Leaders of civil society have urged all people to take part in the general strike called by the seven agitating political parties.

A public appeal issued by Dr. Mahesh Maskey and Professor Krishna Khanal on behalf of Civil Movement for Democracy and Peace (CMDP) on Monday has flayed the government’s attempt to foil the peaceful movement of the people and urged general people to defy the government’s threat and take part in the movement for the restoration of peace and democracy.

Stating that peaceful movement is the rights of the people the CMDP urged all to take part in the general strike of seven political parties slated for April 6-9.

The statement further said the CMDP supports the peaceful movement of the seven political parties aimed at restoring restoration of peace and democracy in the country and giving political outlet of the Maoist insurgency.

The statement also urged the seen political parties to make the agitation aimed at restoring democracy in the country decisive.

The statement also said that the 12-point pact between the political parties and Maoists raised hope for restoration of peace in general people. nepalnews.com pb Apr 04 06

Amnesty International (AI) and International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) have said that the partial truce announced by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in the Kathmandu Valley may provide some space for peaceful political activity, but it does not go far enough to ensure the protection of human rights.

Issuing a statement on Monday, Maoist supreme Prachanda has said, his party had taken the decision “to cease all of its military activities” in the capital valley until further notice ahead of the general strike called by the seven-party alliance slated for April 6-9.

The joint statement issued by the AI and ICJ said that the temporary commitment by the CPN (Maoist) should be followed by both sides declaring an indefinite, nationwide ceasefire to allow for progress toward a negotiated settlement to the decade-long conflict.

“What is urgently needed now is some consistent demonstration by the Maoist leadership and cadres across the country that they are fully committed to respecting their obligations under international humanitarian law,” the statement quoted Purna Sen, Director of the Asia-Pacific Programme at Amnesty International as saying.

The statement further said, any cessation of hostilities would help to create a more conducive environment for the protection of human rights for the people of Nepal, but must be accompanied by efforts to address past crimes and prevent future abuses.

Stating that in January and February 2006, the government arbitrarily arrested hundreds of political party and civil society activists in an effort to suppress dissent, the statement further said many political activists and human rights defenders in Nepal say they fear a renewed crackdown on civil liberties in the coming days.

“The security forces’ response to the upcoming political demonstrations will provide the international community with a clear indication of the government’s commitment to upholding human rights,” said Gerald Staberock, ICJ’s Director of Global Security and Rule of Law.

“The government must demonstrate its respect for freedom of expression and assembly, which are essential at this time of intense debate about the country’s political future,” Gerald added. nepalnews.com pb Apr 04 06

Police arrested 15 leaders of seven agitating political parties from a protest rally organized by Madhesi community to support the general strike of seven political parties slated for April 6-9.

Central Committee Member of CPN-UML Ram Chandra Jha and central advisor Mahehdra Ray Yadav are among arrested.

They were arrested from New Baneshwore while organizing mass meeting in support of the upcoming protest programme of the alliance.

They were detained at the Ward Police Office Tinkune.

Meanwhile, at least four students were injured when police batton charged on students holding a protest programme in front of the Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus.

Twenty-five students were arrested from a programme at Shankerdev Campus at Putalisadak.

The students organised a chakkajam and blocked traffic in front of the Tri-Chandra Campus for over half an hour.

Students of various Valley campuses including Tri-Chandra, Shankardev and Pashupati Multiple Campus at Chahabil held protest programmes as part of their support to the general strike. nepalnews.com pb Apr 04 06

Local authorities in Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts on Tuesday issued prohibitory orders, barring public assemblies and rallies within Ring Road area from Wednesday as the seven-party opposition alliance carried out protests in Kathmandu ahead of its planned four-day general strike beginning April 6.

Issuing separate public notices, the District Administration Offices (DAO) of Kathmandu and Lalitpur said the prohibitory orders have been clamped within Ring Road area of Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Lalitp8ur Sub-metropolitan City as per the Local Administration Act 2028 B.S, citing the possibility of ‘infiltration’ of the ‘Maoist terrorists’ in the seven-party demonstrations.

The prohibitory orders will be effective until further notice, the DAOs stated.

Ruling out their active participation in the seven-party protests, the Maoists on Monday announced to suspend their terror activities in the Kathmandu Valley.

Local authorities in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur had imposed prolonged prohibitory orders in the past few months to thwart opposition protests. nepalnews.com mk/by Apr 04 06

Home Minister Kamal Thapa has said the government is fully prepared to crack down on the pre-scheduled four-day general strike of the seven opposition parties beginning April 6.

“The government will take strong steps to contain the general strike and other protest programmes of the parties. Since the Maoists are also involved in the general strike, the government must foil it,” Thapa said at a programme organised in Lalitpur on Tuesday to welcome the cadres of Nepal Samata Party (Samajbadi) who joined his Rastriya Prajatra Party (Thapa).

The Home Minister claimed that there was a “very dangerous Maoist conspiracy” behind the protest programmes called by the seven parties. He also insisted that the parties were playing into the hands of the rebels.

The government, however, would use “minimum force” to foil the seven parties’ protest programmes, Thapa said, without explaining what he meant by minimum force.

Thapa also made it a point to slam the Maoist statement to observe ceasefire in the Kathmandu Valley. “The ceasefire is nothing but a subterfuge. There is a dangerous conspiracy behind it,” he said and added that Monday’s Maoist statement was nothing but propaganda.

The Home Minister’s views came as the opposition alliance continued sporadic protests in Kathmandu during which over two dozen leaders and activists were arrested.

In an attempt to thwart the pre-scheduled mass demonstration of the alliance in the capital, the district administrations of Kathmandu and Lalitpur today announced indefinite prohibitory orders within Rind Road area with effect from Wednesday. nepalnews.com mk Apr 04 06

At least two Maoists were killed in an encounter between the security forces and the insurgents in Naumule area of Dailekh district on Tuesday.

A Maoist area in-charge named Man Bahadur Basnet alias Malika and Dal Bahadur Rana alias Karmath were killed when security forces retaliated against their attack this afternoon, a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

The clash ensued when the Maoists lobbed socket bombs targeting a security patrol, the statement added.

Meanwhile, the Maoists have abducted over 250 youths from various VDCs in the mid-western district of Rolpa.

The MoD statement said the rebels marched the youths from Sirsha, Badachour and Pang VDCs towards an unknown location on Saturday. nepalnews.com mk Apr 04 06

United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has said that Nepal is among the most contaminated country where children face the daily threat of explosion.

A statement issued on the first International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action the UNICEF said, the most contaminated countries include Colombia, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Russian Federation (Chechnya), Iraq, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

“Explosive remnants of war, including landmines and unexploded ordnance, pose a huge threat to children and their communities in more than 80 countries, most of which are no longer in conflict,” the statement said.

At least 20 per cent of the estimated 15,000-20,000 people who are killed or disabled each year by these deadly weapons of war are children, the statement adds.

The statement further said recent progress has renewed hope that the threat of explosive devices can be eliminated sooner than previously thought.

“Wars are not truly over until children can play safely and walk to school without fear of landmines and other explosive remnants of war,” the report quoted UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman as saying. “We cannot afford to reverse the gains that have brought us closer to making the battle against landmines a success story,” Veneman added.

The statement further said, “An estimated 85 per cent of child victims die before they can get medical attention. Many disabled victims lose opportunities to go to school, and often cannot afford rehabilitative care. The persisting threat of mines takes its toll on entire societies, perpetuating poverty and underdevelopment.”

More than three-quarters of the world’s nations have ratified the Mine Ban Treaty since it came into force in 1999, outlawing the production, stockpiling and use of antipersonnel landmines.

According to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, the number of countries thought to be producing, stockpiling and using landmines has dropped significantly over the last decade.

Activities to commemorate the day are happening in 29 mine-affected countries on the occasion, the statement adds. nepalnews.com pb Apr 04 06

Five people were killed and 12 others injured in three separate road accidents on Sunday.

Three passengers were killed and nine others injured when a tractor (plated Ja 1 Ta 346) heading for Dhulikhel met with an accident on Sunday. The dead have been identified as Aaite Tamang, Nava Raj Sinjali and Milan Rana.

Tamang and Sinjali died on the spot while Rana died while undergoing treatment, according to police.

A report from Kaski said, a motorcyclist Dev Raj Gurung of Dhikurpokhari-6, died when the motorcycle he was driving collided with another bike at Hemja Fedi of Kaski Sunday morning.

Bijaya Pun, Bikas Gurung and Sunita Gurung- sustained serious injuries during the incident.

Similarly, another report from Dang said, Sarita Neupane, a teacher of Janajyoti Boarding School, died after she fell off a tractor bound for Ghorahi from Laxmipur on Sunday. nepalnews.com pb Apr 03 06

Local sadhus organised a protest rally in Janakpur against the government’s plan to turn various religious sites (math-mandir) into a trust.

In a rally staged by the Sadhu Sewa Committee, participants alleged that the government move would endanger the very existence of those religious sites, reports said.

President of the Sadhu Sewa Committee, Binod Das, said the committee was infuriated following suggestions by a high-level investigation committee chaired by the president of the Extensive Janakpur Region Development Council, Bhoj Raj Ghimire, that the seven major temples of the city, including the Janaki temple and Ram temple be converted into a trust.

Angry demonstrators said that with the enforcement of the Guthi Act in 1950 AD, the status of more than 24 religious sites of Janakpur were in danger.

Report quoted Ram Tapeshwor Das, high priest of the Janaki temple as saying that 24 archeological temples and 10 gardens have gone into oblivion.

Of these, Shyamdas Kuti, Jagdish Das Kuti, Siya Bihari Kuti, Bhant Kuti, Baba Bishwombhar Das Kuti and Tyagi Kuti have been turned into the CDO residence, Eye Hospital, Family Planning Office, Scout Office, Zonal Hospital and Office of the Superintendent of Police respectively.

More than ten Kutis have been auctioned off by the Guthi Sansthan itself, Das said. Even the holy gardens have been destroyed, he added. nepalnews.com pb Apr 03 06

At a time when the alliance of seven political parties have been urging civil servants to actively participate in the four day long general strike slated for April 6-9, the government has issued an order to all civil servants not to participate in the pro-democracy demonstration of seven political parties.

Chief Secretary Lok Man Singh Karki has ordered government secretaries to ensure that no civil servant takes part in the strike, reports said.

Reports quoted sources as saying that Karki issued the verbal order to bureaucrats at the regular meeting of government secretaries at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Sunday.

“Besides, the chief secretary also ordered us to take measures to foil the general strike,” a source said.

The major trade unions have already asked their members to take part in the parties’ rally.

The meeting of secretaries also discussed in detail the recently promulgated Good Governance Ordinance and took stock of the supply of daily commodities in view of the general strike, the source said.

Meanwhile, addressing an interaction programme in Parsa district development committee on Sunday, assistant home minister Sone Lal Yadav warned that the government may issue orders to shoot to suppress the capital-centric stir of the seven political parties, The Himalayan Times reported.

“The government will leave “no stone unturned” to suppress the stir that is likely to create disturbances in the capital,” he added. Urging media persons to spread this message to the people, Yadav said the government would not hesitate to shoot political parties’ cadres who are out to create chaos, the report added.

Yadav also alleged the seven political parties are backing the Maoists cadres in order to launch attacks against the security forces. nepalnews.com pb Apr 03 06