Congress’ rejects Maoist proposal

Nepali Congress chairman Girija Prasad Koiralaand Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday held dialogue.During the meeting, PM reportedly urged Congress to come to agreementin terms of taking action against Chief of Army Staff RukmangadKatawal. NC thoroughly rejected the proposal.The meeting was participated by Maoist secretariat member Narayan KajiShrestha, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Ram Chandra Poudel, Krishna PrasadSitaula from NC side.They also discussed the latest political development and alternativeroute to solution of the problems.NC has been obstructing the Constituent Assembly session in protest ofgovernment decision to sack CoAS.

President urged to play appropriate role

The PAPAD officials on Tuesday met with PresidentDr. Ram Baran Yadav at latter’s residence in Sheetal Niwas in thecapital.The officials urged the President to play an appropriate role in thedispute surrounding the issue the government decision to take actionagainst the Chief of Army Staff Rukmangad Katawal.Papad is an organization comprising Nepal Bar Association, Federationof Nepalese Journalists, Teachers’ Association among others

PM holds secret meeting with Sujata

Sujata Koirala, daughter of Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala and a party leader, has started secret consultations with Maoist leaders including Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal about joining the government.
As other party leaders were engaged in discussing strategies of protest against the Maoists for trying to sack the army chief Tuesday afternoon, Sujata quietly walked out of the Central Working Committee meeting at party headquarter, Sanepa to meet the PM along with other Maoist leaders waiting for her at finance minister Baburam Bhattarai’s residence, Pulchowk.

Although, the details of the content discussed during the meeting is not known, it is understood the Maoist leaders and Sujata discussed ways of including NC in the government and the row over sacking the army chief. Maoists have offered the defense ministry to Sujata if she can convince her party to join the government.
PM Dahal, who had offered NC president Koirala to join the government in a brief one-on-one meeting, Tuesday morning turned to his daughter after Koirala did not give a clear response.

Other NC leaders are strongly against the idea of joining the government. As Sujata was secretly discussing strategies to coax NC leadership to join the government with Maoist leaders, NC spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC told journalists there was no possibility of NC joining the government.
Sujata has also come in controversy within the party for expressing remarks supporting the government’s plan to sack the army chief in a parliament meeting last week.
Source:nepalnews.com

Govt.-NA tussle has taken grim turn

The tussle between the Nepal Army and the government headed by the UCPN (Maoist) really seems grim. After smaller tiffs between the NA and the Defense Ministry, the matter took a serious turn when none less than the Army Chief Rukmangud Katwal wasby the government on Monday and was told to submit an official explanation for several decisions that he or rather the Army had taken in the recent past.
He did so on Tuesday morning, but instead of submitting the explanation letter at the Defense Ministry, the letter was registered at the PM’s Office.
“It is unsure what the government decision will be, but whatever it is, it can lead to further strain in the relations between the government and the military, which is not good for the ongoing peace process and also the shaky democracy that has virtually been rammed down the throat of the Nepalis by the Maoists and also foreigners,” said a retired Major General, who did not want to be named.
He informed that there was huge dissatisfaction in the Nepal Army, not only by the bullying style of functioning of the Maoist leaders, but also because of the several decisions, including the decision of the Defense Minister, to retire eight senior Brigadiers in one go. “I cannot say whether the Army officers will retaliate, but it is certain the politicization process of the institution that is supposed to guard the sovereignty and independence of the nation has begun,” he further said.
In a meeting of the Maoist Secretariat on Tuesday morning at PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s official residence in Baluwatar, a decision was taken to oust the Army Chief if his explanation was not satisfactory.
On the other hand, the Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML), the latter a partner in the government, have strongly objected to the Maoist decision to even ask for an explanation with the Army Chief in this manner.
A delegation of senior NC leaders went to meet President Ram Baran Yadav and the party’s spokesperson Arjun Narsingh K.C. after the meeting said that the President had promised them he would not allow anyone to politicize the military. Similarly, tough speaking UML leader K.P. Oli also met president Yadav and he told media people that the UML would never support this sort of a decision of the Maoists. On Monday, PM Dahal also had met the President.
Giving a completely new angle to the present stand-off, a senior journalist, who is considered one of the most objective political analyst in the country, was of the opinion that maybe some conspiracy is being hatched to bring to a head on collision between the present government and the Nepal Army. “The Maoists and other political parties are being abetted to either demoralize the army or incite it to retaliate,” he explained.
On the same day that this decision was made public, how serious the situation had become, was manifested by the emergency meeting held by top Nepali Congress leaders on that very evening, to discuss the government’s decision to summon the army Chief.
In an interview right after this crucial meeting, NC leader and former Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat said that his party was strongly against the decision of the Maoists to politicize the army and demoralize its soldiers.
“It is sure India is also involved in egging on the Maoists, but as far as the tough stance taken by the Nepal Army, it could be professional integrity or maybe they also have the backing of some Western countries, mainly the United States,” said Khil Dhoj Thapa, a senior journalist and a influential member of an alliance of small parties in the present Constituent Assembly.
Thapa explained that India always had the intention of doing away with the Monarchy and also weakening the Nepal Army, so that it could play a dominant role in Nepal. It has been highly successful in this policy. “The Maoists and other parties are merely tools for India to implement its designs,” he pointed out.
Many independent observers had continuously said in the past that constitutional monarchy and the Nepal Army were instrumental in keeping united the multi-ethnic Nepal and also in ensuring its sovereignty, but one of the institutions has already been dismantled and the other is also being slowly eroded.
But still, the most serious issue is whether there will be a direct confrontation between the government and the biggest and most well armed security force in the country. What will happen if this happens? Will Nepal be torn apart by civil war or will it be another military state like so many other countries, in this region and also other places? Both the outlooks do not bode well for the Nepalese.
“Here, we must blame the government and specially the Maoist leaders for trying to provoke an otherwise ‘sleeping’ army, which has been confined to the barracks under the comprehensive peace agreement,” said Khil Dhoj Thapa.
Agreeing on this, the retired Major General also expressed the opinion that the Army, which had remained quite aloof from politics till now, was unnecessarily being pulled into controversies and perhaps even provoked to stage a power show. “Till now, the Nepal Army does not have a legacy of staging coups, but if its hands are forced, it can’t be said it will not react to constant provocation,” he stated.
It is not surprising that both the Maoist leaders and also officers of the Nepal Army are highly suspicious of each other, as till just three years back, they were engaged in a fierce battle to finish off each other. Therefore, the strained relations are understandable. But it is irresponsible on the part of the Maoist led government to try and demoralize this force, even when it has shown through words and deeds that it is ready to abide by the decisions of a civilian government. The professional attitude of the Nepal Army must not be taken as a weakness. This could be highly counter-productive.
If the Maoist leaders don’t show more vision and intelligence in dealing with their former enemy, the country could once more be pushed into another conflict and again it would be the Nepalese

Peace process may derail if constitution not drafted on time: President

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav has said that the ongoing peace process will fall in serious jeopardy if the new constitution is not drafted within the stipulated time.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 6th National Convention of Federation of Non-Governmental Organisation in the capital city, he said there is a greater need of understanding and cooperation between the political parties to draft the constitution on time and take the peace process to its logical conclusion.
Dr Yadav further said the political parties have no other alternative left than to resolve all their differences and move ahead in the path of national reconciliation. He also said the political parties needs to bear this in their mind since the task of drafting the constitution on time is very challenging.
Saying that the country is going through a difficult transition period and that rumor about disintegration of the country is also making rounds, he urged all ethnic, linguistic and religious communities in the country to maintain unity and communal harmony.
He also believed that a "progressive constitution" can be drafted only after achieving national unity and harmony.
Also speaking at the programme, head of Constitutional Council (CC) and senior UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said he was confident on the new constitution being drafted within the stipulated time and also hoped that the differences seen among the political parties will soon end.
He also urged all political parties to give priority to politics of consensus so that the new constitution can be drafted as per the aspiration of the people.
At the programme, civil society leaders expressed serious concern over the trend of political parties giving shelter to criminal groups and said that this had led to rise in culture of impunity in the country.

source:nepalnews.com

K.P Bhattarai hospitalised

Former Prime Minister and founding leader of Nepali Congress Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has been admitted to Norvic Hospital at Thapathali, Kathmandu, after respiratory complications.
Bhattarai, 87, was taken to hospital Monday afternoon after he complained of uneasiness in the chest and fever. Cardiologist Dr Bharat Rawal has been attending him.
The veteran Congress leader, who has been kept in the VIP CCU ward, is out of danger, according to hospital sources.
Keeping distance from active politics for the past few years, Bhattarai lives at a government-donated house in Godavari, Lalitpur, with a few aides.
source:nepalnews.com

16 parties join forces against Maoists over CoAS clarification episode

A meeting of 16 political parties including a key partner in the government coalition, CPN (UML), Tuesday concluded that the Maoist initiative to seek clarification from the Army Chief was against the spirit of peace process.
At a meeting called by the main opposition Nepali Congress on Tuesday afternoon at its office in Sanepa, the parties slammed the Maoists for"attacking on all state agencies to destabilise democracy".
The parties also decided to submit a memorandum to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, who is supreme commander of the army, to prevent the government from sacking the army chief. A team of the parties later submitted the memorandum at Shital Niwas.
Unified CPN (Maoist), Madhesi Janadhikar Forum and Sadbhawana Party did not turn up to the NC call for all party meeting.
Similarly, NC's emergency central working committee meeting held this morning decided to strongly oppose the government decision and obstruct all proceedings of the parliament, alleging that Maoists attacked democracy.
Party spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC told journalists after the meeting that his party will continue to boycott the House if the government does not withdraw the decision.
Earlier today, NC senior leaders visited President Dr Yadav at Dhapasi and drew the attention on the intervention of the Maoists. In response president is learnt to have assured steps from his side based on the authority he is given by the constitution.

source: nepalnews.com

Maoist in trouble

The Unified CPN (Maoist) recently hit with adefection from a politburo member will be taking another blow, reportsDristi weekly.
The politburo members in the party are set to revolt as the partyprepares to foil the UML general convention. The Maoist plan to becomethe biggest communist party ever has been shattered. Politburo membersare set to follow in the footsteps of Matrika Yadav. According to asource, around three politburo members are currently in final stage ofpreparation to defect. The source revealed that Matrika Yadav had heldfinal talk with the three individuals. When Matrika discloses thenames, it would be the day of defection, the source close to MatrikaYadav said.The biggest blow to the Maoist party is the defection by MatrikaYadav, it is learnt. The Maoist leadership is puzzled as to how tostop the activists from following Yadav. The chairman Dahal led campis making efforts in this regard.Yadav has urged the activists not to be fooled by pro-Brahmin and nonrevolutionary notion and labeled Prachanda opportunist.

The centralmembers of Bhojpura state committee have also revolted against theparty leadership. After leaders and activists started to support Yadavthe party expelled him. Yadav has called the action a drama. "Such adrama of action will not have any effect on my campaign", Yadav saidPeople's News/Sandesh.

source: peoplesreview.com.np

Fee fixing committee directs schools not to increase fees

A steering committee responsible for fixing and monitoring fees in private and boarding schools has instructed the schools not to implement the decision to increase fees for now.
A meeting of the School Fee Fixing and Monitoring Central Committee on Sunday decided to instruct PABSON and N-PABSON- umbrella organizations of private schools in the country-to hold their decision of fee hike, until a scientific fee structure is worked out in consultation with stakeholders.
The committee also decided to instruct education offices in the districts to ensure the fees had not been hiked without proper procedure.
Private and Boarding Schools Organisation (PABSON) and National Private and Boarding Schools Association of Nepal (N-PABSON0 have agreed to issue circulars to their affiliate schools not to implement their earlier decision to hike fees by up to 25 percent.
Instead, they will direct the affiliate schools to submit a proposal justifying fee hike to respective district monitoring committees.
Earlier, private schools had hiked their fees by up to 25 percent without completing the procedure.
According to an education by-law, private schools can increase fees only after an approval from respective District Education Offices (DEO). Schools should file a proposal of fee hike, two months before the beginning of an academic year. An assembly of parents should pass such proposal, before the school management files the proposal at the DEO.

source: nepalnews.com

Govt seeks clarification from Army chief

The government has asked Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rookmangud Katawal to furnish clarification on three controversial issues related to the army.

A cabinet meeting on Sunday decided to seek clarification from CoAS Katawal on issues related to recruitment in Nepal Army, retirement of generals and boycotting of National Games, reports say.
Following the cabinet decision, the defense ministry wrote a letter to the CoAS Sunday evening asking him to furnish a clarification within 24 hours. The defense secretary personally called up the CoAS to acknowledge the receipt of the letter.
The cabinet decision comes as part of a plan of the Maoist led government to relieve Katawal from his position, it is learnt.
According to a military by-law, the government can relieve the CoAS from his position if the latter does not furnish clarification within 24 hours or if the government is not convinced with the clarification.
The CoAS is normally appointed for three years, but the government can retire him if it deems necessary, the by-law states. However, the CoAS should be given a chance to furnish clarifications on the charges he is accused with.
CoAS Katawal had called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday. The PM asked the CoAS to quit and offered to appoint him as an ambassador or the security advisor to the PM if he quits voluntarily, reports say. CoAS Katawal refused PM’s offer, it is learnt.

source: nepalnews.com

Prime Minister BP Koirala with Prime Minister of People's Republic of China Chou En-lai (1960)

Prime Minister BP Koirala with Pundit Nehru and others (1960)

Journalist Dinesh Chandra Thapaliya abducted

Dinesh Chandra Thapaliya, a journalist with the national Prerana monthly and Youth Awareness Environment Forum, was abducted by unidentified persons from his residence at Kalanki on Sunday July 3.
The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) on Monday, 4 July expressed serious concern over the abduction of Thapaliya. FNJ general secretary Mahendra Bista said that Thapaliya’s family still do not know of his whereabouts. The IFJ joins the FNJ in demanding his early and safe release.

NEPAL: FNJ demands immediate release of journalist Thapaliya

Monday, July 4, 2005
The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) has demanded immediate release of Dinesh Chandra Thapaliya, a journalist, who was ‘abducted’ by a group of unidentified persons Sunday night.Environment Radio journalist, Dinesh Chandra Thapaliya, was kidnapped by unknown persons.
Thapaliya, a journalist working in Environment Radio, who was also associated with Rastriya Prerana, a monthly magazine, was taken away by from his home at Kalanki by an unidentified group, a FNJ release said quoting family sources said.
“Whoever might have captured Thapaliya on whatever pretext, the Federation demands that he be freed safely and at once,” FNJ stated.
Date Posted: 7/4/2005