Police arrested a 42-year-old woman with 3,010 capsules of Yaba Methamphetamine from Sorakhutte, Kathmandu on Tuesday.
A press statement issued by the Narcotic Drug Control Law Enforcement Unit (NDCLEU), said, a team of police from the NDCLEU arrested Budhamaya Gurung of Gumda-7, Gorkha.
This is the biggest haul of the particular drug so far, the NDCLEU stated.
The capsules empowers a persons sexual prowess, stamina and put illusionary images in the mind. It costs Rs 300 to 1,000 per capsule in the local market.
The statement further said that the police unit had seized 315 grams of brown heroin, 11 kilograms of hashish and arrested seven persons during the past 15 days.
In their first meeting with senior officials after the return of democracy in the country, Nepal’s leading bilateral and multilateral donors have pledged their support towards peace-building and ambitious economic reconstruction programme proposed by the new Seven Party Alliance (SPA) government but have also asked the government to come up with its priorities and concrete programmes.
Addressing the meeting called by Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat at the Finance Ministry on Wednesday on behalf of eight donors, chief of the Department for International Development (DfID), Mark Mallalieu, deliberated on the impact of conflict on the development programmes. He said there was urgent need to widen the development space, which has been narrowed by the decade-old conflict. If we could deliver now, people’s confidence in peace process will increase, said Mallalieu. He also urged all the donors to support the peace process being initiated by the Nepal government.
Country director of the World Bank in Nepal, Ken Ohashi, expressed concerns over the expiry of the Poverty Reduction Growth Facility (PRGF). He also asked the government to come up with detailed programmes and policies formed on the basis of consensus. Chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Nepal, Sukhwinder Singh, said the expiry of PRGF in the four months time could have serious implications on the reform process.
US ambassador to Nepal, James F. Moriarty, said the US was keen to see a successful transition of democracy in Nepal. He, however, raised suspicion over Maoist activities even after the announcement of ceasefire.
Resident coordinator of the UN system in Nepal, Matthew Kahane, said the United Nations was ready to support the government in its endeavours towards restoring peace and stability in the country. He expressed hope that negotiations between the government and Maoist rebels would be concluded effectively.
Ambassador of Denmark, Finn Thilsted, announced that the Danish government would restart the rural energy programme amounting to Rs 1.5 billion, which was suspended earlier. He said his government was ready to provide an additional Rs 500 million to support peace process and demobilization of army and the Maoists in Nepal.
Most of the donor representatives expressed the need to include the development agenda in the talks with the Maoists. They also empahsised on both the government and the Maoists to respect the Basic Operating Guidelines agreed upon earlier by the development partners in Nepal.
Earlier, in his presentation, Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, presented the difficult economic situation the country was facing at present and urged the donors for both immediate budgetary support and long-term commitment towards reconstruction and rehabilitation programs. He also expressed commitment that the government would continue economic reforms programmes with due priority.
Finance Ministry officials said a follow-up meeting with the donors will be organized within a fortnight and that the government will come up with some concrete programmes by then.
Commenting on the meeting with donors, former finance minister and UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikary said it would have been better if the finance minister had consulted SPA leaders before the meeting. He said he would be also raising the issue in the parliament.
Meanwhile, Kantipur daily reported Thursday that the government of India has prepared a “special economic package” for Nepal as a gesture of its continued support towards democratic forces in Nepal. The daily quoted a source in the Indian government in New Delhi as saying that India was preparing to announce the package during the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister G P Koirala to India. “We, however, don’t want to show that India is imposing its aid on Nepal,” the source said. The date of Koirala’s visit is yet to be announced.
Earlier, reports said that the Indian aid— referred to as the “Himalayan Marshall Plan” — — would carry a purse of Rs 620 million. India has also released payments due to Nepal under the duty refund procedure (DRP).
The meeting of the council of ministers Thursday has approved the draft of a ‘political proclamation’ that aims to make the reinstated House of Representatives the ‘supreme authority’ to exercise ‘sovereign power’ on behalf of the Nepalis people.
A meeting of the council of ministers that took place at the Prime Minister’s residence at Baluwatar Thursday morning unanimously approved the Proclamation.
Minister for Physical Planning and Works Gopal Man Shrestha talking to…
Talking to journalists after the meeting, Minister for Physical Planning and Works, Gopal Man Shrestha, said that the cabinet meeting has approved the proclamation.
He further said that the cabinet meeting made some improvements in the draft prepared by the taskforce of the seven party alliance, adding, “The cabinet did not make any major changes in the Proclamation, which has been prepared as per the people’s aspiration.”
Minister for Land Reforms and Management Prabhu Narayan Chaudhari told reporters that Proclamation had been prepared to make the people sovereign.
When asked about delay in the cabinet expansion, Chaudhari said that the cabinet would take full shape soon.
Highlights of the declaration include scrapping the provision of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Nepalese Army by His Majesty the King.
The name of the army, too, will be changed to “Nepal National Army”. Next is dissolution of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee. From now on, parliament will take care of the job done by the Raj Parishad– a royal advisory body.
The proclamation has also scrapped provisions giving the monarch discretionary powers in certain cases. From now on, the monarch will not have any authority to enact the law concerning royal succession, which will be done by the parliament.
The proclamation will also impose tax on the income and properties of the King and his family, according to reports.
The proclamation also proposed to replace “His Majesty’s Government” with “Nepal Government”.
Similarly, while the cabinet will appoint the army chief, mobilisation of the army will be done as per the decision of the cabinet. However, that will have to be approved by the stipulated parliamentary committee.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is to table the proclamation in the House to be be endorsed by the MPs.
The proclamation was delayed on Monday, as leaders failed to arrive at a consensus regarding some proposals.
The delay triggered sporadic violent protests on Tuesday in Kathmandu but the situation returned to normalcy with assurances from the Home Minister Krishna Sitaula that the proclamation would be tabled at the regular session of the House of Representatives on Thursday.
The state-run Nepal Television will broadcast Thursday’s House session live.
Nepal is organizing various programmes for centennial commemoration of the famous playwright Henrik Ibsen.
A press statement issued by nepa-laya said various events linked with literature, art, music and even fun sports is being organised in Nepal by the Norwegian Embassy to mark the celebration.
A collage of creative people from Norway and Nepal will be coming together in Kathmandu at the Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC) to celebrate Henrik Ibsen, his work, his art and his contagious creative spirit on 23rd of May.
“A back to back programme of Art exhibition and Poetry recitals containing art and poems inspired by Ibsen followed by a Jazz ensemble on Ibsen’s ‘Peer Gynt’ – composed by Edvard Grieg will be performed. The ensemble will feature noted Norwegian and Nepali musicians,” the statement added.
Peer Gynt is a classic Ibsen play which was 1st published in 1867.
The statement quoted Norwegian Ambassador to Nepal, Tore Toreng as saying, “This is an exciting continuation of the current music collaboration between Norway and Nepal. Ensemble concerts have rarely taken place in Kathmandu, and this will be a milestone when it comes to jazz entering the Nepalese capital”.
The event is being organized in association with Rikskonsertene (Norway), Music Nepal, Jazzmandu, and nepa-laya.
Known to the world as the “theatre Poet” Ibsen created a new form of Drama from which an entire generation of modern thinkers and playwrights have sprouted all over the world.
27 people scaled Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak on May 14 and 15.As per the information given by the Mountain Experience Pvt. Ltd. 12 people conquered the World’s highest peak on May 14.
Those who reached on the top of the Mount Everest on May 14 are; American citizens Bill Crouse, Ken Sauls and Terry O’connor. Likewise two Swedish nationals Marcel Bach and Kurt Hefti also scaled the peak on the same day.
Three Tibetans Phinjo Narwang and Tashi Teshering and four Nepalese climbers Karsang Namgel, Loppsang Temba, Pema Chhosang abd Pura Nuru also reached the top of the world on the same day.
Mountain Experience Pvt. Ltd further informed that 15 people sumitted Mount Everest on May 15.
Four people from New Zealand, Mark Woodward, Mark Whetu, Wayne Alexander and Mark Inglis scaled the World’s highest peak on May 15.
Likewise five Tibetans, Wangbe, Tashi Phinjo Phubu Tsering, Tenzing and Dorjee and three Nepalis, Son Dorjee, Dorji Sonam Gyalgen and Lakpa Nuru also sumitted Mount Everest the same day.
Similarly, Shaun Hutson of UK, Robert Killup of Australia and Maxime Chaya of Lebanon also scaled the world’s highest peak.
There have been several world records in climbing the Mount Everest this season.
Setting a world record, a 70-year-old Japanese climber scaled Mount Everest on Wednesday, making him the oldest person in the world to achieve the feat.
The second Nepali women to climb the Mount Everest, Lakpa Sherpa, made another world record by ascending the peak for the sixth time.
New Zealand’s mountaineer Mark Inglis, who lost his legs in a climbing accident 24 years ago, has become the first double amputee to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Richard A Boucher, has stressed that the Maoists should lay down their arms, end terrorist acts and accept the rule of law for having place in the national politics.
Addressing the US House of Representatives International Relations Committee Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific in Washington DC on May 17, Boucher accused the Maoists of brutal insurgency and terror in the countryside using force.
Praising the will of the people expressed through the recent people’s movement that they were not ready to live under the autocratic monarch, he said, “We are looking at ways in which we can further strengthen democracy and through greater public participation in the political process, strengthen the momentum for peace.”
Indicating for resumption of financial assistance to the new government Boucher said, “We want to assist the Nepali people with projects that can promote economic recovery, especially in rural areas.”
“Areas in which we feel we can make a positive difference include technical assistance and equipment to the Parliament and to a constitutional reform process, assisting reintegration of internally displaced persons and funding election monitors,” he added.
He said, the Maoists must renounce violence and the instruments of control, such as extortion, that have terrorized Nepal. “Should they lay down their weapons, end their use of violence and intimidation and accept the rule of law, and accept the will of the Nepali people through the democratic process, there will be a place for them in Nepal’s political arena.
He further said, “Until the Maoists take steps to change their character, we will not be convinced that they have abandoned their stated goal of establishing a one-party, authoritarian state.”
Boucher was the first top foreign leader to visit Nepal after the restoration of democracy in Nepal . Prachanda stated Boucher has no right to levy US interest upon Nepalis.
Former Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey has said that he had not made any unnecessary expenses from the state fund.
In a statement issued from detention at Prahari Prahara Gadh, former Minister Pandey refuted the allegations made by Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan in the white paper he presented that he made unnecessary expenditure during his visit to various countries.
Stating that the expenses incurred during his visits to China, Pakistan, Russia, Qatar, Geneva and New York have been mentioned in the White Paper presented by the Finance Minister, former Minister Pandey said, “In none of these visits I was alone, there were other members of the delegation whose names were duly approved by the cabinet. I have not taken a single rupee more as allowance from the state exchequer for any of my visits abroad other than that strictly stipulated by the law.”
“If the hidden agenda of circulating these negative propaganda of Nepal’s Foreign Minister’s visits to China, Pakistan, Russia and participation in the UN General Assembly and UN Human Rights Commission session is to isolate Nepal’s heritage of independent personality in the world arena, I would like to urge the Prime Minister that this will not be in the national interest of Nepal,” former Minister Pandey stated.
Pandey further added that he had already cancelled the passport that he received as Foreign Minister.
The government arrested former foreign minister Pandey along with former ministers Kamal Thapa, Tanka Dhakal, State Minister Shrish Shumsher Rana and Assistant Minister Niksha Shumsher Rana in the charge of holding secret meetings to thwart the people’s movement.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has tabled a “historic” proposal before the House of Representatives on Thursday depriving His Majesty the King of all the privileges enjoyed by him and declare the reinstated House as “supreme.”
According to the proposal, the provision of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Nepalese Army being held by HM the King has been scrapped. The provision has deprived the King of his control over 90,000 soldiers of the country.
The next is dissolution of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee. The job of the royal advisory body, which became controversial following the February 1 royal takeover, will now be taken care of by the House of Representatives itself.
The declaration read by the speaker Subash Nemwang due to ill health of Prime Minister Koirala has said that the parliament will form necessary procedure to go for the election of the constituent assembly. The proclamation also said that the full executive power will lie to the parliament.
The declaration has also deprived the King from his discretionary powers that were stipulated in the constitution of the kingdom of Nepal, 1990. Now onwards, the monarch will not have any authority to enact the law concerning royal succession, which will be done by the parliament.
The declaration scrapped the provision that His Majesty the King’s acts could not be challenged before the parliament and the Court.
Another major change made by the proclamation is changing the name of the Royal Nepalese Army into Nepali Army, and replacing “His Majesty’s Government” with the “ Government of Nepal”.
The monarch will no longer convene a session of the parliament as stipulated in the constitution. According to new proposal, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall convene the session on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. A special session of the House can be called on the request of 25 percent of the lawmakers.
The cabinet will decide about the appointment of the army chief, mobilisation of the army will be done as per the decision of the council of ministers. However, that will have to be approved by the stipulated parliamentary committee.
The proclamation has also made the income and assets of the King taxable. The proclamation also said that the parliament will fix the expenditure of the Royal Palace.
The House proclamation is so powerful that it has declared all the provisions of the Constitution and laws that contradict this proclamation “ as nullified”.
The proclamation further said that it is not necessary to be the member of House of Representatives to be the minister.
The proclamation has declared Nepal as a secular state and added that the government will make provision for resolving the citizenship problem.
The visitors’ gallery of the parliament was full. Chiefs of the diplomatic missions, heads of United Missions, Chief of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal Ian Martin and other chiefs of the various organizations were present at the parliament to listen the historic proclamation of the parliament.
In a “historic” and bold move, the reinstated House of Representatives on Thursday declared itself “supreme” and — for the first time in the country’s history– drastically curtailed the royal powers.
The House unanimously passed the proposal presented before it by 84-year-old Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala this afternoon that has renamed His Majesty’s Government (HMG) Nepal as “Nepal government” and Royal Nepal Army (RNA) as the “Nepali Army.”
Similarly, Nepal—the only Hindu kingdom in the world—has been declared a secular state. (See: Box)
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Rastriya Janashakti Party, which are not the constituents of the SPA also supported the proposal tabled by Koirala.
Speaker Subash Nemwang announced that the proposal was passed after no members of the parliament voted against the proposal.
Earlier Prime Minister Koirala tabled the proposal depriving His Majesty the King of all the privileges enjoyed by him and declared the reinstated House as “supreme.” He then asked Speaker Nemwang to read out the proposal as he was not able to do so due to his ill health.
According to the proposal, the provision of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Nepalese Army being held by HM the King has been scrapped. The provision has deprived the King of his control over 90,000 soldiers of the country.
The next is dissolution of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee. The job of the royal advisory body, which became controversial following the February 1 royal takeover, will now be taken care of by the House of Representatives itself.
The declaration also said that the parliament would form necessary procedure to go for the election of the constituent assembly. The proclamation also said that the full executive power would lay with the parliament.
The declaration has also deprived the King from his discretionary powers that were stipulated in the constitution of the kingdom of Nepal, 1990. Now onwards, the monarch will not have any authority to enact the law concerning royal succession, which will be done by the parliament.
The declaration scrapped the provision in the constitution that His Majesty the King’s acts could not be challenged before the court. Questions can now be raised against king’s activities at the House of Representatives and the court.
The monarch will no longer convene a session of the parliament as stipulated in the constitution. According to the proclamation, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall convene the session on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. A special session of the House can be called upon the request of 25 percent of the lawmakers.
The cabinet will decide about the appointment of the army chief, mobilisation of the army would be done as per the decision of the council of ministers. However, that will have to be approved by the stipulated parliamentary committee.
The proclamation has also made the income and assets of the King taxable. The proclamation also said that the parliament would fix the expenditure of the Royal Palace.
The House proclamation is so powerful that it has declared all the provisions of the Constitution and laws that contradict this proclamation as “nullified”.
The proclamation further said that it is not necessary to be the member of House of Representatives to be the minister.
The proclamation also added that the government would make provision for resolving the citizenship problem. Highlights of the House of Representatives Proclamation 2006
Related to legislature:
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala
1. The House of Representatives (HoR) will exercise all legislative powers of the country.
2. The HoR will decide the process towards moving to the Constituent Assembly.
Related to the Executive:
3. The entire executive authority of the state of Nepal shall reside in the council of ministers. His Majesty’s Government will henceforth be called as the “Government of Nepal.”
A person, who is not a member of the HoR, can also be appointed as a member of the cabinet.
Related to the Army:
5. The name of the Royal Nepalese Army has been changed as “Nepali Army”
6. Existing provisions related to the National Security Council have been scrapped. A National Security Council will be constituted to control, use and mobilize the Nepali Army under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.
7. The council of ministers will appoint the Commander-in-Chief of the Nepali Army.
8. Existing provisions related to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Army have been scrapped.
9. The organization of the Nepali Army will be of inclusive and national in nature.
Related to the Raj Parishad:
10. Existing provisions related to Raj Parishad have been abolished. Necessary activities being carried out by the Raj Parishad will be undertaken as managed by the HoR.
Related to the Royal Palace:
11. House of Representatives will have the right to formulate, amend or annul the law related to the succession to the throne.
12. The HoR will decide about the expenses and privileges of the king.
13. Tax will be imposed on the private property and income of the king in accordance with law.
14. Questions may be raised in the court and HoR regarding the activities of the king.
15. The existing Royal Household Service will be made part of the civil service.
16. The security of the royal palace will be managed as stipulated by the council of ministers.
Miscellaneous:
17. Nepal will be a secular state.
18. An alternative arrangement will be made so as to change the existing “national anthem.”
19. All organs and agencies of the state shall remain dutiful towards the HoR and exercise their right by realizing that their right emanates from the HoR.
20. Existing provisions of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 and other laws – that are in contravention with the HoR Proclamation—will be declared null and void to the extent they contravene with this proclamation.
21. HoR will take decisions to resolve any problems that may come across towards implementing this proclamation.
Narcotic Drug Control Law Enforcement Unit (NDCLEU), of New Baneswor has arrested two Indian nationals with hashish worth millions of rupees Thursday morning.
A press statement issued by the NDCLEU said, 337 kilograms of hashish was seized from Bharat Gupta of Indian town of Gorakhpur and Prakash Singh of Khalilaabaad.
The narcotic drugs was recovered from false bottoms of a jeep with registration number HR 20 E 0525 near Jhapley Khola area of Baad Bhanjyang VDC of Kathmandu, the statement adds.
The accused have confessed that they were planning to smuggle hashish to Delhi via Gorakhpur, the statement added.
The NDCLEU said investigation is on to find other people involved in the incident.
The NDCLEU also arrested a woman with 3,010 capsules of Yaba Methamphetamine on Tuesday.