Chief of CIAA Surya Nath Upadhyay

Chief of CIAA Surya Nath Upadhyay
(File Photo)
Chief Commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Surya Nath Upadhaya, has called on all to support the anti-corruption drive of the CIAA to create corruption free society.

Speaking at a programme organised to mark the anniversary of CIAA on Thursday, Upadhaya said the action of the CIAA will not be effective until people have the mentality that CIAA is the means of controlling corruption and urged the civil society to actively support the anti-corruption drive.

Upadhaya urged government secretaries to work honestly and not fear the CIAA.

The CIAA will not intervene in administrative works if there is no misuse of power and corruption, Upadhaya said. “I have told the government secretaries several times to work courageously and honestly and not fear the CIAA.”

Former justice of the Supreme Court Krishna Jung Rayamajhi said that the work of CIAA is to file cases and the court has the responsibility of decision making so both of these sectors must be free from corruption.

CIAA commissioner Lalit Bahadur Limbu, economist Dr Mohan Man Saiju and journalist Yubaraj Ghimire called on people from every walk of life to help control corruption.

Crown Prince Paras has said that King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC) is dedicated for creating innovative mechanisms for conservation and sustainable development that encompasses the interface between people and the environment.

Crown Prince Paras

Crown Prince Paras (File Photo)
In his opening address to the meeting of the Governing Board of Trustees of the KMTNC, Crown Prince Paras said, “As the globalisation process unfolds, the balance between human consumption and natural regeneration is likely to be further disrupted. The path that we have chosen aims to restore this balance through the recognition of the interdependent relationships within ecological systems, sustainable living, community involvement and collaboration as integral ingredients of natural resources management, and the larger role of biological resources in addressing the global common good.”

According press release issued by KMTNC, the meeting reviewed the programme progress from 1st and 2nd quarters (July 16- December 31, 2005).

Field Marshal Sir John Chapple from the United Kingdom and Dr Noritada Morita, Chairman of Asia Strategy Forum from Japan attended the meeting along with other national trustees of KMTNC.

The United Kingdom (UK) has marked the municipal elections held on Wednesday as a meaningless exercise to resolve the political crisis of the country.

A press statement issued by the FCO Minister Kim Howells on Thursday said, “The UK does not believe that the municipal elections in Nepal on February 8 was a meaningful exercise in canvassing the political wishes of the people of Nepal.”

The statement further said, “We have consistently urged the King to reach out to the political parties to develop a common agenda for a full return of multiparty democracy, and have stressed the need for an inclusive and comprehensive process to achieve a negotiated settlement.”

“The elections were tarnished by the efforts of the government to quash dissident by restricting civil liberties and the media. Those factors in no way justify the Maoists’ enforcement of a national strike with the threat of violence which also held some voters away and their intimidation and killing of candidates, which we condemn absolutely,” the statement adds.

The statement also urged the King to immediately release all political detainees and recognise the need to negotiate with the political parties on a return to peace and democracy and also urged the Maoists to immediately cease their campaign of violence and intimidation including, against elected officials.

Earlier, United States marked the polls as ‘a hollow attempt’ and called on the King to release political detainees and open dialogue with the political parties.

In its reaction, India questioned the credibility of the municipal elections.

Japan has also ‘deplored’ the way the elections were held “without a broad support” of the Nepali people.

India, the US and UK have been stalling military assistance to Nepal following the February 1 royal takeover of last year, marking the move as setback to democracy.

Nearly 20 percent of the eligible 1.4 million voters took part in the municipal polls, which was actively boycotted by the seven opposition parties.

At least two security personnel and three Maoists were killed during a clash between security personnel and Maoist rebels at Sunwal ward no. 4 in western terai district of Nawalparasi along the Mahendra highway Thursday afternoon.

Officials of the Directorate of the Public Relation (DPR) of Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) said the clashes took place as Maoist rebels opened fire at a group of security personnel who were trying to clear obstructions along the highway placed by the rebels.

However, a press statement issued by the Maoists claimed that the casualty in the security forces is much higher. The statement further claimed that the rebels also looted some weapons, set army trucks on fire and abducted some security personnel after the clash.

The Maoist statement further said that four Maoists were killed and some others injured during the incident.

When asked about the high number of casualty, officials at the DPR said they did not have information about more casualties and abduction of security personnel.

Meanwhile, reports quoting locals said that they saw bodies of a dozen people killed in the incident at the site of clashes.

The Maoists have been increasing violent activities following the withdrawal of the unilateral ceasefire on January 2.

Police on Friday have taken into custody Nepali Congress spokesperson, Krishna Sitaula, from the domestic wing of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu while he was on his way to eastern town of Biratnagar.

According to NC central office, Sitaula was scheduled to leave for Biratnagar aboard Cosmic Airways flight in connection with party activities.

Early this morning, he had taken part in a condolence meeting organized at Pashupati, Aryaghat to pay last respect to Umesh Chandra Thapa, a UML member killed in Dang on Wednesday.

Sitaula was one of the senior NC functionary coordinating election boycott programme called by the seven party opposition alliance.

Sitaula’s arrest has come at a time when diplomatic community in Kathmandu was expecting that the royal government may start releasing hundreds of political leaders, cadres, human rights activists and journalists currently in detention across the country.

The government has concluded that it will be able to hold parliamentary elections expected next year on the basis of the experience of holding elections in 36 municipalities this week, a newspaper report said on Friday.

“After assessing the municipal polls, we have come to the conclusion that elections for the House of Representatives expected next year is possible,” Rajdhani daily quoted a cabinet member as saying after a meeting of the Council of Ministers at the royal palace on Thursday.

“They (political parties) failed to disrupt the municipal polls even after taking refuge with the Maoists. This also led us to come to the conclusion that we can conduct national elections,” he added

The government has been reading the holding of the polls in an upbeat note. The paper also quoted a cabinet source as saying that the meeting of the cabinet chaired by the king also unanimously concluded that the government was able to hold the 8 February local polls in free and fair manner.

Shrish Shumsher Rana (File Photo)

Shrish Shumsher Rana (File Photo)
However, there is no official word on it yet. State minister for information and communication Shrish Shumsher Rana informed that the government was going to make its stand public on the current state of affairs soon. “We will also be speaking on our conclusion (regarding municipal polls),” Rana, who is also the spokesperson of the government, said.

Nearly 20 percent of the eligible 1.4 million voters took part in the municipal polls despite the call of seven party alliance to actively boycott it and the Maoists’ threats to disrupt it and took action against those associated with the municipal election.

Hotel Yak and Yeti, one of the Nepal’s premier five star hotel, has announced voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for staff wishing to resign from their posts to downsize the staff for the resumption of the hotel, saying the hotel is facing loss.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Surendra Thakuri, spokesperson of the hotel said that employees who are interested to leave the job are offered incentives through VRS.

Speaking on the occasion, Corporate Director of the hotel, P Poddar said that the management had been compelled to adopt this measure after the hotel started operating in loss.

“The occupancy rate of the hotel had not crossed 50 percent, whereas due to slump in arrival of tourists, the management had been offering rooms at rates less than 65 percent of the original cost,” he said. Due to all these reasons, the hotel had incurred an operating loss of Rs 13.9 million in the current fiscal year and Rs 50 million in the last five years, Poddar added.

Poddar, however, said that the hotel would resume operation of 50 percent of its service soon after completion of the VRS scheme. “We hope around 100 of the total 285 staff members will apply for the scheme, which will significantly reduce our operating cost,” he said.

However, hotel employees do not agree with the proposed scheme brought by the management alone. They said that the VRS is brought without their consultation.

“It is our demand that workers applying for VRS be given a lump sum equal to 40 percent of the salary they are entitled to get before retirement,” said Chhabi Pandey, president of Independent Hotel Workers Union of Yak and Yeti.

The union also refuted claims that employees of the hotel had been demanding increment in their wages.

The hotel was closed on December 24 the eve of Christmas.

Yak & Yeti, which started its operation around 38 years ago was Nepal’s largest foreign currency earning hotel for the last 10 years.

Map of Nawalparasi (File photo)
Latest reports from Nawalparasi say at least 20 persons, including 15 security personnel and four Maoist rebels, were killed during fierce clashes at Rambhapur of Nawalparasi district along the Mahendra highway on Thursday.

Reports quoted Siddhi Charan Bhattarai, president of NGO Federation of Nepal Nawalparasi district unit, who led a group of rights activists that inspected the site of clashes as saying that at least 18 security personnel were killed and one dozen others were injured during the clashes that ensued after heavily armed rebels attacked security personnel who were trying to clear the highway blocked by the rebels.

At least four rebels were killed during clashes.

Asmita Chapagain, a 21-year-old young woman from nearby district of Rupanedhi, when she fell victim to landmine explosion laid down by the rebels. Three other civilians were also injured in the explosion.

The rebels have said they have taken one dozen security personnel into custody after the clashes. They said they have set on fire vehicles used by the security personnel and seized weapons from them.

Traffic is yet to resume along the highway and local people are terrified, according to reports. Local people said the bodies of security personnel were lying scattered near the site of clashes till this afternoon. They said security personnel were yet to secure the area.

Reports said the RNA has launched an aerial raid in the bordering area of Palpa suspecting that the rebels are using the nearby forest as hideouts.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Defense said Friday evening that three rebels and two security personnel were killed in the encounter. It did not provide details.

Traffic is yet to regime along a number of highways in the eastern and western Nepal even after the withdrawal of ‘Nepal bandh’ (the nationwide shutdown strike) by the Maoists effective from Thursday.

They had called a week-long strike beginning last Sunday to disrupt the municipal polls.

Debates are underway regarding the validity of the municipal poll held on Wednesday.

Participants of two interaction programmes held in the capital, Kathmandu, on Friday expressed quite opposite views regarding the election.

Former EC Prof. Birendra P. Mishra

Former EC Prof. Birendra P. Mishra
(File Photo)

Speaking at an interaction organised by the Everest Press Club Nepal, former Election Commissioner (EC) Prof. Birendra P. Mishra dubbed the municipal polls held on Wednesday as ‘invalid’.

He was of the view that though the polls were held as per the existing laws of the country, it was invalid as it was against the spirit of the constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990.

Prof. Mishra claimed that the low voter turn out in the polls proved that the election had no public support, adding, “Polls held without participation of the major political parties cannot be termed as legitimate in a democratic dispensation.

Coming down heavily on the EC, he said that the EC should have advised the government to postpone the polls rather than holding it in such a situation.

Nearly 21 percent people cast their ballots in the municipal polls.

Meanwhile, speaking at an interaction organised by the Sanchar Samuha Nepal on Friday, leaders of some royalist parties and journalists said that the success of the municipal polls has opened the doors for the parliamentary elections.

Speaking at an interaction in the capital, they said Nepalese people have given the message in favor of democracy by taking part in the municipal polls despite the boycott call of seven political parties and Maoist threats.

Former Minister Gore Bahadur Khapangi lauded the voters’ courage while another former minister Kuber Sharma claimed that the call of seven political parties to boycott the municipal polls in support of Maoists had failed.

Sharma said the country is facing grave economic crisis and stressed on the need of talks between the government and the Maoists.

Speaking at the same program, acting president of the Federation of Nationalist Journalists– a pro-governmetn outfit– Mrs. Jasuda Pradhan said that the results of the municipal polls were indicative that people were in favor of elections.

The international community including the United States, India, United Kingdom and Japan expressed dissatisfaction over the municipal polls.

The authorities have, however, expressed “satisfaction’ on the conduct of polls saying that it was a democratic exercise.

Reports from Janakpur say that one person was killed in a conflict barely 10 hours after the result of municipal election was declared on Thursday evening.

A group of people stabbed to death Sunil Pandey, a 25-year old resident of Janakpur Municipality ward no. 7, at around 7:30 p.m. Pandey was returning to his residence after attending a rally and party organised to celebrate the victory of Raj Dev Mishra as the mayor of the municipality.

Reports say that a supporter of person defeated by Mishra was involved in the murder of Pandey.

Police have arrested four people including Ravi Kumar of ward no. 8, Jitendra Mallik of ward no. 10, Raj Kumar Karna in connection with the incident.