Former Prime Minister and Chairman of Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) Surya Bahadur Thapa has said that there is a need of meaningful and credible dialogue among constitutional forces to solve the present political crisis of the country.

Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, Thapa further said the establishment side (the government) should initiate efforts for dialogue.

Stating that the country is in a very critical situation, former premier Thapa said that the state should take responsibility for it and initiate efforts to resolve the problem.

“The RJP believes that meaningful dialogue is the only option to initiate process of reconciliation and activate the constitution,” he added. nepalnews.com pb Apr 11 06

Tourists organised a candle rally in Pokhara on Monday evening to protest the police beating of a Japanese visitor on the same day, reports said.

Kantipur stated the tourists came out to the streets to protest the atrocities against them. The rally started at around 7:30 p.m., with chanting of slogans against the police action. The rally started from Lakeside, passed through different parts of the city and ended at Hallan Chowk. Other tourists, who did not take part in the rally, applaud from the road sides.

The daily quoted a British professor Charles Brown as saying the objective of the rally was for the establishment of peace and complete democracy in Nepal. He called on the Palace to initiate dialogue with all political forces for the restoration of peace here.

Dozens of foreigners took part in the rally. Tourism entrepreneurs and local residents also joined the protests.

The tourists said their programmes have been badly affected by the imposition of curfew and the general strike.

This is the first instance of foreigners staging protests against general strike and curfew in Nepal. nepalnews.com ia Apr 11 06

The government of the United States has said King Gyanendra’s decision fourteen months ago to impose direct palace rule in Nepal has failed in every regard.

In a statement issued on Monday, spokesman of the US Department of State, Seam Mc Cormack, said, “The demonstrations, deaths, arrests, and Maoist attacks in the past few days have shown there is more insecurity, not less.”

The US has also renewed its call upon the Nepali monarch to restore democracy immediately and to begin a dialogue with the country’s constitutional political parties.

“It is time the King recognizes that this is the best way to deal with the Maoist insurgency and to return peace and prosperity to Nepal,” the spokesperson said.

He further said that the King’s continuing failure to bring the parties back into a process to restore democracy has compounded the problem.

Earlier, when asked by CNN what was his message to the Nepal king last week, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard A. Boucher, said, “My message is restore democracy.” “The message is very clear. We all need to deliver it and the king needs to listen,” he added.

He further said the international community had many steps to support political parties for the purpose. He also refuted reports that the US was going to restore arms supply to Nepal.

Together with India and the UK, the US has been stalling its military assistance to Nepal following the February 1 royal takeover of last year, terming the move as a setback to democracy. nepalnews.com pb Apr 11 06

Liberal Democracy Nepal (LDN, Nepal Study Center at UNM), a forum consisting of scholars, professionals, and policy practioners with a mission to promote liberal democracy in Nepal, expressed solidarity to the pro-democracy movement of Nepal.

A press statement issued by the LDN said, “LDN greatly admires and fully supports the protest by the political parties, professionals, civil society and the common Nepali people for full democracy in the country.”

The statement also demanded to stop the government’s aggression against the peaceful demonstrators, free all the detainees, and lift the curfew.

The LDN also called on Maoists to cease the attacks, completely renounce violence and join the democratic forces in their peaceful struggle for democracy.

The LDN also said that there is no military solution to the insurgency.

The statement further said, “LDN strongly urges the international community and international organizations to increase the pressure on the King to reverse his February 1 takeover and to return the sovereignty back to the people of Nepal through the parliamentary parties. nepalnews.com pb Apr 11 06

Amnesty International (AI) has expressed fear over increase in violence in coming days and urged the government to rein in the security forces.

“Rather than justifying the use of excessive force, the government should be ensuring that the police and army act within the law to protect people’s lives,” a press statement issued by the AI quoted Purna Sen, Asia-Pacific Director at Amnesty International as saying.

“Restricting peaceful demonstrations by ban orders and curfews and arbitrarily arresting hundreds of people only enflames an already volatile situation,” she added.

The statement further claimed that the government security forces have neither maintained maximum restraint nor can they be called ‘silent spectators’, adding, members of the security forces were seen beating, kicking and throwing stones at protestors.

“Some human rights activists who have attempted to intervene in cases of police brutality have themselves been subjected to assault and harassment,” the statement adds.

“The government must order immediate and impartial investigations into all allegations of the misuse of force or firearms by the security forces,” said Sen, adding, “Victims and their families deserve justice and compensation.” nepalnews.com pb Apr 11 06

Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) Pyar Jung Thapa inspected Butwal of Rupandehi district and Taulihawa, the district headquarters of Kapilvastu district, attacked by the Maoists on April 7, on Sunday.

On the occasion, Chief of the Army Staff Thapa praised the security personnel mobilized there for foiling the attempt of the Maoists to attack the two towns on April 7, state run Gorkhapatra daily quoted the Defence Ministry as saying.

Stating that the bravery and success of the security forces was a matter of pride and encouragement, COAS Thapa lauded the security personnel for exercising restraint and patience in the incident, even though the terrorists attacked the security forces using civilians, their houses and schools as shields.

“The Royal Nepalese Army is always committed to protecting human rights and the security personnel too should remain alert of ensuring that no innocent persons fall victim of the security action,” Thapa said.

On the occasion, Chief of the No. 22 Brigade in Butwal, Brigadier General Narendra Rawal, shed light on the clash that took place at Rupandehi and Kapilvastu districts on April 7, adds the Ministry.

At least 19 people including three security personnel and two civilians were killed during these incidents. nepalnews.com pb Apr 11 06

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concern over the excessive use of force by the security forces during demonstrations of the Seven Party Alliance.

In a letter sent to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, NHRC said security personnel opened fire and injured demonstrators from rallies organized outside the area of curfew.

Stating that security personnel have been found using excessive force against protestors, even after taking them under control, the national rights watchdog has asked the government to stop such acts and take action against the guilty.

NHRC also asked the government to immediately release minors being detained at various places and make provision of alternative exams for detained students.

NHRC also urged the political parties not to cause harm to public properties and general public during their protest programmes.

Meanwhile, issuing a joint press release on Monday, nearly a dozen human rights activists flayed the government for acting autocratically and imposing curfew.

“What the government is doing is inhumane and autocratic,” the statement issued by 12 human rights activists said.

Meanwhile, another group of rights activists urged the government to provide adequate compensation to the families of those killed by security forces during the agitation. nepalnews.com pb Apr 11 06

The Central Joint Struggle Committee (CJSC) of the employees’ associations of Nepal Telecom on Monday appealed to all workers of the telecom to stop work in protest against the disruption in mobile phone services by the government.

The committee demanded the government immediately resume mobile phone services.

“Due to the disruption in the mobile phone services thrice since the February 1 move, Nepal Telecom has already lost Rs 2.5 billion and thousands of people have been affected,” stated a joint release issued by telecom employees’ associations.

It also appealed to the workers to actively participate in the movement for democracy.

The government disrupted the mobile telephone service from Saturday, on the day of major showdown of Seven Party Alliance (SPA).

The government had also disrupted mobile telephone service immediately after the February 1 royal takeover and during the time of proposed mass meeting of the seven political parties slated for January 20.

NT has distributed over 500,000 cell phones throughout the country. nepalnews.com pb Apr 11 06

The government has provided loans to fifteen landless freed Kamaiyas of Kailali district under the short-term programme of Land Bank in order to help them purchase land of their choice.

Those who have received loans include 8 freed Kamaiyas from Tikapur, four from Dhangadhi and three landless freed Kamaiyas from other areas, reports the state run The Rising Nepal.

The paper quoted Land reform Officer, Harikrishna Bhatta as saying that loans worth Rs. 150,000 per head is being provided to the freed Kamaiyas.

The government has introduced the concept of Land Bank with a view to rehabilitating the freed Kamaiyas in a systemic manner.

This concept of Land Bank has been implemented only in Banke and Kailali district.

The special features of the Land Bank are that only three percent interest rate will be charged on the loan while all registration fees and other documents needed for the purchase of land will be provided free of charge.

There are about 10,000 freed Kamaiyas in Kailali district with most of them yet to be rehabilitated. nepalnews.com pb Apr 11 06

The government has continued the day-time curfew of the capital, Kathmandu, for the fourth day on Tuesday as well to avoid any untoward incidents during the protest programmes of Seven Party Alliance (SPA).

Issuing separate public notices on Tuesday, the district administrations of Kathmandu and Lalitpur announced curfew from 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday as well, citing possible violence and loss of property during agitations being carried out by the SPA. Local administrations imposed day-time curfew from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday

The curfew orders have been clamped within the Ring Road area and parts of Kirtipur.

The government imposed daytime curfew from Saturday, the day of major showdown of the SPA. The government imposed 13 hours long curfew on Sunday and reduced it to 7 hours on Monday. The local authority of Bhaktapur lifted the day-time curfew imposed in its jurisdiction from Monday.

However, protesters defied the curfew orders and staged demonstrations in several places and courted arrests. nepalnews.com pb Apr 11 06