Nepalese police force which had gone to Kosovo as a peace keeping force on the request of United Nations have returned home ‘peacefully’ because of the biased attitude of the UN staffs. Fifty one police personnel was sent there after a training of one year but they returned home within 15 days. They are found unfit for the UN job.

According to a police official who returned, said, Nepalese police personnel were including in six tests including English, driving and shooting. As per the provision of UN, 60 per cent mark was enough to pass the test. But they made Nepalese to score a minimum of 80 per cent. Nepalese police personnel were discourage and were misbehaved. The Nepalese police personnel were kept in Macedonia, where a UN team had took the exam.

Only 13 Nepalese passed the test. On this the police IGP contacted the UN and said it unjustifiable to take the tests again and to make some pass and others fail. He, then, decided that he would rather withdraw all the Nepalese personnel.

(Ghatana Ra Bichar, Wednesday, Sept. 15)

Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai will not visit India in the near future despite repeated invitation from the Indian side.

According to a source in the PM’s office, Bhattarai will be visiting New York in the last week of September to take part in United Nations General assembly. Immediately after that there will be Dashain and Tihar festival and thereafter SAARC summit. So, Bhattarai may visit India only after eighth SAARC summit.

Bhattarai was first invited to India a couple of months back when the Kargil conflict had erupted between India and Pakistan. Similarly, during Indian Foreign Minister’s visit, an invitation was also extended. The invitation has been accepted but he will not visit India before SAARC summit

According to Deshantar, Prime Minister will be accompanied by Foreign Minister, PM’s chief advisor, Foreign secretary and some members of the ruling and opposition parties.

(Khabarpatrika, Tuesday, Sept. 14)

“Rishikesh Shah, Padma Ratna Tuladhar and Daman Nath Dhungana like personalities will be included in our government”. Even while remaining under the Kingship, we will destroy present system here and fight against the Capitalists”. This was revealed by a politbureau member of the Maoists’ party at a mass meeting.

Kamal (real name Kiran Shah) has said that the main enemies of the Maoists are UML, Congress and RPP, which are the fascist parties. Likewise, he has indicated Mashal, Unity Centre and other parties as the second grade enemies of the party.

On the other hand, Shah, Tuladhar and Dhungana like personalities are saying that in the future, the country will be ruled either by Maoists or by royalists. These opinions make it clear to understand who are behind the Maoist movement in the country.

(Dristi weekly, Tuesday, September 14)

According to the Auditor General’s Report, 1999, the Finance Ministry is involved in irregularities even in the grant assistance provided by other countries. This has caused the debt burden of Rs. 9 thousand 650 on the head of every Nepali.

The reports from 1994 to 1999 show that the government arrears have been increasing every year. In 1998, the arrears were about Rs 6.8 billion 8. In 1999, the amount has increased to more than Rs. 22 billion. The main reason behind this is the malpractice and commission in the funding provided by the donor countries.

Among the ministries, the Finance Ministry is ranked number one in terms of the arrears which is Rs. 1.32 billion. The Water Resource Ministry ranks second with the arrears of Rs. 720 million, and the Local Development Ministry ranks third position with Rs. 490 million arrears.

(Naya Current, Tuesday, September 14)

Nepali Congress has been rocked badly after dissoluation of the party’s district committees in 12 districts by the Koirala camp. But the NC general secretary Sushil Koirala claims only the defunct committees have been dissolved and his move was according to the party statute.

But the anti-Koiralas are alleging that the present party leadership has dissolved those committees unconstitutionally.

The present party leadership has identified 17 out of 75 districts committees as in a defunct state. Five district committees of Bajhang, Solu, Bhojpur, Rasuwa and Kathmandu are also on the list to be dissolved.

(Ghatana Ra Bichar, Wednesday, September 8)

Kathmandu, August 7: Nepali Congress lawmaker and former speaker of parliament Ram Chandra Poudel said today that terrorism is fast growing in Nepal over the last couple of years and if not controlled in time it would gobble up Nepal’s fledgling democracy.

Taking special time in the House of Representatives, the central leader of the Nepali Congress said that “terrorists” ( Maoist insurgents) have made Nepali Congress workers target of their attack, which meant they wanted to finish up democratic forces in the country. The recent killing of Nepali Congress Tanahu district committee member Hom Raj Lohani is a clear evidence that Nepali Congress workers have been the target of terrorists.

This speaks of the fact that the law and order in the country is very weak. He called upon the government to take action against the terrorists and contain terrorism in the country.

For this, all political parties and people, who believe in parliamentary democracy should denounce terrorist acts carried out in the name of ” people’s war”.

Maoist insurgents on Thursday killed Nepali Congress worker Hom Raj Lohani in Tanahu. Ever since the underground Communist Party of Nepal ( Maoist) launched armed insurgency to ” establish new people’s democracy or one party communist regime” in February 1996, 898 people have died in violent in Maoist insurgency related violence.

Kathmandu, August 6: Five masked men today robbed the SBI Bank of Nepal, a joint venture bank established by State Bank of India, in Damak of Jhapa, about 500 meter east of Kathmandu and fled with about 3 million rupees.

According to police, five masked men came in a van with Indian registered number and looted cash from the counter of the bank at gunpoint. Police did not say how much money the robbers took away from the bank. But bank officials claimed that robbers took away about 3 million rupees.

Police immediately reached the spot but the robbers had already fled when the police reached there. Police chased the robbers and finally caught two of them in the jungle of Sukhani with a pistol, revolver, an India vehicle and 3,98,000 rupees cash, said police inspector in Damak Lal Mani Acharya.

Those who were arrested were identified as Bhai Bhai Kuki and Syamphu Kuki of Champaran, Bihar of India. A security guard of the bank has sustained injury by the attack of robbers. Other details are not known.

Kathmandu, August 6: The main opposition CPN-UML has decided to give its own candidate for chairman of National Assembly (Upper House of parliament). Election for the chairman of National Assembly is to be held on August 12.

The standing committee of the CPN-UML decided to give its own candidate for upper House Chairman. However, it has not decided the name of candidate. CPN-UML said the name of the candidate would be announced later.

The standing committee has constituted a four-member panel and given responsibility to initiate dialogue to muster support of National Assembly members of other parties and royal nominees. The members of the panel are general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, K.P. Sharma Oli, Bharat Mohan Adhikari and Yuva Raj Gyawali.

According to CPN-UML sources, it has already held discussion with other political parties except Nepali Congress and Nepal Sadbhavana Party and royal nominees regarding the election for the National Assembly Chairman.

It said all political parties have agreed to support non-congress candidate for National Assembly chairman. But they have not decided whom they want to support.

Nepali Congress has already named Bashudev Rishal as its candidate for the Chairman of the National Assembly, Upper House of parliament. No party has majority in the Upper House. In the 60-member National Assembly, Nepali Congress has 24 members, CPN-UML 17, RPP 3, CPN-ML 3, RPP (Chand) 2, Nepal Sadbhavana Party 1 and 10 Royal nominees.

Election for the Upper House Chairman had been held on July 14th. But election for the Upper House chairman is going to be held again as none of the three candidates could get required number of votes in the election for the same held on July 14th.

Now the whole process is to be initiated. In earlier election, there were three candidates for the Upper House Chairman in the last election. They were Basu Rishal of Nepali Congress, Mohammad Mohasin of RPP and Royal nominee Ramesh Nath Pandey.

CPN-UML supported Ramesh Nath Pandey in the election held on July 14. However, CPN-UML has publicly said that it would give its own candidate for the Upper House Chairman this time. But the party has not decided its candidate for the same.

Ramesh Nath Pandey has already announced that he would not again contest for the Upper House Chairman. In the triangular contest held on July 14th, Ramesh Nath Pandey got the most votes. However, those who rejected his candidacy were also in equal number. When Vice chairman of the National Assembly Chiranjibi Rijal asked the members of the national assembly to vote on the candidacy of Ramesh Nath Pandey, 29 members (17 of CPN-UML, 9 Royal nominees, and 3 of CPN-ML) supported Pandey, while 29 members (23 of Nepali Congress, 3 of RPP, 2 of RPP-Chand and one Royal nominee) rejected his candidacy.

When there was a tie about Pandey’s candidacy, Chiranjibi Rijal, who was presiding today’s meeting, gave a casting vote against Pandey’s. As a result, majority also rejected his candidacy. Similarly, the candidacy of Basudev Rishal of the Nepali Congress was also rejected as he got the support of only 24 members (23 Nepali Congress and one Nepal Sadbhavana Party).

RPP candidate Mohamad Mohasin was also rejected as he got support of only five members (3 of RPP and 2 of RPP-Chand).

Kathmandu, August 6: Minister for Home Purna Bahadur Khadka said in parliament today that a total of 898 persons including 78 policemen, 156 innocent civilians and 664 “terrorists” (Maoist insurgents) were killed in different incidents related with Maoist insurgency that started four years ago.

In the last two and half months alone after the new government was formed, 11 policemen, 14 innocent civilians and 44 Maoist insurgents were killed, said Minister for Home Khadka. The underground Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) launched an armed insurgency in February 1996 with the objective of what it described as establishing a one-party communist regime with power in the hand of proletariats and workers.

Home Minister Khadka, however, said that overall situation of law and order in the country is normal despite some isolated incidents of terrorism perpetrated by Maoist insurgents in some districts. ” The law and order situation of the country is under full control of the government”, he said.

The government has put all its strength to ensure law and order and protect lives and property of the people, Minister Khadka said. According to Minister Khadka, the government has given due compensation to the victims of terrorist activities and launched especial programmes to rehabilitate those insurgents who denounce terrorism and surrender.

He said amnesty would be given to those who give up arms and express willingness to live peaceful life. However, the government would firmly deal with those who continue to stage armed insurgency and create terror in the society.

The present government believes that all problems of the country can be solved through dialogue and negotiation. Minister for Home also addressed the journalists in an interaction programme today in which he said the government has fully mobilized security personnel to bring the terrorist activities (Maoist insurgency) under control.

He sought cooperation from all political parties and people to combat terrorism in the country.

In the budget for the Fiscal Year 1999/2000 as well, the government has announced special programmes to rehabilitate for those who denounce armed insurgency and want to live peaceful life.

Meanwhile, Maoist insurgents killed a Nepali Congress Tanahu district committee member Hom Raj Lohani in Ward No 8, Bandipur of Tanahi district yesterday (Thursday).

Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala condemned the killing of NC member Hom Raj Lohani and expressed his deep condolence over Lohani’s death.

Kathmandu, August 6: The executive committee of Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party met under the chairmanship of Prime Minster Krishna Prasad Bhattarai at Prime Minister’s official residence today. The meeting unanimously elected Benup Raj Prasai as the secretary and Sabitri Bogati as treasurer of the NC parliamentary party executive committee.

Benup Raj Prasai was elected to the House of Representatives from Ilam-1 constituency and Sabitri Bogati from Chitwan-1 constituency.

Prime Minister is the leader of the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party. The committee took several decisions on the future strategy to be adopted the party lawmakers in parliament. The meeting mainly discussed the formation of different parliamentary committees and names of its lawmakers to be inducted in the parliamentary committees.

There are ten parliamentary committees. They also expressed condolence over the death of Nepali Congress workers in different district because of the Maoists’ attack.