One of the leaders of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Matrika Yadav, and pro-Maoist student leader, Krishna KC, have called off their indefinite hunger strike at Nakkhu prison in Lalitpur Monday, after discussions with senior human rights activists.
President of Human Rights Organisation of Nepal (HURON), Charan Prasain, told Nepalnews that Yadav and KC agreed to call off their six-day-long fast-unto-death strike after rights activists assured them of pursuing their demand for of pressurizing the government to disclose facts about all the `disappeared people’.
“Around 47 detainees have ‘disappeared’ after they were taken from the Bhairavnath battalion of the Royal Nepalese Army in Kathmandu for the last two years,” Prasain quoted KC as saying. KC was kept at the same battalion when the said incident took place.
Prasain also quoted chief of the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Kathmandu, Ian Martin, as saying that he was concerned about reported cases of disappeared people in Nepal and that his office would take up the reported cases, including that of 47 detainees, with HMG/Nepal.
The authorities are yet to respond to KC’s allegations. They, however, say the government treats all the people in custody in accordance with law.
Yadav and KC had also demanded that a public-level probe commission be forced to look into the cases of disappeared, he added.
A citizen’s committee led by senior advocate Basudev Prasad Dhungana is already working in this regard.
Besides Prasain of HURON, president of Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) Subodh Raj Pyakurel, Prof. Mathura P. Shrestha, Sindhunath Paykurel and other rights activists were also present on the occasion when Yadav and KC duo decided to call off their hunger strike.
According to HURON, out of nearly 600 people reported as disappeared after they were allegedly taken into custody by security forces, the authorities have made condition of only 130 people public so far.
His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev
His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (File Photo)
His Majesty King Gyanendra returned to Itahari in eastern Nepal Monday afternoon after chairing the meeting of council of ministers in Kathmandu earlier in the day, officials said.
According to official sources, His Majesty arrived Kathmandu this morning and immediately chaired the meeting of Council of Ministers at the Narayanhiti royal palace.
Details of the meeting have not been made public but sources the council of ministers discussed about the latest security situation in the country after the Maoists called off their unilateral ceasefire, forthcoming municipal polls and new ‘Finance Ordinance’ that will come into effect from next week (January 14).
The seven party opposition alliance has said it will boycott the municipal polls while the Maoists have said they will disrupt it.
Officials, however, say polls will be conducted as per the schedules and that the government will make adequate security arrangement for it.
Municipal level polls are slated on February 8, this year.
Their Majesties King and the Queen had left for the eastern region on January 1 for a three week long visit of the eastern development region to acquire information about the law and order situation and service delivery status of various districts in the region.
Their Majesties are residing at the eastern divisional headquarter of the Royal Nepalese Army at Itahari.
Nabil Three Star Club (NTSC) defeated Boys Union Club (BUC) 3-1 while Shiva Chaudhary scored a last minute winner as Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) earned three points with a 2-1 win over Machhindra Football Club (MFC) and Mahabir Club held Armed Police Force (APF) to a 1-1 draw in the matches played in the Martyrs’ Memorial San Miguel ‘A’ Division League Football Tournament today.
In the game played at APF ground in Halchowk, Mahabir Club held Gyanendra Armed Police Force (APF) Club to a 1-1 draw. Mani Pandit scored for APF while the new signing of Mahabir Ike Chikwu found the equaliser in his debut match. Pandit put APF ahead in the 33rd minute scoring off an error by Mahabir goalie Manoj Shahi.
Nine minutes before time, Chikwu leveled the scores with a brilliant 30-yard strike. APF had thrashed Mahabir 8-0 in the first-leg match.
In the first match at Dashrath Stadium, TAC had a tough time beating new entrants Machhindra FC. TAC skipper Janamat Karki headed in a goal on Biswo Bairag Samal’s cross in the 14th minute, after Machhindra goalkeeper Binod Dangol had denied him a goal a minute earlier.
Milan Adhikari leveled the scores in the 29th minute as he lofted in a deft shot over TAC goalie Ganga Ram Deuja after beating the offside trap. TAC was lucky to have escaped a penalty in 35th minute as referee Surendra Sikhrakar turned down a clear handball inside the box. AM Michael of Machhindra was close to scoring three minutes before the break as his shot rebounded off the bar.
Machhindra goalie Damgol’s silly mistake gave Shiva Chaudhary a chance to score the match winner in the 90th minute. Chaudhary converted after Tamang failed to collect an air ball.
In the second match between NTSC and BUC at Dashrath stadium, Pradip Maharjan scored the first goal for NTSC in the 23rd minute. Maharjan scored an easy goal after Rajesh Shahi failed to connect on Pralay Rajbhandari’s pass.
Santosh Sahukhala doubled the lead in the 43rd minute following a pass from Surendra Tamang. Abiodun G pulled one back for BUC in the 54th minute utilizing a pass from Mark DA.
Surendra Tamang ensured NTSC’s victory scoring the third goal on a free kick in the 61st minute.
By Sanjay Upadhya
Sanjay Upadhya
India’s declaration last week that it would not renew its transit treaty with Nepal unless “key issues” are resolved at a “higher level” scarcely came as a surprise. Ever since the Dhaka summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in November, leading Indian newspapers have been carrying editorials urging their government to use all possible means to teach the royal regime a fitting lesson.
Nepalese delegates to the talks in New Delhi said the key issues their Indian counterparts raised were not related to transit. That was not surprising, either. For India, economic arm-twisting to secure political goals proved useful long before the trade and transit embargo it imposed on the kingdom in the late 1980s.
In an interview with a Nepalese television channel, Indian Ambassador Shiv Shanker Mukherjee apparently ruled out reimposition of an embargo. He let viewers on a “key issue” India expected to discuss at a “higher level”. The monarchy, in New Delhi’s view, should remain the symbol of unity, continuity and integrity of the nation and should not compete with the political parties.
Elegant diplomatese for India’s broad concerns over developments in Nepal since King Gyanendra took over full executive powers on Feb. 1 last year. Specifically, the cozying up with China and Pakistan and moves toward opening the kingdom’s water resources to non-Indian investors, among other things.
After castigating the royal takeover, the dominant section of the New Delhi establishment spent the first half of 2005 mocking King Gyanendra’s effort to play the “China card”. The world had changed drastically, New Delhi’s argument went, since his father’s reign, when the term was in wide use in India.
The world has changed indeed. Nepal’s success in linking China’s inclusion in SAARC as an observer to Afghanistan’s full membership showed that. When China backed its pledge of military support to Nepal by dispatching truckloads of supplies, the Indian government sat up and paid attention. The fact that the Indian, American and British embargoes compelled Nepal to turn to its northern neighbor barely mattered. New Delhi had to respond.
The seven-party alliance and Maoist rebels were already in regular consultations through the good offices of leftist groups backing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s coalition government. Transforming Nepal’s tripolar conflict into a bipolar one – in appearance, not in content – acquired official urgency.
India’s sense of isolation at the Asian summit in December reinforced in official New Delhi circles a reality that had long been apparent. Political and economic relations between the two Asian giants may have improved dramatically in recent years. Cooperation still contained dimensions of competition and confrontation.
Indian interest in Nepal’s “China card” grew into a serious inquiry into China’s motives in the kingdom and beyond. Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee appeared ready to tolerate a one-time Chinese replenishment of Nepal’s armory.
Enter Shyam Saran. The dapper ex-ambassador to Nepal, who superseded several seniors to be come foreign secretary, did not want to be drawn into the 12-point accord between the mainstream parties and Maoist rebels — at least not in public. Saran’s visit seemed to satisfy the palace, parties and rebels.
Although the 12-point accord failed to tame the palace, New Delhi did not exactly lose from it. It extracted a public undertaking from Maoist supremo Prachanda that his revolutionary cause was confined to Nepal. That statement came a day after he joined Ganapathy, the leader of India’s Maoists, in vowing “to fight unitedly till the entire conspiracies hatched by the imperialists and reactionaries are crushed and the people’s cause of socialism and communism are established in Nepal, India and all over the world.”
The Indian media has covered New Delhi’s oscillation in novel ways. Much was made of a top Bharatiya Janata Party leader’s participation at the Nepali Congress (Democratic)’s convention. (Hardly surprising to those who saw Nepal-India relations plunge to some of its lowest depths during the BJP’s stint in power.)
Before that, we found out that the Royal Nepalese Army owes millions to Indian firms. (So much for the Indian complaint that its generous military assistance has gone unrecognized in the kingdom.)
The real story has been apparent all along. For the last 15 years, India has publicly advocated the twin-pillar theory of peace and stability in Nepal comprising constitutional monarchy and multiparty democracy. In reality, though, New Delhi has perfected the tri-polar policy in the kingdom.
By brandishing the monarchy-Nepali Congress stick, India forced the Rana rulers to sign the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, an accord in perpetuity. When the Ranas fell from power and began dissolving into the palace camp, the Nepali Congress expected to fill the vacuum. For New Delhi, Nepal’s communist and fringe parties started becoming more attractive.
Following B.P. Koirala’s victory in Nepal’s first multiparty elections in 1959, the palace and communists/fringe groups were already established poles. During the Panchayat decades, the Nepali Congress and the assortment of factions the communists provided India with a counterweight to the palace.
For New Delhi, the three-pole policy reestablished its efficacy in 1990, when the Nepali Congress and communists attained the hitherto unachievable: forging an alliance against the palace. Was B.P. Koirala’s fierce anti-communism the principal obstacle to a broad opposition front in Nepal? If Ganesh Man Singh was such an adroit consensus builder, how could he end up not finding room in his own Nepali Congress?
As Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala used his control of the government to dominate the Nepali Congress, India revived a baffling interest in the palace. A visiting Indian prime minister would attach greater importance to the “quiet dinner” scheduled with King Birendra than formal sessions with his real host.
Throughout the first half of the 1990s, despite their own internal fissures, the Nepali Congress and Unified Marxist-Leninists remained bitter rivals. But they were constituents of the same pole: the parliamentary mainstream. The Maoists emerged to underpin the third dimension.
What is behind the palace’s confidence in the midst of such heavy domestic and international odds? Perhaps recognition that bipolarity has never been – and will never be — the real desire of its most vociferous foreign proponent?
(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] and your comments/suggestions to [email protected])
Maoists detonated two pressure cooker bombs at the Nepalgunj municipality office Sunday morning.
According to a Nepalgunj based journalist, the explosion took place at around 5 a.m.
Two Maoists entered the office saying they were security personnel and placed three pressure cooker bombs in the office. Two bombs went off immediately after they left the office.
The bomb disposal unit of Royal Nepalese Army diffused the third bomb.
The accounts section of the municipality has been completely damaged in the explosion.
The were no casualties in the explosion.
Maoists detonated two pressure cooker bombs at the Nepalgunj municipality office Sunday morning.
According to a Nepalgunj based journalist, the explosion took place at around 5 a.m.
Two Maoists entered the office saying they were security personnel and placed three pressure cooker bombs in the office. Two bombs went off immediately after they left the office.
The bomb disposal unit of Royal Nepalese Army diffused the third bomb.
The accounts section of the municipality has been completely damaged in the explosion.
The were no casualties in the explosion.
A Nepal National Ethnographic Museum exhibiting the art and culture of Mountainous, Hilly and Terai regions of Nepal is to be constructed in Champadevi of Kritipur.
The Museum is to be constructed on 200 ropanis of land.
The Museum will contain the typical houses of every ethnic community of Nepal and inside the prototype houses would be placed the material, unique cultural and traditional items that would reflect the costumes and lifestyle of the respective communities.
Similarly, various articles and artifacts used by each ethnic community of Nepal during the birth, marriage and death rites and accessories would be kept at the Museum, which would be developed into a microcosm of the Nepali society and culture.
Minister for Agriculture and Cooperative Keshar Bahadur Bista
Minister for Agriculture and Cooperative Keshar Bahadur Bista
Speaking at the programme, Minister for Agriculture and Cooperative Keshar Bahadur Bista pledged the maximum assistance for the development of the physical infrastructure of the Museum.
Stating that all should be alert so that the land acquired for the Museum is not encroached from any side, he stressed that every strata of society should extend whatever cooperation they can to the Museum, which reflects the ethnic diversity and ethnic syncretism that is Nepal.
Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Bista, Minister for Science and Technology Prakash Koirala, Minister for Land Reform and Management Narayan Singh Pun, Minister of State for Labour and Transport Management Rabindra Khanal, Minister of State for Health and Population Mani Lama, Minister of State for Information and Communications Shrish Shumshere Rana, Assistant Minister for Physical Planning and Works Chhakka Bahadur Lama and Assistant Minister for Health and Population Nikshe Shumshere Rana jointly laid the foundation stone of the Museum amidst a special function organised on Saturday.
Ministers of the incumbent government and former chief of the army staff Satchit Shumsher JB Rana have said that the government will hold municipal elections in a free and fair manner despite some minor incidents of violence.
Speaking at an interaction in the capital on Sunday, they said that the Maoists are continuing violent activities since the onset of the Maoist insurgency in 1996 and that the government is firm in fulfilling its responsibility to hold polls to activate the democratic process in the country due to their violence.
Salim Miya Ansari
Salim Miya Ansari (File Photo)
Minister for forest and soil conservation, Salim Miya Ansari, said that the government will hold election in a free and fair manner despite the call from major political parties to boycott it.
Stating that it is upto political parties whether to take part in the elections or not, Minister Ansari said, “Only the election will decide the position of political parties, whether they are major parties or not.”
The alliance of seven political parties that had received over 80 percent votes in the previous polls have announced to actively boycott the polls saying the poll is only a ploy to legalize what they call ‘regression’.
Binod Kumar Shah
Binod Kumar Shah (File Photo)
Assistant Minister for water resources Binod Kumar Shah expressed the government’s firm commitment to hold municipal poll in stipulated time, as the election is the backbone of the democracy.
“Maoists are continuing their violent activities since the beginning of the insurgency, so the government will hold election despite incidences of violence. ”
He urged the political parties to take part in the election saying the government had made all necessary preparations to hold the municipal polls in a free and fair manner.
Despite the increase in violent activities following the Maoists’ withdrawal of unilateral ceasefire, Minister Shah claimed that the security situation has improved in the country.
Satchit Shumsher JB Rana, Minister for forest and soil conservation
Satchit Shumsher JB Rana, Minister for forest and soil conservation (File Photo)
Speaking at the same programme, former chief of army staff and member of Rajparishad standing committee Satchit Shumsher JB Rana said that some minor incidents of violence will not affect the municipal polls.
He added that Maoists might increase violent activities to disrupt the polls but the government would hold election to reactivate the democratic process in the country.
Rana, who has been in media for filing a proposal of confrontation during the recently concluded central regional conference of Rajparishad said that the conference passed proposals for resolving the problems dogging the country.
“The conference passed the proposal to resolve the problems and urged all the members to initiate dialogue with the political parties to bring them to the frame of constitution and to take part in the municipal polls,” he added
Speaking at the same programme, general secretary of Nepal Sadbhawana party Devendra Mishra and Bal Ram Thapa of Prajatantrik Nepal Party said that their parties will take part in the municipal polls as the government is ready to provide security for the municipal polls. They said that despite minor incidents of violence they were assured by the security arrangement for the municipal polls.
Six security personnel were killed in less than a week after the Maoists’ withdrawal of four month long unilateral ceasefire.
Maoists have warned to disrupt the municipal polls.
A two-day Tharu festival will be held on 14-15 of this month at Bhrikutimandap of Kathmandu in order to showcase Tharu culture on the occasion of ‘Maghi’, the biggest festival of the Tharu community.
The Tharus are one of the ethnic groups of Nepal found throughout Terai region from east to west with their unique set of culture.
The festival will be featured with the special dances of Tharu community like Maghauta, Jhumara, Lathi, Hurdangwa, Mahutiya, along with food festival and cultural shows.
Similarly, films and plays based on Tharu culture will also be shown at the same festival.
According to organisers the festival is special, as it will quench the thirst of seeing Tharu culture for the people residing in Kathmandu.
The ‘Maghi’ festival is celebrated with bigger pomp and show among the Tharu community. The day is also celebrated as New Year’s day in Tharu community.
The Maoists have looted paddy stored in a monastery in a northern village of Sindhupalchowk, a newspaper report said on Sunday.
Local Buddhist monks claimed that the rebels took away nearly 80 quintals of paddy from the monastery located at Thangpaldhap Poudel VDC-1.
The grains were meant for the monks and students residing there. Local farmers grow paddy on the land in possession of the monastery. The Buddhist monastery gets 200 quintals of paddy.
“The paddy could sufficiently feed monks and students for a year,” Kantipur daily quoted a monk as saying, “Now, how are we going to manage food for whole the year? Had they asked us for some, we would provide it.”
Issuing a press statement the monastery condemned the incident terming it ‘inhuman and anti-religious act’,
More than 100 students attend Buddhism classes at the monastery with the number going up in the summer season compared to winter.
“We sincerely appeal for investigation into the act committed against a religious organization and also call upon all the monks and students at the monastery to practice patience and peace in this difficult situation,” the statement added.