Their Majesties King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Shah visited Damauli and Baglung on Friday.
Their Majesties reached Damauli bazaar at around 11 a.m. and offered pooja at a local temple. They spent an hour talking to the people gathered there.
Their Majesties then left for Baglung and landed at Bange Chaur of Baglung after 12 today. The regional administrator, Chief District Officer, chief of the local army barrack and other government officials welcomed Their Majesties in Baglung. The King drove a military vehicle to the local Kalika temple and offered prayers, reports said.
Their Majesties walked a distance of about 500 m receiving flowers and talking to people lined up to see them.
Their Majesties then returned to Pokhara.
Their Majesties have been in an informal visit of the western region for the past two weeks. The King has also been holding consultations with leaders of various political parties while in Pokhara.
Police have arrested a person with 50 kilograms of hashish from Baluwatar of Kathmandu on Friday.
According to Narcotic Drug Control Law Enforcement Unit Baneswore, police arrested Narendra Ghale of Chame village development committee of Manang district along with the contraband.
Police suspect Ghale to be member of an international gang of smugglers.
According to police, Ghale had been jailed for five years in America for drug peddling.
As per Nepalese law, Ghale might face up to two years of imprisonment and a fine of one hundred thousand rupees.
Members of the Association of Families Disappeared by the State (AFDS) clashed with police at the entrance of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) office at Pulchwok in Kathmandu on Friday when the policemen attempted to prevent the AFDS members from entering the premises of the commission.
Some members of the AFDS entered the NHRC premises despite the obstruction created by the police, according to reports.
The AFDS has been staging sit-in protests since Thursday to pressurize the NHRC to find the whereabouts of the disappeared ones.
They said that they were compelled to take the move as the NHRC is yet to begin effective measures on the issue.
They said that they will continue the sit in unless the government makes public the whereabouts of their dear ones.
Earlier, the AFDS padlocked the NHRC on December 29 to pressurize the NHRC to speed-up the search process to find the whereabouts of disappeared people, but later opened it after the officials of the NHRC assured them of full cooperation.
The AFDS on Thursday, also submitted a memorandum to the office of the vice-chairman of the council of ministers Kirti Nidhi Bista, demanding that the government publicize the status of over 1000 persons ‘disappeared’ at the hands of the state.
The AFDS have been collecting signatures for submission at the upcoming UN rights convention in Geneva.
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal is also submitting a report about the rights situation in Nepal in the Geneva convention.
Maoists have detonated a powerful bomb at the District Land-conservation Office in Bhairahawa of Rupandehi district in western Nepal on Friday afternoon.
The one storey building along with office documents and furniture were completely destroyed in the blast, according to reports.
Reports quoted eye-witnesses as saying that two Maoists had come on a motorbike and planted a bomb at the office after forcibly evacuating the employees from the building.
Notwithstanding their commitment to come to the mainstream of politics and finding peaceful outlet of the insurgency, the rebels have been targeting government offices and public properties in recent days.
One policeman was killed and one more injured in a Maoist attack at Kailali district prison in Dhangadhi municipality ward number 1 in the far western region Friday evening.
According to, reports, Maoist rebels simultaneously attacked the district police office, district prison and ward police office at around 7 p.m.
According to police sources, the dead and injured policemen were stationed at the district prison.
The injured are undergoing treatment at the Seti Zonal hospital.
Further details are still awaited.
The rebels had mounted a heavy attack at the Kailali district prison last year resulting into the escape of 170 inmates.
– By Dipta Shah
The re-assertion of American policy vis-à-vis Nepal has attracted a barrage of criticism from various quarters. Critics who have fretted and bristled at the American emissary’s recent formulations on Nepal will now have to contend with the concise reiteration of that very thesis, this time delivered by US President George Bush (in the symbolic and weighty company of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh). The substance and premise of past and anticipated critiques of America’s Nepal policy are themselves in need of critical review.
The most serious, anti-American allegation posits that the US view promotes war in Nepal. This censure is forwarded on the untenable assumption that the 12-point agreement is a guaranteed panacea for sustainable peace.
The reality is that politically, structurally, and strategically, the 12-point agenda is tilted towards the interests and intentions of the Maoists. That the seven-party alliance became convenient after February 1 and that the agreement with the Maoists was acknowledged from a position of weakness are facts. Given these circumstances, a vibrant debate on the practicality and tenability of the 12-point agreement is a valid and necessary discussion that should not be thwarted by rhetorical diatribes or anecdotal threats.
The recent American perspective forces Nepalis to ask some long overdue questions about the 12-point agreement. Intriguingly, the Americans are accused of promoting violence for recommending reconciliation and unity amongst the very constitutional forces that jointly brought about the new Nepali state in 1990. In less polarized times, this advice was regarded as both sound and balanced by the same quarters now determined to dismember it.
Other than replaying the perverse assertion that the American stand is “pro-violence”, critics are incapable of forwarding a convincing case as to why the potential for violence in Nepal is not diminished when the two legitimate halves of the 1990 constitution stop assaulting each other, and instead, focus jointly on a strategy to address the insurgency in a lasting and coherent fashion.
Another line of dissension conceives that the US is interfering and taking the side of the Palace against the “democrats.” To the contrary, the recent statement by the US ambassador, James F. Moriarty, is no less disparaging than EU or Indian statements since February 1. Nepali intelligentsia appears oblivious to this fact.
Meanwhile, the same Nepali intelligentsia touts conspiracy theories (ranging from “Anglo-Saxon hegemony” to American anti-communism) but remains complacent, forgiving, and often laudatory about India’s interests and intentions in Nepal. How is questioning Indian motives “hollow nationalism,” but attacking the US position, “true, democratic nationalism?”
The Maoist insurgency has given rise to an existential crisis in Nepal. Yet, Nepali intellectuals waste no time questioning the putative interests of a distant USA while remaining quiet on the much more proximate, obvious and documented Indian links to Nepal’s crisis.
Indian intentions in Nepal deserve ten times more scrutiny from Nepalis than do US interests. This is a reality imposed by our geo-political location, by the evolution of Indian hegemony in South Asia and by the fact that many facets of the Maoist insurgency are sustained through Indian links.
The Maoist insurgency has given rise to an existential crisis in Nepal. Yet, Nepali intellectuals waste no time questioning the putative interests of a distant USA while remaining quiet on the much more proximate, obvious and documented Indian links to Nepal’s crisis.
On the subject of interests, another view – that the US is somehow advancing its national interests (at the cost of Nepali interests) – also needs to be dissected. Precisely what American interests are forwarded by a position that asks Nepalis to scrutinize and discuss the discrepancies in the actions and words of the Maoists? Is it in Nepal’s or America’s interest to ask responsible constitutional parties to be mindful of a political course that may usher in an era of greater turmoil and tyranny for all Nepalis?
How is it in only in the US interest to draw attention to a trajectory that potentially commits non-violent democratic forces on a collision course with an armed Maoist outfit? Why should Nepalis not worry about whose version of democracy is ultimately going to prevail – democracy as the Nepalis and the world know and accept or “democracy” with all the caveats imposed by an armed insurgent group that continues campaigning amongst its rural support base for a “dictatorship of the proletariat?”
Should the situation in Nepal spiral out of control, there is no impetus for the American diplomatic presence to remain. The Americans are pursuing their agendas of economic and political engagement with China and India independent of Nepal. Let there be no doubt that tangible US interests in these aspects can and will be pursued with or without a sovereign Nepali state.
Further, who is viewing the world and the American role in Nepal with ‘cold war’ lenses? Is it the US or its knee-jerk leftist critics in Nepal who are incapable of operating beyond an anti-American world-view? It’s high time that Nepali intelligentsia acquainted themselves with the 21st century. Conjuring images of America’s losses in the Vietnam war has no relevance to the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. The only images that should be on the radar are those that transpired in Cambodia after the American departure from Vietnam.
With all other angles exhausted comes the personal attack on the American emissary – that ambassador Moriarty is an elitist who is in cahoots with and favors Nepal’s traditional elites.
First, those who forward this charge are themselves bonafide members of various elite cliques in Nepal, be it of the urban educated literati or the INGO-fattened urban consumer class. Second, which is more elitist, trying to start a necessary national debate on the intensions of an armed and avowedly radical outfit or trying to cover up and curtail debate under the façade that such deliberations may dis-empower urban political bosses in their parochial fights?
Despite the various attacks launched on the American position in Nepal, the facts are transparent for all to analyze. There is absolutely nothing that has been said or done that should prevent democratically inclined elements from reconciling, reevaluating and moving forward in unison. There is, however, everything to loathe and fear from elements that are bent on imposing their polar positions on Nepal and Nepalis – either from the righteous right or from the lunatic left.
(Shah is affiliated to a US-based global services advisory firm. Please send us 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])
At a time when Nepali economy is in turmoil, experts and entrepreneurs have said Nepal should adopt appropriate policies to reap benefit from the stable and high economic growth of its southern neighbour.
Indian officials announced that they expect a growth of 8.1 percent in the current fiscal year 2005-06 thanks mainly to more than five percent growth in the manufacturing and services sectors.
“As India has fixed 10 percent growth rate in the fiscal year 2006-07, it needs more investment and needs more saving. So, the competition in (Indian) banks to increase saving will increase the interest rate contributing to the capital flight from Nepal.” –Keshav Raj Acharya, NRB
“The growth in Gross Domestic Product during 2005-06 is estimated at 8.1 percent as compared to the growth rate of 7.5 percent during 2004-05,” Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) of India said in a statement.
According to CSO, the growth rate of 8.1 percent in GDP during 2005-06 is expected mainly due to the growth rates of over 5.0 percent in the sectors of manufacturing; electricity, gas and water supply; construction, trade, hotels; transport and communication; financing, insurance, real estate and business services; and community, social and personal services.”
Talking to Nepalnews, executive director of the Institute for Development Studies (IfDS) Dr. Raghab Dhoj Pant said the high growth rate of India has created more opportunities for Nepal as the two neighbours enjoy close trade relationship.
“India enjoys high growth rate but low inflation while Nepalese economy is passing through just reverse situation. We have high inflation and low growth. So, Nepali policy makers should learn lessons from India,” said Dr. Pant.
Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)—the central bank in the country—has forecast the inflation rate to be around 8 percent this year. After recent hike in the price of petroleum products, economists say Nepal could witness a double-digit inflation hitting poor people the most.
So, what does high and stable growth of India mean to Nepal?
According to Dr. Pant, it would be easy for Nepal to market its goods, as the price of goods in India will remain stable. The high growth rate of India had created more opportunities for Nepal but Nepal must formulate policies accordingly to grab these opportunities, he added.
Nepal’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth witnessed a downward spiral in the fiscal year 2004-05. The economic growth declined by 1.21 per cent last year compared to the previous year mainly due to weak agricultural growth rate, low capital formation and dismal performance of non-agricultural sector, according to officials.
The GDP growth rate stood at 2.33 per cent in the year 2004-05 compared to 3.54 per cent in the previous fiscal year, which is lower than the government’s target of 4.5 per cent.
Of course, there could be some negative implications of the strong Indian economy to Nepal, caution businessmen. General Secretary of the Nepal Chambers of Commerce, Surendra Bir Malakar, says that Nepali industries are likely to lag farther behind that the Indian industries in the days ahead.
“We had, indeed, forecast high growth rate in India and asked HMG and Nepal Rastra Bank to devise appropriate politics. The government has reviewed tariff rates to tackle the problem but it is not sufficient. The government must do more to increase the competitive strength of our industries,” he added.
According to Malakar, Nepali industries are already facing psychological pressure since prospects for Nepali industries do not look good in near future. “Unless the armed conflict in the country is resolved, the private sector must evolve strategies to cope the challenge,” said Malakar.
The escalating conflict in the country has hampered the growth rate in agriculture, which occupies nearly 40 percent share in the country’s GDP.
The Indian economy directly affects Nepalese economy, as Nepal has to largely depend on India for the import of goods and industrial raw materials. Two third of the foreign trade of Nepal is only with the India. The common, open border between the two countries is also a crucial factor for the Nepali economy.
Talking to Nepalnews, Keshav Raj Acharya, head of the research division at Nepal Rastra Bank, admitted that there would be both the positive and negative impact from high growth of India on Nepal.
“Inflation under control in India will have positive impact upon the Nepali market but as India has fixed 10 percent growth rate in the fiscal year 2006-07, it needs more investment and needs more saving. So, the competition in (Indian) banks to increase saving will increase the interest rate contributing to the capital flight from Nepal,” said Acharya. “Though legally it is banned, in practice the possibility can’t be ruled out due to the open border between the two countries,” he added.
Another major challenge would be in terms of poor competitive strength of Nepali goods including agricultural products. Nepal has withdrawn subsidies from agriculture, but the Indian government is still providing subsidies to the sector. This will result into further erosion on the competitiveness of Nepali agricultural products resulting adversely the country’s growth, according to Acharya.
When asked what should be done to cope the challenge, Acharya says increasing investment is one of the major options. “Private sector and the government should join hands to create such an environment,” he added.
As the country is witnessing escalation in the conflict and the royal government has failed badly both politically as well as economically, Nepal’s economic woes are likely to further complicate in the days to come at a time when its two giant neighbours—India and China– are marching ahead towards an era of sustained high growth.
A day after His Majesty the King started discussions with the leaders of some royalist parties, former Prime Minister and president of Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP), Surya Bahadur Thapa, has dubbed the exercise as a “routine affair.”
Talking to reporters after the completion of the two day long central working committee (CWC) meeting of his party in Kathmandu on Wednesday, former premier Thapa said, “We cannot label it as dialogue unless we get formal release from the Palace,” adding, “Granting audience by the King to the leaders of the area and the region where he is visiting is a common practice.”
The veteran politician urged HM the King to take initiative in creating a conducive environment so that the parties could respond to his call for dialogue. “It is the King who should take the initiatives and then others (parties) will respond to it,” Thapa said.
Hundreds of opposition leaders and cadres, rights activists and civil society leaders are still behind bars. Senior opposition leader, Madhav Kumar Nepal, has been placed under ‘house arrest’ in Kathmandu.
Thapa further said that a constitutional process should be pursued to end prevailing political imbroglio.
Commenting on the recent statement of the US ambassador to Nepal, James F Moriarty, Thapa said though many people didn’t like his remarks, his statements have reflected the ground realities of the country.
“What he (Moriarty) has said is based on reality. His comment is unbiased and he has spoken the right thing.”
US envoy Moriarty has been in the news for crtiticising the alliance between political parties and the Maoists and stressed the need among constitutional forces to resolve the current political stalemate.
Former Prime Minister Thapa, however, said the 12-point understanding between the seven-party alliance and the Maoists had both ‘plus and minus’ points. He, however, alleged that Maoists were not abiding by the 12-point pact that they inked with the seven agitating parties.
Commenting on the current political situation in the country, Thapa emphatically said the ruling establishment should come within the constitutional parameters to create conducive environment for dialogue.
The RJP central committee meeting also passed the political paper presented by Thapa. In his paper, Thapa has accused the ruling establishment of not allowing the constitutional forces to enter into the constitutional parameters.
The RJP meeting also concluded that the Supreme Court’s verdict scrapping the Royal Commission for Corruption Control should be made the starting point to resolve the conflict in the country.
The verdict has also created a foundation for consensus between the constitutional forces, the paper added.
However, the party has warned that an explosive situation couldnot be ruled out if the constitutional forces did not reconcile soon.
Senior leaders of Nepali Congress- Democratic (NC-D) criticised party president Sher Bahadur Deuba for his remarks that certain parts of the 12-point understanding reached between the Maoists and the seven-party alliance must be reviewed.
During the second-day informal meeting of the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) on Wednesday, they said it was an irresponsible remark of Deuba to criticize the pact as it was given to him for study before signing when he was still in jail, according to reports.
Expressing surprise at the way the 12-point agenda was being flayed by the NC (D) leadership and others, Bal Bahadur KC, a senior member of the party said, “It can be flayed only if the party expects to get out of the seven-party alliance.”
Deuba had demanded scrapping of the rebels’ court as a major precondition for accepting the pact.
On the peaceful outlet of the present political situation, KC added that revival of the House of Representatives was the only way to resolve the crisis.
Dr Minendra Rijal and some other CWC members toed the line followed by Deuba.
Party members also urged Deuba to prepare a mechanism to push forward a systematic process for party unification.
Most of the leaders stressed the need to opting for a constituent assembly election through a reinstated House.
The meeting will continue on Thursday.
The Nepal Petroleum Dealers Association (NPDA) has asked the Maoists to clarify if seizing private properties was their party policy.
Holding a press conference in the capital on Wednesday, the NPDA has condemned the Maoists for seizing nine petroleum products carriers from Dang on February 24and one tanker looted from Siraha and urged the Maoists to immediately return the oil tankers.
“The Maoists have seized nine tankers carrying petroleum products on February 24. Earlier the Maoists have said that they would return the tankers, if they belong to private organisations but later they distributed some contents of the tankers and some they destroyed,” said president of NPDA Shiva Prasad Ghimire.
The petroleum dealers have lost petroleum products worth about seven million rupees and acts like this would discourage the entrepreneurs, he said.
He informed of a 30 percent reduction in the supply of fossil fuels following the Maoists act of capturing oil-tankers in Dang and Siraha districts.
Ghimire further said that the entrepreneurs were purchasing petroleum products only from the Thankot due to the prevailing insecure environment. As per the new rules of the government, the entrepreneurs were supposed to purchase petroleum products from Amlekhgunj depot.