Wednesday, September 21, 2005

In-depth analysis:
Stemming the drift!

Kathmandu: As focus shifts to Kathmandu this week with the King meeting Kathmandu denizens after the rousing public response of his visits in the central zone, the central role Kathmandu valley plays in Nepali politics will be highlighted.

Revealingly, it is Lalitpur and not Kathmandu that the King has chosen for his exposure with valley denizens. Linkage can't but be drawn to the fact that the choice of District Development Committee chairman and vice chairman has not been congenial in Kathmandu to the point that the Kathmandu appointees have been unable to concur on the selection of the district development board which could only naturally impact on mass mobilization here.

On the contrary, Lalitpur district president, Badri Bahadur KC's choice has made possible the Lalitpur venue since his mass reach is said to be outstanding as will be proven in course of His majesty's exposure there.

Again, in Kathmandu, the insistence of the seven party agitations to show presence on the streets despite dwindling numbers well hidden in the partisan media is also perhaps a factor behind the Lalitpur choice.

This week thus is likely to highlight all three fundamental traits of current Nepali politics that will function as prime factors in the immediate change that is widely expected.

Firstly, the massive grassroots support for the King will be reflected in the turn out.

Secondly, organizational shortcomings in the Capital Kathmandu that malfunctioned in the appointment of the DDC head will have been underlined.

Thirdly, the Kathmandu based party agitation will have been overshadowed.

These three factors must then form the basis of the change that is to come. The King must demonstrate in the change that he is very much aware that the overwhelming bulk of his support is based on his 21 point programme of February 1.

The change thus must make corrections in the organizational weaknesses demonstrated over his seven months rule in the choice of the nominees to crucial positions of mass mobilizations. Thirdly, the change must recognize that it is through the political mobilization of the masses that the Kathmandu based agitation must be exposed in all its "facets" democratically.

Obviously, it is for these reasons that the anticipated change must immediately impactual. The public is aware of the drift.

No coordination in between King and his ministers -Analysts

Kathmandu: Incongruous statements being made from both the sectors, the establishment and the members of the seven party conglomerate against what they love to call "regression" have added more confusion to the already confused population of the country.

The King says one thing. His cabinet ministers talk poles apart. Whom to believe is the Himalayan question. It appears that there lacks a coordination in between the King's discernment of the prevailing politics and the way to handle the situation differ absolutely with his ministers over the same. This makes analysts to believe that the King's wavelength with his ministers on country's political situation fluctuate sharply with the men handling the state affairs. This should not have happened, say analysts.

Let's observe what the King says of democracy. Talking to a British television man, Richard Weston, the King made it clear that his pledge towards the system will continue come what may. Further, the King stands for peace and favors talks ultimately with the rebels becomes clear from his saying that "talks for a sustainable and permanent peace" should be held. However, he makes it copiously clear that "peace at any cost" could not be the solution to the present crisis. This means that he wanted peace but on terms put forth by the establishment. This implies that the King's elasticity to the restoration of peace in the country has had a limit and that he can't allow the limit of his elasticity to a breaking point.

At yet another plane, the King summarily rejects that there had been a sort of "regression" in the country. This he says in an implied manner when asked by the British TV as to what he thought of Kathmandu ongoing agitation? The King takes the question in a normal manner and says, "in a democracy this happens. It is normal in a democratic system and that we allow such things to happen", is what the King says in response to the question implying that those who have been calling King's step as an act of regression were mistaken and that Nepal was being run under a democratic system and will continue to be so.

But then yet, the King does not rule out "reconciliation" with the constitutional forces in order to get the country out of the present muddle including that of the conflict.

"I think all the constitutional forces must get their hands and heads together", is what the King says meaning that he recognizes the importance of the constitutional forces now in agitation, and that he would love to put his efforts together if the other camp reciprocated.

This makes analysts believe that the King favors democracy and would wish that those who are currently in the streets to establish a common front and face the rest of the challenges of the country. What also becomes clear is that the King is not against peace but "not at any cost". This further means, as much as is visible and could be deduced, that the "cost" should me "minimum" implying perhaps that "status quo" be maintained. This by implication means that the King would gladly accept peace if the current constitutional provisions were not violated and that all the agitating forces worked for the betterment of the country.

While on the one hand, this explains King's perception on a variety of topics, on the other, his minister now in New York tried to give a new definition of democracy to the world audience. Minister Pandey's utterance in the United States differ with the very clear and un-compromisable intents of the King on democratic system. Pandey's account forces analysts to think that the Nepali establishment is considering suitable options to the system what is in place at the moment.

At yet another front, while the King has not ruled out the possibility of talks with the rebels, his minister Dan Bahadur Shahi hints that talks with the rebels were an absurd until and unless the other side laid down their arms.

It appears that somewhere the ministers have gone wrong in catching the very inner perceptions of the King on matters of democracy, talks and restoration of peace in the country. This needs proper coordination indeed in order to minimize the people's confusion.

Look one more example how King's ministers make uncomfortable the monarch through their defective and frustrating remarks.

The King while talking to NTV recently said that the media men should themselves decide what to and what not to write. The King left it to the mercy of the journalists themselves implying that he highly evaluated the role of the media in a democracy.

Dr. Tulsi Giri Monday afternoon talking to a large gathering in Biratnagar says that until and unless the 1990 constitution remained in existence, no journalists could be penalized for his or her erratic writings against the monarch and the government.

Dr. Giri apparently wants to hint that had the 1990 constitution not been a stumbling block to the Singh Durbar authorities, he would have sacked all the erratic media men for their distorted writings. Is he hinting that the country should go in for yet another constitution wherein he would be allowed to impose restrictions on the media for a writing that his authorities consider anti-establishment?

This is not all; Dr. Giri bluntly said that if the King's February 1 step to show up what was needed was the nonappearance of the 1990 constitution. Is he encouraging the King to invite yet another political crisis of the highest dimension? The King perhaps understands the consequences of such a move and would, analysts remain confident, refrain from getting carried away by such illogical statements.

All in all, analysts wish that a well synchronized story of the country's situation and the method of its handling come into view out soon from the powers-that-be wherein all possess a convergent view thus minimizing the confusion among the lay men who have begun counting the days of the commencement of the DASHAIN festivals which not even two weeks from now.

-Pokhrel against restoration-
House restoration; no more a common political agenda

Kathmandu: Visibly, the members of the seven party association formed to fight against what they call "regression" appear sharply divided on certain fundamental matters that recently had brought together in one platform.

The common one point schema put forth by Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala was: restoration of the now dissolved parliament.

After an assiduous effort of Koirala, the seven party members had accepted to go ahead with Koirala's proposal of the reinstatement of the parliament.

Now that they have just come together, crevice appear to have slowly developed in and among the coalition partners on how to take the restoration of the parliament.

Till the other day the agenda which had become an "apple of an eye" for all the lovers of the restoration of the parliament plan seems to have been come under scrutiny by none less than its own members for a variety of political reasons and is being interpreted that suits to them most individually.

Those members who had been pressing the monarch for the restoration of the House day-in-day-out now feel that the reinstallation of the house will do more injury than good to their prime thoroughfare agitation.

Lila Mani Pokhrel, a communist leader whose party has more leaders than cadres, Monday bamboozled many a brains in Kathmandu when he brusquely declared that he have had the indications that the King might "reinstate the parliament" any time from now in order to what he calls "defuse" the situation.

This clearly means that Lila Mani Pokhrel is dead against the restoration of the legislative body by the King for he sees some "design" in the restoration of the house.

The King is doubly hit, if one were to analyse the entire events in its real perspective. He was and is still being criticized by a powerful section for not restoring the parliament as demanded by the political parties housed in the seven party league. Now if he restores the parliament, there is yet another conspiracy, as concluded by Mr. Pokhrel. So Pokhrel would do well, analysts maintain, if he advised the King as what the monarch should do in order to satisfy his declaration and the ego of the seven party alliances? It's your turn to act Mr. Pokhrel!

Now what has become clear is that Mr. Pokhrel and some of his equals would not accept any move of the King that restores the parliament, a common agenda of Pokhrel's comrade-in-arms in the coalition against regression.

A rift is clearly visible in and among those who favor the restoration and those who stand against such a move.

In addition to Mr. Pokhrel's grand thought, let's recall what the UML leader, Madhav Nepal, who recently opined that he was not "opposed" to the idea of the restoration of the parliament. This means that the UML has agreed to take up the Koirala agenda under compulsion and that his party would not mind, by implication, if the house were not restored.

This clearly means that Pokhrel's line and that of the UML's tally more or less.

Then comes the views of the rebels with whom the seven party alliances are all set to go in for talks.

Prachanda recently made it abundantly clear that his party doesn't believe in the restoration of the house game and opines that the restoration of the house would make no difference in the given scheme of things in the country.

This means that the rebels say "NO" to the restoration of the house scheme.

All put together, three parties in the now eight party coalitions, including those of the rebels, have come together who appear now all prepared to reject the restoration of the house.

However, how these parties would react if all of a sudden the King restored the parliament? Will that mean a mechanism to defuse the situation and bring it in favor of the King?

Pokhrel's statement, analysts say, is of a childish nature. His views appear more personal than any thing else. A deep analysis of his utterances reveals that Pokhrel will go against King at any cost for he has apparently set his mind "anti-King" so he will differ because he has to differ.

Analysts say that such unilateral illogical conclusions being made by certain political creatures will lead nowhere the country's politics.

All put together, the agenda of the restoration of the parliament remains no more an agenda that could be called a common one.

A fracture in the seven party coalitions on this issue has already developed. How the grand old man of the congress would react to his friends' fresh political overtures will have to be watched.

Koirala prefers to regain NC's lost "centrist" line

Kathmandu: How the congress President, Girija Prasad Koirala, will accommodate and honor the feelings and wishes of his blood-relations and detractors as well has been a matter of talk of the town.

While Koirala, as a matter of fact accompanied by habits, would wish to see his "trusted and tested" men elevated to lucrative and dominating posts in the party so the party remained under his firm grips as usually, his detractors have made it a point not to allow this leverage to their new president.

Thus the tussle is on and is expected to continue till some more time.

President Koirala got the first jerk from his own niece, Shailaja Acharya, when she tendered her resignation right the next moment she was elected to the CC recently. This she is presumed to have done to ventilate her anger that the protocol that she deserved was denied to her. Lot many fiery lectures she made at time of the resignation.

The fact is that she never resigned. Or even if she resigned she did not mean that it should be accepted by Koirala. The rumored resignation is still under review by the party with the likelihood that it would not be accepted.

Many in the congress whispered that Shailaja's outburst were made with a view to put pressure on Koirala to elevate her ranks to the Vice Chairwoman post that she claims she as a matter of fact deserved.

Her detractors reject Shailja's contention and instead say that she should be expelled from the party apparatus for her violations of the party's dictates.

Rumors have it that the second-man post remains yet vacant and many believe that Koirala will pick his niece up to that very prestigious post.

Koirala has reasons to offer VC post to Shailaja. Koirala recently is presumed to have discovered that since the congress of late has abandoned the centrist line which valued the institution of the monarchy and now that with the coming up of newly elected members with republican tilt, it would be pretty difficult to strike a balance in between the republicans and the adherents of constitutional monarchists in the party.

In order to do away with this dilemma, Koirala now prefers Shailaja's elevation to the VC post of the party. He is doing so with a view that if Shailaja is allowed to function as the party second woman, she will bring about a balance in between the two opposite forces and would also be able to keep alive the congress' centrist line.

Koirala is in a fix. Whether he should follow the dictum, blood is thicker than water or he should abide by what Shailaja's detractors say.

This is Koirala's problem.

News reports say that junior Koirala, Sushil, has agreed to accept the GS post. Now he will have to bear with the noted republican, Ram Chandra Poudel who has only in the recent days become a proponent of a republican.

The junior Koirala is a die-hard constitutional monarchist. Lecture apart, Sushil can never go anti-monarchy as elder Koirala; say those who know him from close quarters.

Thus Koirala is working hard on how to strike a balance in between the adherents of the two theories so that the party functioned well and remained yet under his grip.

But will that be possible? Analysts say that with the penetration of alien forces "ideas and innovations", Koirala will have a very difficult third term presidency.

The fact is that those countries, which supported the congress in its campaign against the monarch, will not settle for less. No free lunch.

Government's rejects ceasefire offer; Parties claim contacts with rebels

Kathmandu: Reliable and high placed sources in the Nepali congress claim that Prachanda a day ahead of his sudden ceasefire announcement have had a telephonic conversation with Girija Prasad Koirala.

This means that Koirala knew in advance that Prachanda is all set to pronounce a ceasefire seemingly to embarrass the establishment in Kathmandu.

This arguement appears to be very close to the reality for it was the congress, which wasted not even a single minute in sending a team to Delhi (or where else?) in order to initiate talks with the rebels.

Chakra Prasad Bastola and Republicanist Nar Hari Acharya are already in Delhi supposedly.

Thanks that President Koirala has sent his nephew Dr. Shashank Koirala presumably to report him back as to how things proceeded in Delhi or anywhere in the world or else he is not a political animal as of today. A new entrant in politics has been entrusted to do a job that is much bigger than his size. The significance of the selection of an almost milk-sucking Koirala lies here.

Mr. Bastola is the one lieutenant of President Koirala who has already in the recent past managed a rapprochement in between his party boss and the rebel leaders stationed, as the rumors have it, in Delhi.

This gives a clue that the NC has already embarked on the path to find a way out for peace in the country. Or some hidden agenda were there to embarrass the establishment in Kathmandu.

This is not all.

The UML leader recently declared that his partymen have already maintained a sort of linkages with the rebels and that talks have already been initiated with the other camp.

In addition to all these, Amik Sherchan, a leader from the United Front, too beamingly declared Monday that the Maoists were in contact with them and that he would not reveal the place and agenda of the ongoing talks with the Maoists.

Nevertheless, the newly appointed spokesman of the Congress, senior economist Dr. Ram Saran Mahat, has made it clear that talks could be held with the Maoists but so far as the agenda of going together with the rebels were an absurd conclusion until and unless the Maoists stood disarmed.

Dr. Mahat's declaration some how or the other goes against the party line as the matters stand.

Be that as it may, these declarations have come at a time when the government side has more or less rejected to reciprocate the armistice announcement made by the rebels.

How the things will proceed under the emerging scenario will have to be carefully observed.

Stagnant politics appears to have suddenly become vibrant. However, where this enthusiasm will lead the country is uncertain indeed.

Indian intrusion in Susta established - Nepal's Experts

Kathmandu: Nepali experts on border management have established that India has intruded on the Susta area in Nawalparasi district that falls within Nepal's territory.

The confirmation of the encroachment was made after a recent inspection of the site by a team of experts comprising Dr. Shastradutt Pant, Buddhinarayan Shrestha, Chetendra Jung Himali, Dr. Surendra K.C and Pranindra Nepali.

History has it that the late King Mahendra had established a new residential area with 380 houses in the Susta area under the leadership of an ex-army man, Kishor Gurung, in 2022 BS, and had also granted funds for two years for the conservation of the area.

Locals of Susta said that as the government was giving a blind eye to a matter as serious as this, they have formed a 'Save Susta Committee' under the coordination of Gopal Gurung to thwart India's bid to annex the area.

Talking to this weekly, one of the tem member Dr. Surendra K.C appeals all the constitutional forces to live up to the occasion and defend the prestige and honor of their own motherland and save Nepali territories from further encroachment by the Indian nationals with the support of military forces.

ENBREF:

Russian envoy on strengthening economic ties

Kathmandu: At a function organized to mark 80th anniversary of Russian Center for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation, Ambassador of the Russian Federation H.E Andrei L Trofimov said that there is a need to strengthen economic ties between Nepal and Russia for mutual benefits.

Adding further ambassador Trofimov said, "We need to explore new avenues for integrating the trade and commerce activities between the two countries. A meeting between deputy ministers of the two countries will take place in Moscow next year," Andrei revealed.

Agitators awake! Indian encroachment continues:

Kathmandu: A study conducted by six-member team of National Concern Society (NCS) and Border Concern Civil Society (BCCS) indicated that the Indian farmers were making huts and living in Dhongsota and Rahubaghola areas of northern part of Susta, Nepal.

According to the report, Indians, mainly from Bihar, supported by equal number of Indian security forces of SSB had entered the area and chased away about 350 families of Nepalese capturing their land and looting crops planted by Nepalese.

They have started plantation in the area about a month ago and have even distributed lands amongst themselves. The team also found that India has deployed its armed SSB in the area. The climax of Indian thuggery!

Thousands of Indian people entered to the Susta area looting the Nepalese crops and they started to plantation in the area one month ago. Awake ye! O! Agitators at the Ratnapark and New Road!

UN working for peace in Nepal

Kathmandu: Talking to the BBC Nepali service a senior official with the United Nations, Mr. Kul Chandra Gautam, said the UN is working quietly with Nepal’s giant neighbors and international community including the US with a view to find a solution to the long-running insurgency in the Himalayan kingdom.

Gautam also disclosed that special advisor to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Lakhder Brahimi, is currently holding discussions with India and the US with a view to mobilise their support to resolve Nepal conflict . Mr. Gautam is a close relative of Maoists ideologue, Dr. Bhattarai, say reports.

UN: Security forces practicing systematic torture

Kathmandu: Mr. Manfred Nowak, a special investigator for the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, said armed forces beat detainees with bamboo poles or plastic pipes, applied electric shocks to their ears, rolled iron rods over their thighs and hanged some upside down.

Mr. Nowak is leading a team to investigate the allegations of human rights abuses in fighting between government troops and rebels.

Nepal Armed forces routinely torture Maoist rebels to extract confessions or information, and there is evidence that the rebels abuse civilians who refuse to join their ranks, a top U.N. investigator said.

"Torture is practiced systematically by the security forces," Nowak said.

The RNA sources, however, refutes these charges.

U.S. Embassy Grants Help Restore Temples

Kathmandu: The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu is providing $73,094 in grants to restore two temple sites in Kathmandu Durbar Square. Through the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, the Embassy is providing the money to the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust, which has overseen the restoration of many public and private historical sites in the Kathmandu Valley. A grant of $42,500 will help rebuild the Lakshmi Narayan Temple, and a grant of $30,594 will help rebuild the Mahadev Temples.  Under terms of the grants, the work on both sites is to be completed by summer 2006.

 "Grants from the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation underscore the commitment of America and its people to help others - in this case Nepalis - to preserve their national cultural heritage," said Laura Lucas, assistant public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy. Her office arranged the grants.

 With these new funds, the Embassy has now committed more than $120,000 over the past three years to cultural preservation projects in Nepal. The first project, the restoration of Kal Bhairav in Kathmandu Durbar Square, was completed this year and re-dedicated July 1 by Ambassador James F. Moriarty. The second project, the restoration of Kageshwor Temple, also in Kathmandu Durbar Square, will be completed this year. Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust is overseeing those projects.

Elections results in Germany

Kathmandu: 61.9 million Germans were entitled to vote for a new Bundestag, Germany’s Federal Parliament, on September 18, 2005. The elections were thus being held after only three years instead of after the completion of the four-year legislative period envisaged in the constitution. Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) called a vote of confidence in the Bundestag on 1 July, which he had to lose in order to achieve early elections. Subsequently, on July 21, Federal President Horst Köhler dissolved the Bundestag and announced new elections, says a press note issued by the German embassy here on September 19.

A total of 25 parties were standing candidates in the elections but only five have entered Parliament. This is because of the threshold (the “5 % -hurdle”) that prevents a large number of small parties from entering the Bundestag, thereby facilitating viable government majorities. In Germany, the head of government is elected by the members of the Bundestag. The 16 th German Bundestag is expected to consist of 598 members.

The latest official preliminary results:

Japan favors multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy

Kathmandu: The Government of Japan has, based on the request made by His Majesty’s Government of Nepal, recently approved the utilization of the Counterpart Fund for five hundred million, four hundred and thirty one thousand Nepalese Rupees (NRs. 500,431,000) under the Non-Project Grant Aid in Japan’s Fiscal Year (JFY) 2002 for implementing the following nine projects.

In the Education Sector, the Government of Japan has approved the project for a Dalit Scholarship for Primary School Children amounting to NRs.105,000,000. This project will be implemented by the District Education Offices under the Department of Education to provide scholarships for about 210,000 Dalit children, which is 36% of the total Dalit children in 38 disadvantaged districts, thus contributing to increasing the enrollment in primary schools towards achieving the goal of the “Education for All”.

In the Drinking Water Sector, a water supply project consisting of nine different sites in three districts (Sarlahi, Nawarparasi, and Rupandehi), amounting to NRs. 38,300,000 has been approved. The Project will be implemented by the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage (DWSS), Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, in order to provide basic water supply services to approximately 140,000 local people in the target area. This project will thus contribute to reducing water borne diseases, improving hygiene and sanitary condition, and decreasing the time women and children spend fetching water.

In the Water Induced Disaster Management Sector, the Government of Japan has approved two projects, amounting to NRs. 134,845,000 for the rehabilitation of the Muguling-Narayanghat Highway and Sindhuli Road (Bardibas-Sindhulimadi Section) affected by landslides, debris flows and floods. Taking into consideration the negative impact on transportation, communication and the economy of the country, there is an urgent need for the rehabilitation of these roads with significant collaboration among the concerned agencies of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal taking measures for the prevention of large-scale water induced disasters. The Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention (DWIDP), Ministry of Water Resources, will implement these projects in close collaboration with the Department of Roads (DOR), Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, mitigating disasters along the roads resulting in smooth vehicular movement.

In the Transport Sector including Local Infrastructure Development, the Government of Japan has approved four projects, amounting to NRs.162,286,000. Two projects will be implemented by the DOR in order to upgrade and maintain major roads including the Sindhuli Road (Bardibas - Sindhulimadi Section). The Department of Rural Infrastructure Development and Agriculture Road (DOLIDAR), Ministry of Local Development and District Development Committees (DDCs) will implement the other two projects for the construction of six bridges in six districts, and the maintenance and rehabilitation of 155 suspension bridges on the trails in 52 districts, contributing to improving accessibility in rural areas.

In the Power Sector, the Dhankuta Rural Electrification Project, amounting to NRs. 60,000,000 has been approved. Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) will implement this Project in order to distribute power to about 30,000 local people of 4,840 households in five Village Development Committees (VDCs).

Considering the aspirations of the people of Nepal, the Government of Japan has been responding to Nepal’s requests to address social inequalities and to achieve sustainable socio-economic development for poverty alleviation, which will ultimately facilitate peace building and human security. The Government of Japan hopes that Nepal will recover peace and stability as soon as possible on the basis of multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy.

PRESS RELEASE

Ambassador laid the foundation stone for construction of 24 classrooms and library building for Surkhet Campus (Education), Birendranagar, Surkhet at a cost of NRs. 2,91,13,414.00 under the India-Nepal Economic cooperation Programme on 19.9.05.  India has identified education as one of the priority sectors for development.  Therefore, as a close and friendly neighbour India, has committed to share its developmental experience and expertise in this important sector for the peace & progress of the Nepalese people.  Without education, an individual is unable to make an active and positive contribution to a nation's development.

The campus building project in Surkhet will benefit not only 3,277 students who are currently enrolled with the Surkhet, but the student community of entire Surkhet district who will now feel encouraged to pursue studies in an institution with good educational infrastructure. Apart from education, India has identified  health and infrastructure as the three key areas  that require development for a nation's progress. Through economic cooperation in these three sectors, India and Nepal continue to strengthen and reinforce the bonds of economic cooperation.

No. Kat/68/05

September 19, 2005