UK urges PM, Maoists to find ways to hold polls

The visiting UK Minister for Asia, Shahid Malik, today urged Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and the CPN-Maoist to find ways to hold elections to the Constituent Assembly on November 22.
He also announced a fresh $ 8m British aid for the Nepal Peace Trust Fund (NPTF) that would also include support for the election. This is part of the overall $26m British aid announced earlier this year for NPTF. Malik said the parties, despite the Maoists' pullout from the government, are committed to the peace process and Constituent Assembly polls.
Stating that credible CA polls would offer the best hope for maintaining peace and development, Malik warned that if the elections were not held on schedule, Nepal would lose confidence in the political and peace processes.
"No party would want that to happen; everyone I met understands that at least the peace process should go on. People have very high expectations, and a free, fair and representative election on November 22 would develop confidence in the political process," said Malik at a press conference.
He said that the UK wanted to play any role to push people on the track of peace process and added: "When I met PM Koirala and Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai, I spoke to them about the disappointment at the decision of the Maoists to pull-out from the government."
Malik expressed his confidence that the Prime Minister and CPN-Maoist were committed to making the peace process work. "I am cautiously optimistic that over the coming days and weeks this will be possible. For all political parties, November 22 should not just be about winning elections, but about winning the peace."
The British minister said peace and development go hand in hand, and urged the government to move forward with both. "The UK is committed to providing support for both in the years ahead. The future of Nepal does not just belong to a elite minority but to all the people," he said. Malik will leave tomorrow. He met PM Koirala this morning. He also met Minister for Health, Giri Raj Mani Pokhrel, and Minister for Peace and Reconstruction, Ram Chandra Poudel.

Malik meets Bhattarai
KATHMANDU: British Minister for Asia, Shahid Malik, today met Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai at the latter's residence in Naya Bazaar. They discussed the latest political development after the Maoists decided to quit the government, according to a release issued by Bhattarai's personal assistant, Bishwodip Pandey.
The release said Malik said the peace process may get derailed following the Maoist's decision to quit the government and its announcement of agitation. Malik said his government "would try its best to keep the peace process intact".
Dr Bhattarai told Malik the peace process would not derail if an accord was reached to declare a republic and all parties agreed to go for polls based on a proportional representation system. —

India says holding CA polls on time in Nepal of 'critical importance'

Kathmandu, Sept. 16 (PTI): India today said holding Constituent Assembly polls in Nepal on schedule and in a free and fair manner was of "critical importance" even as a Maoist threat to walk out of the interim government cast a shadow on the landmark November elections.

"India acknowledges the critical importance of the elections to the Constituent Assembly, as scheduled and in an environment free of fear and intimidation," Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon said at a press conference here wrapping up his hectic two-day visit to the Himalayan country.

Menon, who met top Nepalese political leadership including Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chief Prachanda, extended full support to Nepal in its "transition to democracy" and sought early conclusion of the peace process.

The meetings came as a two-day deadline set by Prachanda before Koirala to fulfil the 22-point demand of the Maoists, including declaring Nepal a republican state immediately, was due to expire tomorrow.

The Maoists have threatened to quit the unity government, which they joined early this year in accordance with a peace deal they inked to end the decade-long violence, if their demands are not met.

Menon also offered India's support and material help to conduct the elections.

During his talks with CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Menon said India wanted to see Nepal's peace process concluded swiftly and political stability brought to the country, according to party sources.

Two killed in Nepal riots, curfew imposed

A policeman was killed and hundreds of houses and vehicles were torched on Sunday in riots sparked by the murder of a Madhesi leader in western Nepal prompting authorities to impose an indefinite curfew in the area.

An armed Police Force man was killed during the violent clash that broke out after unidentified gunmen killed Mohit Khan in Kapilvastu district on Sunday morning, according to officials.

Khan was chief of the district's vigilante group, set up to counter the Maoists during the armed conflict.

Local residents and supporters of Khan staged protests, which soon turned violent, prompting the authorities to clamp curfew in parts of Rupandehi and Kapilvastu districts.

Protesters lobbed a bomb at an Armed Police Force team at Chanuata, killing Constable Hasan Puri.

The irate locals set ablaze a mosque at Butawal Municipality and also set on fire a Maoist contact office at Taulihawa alleging that those who killed Khan were the Maoist cadres.

The mob also vandalised a dozen vehicles including two having Indian number plates and looted a dozen shops and restaurants in the area. Police said at least 300 houses in the Chandrauta area have been set ablaze.

Curfew was imposed in the afternoon for indefinite period to control the situation.

7 dead, over 25 missing as boat capsizes in Rapti River

At least seven persons, including a two-and-a-half year old baby, drowned and over 25 others went missing when an overcrowded boat capsized in the swollen Rapti River in midwestern Banke district Wednesday afternoon.

The boat carrying some 40 passengers sank near Gobarpur area in Baijapur VDC, some 55 kilometers north-east of Nepalgunj, reports quoting the police said. The boat was heading for Kachanapur from Baijapur.

Rescuers recovered bodies of four women, two girls and a youth from the river while search for other missing people is still going on. Twelve persons saved themselves by swimming ashore while local rescued two girls.

Among the dead, two are identified as 17-year-old girl Hira Thapa and the daughter of Suresh Basnet of Baijapur. Mother of the deceased girl is also missing Two injured have been admitted to Bheri Zonal Hospital for treatment.

Reports quoted survivors as saying boat overloading and flooding in the river resulted in the accident. The boat had a maximum capacity of a dozen persons.

Meanwhile, police said separate teams of Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force have been mobilized for carrying out search & rescue operations in the area

तराईका समूहहरुमा फूट

तराईमा सकृय मधेशी जनअधिकार फोरम राजनीतिक दलमा परिणत भएको ६ महिना नबित्दै टुक्रिएको छ।

मधेश आन्दोलनबाट चर्चामा आएको फोरम र सरकारबीच भएको २२ बुंदे सहमतिको विरोध गर्दै केही नेताहरूले संयोजक उपेन्द्र यादवलाई साधारण सदस्यबाट निलम्वन गरेको घोषणा गरेका छन्।

सात सदस्यीय सचिवालय समितिका चार जनाले बहुमतबाट संयोजक यादवलाई निलम्बन गरेको जनाएका छन्।

तर यादव पक्षधरहरुले हाल सचिवालय गठन नै नभएको जनाउंदै केन्द्रीय समितिको निर्णयलेमात्र सदस्यताबाट निलम्बन गर्न सकिने तर्क अगाडि सारेका छन्।

अर्को तर्फ सशस्त्र विद्रोहमा उत्रेको जनतान्त्रिक तराई मुक्ति मोर्चामा निष्काशन र नयाँ समूह खोल्ने क्रम जारी छ।

आशा र निराशा

हाम्रा जनकपुरस्थित संवाददाता भन्छन्, हालै सरकार र फोरमबीच सहमति भएपछि तराईमा समेत संविधानसभाको चुनावले गति लिने अपेक्षा गरिएको थियो।

तर उनी भन्छन्, केही सत्तारुढ दल र तराईका सशस्त्र समूहहरुले सहमतिको कडा विरोध गर्न थालेपछि फोरम र सरकारबीचको सहमति चुनावका लागि खासै प्रभावकारी हुन नसक्ने देखिएको छ।

फोरमको एउटा समूहले संविधानसभाको चुनावमा सकृय रुपले भाग लिने बताएपनि अर्को असन्तुष्ट पक्षले चुनावमा भाग नलिने संकेत दिदै संघर्षका कार्यक्रमहरु सार्वजनिक गरेकोछ।

दुवै पक्षले आफूलाइ आधिकारिक भएको दावी गरिरहेका छन्।

सरकार र फोरमबीचको सहमतिलाई ऐतिहासिक भनिए पनि अब त्यसको कार्यान्वयन हुने नहुनेमा आशंका उब्जिएको छ।

संयोजक यादवलाइ निलम्वन गरेको बताउंदै असन्तुष्ट पक्षका एकजना सचिवालय सदस्य जीतेन्द्र सोनलले यस अघि पनि सचिवालयको निर्णयबाट विद्यार्थी फोरमका केन्द्रीय अध्यक्ष केशव झालाई हटाइएको बताए।

तर यादव पक्षका केन्द्रीय सदस्य बी पी यादवले केही मानिसले भन्दैमा कोही निलम्वन नहुने दावी गरे।

अर्को फूट

अर्को तर्फ छुट्‍टै तराई राज्यको माग गर्दै सशस्त्र विद्रोहमा उत्रिएको जनतान्त्रिक तराई मुक्ति मोर्चाबाट तेस्रो समूह बाहिरिएको छ।

जयकृष्ण गोइत संयोजक रहेको मोर्चाबाट अलग्गिएर ज्वाला सिंह, विष्फोट सिंह र पछिल्लो पटक पवनको नेतृत्वमा संगठन खोलिएकोछ।

पवनले अधिवेशनबाट गोइत र एक जना केन्द्रीय सदस्य प्रकाशलाई निष्कासन गरेको दावी गरेका छन्।

तर मोर्चाका केन्द्रीय सदस्य प्रकाशले संगठनको नीति विपरित चन्दा, अपहरण लगायतका कार्यहरू गरेकाले निष्काशनमा परेकाहरूले जनतामा भ्रम सृजना गर्न खोजेको आरोप लगाए।

तराईका समूहहरुमा फूट

तराईमा सकृय मधेशी जनअधिकार फोरम राजनीतिक दलमा परिणत भएको ६ महिना नबित्दै टुक्रिएको छ।

मधेश आन्दोलनबाट चर्चामा आएको फोरम र सरकारबीच भएको २२ बुंदे सहमतिको विरोध गर्दै केही नेताहरूले संयोजक उपेन्द्र यादवलाई साधारण सदस्यबाट निलम्वन गरेको घोषणा गरेका छन्।

सात सदस्यीय सचिवालय समितिका चार जनाले बहुमतबाट संयोजक यादवलाई निलम्बन गरेको जनाएका छन्।

तर यादव पक्षधरहरुले हाल सचिवालय गठन नै नभएको जनाउंदै केन्द्रीय समितिको निर्णयलेमात्र सदस्यताबाट निलम्बन गर्न सकिने तर्क अगाडि सारेका छन्।

अर्को तर्फ सशस्त्र विद्रोहमा उत्रेको जनतान्त्रिक तराई मुक्ति मोर्चामा निष्काशन र नयाँ समूह खोल्ने क्रम जारी छ।

आशा र निराशा

हाम्रा जनकपुरस्थित संवाददाता भन्छन्, हालै सरकार र फोरमबीच सहमति भएपछि तराईमा समेत संविधानसभाको चुनावले गति लिने अपेक्षा गरिएको थियो।

तर उनी भन्छन्, केही सत्तारुढ दल र तराईका सशस्त्र समूहहरुले सहमतिको कडा विरोध गर्न थालेपछि फोरम र सरकारबीचको सहमति चुनावका लागि खासै प्रभावकारी हुन नसक्ने देखिएको छ।

फोरमको एउटा समूहले संविधानसभाको चुनावमा सकृय रुपले भाग लिने बताएपनि अर्को असन्तुष्ट पक्षले चुनावमा भाग नलिने संकेत दिदै संघर्षका कार्यक्रमहरु सार्वजनिक गरेकोछ।

दुवै पक्षले आफूलाइ आधिकारिक भएको दावी गरिरहेका छन्।

सरकार र फोरमबीचको सहमतिलाई ऐतिहासिक भनिए पनि अब त्यसको कार्यान्वयन हुने नहुनेमा आशंका उब्जिएको छ।

संयोजक यादवलाइ निलम्वन गरेको बताउंदै असन्तुष्ट पक्षका एकजना सचिवालय सदस्य जीतेन्द्र सोनलले यस अघि पनि सचिवालयको निर्णयबाट विद्यार्थी फोरमका केन्द्रीय अध्यक्ष केशव झालाई हटाइएको बताए।

तर यादव पक्षका केन्द्रीय सदस्य बी पी यादवले केही मानिसले भन्दैमा कोही निलम्वन नहुने दावी गरे।

अर्को फूट

अर्को तर्फ छुट्‍टै तराई राज्यको माग गर्दै सशस्त्र विद्रोहमा उत्रिएको जनतान्त्रिक तराई मुक्ति मोर्चाबाट तेस्रो समूह बाहिरिएको छ।

जयकृष्ण गोइत संयोजक रहेको मोर्चाबाट अलग्गिएर ज्वाला सिंह, विष्फोट सिंह र पछिल्लो पटक पवनको नेतृत्वमा संगठन खोलिएकोछ।

पवनले अधिवेशनबाट गोइत र एक जना केन्द्रीय सदस्य प्रकाशलाई निष्कासन गरेको दावी गरेका छन्।

तर मोर्चाका केन्द्रीय सदस्य प्रकाशले संगठनको नीति विपरित चन्दा, अपहरण लगायतका कार्यहरू गरेकाले निष्काशनमा परेकाहरूले जनतामा भ्रम सृजना गर्न खोजेको आरोप लगाए।

'काठमाण्डू विष्फोट बर्बर एवम् अमानवीय'

प्रवक्ता महराले विष्फोटन संविधानसभाको चुनाव बिथोल्ने उद्देश्यले गराइएको बताए सरकारले काठमाण्डूमा आइतवार गराइएका बम विष्फोटहरुलाई आतंककारी र अमानवीय भन्दै संविधानसभा चुनावकालागि विशेष सुरक्षा अभियान शुरु गरेको बताएको छ। राजधानीका सार्वजनिक स्थल तथा परिवहनमा श्रृङखलावद्ध बम बिष्फोटन भएको एक दिन पछि बसेको मन्त्रीपरिषदको आपत्कालीन बैठकले सुरक्षा स्थितिको समीक्षा पनि गरेको थियो। सरकारले घाइतेहरुको उपचार खर्च ब्यहोर्ने जानकारी दिएको छ। मन्त्रिपरिषदले त्यस्ता कार्यलाई संविधानसभाको निर्वाचन बिथोल्ने नियोजित षडयन्त्रका रुपमा लिएको जनाएको छ। आइतवार त्रिपुरेश्वर, सुन्धारा र बालाजुमा लगभग एकै समयमा भएका बिष्फोटनमा परी विष्फोटनमा परी दुईजनाको ज्यान जानुकासाथै दुई दर्जन घाइते भएका थिए। प्रहरीले अनुसन्धानका क्रममा केही ब्यक्तिहरुलाई पक्राउ गरी सोधपुछ गर्दैरहेको जनाएको छ। बैठकपछि आठदलीय सरकारका प्रवक्ता तथा सूचना एवम् सन्चार मन्त्री कृष्णबहादुर महराले भने, "सरकारले अहिले सु्रक्षा स्थितिलाई कडा तुल्याउँदै अनुसन्धान शुरु गरेको छ र सबै नेपालीलाई संयमित हुन आग्रह गरेको छ। " 'सरकार अविचलित' महराले सरकार ती हमलाहरुबाट विचलित नभएको बताउदै सबै नेपालीहरुलाई, उनकै शब्दमा, संविधानसभा बिथोल्ने र आतंक फैल्याउने खालका षडयन्त्र र क्रियाकलापहरुलाई विफल तुल्याउन आग्रह गरे। उनले भने, "सरकार एकदम गम्भीर भएको छ र दलहरु मिलेर, सबै एकजुट भएर चुनौतीहरुको सामना गर्नुपर्छ।" सोमवार सांझ सम्म पनि एक दर्जन घाइतेहरु उपचार गराइरहेका थिए। एकजना विद्यार्थी गुमाएको र अन्य केही विद्यार्थी घाइते भएको त्रिपुरेश्वरस्थित विश्व निकेतन स्कुल शोकाकुल बन्न पुगेको छ। यसअघि खासै नाम नसुनिएका तीनवटा समूहहरु अगाडि आईसकेका छन्। बीबीसीसंग कुरा गर्दै गृह मन्त्रालयका प्रवक्ता वामनप्रसाद न्यौपानेले सरकारले त्यसबारे अनुसन्धान गरीरहेको बताए। देश संविधानसभाको चुनाव गराउन अग्रसर भैरहंदा गराईएका हमलाहरुको चौतर्फी निन्दा र भर्त्सना गरिएको छ। उता संविधान सभाको चुनावका लागि आवश्यक सुरक्षा प्रबन्ध मिलाउने विषयमा क्षेत्रीय स्तरमा छलफल गर्न गृहमन्त्री कृष्णप्रसाद सिटौला बिराटनगर पुगेका छन्। बिराटनगरस्थित बीबीसीका एकजना संवाददाता भन्छन्, "त्यहां उनले सबैलाई चुनाव शान्तिपूर्ण र तोकिएकै समयमा हुने कुरामा आश्वस्त तुल्याउने कोशिश गरेका थिए।"

Kathmandu bomb leaves 38 injured

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3995409.stm

Most of the injured were treated in hospital and swiftly discharged At least 38 people have been hurt in a bomb attack in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, officials say. The explosion struck a building of the government-owned Employees' Provident Fund that was under construction. No one has admitted the attack but police say it follows the pattern of raids by Maoist rebels. The Maoists have been waging an eight-year insurgency to replace the constitutional monarchy. More than 9,000 people have died. Rickshaw park The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kathmandu says the blast happened in a congested central area not far from the army headquarters. The bomb followed the pattern of Maoist attacks, police say At the bomb site, dust filled the air and shards of glass filled the roadway outside the building. Many plate glass windows had been shattered or fallen away completely. A nearby stallholder said it had sounded as if the whole building was collapsing. Police told the BBC three young men had overpowered a security guard and run up the entrance staircase, leaving the explosive device by lifts. The men shouted to workers to leave the building, but moments later the bomb exploded. The building adjoins a rickshaw park and market and many of the injured were passengers and drivers of rickshaws. Most of those hurt were swiftly discharged from hospital although a few have been detained. Our correspondent says the blast was one of the capital's biggest and the first attack there since a nine-day truce expired 12 days ago. There was a second bomb explosion on Tuesday at a government building in the town of Bhaktapur, just east of Kathmandu, according to the police. Two people were reported to have been wounded in the incident, which the authorities are also blaming on the Maoists.

Landmines Being Defused Nationwide: Poudel

 The government has started the work of identifying, mapping, fencing and marking landmines in different parts of the country, planted during the decade-long insurgency, said Ram Chandra Poudel, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction, on Wednesday.

The government had formed a directional and technical committee under the coordination of Poudel on June 21 to start mine action works. Poudel, speaking at a National Conference on Landmines organised by Ban Landmines Campaign Nepal (NCBL), said the committee has started identifying, defusing and excavating the landmines.

He also urged the Nepali army, Maoists, experts and related organisations to help in the committee's work to minimise the probable death and destruction due to the landmines in the future.

Purna Shova Chirakar, coordinator of the NCBL, said over 26,000 people have been handicapped due to the landmines and almost 14,00 have lost their lives in the last 12 years. She accused the government and the political parties of lacking dedication to tackle the risk posed by landmines.

In the peace accord signed on November 22, 2006, the government and the Maoists had expressed commitment to assist each other to mark the landmines by providing necessary information within 30 days and de-fuse and excavate them within 60 days. But the commitment is yet to be implemented.

United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Matthew Kahane said there is an urgent need to destroy the landmines. He added that the government should address the problems of those injured and handicapped by the landmines.

Tamrat Samuel, deputy special representative of the Secretary General, called for the formulation of a mine action policy. He also called for the protection of rights of those injured and handicapped by the landmines.

Sunita Ghale, who lost her right leg and Krishna Bahadur Ghising, whose lower body has been paralysed due to a landmine explosion, accused the government of showing indifference to their plight. "We have been finding it difficult to continue medications and fend for the family and children," they said and urged the government to support them. It takes $3 to $10 to produce a landmine, while it takes anywhere between $200 and 1,000 to destroy it, according to the NCBL

Maoists' Acts Ridiculous: Rana

From THT Online

 

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) chairman Pashupati Shumsher Rana on Wednesday said that the Maoists' threat to declare the nation a republic through people's action was "contrived and ridiculous".

Speaking after inaugurating the fourth district convention of his party's Morang chapter, Rana said that the Maoists were still acting as if they were taking action on people's behalf. He said that the Maoists were voicing threats of people's action only to stall the constituent assembly (CA) polls.

"Attacking other parties' offices, disrupting their general assemblies and assaulting chief district officers, these acts are all part of the Maoists' so-called people's action," said Rana. "What more limit do they want to cross? All their talk of launching a people's action drive seems contrived and ridiculous."

The RPP chief also blamed the Nepali Congress for failing to create a proper electoral atmosphere though the date for the CA polls was fast approaching. He added that the nearer the CA polls were coming, the more remote the chances of a good electoral atmosphere were getting.

"Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has been expressing his commitment to hold the CA polls, but there are no signs of his party taking up his stand in earnest."

Rana said it was necessary to provide reservations to the Madhesi community to solve the problems in the Tarai region. He added that the Madhes region might not go to the polls as the government had failed to address the Madhes issues and had instead shown indifference towards the Madhesi people's demands.

"Half the country lies in the Madhes region. It is absolutely necessary to solve the problems of the Madhesi people in order to resolve conflict," he said