The CPN-UML has condemned the government’s act of seizing communication equipments from the residence of CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, who is under house arrest since January 19.
Speaking at the press conference, acting general secretary of the party Amrit Kumar Bohara said that the latest move of the government is an example of growing atrocities of the royal government.
A press statement issued by the CPN-UML said the party condemns the act of seizing the communication equipments from the residence of Nepal on Wednesday and his two brothers Binod Nepal and Saroj Nepal on Thursday morning.
The statement further said the government has been detaining general secretary Nepal for political revenge despite the pressure from national and international communities.
He further said that the party had taken the incident as part of ongoing agitation of seven political parties and that the government has no rights to seize personal properties of a citizen.
A team of Armed Police Force (APF) men led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Madhav Thapa on Wednesday seized communication equipments from the residence of Nepal.
Meanwhile, security personnel barred a team of UML advisory committee from meeting UML General secretary Nepal on Thursday.
Security personnel deployed at Nepal’s residence barred them saying they were ordered not to allow anybody to see Nepal.
Meanwhile, students affiliated to CPN-UML organised protest programmes in front of Amrit Science Campus in Lainchoor and Tribhuvan University Kritipur protesting the incident.
However, Home Minister Kamal Thapa said that leaders in custody are not permitted to use communication facilities.
By Pratibedan Baidya
Amid reports that Maoists are demanding huge amount of “donations” from joint venture banks and financial institutions in the country, Nepal Bankers Association (NBA) has issued an appealed urging people not to approach banks for any kinds of donations.
A public notice issued by the NBA on Tuesday said that banks collect money from the depositors and mobilize it in different sectors. Banks have to pay the money to the depositors as and when they demand it, so they can’t provide money to anyone as donations or assistance, the NBA said.
Stating that the Nepal Rastra Bank—the central bank in the country– closely monitors their activities and the banks make public their financial reports every three months, the Bankers’ Association said it did expect anybody or institutions demand for such assistance or donations from banks.
Despite repeated calls from Nepalnews, Radhesh Pant, president of NBA, could not be reached for comments. But talking to us on condition of anonymity, officials at the NBA said the Association had issued the statement as bankers in the country were approached to provide donations from time to time from different sectors. They, however, refused to comment on whether the latest public notice by the NBA was in response to the Maoists’ spree to raise “forced donations.”
Sources, however, revealed that NBA’s public notice came after joint venture banks complained that they were being asked for “huge donations” by the rebels over the past few weeks. A source revealed that local unit of the Maoists demanded Rs one million from a Pokhara-based branch of a leading joint venture bank. “Our manager level staff regularly receive threatening calls from the rebels and we are worried about their safety as well as of possibility of armed raids from the insurgents,” a leading banker told us on condition of anonymity.
On Monday, a team of senior army and police officials visited all the commercial banks in Nepalgunj and asked them to further strengthen their security measures. The visit came days after Maoist insurgents raided Karnali Development Bank in Nepalgunj in broad day light and looted Rs 1.8 million.
Talking to Nepalnews, Hari Prasad Koirala, manager of Nepal Bangladesh Bank Nepalgunj branch, informed that the security team inspected the office and received information about the internal security of the bank.
Likewise, Deputy Superintendent of Police Basanta Kumar Lama, one of the members of the security team that visited the banks in Nepalgunj informed that they visited the banks to review the security arrangements of the bank and to better coordinate to avoid any untoward incident.
He informed that they had advised some banks to improve security arrangements, adding that security has been beefed up in the city to avoid any such incidents.
Nepal Bank Limited, one of the oldest banks of the country had shifted or merged its 104 branches across the country due to the security challenge.According to officials at the Nepal Bank Limited, 29 branches of the Bank had been affected from various insurgency related events.
Cash and property worth nearly Rs 250 million has been looted from the NBL after the onset of the Maoist insurgency.
Similarly, spokesperson of the Rastriya Banijya Bank, Janardan Acharya, said that Maoists have looted property worth 160 million rupees from various branches of the Bank over the past few years.
The RBB has closed a total of 20 branches over the last three years mainly due to security reasons.
Though no businessman has come forward so far saying that he or she has been approached by the rebels “for donations,” privately they admit that they are indeed receiving calls for “donations.”
Industrialist Rajendra Kumar Khetan said that activities of the Maoist affiliated trade union had increased rapidly in the recent days, which had affected the whole business sector. He did not elaborate.
He said that such activities will have not only financial but also social and mental effect, which will hamper the production and growth of the economy in the country.
Despite repeated attempts, Nepalnews could not get response from the security bodies regarding the problem of extortion being faced by the business enterprises including financial institutions.
On Wednesday, two security personnel, three rebels and a civilian were killed when a group of rebels attacked a security team that was providing cover to a vehicle carrying cash from the local branch of RBB to the local security base. The authorities said the rebels, however, could not loot the money. Most of the banks in the districts deposit their cash at the local security bases for security reasons.
A study conducted by the International Crisis Group (ICG)—a Brussels-based think tank—says the CPN (M) is Nepal’s richest political party. In its study entitled “Nepal’s Maoists: Their aims, structure and strategy” published in October last year, ICG quotes a report saying that between February 1996 and May 2003 alone , the Maoists are estimated to have seized over USD 4.6 million in cash and precious metals.
In early 2002, a former Maoist district commander estimated that the rebels needed to spend Rs 10 million every month to keep the war going. This did not include political or administrative expenses, and the movement has grown significantly over the last four years.
“Despite a crackdown on Maoist fundraising since February 2005, extortion continues,” said the ICG report. “Funding a movement of the size and geographical extent that the Maoists have created is not easy but there is no sign that a lack of income alone will prove a decisive factor in weakening the insurgency,” it concluded.
Two locals sustained bullet injuries when Armed Police Force (APF) personnel attempted to rob a hotel at Kapan, Kathmandu on Wednesday evening.
Various news reports said two assistant sub-inspectors of APF attempted the robbery taking advantage of load-shedding.
Reports quoted the locals as saying the two APF men, stationed at the nearby APF base camp, attempted the robbery at around 5 p.m. by showing guns.
Locals, however, foiled their attempt. Two locals – Govardhan Shrestha of Panauti and Prakash Karki of Khotang – were injured in the firing while the APF men tried to flee the scene. The locals captured the policemen along with weapons and handed them over to the police.
The policemen come to the hotel in a taxi and beat up Krishna Bahadur Khadka, the owner of the hotel and attempted to loot cash Rs 4,000 and a gold ring from his shop.
The Bouddha police post has taken Mitha Ram Adhikari, former VDC Chairman, into custody for necessary investigation of the incident.
When contacted, officials at the APF headquarters at Halchowk told Nepalnews that an investigation is underway.
On Friday, Bhuwan Kharel, owner of Dakshinkali Lodge at Bagbazzar was shot dead by Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of the Crime Investigation Department in Kathmandu, Bidhan Chandra Shah inside Kharel’s lodge after a brief scuffle.
Three civilians were injured in a roadside explosion carried out by the Maoists near Parvati bridge on Nepalgunj-Kohalpur road of mid western development region on Thursday.
The injured ones were a commuter and two crew of a microbus heading from Nepalgunj to Kohalpur, police said.
The vehicle has also been damaged in the explosion.
The injured are undergoing treatment at Kohalpur teaching hospital.
The vehicular movement along the road had been affected due to the bomb planted by the Maoists.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that it has started probe into seizure of communication equipments from the residence of CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal on Wednesday.
A press statement issued by the NHRC on Thursday said a team of NHRC comprising officers received information about the incident on Thursday.
A team of Armed Police Force (APF) men led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Madhav Thapa on Wednesday seized communication equipments from the residence of Nepal.
The NHRC also met family members and received information about the seizure of communication equipments from the residences of Binod Nepal and Saroj Kumar Nepal.
A team of police seized communication equipments from their residences on Thursday.
State Minister for Information and Communication Shrish Sushmer Rana has said that the government has no intention of curtailing the press freedom guaranteed by the constitution through promulgation of media ordinaces laws.
During an interaction with the members of the international media mission in Kathmandu on Thursday, Rana stated that the new laws would make the journalism profession more professional, privileged and responsible towards protecting right to information of the Nepali people.
He told the visiting international media experts that there was complete press freedom in the country at present.
Rana also said that the government permitted the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) to run FM radio stations to curb the increasing terrorist activities in the country. “This will not be misused,” he said.
In another statement, the government spokesperson said that the government was prepared to provide security from Maoist attacks to the government and private media bodies .
The organizations participating in the international mission include Article 19, Free Voice, International Federation of Journalists, South Asia Press Commission, International Media Support, Rory Peck Trust, IFEX and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), among others.
The latest visit is the continuation of the international advocacy mission that visited Nepal in July last year.
Amnesty International (AI), a London-based international human rights watchdog, has said both parties to the conflict must be guided by their human rights obligations if Nepal is to make it safely through this dangerous political crossroads.
Addressing a press conference in Kathamndu on Thursday to conclude the three day visit of the AI international mission to Nepal, Purna Sen, AI director for Asia Pacific, said that they do not anticipate the participation of RNA personnel in UN peacekeeping mission with records of human rights violations in Nepal. She said they have urged the government and the RNA officials not to include such persons in the peacekeeping force.
She also urged the seven political parties and the Maoists to translate their written commitments to respect human rights into concrete actions. She added, “Women in particular are the unrecognized victims of the decade long civil conflict and have limited access to protection and justice.”
AI further said it was lobbying with UN agencies and other international human rights groups for ‘smart sanctions’ against Nepal that can restrict government officials, Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) personnel and members of royal family from foreign travel and seize what it called their ‘assets outside the country’.
Director of AI UK Kate Allen said, “International pressure so far has helped to curb some of the worst violations committed by the security forces but the fundamental problem of impunity for human rights violations has not been addressed.”
Security force personnel who have been prosecuted for human rights violations have received disproportionately light sentences that cannot be seen to have delivered justice and which are likely to have any deterrent effect, she said.
AI Denmark chief Lars Jergesnen said that the government should heed the repeated call of the international community to restore civil political rights. He stressed that there must not be mass arrest and restrictions on freedom of assembly ahead of the next month’s political protests.
The team said that they also met the senior rebel leaders in western districts and urged them to respect the human rights conventions. AI said that the rebels did not give ‘satisfactory commitments’ for protection of human rights.
AI also condemned police raid on the house of UML general secretary on Wednesday.
A four-member team of AI held talks with government officials, RNA officials, Maoists, human rights defenders, members of diplomatic missions, representatives of UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and victims of human rights abuses to assess the latest human rights situation of Nepal. In its recent annual report, AI had expressed its concern over what it called the deteriorating human rights situation of the country.
Nepal cannot use time as the solution to its tremendous diversity “gone bad”, which is the root of the Maoist conflict and the nation’s prolonged problem in general
By Bishal Thapa
Andy Warhol, a renowned American pop artist and socialite once said “They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” This statement couldn’t be more fitting for Nepal at its current state. As the “people’s war” continues its own revolution/renaissance of morphing and transforming from one ideology and execution strategy to another, various debates continue to proliferate through the stretched hands of the media, about what ought to be done. There have been discussions about corruption, bureaucracy, constitutional weaknesses, lack of input or interest from the international community, India’s involvement and so on. These discussion “zones” range from the barber shops of Kathmandu all the way to the comfy houses of Non Resident Nepalese.
People want to talk about the movement. The answers to most of Nepal’s problems, however, are much simpler than the way these “intellectual think tanks” seem to make of it. It is simple to have tranquility but it is difficult to be simple. Nepal’s tribulations lie within the Nepali people’s mentalities and rigidness to change. The Nepali mentality in numerous cases is categorised by racist, selfish, time serving and retrogressive thinking. Regardless of the Nature vs. Nurture debate, Nepalis in general can’t help but label people as bahuns, gurungs, madhesis or whatever. The underlying beliefs within this labeling are deep rooted stereotypes and judgments that have been passed on from generation to generation.
These discussions come up a lot in the media, but politicians and diplomats defending Nepal’s situation especially with respect to human rights issues, use the argument of “a maturity process” quite often. Their contention is that just like women’s suffrage didn’t arrive in a democratic U.S. until the 1930’s, progressive optimum in a democratic framework takes time to achieve. The Maoists have simply taken advantage of this deprived, dispossessed reality of a majority agrarian society. If we want to use 1930’s America as a blueprint to where we are now I guess some of us won’t live to see the day when Nepal has finally disembarked.
We cannot use the U.S.’s existing racial tensions in spite of its “glorious” achievements, or India’s caste issues as a defense mechanism as to where we are now. Nepali diplomats generally in the western hemisphere are constantly being cornered either by the European Union or Washington, to propose and implement some sort of solution. The Nepalis are left using these types of comparative analogies to justify Nepal’s crisis, most significantly at the “humanitarian” level.
Imagine setting off a “fire-cracker” under the roof of a spacious house. There will be some damages, the walls might blacken a bit, a fire could be set off, but these damages might be nominal. Now if we put this same firecracker on the palm of our hands, spark it off and close our hands to make a fist, what will happen? The damages will be far worse than the previous scenario. Yes, it is about Nepal with respect to size. India and the U.S. can handle racial tensions, ethnic diversity, (although the U.S. is over 80% White) with less damages because of their size. Nepal’s diversity and racial issues with respect to its size, is like a firecracker in the palm of your hands. Nepal cannot use time as the solution to its tremendous diversity “gone bad”, which is the root of the Maoist conflict and the nation’s prolonged problem in general.
What defines a nation-state’s identity and success? Is it the Constitution or its’ effective and efficient laws? No, a nation’s identity is defined by its people. Nepal is defined by its people, its diversity in terms of race as well as culture and tradition. This all begins at a cerebral level. How do we view our fellow nationals? Do we view them as a Nepali or as various castes and sub castes all assorted and intertwined into a recipe that is brewing for disaster? If the institutionally educated masses have enlightened themselves and are ready to sing in unison, how do we educate and explain this to the farmer in the hills or the flat plains, who will not even touch a so called “dalit?” How will we change a landlord’s perception of property rights with respect to ownership and equitable allocation without abducting or murdering him? These problems have to be addressed with a much more sense of urgency because for a country of Nepal’s size, further disintegration at this crucial social level could be and will be devastating.
We each have to introspect and ask ourselves how and why we view someone the way we do from a so called “different caste”? How can we harmonize our interaction with each other from an individual level, to an institutional and governing level so that we can coexist peacefully under one roof? Nepalis have to change their mentality and somewhat realize that what is, just is, of itself, because time isn’t going to be doing it for us.
There is a big splinter group out there that is afraid of a democratic republic and ousting of the monarchy, because it is such a drastic change to fathom and digest. How will the country fare with such a pure form of democracy, especially when it relinquishes the monarchy, which still could possibly coexist as a unifier and “watch-dog” of the nation and will step in if a major crisis arises? Are the political parties and people ready to commit to that kind of democracy; mentally? They have proved that they weren’t ready in the 90’s. It is like letting go your 16 year old child to go and live his life and figure things out on his own, but at least he has a lender of last resort in his parents, if things spiral out of control for him/her.
They need to be flexible to the idea of change without overly analyzing their “risk-averse” mentality at a time when India and China are growing astronomically. Nepal has to position itself in such a way that this prosperity being experienced by its neighbors can have a trickle down effect on it.
As far as a peaceful resolution is concerned, the biggest worry is what will be of the Maoist guerillas? If they decide to put their arms down, and join the mainstream, they probably will be pardoned. Can a possible retaliation from the families who lost their loved ones through altercations with the insurgency groups be prevented? Can the Nepali people accept the freedom of Maoist guerillas walking the streets of Nepal, living normal lives with a murderous resume? Some couldn’t even deal with an Indian Movie star’s “alleged” condescending remarks towards Nepal without having to hit the streets and destroy national property. Perhaps they have no other form of reconciliation with the Maoists than just letting go.
With respect to changes in people’s perspectives and attitudes it is glaringly obvious that this is a mountain of a task. There cannot be much progress made in areas of healthcare and education with the vicissitudes of the conflict constantly handicapping progressive agendas. That is even more reason why at the political level there has to be more flexibility to reform and transcend, so that these “good deeds” can be carried out without such barriers and we can get to the root of the problem a little faster. Corruption and bad seeds will exist everywhere, but for Nepal to take the next step it will require a revolution of sorts in its thought process. Social programs and economic reform are crucial to educate people but the power to change and the power to upgrade the way we think is up to us.
Granted the fact that neighboring India has acted in many ways to limit Nepal’s mobility over the years, it should not cry out and blame other nations for their various roles in preventing it to develop. Nepal for reasons mentioned above and many more has been shooting itself in the foot.
(Currently based in New York, Thapa works in the finance field. Please send your comments to [email protected] or [email protected])
(Editor’s Note: Nepalis, wherever they live, as well as friends of Nepal around the globe are requested to contribute their views/opinions/recollections etc. on issues concerning present day Nepal to the Guest Column of Nepalnews. Length of the article should not be more than 1,000 words and may be edited for the purpose of clarity and space. Relevant photos as well as photo of the author may also be sent along with the article. Please send your write-ups to [email protected])
By Pratibedan Baidya
Amid reports that Maoists are demanding huge amount of “donations” from joint venture banks and financial institutions in the country, Nepal Bankers Association (NBA) has issued an appealed urging people not to approach banks for any kinds of donations.
A public notice issued by the NBA on Tuesday said that banks collect money from the depositors and mobilize it in different sectors. Banks have to pay the money to the depositors as and when they demand it, so they can’t provide money to anyone as donations or assistance, the NBA said.
Stating that the Nepal Rastra Bank—the central bank in the country– closely monitors their activities and the banks make public their financial reports every three months, the Bankers’ Association said it did expect anybody or institutions demand for such assistance or donations from banks.
Despite repeated calls from Nepalnews, Radhesh Pant, president of NBA, could not be reached for comments. But talking to us on condition of anonymity, officials at the NBA said the Association had issued the statement as bankers in the country were approached to provide donations from time to time from different sectors. They, however, refused to comment on whether the latest public notice by the NBA was in response to the Maoists’ spree to raise “forced donations.”
Sources, however, revealed that NBA’s public notice came after joint venture banks complained that they were being asked for “huge donations” by the rebels over the past few weeks. A source revealed that local unit of the Maoists demanded Rs one million from a Pokhara-based branch of a leading joint venture bank. “Our manager level staff regularly receive threatening calls from the rebels and we are worried about their safety as well as of possibility of armed raids from the insurgents,” a leading banker told us on condition of anonymity.
On Monday, a team of senior army and police officials visited all the commercial banks in Nepalgunj and asked them to further strengthen their security measures. The visit came days after Maoist insurgents raided Karnali Development Bank in Nepalgunj in broad day light and looted Rs 1.8 million.
Talking to Nepalnews, Hari Prasad Koirala, manager of Nepal Bangladesh Bank Nepalgunj branch, informed that the security team inspected the office and received information about the internal security of the bank.
Likewise, Deputy Superintendent of Police Basanta Kumar Lama, one of the members of the security team that visited the banks in Nepalgunj informed that they visited the banks to review the security arrangements of the bank and to better coordinate to avoid any untoward incident.
He informed that they had advised some banks to improve security arrangements, adding that security has been beefed up in the city to avoid any such incidents.
Nepal Rastra Bank
Photo Source : Nepal Rastra Bank
Nepal Bank Limited, one of the oldest banks of the country had shifted or merged its 104 branches across the country due to the security challenge.
According to officials at the Nepal Bank Limited, 29 branches of the Bank had been affected from various insurgency related events.
Cash and property worth nearly Rs 250 million has been looted from the NBL after the onset of the Maoist insurgency.
Similarly, spokesperson of the Rastriya Banijya Bank, Janardan Acharya, said that Maoists have looted property worth 160 million rupees from various branches of the Bank over the past few years.
The RBB has closed a total of 20 branches over the last three years mainly due to security reasons.
Though no businessman has come forward so far saying that he or she has been approached by the rebels “for donations,” privately they admit that they are indeed receiving calls for “donations.”
Industrialist Rajendra Kumar Khetan said that activities of the Maoist affiliated trade union had increased rapidly in the recent days, which had affected the whole business sector. He did not elaborate.
He said that such activities will have not only financial but also social and mental effect, which will hamper the production and growth of the economy in the country.
Despite repeated attempts, Nepalnews could not get response from the security bodies regarding the problem of extortion being faced by the business enterprises including financial institutions.
On Wednesday, two security personnel, three rebels and a civilian were killed when a group of rebels attacked a security team that was providing cover to a vehicle carrying cash from the local branch of RBB to the local security base. The authorities said the rebels, however, could not loot the money. Most of the banks in the districts deposit their cash at the local security bases for security reasons.
A study conducted by the International Crisis Group (ICG)—a Brussels-based think tank—says the CPN (M) is Nepal’s richest political party. In its study entitled “Nepal’s Maoists: Their aims, structure and strategy” published in October last year, ICG quotes a report saying that between February 1996 and May 2003 alone , the Maoists are estimated to have seized over USD 4.6 million in cash and precious metals.
In early 2002, a former Maoist district commander estimated that the rebels needed to spend Rs 10 million every month to keep the war going. This did not include political or administrative expenses, and the movement has grown significantly over the last four years.
“Despite a crackdown on Maoist fundraising since February 2005, extortion continues,” said the ICG report. “Funding a movement of the size and geographical extent that the Maoists have created is not easy but there is no sign that a lack of income alone will prove a decisive factor in weakening the insurgency,” it concluded.
Tourism entrepreneurs have staged a peace rally in Pokhara to draw the attention of the government and other concerned parties of their plight.
The rally organized by an organization called Tourism Entrepreneurs for Peace started from Baidam and ended at Prithivi Chowk after passing through the tourist town’s major thoroughfares.
Participants of the rally demanded that the tourism sector be declared a zone of peace and urged the concerned parties not to impose blockades and strikes.
They also carried placards and banners calling for a resolution of the conflict through peace talks.
They organised the rally at a time when the tourism industry of the country is facing a very hard time due to the repeated blockades and strikes.
According to organizers, the number of tourists visiting Pokhara declined substantially in the recent days.