The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has said at least eight soldiers were killed and nine others were injured in a landmine explosion within the RNA barrack at Tamghas, the district headquarters of Gulmi, some 350 km west of capital, Kathmandu, on Saturday.
According to officials, the explosion took place at around 11:30 a. m. on Saturday as a group of soldiers were digging at the perimeter of the barrack to construct defense positions. The soldiers were new to the area and had just replaced the old battalion.
The RNA officials said injured soldiers have been airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment.
The incident has occurred just three days after the three-month-long unilateral ceasefire announced by the Maoist rebels.
The new government led by G P Koirala is likely to reciprocate to the Maoist offer, according to reports.
Over 13,000 people have been killed during the Maoist insurgency over the last decade. nepalnews.com by Apr 29 06
Industrialist and president of Socio-economic Young Entrepreneurs’ Council, Rajendra Kumar Khetan, has donated cash, food items and other essential materials to the People’s Movement Primary Medical Treatment Fund set up at the Kathmandu Model Hospital for the treatment of people injured during the pro-democracy protests.
He contributed medicines including five cartoons of anti-biotic, food items, 125 liter petrol, two gas cylinders and one heater along with Rs. 1,31000 contributed by the Marwari community and Rs. 45,000 collected by Everest Insurance Co Ltd and the staff members.
The donations were handed over to the coordinators of the Fund Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya on April 25, according to a press statement issued by Khetan.
Meanwhile, Everest Insurance Co Ltd has donated additional Rs. 300,000 to the Fund for the treatment of the injured pro-democracy activists. nepalnews.com mk Apr 29 06
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has said he is heartened by the recent developments in Nepal.
In a statement issued in New York on Thursday, Annan said the royal proclamation of April 24 reinstating Parliament was a positive step that opens the door for a political process to end the decade-old conflict and addresses its underlying causes on the basis of wishes of the Nepali people.
Annan also welcomed the announcement by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) of a three-month-long ceasefire as a step that will further ease the suffering of ordinary Nepalis and foster confidence between the soon-to-be-formed Government and the Maoists.
Maoists had declared unilateral ceasefire around mid-night on Wednesday.
Annan expressed hope that the ceasefire will be reciprocated and that both sides will continue to exercise restraint and wisdom in managing what will be a complex democratic transition through patient dialogue.
Annan had issued two statements after the beginning of peoples’ movement on April 6 calling on the royal government to respect human rights and work towards restoring peace in the country. nepalnews.com ia Apr 29 06
Pradhumna Khadka, who was badly injured in police firing during a pro-democracy demonstration in Kalanki on April 20, has died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in New Delhi, India.
31-year-old Khadka of Syuchatar VDC, Kathmandu, died Friday night during treatment at the All India Medical Institute, reports said quoting Dr Kiran Shrestha, general secretary of Doctors Association.
Khadka, who had been undergoing treatment at Kathmandu Model Hospital in a critical condition, was taken to New Delhi on Thursday. He was shot in the stomach.
His body is being brought to Kathmandu later this evening.
Three persons were killed on the spot in the police firing in Kalanki and dozens of others were wounded.
Including Khadka, at least 18 pro-democracy activists were killed in government clampdown on the 19-day long nationwide general strike called by the seven-party alliance.
Reports say thousands of injured persons are receiving treatment at various hospitals in Kathmandu and outside. At least 5000 people were injured in clashes with security forces around the country during the democratic movement. nepalnews.com mk Apr 29 06
Norwegian minister for international development, Erik Solheim, who masterminded the peace process in Sri Lanka, is set to arrive in Nepal in the first week of May to extend support for peace process here.
Solheim, a senior leader of Socialist Party of Norway, will arrive in Kathmandu on May 2 a four-day tour
During his stay in Kathmandu, he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and leaders of CPN (UML) and Nepali Congress (Democratic).
Norway, one of main development partners of Nepal, had strongly objected the royal takeover of February 1, 2005, and subsequently announced to stop financial assistance to Nepal until the restoration of democratic process.
The Scandinavian nation had said the royal takeover was a setback to democracy and human rights in Nepal and an obstacle in finding a solution to the Maoist insurgency. nepalnews.com ia Apr 29 06
A local FM radio in Dhading district called ‘Radio Loktantra’ has halted its operation from Thursday saying loktantra (democracy) has been restored in Nepal.
The radio station based in an undisclosed location aired at 107 frequency modulation had started operation on April 9 with the initiatives of two students Deepak Koirala and Uttam Dhamala.
Two local businessmen had supported them for installation of equipments. Initially, the station was located at Dhading Guest House in the Dhading Besi but had to frequently change places in its 18-day long broadcast owing to threats from the local authorities.
The radio aired programs and activists related to the pro-democracy movement led by the seven-party alliance.
The anchors of ‘Radio Loktantra’ said they were having technical difficulties at present and that they were planning to restart the transmission in future.
Similar radio transmissions with call sign of ‘Radio Prajatantra’ was begun by Tarani Prasad Koirala during the movement of 1951. This is the second time that radio has been used to advocate democracy. nepalnews.com ia Apr 29 06.
Politburo member of communist party of India (Marxist) Sita Ram Yechuri is arriving in Kathmandu today.
Yechuri is visiting Nepal on NC president Girija Prasad Koirala’s invitation.
Rahul Baruwa, a family friend of Koirala and general secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party DP Tripathi will accompany Yechuri.
Yechuri had played an important role to garner Indian support to the pro-democracy movement of the country.
Similarly, United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher, is arriving here on May 2.
Likewise, Norwegian Minister for Development Erik Solheim is visiting Nepal for political consultations next week. Norway, the major donor of Melamchi drinking water project took back its assistance following the February 1 royal takeover of last year. nepalnews.com pb Apr 28 06
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has welcomed the declaration of ceasefire made by the CPN (Maoist) and demanded that the Government to be formed should also reciprocate the same immediately.
Thursday’s meeting of the RPP directed the RPP Parliamentary Party to lend support to all topics ensuring the sovereignty of the people and all the proposals to be presented in the Parliament, including that of resolving the Maoist problem.
Meanwhile, President Pashupati Shumser JB Rana has nominated party leader Jog Mehar Shrestha as thepParty Vice President and Surya Bahadur KC as the Treasurer.
Party leader Lokendra Bahadur Chand and President of the Party’s Parliamentary Committee Bishwa Bandhu Thapa were also present in the meeting. The RPP next meets on April 30. nepalnews.com pb Apr 28 06
The first session of the House of Representatives (HoR) reinstated with the force of the people’s movement and on the basis of political decision is convening today at the Parliament Building, Singh Durbar.
His Majesty the King reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives (HoR) on Monday, dissolved on May 22, 2002 as per the roadmap of the seven major opposition parties.
The opposition political parties say work to prepare the modalities for holding the election of the constituent assembly is the main task of the HoR.
The parliament was reinstated after the popular movement of the country.
The opposition parties said that they will form a powerful commission to take action against those found using excessive force to suppress the pro-democracy movement of the country and to provide appropriate compensation to the victims of the movement.
The parliamentary committee meetings of major political parties endorsed the proposal to give top priority to the agenda of election of the constituent assembly.
Maoists had withdrawn the blockade of the valley and district headquarters till today, saying that the meeting will announce the election of the constituent assembly and warned that they will announce fresh protest programmes if the first session of the parliament failed to address their demands.
The session is also expected to remove red corner notice and terrorist tag of the Maoists and reciprocate the unilateral truce announced by the Maoists.
The leaders of the seven political parties said that the parliament will move ahead as per the roadmap of the seven political parties.
Various organizations and rights activists are going to organize sit-in in front of the Singha Durbar to pressurize the lawmakers to work in favour of the people and announce the unconditional election of the constituent assembly. nepalnews.com pb Apr 28 06
Various civil servant’s organizations and senior government officials have urged the upcoming government not to be received by Chief Secretary Lok Man Singh Karki and take action against him for his role in suppressing the people’s movement.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital on Thursday, they said that since Karki said that he would not be cooperative with the bureaucrats not supportive with the February 1 royal takeover of the King, the democratic bureaucrats would now return the favour by not cooperating with Karki.
Chairman of Civil Servant’s Union, Bhawani Prasad Thani said Karki should resign from his post as he was not fit to serve the people’s government.
“If he refuses to resign, the new government should sack him,” he added
Secretary Umesh Mainali, whom the royal government had dumped in reserve pool accused the bureaucratic leadership of Karki for failing to respect the sprit of civil servants in the past, adding, “So he should resign from the post on moral ground.”
Bidhyadhar Mallik, secretary at the peace secretariat, said that civil servants joined the people’s movement as they were not the servants of any individual.
Chairman of civil servants’ Organization Murari Bhattrai also asked Karki to resign, saying that otherwise the organization would launch protests to demand action against him. nepalnews.com pb Apr 28 06