Inter Party Women’s Alliance (IPWA) has demanded that at least 13 women should be given a chance to enter the Constituent Assembly out of the 26 who will be nominated by the cabinet.

Organising a press conference in the capital Sunday, Alliance members said that the promise made by the parties to guarantee a minimum 33 percent women representation in the CA would remain unfulfilled if the government fails to select 50 percent women candidates in the nominated seats.

A meeting of the IPWA chaired by president Uma Adhikari earlier today had endorsed the demand. nepalnews.com mk May 11 08

More than 500 hundred Tibetan exiles were arrested during their demonstration in Kathmandu on Sunday against the recent crackdown by the Chinese government on ‘pro-autonomy’ protesters in Tibet.

Police moved into action as soon as hundreds of Tibetans gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy’s visa section at Hattisar. Dozens of Tibetan nuns were among those arrested from the all-women demonstration.

It was the largest number of protesters detained on a single day since Tibetans started their protests from March 10. Normally, police authorities release the detained Tibetans later in the day.

The Tibetans have been organising protests in Kathmandu almost everyday since last few days. nepalnews.com mk May 11 08

Amnesty International (AI) has called on the Constitutional Assembly (CA) members who are preparing to take their seats in the constitutional drafting body which is expected to declare Nepal a republic to fulfill their election pledges to build a “New Nepal”, to seize the historic opportunity to place human rights protections “at the heart of their work”.

The mass people’s movement of April 2006, the Jana Andolan, precipitated high expectations of renewed respect for human rights in Nepal. However within a climate of persistent impunity, these expectations are yet to be fulfilled, said the London based rights watchdog.

In a statement on 11 May, AI said that it recognises the enormous economic and social challenges that the new CA and future coalition government faces, but added that “now is the moment to commit in earnest to the delivery of effective human rights protection for all in Nepal”.

Based on the findings of an extensive and wide-ranging visit in February and March 2008, Amnesty International has set out a selection of key priorities for action by the future government and incoming CA, including accountability for past abuses, human rights-based security sector reform, protection and inclusion of minority groups, and urgent steps to stop violence against women. nepalnews.com ag May 11 08

A group of Nepal Student Union (NSU) activists staged demonstration in front of the venue of Nepali Congress central working committee (CWC) meeting in Baluwatar, demanding immediate change in the current NSU leadership.

The protesting NSU men demanded that the NC leadership call the general convention of the NSU to choose a new central committee. They have accused the current leadership of failing to play an active role in favour of the parent party in the recent elections.

The NSU dissidents had staged similar protest at the NC’s CWC meeting venue last week also.

The CWC meeting, which resumed in Baluwatar this morning, is discussing the party’s position regarding the incoming government – most likely be led by the Maoists; the grievances coming from the party ranks over the selection of candidates for proportional seats; and revamping of the leadership in the aftermath of the party’s electoral loss. nepalnews.com mk May 11 08

The CPN (Maoist) has started consultations with Terai-centric parties as it prepares to lead the next government.

The Maoist leadership engaged in a tête-à-tête with leaders of Madhesi parties including Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) which performed remarkably well in the April 10 elections.

Maoist leaders first conferred with Terai Madhesh Loktantric Party (TMLP), Sadbhawana Party (SP) and then with MJF leaders separately.

The meeting held at Prachanda’s Nayabazaar residence mostly centered on formation of the next government, first meeting of the Constituent Assembly and implementation of republic. In the meeting, TMLP and SP leaders are learnt to have made it clear to the Maoist leadership that though they would not be a part of the new government they would extend their active support to it by remaining outside.

However, the meeting between CPN (Maoist) and MJF leaders was especially significant as the former arch-rivals are known to have reached a sort of an understanding on forming the new government prior to the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly.

MJF coordinator Upendra Yadav, who is himself a former Maoist, told media persons after the meeting that the Maoists have also agreed to their proposal that the new government should nominate the 26 members for the CA.

Yadav also said that the present caretaker government doesn’t have the right to take such an important decision and should leave it to the new government of which his party is willing to be a part as a fourth largest party of the CA.

During the meeting MJF also took up the issue of constitutional amendment with Maoist leadership. The MJF has been seeking an amendment to the constitution so as it provisions for the removal of prime minister with a simple majority. However, the meeting failed to make any concrete decision regarding this as the Maoists are said to be against making any amendment
to the constitution.

Maoist second-in-command Dr Baburam Bhattarai, TMLP’s Hridayesh Tripath, SP’s Rajendra Mahato and MJF’s Upendra Yadav and Bijaya Gachhedar were present in the meeting. nepalnews.com ag May 11 08

Newly appointed Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood on Sunday met CPN (Maoist) chairman Prachanda for the second time in less than a week to discuss the formation of the next government which is likely to be headed by Prachanda himself.

During the meeting held at Prachanda’s Nayabazaar residence, Indian envoy
Sood also tried to learn what place would be accorded to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in the new government.

A source who had access to the meeting said that in the meeting Sood proposed to the Maoist supremo that Koirala be made the first president of republican Nepal; Maoist take up the executive premiership and UML be given the chairman of Constituent Assembly.

Although in recent public functions Prachanda has been maintaining that in the next government the prime minister and the head of state should be one person, he has however also talked about giving a respectable place to Koirala in it. The election manifesto of the party had provision for executive Head of State and Prachanda had in the run up to the election presented himself as the next president.

The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly, agendas to be discussed there, implementation of republican agenda were also discussed in the meeting.

Prachanda’s deputy Dr Baburam Bhattarai was also present in the meeting.

Immediately after assuming office in Kathmandu, Sood had intensified his parleys with leaders of major political parties. He had met PM Koirala last week and discussed the ongoing peace process, formation of new government and India’s support in the post-election scenario. Sood is said to be pressing for keeping Koirala as the “ceremonial president”. nepalnews.com ag May 11 08

Prime Life Insurance Company Limited has obtained operating license from Beema Samiti, the regulator of the insurance sector in Nepal, to conduct life insurance business in Nepal.

The Company is promoted by Nepal’s leading and highly prominent business groups having widely diversified business interests and expertise. Laxmi Bank Limited, a leading commercial bank in Nepal, is one of the promoters with a significant stake.

The Company will commence its operations from 1st week of June, 2008 and has plans to offer life insurance products bundled with innovation and superior customer services. nepalnews.com May 11 08

Elected Central Working Committee member of Nepali Congress, Purna Bahadur Khadka, has resigned from his post expressing dissatisfaction over party leadership’s incompetence and their inability to take moral responsibility for the party’s humiliating defeat in the CA polls.

Khadka also criticized the party’s top leaders for failing to check the Maoist highhandedness while tendering his resignation at the party’s CWC meeting Saturday.

“The party is heading towards a further disaster due to the central leadership’s incompetence,” said Khadka adding, “In this situation I cannot continue as CWC members just to become a witness to the party’s drift toward a complete failure.”

He also accused the party’s top leaders – Girija Prasad Koirala, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Sushil Koirala – of working in dictatorial manner while fielding party candidates in the election and selecting the CA members from the proportional representation list.

“The seats were distributed like the leaders’ shares and the parliamentary board ignored the central working committee’s role in finalizing the list,” said Khadka, adding, “The martyrs’ families who were included in the list were also ignored.” nepalnews.com ag May 11 08

Rising customer confidence and smooth rise of shares helped the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index gain 31.15 points this week to close at 771.33 points on Thursday, the final day of stock trading.

A total of 613,520 shares worth Rs 536.3 million were traded through 4,524 transactions during the week.

Group-wise trading showed that development bank’s shares registered a growth of 101.20 points reaching 1037.59 points. Commercial bank’s group and insurance group gained 41.41 points and 15.84 points to finish at 777.49 points and 749.6 points respectively.

Hydropower sector witnessed a meager growth this week, gaining 2.11 points to end at 1046.05 points while hotels’ and finance companies’ group were among the losers this week as their index went down. nepalnews.com ag May 11 08

Non Resident Nepalis (NRNs) from Russia have contributed 32 computers to 10 schools in six districts on Saturday.

NRNA spokesperson Dr Jugal Bhurtel handed over the computers to Magasaysay winner Mahabir Pun and principal of Arunodaya Secondary School Nani Ram Basnet at a function at the NRN secretariat, to be distributed to schools in Kathmandu, Myagdi, Kaski, Tahanu and Makawanpur.

On the occasion, NRNA president Dr Upendra Mahato announced to contribute 5 computers each and labs to Karjanha Janasewa School of Siraha and National Phul Kumari Mahato School in Bandipur.

Pun will assist in connecting internet to all schools getting computers while Canada based Nepal Library Foundation will monitor the works.

Dr Bhurtel expressed hope the facilities will help these schools connect with the world to lessen the digital divide and urged the Nepali Diaspora to make similar contributions. nepalnews.com ia May 11 08