MAOISTS PUBLICISE THEIR OWN CONSTITUTION AS MODEL

The UCPN-Maoist has publicized the draft of the constitution the party has drafted as part of the political stunt coinciding with the Republic Day. The constitution was drafted by a committee headed by Dr Baburam Bhattarai.However while the party had initially said that such a document would be publicised in different parts of the country as political stunt the same was finally publicised amid a function in the capital only.The copy of the constitution which was publicised from Open Air Theatre has envisioned a presidential system although with executive power in line with the US politial system.The president would be directly elected and left to face people until he or she secures 51 percent of the total votes. However unlike in the US where president picks up ministers from outside legislature, the Maoists have suggested that ministers would be taken from the elected people,

Nation marks 2nd Republic Day

The second Republic Day of Nepal is being observed with various programmes across the country Saturday.The first sitting of CA had declared Nepal Federal Democratic Republic on May 29, 2008, making the country the newest republic in the world.To mark the first Republic Day, a special function was organised at the army pavilion in Tundikhel, Kathmandu. President Ram Baran Yadav, Vice-President Parmananda Jha, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, foreign diplomats, senior government officials and other dignitaries attended the function.President Yadav, Vice President Jha, PM Nepal and other leaders issued separate messages and greetings on the occasion of the Republic Day.President Yadav in his message stressed the need for consensus among the parties to complete the peace process and constitution drafting.
Govt awards over 200 personalities on the occasion of Republic Day
President Ram Baran Yadav has awarded various honours and awards to some 250 personalities from various walks of life on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers for their contribution to the nation on the occasion of Republic Day, Saturday.Those awarded include late Ganesh Man Singh and former Prime Ministers late Girija Prasad Koirala and Man Mohan Adhikari.According to a notice issued by the President's office, Singh has been awarded with Nepal Ratna and Koirala and Adhikari have been awarded with Rastra Gaurav posthumous.

Big three parties agree to extend CA term

The big three parties have finally agreed to extend the CA term by one year in the eleventh hour. According to Nepali Congress spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC, the leaders are now working on the draft of the agreement, which will be announced shortly. As per the agreement, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal will resign within a few days to pave way for a unity government.The legislature parliament is to convene shortly for the 8th amendment in the interim constitution. PM Nepal will address the house sitting, it is learnt.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and other ministers, after the informal meeting at Singha Durbar have arrived at the CA hall in Baneshor. It is learnt ministers and close aides of PM Nepal advised him to step down if Maoists commit to meet the certain conditions that parties have put forward.According to PM's political advisor Raghuji Pant, parties have agreed to extend the term of the CA and form a new consensus government as demanded by the main opposition party UCPN (M)."This is neither a win or loss for any party. Parties must forget the past and start new wave of consensus," Pant said.He also expressed hope that the CA will wind up all processes within the next three-quarters of the extended time.

nepalnews.com

UCPN-M following Kyrgyzstan model

The UCPN-M cadres are strongly committed for giving a final blow to the establishment and they are found very confident about their victory. The UCPN-M leadership has been saying that it would launch a nationwide revolt if a national government is not formed under the UCPN-M leadership and a constitution is not drafted by 28 May. In preparation, the party has intensified its semi-armed training to its cadres and also to the locals nationwide. Reports from all over the country state that the YCL leaders are providing semi-military training to the UCPN-M guerillas and also to the locals aged from 13 to 20 for a “final war”. School teachers, students, local youths have been selected for the training. Although the top brass leaders are saying that the party is only providing political instruction to its cadres, many of the UCPN-M leaders have confirmed that the party is preparing for a final revolt to introduce a “people’s constitution”. Encouraged from recent developments abroad:The recent capture of the state by the rebellion force from the streets in Kyrgyzstan by heating up the streets and also the capturing of government owned institutions through demonstration by the “red-shirt” group in Bangkok to topple-down the present government, which was also empowered through street demonstration, probably has encouraged the Maoists to try and do the same.Also, the killing of 74 security personnel by the Indian Maoists in India in the recent past has also encouraged the UCPN-M plan to move forward for a communist rule here. UCPN-M leader CP Gajurel has publicly said that the party has moral support for the Maoist war in India. It is learnt that some Nepali Maoist leaders are in contact with the Indian Maoists.

Repetition of April 2006:The UCPN-M leaders have already said that now the party is preparing for capture of the urban areas and it is also preparing for bringing its so called “supporters” in the urban areas with the aim of demonstrating a human sea in protest against the present government.The party is using the same tactics used in 2006 April uprising, when the party had brought people through “Gharlauri” programme (forcing village people to join the demonstration by giving different threats). To recall, in 2006 April also, the people were forced to join the agitation as they received threats from the Maoists. People’s Constitution from the streets:The UCPN-M has understood that it is impossible to introduce a “people’s constitution” (one-party communist constitution that has been described in the election manifesto of the party during the CA elections) from the CA and thus has aimed to announce a favourable constitution for the party from the streets. Supporting Madhesi parties:To gain strength, the UCPN-M is planning to back the “one Madhesh movement” initiated by the pro-Madhesh parties. In this the Indian hidden powers may be supportive, but considering the threat for India itself, maybe the Madhesi parties will be used against the Maoists, like it was done in the past. Political history of Nepal:The party has minutely analysed in detail about the political history of Nepal. In the 1950s, the then Rana regime was removed through an armed revolt led by the Nepali Congress. In 1979 also, the King was compelled to proclaim referendum on the improved panchayat system or multiparty democracy after a street agitation.In 1989, the street demonstration jointly organized by the Nepali Congress and the Left forces totally sponsored by the Indians, compelled the then king Birendra to handover executive power to the agitating force.On 24 April, 2006 also, the seven-party plus Maoist demonstration under the total sponsorship of New Delhi compelled King Gyanendra to handover the executive power to the agitating force. The UCPN-M has understood this political history and thus it is trying to get into power by removing the government of the democratic alliance through demonstrations from the streets. As the UCPN-M penetration in the human rights organizations are very high, they plan to draw attention of the international community, including the West and India, by pretending that they really have the people’s support by demonstrating human sea in urban areas, including the Kathmandu Valley. In such a way, the UCPN-M is planning to introduce a communist rule in the country. Many analysts have also pointed out that the Maoists have been encouraged to initiate such a drastic plan of capturing state power and implementing one party communist rule, as the democratic forces are scattered and divided. If the democratic forces don’t realize this even now, then it will be too late to rescue the nation from another dictatorial system and government.

peoplesreview.com.np

MAOIST WITHDRAW GENERAL STRIKE; PROTEST TO CONTINUE

Bowing to intense pressure from people across the country, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) has called off its six-day general strike.
UCPN-M´s standing committee meeting held late Friday evening decided to call off the strike after over three-hour long deliberations. The party said it will hold a mass rally in the capital and in the district headquarters on Saturday and apprise people of the party decision. The party will encircle Singha Durbar and district administration offices across the country Sunday.

The party was under immense pressure to roll back the strike after people across the country protested against it. People came out onto the streets in huge numbers, braving intimidation by Maoist cadres, and resisted the strike imposed on them. On Friday, tens of thousands of Kathmanduites gathered at Basantapur and urged the UCPN-M to withdraw strike and the parties to immediately strike a deal to end the political stalemate.
Addressing media after the meeting at Nayabazaar, Maoist Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal said, “The general strike that began the day after May Day has been postped.He argued that the general strike was called off for two reasons: First, daily life for people was becoming difficult, and second, a conspiracy was being hatched to set people against people. “There was an attempt to take advantage of things by setting people against people,” Dahal said.
The Maoist chairman however argued that calling off the general strike did not mean cancelling the party´s struggle for a national government to conclude the peace process and draft a “people´s constitution”. The next meeting of the party standing committee will chart out the future course.

Dahal-Baidya camp retreats
According to sources, the leaders concluded that the demonstrations did not get the support of the people of Kathmandu Valley. Dahal had decided to go the general under the influence of party hardliners led by Senior Vice-Chairman Mohan Baidya.Party leaders led by another vice-chairman, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, had insisted from the beginning that the strident protest and general strike would lead the party nowhere. For the last two days, Bhattarai has been pushing for withdrawal of the strike.
“Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal had stated that he would resign if the parties find a prime ministerial candidate acceptable to all of them. So there was space for compromise and no point in enforcing the general strike,” said a senior Maoist leader, requesting anonymity. According to him, Dahal was driven by his desire to become the next prime minister at all cost, and hence the fiasco.
Dahal became alarmed when leaders of other political parties floated the idea of making Dr Bhattarai the next prime minister. Party insiders say Dahal told confidantes that he did not want to share the fate of Girija Prasad Koirala, who lost considerable political clout after bringing Sher Bahadur Deuba into prominence.
Leaders say Dahal decided to bring tens of thousands onto the street to enforce the indefinite general strike, giving it a semblance of “people´s revolt” to please hardliners. He wanted to lead the government through pressure from the streets and appoint party hardliners to strengthen his hold in the party, but the plan failed miserably.
The rift between Dr Bhattarai and Dahal widened after the latter removed Dr Bhattarai from the post of deputy leader in parliament and later an audio record was leaked to media in which Dahal accused Bhattarai of being India´s choice for next prime minister of Nepal.

NC, UML welcome Maoist decision

The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML have welcomed the Maoist move.

CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal welcomed the Maoist decision. "The situation had led toward people fighting against the people. Therefore I welcome this decision wholeheartedly," Khanal told Republica.
e urged the Maoist and other political parties to put all their efforts for forging national consensus for ensuring peace and constitution on time. "In the changed context, I urge all the political parties to further intensify dialogues and reach an agreement toward forming a national unity government," he said.

NC Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel welcomed the Maoist decision to withdraw indefinite strikes. "This is a welcome move. We will study how the Maoist will take their movement ahead," said Poudel. "We will continue negotiations."

The UCPN-Maoist has withdrawn the general strike attributing the same to the way the common people were facing hardship. However the campaign will remain in place. The decision was taken by standing committee meeting of the party.

This comes as a huge relief to the nation which had come to a grinding halt sixth straight today. "We are withdrawing the strike just because the government is pitching the people against people as a desperate bid," Prachanda said.

However the plan to encircle the Singha Durbar has been planned for tomorrow.