Senior leaders of the CPN-Maoists have said that they will not sit for talks unless their demands are fulfilled.

Speaking at an interaction at the Reporters Club on Friday, Maoist politburo member Matrika Yadav said that the government should release all the political detainees and publicize the whereabouts of the people who went missing in the hands of the State.

Yadav charged the coalition government of seven political parties for failing to move ahead as per the aspiration of the people and mandate of the popular movement.

He alleged that as most of the political detainees were detained and people disappeared during the period of the so-called democratic government, they feared to release them and publicize their whereabouts.

Notwithstanding the view of the seven political parties, Yadav further said that mediation of some reliable international agency is a must during the talks between the government and the Maoists. “As the political parties are not honest, international mediation is a must to make the talks results oriented,” Yadav stated.

The seven political parties have ruled out any mediation during the talks between the government and the Maoists.

On the issue of extortion, Yadav said they are not extorting money from people but are taking donations voluntarily given by the people.

“Some elements of the palace are extorting people to defame us but we are not forcing any people to give donations,” Yadav said while answering journalists.

Meanwhile, Yadav informed that Maoist supreme Prachanda will lead the team to hold talks with the government and the Maoists.

“Mahara might come to create conducive environment for talks but our chairman Prachanda will led the team for talks this time,” Yadav said, adding, “The talk will be held between Prachanda and Girija for it to succeed.”

He informed that the Maoists will shortly announce the talk team headed by Prachanda.

He said that the news about the formation of the three-member talk team headed by Mahara is just a rumour.

When asked how they could verify the quantity of weapons they have while keeping it under the supervision of the UN or any other reliable international agencies during the election of the constituent assembly, as per the 12-point understanding with the seven political parties, he said that the matter will be resolved through mutual understanding.

Yadav, who was released from Nakhu jail on Thursday after 26 month long detention also added that they agreed to leave the jail without the release of all other political detainees after Maoist supremo Prachanda assured them of immediate release of all political detainees.

Speaking at the same programme, another central committee member of Maoist, Suresh Ale Magar said that the government is hesitating to release Maoist detainees.

“The government, which was formed following the reinstatement of the House of Representatives (HoR) without any constitutional provision is hesitating to release Maoist detainees citing the same constitution, which is a conspiracy hatched against people,” Magar added.

He also reiterated that Maoists will not hold talks with the government before releasing all the political detainees and publicizing the whereabouts of the disappeared people.

He also said that Maoists will join the interim government to ensure free and fair election of the constituent assembly. He however pointed out the need of dissolution of the parliament and present constitution to go for the interim constitution.

He also defended the violence they had committed during the decade long insurgency, saying they were compelled to after the then government neglected their 40-point demand.

He urged the government to move ahead as per people’s aspiration and mandate of the people’s movement regardless of the comment from different quarters.

Speaking at the same programme, rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar urged the Maoists and the government to make the talks result oriented.

“Previous talks failed as the Maoist talk team concentrated in the speeches and addressing mass meetings while the government talks team headed by the ministers concentrated on their ministries, so this time both the sides have to form talk teams that will concentrate only in talks,” he added.

He also urged the government and the Maoists to sign human rights accord before sitting for talks.

Leader of civil society, Dr Sundar Mani Dixit urged Maoists to sit for talks only after bringing Army under the parliament, release of all political detainees and after publicizing the whereabouts of the disappeared people.

Krishna Rai, coordinator of the Society of the Families of the Disappeared Citizens by the State, urged the Maoist leadership to pressurize the government to publicize the whereabouts of the people, who went missing by the state.

She said that the government formed after the popular movement and due to the people’s power should publicize the whereabouts of the disappeared people and allow family members to meet them.

Election is likely to take place for the post of speaker of the reinstated House of Representatives (HoR) on Saturday.

Nepali Congress (NC) lawmaker Dilendra Prasad Badu has tabled a resolution at the HoR on Friday asking the house to go for the election for the vacant post of the Speaker.

The post of Speaker of the HoR remained vacant after Speaker Tara Nath Ranabhat resigned from his post last month.Sources said major parties of the seven party alliance (SPA) NC and CPN-UML decided to go for election of the post of Speaker after the SPA meet failed to choose a consensus candidate.

CPN-UML lawmaker Subash Nemwang has been projected for the post of Speaker, but one of the constituents of the SPA, NC (Democratic) has been lobbying to select its member and Deputy Speaker of the HoR Chitra Lekha Yadav for the post of Speaker.

Reports have quoted Yadav as warning that she will resign from her post if she was not chosen as Speaker.

The meeting of the HoR scheduled for 2 p.m. today is yet to commence due to the controversy.

Four people were killed on the spot and 27 others injured when a passenger bus met with an accident at Haripur-9 of Sunsari near the Koshi barrage Friday morning.

The ill-fated bus of Hong Kong Travels, heading for Gaighat from Dharan, met with an accident when it tried to avoid a bicycle. Reports quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the bus hit an electricity pole and then overturned.

The deceased have been identified as Narul Ansari Mehabub Ansari of Dharan and Raphi Alam, while one person is yet to be identified.

Among the injured, the condition of six persons is reported to be serious.

The injured are undergoing treatment at BP Koirala Institute for Health Sciences.

The Seven Party Alliance (SPA) government on Friday has taken into custody former Home Minister Kamal Thapa.

Official sources said Thapa is being kept at the Police Training Academy at Maharajgunj in the capital.

There has been no official word regarding Thapa’s arrest. But reports said Thapa has been given 90 day detention order.

The SPA was under tremendous pressure from the members of parliament and pro-democracy activists to take strong action against people said to be responsible for suppressing people’s movement 2006.

Nearly two dozen people were killed and thousands of others were injured when security personnel resorted to lathi charge and fired tear gas shells and bullets to suppress the pro-democracy demonstrations.

The government has already formed a high-level judicial commission led by former Justice at the Supreme Court, Krishna Jung Rayamajhi, to probe into atrocities committed to suppress the ‘jana andolan.’

After the meeting of breakaway faction of Rastriya Prajatantra Party, former Home Minister Kamal Thapa had said if summoned, he was ready to record his statement before the commission.

Reports say an emergency meeting of the council of ministers on Friday decided to arrest former Home Minister Thapa as per the Commission’s recommendation to take action against chiefs of security agencies and interior ministry on the basis of prima facie evidence.

Latest reports say the government has taken into custody former Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey and former minister of state for information and communications, Shrish Shumsher Rana, on Friday.

Kathmandu Valley Police Office has confirmed the report.

President of Nepali Congress Democratic Sher Bahadur Deuba has urged the Maoist leadership to immediately move towards sustainable peace through the dialogue process as the entire country has accepted the agenda of the constituent assembly elections.

Speaking at a program organized Friday to release a book titled ‘One year of the Royal Regime’ written by parliamentarian Ramesh Lekhak and published by Ganeshman Singh Studies Foundation, Deuba also urged the Maoists to stop extortions.

UML leader Pradip Gyawali said the parliament and the government has failed to work as per the people’s aspiration expressed through the popular movement and urged the leaders of seven-party alliance to correct their mistakes.

Leader of Nepali Congress Mahesh Acharya said there should not be disagreement within the parliament and the government.

Speaking at the same program, writer of the book Ramesh Lekhak and Chairman of the Foundation Nabindra Raj Joshi urged all to ensure that the history of February 1, 2005 would not be repeated.

In what has come as a major development, the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) government on Friday has arrested five members of the erstwhile royal regime including former Home Minister Kamal Thapa.

Those arrested include former Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey, former minister of state for Information and Communications, Shrish Shumsher Rana, former minister for Local Development Tanka Dhakal and former Assistant Minister for Health Nikshya Shumsher Rana.

Reports say all five former ministers are being kept at the Police Training Academy at Maharajgunj, Kathmandu. They have been issued orders for 90-day detention by the local authorities.

The state-run Radio Nepal reported Friday that the high-level judicial commission has recommended the government to suspend chiefs of Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Intelligence Department.

It did not provide details.

The Seven Party Alliance (SPA) government had formed the judicial commission under the chairmanship of former Justice at the Supreme Court, Krishna Jung Rayamajhi, to probe into cases of atrocities committed against pro-democracy activists during the ‘jana andolan’ 2006.

The council of ministers on Friday discussed the Rayamajhi Commission’s report, sources said.

A member of the Commission told Nepalnews that they had recommended at policy level that the government suspend chiefs of government agencies to avoid loss or damage to evidence that could hamper the investigation.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports say the council of ministers has already decided to suspend chief of Nepal Police Shyam Bhakta Thapa, chief of Armed Police Force Sahabir Thapa and chief of National Investigation Department Devi Ram Sharma.

The authorities are yet to make formal announcement in this regard.

Sources said Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula was holding emergency meeting with second-in-command of Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Intelligence Department at the Prime Minister’s residence at Baluwatar this evening. Details are still awaited.

The United States (US) State Department has permitted all non-emergency U.S. Mission personnel and families to return to Nepal from Friday.

A press statement issued by the US Embassy in Kathmandu said the decision, made at the recommendation of the Embassy, is effective from Friday.

The Department on April 24 had ordered all non-emergency Mission personnel and families to leave Nepal, citing ongoing violence, curfews and widespread insecurity in Nepal.

“The Consular Section, which resumed certain services May 1, will also return to full operations on Monday, May 15, with non-immigrant visa interviews scheduled to start then,” the statement further said.

The U.S. Mission includes the Embassy, the Consular Section and American Center at the Yak & Yeti complex (west wing), and USAID.

Ramesh Singh, Chief Executive, ActionAid International

One of the few Nepalis who have made it big internationally, Ramesh Singh is the Chief Executive of the ActionAid International, which works in 47 countries in Africa, Americas, Asia and Europe to eradicate poverty and injustice, Ramesh Singh has worked in Gambia, Ethiopia, Nepal, Vietnam, Thailand, United Kingdom and South Africa in a range of roles from programme officer and country director to regional director and operations director of the ActionAid. Trained as an agronomist- seed technologist at the University of Edinburgh in the UK, Ramesh’s recent interest and work have been focused on poverty analysis, rights based and participatory approaches, governance, south-south alliances and NGO strategic management and governance. During his recent visit to Kathmandu, Singh spoke to Bhagirath Yogi and Indra Adhikari on a number of contemporary issues. Excerpts:

You have been quoted as saying that democracy is indispensable for development. Does international experience support this thesis?

Yes, everywhere, because development is about people, it is about citizens. It is the voice of citizens, even the rights of the citizens and through the fulfillment of those human rights that makes development work. We know that everywhere, how freedom of people, freedom from fear, freedom from want and access to decision making it is all about people. Since democracy is of the people, for the people and by the people, it is more important for us to recognize that development, which is must for social justice, is impossible without democracy. Development would progress in active participation of the people, which is possible only in democracy.

Nepal is trying to undergo a significant change and political transformation. How do you analyse the challenges that Nepalis can face for resolution of armed conflict as well as achieving socio-economic progress?

I must say what I have seen from international scene I was very proud of the ground swell of the people’s movement. It was very inspiring not only for Nepal but for many other countries. My colleagues in Zimbabwe, France and Kenya are asking how did it happen and how could we do in our own country. As a Nepali I was very pleased by the way people took over the political process here and were able to bring about this big change. There are many challenges, which we had faced before as well. We have much more hopeful environment now. We had the unity of purpose to bring democracy back to people. Therefore, it is important for us to keep this unity of purpose to give democracy back to people, more specifically in order to sustain democracy. Obviously, it does mean accommodating differences. I very much believe that the Maoists, who have been on the fringes, outside the mainstream politics, should have enough space and we need to have them back into the political discourse. That will bring us out from the situation of conflict. We need to accommodate them into the process and let people decide.

You are based in South Africa that has recently gone through big political and constitutional changes. How could Nepal learn from such experiences?

“In this transition, the international community should allow Nepalis to talk to each other first. A genuine Nepali discourse is possible now and that’s likely to happen. There is no need to rush or hurry.”
We have several examples from across the world of bringing armed conflict into people’s discourse and making sure that we can actually bring democracy. South Africa is very good example where at the end of the day the minority had to give in to the majority. Giving the political process back to the people and recognizing the plurality is very important. We are very pleased with the way transition was managed in South Africa. There were compromises but justice was delivered. We have to really find a workable ground to reconcile differences and there has to be reconciliation but that reconciliation must have elements of justice and negotiations in it. There are other cases, in Sierra Leone, for example, where there was armed conflict the warring factions were able to come back. Massive demobilization is necessary, great deal of reconciliation is necessary and justice has to prevail. Indeed, we have to ensure that justice has been delivered to the people in the process of negotiation and we need to be practical about it.

Action Aid has been in the forefront of the global fight against poverty. What experiences have you learnt which could be relevant in the Nepali context?

The major lesson we have learnt in our fight against poverty is that poverty and injustice are very deeply linked. In addition to that it is the violation of human rights what makes people poor. Therefore, it has to be ensured that human rights of the people are protected, promoted and fulfilled and justice delivered to the people. In the end, we believe that it is the primacy of the agencies and action of poor people themselves that actually brings sustainable changes. Civil society like us can help and be part of that solidarity movement. But in fact it is the poor people’s own action that will bring about changes. And, we have seen that here. In the end the democratic process is the agency of the people that actually matters.

The theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day (May 3) was media, development and poverty eradication. In this context, how do you see the role of media in poverty eradication?

In Nepal, media played a phenomenal role and have been the foundation of the democratic movement in difficult period in the country. I am very proud of that and am very pleased. Media connects people, connects issues, brings discourse into public domain, opens things for us and allows diversity and dissent to be brought out. That actually refines agenda and gives voices to issues, voices to the people. Indeed, we need to be worried that international media has been hugely corporatised and therefore monopolized. More specifically, I don’t think that it is media houses that have brought out phenomenal difference in the democratic process. It is the individual journalists, the professionals who actually are the catalysts. I think our job would not have become so significant without the impartial media support. Media takes side but it has to be on the side of justice, plurality and human rights. I don’t necessarily believe in neutrality. Media has been the consciences in many circumstances. It actually gives profile to the issues, gives voices to the people and makes the whole fight against injustice and poverty much more influential. Our task would have been much harder without media.

Nepal has been implementing the Tenth Plan as the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). But the long-drawn conflict and political instability have had adverse impact on these endeavours. How should Nepal move ahead in such a context?

Quite clearly, we need to rethink our development strategies again. We are likely to come out of ten years of very entrenched conflict. We are just coming out of the period of absence of democracy. This is a good time for us to re-think, re-strategise much more equitably the poverty issues and agenda. They need to be considered in terms of regional disparity, making sure that all parts of country really benefits, especially the marginalized section of the society. It should not be urban centered and (focused on) those already getting benefits. We have an opportunity now to open up and use this space that has been created with optimism. There is a lot of reconciliation, reconstruction (of infrastructure) and rehabilitation of people to be done. Development and political process here and structural changes in the political process need to go hand in hand. We cannot let the political process remain as it was and look for development that is equitable. Nepalis need to discuss this. There is a need for real Nepali discourse: pro-development and on human rights. The space for discussion has been created. Of course, we need international help, it will be our entitlement, we should claim for that. There is the need for money and ideas but I think the international community should pause for a moment instead of pouring in money, their advisors and their model of development. Nepal needs to begin new discourse on development that should go hand in hand with political restructuring.

What role do you think the international community and donor agencies need to play in such a transitional period?

I hope in this transition the international community will allow Nepalis to talk to each other first. A genuine Nepali discourse is possible now and that’s likely to happen. There is no need to rush or hurry. I also suggest that the international community has dedicated resource for Nepal. We need much more money, much more support than we have had. The political transition, reconciliation and reconstruction all costs money. When the Nepali politics is sorted out of restructuring changes, when development in Nepal has begun, when the Nepali discourse is there, then we need money, we need technical assistance. The international support for development would need to ensure that people’s voices are heard, their sentiments for democracy supported and political process allowed to mature, at the same time humanitarian and development assistance delivered. The international community should come forward and cancel the debt many of which was accumulated during the course of undemocratic governments. The change is here. Now, the government and the people of Nepal should come up with their own agenda for development