As the movement for a separate Gorkhaland intensifies, the advocacy for merger of Darjeeling with Sikkim has begun.

R. Moktan from Kalimpong, D. K. Bomzon from Kurseong and Ashok Chong from Sikkim are spearheading the move for a Darjeeling-Sikkim merger, an Indian newspaper reports say.

They have demanded a Greater Sikkim where Jalpaiguri, Dooars and Mechi in Nepal would be included as a part in the new Sikkim.

The three leaders held meeting with local leaders in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim for a merger through the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) recently.

However, political parties in Sikkim – opposition party Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP), State Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and ruling Sikkim Democratic Party – rejected the idea saying it was impossible, but expressed their solidarity for Gorkhaland state for the identity of Darjeeling people.

“No doubt we have the same culture, tradition and language but we don’t have the same political scenario here, like Darjeeling” media quoted Tara Shrestha, general secretary SHRP as saying.

The Statesman quoted Dr GS Yonzon, president of BJP Darjeeling, to have said, “This is our movement for our identity so either this way or the other way we just want to be free from Bengal”.

Darjeeling was part of Nepal in the eighteenth century and then it belonged to Sikkim at the turn of the century. After an agreement between the British political officer for Sikkim and Tibet Sir Claude White, Sikkim’s King Tashi Namgyal and the Bengal officer of that time, Darjeeling was gifted to British East India Company to set up a sanatorium centre due to its suitable climate and hospital for tuberculosis patients. nepalnews.com ia May 13 08

Nepali Peace Pagoda, built by Nepali craftsmen for the 1988 World Expo held in Brisbane, Australia, remained the center of attraction for many Australian and non-Australian visitors alike during the 20th Anniversary celebration programme organized by the South Bank Corporation, Brisbane on May 10.

To celebrate the event, the Nepali Embassy in Canberra and Nepali Association in Queensland (NAQ) sponsored a musical programme by famous Tabala Player Dheeraj Shrestha and his band Rhythm Sutra followed by popular Nepali folk dances by local artists.

The Nepali-Australian Friendship Association (NAFA) and the NAQ maintained attractive stalls displaying Nepali arts and crafts at the expo.

Opening the Nepali event in the premises of the Pagoda, Charge de’ Affaires of the Embassy Shanker Bairagi said the Peace Pagoda is a symbol of lasting friendship between Nepal and Australia.

Malcolm Snow, Chief Executive Officer of the South Bank Corporation, the event organiser, thanked the Embassy for participating in the commemorative programme. nepalnews.com ia May 13 08

Former prime minister and only living founding leader of the Nepali Congress, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, has asked the parties not to abolish the institution of monarchy in haste.

In a statement issued on Monday, Bhattarai said abolition of monarchy could plunge the country further into grave crisis.

“The institution of monarchy can still play a role to unify nation’s culture and civilisation and protect national integrity and ethnic and geographical diversity of the nation,” said Bhattarai.

The statement further said, “Since no party has an absolute majority in the Constituent Assembly, only politics of consensus can bail the country out of the current crisis and that failure to work on consensus would endanger the existence of the nation.”

Similarly, home minister of the royal cabinet and chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Kamal Thapa asked the parties not to abolish the monarchy until a new constitution is promulgated.

Speaking at a function on Monday, Thapa claimed the CA should not take a decision to abolish monarchy in haste which can then invite political disaster.

Thapa, who met the king recently, said he found him confident and not desperate. nepalnews.com ia May 13 08

The ongoing central committee meeting of the UML has finally taken the decision not to join the new government possibly to be led by Maoists.

Acting general secretary Amrit Kumar Bohara, answering questions raised by members, said Monday that joining the government is secondary issue.

The political reports presented by Bohara for endorsement states that the most important task for the party is to engage in making a democratic republican constitution and bring the peace process to a logical conclusion.

Bohara said the party should play a pivotal role during the first meeting of the CA to declare the country a republic.

While Bohara said it Maoist intimidation and internal weakness of the party for the failure of the party in the recent polls, politburo member Bamdev Gautam said the UML was defeated in the polls because the party did not forge an alliance with the Maoists.

Similarly, Nepali Congress has set conditions for handing over the government leadership to Maoists.

The party asked Maoist to dissolve its paramilitary structures, surrender or destroy arms, hand over seized property to rightful owners and end excesses to win support for formation of new government.

The party also called for dissolution of people’s courts and the people’s government and an end to anarchic and violent activities of the YCL.

The party has not taken formal decision whether to join the new government but pressure continues to mount not to join the new government. nepalnews.com ia May 13 08

People in five VDC’s of remote Palata region of far-western Kalikot district are facing acute food shortage.

As the farmers in the region largely depend on rainwater for crop production and sowing, the persistent drought since last year has made them unable to grow their crops resulting in a severe food shortage in the district, Kantipur Daily reports.

Around 35,000 people at Kin, Thirpu, Nanikot, Badalkot, Ramnakot and Dhaulagoha have been affected by the food shortage, making many of them go out to search for food in neighboring villages and district headquarters Manma.

The people of Palata region are not only hungry they are thirty too as there is also a shortage of drinking water in the region.

“We don’t even have enough drinking water in our village,” Chanda Biswokarma, a local, told the daily. While Birkhabahadur Bam of Khin VDC said that their livestock are dying fast so they have started to sell whatever is remaining at very low price.

“The drought has made our lives hard,” said Bishwokarma of Dhaulagoha-3,
who has been feeding his family with rice bought from neighboring villages. “Now we have no money, no work and no food all at the same time,” he said.

Ganga Bahadur Buda of Khin-1 said, “I had to pawn my jewelry and sell most
of my kitchen utensils just to buy rice. Now I have nothing.”

People in Palata want the district development committee to make air drops to supply foodstuff as an immediate solution and have also demanded construction of an irrigation system so that they no longer have to depend only on rainwater for growing crops.

Meanwhile, district chief of Nepal Food Corporation (NFC), Shanker Sapkota, told the daily that repeated calls to the central office for additional supplies of food stuff went unheard.

People in Palata region not only face acute food shortage, but are also forced to drink polluted water. Due to this many people in the region die of diarrhea, cold and other diseases every year. Last year only more than 100 people died in the region due to cholera, diarrhea and cold related diseases. nepalnews.com ag May 13 08

Chinese ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xianglin has claimed that Tibetans have been carrying out their protests in Kathmandu with backing from ‘foreigners’ and some human rights groups.

Speaking at the Reporters Club Monday, ambassador Xianglin said that the “separatists” are funded by anti-China foreign elements and that their objective would never be fulfilled. “Disintegration of China is impossible,” the visibly agitated ambassador stated.

The ambassador claimed that some UN agencies and local human rights groups had been persuading the Tibetans to continue their agitations, but he didn’t name any organisation.

Describing the ongoing agitations of Tibetans as a drama, Xianglin emphasised that the Nepal government should apply strict measures against the “anarchists”, complaining that the action against the protesters, especially the quick release of those apprehended, is insufficient. He, however, said China appreciates Nepal’s policy to restrict anti-China activists on her soil.

Responding to a query on China’s position over the future Maoist-led government, Xianglin said Chinese government will continue its support to Nepal irrespective of the change in the government here.

Saying that the China supports Nepali people’s verdict, the Chinese envoy said that the Nepali political parties need to forge consensus for peace and stability. nepalews.com May 12 08

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has called the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly (CA) on May 28 (11:00 am) at Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC), Baneshwor.

The Prime Minister, who also acts as the head of the state, announced the date for the CA meeting following consultations with the leaderships of political parties represented in the Assembly.

Last week, a meeting of the six parties of the seven-party alliance (SPA) had given him the responsibility to fix the date for CA meeting.

All major parties have already announced that the first CA meeting will abolish monarchy and declare Nepal a republican state. nepalnews.com mk May 12 08

All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has announced final 23 players on Monday for the upcoming AFC Challenge Cup Qualifies being played in Cambodia this month.

Organising a press conference at National Sports Council, Nepal’s Head Coach Thomas Flath announced the name that again has no place for right winger Nabin Neupane. Flath included Ananta Thapa – who retired unofficially from national football team- returned back to national side and Parbat Pandey of Nepal Police for the first time in the team.

The press release signed by Flath including two other assistant coaches; Bal Gopal Maharjan and Upendra Man Singh, states that Bikash Malla, Ritesh Thapa and Kiran Chemzong will vie for the pos under the bar.

Rakesh Shrestha, Chun Bahadur Thapa, Anjan K.C, Biraj Maharjan, Lok Bandu Gurung, Pradeep Maharjan, Bijaya Gurung, Jumanu Rai, Nirajan Rayamajhi, Vishad Gauchan, Sagar Thapa, Sandeep Rai, Bikash Singh Chhetri, Nirajan Khadka, Raju Tamang, Suman Subedi, Deepak Bhushal and Bharat Khawas are those players who impressed Thomas Flath.

Meanwhile, Coach Flath informed that team will leave the country on 15th May for Thailand before reaching to Cambodia. “We will play some un-official match in Thailand”, Flath told reporters.

Nepal has been grouped with hosts Cambodia, Macau and Palestine in the group. Only one team from the group will proceed on for the final round to be played in India. nepalnews.com bt May 12 08

The 8th National Veterinary Conference of Nepal Veterinary Association (NVA), Kathmandu concluded on May 10 forming a new committee under Dr Adarsh Pradhan who was elected as its president for two years tenure.

Similarly, Dr. Narayan Pd. Ghimire was elected as vice-president, Dr. Subir Singh was elected general secretary, Dr. Yadav Sharma Bajagai elected secretary and Dr. Rima Devi Shrestha as treasurer of the veterinary association.

The main slogan of the three-day event was “Veterinarian in global trade and poverty alleviation” and saw more than 400 veterinarians, scientists and delegates across the country and abroad attending it.

During the function, leading veterinarians, innovative farmers, co-operatives and organizations having distinguished contribution in the field of livestock development of Nepal, were felicitated.

Theme papers on industrial sectors and problems and issues related to veterinary profession especially focusing on Bird Flu and its preventive strategies were presented and seriously discussed during the event. nepalnews.com ag May 12 08

King Gyanendra visited the Dakshinkali temple and performed rituals Monday morning.

Accompanied by Queen Komal, the king left for the temple at 10 a.m. with a security convoys.

The beleaguered King offered Panchabali (sacrifice of five he-goats) to Dakshinkali, the Hindu goddess of power. Massive number of plainclothes security men were mobilised in and around the temple during the royal couple’s visit.

This was the King’s first public outing after the April 10 Constituent Cssembly (CA) polls.

The first sitting of the CA that is to take place in less than two weeks is set to abolish the monarchy and turn the country into a republic. nepalnews.com May 12 08