Singha Durbar, Dr. Giri, a maverick politician indeed said the new council of ministers would throw its entire efforts in charting out a broad based roadmap as announced by King Gyanendra on February 1.

To a query from a reporter as to when the people would feel relief from his government, the 78-year-old politician who was for decades and decades in hibernation said he was not an astrologer. "But the government will make efforts in this regard as soon as possible since time doesn’t wait for anybody," he added.

The government will do whatever is necessary—bringing (them) back to the table of negotiations or seeking an armed solution—to resolve the problem, said Giri.

Dr. Giri had both carrot and stick in his hands for the Maoists wherein he hinted that he was ready for both the options: the talks or for an, if need be, armed solution. The toughest message so far from the government side.

Dr. Giri, a staunch Hindu turned Christian, has been living in Bangalore of India for the last several years. Prior to residing in India, Dr. Giri spent some good many years in Colombo.

Kantipur daily reported that Dr. Giri’s office has been set up at the office of the deputy prime minister at Singh Durbar while that of Kirtinidhi Bista, another vice chairman in the cabinet, has been set up at the office of the Defense Minister.

Staff at the Prime Minister’s Office and Office of the Council of Ministers had to rush till Monday afternoon to manage office premises for two senior politicians, the daily reported.

With Dr. Giri back in Nepali politics, it is hoped that he would do the needful to convince the friendly governments on why Nepal have had to resort to such measures.

A seasoned politician, Dr. Giri is considered to be a hardliner in Nepali politics. However, his long absence from the country's politics would require some time to get abreast with the real politics of the country.

US & EU envoys leave Kathmandu

Kathmandu: A press release issued on February 15th, 2005 by the USIA stated that the U.S. Ambassador to Nepal James F. Moriarty has returned to Washington for consultations. Adding further it states that, the Ambassador will be meeting with State Department and other U.S. officials as the United States, together with its international partners, considers what steps they will take to support the Nepalese people’s quest for democracy, peace, security and development". He will then return to Nepal.

Envoys leaving the capital for consultations including the USA are the UK, France, Denmark, Norway and Germany, while Indian envoy to Nepal is already in New Delhi for consultations.

News reports claimed that the US ambassador Moriarty was scheduled to leave for Hawaii to attend a conference on post-Tsunami cooperation but was summoned by Washington DC for weeklong consultations, US embassy sources said.

Nine revenue officials suspended on corruption charges

Kathmandu: Nine officials working at the Tatopani Customs Office in Sindhupalchowk district have been suspended on charges of financial irregularities.

Three of the suspended officials are section officers and others assistants.

It is reported that the officials were involved in embezzlement of revenue by understating the business at the customs office. The department said that action would be initiated against the accused officials as per the Section 64 of the Civil Service Act.

Nepal will be able to independently solve the problems-Russian Federation

Kathmandu: Important and powerful countries having a say in world politics around the globe have begun expressing their comments on the recent developments in Nepal.

Russian Federation was one of the countries that quickly responded to the Nepal events wherein the RF says that the "measures undertaken by the King have been triggered by the complicated internal political situation in Nepal stemming from large scale actions by left-wing extremists for the last few years.

The RF also says that "friendly Nepal will be able to independently solve the problems facing it and the restoration of conditions of stability and security in the country will combine with the strengthening of democracy and economic and social progress".

The full text of the statement issued by the RF Government on February 2 is as follows:

"A state of emergency was declared in the Kingdom of Nepal on February 1. A number of articles of the Constitution have been suspended in this connection and King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has headed up the Government himself. The term of office of the new Cabinet has been set for three years. During this period the King says he expects to restore peace and order in the country. The measures undertaken by the King have been triggered by the complicated internal political situation in Nepal, stemming from large-scale actions by left-wing extremists for the last few years, which had blocked the democratic processes in the country, in particular, the holding of parliamentary elections. The efforts of the previous governments to solve problems with the insurgents by negotiation and to return the country into the mainstream of democracy had failed.

Moscow is closely watching the course of events in the kingdom. Russia and Nepal are bound by long-standing relations of mutual sympathies and cooperation. It is expressing the hope that friendly Nepal will be able to independently solve the problems facing it and the restoration of conditions of stability and security in the country will combine with the strengthening of democracy and economic and social progress". End text.

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