No mid-June elections if Interim Statute is not issued soon: Election Commission

The Election Commission has said that the Constituent Assembly elections would not be possible by Mid-June this year if the Interim Constitution is not issued as soon as possible. Addressing a press conference at the commission’s office in the capital Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Bhoj Raj Pohkrel said that the Interim Statute was absolutely necessary for additional election laws and directives. Pokhrel also informed that training programmes regarding the elections would not be possible if the Village Development Committee (VDC) secretaries do not return to their respective villages by January 9. “The longer the interim statute is delayed, the preparations needed to hold the constituent assembly elections will fall behind further, “CEC Pokhrel said. Saying that collecting the electoral rolls for the constituent assembly elections was the most challenging task, the Commission has informed that the voters’ list could be prepared by the end of Chaitra (mid April) if the necessary voting laws were prepared in time. Meanwhile, the commission has started training election officials in the districts. The commission plans to deploy 4700 officials to train local election officials to collect the voters’ list. The commission has also informed that some 22,000 officials will be required to collect names from across the country for the voters’ list. At today’s press conference, CEC Pokhrel also informed that preparations were underway to use semi-transparent ballot boxes in the elections. Meanwhile, head of the UN team to assist in Nepal’s peace process, Ian Martin also discussed the different aspects of the constituent assembly election with the Election Commission officials today.

Another Janandolan if Interim Statute delayed, warns Prachanda

Maoist Chairman Prachanda has warned the government of another “Janandolan” if the Interim Constitution is not issued by the end of this Nepali month (January 14). The Maoist Supremo also disclosed that the government and the Maoists had already reached an agreement to issue the Interim Statute by Jan 9. Prachanda made the comment while talking to journalists in Dolakha district today. He also claimed that the Nepali people “would rise in rebellion” at their (Maoist) call if a situation is created where the constituent assembly elections cannot take place. “What I think is- let’s not say by January 9- but if the interim constitution is not issued, interim legislature not formed, by the end of this (Nepali) month (Jan 14), then we won’t be left with any other alternative; we will go for protests,” Prachanda said. Prachanda also said that he had come to Dolakha “to study the possibilities of developing economic models for the building of a new Nepal.” Saying that he was “positive” about the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, Prachanda stressed the need for domestic investment in such projects. Prachanda who reached Dolakha on Wednesday toured district headquarters Charikot, Tamakoshi Bazaar, Mainapokhari and Jiri with his wife and children. During his tour, he interacted and took photos with the local people. Meanwhile, speaking at a different programme in Palpa district today, CPN UML leader Bamdev Gautam also warned that his party will withdraw from the government if the interim constitution is not promulgated by mid-January.

Speaking at an interaction programme organized by Press Chautari, Palpa, Gautam also stressed on promulgating the interim statute and holding constituent assembly election in time. He also said that the main objective of the constituent assembly election was to uproot the monarchy and that he would spread the same message in villages across the country.

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Parties, rights groups condemn arrest of civil society activists

Human rights groups and the political parties including the CPN (Maoist) have flayed the arrest of leading civil society activists from their peaceful sit-in programme in front of the Prime Minister's residence in Baluwatar Monday afternoon.

The CPN (UML), a key ally of the coalition cabinet, in a statement condemned the arrest of some 63 civil society leaders and asked the government to immediately release the arrested persons.

Likewise, Maoist spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara said his party was 'angered' by the mistreatment and arrest of the civil society leaders, who were carrying out sit-in protest peacefully, demanding immediate promulgation of the interim constitution for timely election to constituent assembly.

"Our party strongly denounces such mistreatment and arrest of senior civil society leaders and demands their immediately release," Mahara's statement said, adding, "The government's attempt to silence the voices of the civil society has not only worried those advocating for democracy, peace and progress but it has also made the anti-constituent assembly elements happy."

The Maoist party also urged the government to gear up for promulgation of the interim constitution rather than engaging in such activities.

The Joint Forum for Human Rights and Peace (JFHRP) said the government action in the peaceful sit-in of civil society leaders have reminded of the brutality of erstwhile royal regime. A JFHRP press statement signed by 22 leading rights activists including Dam Nath Dhungana, Padma Ratna Tuladhar, Sindhunath Pyakurel, Gopal Sibakoti 'Chintan' Malla K Sundar and Dr Purna Kanta Adhikari asked the government to immediately release the arrested activists.

Likewise, Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) said the arrest of the civil society leaders mocked the democratic norms and the spirit of the people's movement in April 2006.

The Citizens Movement for Democracy and Peace, Unity Centre (Masal), Progressive Writers' Association and Rural Rehabilitation Organisation also flayed the arrest of civil society activists and called for their immediately release.

Police arrested 63 civil society leaders including Dr Devendra Raj Pandey, Shyam Shrestha, Dr Sundarmani Dixit, Mahesh Maskey, FNJ president Bishnu Nisthuri and Khagendra Sangraula from outside the PM's residence at around 11:00 am as soon as they started their sit-in.

Meanwhile, the arrested civil society activists who have been kept at the No. 2 Battalion of the Armed Police Force (APF) at Maharajgunj have said they would continue sit-in at the detention centre unless the Home Minister apologised for the police action in the peaceful demonstration.

"We have always been carrying out pressure campaigns and our movement will go on," Dr Pandey told media persons at the APF custody. nepalnews.com mk Jan 01 07

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