The top leader of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Pushpa Kamal Dahal has alleged that a serious conspiracy is being hatched against Nepal internationally.

In an exclusive telephonic interview with Nepal magazine published on Sunday, the Maoist supremo called upon all patriotic Nepalis “to become aware towards such conspiracies.” “We are of the view that Nepalese should not kneel down on anybody’s pressure and that no body should intervene or meddle on issues related to Nepal’s sovereignty. You write it in clear words, the kind of warning (US Assistant Secretary for South Asia) Richard Boucher is giving right now…tell me who is he and on what basis is he saying that this or that should happen in Nepal. Nepalese people should rise against all such tendencies,” he added.

During his brief visit to Kathmandu last month, Boucher had advised the Nepal government not to include Maoists in the interim government unless they give up arms. He had also expressed doubts over their intention to return to peaceful competitive politics.

The Maoist chairman, who is popularly known as Prachanda, said that his party wanted to usher Nepal into a new era through peaceful competitive politics. “However, if the way the US is warning, the royal army commanders indulge into conspiracies against us then we are ready to fight till the last. We are not in for kneeling down in front of American pressure and intimidation,” he declared.

US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher (File Photo)
In response to a query by Bhoj Raj Bhat of Nepal magazine if he was likely to lead the Maoist negotiation team as chairman Mao did during the Chinese revolution in 1945 with the then ruler Chiang Kai-shek, Prachanda said it was not like that. ‘We are 21st century communists. We haven’t carried the extra weight of predetermined opinions. We don’t have any kind of dogma or fundamentalism. In order to make the Nepalese people sovereign and also make the Nepalese revolution successful we are ready to take any path,” he said.

The Maoist leader made it clear that his party had reservations the way the seven party alliance decided to call off the ‘people’s movement’ as soon as King Gyanendra agreed to reinstate the dissolve parliament. “However, now that we have agreed to hold talks, we should annul the ‘old’ constitution and (dissolve) the present government. A new interim constitution and interim government must be formed,” he said.

On the question of managing arms possessed by the Maoist guerrillas, Prachanda said the essence of the 12-point understanding (with the seven party alliance) was that the activities of both the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Royal Army should be put under the supervision of the United Nations or any other credible international organization. “There is no question of management. Whatever the constituent assembly election decides, the management (of arms) should be done according to that,” he said, adding, “What (the 12-point MoU says) in fact is keeping both the army under the supervision of reliable international organization, hold elections to constituent assembly and based on the outcome – move on to form a restructured new national army.”

When asked about any formal or informal contacts between his party and the government of India, the Maoist chairman said, We haven’t had any direct talks. Yes, talks are certainly going on with the leaders of various Indian political parties. We are also holding talks with those political parties that are in the ruling coalition but there hasn’t been any official talks with the (Indian) government,” he said.

Prachanda also refuted reports that India had a predominant role behind the latest developments in Nepal. “No, I don’t think so. In fact, the royal proclamation that was made in the aftermath of the visit of the special India envoy Karan Singh reflected the Indian way of thinking. In our statement dated May 4, we cautioned that nothing should be done against democracy, peace and progress in Nepal,” he added.

Prachanda further said (as the people’s movement reached to the climax) Nepali people wanted to go directly to the political conference, formation of an interim government and then (holding elections to the) constituent assembly. “And through it — the establishment of democratic republic. But, here some political parties had put forward the proposal of reinstatement of the parliament. That was not what the Nepali people wanted,” he added.

Three Nepali climbers have died in an avalanche when they were climbing the Mt Everest while six others have successfully reached atop the world’s tallest peak.

AFP reported that three climbers who died in the avalanche were local guides. An avalanche at 5,603-metres buried the three Sherpas and they died under the ice in the 3rd week of April.

“Rescue work was conducted immediately by many climbers on the way but could not find their whereabouts,” AFP said citing a statement issued by the Ministry of Tourism.

There are currently 17 teams trying to summit the mountain from the Nepali side of the mountain, according to the ministry.

Six climbers – three Nepalis and three Tibetans – scaled the 8,848-meter peak from the Tibetan side on April 30, becoming the first climbers to summit Everest this year in the short pre-monsoon mountaineering season.

“These guys have 27 Everest summits between them. This achievement has been the culmination of the team making the most of this perfect weather to finish the running out of the fixed ropes on this side of Everest,” AFP quoted Tam Ding Sherpa, manager of Mountain Experience, Nepal.

The government has transferred top ranking civil servants including four secretaries.

Three secretaries who were sent to the ‘reserve pool’ by the previous government have been transferred to ministries. According to a cabinet decision, Umesh Mainali has been appointed as the secretary of the Home Ministry and Tika Dutta Niraula and Bhojraj Ghimire have been transferred to Ministry of Water Resources and Finance Ministry.

The three secretaries were sent to the reserve pool after the royal takeover of February 1, 2005.

Similarly, the government has appointed Mukunda Sharma Poudel of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers as the acting chief secretary.

The decision was taken at the meeting of the Council of Ministers yesterday.

Reports said the government is preparing to remove current chief secretary Lok Man Singh Karki, one of the chief advocates of the King’s direct rule, who punished civil servants for not working for the royal rule.

Karki is on leave after the April 24 royal proclamation.

Women’s rights activists have demanded that Chief District Officer (CDO) of Bajhang, Devi Dutta Poudel, be punished for polygamy.

Talking to Nepalnews, advocate Sapana Pradhan Malla, president of Women, Law and Development (WLD) said, the Civil Code states that CDO Poudel who married Pramila Shrestha despite having his first wife living in Kathmandu would be fined up to Rs 25,000 and may face up to three years of prison sentence.

“Similar punishment would be implied to the woman marrying man who already has wife. However, if she was unaware that the man had married earlier, she would escape from all punishment,” she said.

Advocate Malla said her non-governmental organisation, WLD, was ready to help if any appeal was filed against Poudel but would not take initiative themselves. According to law, a case of polygamy needs to be filed within three months. “If the news is correct, the government must punish him for violating the law, as he is responsible for implementing such laws,” Malla said.

According to the code, a man is permitted to marry second wife only if his first wife was suffering from incurable sexually transmitted diseases, mentally retarded, became physically disabled, became blind or lived separately receiving her share from husband. Recently, the Supreme Court dismissed the provision that a man would be permitted to marry if he could not have children because of wife’s infertility.

Reports say Poudel, who had been appointed as CDO to the remote far-western district of Bajhang only four months ago, fell in love with Women’s Development Officer Ms. Pramila Shrestha and both of them tied their knots on Sunday, according to Hindu rituals. Poudel has two children from the first wife.

Private and Boarding Schools’ Organization, Nepal (PABSON) has urged the Maoist affiliated All Nepal National Independent Student Union-Revolutionary (ANNFSU-R), not to cause any hindrances to private schools.

Issuing a press statement on Saturday, PABSON said privately-run schools in Ilam, Kaski and Argankhanchi remain closed even as the country returned to democracy, due to the threats of ANNFSU-R.

PABSON office in Ilam said many private and boarding schools in the district are unable to run due to threats from the ANNISU-R, according to reports.

PABSON has appealed to all concerned organizations and officials to help open the schools in Ilam. There are 81 privately run schools in the district.

Meanwhile, in another statement, the PABSON Central Executive Committee said ANNISU-R had asked school operators to close down Hill Side Boarding High School of Kaski and other private schools in Argankhanchi.

Similarly, seven student unions have also shut down private schools in Butwal and Bhairawa, sources said.

The alliance demanded the schools to reduce tuition fees but the school operators said they were forced to increase fees to meet the demand for increment of teachers’ salary, which they said has been the same for the last seven years.

Minister for Physical Planning and Works Gopal Man Shrestha has informed that the government is shortly forming a high level committee to hold talks with the Maoists.

He said that the talks team will have representation from seven political parties.

He further said that he had heard that the Maoists have already formed their own team, headed by Dr Baburam Bhattarai.

According to Shrestha, Sunday’s cabinet meeting will discuss the draft of a code of conduct proposed by the Maoists.

Welcoming the government ceasefire and withdrawal of the Red Corner notices and terrorist-tag, Maoist supremo Prachanda had sent a draft of the code of conduct to be adhered to by both the sides during the talks period.“Tomorrow’s cabinet meeting will discuss the draft and send a reply to the Maoists,” said the minister, adding, “The government and the Maoists would start talks once a code of conduct is agreed upon.”

Shrestha also said a few rounds of talks would be held before the nation would go for election to a constituent assembly.

“All should accept the verdict of the Nepali electorate in the election to the constituent assembly,” Shrestha said.

The CPN-UML has decided to take a proposal to the House of Representatives (HoR) on bringing the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) under parliament and changing its name to “Nepali Army”.

Saturday’s standing committee meeting of the party demanded that the parliament take necessary steps to take action against those responsible for suppressing the people’s movement, change the name of the army and the government, annul all ordinances, orders and instructions issued by the royal regime and scrap the Raj Parishad.

Reports quoted CPN-UML standing committee member Ishwar Pokharel as saying, “The meeting entrusted the Parliament Committee (of the party) with the responsibility of taking the proposal to the House.” “The proposal may be tabled in the House soon,” Pokhrel added.

The meeting also stressed the need to immediately bring the army under the parliament and the government.

The meeting assigned Nepal and deputy prime minister K P Oli the responsibility of selecting the party leaders to be included in the council of ministers.

The meeting also finalized a list of UML central committee member Rajendra Pandey, alternative central committee member Urmila Aryal, Mangal Siddhi Manandhar and Dharma Nath Shah for sending to the government. However, the party will make public the names formally after discussing with other constituents of the seven party alliance.

The meeting also decided to include Ishwor Pokharel in a panel headed by standing committee member Jhalanath Khanal, to hold talks with various political parties, and also Bhim Rawal and Raghuji Pant in another panel headed by standing committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari to submit recommendations on constitutional structure.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the United Left Front, chaired by Minister for Land Reforms and Management and chairman of ULF, Prabhu Narayan Chaudhary, discussed the tasks to be accomplished by the parliament and the government.

A press statement issued by the ULF said the meeting discussed the ways of effectively running the government and the parliament, talks with the Maoists and other current political issues.

Seven people, including four of a family, were killed at Adhikari Chour village development committee in Baglung when flood waters swamped a house and swept it away on Saturday.

The sudden flood in the Badhigadh river after incessant rain the same afternoon, spilled into the house of Sher Bahadur Poudel at Lakuribot of the VDC, sweeping away the house and seven persons.

Poudel, his wife and their two children, 8-year-old Fursi Kumari and 5-year-old Furse, were among those killed. Three other people, Ram Bahadur Kunwar, Krishna Pun and a mule herder whose identity could not be ascertained, were also swept away and killed in the incident.

The three injured are Shanta Tamang, Ganesh Pun and Hom Bahadur Chhantyal.

Reports quoted security agencies as saying that a security team would be deployed to the village on Sunday.

The index of Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) continued its bullish trend on the second consecutive week thanks to the good performance of the commercial banks group.

According to weekly data of Nepse, its index increased by 5.36 points over the week, reaching to 366.94 points on Thursday when the market closed, from 361.58 points of Sunday.

A total of 299,376 unit shares worth over Rs 136.5 million were traded over the week as compared to the 47,949 unit shares worth over Rs 24.6 million of the previous week.

The indices of commercial banks group, finance group and others group posted rise in the week. The indices of hotel group, insurance group, development banks group and manufacturing groups posted decline, while the index of trading group remained static throughout the week.

In group-wise breakdown of the share trading data, the commercial banks group posted a steady rise of 9.09 points. Its index opened at 410.17 points and closed at 419.26 points.

Index of the finance group rose slightly to 246.04 points, up from 245.03 points. The others group registered a rise of 5.21 points, with its index reaching 364.97 points up from 359.76 points.

However, the hotels group suffered loss, as its index fell to 178.34 points from 179.23 points. Indices of insurance and development banks groups decreased to 346.21 points and 291.61 points respectively, from 346.41 points and 292.53 points.

Manufacturing group posted a significant decline of 10.13 points, its index inching down to 279.68 points from 289.81 points. The index of trading group remained static at 141.27 points throughout the week.

Like, previous weeks, the commercial banks group dominated the floor of Nepal Stock Exchange capturing the 91.40 percent of the total share trading.

Insurance group made up 5.44 percent share while finance group took 1.39 percent share.

Two more pro-democracy activists, who were injured during the pro-democracy movement of the country died on Saturday.

The dead pro-democracy activists have been identified as Chandra Bayalkoti and Anil Lama.

Bayalkoti received bullet injuries at a protest rally in Tripureshwore on April 22.

He died while undergoing treatment at Medicare Hospital in Kathmandu.

Lama, who was hit by a teargas shell in Chabahil area, died while undergoing treatment at Nepal Medical College Teaching Hospital, Jorpati.

Both were the cadres of CPN-UML. The UML declared Bayalkoti and Lama the 20th and 21st martyrs of the pro-democracy movement of the country.

With these deaths, the number of people killed in the pro-democracy movement has reached 21.

Reports say thousands of injured persons are receiving treatment at various hospitals in Kathmandu and outside. At least 5,000 people were injured in clashes with security forces around the country during the democratic movement.

The government has decided to provide compensation of one million rupees to the families of Martyrs of pro-democracy movement of the country.