Summit meeting begins at Baluwatar

The much-awaited summit talks between the ruling seven-party alliance (SPA) and the Maoist leadership started at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s residence in Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Sunday morning.

Key SPA leaders including PM Koirala, CPN (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nepali Congress (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Deuba and other leaders arrived at Baluwatar at around 8:00 a.m. while Maoist chairman Prachanda arrived with his team only at 9:00 a.m.
The Maoist team comprises three other senior leaders - Dr Baburam Bhattrai, Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ and Krishna Bahadur Mahara. Two members of the Maoist talks team, Dev Gurung and Dina Nath Sharma, are not participating in the meeting while government’s three-member team led by Home Minister KP Situala are joining it.
Nepali Congress leaders Mahesh Acharya and Amod Upadhyaya, Jhal Nath Khanal and Bharat Mohan Adhikari of the UML, Dr. Minendra Rijal of the NC-D, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP-Anandidevi) leaders Hridayesh Tripathy, Rajendra Mahato and Bharat Bimal Yadav; president of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) Narayan Man Bijukchhe as well as leaders of the United Left Front are also participating in the summit talks.
The Maoist leaders were escorted by unarmed the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) members and party activists when they arrived at Baluwatar. The PLA men didn’t allow media persons to approach their leaders. Media persons were kept off the talks venue.
The summit meeting will discuss and reach consensus on all outstanding political issues including interim constitution, interim government, interim parliament, management of arms and the position of monarchy, according to leaders.
Civil society leaders Devendra Raj Pandey and Daman Nath Dhungana are also joining the summit meeting as observers.
Hundreds of civil society activists and political workers staged sit-in in front of the PM’s residence demanding concrete decisions out of the summit meeting.
Though it remains unknown how long the meeting will continue, SPA sources said preliminary understanding on major issues could be reached today itself while the final announcement might come tomorrow.

UNHCR welcomes US offer to resettle Bhutanese refugees

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has welcomed the US government’s offer to take in up to 60,000 Bhutanese refugees in the US over the next 3-4 years.
"This extremely welcome and generous offer, plus interest also shown by Canada and Australia in settling these refugees, may help break the deadlock which has existed for many years in finding a positive and lasting solution for these people. We consider that all options should still be kept open for a comprehensive solution to the plight of the refugees, UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis said at a press briefing on Saturday at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
"We've known for some time that several resettlement countries were considering accepting refugees from Bhutan, but the US announcement is the first concrete offer," she said.
Pagonis, however, maintained that the way ahead was still complex. "Firstly, and most importantly, it's up to the refugees to decide if they want to be resettled. Many have held to the idea of returning to Bhutan and may not want to resettle. Their decision will be respected."
She further said, "But recently, we've noticed more refugees want to be resettled and start a new life. Young adults and children who were born and grew up in the camps and who know Bhutan only from their parents' stories are like youngsters anywhere – they have dreams and career ambitions and can't achieve them sitting in a refugee camp."
She noted that vulnerable refugees who find camp conditions particularly tough would also be glad of the opportunity for a less restricted and difficult life in a resettlement country.
”We hope the Nepalese government will maximise the opportunity being presented by these interested countries to help resolve this very protracted situation,” she further said.
Earlier this week in Geneva, US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugee and Migration Affairs, Ellen Sauerbrey, announced that the US was ready to resettle up to 60,000 out of some 106000 refugees from Bhutan who have been living in camps in eastern Nepal for the last 16 years.
15 rounds of ministerial level talks between Nepal and Bhutan have ended in deadlock. Bilateral negotiations remain stalled since last two years after the Bhutanese Joint Verification Team (JVT) members were allegedly mistreated by the refugees.

PM Koirala discusses Congress unification with KP Bhattarai

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and founding member of the Nepali Congress (NC) Krishna Prasad Bhattarai held discussion regarding the party unification at the latter's residence in Bhaisepati, Lalitpur, on Thursday.

The meeting that started at around 3:30 p.m. lasted for nearly an hour.

Talking to journalists after the meeting, Koirala, who heads the NC, said that Bhatatrai and himself agreed that unification between the NC and the NC (Democratic) party unification is the need of the hour to address the problems facing the country.

The two leaders also discussed the modalities of party unity and the agreement of central leadership after unification.

On the occasion, Koirala handed over an invitation to Bhattarai to attend the tea reception to be organised by the NC on Saturday. Initiated by Late B.P. Koirala after his return to Nepal from India in 2033 BS, the NC has been hosting tea party on kojagrat poornima (end of the Dashain festival) every year.

Former Prime Minister Bhattarai is known to be closer to Sher Bahadur Deuba-led NC (D).

SaratSingh Bhandari and Dr Narayan Khadka of NC (D) were present during the meeting.

Koirala had met with NC (D) president Deuba Wednesday to discuss the party unification. nepalnews.com ia Oct 05 06

Helicopter with 24 passengers including Minister Rai, WWF officials missing

A Shree Airlines helicopter bound for Suketar from Ghunsa, Taplejung, with 24 passengers on board, went missing since Saturday morning.
Chief District Officer of Taplejung district, Hem Nath Dawadi said that the 9AN helicopter had gone out of contact this morning at around 9 while returning to Suketar from Ghunsa.
According to Dawadi, State Minister for Forest, Gopal Rai, some media persons are among those who were onboard on the missing chopper.
Minister Rai and media persons including officials from the World Wild Life Fund (WWF) had reached Taplejung to attend a function to mark the handing over of the Kanchanjunga Conservation Area to the local community.

Others on board include: Pauli Mustonen, Charge d'affaires at the Embassy of Finland, Dr. Harka Gurung, Mohan Prasad Wagle of Forest Ministry, Dr. Bijanan Acharya of USAID, Dr Jill Bowling, conservation director of WWF-UK, Dr Tirtha Man Maskey, vice-president of Asian Rhino Conservation Department, Dr. Chandra Prasad Gurung of WWF-Nepal, Dr Damodar Prasad Parajuli, acting secretary at the Ministry of Forest, Sharad Rai, director general of Department of Forest, Narayan Poudel, director general of Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation, Margaret Alexander of USAID, Mingma Nurbu Sherpa of WWF-US, Jennifer Headley, WWF UK Coordinator, Eastern Himalayas, Hem Raj Bhandari and Sunil Singh of Nepal Television, AC Lama, senior programme officer of WWF Nepal, Matthew Preece, Bijay Kumar Shrestha of FNCCI, Dawa Tsering Sherpa of Kanchanjungha Conservation Area, and four crew members that include Captain Klim Kim, Saffron Vallery, Tandu Shrestha, pilot Migma Tsering Sherpa.
Two helicopters of the Nepal Army have been dispatched to carry out the search operation, officials at the Rescue Coordination at TIA said.
However, due to the "deteriorating" weather condition in the areas, rescue operation have been affected, the officials added.
Local Sherpas from Ghunsa told the authorities at Taplejung that the helicopter had taken off at 11: 30 this morning and soon after which they heard a loud noise.

Terror could sneak in through Nepal

UNION MINISTER of State for Home Affairs Shriprakash Jaiswal expressed apprehensions that terrorists could sneak into the country through the open Indo-Nepal border.
He even said that the Union government had enough information regarding the possible misuse of the open border and had decided to strengthen security arrangements at the Indo-Nepal border. Forces of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and police would be increased, he said.
Jaiswal was here to inspect the SSB office and discuss the problems faced by them in handling anti-social elements at the border.
Talking to mediapersons, the minister said 72 new SSB posts would be established at the border and 41 new battalions would be deployed for its round-the-clock monitoring.
Jaiswal claimed that Naxalite problem was well under control and Naxalites were contained even in the worst affected Andhra Pradesh.
However, he admitted that in Chhatisgrah state the problems continued.
He reiterated that the Union government was providing all possible help to the states facing Naxal menace.
Jaiswal stressed that state governments should focus on strengthening the intelligence network to foil any terrorist attempt.
Responding to a question Jaiswal admitted that terrorist activities had increased recently and said various factors were responsible for it.
He hinted at the neighbouring country’s role in abetting terrorism in India.Hitting hard at the SP-led State government, he said there was no rule of law in UP. Satisfactory law and order situation was must for development in any state, he said.
Fund misuse
SHARPENING HIS attack on Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav for his dole politics, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shriprakash Jaiswal said the State government should issue white papers on income and expenditure of the State and alleged that funds provided by the Union government for various welfare schemes were being misused by the chief minister.
Terming the unemployment allowance as a bid to consolidate vote banks, Jaiswal said youths were being treated as beggars.

UN Urges Nepal to Hold Those Responsible for Protest Deaths Accountable

The United Nations in Nepal is calling for greater accountability for those responsible for the deaths of 18 protesters in anti-government demonstrations in April. The protests brought about the restoration of democratic freedoms that had been suspended by King Gyanendra, whose role in the crackdown is also under investigation.
United Nations human rights officials say the Nepal government created the conditions that led to the deaths of 18 demonstrators when it tried to ban anti-government protests.
Tens of thousands of protesters defied the ban in April in a series of protests demanding that King Gyanendra bring back democratic freedoms he had revoked in 2005. Police and military personnel responded, the U.N. says, with excessive force.
Kieran Dwyer, a spokesman for the U.N. human rights office, says a lot of that violence may have been avoided had the government respected the protesters rights to peaceful assembly.
"The government was hell-bent on preventing the demonstrations from occurring in the first place," said Dwyer. "So the demonstrations occurred in the context of a crackdown, so that the security forces were trying to enforce curfews, enforce blanket bans on demonstrations. So you automatically had the context of confrontation."
The demonstrations eventually forced King Gyanendra to relinquish control of the government and the armed forces. Nepal is now ruled by an interim government, which will remain in place until elections for a new Constituent Assembly can be held, most likely next year.
The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights in Nepal released its findings about the April protests in a report Thursday. It urges the interim government to respect the rights of demonstrators, Dwyer says, because protests and marches continue to take place as Nepal readies itself for elections.
The report may be used by Nepalese officials investigating who was responsible for the violence and the protesters' deaths.
Investigators have said they will call King Gyanendra in for questioning - a move that would set a precedent for a country that until April saw the monarch as largely above the law.
The U.N. was not able to determine who gave the orders to fire on protesters. But it calls on Nepal to hold those officials accountable, no matter how senior they are.
"We have not, in our report, interviewed the king. And we have not made determinations at the highest levels who was making decisions," noted U.N. human rights office spokesman. "We were unable to determine that ourselves. But we have made the point that in determining accountability, [the] chain of command and those responsible for ordering excessive use of force should be held accountable."
So far, no date has been given for the questioning of King Gyanendra.

Nepal government should learn from Thai ku.

The 17th Thai Ku should aware the Nepal Government with concern to the mangement of Nepal army.- by Wikalp

The news of ku is as follows:

Thai military leaders have begun consolidating their hold on power after staging a coup while Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was abroad.
Martial law has been declared, with large gatherings of people and critical news reporting banned.
Mr Thaksin's deputy and chief aide, Chidchai Vanasathidya, has been taken into army custody.
Army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin said in a TV address that the coup was necessary to unite the country.
The military had no intention of holding onto power, he added.
The coup leaders have announced that regional army commanders will take charge of areas outside the capital, Bangkok.
They have also ordered provincial governors and heads of government agencies to report to them.
The country's stock market, banks and schools will be closed on Wednesday, which has been declared a public holiday.

BBC World, CNN and other international TV news channels have been taken off the air, while Thai stations have been broadcasting footage of the royal family and patriotic songs.
Gen Sonthi made his brief address while flanked by the heads of the three services and the police, and backed by giant portraits of the king and queen,
He said Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's policies had created serious divisions.
"We have seized power. The constitution, the senate, the house of representatives, the cabinet and the constitutional court have all been terminated," he said.
"We agreed that the caretaker prime minister has caused an unprecedented rift in society, widespread corruption, nepotism, and interfered in independent agencies, crippling them so they cannot function.
"If the caretaker government is allowed to govern it will hurt the country.
"They have also repeatedly insulted the king. Thus the council needed to seize power to control the situation, to restore normality and to create unity as soon as possible."
Mr Thaksin cancelled a speech he was due to give at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday evening as news of the coup emerged.
It is unclear whether he intends to return home.

French national arrested with gun at TIA

Security officials at the Tribhuwan Internation Airport (TIA) arrested a French national trying to board a flight with a gun Wednesday morning.
Lenain Fredric,40, with Passport No: 03XT06985 was arrested with a German made 4.5mm/0.177mm gun as he was trying to board an 8:00am Nepal Airlines flight to Bangkok, security officials at TIA said.
The gun was found in his luggage. The official said that Fredric has conceded that it was his gun.
According to Senior Superindent of Police Praksh Kunwar, Fredric is a cyclist and entered Nepal via Tibet after visitng Srilanka, India and Pakistan.
The recovered gun uses pillets and not bullets, the police official informed adding they had also recovered four pillets.
“He has claimed that he is a cyclist and uses the gun to keep off dogs and other animals during his travel”, the official informed adding , “ we have taken him under control and investigation is underway.”

Lawmakers criticise Moriarty’s statement; demand his expulsion

Members of the House of Representatives have strongly criticised US Ambassador to Nepal James F Moriarty for his political statements and comments on Nepal’s internal affairs.

Speaking at a special session of the parliament on Sunday, lawmaker of People’s Front Nepal Lilamani Pokhrel said that Moriarty has been interfering in Nepal’s politics either by visiting several army barracks or by giving political statements.
“Why is the government not taking the issue seriously and why is it letting him get involved in such political activities here?,” Pokhrel asked. He also demanded his expulsion from Nepal.
“Either the government should order Moriarty to leave the country or he should abide by diplomatic norms,” he added.
“Can our ambassador to the US visit American army barracks and report it to the government here?” Pokhrel asked, referring to Moriarty’s recent visit to mid and far western regions.
Likewise, Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party’s lawmaker Narayan Man Bijukchhe also criticised Moriarty and said that he has been interfering in the domestic affairs of a sovereign country.
MPs also criticised the government for its “inability” to maintain law and order.
Saying that Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula is unable to perform his duty, MP Pokhrel demanded his resignation.

New Nepali national anthem by November

 

A new national anthem, which will incorporate the feelings of the Jana Andolan and will also honour the country's natural and ethnic diversity, will be prepared by November-end, Satya Mohan Joshi, the coordinator of the National Anthem Selection Task Force, told media persons on Tuesday. "We are working on a war-footing. We have already received over 700 songs, but are extending our working period so as to include more songs in the historic competition," Joshi said. Though many songs are good, they are either too long or too complicated or do not carry the sentiments of the people's movement and represent the people's mandate, he said, adding, "We want to select a song, which represents the people and the country they live in." Joshi is a member of the 14-member task force formed under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. However, he said he himself would not submit his creation for the contest. According to Modnath Prashrit, another member of the task force, the song should carry the sentiments of the people and their feeling towards their honoured motherland; highlight geographic diversity, natural beauty and ethnic glory. According to him, the previous national anthem needed to be replaced with a new one because it only admired the king, neglecting the deeds, glory and ability of the people in general. After selecting the song with the best lyrics, the task force will concentrate on turning it into a masterpiece of music, members of the task force said.