Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey is scheduled to embark on a five-day visit to northern India from Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey

Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey (File Photo)
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Shankar Das Bairagi, told Nepalnews that the Foreign Minister would fly to Banaras, a north Indian town, on Tuesday to attend an international seminar “Problems and Prospect of Democracy in Nepal” organised by Banaras Hindu University. The Foreign Minister has been invited to the seminar as a chief guest, he said.

Pandey’s visit is, however, said to have least diplomatic significance as he has no other agenda than to attend the seminar. “He has no program to meet any senior Indian official,” the spokesperson added.

Pandey’s visit has been set at a time when India has been constantly pressuring the royal government to restore democratic process and reach out to the mainstream political parties. Indian military assistance to Nepal remains suspended since the royal move of February 1, 2005.

Indian Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed last week told Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, that Nepal government had urged India for resumption of military aid and added that the Himalayan Kingdom had received military supplies from third countries including China and Pakistan.

The Nepal government, however, is yet to officially comment on the Indian minister’s statement.

Reports from the mid-western town of Nepalgunj say Maoist rebels have freed drivers and helpers of nine tankers carrying petroleum products on Monday afternoon.

The rebels had taken the tankers into their custody from a place called Aghaiya in the mid-western district of Banke along the Mahendra highway on Saturday while they were on their way to Ghorahi from Nepalgunj in the mid-western region.

The transport workers were freed from the same place but the whereabouts of tankers are still unknown.

Nepal Petroleum Dealers Association had urged the rebels to free the transport workers and the tankers saying that the petroleum products belonged to private businessmen, not the state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC).

Reports say the mid-western town of Ghorahi is facing acute shortage of petroleum products due to disruption in the supply of POL products.

On Friday, the rebels had set on fire a tanker carrying POL products at Kuntabesi of Mahadevsthan VDC in Kavre district. No reason was given. The tanker was carrying fuel for the Melamchi Water Supply Project.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday ordered the government to release 18 opposition political leaders from security custody.

A joint bench of Justice Paramananda Jha and Gauri Dhakal ordered the government to immediately release 16 Nepali Congress (NC) leaders and two People’s Front Nepal (PFN) leaders who were taken into custody from Kathmandu on different dates.

The SC bench said the detention of the leaders was illegal and ordered the government to free them under the auspices of the Kathmandu district court.

Mahantha Thakur, Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Laxman Ghimire, Shekhar Koirala, Sujata Koirala, Tirtha Ram Dangol and Bhimsen Das Pradhan were among the 16 NC leaders whom the court ordered to be freed. Likewise, the court also ordered the release of PFN leaders Ghan Shyam Sharma Poudel and Hari Acharya.

Some of the leaders were freed as soon as the court order came while the authorities have started process to free others, it is learnt.

Water and sanitation experts have stressed on the role of media as a tool to raise awareness on sanitation and public health and proper use of water sources.

Speaking at a press meet jointly organised by Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) and Sancharika Samuha in the capital on Monday, Director of NEWAH Umesh Pandey said that lack of toilet facilities, management of rubbish produced from hospitals and industries, management of solid waste and conservation of water sources are some of the major challenges that Nepal would have to face in future if proper steps were not taken on time.

Lack of initiatives to address the sanitation problem has taken a high toll on public health in Nepal, he observed, adding that children have been the prime victims of diseases resulting out of poor sanitation.

Senior journalist Bahirav Risal stressed that along with high-sounding political agendas, the issue of sanitation and proper toilet facility should also be given focus. He said if political parties ban membership to a person having no toilets near his house, large number of people would change their unhygienic habits, Risal said jokingly. He added that 20 percent of the total budget disbursed for water-related activities should be allocated for sanitation programmes.

Journalists Sangeeta Rijal and Bharat Pokhrel presented an analysis of the trend in major eight daily newspapers with respect to space give to reports on water and sanitation related issues. Pokhrel said that majority of the water-related issues are attached with political agenda such as Melamchi Drinking Water Project. “They highlighted a small issue of Kathmandu while sensitive issues from districts have been ignored,” he notified.

Speaking at the same program, Nirmala Sharma of Sancharika Samuha announced awards of Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000 cash for best news reports on water and sanitation issues between March 1, 2005 and April 30, 2006.

Sanitation has been a major cause of communicable diseases in Terai areas of Nepal. Over 17 million Nepalis do not have proper toilet facility, according to studies.

The Millennium Development Goals of the UN, of which Nepal is a signatory, aims to provide toilet facilities to 53 percent population by 2015 while the national policy has a target to expand toilet facility to all citizens by 2017. To meet these targets, Nepal has to build new toilets for 15,000 people every month.

NRT speedster Sunil Subedi provided Knight Chess Club (KCC) a late gasp goal to oust Indian invitee Eastern Railways Kolkata to enter the semifinals of the 4th Aaha Gold Cup Football Tournament in Pokhara stadium today.

The Indian team, who arrived in Pokhara late last night, was sluggish in the first quarter but started to gain momentum after Knight Chess Club took a lead in the 30th minute.

Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey

Raj Kumar Ghising vying forthe ball against an Indian player. nepalnews.com/bt
Raj Kumar KC was involved in the attack where he nearly got a superb goal, which rebounded to Sunil Subedi, who didn’t miss target to lead Jhapa based club that assembled many “A” Division players. The lemon break was refreshing for KCC as they were leading 1-0.

After the re-start, the Kolkata based club dominated and pressed to cut the deficit. Finally, they got the breakthrough through S Mandal in the 60th minute.

After both teams failed to break the deadlock till regulation time, referee Laba Khatri started the extra time which saw Knight Chess more lucky in the wee hours through Sunil Subedi to keep their trophy hopes alive.

Subedi found the match winning goal utilizing Raj Kumar Ghising’s pass from the right flank. Knight Chess will meet Mahendra Police Club in the semifinals.

“It was brilliant game but the boys had to toil hard to down Indian pressure,” KCC coach Indra Bahadur, brother of goalie Min Basnet, told SoccerageNepal. However, Indian coach Surjit Bose disclosed huge dissatisfaction with his boy’s performance. “We could have beaten them,” he said.

Referee Laba Khatri seemed busy with yellow cards throughout the match. He handed out nine yellow cards; six to Eastern Railways and three to KCC). N Rajbanshi of Eastern was sent off for his double yellow in the 93rd minute.

On Tuesday, tournament favorites African United Club, who just arrived in Pokhara this evening, will lock horns against Rupendehi XI for a semifinal berth.

The Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) on Monday discussed the issue of unification with the Nepali Congress (NC).

The first CWC meeting held after the release of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba from custody at the party’s central office at Maharajgunj, was focused mainly on the unification agenda, NC (D) spokesman Dr Minendra Rijal told reporters after the meeting.

Party president Deuba informed the central leaders about his recent deliberations with NC president Girija Prasad Koirala on the unification of the two Congress parties. However, there was no decision on the issue and that the CWC would further discuss it, he added.

Today’s meeting also expressed appreciation to the Supreme Court for its recent verdict dissolving the controversial Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) and releasing Deuba and general secretary Prakash Man Singh from detention.

Then Prime Minister Deuba formed the NC (D) after a vertical split with the NC four years ago on the issue of the dissolution of the House of Representatives.

Both the NC and the NC organised their general conventions last year electing their leaderships under Koirala and Deuba respectively.

Both the parties are allies in the seven-party coalition that is waging a movement for democracy since the royal move of February 1, 2005.

The US envoy in Kathmandu, James F Moriarty, has renewed his warning that Nepal is in danger of collapse if the palace and the political parties do not cooperate.

James F. Moriarty, the US Ambassador to Nepal
(File photo)
In an interview with the private-sector Kantipur Television on Sunday, the US envoy said he could not state it more clearly than that if the palace and parties don’t cooperate, if the King doesn’t reach out and if he doesn’t begin to plan a way back to democracy, the current state of affairs will not last all that long.

“I think the most likely result if the collapse of the state and an opportunity for the Maoists to make a huge advances,” he added. Moriarty further said he did not have a precise time frame but he thought that that was going to happen pretty quickly.

Talking to Bijay Kumar for the `Frontline’ programme—a TV talk show, the US ambassador said, “Until and unless you have a coherently forward movement on part of the legitimate constitutional forces– the palace and the parties– there would be no need for the Maoists to make serious compromises.”

Moriarty explained that the reconciliation would have to have two goals, one would be how the King and the parties map a path back to a real functioning democracy, the other would be on how the country effectively addresses the Maoist insurgency. These are the two very clear goals for reconciliation, he said.

The American career diplomat—who is constantly in the news over the last fortnight for raising serious questions about the 12-point pact between the seven party opposition alliance and the CPN (Maoist), said, “First of all, the biggest concern is how the Maoists have acted since the 12-point understanding…and one point of particular concern I have when reading the 12-point understanding is in the very first clause which says something that both sides agree to attack the autocratic monarchy from their own positions.”

He also repeatedly referred to the Maoist leadership’s reference towards “bourgeoisie parliamentary democracy. “The Maoists can’t be called a legitimate political force because they are using violence to overthrow the state and (that) they took up arms against a functioning parliamentary system.” Since the end of the ceasefire (in January this year), their words and act show that they are not feeling any pressure, he said.

Replying to a query on whether the King’s position had become stronger after his Feb 15 remarks in Kathmandu, Moriarty said, “I don’t think so. I think that the King understands that he has no international support, I think he understands that the country is in serious straits and I think he understands, if anything more clearly, that the working arrangement between the parties and the Maoists is dangerous for him as well, as I believe dangerous for the country.”

The US envoy said not just since Feb 1 last year but indeed in the past years, America has never stopped pointing out to the King that his actions since February 1st, 2005 are not leading towards the outcome and that he needs to reverse the course since there has to be agreement between the palace and the parties.

If the parties’ intention is to bring the Maoists into the mainstream, that is laudable and good, if that works, said Moriarty. He, however, expressed concerns that this agreement seemed to have left open the option for violence on the part of Maoists and the Maoists have undeniably engaged in violence.

The US envoy said America was concerned that instability in Nepal would make things much more difficult for China and India. Moriarty brushed aside comments that the US needed Nepal to keep watch on two Asian giants. “That’s ridiculous,” he said.

When asked to define the US strategic interest in Nepal, Moriarty said, “We do worry specifically that the Maoists takeover would lead to incredible instability in a region that doesn’t need it, so we do have a strategic interest here. Yes, we have a strategic interest here, and the strategic interest is to get this place back to a functioning democracy that will effectively address the Maoist insurgency,” he added.

Moriarty said he wanted people to read closely what the Maoists were saying and if they were committed to democracy and human rights as mentioned in the 12-point pact.

The US envoy’s recent remarks have prompted the Maoist leader, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, to write an article in The Kathmandu Post daily refuting his allegations. Similarly, senior leaders of the seven party alliance have said they are in favour of the pact with the rebels as “it would not be possible to restore peace and democracy in the country without bringing them on board.”

Six civilians including two children were injured as a bomb planted by the Maoists went off at Chhorepatan of Pokhara along the Siddhartha Highway Saturday evening.

Khem Raj Baral, a four year old child and 10 year old Pradip Gurung along with Rudra Bahadur BK, Tara Shahi, Shanti Gurung and Dil Kumari Karki were injured.

BK is undergoing treatment in the Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara, while the others are undergoing treatment in the Phewa City Hospital, Pokhara.

All the injured are reported to be out of danger, hospital sources said.

Meanwhile, a report from Dailekh said a police constable, Nanda Bahadur Pun Magar of Khumel village development committee-8, Rolpa, was killed in an ambush set by Maoists targeting a patrolling van of the joint security forces at the Dullu area of Dailekh district on Friday morning.

The Maoists fled towards a nearby jungle after the act while other members of the security patrol were safe, reports said.

Meanwhile, a report from mid-western city of Dang said Govinda Chaudhari, a Royal Nepalese Army soldier, deployed in the Unified Security Base Camp at Gadhawa killed himself on Saturday afternoon.

The body of Chaudhari, 22, a resident of Gangaparaspur village development committee ward number seven of Chainpur, has been taken to Mahendra Hospital, Ghorahi, for post-mortem.

Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) of the Royal Nepalese Army, General Pyar Jung Thapa, has said that the RNA is moving ahead with the target of realizing the sovereign Nepali people’s aspiration for security and peace and is heading towards the path to victory.

Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) Pyar Jung Thapa (File photo)

Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) Pyar Jung Thapa (File photo)
In a message on Sunday on the occasion of Mahashivaratri and Army Day 2062 B.S., CoAS Thapa lauded the patience, courage, dedication and incomparable contribution of the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) personnel in the interest of the nation and the people in the present state of crisis. He also praised the encouragement, deep faith and patience shown by the family members of the RNA personnel, according to the state run Rastriya Samachar Samiti news agency.

“Our history is testimony to the fact that all crises that have come across the nation since the unification of the Kingdom of Nepal have been resolved through the joint effort of the King, people and the Army”, Thapa said and expressed the confidence that the challenges at present too could be faced with all the three forces coming together.

Thapa further said that the Royal Nepalese Army is moving ahead towards the protection of the international humanitarian values and human rights as per the constitutional process and in the larger interest of the entire Nepali people.

Chief of Army Staff Thapa has also expressed the confidence that ultimately the Nepali people and the country’s history would make the right and objective evaluation of the contributions of the brave soldiers who did not hesitate to lay down their lives in keeping with the age-old glorious tradition of the RNA of making sacrifices for the motherland by demonstrating indomitable bravery and courage.

Nilambar Acharya (File Photo)

Nilambar Acharya (File Photo)
Former law minister Nilamber Acharya has said that every professional has the right to talk and fight for the cause of democracy and basic human rights in the country.

Addressing the third general convention of the National Confederation of Professionals Nepal, in the capital on Saturday, Acharya said, “The State is conspiring to destroy people’s rights and subdue their zeal for democracy. It is looking to bog them down in the name of professionalism. But the professionals should not give up their fight for democracy.”

Reports quoted him as saying that forbidding professionals from their right to organise peacefully is a gesture indicative of the days of the Panchayati era.

He also urged the Maoists to give up their arms for a while, declare ceasefire and join the unarmed struggle for democracy.

The meet also discussed various political proposals and came up with a new working committee led by Sushil Chandra Amatya.