Bangladesh-Nepal

Shyam Saran meets Maoist, NC leaders

KATHMANDU, AUG 05 – Visiting Former Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran has intensified political consultation from early Thursday morning.

Shyam Saran, who has been send by the Indian government to Kathmandu as special envoy with a mandate to engage all political parties to build a consensus on the formation of a government that can take the peace process and the task of constitution writing to a conclusion met UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the latter’s residence in Nayabazar this morning.

It has been learnt that the leaders exchanged their views on the current political situation of the country.

On the occasion, Saran expressed his concern over the ongoing political deadlock and attempts to resolve it and the Maoists opinion towards India.

In response, Dahal said political deadlock will be resolved and the new constitution will be drafted if the new government is formed under the party’s leadership.

Also, Dahal said that the party has no personal differences against India.

India that is against the Maoist leadership in the government wants to see a democratic party in the leadership.

Maoist leaders including Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Mohan Baidhya, Ram Bahadur Thapa, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Indian envoy Rakesh Sood were also present at the meeting.

Meanwhile, Saran also met Nepali Congress Acting President Sushil Koirala at the latter’s residence today and discussed the same issues.

In response, Koirala said the Maoist leadership in the government is unacceptable unless the party makes public the number of combatants and return the seized property.

Quoting Koirala, Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chndra Poudel said  the NC will not foot backstep in the prime ministerial election.

According to Poudel, Koirala opined that the new government should be formed under the party’s leadership.

Meanwhile, Saran is also holding discussion with CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal.

Saran had earlier served as the Indian ambassador to Nepal and played a key role in backing the 12-point understanding between the then Seven Party Alliance and the Maoists that brought the former rebel party to the mainstream politics.http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/05/top-story/shyam-saran-meets-maoist-nc-leaders/319858/

 

2. Maoist leadership unacceptable: Chemjong

DADELDHURA, AUG 05 -Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Rakam Chemjong said on Thursday that leadership of the UCPN (Maoist) could not be accepted at the present moment.

At a meeting with his party cadres, he said Maoist leadership will not be acceptable to any of the political parties till Maoist combatants are integrated; Young Communist League dissolved; properties seized during conflict returned to the rightful owner and previous agreements implemented.

There is no alternative of forming national government, Minister claimed, adding that there is no way to develop collaboration with Maoists though their activities are against democratic values and principals.http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/05/top-story/maoist-leadership-unacceptable-chemjong/319862/

 

 

3. UCPN (Maoist) at war within

KATHMANDU, AUG 05 – The UCPN (Maoist) has plunged into a serious internal dispute over whether to end the ongoing Prime Minister  electoral process or adopt a ‘new course’.

Party Vice Chairman Babu Ram Bhattarai’s faction wants to end the poll process and amend Parliamentary regulations to form a unity government. “A majority government can’t draft the statute or complete the peace process,” said Maoist Politburo member Devendra Poudel.

For the amendment to the regulations, both Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poduel must withdraw their candidacy.

However, Dahal’s supporters are stressing that he stands to win, what with rifts having cropped up in CPN-UML and the Madhes-based parties.

In Wednesday’s office bearer meeting, Bhattarai stressed on a new course but was turned down by the Dahal faction. “UML wants us to withdraw to pave the way for a consensus government, but it’s irrelevant at this point,” said Maoist Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha. Dahal had the last word, saying there would be no withdrawing. His faction reasons that due to NC’s opposition a consensus government is impossible even if the new course is adopted.

The Bhattarai faction says a unity government is possible if he is put up as the candidate. “NC, UML and foreign forces have said they don’t trust Chairman Dahal due to his performance when he was prime minister,” said a Maoist leader. “They would support Bhattarai.”

The Bhattarai faction is for a “compromise statute “ while Dahal’s faction is for revolt if a ‘Janabadi’ statute is not ensured, said a Maoist politburo member. “It’s a do or die situation — if Bhattarai forms a government, his line will prevail in the party. If he fails Dahal’s line of revolt will prevail leading to Bhattarai’s downfall.”

While the Dahal-Bhattarai cold war will be the prime agenda in the coming “extended meeting” of the party, it’s too early to say if the party will split.

http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/05/top-story/ucpn-maoist-at-war-within/319847/

 

 

4. Speical panel to resolve NA, PLA hiring row

KATHMANDU, AUG 04 – In the wake of the announcement of fresh hiring by the Nepal Army and the Maoist People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Special Committee for the Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of PLA combatants is scheduled to meet on Thursday to resolve the recruitment row.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal who chairs the committee comprising representatives of six political parties has convened the meeting for Thursday, said Special Committee member Barsha Man Pun. The committee has not convened for the last three months.

"The Army’s move for new enrolment comes at a time when the Maoist party is all set to lead a new government. We will voice disagreement over this in the special committee meet," he said. He said the recruitment row needs to be addressed at the political level by the special committee and the Joint Monitoring Coordination Committee (JMCC) comprising representatives of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), the Nepal Army and the PLA.

The recruitment controversy cropped up on Monday after the Nepal Army published vacancies for 3,464 personnel in its infantry. On Tuesday, the PLA announced it would enlist an additional 12,000 personnel to take combatant number to its actual strength of 32,250, the number of ex-combatants before UNMIN’s verification in December 2007.

The Nepal Army had stopped recruitment in its infantry after the matter was challenged in the court in Feb. 2009. Last week, the Supreme Court quashed the writs over recruitment saying the matter was not under its jurisdiction.

UNMIN has expressed deep concern over the NA and PLA plan and said any recruitment by the two sides would be a breach of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the Agreement on the Monitoring of the Management of Arms and Armies (AMMAA). UNMIN Spokesman Kosmos Biswokarma told the Post on Wednesday that the JMCC would soon take up the matter.

The Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have vehemently objected to the Maoist call for fresh PLA recruitment. "The Maoist move is a pressure tactic," said Ram Sharan Mahat, the NC leader who represents his party in the Special Committee. He said the Maoist leaders can be charged with "treason" for recruiting "rebels".

"The Maoists too must be accountable to the national Army. Nepal Army can’t be kept without recruitment for a long time," said Mahat. He added that UNMIN’s "interpretation " of recruitment was wrong as the agreement signed in 2006 had aimed to complete the peace process within six months.

The Maoist leaders say they will not roll back the recruitment plan unless the Nepal Army scraps its vacancy announcement. "The People’s Liberation Army will not stop recruitment despite the direction of UCPN (Maoist) if the Nepal Army doesn’t stop its recruitment," said Pun.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence issued a press statement objecting to the UCPN (Maoist) decision to recruit afresh for the PLA. The ministry said the Nepal Army’s decision is a part of its regular recruitment that has already been carried out four times after the commencement of the peace process in 2006.

http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/04/top-story/speical-panel-to-resolve-na-pla-hiring-row/319830/

 

 

5. Madhes parties have ace up sleeve

KATHMANDU, AUG 05 – With two days remaining for the fourth round of the prime ministerial election, Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha’s (SLMM) chances of forming an alliance with the UCPN (Maoist) for government formation seems very slim.

Although Monday’s incident of 11 Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF) lawmakers crossing the floor in support of the Maoists has mounted “pressure” on SLMM to make its stand clear in the upcoming run-off polls, its position still seems ambiguous.

Madhesi leaders have said that until and unless the Maoists present themselves explicitly mainly in specifying the number of Maoist combatants to be integrated in Nepal Army, fixing “time frame” to return the confiscated properties, decamping Young Communist League (YCL) and meeting the Madhes demands, they wouldn’t support the Maoists.

“We are seeking clear commitments from the Maoists,” said Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, co-chair of MJF, adding “there are very slim chances of aligning with the Maoists for the new government”.

 Monday’s incident has caused a new rift in the MJF, which was split earlier into MJF and MJF-Loktantrik.

 MJF leader BP Yadav has alleged that the party Chair Upendra Yadav was behind the design of the incident. “Upendra was lured by the “huge amount of money offered by the Maoists to form a Maoist-led government,” he said.

 Echoing Yadav’s views, Gupta said that there are several problems within the party. “These problems must be sorted out soon to maintain the harmonious relationship among party members,” said Gupta.

However, he ruled out the possibility of MJF split.

Gupta said Wednesday’s SLMM meeting was mainly focused on “assessing” Monday’s  incident.

“Some of the lawmakers sought apology in the meeting for their mistake on Monday,” said Gupta. He, however, said the meeting stressed on the “joint move” of SLMM in any decision.

 Although the party has sought clarifications from the lawmakers who crossed the line, they are yet to submit explanations on the issue. “The party will definitely punish them for acting against the party’s discipline,” said Ram Shahay Yadav, general secretary of MJF. He added that the party’s parliamentary meeting would decide regarding the punishment.

Meanwhile, Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party leader Brishes Chandra Lal said, “It is likely that SLMM might “stay neutral” in  Aug 6. election.”http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/05/capital/madhes-parties-have-ace-up-sleeve/319845/

 

6. Academic institutions shut down nationwide

KATHMANDU, AUG 05 -Academic institutions across the nation have been shut down due to the educational strike called by the 11 agitating students’ unions on Thursday.

The unions resorted to executing a one-day strike to protest against the Tribhuvan University (TU)’s decision to phase out the Proficiency Level Certificate (PCL).  

The students’ unions have been conducting protest  in different stages demanding withdrawal of the phase out decision.

They had executed transport strikes in front of TU-affiliated campuses and padlocked the TU offices earlier.

The protest programmes will continue and grow stronger until the demands are addressed and admission in the PCL is opened for the new session, Bhaskar Kafle, President of All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union – Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) Fifth informed.

Meanwhile, in a recent development, police have taken under control 14 student leaders, including Mahendra Shah, General Secretary of ANNISU-R Fifth, and Arjun Karki, Coordinator of ANNISU-Unified, from Kanya Campus, Dillibazar.    http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/05/top-story/academic-institutions-shut-down-nationwide/319842/

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