गैरआवासीय नेपालीहरुको सम्मेलन सम्पन्न

नेपालमा दिगो शान्ति र लगानीका लागि उपयुक्त वातावरण बनाउन सार्वजनिक आव्हान गर्दै विश्वभर छरिएर रहेका गैर आवासीय नेपालीहरुको तेस्रो विश्व सम्मेलन बुधबार काठमाण्डूमा सम्पन्न भएको छ। from http://www.bbc.co.uk/nepali

सम्मेलनका एनआरएन भनेर चिनिने गैर आवासीय नेपाली सहभागीहरुले एनआरएनहरुलाई नेपाली नागरिकता दिने सरकारी आश्वासनको स्वागत गरेका छन्।

सम्मेलन उपेन्द्र महतोको अध्यक्षतामा एउटा नयाँ समितिको चयन गर्दै १५ बुँदे घोषणा जारी गरेर टुङ्गिएको छ।

अधिकांश सहभागीहरुले प्रधानमन्त्री गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालादेखि माओवादी नेताहरुसम्मले आफुहरुसंग भेटेर अन्तर्क्रिया गर्नुले एनआरएनहरुको मनोबल र आत्मविश्वाश बढाएको बताए।

आदानप्रदान

गैरआवासीय नेपाली संघका महासचिव भीम उदासले भने, "पहिलो पटक हामीसंग प्रधानमन्त्रीलगायत अन्य नेताहरुले भेट गरेर विचारहरुको आदानप्रदान भएको छ। यसले हाम्रो हौसला बढाएको छ।"

संघका अनुसार विश्वका ५५ देशमा २० लाख भन्दा बढी गैरआवासीय नेपालीहरु छरिएर रहेका छन्।

सम्मेलनमा भाग लिन ४० भन्दा बढी देशका ४०० भन्दा बढी सहभागीहरु नेपाल आएका थिए।

उनीहरु मध्ये एक थिए कतारको राजधानी दोहामा १४ बर्ष अघि रोजगारीका लागि गएका गोरखा जिल्ला घर भएका बद्रि प्रसाद पाण्डे।

अहिले उनले दोहामा एउटा ठूलो निर्माण कम्पनी चलाइरहेको बताए।

कतारका एनआरएन प्रतिनिधि समेत रहेका पाण्डेले नेपालमा अझसम्म पनि लगानीको लागि उपयुक्त वातावरण बन्न नसकेको भन्दै चिन्ता व्यक्त गरे।

उनले भने, "अझ पनि नेपालमा एनआरएनहरुको लगानीका लागि सहायक कानुन र नीति नियम बनीसकेको छैन। फेरि शान्ति सुरक्षाको समस्या पनि छ। हामीले अहिलेसम्म उचित वातावरण बन्न सकेको देखिराख्या छैनौं।"

विश्लेषकहरुका अनुसार यसपालीको एनआरएन सम्मेलनका सहभागीहरु पहिलेको तुलनामा बढी व्यवहारिक देखिएका छन्।

गैरआवासीय मामिला हेरीरहेका एकजना पत्रकार किरण नेपालले भने, "यसपाली मैले धेरै सहभागीहरु धरातलीय यथार्थलाई बुझ्दै काम गर्न उत्साहित रहेको पाएँ।"

सम्मेलनले वैदेशिक रोजगारमा गएकाहरु र विदेशमा पढीरहेका विद्यार्थीहरुलाई समेत एनआरएनको दर्जा दिंदै सुविधाहरु दिनु पर्नेमा जोड दिएको थियो।

विदेशमा काम गर्ने नेपालीहरुले आफ्नो कमाइ स्वदेशमा पठाउनाले अर्थतन्त्रमा ठूलो सघाउ पुगेको अधिकारीहरु बताउंछन्।

हाल झन्डै असी देखि सय अर्ब रुपियां बराबरको रेमिटान्स वर्षेनी नेपाल भित्रिने गरेको अनुमान गरिएको छ।

Govt failed to implement agreements: Martin

Ian Martin, the special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General today said the current crisis in Nepal has resulted due to the failure to implement agreements on certain key issues.
Addressing a press conference at his office today, he stressed that the UNMIN had to take a decision on the immediate future of its electoral personnel, while standing ready to provide whatever support is requested when the constituent assembly polls are rescheduled.
According to him, the lack of progress within the government to discuss the future of Maoist combatants, in ensuring adequate conditions in the cantonments and commencing serious parleys on security sector reform have all contributed to the Maoist concern that the government is not fulfilling its commitments.
"This is a moment when the political parties, civil society and all Nepalis should not just consider a new election date, but should focus on sustaining and deepening the peace process as a whole and develop a road-map of measures that are necessary to create the conditions for credible polls," he said.
He, however, refused to provide clear opinion on the electoral system and the declaration of a republic. "These are for the Nepalis to decide, just as this entire peace process has been a Nepali process," he said, adding that this would not be easy, and it is not for the UN to take a position on the two issues that would be debated in the Interim Parliament tomorrow.
He pointed out that Nepal's traditionally marginalised groups remain concerned that commitments made to them are not being fulfilled.
Reiterating that the UN would continue to assist the efforts to establish durable peace in Nepal, he said the latest report of the secretary-general would be made public next week and the week after that the security council will have a fuller discussion, when Martin himself would be in New York to brief them.
Martin added that the verification of Maoist army divisions in Rolpa would begin shortly. The UNMIN has completed verification at four of the seven Maoist army divisions.

Monarchy battle at Nepal's parliament

Times of India on its website writes about the Latest status of Monarchy in Nepal

 

After fighting from the jungles for 10 years, Nepal's Maoists have finally taken the battle against king Gyanendra to parliament, with prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Tuesday agreeing to call a special session of the house and ask legislators to decide the once all-powerful monarch's fate.

Nepal's new constitution allows parliament to make the momentous decision if it thinks the king is trying to block the constituent assembly election that is supposed to seal the fate of his 238-year-old dynasty. If two-third of the MPs vote to abolish monarchy, Nepal's royal family would become a page in history.

Three days after the Maoists rustled up more than the number of legislators' signatures needed to demand a special house session, Koirala began consultations with the speaker, Subhash Chandra Nembang, to decide on the correct course of action. While both agreed that a special session would have to be called, the date was not named immediately since many of the sitting MPs are at present in their constituencies, having started campaigning or the 22 November election.

Maoists Loot Poll Awareness Materials in Nuwakot

Maoist cadres looted election awareness and publicity materials from a workshop held by Conclave for Support for Constiuent Assembly, Women's Law and Development Forum and Bal Balika & Mahil Uddhar Samuh jointly in Kalikasthan of Rasuwa district on Monday.
Workshop coordinator Basant Bahadur Basnet told this daily that the workshop was being held in Kalika Himalaya higher secondary school when Maoist cadres led by Maoist district committee member Prem Tamang and Young Communist League district secretary Nakul barged into the classroom at 5 pm, snatched up all the teaching materials and walked away with these.
The particpants in the workshop were undergoing a mock voting exercise when the Maoists came and looted all the material, said Basnet. He added that they looted 5,000 sample ballot papers, 5,000 information booklets, 100 calendars, 20 swastika symbol stamps, all the stationery, handbills, posters and banners.
Maoist Rasuwa district incharge Anil Sharma (Birahi) admitted that Maoist cadres looted the poll awareness materials, and said that the organisers were spreading propaganda against the Maoists.
He said that the materials would be returned if the organisers agree not speak against the Maoists. Workshop coordinator Basnet denied that there was any anti-Maoist propaganda in the workshop.

Kantipur House gets respite thru court

The Patan Appellate Court today directed Maoist-affiliated trade union All Nepal Federation of Trade Union (ANFTU) not to disrupt publication of Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post.
The Maoists-affiliated trade union disrupted the publications of the two newspapers today and had obstructed collection of advertisements yesterday.
A single bench of Judge Jagadish Sharma Paudel issued the stay order following today's hearing on the writ petition filed by managing director of Kantipur Publications Kailash Sirohiya.
"Since the freedom of speech and right to information are the fundamental rights enshrined by the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2007, the disruption of publishing newspapers is against the rights of the public to get information," the bench stated.
Ordering the trade union not to launch any act of hooliganism and gherao on the premises of the publication, the bench issued the order under Rule 33 (a) of the Appellate Court Regulation 1991.
The bench said that the stay order would exist until the trade union explains its actions in writing to it.

Bandh Hits Life in Terai Districts

Normal life various Terai districts remained crippled today due to separate bandh called by Maoists and the dissident faction of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum led by Bhagya Nath Gupta.

Life in five districts in the Mithila region was crippled today due to a bandh called by the CPN-Maoist's Mithila sub-committee against the killing of a Maoist district committee member Girendra Yadav by a gang in Mahottari a few days ago.
Transport services, educational activities and markets remained closed in Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha, Saptari and Sarlahi. Maoists had called a two-day bandh beginning from today.

Meanwhile, life in other Terai districts was crippled due to a Terai bandh called by the MJF led by Gupta. The MJF faction called the bandh to protest the Kapilvastu killings and demanding proportional system for CA polls.
Meanwhile, life in Sunsari was also affected by a bandh called by locals to protest the beating up of a str eet vendor by an Armed Police Force personnel on Wednesday.
At least 13 persons were injured on Thursday after locals clashed with police over the same issue.

13 Injured as Police, Locals Clash in Duhabi

Ten agitators and three policemen were injured in a clash with locals in Duhabi of Sunsari district last night and this morning over the issue of checking the documents of motorcycles. Havaldar Bhale Bhujel was injured last night when a mob attacked him while constables Kaman Singh Rai and Deepak Danuwar were injured in another incident on Thursday. The condition of agitator Satish Shah, who has been taken to Koshi zonal hospital, is said to be critical.
After on Thursday's clash, an enraged mob went on the rampage and vandalised 22 vehicles, police said. The Duhabi bazaar shut down while vehicles stayed off the Duhabi road section. Transport entrepreneurs staged a counter-agitation against the vandalism. Rampaging locals also hurled a petrol bomb at a police vehicle this afternoon. Tension has mounted in the area after these incidents.
Police fired three rounds in the air to disperse the mob.
Police personnel have been deployed in large numbers to control the situation. The whole day, angry locals pelted police with stones and clashed with them.
The situation turned ugly last night when a police constable got into an argument with a chatpate seller. Claiming that he was manhandled, the seller and some 70 others thrashed constable Bhale Bhujel to within an inch of his life. Bhujel has received 30 stitches in his head and is being treated at the Biratnagar hospital.
 

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.