FRONT PAGERS

Necon Air's Avro crashes, all killed

          An avro of the Necon Air crashed at near Thankot on Sunday morning. All 15 abroad were killed. It was reported that there was a trainee pilot aboard. The plane was coming from Pokhara on a schedule flight and about to enter the Kathmandu valley. The flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu is about 30 minutes.

Kishunji to meet Clinton!

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaj Sharif has asked Nepal to mediate between Pakistan and India to resolve the Kashmir issue. Sharif told this to the Nepalese Foreign Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat when Dr. Mahat was in Pakistan on his tour for the forthcoming SAARC Summit. Sharif’s request has been carried by international news agency citing reliable sources.

This is a happy news for Nepalese Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. Bhattarai himself is willing to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir dispute. He had even said this in an interview to an international newspaper only weeks after becoming the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Bhattarai’s effort to get a nod from US President Bill Clinton has been the talk at the upper echelon of the diplomatic circle.

High level officials at the Nepalese Foreign Ministry are trying to arrange a meeting between Bhattarai and Clinton during the former’s visit to New York in November during the UN  General Assembly.

Prime Minister Bhattarai has already got a green signal from Pakistan and he and his advisors believe India too will agree a third party mediation, if Bhattarai gains the support of the US President. India has so far rejecting any third party mediation on Kashmir.

If Prime Minister Bhattarai can win the confidence of President Clinton and gets a chance to mediate, it will enhance Nepal’s  prestige in the world and it will give a chance to Bhattarai to show his diplomatic mettle.

It might be mentioned that  after the reinstatement of democracy in Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba is the only Prime Minister to meet with the US president.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Bhattarai will also go to Canada and Brazil during his visit to New York.

(Nepalipatra, September 3, Friday)

 Opposition loses gamble: UML stumbles

  CPN-UML, the main opposition party in the parliament has floundered badly in the parliament after its demand for a parliamentary committee to probe into the irregularities and alleged rigging in the last general elections.

The other oppositions were also tainted after following the UML. The other oppositions, who earlier had said that they were defeated jointly by the Nepali Congress and UML, have felt betrayed by the UML after it surrendered to the ruling party. This, so far, is the biggest political achievement of the new government.

Although Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai may have many weaknesses, but everybody agrees that he is not a dumb  or a naive politician. He possesses a great deal of slyness, and this time he defeated all the oppositions by his shrewdness.

Initially he met and listened to the UML leaders and even told them that their demand was very logical. He also said he had no objection to form a committee as per their demand. But after consulting with his aides he concluded that the demands must not be met, and stopped any kind of dialogue with the oppositions.

Had demand been accepted, it would have questioned the validity of the parliament and the government itself. If the demand were accepted, the oppositions would have created a new hullabaloo in the pretext of investigation the elections in Parsa-1 (Bhattarai’s constituency), Morang -1 and Sunsari-5 (Congress President Koirala’s constituencies), Tanahu-1 (Govind Raj Joshi’s constituency), Tanahu- 2 (Ramchandra Poudel’s constituency) and Sunsari-2 (Bijaya Kumar Gachhedhar’s constituency).

When Bhattarai knew about this plot he stopped any type of contact with the oppositions, leaving the oppositions in a dilemma. The result was the opposition resorted to the boycott of the parliament, and the government replied by adjourning the House.

If the Nepali Congress president had not met with the opposition leaders this game of boycott may have continued further.

The NC leaders then assigned Sher Bahadur Deuba, Sushil Koirala, Ram Chandra Poudel, Govind Raj Joshi, Chiranjibi Wagle, Chakra Bastola and the party’s chief whip Gopalman Shrestha to untie the knot with the oppositions. However, Deuba stepped aside saying that the leaders themselves should deal with the problem. However, the talks failed.

By that time the UML had begun to panic. But when NC president Koirala said that he had no objection to probe committee, but such a committee should have its objective clear and it must not relate itself to the just concluded elections and also it must not contain any word like irregularity and investigation.

For the UML, these words were like a straw to the drowning person. The Congress president had even pressurised to end this stalemate or break away from the gang.

Had the UML not accepted this condition by Wednesday, the Nepal Sadhvabana Party was all ready to break up and would have sat in the opposition bench all alone. But on the same day the UML surrendered and the Prime Minister constituted a committee under his chairmanship, with representations from all the parties in the party and the government to review the previous election and to make suggestions to make future election free and fair. The committee consists of the leaders of all the parties and the Speaker and the Chairman of the two Houses of the parliament. The government’s chief secretary is the member secretary of the committee.

Thus, this is not a parliamentary committee, and the previous elections will only reference materials for the committee as it will not investigate on any of the former elections. Thus, the UML has badly stumbled. It could not even save its face. Prime Minister Bhattarai has made the UML stand stark naked before other parties and in the parliament.

However, the UML has been calling it a historical win. It is a good thing that both the ruling party and the oppositions seem happy with the committee, but never in the past the oppositions had faced such a humiliating defeat and insult.

(Bimarsha, September 3, Friday)

 Has the oppositions’ demand been fulfilled?

  After the formation of the all party committee, the other opposition parties are furious with the UML.

  Bamdev Gautam of ML: The committee which has no power or authority can do nothing. This only an attempt to make a fool out of the people. This is a surrender of the UML and a complete victory of the Nepali Congress. This is also an apolitical but cunning decision of the Congress.

Narayanman Bijukchhe of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party: This is not a parliamentary committee and it is not made according to the demand of the opposition parties. There is no hope from this committee because this is not an investigation committee.

Bharatmohan Adhikary of UML: The formation of the committee is the biggest achievement after the reinstatement of the multi-party democracy. We have received more than we had asked for. This has defeated those who want to defame the multi-party democracy.

Hridesh Tripathy of NSP: No one knows under which article and clause of the constitution this high level committee has been formed. Even if the committee summon somebody, and he or she declines to appear before it, the committee can do nothing.

Pari Thapa of National People’s Front: Though the ruling party seems to have bowed down, this committee has not fulfilled the demand of the opposition parties. This is a committee of the leaders not of the parliament.

(Bimarsha, September 3, Friday)

 I can quell the Maoists in one year: Hamal

After the police launched their ‘search operation’ against the Maoists in Rolpa and Rukum, police have said 12 Maoists have been killed in their encounter with police. Ten of them were killed in Rolpa and 2 in Rukum. Rolpa and Rukum are two of the most Maoist-affected districts.

Police have claimed that since the operation was started last Sunday, police has found a huge cache of  hand grenade, pipe bomb, fuse wire and country-made guns of the Maoists.

The operation which was started in Rolpa to quell the Maoists, it will be expanded to other districts such as  Rukum, Jajarkot, Kalikot and most of the villages of Salyan districts.

The operation was launched immediate after   Police DIG Rajendra Bahadur Singh made his field trip to the Maoist-affected areas.

Though police has said only 12 Maoists have been killed, Maoist sources say many other people have been killed and taken into custody by the police.

Meanwhile, Surendra Hamal, an MP from Rolpa and Assistant Minister for Land  Reform and Management has said the Maoists must be dealt with force. He has recently returned from a visit to the district.

Speaking at a Reporters’ Club programme, Hamal said if he is given the responsibility of dealing with the Maoists, he would crush them within one year.

Saying the government’s ‘Ganeshman Peace Campaign’ has a negative impact, he said the Maoists, who carry guns, only understand the language of guns.

He said the government knows that the Maoists are being trained in their villages by the terrorist organisations of India.

Meanwhile, after the police launched their search operation after the killing of a police DSP by the Maoists, Maoist sources say, the Maoists are also preparing to massively retaliate in Kalikot and Jajarkot districts.

(Nepalipatra, September 3, Friday)

 Maoists to form new front

The underground Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Acharya is dismantling United People’s Front. The United People’s Front was a legal political party and it had even fought the first general election in 1991 before it broke up into two. But after most of the people of the Front got involved in the Maoist war, Dr. Bhattarai sees no rationale of it now.

According to a source, Bhattarai, however, is preparing for a new Front incorporating the progressive and nationalists forces. However, the source expressed its ignorance on who will be involved in the new Front. After the UPF got involved with the Maoists, it also became underground. The Maoist war has so far taken the lives of about 800 people.

The source says the decision may have been taken seeing the necessity of a over the ground Front.  According to the source, Dr. Bhattarai has also written in a Tuesday newspaper that he is willing to sacrifice anything for the new front.

Meanwhile,  why does the Maoist party need a over-the-ground-front when it already has organisational network in almost 40 districts. This will be clear only after the Front is formed and looking at who will participate in the new front.

(Samakalin, September 2, Thursday)

 Minu Kunwar tries to be Mrs IGP

Two persons have been arrested on the charge of trying to impersonate Minu Kharel, the wife of IGP Achyut Krishna Kharel recently. The two were arrested by a team from the CID department of Police Headquarters led by SP Prabal Shumsher JB Rana.  The two arrested are thrity-eight year old Minu Kunwar, a resident of Samakhusi Ward No: 29 of Kathmandu and twentythree eyar old Suresh Maharjan from Ward No: 8 of Lalitpur.

Minu Kunwar had telephoned Ms. Sushmita K.C. (wife of hero Bhuvan K.C.), the producer and story writer of Nepali feature film “Nepali Babu” and told her she would help her by selling the theatre tickets of the charity show of the same movie. Thus she had taken tickets worth Rs. 38,000 from Ms. K.C.. Minu Kunwar had sent Suresh Maharjan to collect the tickets. According to the CID department, Ms. Sushmita telephoned in the number given by Ms. Kunwar after the charity show was over to collect the sum owed to her. But then she found out that she had been cheated.

Though Minu Kunwar now stays in Samakhusi, she actually is from Lainchour and her husband is a second class officer in Nepal Rastra Bank. Kunwar also owned a taxi and she has close relations with many police officers, it is reported. On the other hand, Suresh Maharjan had just recently been recruited in the Riot Police with the recommendation of Sujata Koirala and the cooperation of SP Prakash Bahadur Thapa.

(Jansatta weekly, Saturday, September 4)

 Bhatta to be made AIGP

It has come to be known that efforts are being made in the police department of the Home Ministry to create yet another AIGP post. There were only two posts for AIGPs in the Police Department, but during the tenure of Deputy Prime Minister Bam Dev Gautam, who was also the Home Minister, the number of posts were increased to four. The same people who complained that in a poor country like ours, it was wrong to create additional posts at the level of Special Class, are now working to create yet another post. It is said there is a lot of interest involved in doing this.

The tenure of DIGP Bhuvan Chand Bhatta is ending in about ten months’ time. Currently he is second senior most among the DIGs. That is why Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka and Home Secretary Padma Prasad Pokhrel are making efforts to make Bhatta an AIGP. This, in spite of the fact that there is another person, DIG Ramesh Jung Lama who is senior than Bhatta.

Police officer have opined that in adding another top level police officer’s post, it will cost the exchequer about Rs. 50,000 monthly, instead it would help the department more if low level police personnel were recruited at the same cost. Because of this trend to add posts, there are more high level officials in the police force, say others.

In the beginning, the two AIGP posts were created to accommodate present IGP Achyut Krishna Kharel and former IGP Dhruba Pradhan. Later during the tenure of Bam Dev, two more posts were created to fit in Dhal Man Thapa and Ram Kaji Bantawa. Now it seems efforts are being made to accommodate Bhatta as well. Bhatta is a person who was ousted from the force on the charge of corruption for four years. He then had worked as an employee in the Chaudhari Group. Senior police officials say that the move to make Bhatta AIGP and to sideline a senior officer like Lama will be further clear in the days to come.

(Jansatta Weekly, Saturday September 4)

 Khadka’s complaint against journalists

Minister for Home, Information and Communication Purna Bahadur Khadka has appealed to the journalists to point out the mistakes of the party and ministers with a clear heart.

Indicating that the journalists had not been able to use their pen to solve the humanitarian problems faced by the people Minister Khadka said, “it has to be discussed whether journalism has been sued or not by people to make it a begging bowl”.

Speaking at the inaugural function of the fourth annual general meeting of the Kathmandu District Committee of the Federation of Nepalese Journalist Minister Khadka said, “ Nepalese journalism has given a pat on the back to the Maoist terrorism. It has given the term peoples’ action when a poor farmer has been murdered”. Criticising such journalists and journalism Minister Khadka further said, “The answer to a party, government or a minister to not be able to deliver the goods does not come by murdering a poor farmer in a remote are. The answer lies in the Constitution. Is it right for the pens of a journalist to praise an action when a poor person is killed like an animal?”

He also suggested that a code of ethics had to be formed to raise the prestige of the journalists.

The general meeting also elected an executive committee of the District Branch. Iswori Wagle has been elected president,  Tara Rawal vice president, Bhupraj Khadka secretary and Govinda Acharya treasurer.

Similarly the executive members elected are Chun bahadur Gurung, Keshab raj Khanal, Udaya Chauhan and Pankaj Dahal.

(Himalaya Times, Sunday, September 5)

 Siraha people suffer from Maoists, police

Local people are complaining in Siraha district that they are suffering from the double edged pressure from both the Maoists and also the police. They say as Maoists activities have increased in the district, the police presence has also increased and thus they are being troubled.

The police have stationed commando forces in every village of this district. The Maoists in turn have started to raise donations and also threaten people on the charge of acting as spies for the police. The local people also complain that the police arrest innocents regularly on the charge of being Maoists.

According to the police, the Maoists are using many villages, specially in the Churia range of hills in Constituency No: 5 and also the banks of Kamala river as shelters. In the meantime the people are having to suffer by the indifferent situation.

(Himalaya Times, Sunday, Spetember 5)

 Pradhan selling name of King

Former flight commander of the VVIP Flights of the Royal Nepal Army R.P. Pradhan is still using the government owned vehicles after retiring from service for such a long time. According to a source, Pradhan has taken this facility as he taught His Majesty King Birendra to fly a helicoptor.

According to a source, Pradhan says, “ I am the teacher who taught His Majesty to fly a helicoptor so if you don’t do what I say, I can do whatever I want with you”. In this way he has taken two Nissan Patrol jeeps and also optimum fuel required for them along with drivers. He is also enjoying the facility of having army orderlies and all other such perks. According to sources in the Army, Pradhan is now using the two vehicles in the work of Cosmic Air.

Pradhan has also utilised his influence in the army by selling the name of the King. He uses such influence to transfer and promote officers. He was able to make Puspa KC the commander of the 11th Battalion by threatening even the Commander-in-Chief. It is said he took a lot of monetary benefits by doing this. By making KC the Battalion commander, it is said Pradhan is getting all his works done. He was able to earn millions of rupees just recently when he was able to supply spare parts for aircraft to the army. He imported such spare parts from the Eurostar and Chammero companies based in Singapore.

Pradhan is at present making a five star hotel in Jomsom with the money he earned from such commission. He has also invested the millions of black money which he earned while being the flight commander of the VVIP flights in Cosmic Air. News sources say Pradhan has included foreign and local Mafia agents in the hotel.

It may be mentioned that Pradhan had tried to make the army buy the RJ 100 aircraft with the help of Puspa KC. They intended to make millions in commission from this deal.

(Chalphal, Sunday, September 5)

 ML leaders’ test of strength

The National workers meeting of the CPN (ML) is about to start in Pokhara from tomorrow (Monday). Party source say the supporters of party general secretary bam Dev Gautam and chief of the organisation department CP Mainali are being active in different ways. Though the meet was called to allow the party workers and the leaders to have an open discussion, it is felt this will be a test in the strength of Gautam and Mainali.

(Chalphal, Sunday, September 5)

Khum B. Khadka may be removed

Minister for Works and Transport Khum Bahadur Khadka is regreting his statement in the parliament. One section in the Congress party is seriously taking Khadka statement at the Reporters’ Club on August 19. That time he had said that police IGP had conspired to defeat him in the election.

At worse Khadka may have to wash his hands off the ministerial position. NC president Girija Prasad Koirala was Prime Minister that time, and he has seriously taken Khadka’s statement. He has even made it a prestige issue. According to a Congress source, Party president Girija Prasad Koirala has taken Khadka’s statement very seriously and he has even given ‘instructions’ to Prime Minister Bhattarai.

(Dristi, August 31, Tuesday)

 More than 250 die of encephalitis

More than 250 people have died of encephalitis epidemic which has spread over 24 districts of the country. According to the epidemiology division of the Department of Health, of the 1643 patients admitted in different hospitals of country 253 have died. In  Bheri hospital in the western part of the country alone of the 489 patient 84 have died. Similarly, the death reports have been received from several eastern districts as well.

These 24 districts, which also include the districts of Kathmandu valley, spanning from east to west of the country, suffer from encephalitis epidemic almost every year, and about 11.5 million people are in danger of being affected by the viral disease.

This time the effect of Japanese encephalitis was more. According to Dr. Mahendra Bahadur Bista, director of the division, this year the rains came earlier and the number of mosquitoes also increased.

The  bout of encephalitis was 10 days ahead than in the previous years. Dr. Bista says the bout may last till the end of September.

(Aajako Samacharpatra, September 4, Saturday)