High-level commission grills then Home Minister Thapa

The high level commission formed to investigate atrocities committed during the popular movement of the country is grilling then Home Minister Kamal Thapa and Chief Secretary Lok Man Singh Karki on Friday.
The commission summoned them from 11.00 a.m. on Friday.
Talking to journalists at the premises of Commission upon arrival, Thapa said he will answer the queries of the commission. Thapa, who was there with his supporters, further said that he will answer queries of journalists after filing his statement.
According to radio reports, supporters of Thapa misbehaved with journalists and warned them not to ask unnecessary questions. They also chanted slogans in favour of Thapa.
Thapa is facing charge of using excessive force to suppress the pro-democracy movement of the country and directing security forces from Army Headquarter to use excessive force against pro-democracy activists.
Likewise, then Chief Secretary Karki told journalists that he will answer their queries after filing statement at the commission.
Karki is facing charges of playing an active role in suppressing the movement of civil servants.
Meanwhile, the Commission has summoned four former royal ministers and a police officer next week for interrogations over their role in the suppression of the janaandolan and misuse of state funds during the king's rule.
Those summoned are former ministers Khadga Bahadur GC, Roop Jyoti, Keshar Bahadur Bista and Prakash Koirala and DIG of the Armed Police Force Dilip Kumar Shrestha.
The commission had already summoned two vice-chairmen of the then council of ministers, some other members, suspended chiefs of the security agencies and people believed to be responsible for suppressing the pro-democracy movement of the country and also hinted that it might summon the then chairman of the council of Ministers.
His Majesty King Gyanendra was the chairman of the council of Ministers during the period.

Court permits police to detain two Pakistani nationals for five days

The Kathmandu District Court has permitted the District Police Office, Hanumandhoka, to detain two Pakistani national for five more days in charges of arms smuggling.
Judge Mohan Raman Bhattrai at the Kathmandu District Court issued the order.
The District Police Office Kathmandu had filed had a case at the Court seeking 15-days detention for investigation.
Two Pakistani nationals, Gulam Hussein Chima and Atta Muhaddin Siddhiqi, who are suspected of possessing 16kg RDX that was seized in Kathmandu five years ago, were arrested from Everest Hotel Wednesday morning.
The explosive was seized from their room in Kathmandu in April 2001, but both the suspects had fled arrest at that time.
It is not clear whether they were liked with the serial blasts in the Indian city of Mumbai.

Finance Minister presents Rs 144b annual budget .

Finance Minister Dr Ram Saran Mahat presented a Rs 143.91 billion budget for the fiscal year 2006/07 on Wednesday.

Reading out the budget at the House of Representatives, Mahat said the budget is focused on institutionalising democracy, establishing peace, election to constituent assembly and reconstruction and resettlement.
He announced to increase the Rs 0.5 million annual grant provided to each Village Development Committee to Rs 1 million and earmarked Rs 1.25 billion for election to constituent assembly. Mahat told the parliament that citizenship certificates would be distributed to Terai people, who have been deprived of citizenships, before the constituent assembly election.
Against the backdrop that the Maoists have been demanding immediate dissolution of the parliament, the Finance Minister proposed to give continuity to Election Constituency Development Programme as per which certain amount would provided to MPs to spent on development programmes in their respective constituencies.
Of the total Rs 143.9 billion, Rs 79.64 billion has been allocated for regular expenditure and Rs 64.276 billion for development programmes. “The estimate of expenditure is higher by 21.3 percent, 56.2 percent, 6.8 percent in capital expenditure, recurrent expenditure and repayment of principal amount respectively and the total expenditure is higher by 28.4 percent as compared to revised estimate of Fiscal Year 2005/06,” the budget paper stated.
Out of the estimated expenditure, Rs 80.825 billion will be borne from the current source of revenue, Rs 23.73 billion from foreign grant and Rs 16.97 billion from foreign loan. There will be a deficit of Rs 22.45 billion.


The government has downsized the annual expenditure of the Royal Palace by 45.8 percent, limiting it to Rs 219.6 million from Rs 405 million last year. The palace had received an extra amount of Rs 340 million last year from the previous government, according to the Finance Minister.
The government has allocated a total of Rs 52 billion for the social sector including Rs 22.66 billion for education, Rs 9.3 billion for health, Rs 6.19 billion for drinking water, Rs 8.81 billion for the overall power sector, Rs 4 billion for irrigation and water-induced disaster prevention programs. Similarly, Rs 7.71 billion has been earmarked for road construction and maintenance, Rs 3.96 billion for agricultural development and Rs 920 billion for judicial sector. Programmes worth Rs 100 million will be initiated for empowerment of women.
The government said the defence expenditure “cannot be decreased unless the number of Nepal Army cadres, which has been increasing for the last four years, is reduced to a given level”. The vacant positions would be made redundant automatically so that the cost comes down, the budget paper said.
The government offered 10 percent dearness allowances to civil servants and increased the monthly allowance for elderly to Rs 200 from Rs 150.
A sum of Rs 1.25 billion have been allocated to Poverty Alleviation Fund in the next fiscal year. The sum will be spent for 667 income generating programs, 369 community infrastructure development programs and some 1700 ‘creative programs’ in 1200 VDCs of 25 districts including 7 districts of far-western and 10 districts in mid-western districts.
The Finance Minister also proposed development and employment-generating plans for the backward Karnali region and allocated Rs 1.1 billion for reconstruction of destroyed physical structures and for assistance to the families of those killed during the 10-year armed conflict.
He said that after the successful conclusion of ongoing talks between the government and the CPN (Maoist), a large number of Maoist cadres would have to be assimilated into the national mainstream for which special programs for rehabilitation and income-generation would be launched.
The Finance Minister said the budget was formulated as per the aspirations of the people and suggestions of the political parties but there were limitations in addressing the aspirations and suggestions to the fullest due to resource crunch.

Maoists refute reports of importing arms

The Maoists have refuted allegations that they are importing arms from China during the period of ceasefire.
Talking to Nepalnews on Wednesday, central committee member of CPN-Maoist, Suresh Ale Magar, said that the allegation was an attempt to spoil the ongoing peace talks between the government and the Maoists.
He said that the charge was false and baseless, adding, “We are not importing arms from anywhere, let alone China, and we are committed to the 25-point code of conduct signed between the government and the Maoists.”
Magar added that the Maoists had not imported arms from China even during the "people's war" so there was no possibility of importing arms from China currently.
Earlier, during Tuesday’s meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC) parliamentary party, former Home Minister and a Nepali Congress leader Govind Raj Joshi quoted reports as saying that the rebels had procured arms from China and running camps at Kamidada of Kavre, to the east of Kathmandu. He also sought clarification from Home Minister K P Sitaula in this regard.
“We have heard that the Maoists have procured arms from China. This is a serious issue and the Home Minister must come up with the details,” Joshi told reporters after the meeting of the parliamentary party.
When contacted by Nepalnews, spokesperson at the Home Ministry Baman Prasad Neupane said that they did not have any information related to importing of arms. “We did not receive any such information,” Neupane added.
The government and the Maoists jointly signed a 25-point ceasefire code of conduct in the first round of talks between the government and Maoists on May 26 this year, which says both the parties would cease all types of military activities during ceasefire period.

visit this

Flood threat haunts locals

The impending danger of flooding by the Rohini River has been terrorizing the residents of inundation-prone Kerwani and Makrahar VDCs in the district lately. Several dozen residents of the area, who are highly susceptible to the danger, have already started searching for "safer places".
Around 45 impoverished families in Bhupusainik tole in Makrahar VDC-5 are a most terrified lot. Two years ago, flood swept away most of the houses and farmland in the area. Of the 45 families currently residing here, most are landless.
"I have already lost everything in the flood two years ago. Then, I was lucky enough to survive, but I may not be so lucky this time, so I am planning to move out," said Bal Bahadur Rana. However, the confused Rana, like others here, has no answer as to where he would go or what he would do after moving.
The village, located around 50 meters from the riverbank, is surrounded by water on all sides when the water level in the river rises, according to locals.
Likewise, the residents of neighboring Tatera village are under a similar threat. Eight to ten families in the village are displaced every year because of flooding.
3 homeless in Jaleshwor
Meanwhile, in Mahottari, flash flooding by the Ratu River Monday, triggered by heavy rainfall in the Chure area lately, inundated Dhobauli village of Jaleshwor Municipality-13. The families of Hakim Safi, Kasim Safi and Chandar Mahoto were rendered homeless after flooding destroyed their houses. While the victims are pleading for relief supplies, the police, surprisingly, have stated that they are unaware of this.
Authorities yet to reach
Though the entire Chaupheri and Kuduwa villages in Holiya VDC, Banke district remain submerged by the swollen Rapti River since Saturday afternoon, the authorities have not reached the area as of Monday evening. According to locals, the two villages remained totally cutoff for two days and locals could only reach there on Monday morning. "But neither the police nor the Red Cross people have reached here so far," said boatman Indra Sen Loniya. Several dozen houses in Chaupheri village in ward number 2, 3 and 4 and Kuduwa village in ward number 1 of Holiya VDC have been affected

Government reiterates commitment to peace process

The government has expressed commitment to continue the peace process with the Maoists.

In its policy and programmes presented at the House of Representatives on Sunday, the government said it will restore lasting peace in the country as per the people’s aspiration by holding election of the constituent assembly in an fearless environment as per the agreement between the government and the Maoists.
The policy and programme further said that the government is committed to restore peace in the country by holding the election of the constituent assembly after forming an interim government after adopting an interim constitution and asked for assistance from all walks of life.
The government will implement the agreements including arms management reached between the government and the Maoists and the seven party alliance and Maoists.
The government will take assistance of United Nations as required for weapons management and the peace process.
The policy and programmes presented by the Deputy Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli due to ill-health of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala further said the government will be manage the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police as per the changed political situation.
“The government will develop responsible security mechanism for the protection of people’s lives and properties,” Oli said.
The government has announced appropriate compensation to the families of the victims of the popular movement of the country.
The government has also decided to give loan to the landless freed Kamaiyas (bonded labourers) in discounted interest rates.
To meet the growing demand of electricity and to solve the problem of load shedding, the government has decided to initiate some middle level hydropower projects.
The policy and programmes said the government will make legal provision to implement the historic proclamation of the parliament.
The government will launch relief programmes for the people affected by the conflict and will prioritize reconstruction of infrastructures destroyed by it.
Stating that there is vast gap between the available resources and expectation of the people, the government will work for proper utilization and management of resources, the policy and programmes said.
The policy and programmes said that the government will move ahead as per the concept of partnership among the government, general people, private sector and non-governmental sector for the development of the country.
The policy and programmes further said the government will provide certain grants to the village development committees fulfilling certain criteria for construction of road, irrigation project, drinking water, school buildings apart from the regular development expenditure.
Foreign aid will be mobilized in the national priorities including construction of rural infrastructures and for the poverty alleviation, it said.
The government will give proper attention for the development of road infrastructures and the government will link seven district headquarters by the end of this fiscal year.
The government has expressed commitment to take necessary step to remove irregularities of fiscal sector and will take action against willful defaulters.
The government will organize promotional programmes to increase the flow of tourists visiting Nepal and will make the air service more reliable.
“Though there are some opportunities to Nepal due to its association with the regional and global trading arrangements like SAFTA and the WTO, challenges are also emerging, so the government will work to get maximum benefit from the WTO after lobbying along with the small and least developed countries,” Oli said while presenting the policy and programmes.
The government will announce a special development package for the Karnali region and also create employment opportunities in the region.
The government will give continuity to the programme “Education for All” to ensure participation of all in the primary education.
The government will provide scholarships to all girls from class one to ten of Karnali zone and scholarships to 50 percent girls of the rest of the 70 districts. Similarly, the government will provide scholarships to the students of dalit communities and families below the poverty line, the policy paper said.
The government will focus on skill development and amend the laws to make the foreign employment sector systematic. The government will give proper attention to develop human resources for self-employment within the country and to enhance the quality of foreign employment.
The government will implement the programme of skill development and empowerment of women to bring the women into mainstream. The government will form and implement the laws for equality of women by amending discriminatory laws against women.
Oli said the government will form policies to provide health facilities to the people of rural areas and to the people injured during the people’s movement of the country.
The government will make provision to ensure people’s right to information. The government will make the state-run Radio Nepal, Nepal Television, Gorkhapatra and Rastriya Samachar Samiti independent, self dependent and competitive. The government will also encourage development of private electronic media, Oli said.
Timely changes will be made to make civil service more dignified. The government will provide allowances to civil servants to meet the rising inflation.
The government will make necessary structural reform to solve the citizenship problem of terai region and to provide citizenship certificate from the mothers’ name.
The government will initiate efforts to resolve the Bhutanese refugee problem and to return all Bhutanese refugees to their homeland, Oli said.
The policy further said Nepal’s diplomatic mission abroad will be utilized to promote national interest in the issues of tourism, trade and employment.
Earlier, His Majesty the King used to read out the programme before the joint session of the parliament, but the cabinet decided to present the policy and programmes of the government through the Prime Minister .