The UNMIN chief Ian Martin met with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Friday morning, to discuss about the stalled second stage verification of the Maoist People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Martin had also met with Maoist chairman Prachanda on Thursday to discuss the same issue. “Mr. Martin held general discussion of the peace process, one of the topics of which was the verification process. He also briefed the Prime Minister on his meeting with Prachanda,” Kieran Dwyer, spokesperson of the UNMIN, told Nepalnews.
Dwyer said that during his meeting with Martin, Prachanda had raised a number of issues and said they were not prepared to proceed with the second stage verification at this stage. Clarifying UNMIN’s position, Dwyer said, “While the Maoists have raised certain matters not connected with verification, and while this may be important, they should not stop verification proceedings.”
Although the UNMIN has completed the second stage verification of PLA in one camp in Ilam, the Maoists have requested to stop the process in other camps. Some reports have said that the Maoists are not satisfied with disqualification of some combatants during the process.
During his meeting with the Prime Minister Koirala on Thursday, Prachanda is also learnt to have proposed to defer the second-phase verification citing the current “fluid political situation” and the recent promotion of Nepal Army (NA) generals as well as the “politically motivated remarks” made by NA chief Rookmangud Katawal.
In the first phase, the UNMIN had registered 30,852 combatants and 3428 arms in seven PLA cantonment sites and 21 satellite camps. In the second stage, it is conducting detailed verification to disqualify those who were over the age of 18 on 25 May 2006, and who had joined the Maoist army before that date.
Aadikavi (first poet) Bhanubhakta Acharya was remembered by the literary community, students and linguists alike by organising various programmes on his 194th birth anniversary Friday.
The nation is commemorating the Aadikavi’s birth anniversary acknowledging his immense contribution to Nepali language and literature.
To mark the day, a life-size statue of the late poet was unveiled at his birthplace in Chudiramgha, Tanahun district, amidst a function today.
Later to be known as Aadikavi, Bhanubhakta Acharya was the first to translate the epic Ramayana from Sanskrit to generally understood Nepali language thus hugely contributing to building the foundation of Nepali literature through many of his epics and poems that he wrote. He is a revered not only in Nepal but beyond the national frontiers, Darjeeling, Sikkim and Deheradun.
Similarly, Nepal Education Council and Poet Bhanu Bhakta Foundation put flowers and garlanded the statue of Bhanubhakta in front of Ranipokhari today by organising a ceremony in his memory.
The foundation also awarded Adikavi Bhanubhakta Award to various persons who have contributed to Nepali language and literature in their own right.
Schools across the country also celebrate this day by organising poetry contest among the students.
Meanwhile, reports said the house where the nation’s most eminent poet was born is now in a dilapidated condition. Litterateurs as well as historians and academicians have often been warning that the nation may loose one of the important relics of Bhanubhakta if concerned authorities didn’t pay any heed to its renovation and preservation.
At least 24 people have died and several others injured in landslides in two western districts.
Reports coming in say at least 14 people died in a landslide in Gwalichour VDC, western district of Baglung, Thursday night. Six houses were swept away in the landslide that occurred after incessant rainfall in the area. Those killed in the disaster could not be identified immediately.
Gywalichour is some 30 km from the district headquarters Baglung Bazaar.
Over a dozen people were wounded in the landslide. A police team has been mobilised in the area for rescue works.
Meanwhile, 10 people including a minor were killed in a landslide in far-western Bajura district Friday morning.
Bramhatola VDC, where the landslide occurred, lies some 30 kilometers west from Baglung district headquarters.
All those killed in the calamity were labourers working in the Safebagar-Martadi road section, reports said.
The labourers who were sleeping unawares inside their tents, were killed after being buried in the landslide that hit at around 3 am in the morning.
The laborers were from Bajura and adjoining districts. A team has been dispatched from Doti district headquarters to carry out rescue operations in area.
Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, who presented his annual budget of 169 billion rupees on Thursday ‘scrapping’ the allowances for King Gyanendra and his family, has said the palace will still get around Rs 45 million for the new Fiscal Year.
Addressing a news conference at the Finance Ministry on Friday, Dr Mahat said that budget had not been allocated under the usual ‘palace category’ because the King had lost the position of the head of the state at this period. The budget for the palace will be managed by the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.
Last year, the government had allocated Rs 32.7 million for the King and the royal family members.
Dr Mahat said the King and the royal family would get Rs 25 million as allowances and Rs 20 million for repair and maintenance of the palace. However, the budget for the employees working in the palace has been transferred to the Ministry of General Administration.
The Finance minister said Rs 80 million had been allocated for the palace employees, who would be brought fully under the civil service within the next Fiscal Year.
Political parties, ethnic groups and civil society activists had asked the government not to allocate any money for the palace.
Cadres of the Jwala Singh faction of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) have murdered two members of a family in Saptari district.
Bishnu Shrestha and his sister-in-law Basanti Shrestha, who were abducted by a group of JTMM cadres from their house at Siswabelhi-7 Thursday night, were found dead at Dhangadhi VDC, Saptari, Friday morning, reports said.
The bodies of the victims showed multiple bullet injuries. The reason behind the killing is yet to be known.
Jwala Singh, the chief of this armed outfit, in an interview with Naya Patrika daily on Thursday said his group would intensify ‘physical action’ against people from the hills residing in the Terai region.
Two factions of the JTMM – another led by Jaya Krishna Goit – have carried out series of targeted killings of local Maoist leaders, government employees and civilians in Terai districts in recent weeks.
The parliamentary committee on environment, media and technology has finalised the draft of the Right to Information bill following discussions held at the parliamentary secretariat on Friday.
The bill proposes a three-member high commission on media to oversee the media environment in the country and work for expansion and promotion of the media sector.
The bill has made it mandatory to the public authorities to furnish any information demanded by agencies or individual citizens within 15 days. Refusal or denial to this mandatory responsibility would invite Rs 1,000-25,000 fines on the responsible official.
The provision is mandatory to NGOs as well.
Similarly, the government offices should appoint a spokesperson to coordinate with media and provide information to the seekers.
The bill is expected to be endorsed by the parliament during this monsoon session.
At least 26 people have been feared dead with some missing and several others injured in separate landslides in two western districts.
Reports coming in say at least 21 people are feared to have died in a landslide in Gwalichour VDC and Jaljala VDC in western district of Baglung, Thursday night. A number of houses were swept away in the landslide that occurred after incessant rainfall in Gwalichaur. Those killed in the disaster could not be identified immediately. Seven people are said to be still missing in the landslide in Gwalichaur.
Gywalichour is some 30 km from the district headquarters Baglung Bazaar.
Over a dozen people were wounded in the landslide. A police team has been mobilised in the area for rescue works.
Nepali Army (NA) deployed its chopper to rescue 14 injured persons from the area. NA soldiers have been mobilised for rescue mission.
Meanwhile, 5 people including a minor were killed in a landslide in far-western Bajura district Friday morning.
Bramhatola VDC, where the landslide occurred, lies some 30 kilometers west from district headquarters.
All those killed in the calamity were labourers working in the Safebagar-Martadi road section, reports said.
The labourers who were sleeping unaware inside their tents, were killed after being buried in the landslide that hit at around 3 am in the morning.
The laborers were from Bajura and adjoining districts. A team has been dispatched from Doti district headquarters to carry out rescue operations in area.
The Election Commission (EC) has proposed the schedule for the upcoming constituent assembly elections scheduled for November 22.
As per the EC schedule, the commission will publish the election programme on September 22. Parties and individuals will have to file their candidature by September 24 for direct election and by September 26 for election based on proportional representation. The commission will issue the election symbols to candidates and parties by October 10. The commission has set aside 41 days for public campaign for the candidates contesting the election.
The voting will be held on November 22 in one phase from 7 am to 5 pm, the EC has proposed.
The EC held discussion on its proposed schedule with the representatives of political parties, on Friday, at the EC office.
“We have also urged the parties to form joint 8-party mechanism up to the booth level. This will greatly facilitate the mobilisation of our employees,” said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Bhojraj Pokharel.
The proposed schedule will be finalised after discussion with the political parties in the interim parliament.
The British embassy in Kathmandu has refuted news reports that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has ordered review of Gurkha cases following his meeting with veteran Gurkha soldier and VC holder Tul Bahadur Pun in London a few days ago.
“At no point did the Prime Minister undertake to order a review of the benefits received by former Gurkhas,” states a press release by the Embassy.
The embassy indicated that British government has no plans for further review of issues relating to Gurkha soldiers who retired before July 1997. It said that in March this year, the Ministry of Defense had announced the results of its comprehensive review of the terms and conditions of Gurkha soldiers.
Earlier, news reports had said that during his meeting with Pun, British PM Brown had ordered his government’s appropriate authorities to review all issues related to Gurkhas and their families.
The Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organization (GAESO) officials had told a news conference in Kathmandu on Monday that Brown gave the order, responding to the request made by Tul Bahadur Pun VC, for a “full review of facilities including equal pension for Gurkhas at par with their British colleagues”.
They said GAESO representatives would hand over a memorandum to British officials, mentioning a complete full list of discriminatory provisions, which should be changed. Retired Gurkhas have long been demanding pension equal to their British counterparts.
Meanwhile, GAESO, on Thursday, has reacted to British embassy’s denial reiterating that British PM had indeed said he will do what he can to try and help Gurkhas.
During the meeting between Pun and Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the GAESO statement claims, Pun had respectfully requested that the new British Prime Minister allow “an unrestricted right of settlement in the UK to all his poor Gurkha comrades from Nepal.” He had also urged the British Prime Minister to consider the “ongoing question of the pension entitlements of pre-1997 Gurkhas, when set against the pension entitlements of their British comrades-in-arms.”
The GAESO statement adds, “While honouring and saluting Mr Pun VC, Prime Minister Gordon Brown assured Mr Pun VC that he will do all he can to try and help.”
“GAESO and Tul Bahadur Pun VC are honoured and deeply touched by the genuine goodwill of the new British Prime Minister. It is obvious that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has a deep desire to overcome poverty across the world, and that he is a man who has been particularly moved by the conditions faced by many loyal British Gurkha veterans.”
The statement issued by Mahendra Lal Rai, general secretary of GAESO, says, “At no time has GAESO stated that the British Prime Minister made any statement to Parliament or that the on-going pension issue had been resolved. GAESO has been wholly misreported. GAESO has, however, reported comments made by the Daily Mirror and accurately reported that the cordial meeting between Gordon Brown, Tul Bahadur Pun VC and the President of GAESO, Padam Bahadur Gurung, is a major step forward in creating a climate of consensus and co-operation. GAESO truly believes that the new British Prime Minister is a man of integrity, and a man who cares for the plight of those who have given loyal service to the British public.”
A vehicle belonging to Kantipur Publications has been torched by cadres of a group calling itself Gorkha Lion Liberation Army Society in Sarlahi district on Wednesday.
The vehicle, which was returning to Biratnagar after distributing newspapers, was torched in Banke jungle section located in the border between Sarlahi and Mahottari districts.
The jeep with registration number Ba 5 Cha 6910 was doused with petrol and set to fire by three youths who later claimed they were members of the hitherto unknown Gorkha Lion Liberation Army Society. They fled the scene claiming they were acting on orders from higher-ups without elaborating. No one was injured in the incident.