नेपाली राजनीति

UWB - Election Boycott Begins From Dailekh

2005-10-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

आज OCT 17 United We Blog को बिषेश कुरा
यो कुरा ले मेरो केहि हद सम्म हिम्मत बढाइ दिएको छ। यो सुरुवात हो प्रतिकारको, राजाको चुनाबी घोषणा को बिरोधमा म पहिले देखिनै सोचने गर्थे कि यत्रो बर्ष भोट दिने अधिकार पाएका नेपाली हरुले प्रजातनत्र नै भनेको राजाले गराउने होइन भनेर पनि त बुझेका होलान् नि!

The wave of boycott has begun. People have started boycotting and disrupting the municipal elections that the royal government plans to hold on Magh 26 (8 Feb). Locals in Dailekh have flushed out cadres of Rastrabadi Milan Kendra, a political party, on who went to campaign for the upcoming poll in the districts Narayan Municipality. People didn’t even hear the cadres. “This party has many former Maoist sympathizers,” said a farmer from Municipality’s Ward No 3 who sells milk in district headquarters. “That is why our villagers decided to boycott all the programs of elections.”

Old royalists like RPP affiliated Bhakta Bahadur Shahi, nominated chairman of the District Development Committee, and Assistant Minister in the royal cabinet Binod Shah have just arrived in the district to intensify the campaign for their candidates in the election. According to Ganesh Khadga, chairman of the district committee of Nepali Congress, cadres of Rastrabadi Milan Kendra wanted to go ahead of Bhakt Bahadur Shahi and Binod Shah in the campaign race.

Three RMK men- Bhakta Kishor Shrestha, Chairman, Sadananda Regmi, secretary, and Shanti Sharma, district committee member, had gone to Ward Nos. 3 (Kalimati) and 4 (Bijaura) of the municipality along with handful of cadres for campaign. Locals didn’t allow them to campaign and didn’t listen to them. All cadres ran away from villages.

Secretary Regmi said that they left villages because of a minor debate. “We haven’t stopped our campaign,” he said. “We will go to Ward 9 (Sadu) on Sunday.”

Five pro-democratic political parties with significant presence in the district haven’t yet reacted to the election programs. They are waiting for formal directions from the center. These parties have decided to actively boycott the elections citing that the announcement of election is unconstitutional because the king has unconstitutionally hijacked democracy and assumed executive power.

Burning Question:Why The Election Should Be Boycotted?

Ignoring the call for reconciliation and patch by agitating political parties that represent overwhelming majority in Nepali public opinion, the monarch has recently announced tentative dates for parliamentary polls.

There are mountains of challenges for peaceful, free and fair elections.

Security is the number one issue. Armed Maoists will never allow the voting process without first solving bigger political problems. People will not be able to cast their votes without fear. There is no need of armed presence of Maoists to spread insecurity among voters. There is no need to elaborate the security issue here. Kathmandu is the only place where election can be held without much bloodshed.

Another problem is the king himself. He has unconstitutionally assumed the executive power. Are there any instances of autocrats holding democratic elections? Oh..Pakistan. And we can see how the General is lecturing on democracy. Any election under an autocrat will always elect henchmen of the autocrat.

Arms embargo on Nepal should continue: Yechuri

2005-09-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

SHIRISH B PRADHAN, KATHMANDU, SEPT 30 (PTI)
outlookindia.com

India should continue the arms embargo on Nepal to pressurise King Gyanendra to restore multi-party democracy in the Himalayan Kingdom, according to visiting Indian political leaders.

All the political parties represented in the visiting Indian delegation were of the view that arms supply to Nepal should not continue, CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechuri said at a press conference here today.

"We have already told the government of India about that," he said at the conclusion of the five-party delegation's three-day visit to Nepal.

He also denied allegations by the Nepalese authorities that they are interfering in the internal affairs of the kingdom.

"We are here not to interfere in internal affairs of Nepal, but to extend solidarity and moral support to the Nepalese people's movement for restoration of democracy."

If extending moral support to democracy is interference in internal affairs, then why the VHP and Shiva Sena chiefs' remarks supporting the February one Royal takeover were not considered an interference? he asked.

Yechuri said the Indian government has recognised multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy as two pillars of Nepal's democracy and any deviation from that will not be in the interest of Nepal.

Replying to a question, he said it is upto the political parties here how they will talk to the Maoists and the King.

CPI's D Raja also said that "It is upto the Nepalese people to decide what type of democratic system they prefer, what type of constitution they want to draft, but our concern is only to extend soldarity and support.

"We have come here at the invitation of the seven-party alliance, we met several leaders and human right activists and we are confident that Nepal will succeed in restoring democracy very soon," he said.

Stating that democracy is the primary requirement of any civilised society irrespective of geographical location, he made it clear that "we are here to extend our support to the movement for restoring democracy".

Congress MP Chandrasekhar Sahu said "We are here as a fact-finding mission and we came to understand what actually is going on in Nepal. I will appraise of the situation to my party president Sonia Gandhi after returning home."

Since late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's time till today, the Indian National Congress is always for democracy in Nepal, he said.

"We will fully support a democratic set up which will be decided by the Nepalese people," he said.

"Our visit is not only an informative but also educative one as we have learnt many things during interaction with various political parties," Sahu said.

Upon its arrival at the airport here three days ago, the Indian delegation was greeted by stone-pelting and black flag demonstration by a group of pro-monarchists.

An Expensive Morning Walk UWB

2005-09-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

Maharaj should always walk like this- avoiding the Rolls Royce, throwing away the Harley Davidson, ignoring the Puma 17, and suspending the plan of buying a Boeing jet for international trips.

Mobile phones were not working properly from the very morning. Landlines were dead in some parts of the city. Traffic was a complete mess. Thousands of people faced difficulties going to their work places because traffic police diverted vehicles to different directions without prior notice. Many truckloads of people were ‘imported’ to Kathmandu from surrounding areas like Kavre. People in those trucks were hoisting national flag and shouting slogans like Hamro Raja Hamro Desh, Pran Bhanda Pyaro Chha (Our king and the country are dearer than our own lives). Why? Because Maharaj, the king, was on the streets of Patan for an unprecedented morning walk (10:00-13:00 NST).

Great! A king walks. I welcome this. I am of the opinion that he should always walk like this avoiding Rolls Royce, throwing Harley Davidson, ignoring Super Puma flying-machine, and suspending the plan of buying a Boeing for international trips. And the monarch should reach to every nook and cranny of Nepal to experience the daily hardships faced by millions of Nepalis. He should eat what they are eating.

The king is not an actor. He is not Bhuvan KC or Rajesh Hamal. So, I think the monarch should have ignored all those fancy and temporary welcome gates built on the streets of Patan misusing Nepali taxpayers’ money. And he is not a coward. He is a brave descendent of P N Shah. So he shouldn’t have feared for his safety by bringing down all the telephone lines, disrupting traffic and making the road an army parade ground. He can walk with his citizens, together, perhaps talking about their daily hardships. That would be more fruitful the public wouldn’t have to suffer through all the hassles and the monarch can really claim of having contact with people. Howzzzz dat?

Corrupts Crime From Cabinet UWB

2005-09-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

Fire the ministers, dissolve the cabinet and create a commission to investigate the matterExactly two months ago, on July 15, we posted a blog with this lead: Convicted criminal, corrupts and losers are ministers in Nepal. Yes, that’s very true and now we are getting some glimpses of what they are doing from the royal cabinet. “Three Ministers’ Plan to Import Fertilizer Illegally Blocked” is the two-line 8-column-long front-page headline of today’s Kantipur daily. And a front-page story on today’s Kathmandu Post daily has this headline: “Fertilizer mafia’s smuggling plan jolted/Three cabinet ministers involved.” Those three ministers from the royal cabinet are Badri Prasad Mandal (Agriculture Minister), Dan Bahadur Shahi (Home Minister) and Madhukar Shumsher Rana (Finance Minister).

Isn’t it shocking to know (and see) that people in the cabinet stage an organized crime against the state? Can anyone imagine such a scenario? Where else such thing happen in the world? Can anyone share that here? Three ministers involved in an organized crime against the state? Aren’t these ministers criminals since they have committed a crime against the nation by evading taxes? These ministers should be fired immediately and jailed. The whole council of ministers should be dissolved. And an same time an-all powerful judicial inquiry commission (with members from political parties and civil society) should be created to investigate all crimes perpetrated by this government.

Here is what Kathmandu Post has written:

The fertilizer mafia’s grand plan to smuggle twenty thousand metric tons of chemical fertilizer from India, with direct involvement of three cabinet ministers, received a jolt after the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) intervened.

The local office of the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) in Pathlaiya, Bara, intercepted two trucks carrying contraband fertilizer Tuesday evening following a warning letter from the CIAA to stop such illegal imports.

The trucks were carrying smuggled fertilizer as per the grand design hatched by three ministers—Agriculture Minister Badri Prasad Mandal, Home Minister Dan Bahadur Shahi and Finance Minister Madhukar Shumsher Rana—and fertilizer businessman, Gyanendra Shrestha.

According to a highly placed source, the plan was finalized at the agriculture ministry last Thursday at 4 pm through a meeting of the three ministers and businessman Shrestha. Senior civil servants Govinda Prasad Pandey, secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture; Rishi Ram Lamichhane, joint secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture; Shiva Sunder Shrestha from the Department of Agriculture; Madhav Dhakal, director general of DRI; and Bodh Nath Niraula, deputy director general of Department of Customs were also invited to the meeting to execute the plan.

The meeting decided that Shrestha would be allowed to smuggle urea from India unhindered for the next two months. In the meeting, Finance Minister Rana directed the DRI not to raid trucks carrying fertilizer for Binayak International, an importing firm owned by Shrestha. Similarly, it was decided that Home Minister Shahi would order the police and security not to intercept trucks carrying the contraband. It was also decided that the fertilizer would be smuggled to Nepal through Bangkul, a small customs check point in Gaur and Matorawa, customs check point in Bara, and a third check point in Sarlahi.

Rising Voice of Republicanism

2005-09-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

It seems many in Nepal are republican. Everywhere, the voice of republicanism has been dominating: From the street to the Special sessions of the dissolved parliament. I am not sure if all people, mostly political leaders, are serious about their republican commitment. But I can be pretty much confident over the views expressed by the likes of Krishna Pahadi, a prominent human rights leader. And today, when this man, decorated as always in the yellow getup that is no less powerful than that of Army camouflage, spoke of his views on current turmoil and the future, in the erstwhile theatre of Patan Ashok, the hall thundered into applauds. Listeners were members of civil society including journalists, academicians, writers and other professionals who paid Rs 50 voluntarily to attend the program.

A new good trend has started in Nepal: you pay for listening poems to lectures. I missed my cup of tea and cookies because I left the program tentatively 4 minutes earlier (I knew it later).

“The present regime carries criminal trait,” Pahadi said. “And even foreigners have realized this than ourselves that is very much unfortunate and our national pride has severely been affected.”

“[Feb 1st’s] Royal Proclamation is based on two negative agendas: 1. The parties’ “inefficiency”, and 2. Maoist’s violence. So, King’s rule doesn’t represent people’s views and it lacks their faith and support.”

“Journalists hold rally, members of civil society get arrested and parties release press statements. This is quite opposite. Engine of the movement is political party. They should come forward against the monarchy. They should clearly tell people their agendas. Parties are the ones who have to do this all. We are just their supporters. In this time, when the society is demanding the multi-party democracy back, there is no use of criticizing parties. But parties should reform themselves and become clear over their objectives.”

Pahadi pointed out that the root of all problems is monarchy and at this time when the king himself has decided not to live within constitutional framework, we don’t need to bring him back to constitutional cap. “To talk about constitutional monarchy is foolishness now. The door has been opened by the king’s intention. “We should abolish monarchy,” he said. “Change is imminent.”

He reminded the crowd about the Bhumigat Giroha (Underground Mafia), a terminology that was very much infamous in the last years of Panchayat system. “Many people used to associate the Bhumigat Giroha with the present his majesty,” he said. And the man from that Giroha who tried to kill a journalist has now been nominated minister in the royal cabinet.”

On the context of possible peace talks, Pahadi said, “not even a beggar would talk with this unconstitutional and illegitimate government.”

Now is the time to take bold decision, Pahadi siad, otherwise we would be like Sisyphus playing with the endless game with stone. For him the stone was the monarchy.

Journalist Kanak Mani Dixit was the moderator of the program organized by Himsha Birodhi Abhiyaan (Campaign Against Violence). Other panelists were Dr. Devendra Raj Pandey and Dr. Mahesh Maskey.

Maskey tried to analyze the background of the conflict. “Our state’s basic characteristic is feudal. We tried to exercise democracy twice by keeping that trait unchanged. And both times we failed. The structure of the state, social/economic context is same but we tried to implement democracy and we became unsuccessful.”

Now is the time to change the basic characteristic of the state, he said.

“Maoists didn’t bring the talk of Constitutional Assembly and its election. It has been there for the last 50 years. It was there in 1950. Why the state prevented the election of CA at that time and is doing that now? Efforts to make the regime responsible to the people have always been hampered by the monarchy.”

“There is historical necessity for the Maoists and the parties to come together, at one place. The talks and cease-fire should first happen between parties and the Maoist. And we have already seen some development on that front. If the progressive side becomes one, then there might not be the need of further talks with the regressive regime.”

Dr. Dvendra Raj Pandey said that there was no possibility of holding talks with the king at present. Talks always happen between the state and the rebellious side. “But now, the king has no legitimacy and authority to hold talks with the Maoists. And he is not serious on talks,” he said.

“Because of the recent communiqués, a ray of hope has appeared on Maoist’s seriousness over the talks. This is a positive development. But who will declare the cease-fire first? We hope Maoist declare that. But what about the regime if Maoists declare the cease-fire? The regime is not serious about talks. It is looking for arms.”

The king shouldn’t be given any role now, Pandey said.

काट्टोमा पाएको श्रीपेच बिक्रीमा UWB

2005-09-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

तीर्थ न्यौपाने

राजा वीरेन्द्रको काट्टो खाएका ब्राह्मण दुर्गाप्रसाद सापकोटाले चर्को आर्थिक संकटलाई थाम्न नसकेपछि त्यतिबेला उनलाई दिइएको ‘प्रतिलिपी श्रीपेच’ बेच्ने भएका छन । उनले ‘नक्कली’ श्रीपेचसहित राजा वीरेन्द्रले ब्रतबन्धमा लगाएको पहेंलो कपडा, कोट, जुत्ता, चस्मा र खुकुरी पाएका थिए । उतिबेला दरबार र तत्कालीनसँग भएको मौखिक सहमतिअनुसार रकम नपाएको र काट्टो खाएपछि आफ्नो जजमानीमा असर परेकाले पारिवारीक गर्जो र्टार्न श्रीपेच बेच्न लागेको सापकोटाले बताउछन् ।

श्रीपेचको अगाडिको भागमा चाँदी, माथिल्लो भागमा सुनसहित बहुमूल्य धातु र मयूरको प्वाँखले बनेको छ । ‘बिदेशबाट बनाएर ल्याएको हो भन्थे, डेढ/दुइ लाख त पर्छ होला’ उनले भने- ‘किन्ने कोही छन् भने खबर गरिदिनुहोस है बाबु ।’

काट्टो खाने बेलामा तत्कालीन प्रधानमन्त्री गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइराला र दरबारका कर्मचारीले सापकोटालाई घरजग्गाको व्यवस्थासहित हात्तीबापत १० लाख रुपैयाँ दिने आश्वासन दिएका थिए । तर उनले १९ हजार मात्र पाएको बताए । हात्तीबापत १० हजार, घर किन्नलाई पाँच हजार, जग्गाका लागि २ हजार ५ सय, घोडाबापत एक हजार र दासत्तीका लागि ५ सय रुपैयाँ दिएको उनले सुनाए । ‘काट्टोको दान मैले पाइनँ, उनैले (आश्वासन दिनेहरुले) खाए,’ सापकोटाले भने- ‘मलाई झुक्याए ।’

काट्टो खाए पनि उनले परम्परा अनुसार चार भञ्ज्याङ चाहि काट्नु परेको छैन । भनौं उनले काटेका छैनन् । सापकोटाको पुखौली थलो काभ्रेको पाँचखाल हो । उनी अहिले श्रीमति, तीन छोरा नातीनातिनी सहित तिलगंगामा बसेका छन । त्यहाँ उनको सानो घर छ । त्यो घर सापकोटाले काट्टो खानु अगावै जोड्का हुन । सापकोटाले काट्टो खानु अघि सम्म पुरेत्याइँ गरेर घर्रखर्च जुटाउँदै आएका थिए । काट्टो खाएपछि त्यो पेसा छोड्नुपरेको छ । उनी भन्छन- ‘५०-६० घर जजमानी थियो, काट्टो खाएपछि बिटुलो ठानेर बोलाउन छोडे ।’

८० वर्षीय सापकोटा अहिले पशुपतितिर टोलाएर दिन काटने गर्छन् । काट्टो खाएपछि टोल छिमेकीले समेत घृणाको दृष्टिले हेर्ने गरेको उनको गुनासो छ ।

सापकोटाले काट्टो खानुअघिसम्म उनकी श्रीमती होमकुमारीले ठमेलमा सामान्य होटल सञ्चालन गर्दै आएकी थिइन् । श्रीमान्ले काट्टो खाएपछि त्यो पनि बन्द गर्नुपरेको उनले बताइन् । ‘काट्टे होटेलमा के खानु ? भनेर ग्राहक आउनै छाडे,’ होमकुमारीले भनिन्- ‘नखानु चीज रहेछ, आइन्दा कसैले नखाओस् ।’

King Gyanendra will be last monarch in Nepal: Karat

2005-09-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

Stating that the days of Nepal monarchy were numbered, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat Monday urged New Delhi to stop any support to King Gyanendra.
"We are sure that this king (Gyanendra) is going to end the spell of monarchy in Nepal because people there are convinced that the monarchy is against democracy," Karat told a news conference here.

"India should not lend any support to the king, particularly in providing the arms," he said.

At the press conference, Karat and Janata Dal (Secular) leader Surendra Mohan issued a joint statement condemning the "anti democratic" moves of the king.

"It is highly deplorable that King Gyanendra resorted to violence against a peaceful demonstration in Kathmandu leading to large-scale arrests," the statement.

Former prime minister G.P. Koirala and other senior political leaders were injured in police action against them during the demonstration.

The statement asked the monarch to remember the promises he gave to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a meeting in Indonesia on restoring democracy.

The leaders also expressed solidarity with the democratic forces in Nepal.

Karat also urged the central government to be "vigilant" about the unrest in neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, which has been rocked by a series of bomb blasts blamed on Islamist fundamental forces.

(IANS)

गिरिजाप‍साद कोइराला केही समय अर्धचेत

2005-09-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

माधव नेपाल, बामदेव गौतम, रामशरण महत, अमिक शेरचन लगायतका सबै नेताहरू गिरफ्तारी दिन आतुर देखिन्थे । मलाई लाग्छ तिनले बाहिर बसीरहँदा हुने झडपको शिकार हुनु भन्दा त प्रहरीको भ्यानमा बसेर ‘हाम्रो आन्दोलन जारी छ’ भन्नु नै सजिलो र सुरक्षित महशुस गरेको हुनुपर्छ । पत्रकार देखेपछि नेताहरू चिच्याउँथे प्रहरी भ्यानभित्रबाट नै ! रमाइलै थियो त्यो दृश्य पनि !
मलाई रूविन गन्धर्वसंग भेट्नु थियो । यो सानो गाइने केटो आजभोली पुर्ण प्रजातन्त्रका लागि हुने जुनसुकै जुलुस, सभा वा कार्यक्रममा पुगेको हुन्छ आफ्नो सारङ्गी बोकेर । उ निकै चर्चित छ, संचार माध्यमले पनि उसलाई अगाडी ल्याएका छन् । उ विरोध कार्यक्रमको एउटा आकषर्ण हो भन्दा फरक नपर्ला तर मैले भने उसलाई पहिलो पटक पाटनमा नागरीक समाजको कार्यक्रममा देखे । त्यसपछि म उसंग भेट्न चाहन्थे तर उसंग कँहा भेट हुन्छ ? कसैले भन्न सकेन ।

म दिक्क मानिरहेको थिए, किरण भण्डारी दाइ (समय साप्ताहिक)ले गगन थापाले भेटाइदिन सक्ने कुरा गर्नु भो र थापाको मोवाइल नं. पनि दिनुभो । मैले थापालाई फोन गरे । थापाले रूविन कँहा भेटिन्छ त्यो त बताउन सक्दिन तर आज बसन्तपुरमा हुने सात राजनितिक दलको निषेधाज्ञा क्षेत्र तोड्ने कार्यक्रम छ, त्यहा रूविन आउन सक्ने हुँदा तपाइ त्यँही आउनुहोस् म भेटाइदिउँला भने । कार्यक्रम तीनबजेबाट सुरू हुने पनि उनले बताए ।

म अफिसबाट हिड्दा ठुलो पानी परिरहेको थियो तर त्यँहा पुग्दा पानी रहीसकेको थियो र घाम लाग्ने छाँट देखियो। पछि त मौसम राम्रै थियो ।

म २: ४५ मा पुगेको थिए, थापालाई यताउता खोजे, रूविनलाई पनि खोजे तर अँह दुवै कतै देखिएनन् । मान्छेहरू क्रमशः भेला भइरहेका थिए । बसन्तपुरमा मेला लागे झै भयो, मान्छेको मेला । लठ्ठी बोकेका प्रहरीहरू पनि मानसिक रूपमा तयार देखिन्थे । जुलुसमा सहभागी नभएका तर एकछेउमा उभिएका एकजना केटो भन्दैथियो, ‘आज त दर्शक पनि टन्न छन् ।’ मलाई चारबजे सितु खरेलको नयाँ एल्बम ‘निर्मन’को बिमोचनमा पनि जानुथियो र्याडिसन होटल, लाजिम्पाटसम्म । जुलुस ढिलो सुरू भयो भने मैले केही हेर्न नपाउने हो की भन्ने थियो मलाई तर ३: १५ तिर सात राजनितिक दलका प्रमुख नेताहरू जुलुसको अग्रपङ्क्तिमा उभिए । जुलुस सुरू भयो, नारा उहि त हो राजालाई गाली गर्ने ।

नेताहरू अघि बढ्दै गए, बिशालबजार अगाडीको जुद्ध सालिक नआउनु अघि त प्रहरीहरू पनि पछि पछि र्सर्दै गए तर जुद्ध सालिक निर पुगेपछि त प्रहरीहरूले लठ्ठीको बार लगाए । तानातान सुरू भयो, म दौडेर जुद्ध सालिक भएको ठाउँमा पुगे । तानातान चलिरहेको थियो , एकजना महिला नेपाली कांग्रेसको झण्डा बोकेकी थिइन चोर बाटोबाट निषेधित क्षेत्रमा पुगेकी मात्र के थिइन महिला प्रहरीहरू पनि त तयार थिए नी पकडी हाले । उनी को रहिछिन् भनेर बुझ्न खोजेको सबै जनाले खोइ ? भने ।

निषेधाज्ञा तोडे नेताहरूले, दर्शकले ताली बजाए (अब जुलुसलाई अगाडी बसेर हेर्ने, नारा नलगाउनेलाई दर्शक त भन्नु पर्ला नी, अघिको केटोको भाषामा !)

‘उ माधव नेपाल ! उ गिरीजा ! उ फलाना ! उ चिलाना !’, दर्शकहरू कराउँदै थिए कि गिरीजा प्रसाद कोइराला निषेधित क्षेत्रमा प्रवेश गरेका मात्र थिए उनलाई प्रहरीले पक्राउ गरे र बिशाल बजारभित्र लगे । म त्यँहा जान सकिन किनकी त्यतिखेर प्रहरीले दर्शक भगाउन सामान्य लाठी चार्ज गर्न खोजेको थियो, भागाभागमा म अन्तै पुगे । पछि कान्तिपुर टेलिभिजनमा समाचार हेरेपछि पो थाहा पाए गिरीजाबाबु त बेहोस पो भएछन् । हुन पनि उनले आराम गर्नु पर्ने उमेरमा त्यस्तो भिडभाडमा आउन नहुने !

माधव नेपाल, बामदेव गौतम, रामशरण महत, अमिक शेरचन लगायतका सबै नेताहरू गिरफ्तारी दिन आतुर देखिन्थे । मलाई लाग्छ तिनले बाहिर बसीरहँदा हुने झडपको शिकार हुनु भन्दा त प्रहरीको भ्यानमा बसेर ‘हाम्रो आन्दोलन जारी छ’ भन्नु नै सजिलो र सुरक्षित महशुस गरेको हुनुपर्छ । पत्रकार देखेपछि नेताहरू चिच्याउँथे प्रहरी भ्यानभित्रबाट नै ! रमाइलै थियो त्यो दृश्य पनि !

केहि मान्छेहरूले निषेधाज्ञा तोडेर अगाडी बढेर बिर हस्पिटलसम्म पुगेका थिए भने केही तोड्ने कोशीसमा थिए । प्रमुख नेताहरूलाई गिरफ्तार गरे पनि मान्छेहरू उत्साहित नै थिए । प्रहरीले गिरफ्तार गर्न खोज्दा प्रदर्शनकारीहरू जन र्समर्थन खोज्थे तर दर्शकहरू ताली बजाउन मात्र जान्दथे । जब पहिलो चोटी प्रदर्शनकारीहरूले निषेधाज्ञा तोडे, म कति उत्तेजित भएछु भने जुद्ध सालिकको छेउमा बसेर ताली बजाउनु त सामान्य कुरा हो नारा पनि लगाएछु । साच्चै त्यो उत्साह गजबको थियो । प्रहरीसंग झडप गरेर जब तीनीहरूले निषेधाज्ञा तोडेर हुरूरू हुलका हुल मान्छे न्युरोडतिर दौडिए तब पुर्ण प्रजातन्त्र चाहने म उत्तेजित हुनु सामान्य हैन र ?

प्रदर्शनकारीहरू न्यरोडतिर पनि दौडिएको हुनाले म त्यतातिर लागे, यद्यपी प्रदर्शन बसन्तपुरमा पनि भै रहेको थियो ।

म भिडसंगै सरासर न्युरोडमा अघि बढिरहेको थिए की अचानक प्रहरीले टियर ग्याँस छोडे । यो मेरो पहिलो अनुभव थियो । मान्छेहरूले मुख थुनेर पछि पछि आउन थाले तर मलाई मुख त्यसरी थुन्नु पर्छ भन्ने थाहा थिएन फेरी मसंग रूमाल पनि थिएन । म पछि नआइ अघि नै बढे र खिचापोखरी जाने बाटोतिर लागे । म रून थालीसकेको थिए, सुक्क सुक्क हैन न त ह्वा ह्वा नै मात्र आखाबाट आँशु झारेर । अति भएपछि एउटा पसलमा एकछिन बसे र केही कम भएपछि म फेरी जुद्ध सालिक निर पुगे । सडक सुनसान थियो, दर्शक र प्रदर्शनकारी दुवै तितर बितर थिए । देखिएका मान्छेहरू रोइरहेका थिए । प्रहरी आफै पनि आशु पुछ्दै थिए, मेरो आखाबाट लगातार बहिरहेको आशु देखेर एउटा प्रहरी मलाई पानीले भिजाएको रूमाल दिएर सहयोग गर्न चाहन्थ्यो तर मैले पदैन भने । म जुद्ध सालिकमा पुगेको त अघिदेखि मैले खोजेको गगन त त्यँहा पो रहेछन् । उनी नेतृत्व गदै थिए जुलुसको र भन्दै थिए, ‘हामी निषेधाज्ञा तोड्छौ तोड्छौ !’

म पनि आशावादी थिए, थापाले अबश्य मत्थर भइसकेको आन्दोलनामा फेरी जोश ल्याउने छन् तर एकछिन पछि प्रहरी यसरी खेदाए कि उनीहरू कँहा पुगे कँहा ?

घरी झडप त घरी सामान्य ! हुदै थियो । कतिखेर कुन कुनामा झडप हुने पत्तै नहुने । घरी यता दौडियो त घरी उता । एकजना नेपाल विद्याथी संघका कार्यकर्तालाई प्रहरीको लाठी मजासंगैले लागेछ । उनलाई प्रहरीले भ्यानमा हालेर लग्दै गर्दा मैले भ्यानको झ्यालबाट हेरेको ती बिद्यार्थीको अर्ध बेहोस जस्ता देखिन्थे ।

मैले घडी हेरे चार भन्दा धेरै बजीसकेको थियो । मान्छेहरूको आवतजावत पनि सुरू भै सकेको थियो । अब र्फकनु पर्ला भनेर र्फकन लागेको त एकजना प्रदर्शनकारी ‘टियर ग्याँस र लाठीमात्र हैन गोली हान मलाई भन्दै थिए’ अरू उनको हो मा हो मिलाउँदै थिए । एकजना आमा प्रहरीलाई सम्झाउँदै थिइन की प्रहरीले पनि आन्दोलनलाई र्समर्थन गर्नु पर्छ भनेर । प्रहरीहरू भने आफुहरूलाई माथीको आदेश छ भन्दै थिए । एउटा प्रहरी मेरो परीचय पत्र पढेर नाम ambika हुनु पर्ने anbika भएछ भनेर आफ्नो साथीलाई भन्दै थियो । मेरो नामको ठुलो कथा हुन्छ कुनै दिन लेख्छु । म आन्विका (anbika)हो, अम्विका (ambika) होइन भनेर चिच्याउन सिवाय कुनै उपाय हुन्न कहिले काँहि !

म फर्कीदै गर्दा मैले केही महिला प्रहरीलाई देखे । उनीहरू आराम गर्दै थिए किनकी जुलुस फेरी ब्यँतिने सम्भावना एकदम कम थियो । रसीला रहेछन् केटीहरू । गफ गरे एकछिन अनि ठट्टा पनि । ‘चोट लागेको देख्दा त माया लाग्छ’ भनी एउटीले । उ वखलढुंगाकी रहिछ, ‘चोट लगाउँदा नी ?’ मैले सोधे । ‘त्यो त हाम्रो ड्युटी हो ।’, रामेछापकी गोरी केटी बोली । मलाई ढिलो भै सकेको थियो, लौ त भनेर म हिडे ।

गल्लीबाट जुलुस निस्कीने भएर होला प्रहरीहरू प्रत्येक गल्लीमा तैनाथ थिए । मान्छेहरू र्सतर्क भएर हिडिरहेका थिए । म आर.एन.सी.मा आए र गाडी चढेर होटल र्याडीसनतिर लागे । म सोच्दै थिए के होला यो आन्दोलनको परीणाम ? के यस्तै आन्दोलनले ०४६ सालमा प्रजातन्त्रको पुनःस्थापना भएको थियो ? मेरो आँखा जमलनिर आइपुग्दा एउटा घरमा पर्यो । एउटा केटा हातमा चियाको कप लिएर पारी पट्टीको घरमा भएकी एउटी केटी (केटाको हाउभाउले उ कुनै केटीलाई नै जिस्काउँदै होला भन्ने लागेपछि मैले वारीपट्टी हेरे) लाई जीस्काउँदै थियो ।

सीतु खरेलको कार्यक्रम पनि एक घण्टा ढिलो हुने भएछ, म ठिक्क बेलामा पुगेछु । मेरो आँखा पोलीरहेको थियो, बाथरूममा गएर मुख धोए । यो अर्कै माहोल थियो जँहा आएका मान्छे अघिको जुलुसबाट बिल्कुल बेखबर थिए । यीनीहरू केवल संगितको कुरा गर्दै थिए , केवल सितु खरेलको नयाँ एल्बम ‘निर्मन’को कुरा गर्दै थिए ।

Koirala re-elected to party’s topmost post

2005-09-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

KOL Report

KATHMANDU, Aug 1 - The veteran leader of Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala has once again been elected as the party president to lead the party for the next three-year term.
The octogenarian NC leader Koirala has been retaining the post of party president since the last ten years.

Koirala got 1215 votes, while his archrival Narahari Acharya secured a total of 165 votes.

The NC, the largest and oldest party in the country, on Monday had decided to break with its 59-year old history by omitting "constitutional monarchy" from its party statute.

The Monday's Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting finalized a policy paper that officially breaks off the party's relations with the country's 237-year-old institution, the monarchy.

Now the party’s statute terms the constitutional monarchy as a past glory.

Seventy-eight members have filed their candidacy for the post of 18 Central Working Committee members in the concluding general convention. (snn)

NC convention endorses CWC proposal

2005-08-31T21:58:00.000-07:00

Kantipur Online
KATHMANDU, Aug 31 - The 11th general convention of the Nepali Congress (NC), the largest political party in Nepal, Wednesday unanimously endorsed its Central Working Committee's (CWC) proposal to omit "constitutional monarchy" from the party statute.
NC General Secretary Sushil Koirala said there was overwhelming support form the representatives to the party's decision to omit constitutional monarchy from its statute.

Though NC member Shailaja Acharya strongly opposed the party decision, there was no vote against the proposal when it was presented for decision.

"It's suicidal move of the party to give up its centrist line adopted six decades ago," Acharya said.

Defending Koirala's proposal, another member Ram Chandra Poudel, said the policy changes in the party has driven the party towards a golden age. "We have entered into a completely new age with hopes and challenges to lead a democratic and prosperous Nepal," he said.

The session endorsed five different reports including the amendment of party statute, financial report, and discipline committee report and general secretary's report.

One of the major changes in the party statute is that it made it obligatory for party cadres to renew their active member every year instead of once in five years.

Seventy-eight members have filed candidacy for the 18 Central Working Committee post.

Nara Hari Acharya and the incumbent party President Girija Prasad Koirala have filed their candidacy for the post of party president.

Present members Ram Chandra Poudel, Shailaja Acharya, Sushil Koirala, Mahesh Acharya, Khum Bahadur Khadka, Gobinda Raj Joshi, Arjun Narsingh KC, Mahanta Thakur, Krishna Sitoula, Bal Bahadur Rai and Baldev Majgaiya are contesting for the next term.

Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Chakra Bastola, Laxman Ghimire, Gopal Pahadi, Ram Krishna Tamtrakar, Binay Dhoj Chand, Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Sunil Bhandari, Farmullah Mansoor and Lila Koirala are other to run for the next term. Invitee member in the CWC Bhim Bahadur tamang has also filed candidacy for CWC membership.

From to claim seats in the CWC from young generation are youngest son of late BP Koirala, Dr Sashanka Koirala, party President Girija Prasad Koirala's daughter Sujata Koirala. There are half a dozen candidates from Koirala family alone. GP, Sushil, Shailaja, Dr Sashank, Ashok and Lila Koirala are from Koirala family.

3 p.m was the deadline for withdrawing the nomination, but nobody withdrew their candidacy.

While the closed-door session was going inside, cadres and supporters were campaigning for their favorite candidates outside the office.

Ex-army men were guarding the party office entrance and were only allowing convention representatives to enter the office.

A Minister Threatens Like This -UWB

2005-08-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

From the press-conference of minister Dhakal: Nepal Government’s spokesperson says action will be taken against pro-democratic newspapers for publishing a cartoon.

The royal autocratic government is busy doing homework to take action against Nepal’s most popular and pro-democratic newspapers- Kantipur and the Kathmandu Post- for publishing a cartoon in their Sunday’s editions. Tanka Dhakal, Information and Communication minister and spokesperson of the regime revealed this information today. In a press conference organized in the offices of the Department of Information minister Dhakal alleged that both papers have published the cartoon that “insults the nation and the institute of monarchy. ”

He also said that the government is preparing for procedures of taking actions including the legal one. He did not elaborate on what kind of action the government is trying to take against nation’s most popular publications. “Government has done serious homework to take action,” he told reporters. “I can’t disclose what the nature of the action will be. You will know only after the result of the action is seen.”

He also did not want to explain on the letter written by his ministry to Home ministry recommending for the action to be taken against the papers. “There are different procedures of taking action,” he said. “We are discussing on taking legal action.”

He argued that the cartoon has portrayed the institute of monarchy as the “garbage area” and has slandered the monarchy that “enjoys the trust and respect” of Nepali people. “This is the worst form of yellow journalism,” he claimed. “There is nothing more condemnable than this. Government has cautiously moved forward to curb this kind of irresponsible journalism.”

Minister Dhakal spent half of the press conference time on the cartoon but did not name both papers once. “One responsible news media has tried to slander the institute of monarchy that has played the role of unifier of Nepal.” He also alleged that there is vested interest behind the publication of the cartoon.

“Freedom doesn’t mean uncontrolled anarchy,” he lectured.
Dhakal also sees conspiracy acting against the monarchy and nation in the civil society’s and democratic political parties’ movement for complete democracy in Nepal. He termed the international community that supports the peaceful movement in Nepal Sakuni or “the cunning one”.

“Some are talking about visa denial [for New York trip]; some are saying that we won’t be able to meet people (US President Bush),” the minister said. “It is not good for a country loving and patriotic Nepali to talk nonsense things like that about the king’s visit.”

Nepal's Political Parties, Maoist Rebels Consider Joining Forces

2005-08-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

By Anjana Pasricha (VOA Online)
New Delhi
24 August 2005

Nepal's political parties say they are considering a united front with the country's communist rebels to oppose King Gyanendra, who took power in a royal coup early this year. Such a coalition could help bring an end to the rebels' nine-year-long campaign of violence.

Nepal's main political parties say they are ready to hold a dialogue with the Maoist rebels, but only if the guerrillas honor a recent promise to stop killing civilians.

The two groups are talking of joining forces to oppose the takeover of the country by King Gyanendra, who staged a royal coup in February.

The rebels originally proposed the talks on June 29, and subsequently promised they would stop targeting civilians. A seven-party political alliance has now said it would begin a dialogue with the rebels, once a committee of human rights and civil activists determines that the rebels are meeting their commitment to curtail violence.

The political alliance is engaged in a peaceful, nationwide movement against the King, who has failed to restore democracy despite growing pressure from inside and outside the country to do so. They are demanding fresh elections and the restoration of parliament.

"By method of peace we will go against King, we will revive our democracy," said Gopal Man Shrestha, chief of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) Party and a spokesman for the alliance. "Peaceful talks is now very critical in Nepal, we will talk with Maoists for peace."

The rebels have been waging an increasingly violent campaign since 1996 to turn Nepal into a communist republic. But on Wednesday, Maoist leader Prachanda told a Nepalese magazine that he was in favor of a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

The government has not responded formally to the prospective talks. But Information and Communication Minister Tanka Dhakal told reporters that such talks would not be in the country's interests, and accused the politicians of playing into the rebels' hands.

Indeed, there is skepticism whether the Maoists would abandon their violent ways, which human rights groups say have included torture, killings, kidnappings and extortion. Civilians, political activists and government soldiers have all been targeted.

Yuvraj Ghimre, editor of Kathmandu's Samay magazine, says the parties are aware of the risks involved, and are approaching the proposed dialogue cautiously. He says most observers are also taking a "wait-and-watch" approach, but there is hope that unity between the rebels and the opposition may finally bring an end to the violence that has wracked the kingdom.

"If this dialogue leads to the political parties convincing the Maoists to declare a no-first-attack pact or unilateral ceasefire, that will be a major victory," he said.

Political analysts in Nepal say that if the rebels and the parties do reach an agreement, they could prove a formidable opposition to the King.

‘RNA forcibly used civilian vehicles’

2005-08-20T21:35:00.000-07:00

Kathmandu Post
KATHMANDU, Aug 19 - The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal has accused the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) of using public transport facilities "repeatedly" and "regularly", by even "commandeering" civilian drivers, resulting in civilian deaths. The UN mission has also strongly deplored the Maoists for carrying out "indiscriminate" attacks on civilians.
"OHCHR has recorded consistent information from multiple sources indicating that RNA personnel, sometimes in large numbers, in both uniform and civilian clothes with weapons have routinely made use of public buses as a means of transportation across the four VDCs in the Madi Valley," said an investigation report made public by the OHCHR here Friday.

The report, which was first of its kind after OHCHR office was set up in May, was based on investigation of June 6 and June 10 bombings of civilian buses in Madi (Chitwan) and Narke Bazar (Kavre) by Maoists, that killed over 40 civilians. Armed RNA personnel had boarded both the buses.

"In Chitwan district as a whole, OHCHR's information indicates that the RNA has had a practice of commandeering civilian buses and using them for military operations," the report said. "In such instances, RNA obliges the civilian bus driver to drive the bus and the RNA provides fuel… the RNA is reported to have commandeered buses in the district on one to two occasions per month, sometimes taking four to five buses at a time."

Over the past two years, the Maoists have warned and threatened bus companies, owners and drivers not to allow RNA personnel to board public buses, the report said. "Despite an oral agreement to end the use of public buses, information indicates that the RNA continues to use them," the report said, adding, "Information indicates that the Chitwan CDO took no further initiative to address this concern."

The report has said the Maoists had called upon the civilian population in Madi not to board public buses when RNA personnel were aboard and get off the buses if RNA personnel boarded the bus. "However, the OHCHR investigation found no evidence of any specific warning given by the CPN (Maoist) prior to this particular bombing."

In its statement to the OHCHR, RNA has clarified that its personnel aboard the public bus in Madi were off-duty. "It was not always possible to use RNA vehicles for all required transport and that RNA soldiers were therefore permitted to travel on public vehicles while on mission, provided that their weapons were not visible and that they were wearing civilian clothes," the OHCHR has been told.

However, OHCHR said, "On certain instances, RNA personnel using buses have been clearly on duty."

In their report to the OHCHR, the Maoists admitted their "grave mistakes" and informed that they have taken action against five of their men involved in the Madi incident. However, there is no mention of the Maoist action on the Narke Bazar incident.

OHCHR men have received threats

Making the OHCHR reports public, the head of the OHCHR mission in Nepal, Ian Martin, said his staff, investigating the human rights violations in the country, have received threats. However, he didn't mention who issued the threats. "Yes, our staffs have received threats," he said responding to a question. He said "time will tell" when asked who issued the threats.

Martin also told the press conference that OHCHR has been told by the RNA that they only have 30 long-term detainees (since 2003/04) in their custody. He said the rights monitors have also met high-ranking Maoist leaders currently in the RNA detention. However, he didn't say who were the rebel leaders OHCHR team met.

Martin informed that over 270 individual complaints of human rights violations have so far been registered with OHCHR. "Among these, the largest number are enforced disappearances of those reportedly detained by state authorities and abductions by the Maoists," Martin said. "It's a particular concern that children are among the victims of reported violations by both the Maoists and state authorities."

He said the OHCHR is also assessing the conviction by the controversial Royal Commission for Corruption Control "in relation to guarantees of fair trial". Regarding the NGO Code of Conduct, we have drawn the attention of the government to the principles of freedom of association for human rights defenders and have been promised consultations as the Code is developed, Martin said.

Civilians not RNA priority during rescue operations

After the Madi incident, one of the three RNA choppers only carried the three slain RNA soldiers, and the second carried the four wounded and five other soldiers, along with weapons and ammunition. However, according to the report, the civilians were only taken care of later. "All the dead and wounded RNA soldiers as well as the most injured civilians were eventually transported to the Military Hospital in Kathmandu."

APF 'misled' OHCHR

Separate OHCHR probe on killing of six civilians, including a one-year-old, following their abduction on June 14, in Banbehda (Kailali) has said that the perpetrator hasn't been identified. However, security forces have put blame on the Maoists. OHCHR said it was misled by the Armed Police Force (APF). "OHCHR regrets, however, misleading information given by the APF in regard to two CPN (Maoist) detainees in APF custody."

According to APF, two Maoists, who were apprehended by the APF on June 5, indicated that the Maoists had decided to include "intimidating families of security forces" as part of their strategy. "OHCHR regrets that, in response to its request on June 21 to interview the two Maoists, the APF misled the investigation team by saying the two individuals were not in their custody. Subsequent enquiries have led to the APF admitting the two individuals were under APF detention at the time."

India's Support For Nepali Terrorists

2005-08-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

Dr. Bikash Thapa - 8/20/2005
India is fighting a war in Nepal. Other regional players would not accept such a development if it were an open, conventional war, since it would be detrimental to their own security. But it is a shadow war, a war by proxy and threatening to Nepal's territorial integrity and sovereignty. There should be no doubt that the Indian government and establishment is tacitly and overtly helping the Nepalese terroists in their nine-year 'People's War' through acts of omission and commission.

The Indian Machiavelli and foreign policy advisor to the Indian government, S.D. Muni has gone on record as demanding that Nepal must be 'marginalized' if India is to emerge as an effective 'regional power.' Towards this end, the western powers have already endorsed India's attempt to bag a permanent seat on the United Nation's Security Council, albeit without the veto power. They are now following India's lead in regional affairs.

In his book on the Nepalese terroists, Muni has emerged as their proponent and implicitly stipulated the tactics and strategy of undermining the Nepalese monarchy - which, if led to their logical conclusion, would ultimately mean the demise of the Nepalese nation. For him, the support of the People's War is an extension of Indian diplomacy by other means!

It is astounding that people in the know are unable or unwilling to see through Indian intentions. It is a case of missing the wood for the trees. That is to say, there is an inherent incapacity to differentiate between formal Indian statements/propaganda - their public stand and what they actually do or not do - their actual perceptions and concrete actions. The latest and unnecessary diatribe by the Indian president during his address to parliament is a case in point. For the record, let us recapitulate: first, the Nepalese terroists' command, control and communication centres are on Indian soil. There has been no official denial to this effect to date. Is it at all conceivable that the Indian security forces, the intelligence agencies and by extension the Indian government are fundamentally unaware of this indisputable fact?

Second, although Nepal is surrounded on three sides by Indian territory and the international border is quite long, how is it that the Indian security forces - allegedly 'one of the best in the world' - are so ineffective? The terrorists coming from their safe havens on Indian territory, slip in and out at will.

Third, the free flow of arms and ammunition for the terrorists from Indian territory is continuous - a river of death and destruction. Of course, Indian security forces, to keep a bold face, do inform our own armed forces now and again about 'suspicious movements' and they are then able to intercept such illegal smuggling of lethal arms. However, according to Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) estimates and because of tardy and incomplete communication from the Indian side, more than sixty percent of the arms and ammunition do reach their stipulated destinations. It is, indeed, an uphill task for the RNA and an unacceptable situation for the Nepalese state.

Fourth, India has been continuously undermining Nepal's democratic institutions and corrupting its politicians, intellectuals, and of course, the much touted free press. It is an open secret that many individual Nepalese and organizations are beholden to the Indian government and establishment because of pecuniary and other benefits.

'The Himalayan Times' is a very interesting case. It is undoubtedly an Indian undertaking masquerading under a Nepalese mantle and reflects Indian attitudes and policies. This is not surprising since all the departments of this newspaper are headed by Indians! At the King's recent meeting with editors of daily newspapers, the Himalayan Times was unable (or unwilling) to nominate a Nepalese representative. The cat is really out of the bag.

What are we then to make of the 'broad international coalition' in the 'war against terror'? For Nepal, it is all noise and signifies that we are basically on our own. India regularly accuses Pakistan of encouraging 'cross-border terrorism.' It seems the Nepalese terroists do not belong to this category. Are they then 'freedom fighters' and 'democracy warriors'? India, the UK and the United States have stopped military supplies to Nepal or are poised to do so. The Maoist leaders must be laughing up their sleeves at this unexpected turn of events in their favour. Thanks to Indian machinations and western duplicity and gullibility, the terroists now have the western powers as their undeclared supporters. They already have the self-appointed international champions of human rights and press freedom in their pockets.

In our present critical condition, the Nepalese have to realize that those who are truly against us. We are, after all, fighting a just war against terror. As John Foster Dulles so aptly put it: Of all tasks of government, the most basic is to protect its citizens against violence." The Nepalese state is trying to do just that. Come what may, we have to remain steadfast in this endeavour. As the greatest post-war German statesman, Dr. Konrad Adenauer stated so succinctly : "An infallible method of conciliating a tiger is to allow oneself to be devoured."

NSU general convention disrupted

2005-08-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

KOL Report

KATHMANDU, Aug 16 - The 10th General Convention of Nepal Students Union, the student wing of the Nepali Congress, that kicked off in Pokhara on Sunday has been disrupted following clashes between students and Gundas, who the students say were mobilized by the party establishment.
The fight reportedly started after the gundas pelted stones at student leader Gagan Thapa while he was criticizing the party establishment for publishing dubious names of NSU representatives outside the hall of Deependra Sabhagriha, the venue of the convention at around eleven this morning.

Of the eight contenders for NSU president, Thapa along with four other student leaders have accused the party establishment of conspiracy in publishing the names of representatives.

The Gundas, also tried to attack other student leaders including Pradip Paudel, Guru Ghimire, and the representatives of the convention, a participant of the convention told Kantipur Online from Pokhara over the phone.

Over a dozen general convention representatives were injured, some of them seriously, in the fight.

Later the agitated students vandalized the venue hall. They also torched four motorbikes. "The convention cannot take place now. Maybe the party will make an announcement to this effect later today," the participant said. "The gundas deployed by the party establishment had come fully prepared, laced with Khukuris, swords and rods.”

The closed session that was scheduled to start from Monday was postponed for today after confrontation erupted between the supporters of influential student leader Gagan Thapa and those loyal to the Nepali Congress leadership.

Polarization between the ‘democratic republic’ and ‘constitutional monarchy’ lines have surfaced strongly in the ongoing NSU convention.

Supporters of Thapa, former NSU general secretary, are of the view that the convention should endorse the proposal of republic. They have also charged the mother party of intervention in the selection of student leaders in the convention. (dds)

Gagan is a Royalist: Koirala

2005-08-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

The Himilayan Times
Biratnagar, August 16

Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala today reportedly accused Gagan Thapa former general secretary of the Nepal Students’ Union (NSU), and NC leader Narhari Acharya of being Royalists.
Koirala, who came here from Pokhara after disagreement between two factions of the NSU at the 10 Convention, seemed rather aggressive, according to NC activists who met him in the morning.
“Gagan Thapa’s activities were suspicious from the beginning. I know that he (Thapa) is a Royalist,” district level party leaders said quoting Koirala, after the meeting.
Meanwhile, Koirala this morning ruled out possibility of a republican set up in the country at present.
Talking to party workers in Biratnagar he said: "Republic is just a matter of bargaining but its impossible in Nepal. Republic means throwing away of the monarchy but we cannot go against the King. The present situation of the nation is not favourable for the republican set up."
He said there is fear of anarchy and foreign intervention in a republic. Koirala came to his hometown last night without any prior notice. He is scheduled to return to Kathmandu tomorrow evening.

विशेष अदालतमा गगन थापासँग…UWB

2005-08-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

म बस्ने थुनुवा कोठामा नक्कली मुद्राको कारोबारमा पक्राउ भएका दुई नाइजेरियाली कैदी छन, धरौंटि बुझाउन नसकेर उनीहरु थुनामा बसेको भन्दै रुन्छन । आज आउने बेलामा मसँग ५० रुपैयाँ मागे । उनीहरु विहान तीन बजेदेखि उठेर रुन्छन, अनी उनीहरुलाई म साथीभाइसँग आर्थिक सहयोग लिएर छुट्न मद्दत गर्ने आश्वासन दिएपछि सुत्छन् ।’

जितेन्द्र साह
शारीरिक अस्वस्थताले सोमबार अपराह्न तीन बजे म कार्यालय आएँ । म खासै काम गर्ने मुडमा थिइन । इमेल चेक गर्नलाई कम्प्युटर खोल्न लागेको बेला सहकर्मी दाई गोपाल खनालले मलाई सोध्नुभयो, ‘तिमी खाली छौं ?’ मैंले अनकनाएर भने, ‘किन होला ?’

उहाँले भन्नुभयो, ‘(बबरमहलस्थित) विशेष अदालतमा (नेवि संघका पूर्व महामन्त्री एवं विद्यार्थी आन्दोलनका मुख्य नेता) गगन थापाको (राज्य द्रोहको मुद्दा चलाउने आधार बारे) बहस हुदैछ ।’

विद्यार्थी राजनीतीबाट उतिसारो चर्चामा नआउँदै मेरो राम्रो शुभचिन्तक र मित्र रहनु भएका गगनजीलाई मैंले नभेटेको लामै समय व्यतित भइसकेको थियो । उनलाई भेट्न मलाई तलतल लागिरहेको थियो ।

कार्य व्यस्तता र फरक कार्य क्षेत्रले हामी एक अर्कालाई भेटन सकिरहेका थिएनौं । तर, उहाँले नजिकका साथीहरुबाट मेरो र मैंले पनि उहाँको हालखबर सोध्ने क्रम भने चलिरहेको थियो । मेरो हरेक उपलब्धि, मानसम्मान र पुरस्कारमा पहिलो बधाई टक्रयाउने साथीको रुपमा गगन थापा हुने गरेका छन् । उहाँ र मेरा बीचको सम्बन्ध पतै नपाई एक पत्रकार र विद्यार्थी नेताबीचको सम्बन्धभन्दा माथि उठिसकेको छ । खनाल दाईले विशेष अदालतको प्रसंग केलाएपछि मलाई गगजीलाई भेटेर कुराकानी गर्ने तलतल थप जाग्यो ।

म एक सासमा बेलुकी चार बजेतिर विशेष अदालतको परिसरमा पुगे । त्यहाँ पहिलेदेखि उपस्थित काठमाडौ पोष्टका सहकर्मि किरण चापागाईले बहस सकिएको बताए । कान्तिपुरका मित्र बालकृष्णपनि घुम्दैफिर्दै आइपुग्नु भयो । द हिमालयनका संवाददाता अनन्तराज लुईंटेल, गोरखापत्रका प्रकाश आचार्य र मसँग सामान्य परिचय भएको नेपाल समाचारपत्रका विकास भट्टर्राईले विभिन्न प्रसँग निकालेर मलाई उडाउने निरन्तर प्रयास गरिरहेका थिए ।

आफूले खान नपाएपछि ‘अंगुर अमिलो’ भन्ने आम धारणाबाट मित्रहरु पीडित थिए । ‘फलोअप समाचारमा जितेन्द्रलाई मान्नु पर्ने’ र ‘मेलम्चीका हिरो’ भन्दै कान्तिपुरमा मेरो समाचार कभरेज प्रति दोधारे प्रसन्नता व्यक्त गर्दै उनीहरु खिल्ली उडाउन खोजिरहेका थिए । तर मेरो ध्यान अन्यत्र थियो । म पत्रकारिता क्षेत्रमा निरन्तर चल्दै आएको होच्याउने र आफूलाई ठूलो देखाउने परम्परागत टिकाटिप्पणीबाट मित्रहरु अछुतो छैन भन्ने निर्णयमा पुग्दै गगन बारे सोध्न थाले ।

मेरो आँखाले गगनलाई खोजिरहेको थियो । मैंले सोचिरहेको थिएँ, ‘यति ठूलो आरोपमा मित्र गगनलाई समातेको रहेछ, सुरक्षाकर्मिले के भेट्न देला र, सुरक्षाकर्मिले वरिपरिबाट घेरेर राख्यौं होला ?’ यस्तै कुरा मनमा खेलाउँदै अदालतको प्रतिक्षालयमा पुगेर एक सुरक्षाकर्मि मित्रको नजिक बसे ।

एक त नीकै गर्मि र अर्कोतिर सञ्चो नभएकोले म टोलाएर बसिरहेको थिएँ । अचानक आवाज आयो, ‘जितेन्द्रजी सञ्चै ? नभेटेको धेरै भयो ।’ यो आवाज प्रतिक्षालयको झ्यालमा साथीभाइसँग आनन्दसाथ गफ गरेर बसिरहनु भएको गगन थापाको थियो । उनी विस्तारै उठेर हात मिलाउँदै मेरो छेउमा बसे ।

मेरो अनुमान भन्दा विपरित उनी सुरक्षाकर्मिबाट नभएर साथी भाइहरुबाट घेरिएका थिए । ‘जितेन्द्रजीलाई मैंले मेलम्ची मुद्दामा टिभीमा देख्ने गरे, प्रत्यक्ष भेटघाट नभएको धेरै भयो,’ उहाँले भन्नुभयो । म मनमनै सोचिरहेको थिए, ‘यतिको आदरभाव मुटुमा राखेपछि प्रत्यक्ष भेटघाट केहि हुँदो रहेन छ ।’

सुरक्षाकर्मिहरु पनि गगनसँग आदरपूर्वक गफ गर्दै मजा मानिरहेका थिए । शायद सबैको मनमा एउटा कुरा अवश्य खेलिरहेको थियो, ‘कुनै गलत षडयन्त्रको शिकार नभएमा गगन भोलिको नेपालको एक ठूला नेता र निती निर्माता हुनेछन् ।’

हरेक क्षण नजिकका साथीभाइहरुको मोबाइल फोनबाट गगनजीसँग कुरा गर्ने र आइतबार हुने नेवि संघको पोखरा अधिवेशनमा सभापति पदमा उम्मेदबारी दिनलाई सुझाव आइरहेको थियो । गगजीले फोनबाटै ‘म हिरासत बाटै भएपनि चुनाव लड्छु, साथीभाइले बहुमतले मलाई जिताउनु पर्छ’ भन्दै थिए ।’ सुरक्षाकर्मिहरु आनन्द मानेर गगनको कुराकानी सुनिरहेका थिए । बेलाबेलामा गगनले थुनाको प्रसँग केलाउँदै मसँग गरिरहेको ठट्टा सुन्दै सबै साथीहरु भुडी मिचिमिचि हाँस्थे ।

झण्डै बाहृ दिन थुनामा बसेका गगनजीलाई मैंले सोधे, ‘थुनामा कस्तो व्यवहार भइरहेको छ ।’

‘शुरु शुरुमा आफन्तजनलाई भेटन दिएनन, अहिले दिइरहेका छन, अरु कैदी झैं मैंले पनि पत्रपत्रिका पढ्न पाइरहेको छु, घर र आफन्तजनबाट खाना आइरहेको छ,’ उनी मन फुकाएर भन्दै गए, ‘शुभचिन्तकहरु पनि मैंले खानै नसक्नेगरि खाना लिएर आउँछन्, म बस्ने थुनुवा कोठामा नक्कली मुद्राको कारोबारमा पक्राउ भएका दुई नाइजेरियाली कैदी छन, धरौंटि बुझाउन नसकेर उनीहरु थुनामा बसेको भन्दै रुन्छन । आज आउने बेलामा मसँग ५० रुपैयाँ मागे ।’

‘उनीहरु विहान तीन बजेदेखि उठेर रुन्छन, अनी उनीहरुलाई म साथीभाइसँग आर्थिक सहयोग लिएर छुट्न मद्दत गर्ने आश्वासन दिएपछि सुत्छन् ।’ गगन भन्दै थिए, ‘म नीकै सुताहा भएको छु, बिहानै लागू पदार्थ दूर्व्यर्सन विरुद्ध लागेकाहरु ब्यायाम गर्न भन्दै उठाउँछन्, टन्न भात खाएपछि घोडा बेचेर सुत्छु ।’ ‘यति अल्छी हुँदाहुँदै पनि मैंले दक्षिण अफ्रिकी नेता नेल्सन मण्डेलको ‘सताइस वर्षे जेल यात्रा’ पढेर सकाएँ । नारायण बाग्लेको ‘पल्फसा क्याफे’ पढ्ने रहर छ । मित्रजनलाई ल्याएर देओ भन्या छु । अब त्यो पनि सकाउछु ।’

उनी मलाई भन्दै थिए, ‘जितेन्द्र, मण्डेलाको सताइस वर्षो जेल यात्रा पढदा मलाई थुनामा बसेको केहि महसुस हुन्न ।’ मैंले गगनलाई सफलताको शुभकामना दिंदै भने, ‘मण्डेलाको यात्राले दक्षिण अफ्रीकामा काला र गोराको भेद समाप्त भयो, अहिले त त्यहा गोराहरुको पार्टी पनि मण्डेलाको अफ्रिकी नेशनल काँग्रेसमा विलय भएको छ । तँपाईको यो योगदानले पनि मुलुकमा पूर्ण प्रजातन्त्रको स्थापना भएर विभेदरहित नेपाली समाजको स्थापना होस ।’

कराकानी चलिरहेको बेला बेलुकी पाँच बजेतिर अदालतबाट आदेश आउने छाँटकाट देखियो । म प्रतिक्षालयको भूइँतलाबाट रजिष्ट्रारको कोठातिर लागे । उनले आदेश पढेर सुनाउँदै भने, ‘सुरक्षा निकायलाई पाँच दिनभित्र अनुसन्धान पुरा गरेर मुद्दा दर्ता गर्ने आदेश दिएका छौं ।’ झण्डै बाहृ दिनसम्म थुनामा बसेका गगनले भने, ‘मलाई त आइतबार उडेर भएपनि पोखरा पुग्नु छ ।’ उनीभित्रको उत्साह, ताजगी र स्फूर्ति भर्खर विद्यार्थी राजनीतीमा प्रवेश गरेका किशोरभन्दा कम देखिएन ।

गगनले झ्यालखानातिर लाग्नुभन्दा अघि भनेका कुराहरु म संझिंद कार्यालय फर्किरहेको थिए, ‘नेपाल बार एशोसिएसनका अध्यक्ष शम्भु थापाले राजालाई चुनौती दिनेगरि बहस गरे, रत्नपार्कमा मैंले नाराबाजी गरेको भिडियो खिच्ने सुरक्षा अधिकृतलाई पनि अदालतमा हम्मै पर्यो ।’ ती सुरक्षा अधिकृतलाई न्यायाधिश र विपक्षी वकिलले र्यालीमा सुरक्षा गर्न गएको होकि भिडियो खिच्ने भनि प्रतिपश्न गर्दा जिल्ल परेका थिए ।

‘सरकारी वकिललाई पनि गगनलाई थप थुनामा राख्नु पर्ने र मुद्दा चलाउने बारे न्यायधिसहरुले सरकारी वकिललाई पनि प्रश्न गरे, तर सरकारी वकिले औपचारिक रुपमा नभएर अनौपचारिक रुपमा मात्र जवाफ दिनेभन्दा इजलासमा उपस्थित सबै हासेका थिए । तर, मलाई एउटै कुराले सताइरहेको थियो, ‘मुलुककोलागि कहि फरक गर्ने ऊर्जा भएका गगनको यो अनाहकको जेल यात्रा कहिले टुङ्गिने हो ।’

मैंले गगनलाई भने, ‘म न्यायधिस भएको भए, तँपाईलाई साधारण तारेखमा छाडिदिन्थे, तँपाई भूमिगत हुने होइन क्यारे ।’ नागरिक समाजद्धारा रत्नपार्कमा आयोजित र्यालीमा राजा विरुद्ध नारा लगाएको आरोपमा राज्य विरुद्धको अपराधको मुद्दा लगाइएका गगन थापाले भने, ‘मलाई प्रहरीले समाएको एक दुइ दिन बयान लिएपनि त्यसपछि केहि सोधेको छैन ।’ गगनले राजाले प्रधानमन्त्रीको रुपमा काम गरिरहेको हुनाले आफ्नो विरोध गर्ने अधिकार भएको उल्लेख गर्दै भने, ‘मैंले राजसंस्थाप्रति कुनै अनास्था जगाउनेक काम गरको छैन, राजाले प्रधानमन्त्रीको हैसियतमा काम थालेपछि अलोकप्रिय निर्णय र प्रजातन्त्र मास्ने कार्यको विरोध गरेको हुँ ।’

उनले पत्रकारहरुलाई भने, ‘राजाको कामको बारेमा अदालतमा पनि प्रश्न उठ्न थालेको छ, कार्यकारिणीको अधिकार लिएपछि राजाले त्यसरी नै जिम्मेबार भएर जवाफ दिनुपर्छ ।’ अदालत परिसरबाट जिल्ला प्रहरी कार्यालय हनुमान ढोकातर्फलगिंदा गगन चढेको प्रहरी भ्यानलाई बाटामा रोकेर र्समर्थकहरुले ‘गगन थापा, जिन्दाबाद, गणतन्त्र जिन्दाबाद’ को नारा लगाएका थिए ।

बबर महलको मुख्य सडकमा पन्ध्र मिनटभन्दा बढी नाराबाजी गुन्जिएको थियो भने आवागमन अवरुद्ध भएको थियो । गगनले साथीभाइहरुलाई अभिभादन गर्दै विदा भएका थिए । मैंले गगनजीलाई प्रहरी भ्यानमा कैद हुनुअघि भने, ‘अदालतको ठाडो आदेश त अप्रत्यक्ष रुपले तँपाईलाई रिहा गर्न भनिसकेको रहेछ, अदालत पनि बन्द खामको आदेशमा चल्ने हुनाले केहि अझैं थुनामा बस्नु पर्ला ।’

र अन्त्यमा, हामीले एक घण्टाको गफको दौरानमा दुइ वर्षघि त्रिपुरेश्वरमा अखिलक्रान्तिकारीका अध्यक्ष देवेन्द्र पराजुलीसँग भेटघाटलाई पनि संझेका थियौं । माओवादीमाथि प्रतिबन्ध फुकुवा भएको बेला विद्यार्थी संगठनबीच विभिन्न माग राखेर भएको पहिलो बैठकमा गगन र पराजुलीसँग परिचय भएको थियो । त्यतिखेर देवेन्द्रजीले भनेको वाक्यांश मैंले र गगनले संझेर नीकै हाँस्यौं ।

‘कान्तिपुरमा रातो टिका लगाएर नाम आउने जितेन्द्र साह तपाई हो !’ देवेन्द्रजीले नीकै रमाइलो पारामा भन्नु भएको थियो । ‘म त तँपाइलाई मोटो, घाटो, अग्लो र कालो न कालो तराइबासी भएको अनुमान गरेको थिएँ । तपाई पत्यार गर्नै नमिल्ने खालले फरक हुनुहुँदो रहेछ ।’

Republican Set Up Impossible: Koirala

2005-08-10T15:53:00.000-07:00

THT Online
Biratnagar, August 16

Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala this morning ruled out possibility of a republican set up in the country at present.
Talking to party workers in Biratnagar he said: "Republic is just a matter of bargaining but its impossible in Nepal. Republic means doing away of the monarchy but we cannot go against the King. The present situation of the nation is not favourable for the republican set up."
He said there is fear of anarchy and foreign intervention in a republic. Koirala arrived in his hometown last night without any prior notice. He is scheduled to return to Kathmandu tomorrow evening.

Gagan Thapa's remand extended by five days

2005-08-09T14:44:00.000-07:00

The Special Court extended the custody of Gagan Thapa, former general secretary of the Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Students Union (NSU), by five more days on Monday. A full bench of Justices Govinda Prasad Parajuli, Rana Bahadur Bam and Bhup Dhoj Adhikari gave permission to police authorities to detain Thapa for five more days, ordering them to bring case against him within five days. Police are said to have sought two-week-long detention to the NSU leader.

This is for the second time the Special Court has extended Thapaâ€™s custody. Before this, the court had extended his custody by five more days as his 7-day custody ended last Wednesday.

The firebrand NSU leader was arrested by plainclothes policemen from Maitidevi on July 27 when he was returning to his home after meeting student leaders detained at Amam Nagar Police Post. Citing his anti-monarchy slogans at a program on July 25, authorities are preparing to file a sedition case against him under the Offence against the State Act.

Following his arrest, student organisations have been carrying out angry protests in the capital and outside.

Thapa has been detained at Hanumandhoka police office.
nepalnews.com, Aug 09 05

Release Gagan Thapa: Restore Democracy

2005-08-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of agitating students hit the road in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu this afternoon demanding the immediate and unconditional release of their leader Gagan Thapa. They shouted anti-monarchy, pro-republican and pro-democracy slogans. Some of them carried black flags that signaled their protest of the unconstitutional arrest of Thapa.

Tulsi Giri in PR Campaign -UWB

2005-07-05T22:41:00.000-07:00

Tulsi Giri, Nepal’s royal deputy, is holding a semi-secret meeting with journalists

A rhino by his own confession, Tulsi Giri, Nepal’s infamous vice-chairman of Council of Ministers is in a camping to change his image in the public. To do so, he is improving his Public Relations. As a start, he is holding a semi secret meeting with “young” Nepali journalists hoping, probably, for a favorable coverage in future.

Date: Tuesday, July 5, 2005.
Time: 1700 hrs NST, Sharp.
Venue: Residence of Deepak Bohora, a royalist and a conservative.
Agenda of the meeting: As I have stated earlier, the meeting will focus on exchanging dialogues between the VC and reporters.

A journalist working for a TV station is coordinating the meeting. He has invited 16 select journalist, most of them reporters and reporting section chiefs in their media, on T Giri’s behalf. Reporters who have written news about T Giri have been invited but the list doesn’t include Kantipur business bureau chief Bijay Ghimire and Kathmandu Post news editor Ameet Dhakal who jointly broke the black list news in their papers.

A reporter who has been invited on behalf of T Giri for tomorrow’s meeting told UWB : “The meeting will not be reported as it has been agreed so. We will be free to ask everything in the meeting. But that will not be reported.” This reporter, requesting anonymity till tomorrow, said, “I have too many question for T Giri. I will file all of them in the meeting.”

An ultra conservative by his own admissions, T Giri hates free press and independent journalism. But lately, it seems; he has understood the importance and power of journalism, especially after the Kantipur/Kathmandu Post expose of the Black List.

T Giri is at number 1680 in that list prepared by Nepal Rastra Bank, the central bank, appointee Credit Information Bureau, that details the information of those persons who haven’t paid back bank loans more than 2 million rupees.

After the Kantipur/Post expose, countrywide concerns have been expressed from the public. Mocking at T Giri’s inability to pay bank loan that he took some 20 years ago, people from around Nepal are collecting money, rupee after rupee, to help him pay back the loan.

T Giri Corruption Update

By the way, T Giri hasn’t publicized his property statement even after 60 days of assuming offices of the VC. This is against the law if you think that is something important.

As per Article 31(a) of the Corruption Control Act, Dr. Giri has not submitted his property statement. If not submitted within sixty days, all public authorities are liable to pay a fine of Rs5000.

Dr. Giri has not submitted the statement not because he is not aware of this law formulated by multiparty democrats; it is because he does not own any property inside Nepal. He owes to Nepal. So people owing big bank accounts in foreign land need not declare property if they assume public position here in Nepal. That is the problem with the existing laws.

FM radio stations to defy govt ban

2005-07-03T14:30:00.000-07:00

Published: Saturday, 2 July, 2005, 12:46 PM Doha Time

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s private FM radio stations plan to defy a ban on news broadcasts and begin giving daily updates of planned protests against the government’s clampdown on the media, a broadcaster said on Thursday.
The country’s 47 private FM stations also plan to broadcast news on activities relating to King Gyanendra’s birthday on July 7, the Save Independent Radio Movement (SIRM) said.
A ban was slapped on the broadcast by FM stations of news bulletins after Gyanendra sacked the elected government and assumed full powers in the Himalayan kingdom on February 1, saying his action was necessary to deal with an ongoing Maoist insurgency.
However, 27 private FM stations defied the ban on June 15 and as a form of protest aired news of the kings visit to Doha.
Apparently in a dilemma about how to punish stations broadcasting news of the king’s visit to Qatar, the government took no action.
But the Communications and Information Ministry published a notice in local newspapers earlier this month warning that station owners would be punished if they continued to defy the rules.
SIRM spokesman Ghamraj Luintel said radio broadcasts of protests plans would begin from Thursday and continue until July 14.
“This is the first time that independent radios will be broadcasting their protest (plans) through their stations,” said Luintel, news programme director at Sagarmatha FM station in Kathmandu.
He said listeners would also be asked to participate in survey on whether they thought the government’s attitude towards FM radio is right or wrong.
Journalists have been holding street protests almost daily against the media clampdown, with many of them being arrested by police, held overnight and then released.
The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) says more than 2,000 reporters have lost their jobs since Gyanendra’s power grab, with several news outlets shut down under a state of emergency that included press censorship.
The king lifted the state of emergency at the end of April but has continued to restrict press freedoms and the right to protest.
Luintel said SIRM representatives were to meet the king on Friday at a tea party being organised by the palace ahead of his 59th birthday next week.
“We will meet the king ... and apprise him of the problems faced by the FM operators,” Luintel said.
Since the ban, FM radios have been airing purely entertainment programmes and those related to social issues such as health and community development. - AFP

From The News Conference Of Koirala -UWB

2005-07-02T14:37:00.000-07:00

In his first press conference organized in the party office in Sanepa, Lalitpur this morning, Girija Prasad Koirala, the president of Nepali Congress was in light mood. He freely commented on the political situation in the country especially after the royal takeover of Feb1. Yuvraj Acharya of the Kathmandu Post attended the conference and reported these points for United We Blog!

1. House Revival- Koirala again stressed on the need for Parliament to be revived. The government of Sher Bahadur Deuba dissolved the parliament in May 2002. Terming that move as a ploy to ‘destroy’ the constitution, Nepali Congress and other parties have been fighting for the revival of the house i.e. the constitutional process.

2. Call For Return- Koirala said that all leaders and activists who fled country after Feb 1 (and most of them are in India currently) would return to the country and help create opinion against the royal takeover.

3. Royal Takeover Unconstitutional Koirala opined that the Feb 1 royal takeover was unconstitutional and said that all parties should fight against it in a unified manner. He also added that the king should be a constitutional monarch.

4. Foreign Interest. He thanked all countries that showed interest in recent developments in Nepal and added this, “But we are the one who matters here. We will decide our own fate.”

5. Why King freed you? A reporter asked this question in the news conference. Koirala replied, “I haven’t been able to recognize this King in real sense. His all experiments have been failed. King has no alternative now other than restoring the democratic process in the country.”

6. Room Arrest. Another reporter wanted to know how was Koiralas experience of house arrest. “It’s not a house arrest,” he said, “It was rather a room arrest. They didn’t let me walk freely even within the compound.”

7. What About Nephew Koirala? What the party will do to Prakash Koirala, GP’s nephew, BP Koirala’s son and a central committee member of NC who supported the royal takeover and spoke against the party in a Bimarsha interview yesterday? “Central Committee meeting will decide on that,” Koirala said.

Nepal FM radios to broadcast protest plans

2005-07-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

SHIRISH B PRADHAN, KATHMANDU, JUNE 30 (PTI)
Defying the royal government's ban on news broadcast, private FM radio stations in Nepal will start giving daily updates of planned protest against media curbs from midnight.

The representatives of Save Independent Radio Movement (SIRM) also plan to broadcast news related to King Gyanendra's birthday on July 7 as part of their stir.

"SIRM will air the news about their agitation programme on June 30 night defying the government's ban to transmit any news and information," Suresh Acharya former President of the Federation of Nepalese Journalist, who is also associated with SIRM, said.

The broadcast of protest plans would continue till July 14.

The representatives of the SIRM are scheduled to meet the King tomorrow when a tea reception is being hosted at the Royal Palace for journalists to mark the 59th birthday of the King, Acharya said.

"We will keep the King abreast about the problems facing the radio journalists and put our grievances," he said.

The radio journalists are also planning to broadcast news about the King's birthday celebration on July 7, the main day of the celebration.

The radio journalists have been launching agitation since February 1 when the government banned private radios to transmit any type of news, views or information

INSN Blocked

2005-06-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

It was not unexpected to put some kind of restriction in electronic media. Govt has banned INSN.org and Samudiya.org

Koirala expresses veiled opposition to Indian defence aid

2005-06-15T23:43:00.000-07:00

Former Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today expressed veiled opposition to resumption of defence supplies by India to his country as he lashed out at King Gyanendra, saying he represented "feudalism" which "modernity" was fighting against.

Koirala, heading a seven-party alliance for restoration of multi-party democracy in Nepal, strongly advocated at a press conference here that the country's Constitution be changed to strip Monarch of powers and render him only as a mere ceremonial head.

"We do not want to interfere in the Government of India's policy. But whatever policy they formulate, they should keep in mind whether that encourages democratic forces or dictatorial forces," he said in reply to a question about resumption of military supplies by India to Nepal.

Insisting that he did not discuss the issue of military aid during the meetings he had with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee or other leaders here, Koirala said he did not want to "embarrass" the Indian government on soil of India and would "say everything" after he returns to Nepal tomorrow.

India had suspended military aid to Nepal after Gyanendra seized power on February one but resumed it partially on May 10 following a meeting between the King and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Jakarta.

He, however, expressed gratitude to India for extending moral support to the campaign for revival of democracy and said he was leaving India as a "fully satisfied" man as New Delhi has conveyed its complete commitment to the cause of democracy.

To a question, Koirala said the King should have no role in the affairs of government in Nepal and his position should be rendered to a mere ceremonial one. "This is a fight between modernity and feudalism. Democratic forces represent modernity and feudalism is represented by the King," the former four-time Prime Minister said referring to the ongoing struggle for restoration of multi-party democracy.

The Monarch should give up feudalism and become a ceremonial King only, the Nepali Congress leader said, demanding that an election be held to a Constituent Assembly which will draft a new Constitution.

Maintaining that the relaxations made by the King were superficial and not reflected on the ground, he said the seven-party alliance being headed by him will intensify its agitation for restoration of democracy.

He said pressure on the King from the international community, including India, will not help unless the people of Nepal themselves intensified agitation.

Koirala favoured talks with Maoists to bring the insurgents back into the mainstream and advocated involvement of political parties in such a process.

"Whoever wants to settle the issue (of Maoists) should talk to them," he said, adding he would like to be involved in this process. "I can bring them back to the mainstream if allowed.

Reuters: Banned Nepal radio hits the street

2005-06-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

KATHMANDU, Nepal (Reuters) — Banned from broadcasting news since
February’s royal coup, Nepali radio reporters have found a new way to
get their bulletins out: loudspeaker.

Every evening, about 300 people gather on a roadside in Biratnagar,
500 kilometers (310 miles) east of Katmandu to listen to Keshav
Bhattarai read out the news from an open air studio on the roof of a
narrow, three-story building.

As well as spreading the news, the service stands for a free media,
Bhattarai tells his audience, a motley collection of politicians,
teachers, students, traders and anyone who just happens to be passing.

Nepal’s dozens of independent FM stations — wildly popular as the
only alternative on the air to state radio’s staid and vetted
bulletins — were banned from broadcasting news when King Gyanendra
fired the government and imposed strict censorship on February 1.

Some restrictions have been eased, but the FM stations that reach most
of the 26 million people in an impoverished nation where a third of
district capitals don’t have a road link to the outside world, still
cannot broadcast even censored news.

For Nepalis starved for news, the 15-minute roadside bulletins offer
everything from news about the scarcity of fish in the market to the
country’s Maoist rebellion and its political crisis to the troubles in
Iraq.

“It is like a normal radio news bulletin where listeners get
information about major national and international events,” said Shiva
Bahadur Karki of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists which
organizes the street side broadcasts.

“We will continue this until full press freedom is restored. We’ll not give up.”

The federation plans similar broadcasts around the country, including
in Kathmandu. So far, police have not stepped in, treating the daily
service as a public meeting, which is allowed, rather than a news
broadcast, which is not.

Nepal’s journalists are also sidestepping censorship with Web logs, or
blogs, but they have limited reach in a country with few computers and
Internet cafes.

Gyanendra said he was force to take power and restrict some freedoms
to crush a nine-year Maoist revolt which has killed 12,000 people and
which squabbling political parties have been unable to put down.

======================================================

Find this article at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/06/21/nepal.radio.reut

Comrades in Delhi

2005-06-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

Sudheer Sharma in Nepal, 12 June

Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai was in New Delhi in mid-May hobnobbing with the Indian leadership and officials. In a statement on 27 May, Maoist Supremo Prachanda said the party had given Comrade Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Comrade Baburam Bhattarai the assignment of assessing the standing of various political parties in India including that of the Indian government and conveying the party’s views to them.

According to sources, Bhattarai’s team also had the undercover presence of another politburo member Kishan Pyakurel aka Top Bahadur Rayamajhi who leads the Maoist organisation in India. The Maoist plenum last year had transferred Rayamajhi to India from the post of commissar of Lisne Gam Third Brigade. Mahara, who was promoted to the party’s standing committee, is in India to take care of the party’s foreign affairs. He is considered a Prachanda supporter while Rayamajhi is aligned to Bhattarai. Mahara also had the responsibility of monitoring Bhattarai’s and Rayamajhi’s activities in India, according to sources. The team led by Bhattarai held talks with three kinds of people: political leaders in India, high-level Indian government officials and Delhi-based representatives of Nepali political parties.

Bhattarai and his team met many leaders-from the newly-elected General Secretary of the CPI-M Prakash Karat to General Secretary of the CPI, AB Bardhan and former Defence Minister George Fernandez. But none of them have formally confirmed these reports. Though Karat admitted to meeting Nepali Maoist leaders in The Times of India, he immediately issued a press statement saying that he had ‘met Nepali Maoists in a meeting arranged by Indian security agencies’.

The news of the meeting between the Maoists and the Indians was first broken by the Dubai-based Gulf News a week earlier. Informed sources say their relationship dates back to the 1970s when both were studying at Jawaharlal Nehru University. The Indian intelligence agency, RAW, has had its hands soiled in many political episodes in South Asia right from Sikkim’s integration (into India) to the establishment of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka’s Tamil rebellion. PK Hormiz Tarakan who was appointed chief of RAW early this year is reputed to have an in-depth knowledge about Nepal’s politics and was the RAW station chief in Nepal until June 2001. Tarakan, who was set to retire this month, may have been promoted to make his own priorities felt. Some agree, although Bhattarai flatly denied Indian intelligence officers had a role in his Delhi mission.

Whatever the case, it is clear that after Bhattarai’s Delhi tour the Maoists have received unprecedented political recognition from the Indian government. It was India who declared the Maoists as terrorists in 2001 even before the Nepal government. Prachanda has deliberately used Baburam, who is said to have an ‘Indian leaning’, to garner Indian support. For his part, Bhattarai is trying his luck through his contacts in the Indian left movement.
The principal accomplishment of the Maoists in New Delhi is a possible coalition with agitating political parties in Nepal. There has been coverage of the Maoists and Nepali political parties looking at the possibility of working together for a ‘democratic republic’. The visit of the NC President Girija Prasad Koirala this week is being seen in similar perspective.

Bhattarai had held talks with the Delhi representatives of Nepali political parties at various stages. Krishna Prasad Sitaula and Shekhar Koirala of the Nepali Congress, Pradip Giri of NC(D), Rajan Bhattarai of UML, Hridayesh Tripathi and Rajendra Mahato of Sadbhabana Party and Chandradeb Joshi of the United Left Front and so on are in Delhi. Nepali politicians are actively working through the Nepal Democracy and Human Rights Advocacy Centre.

In the words of a Delhi-based Nepali leader, “The discussions with the Maoists have been very positive. Though there has been no immediate formal agreement, some common agenda might be reached to fight for a democratic republic.” If this is so, then elections to a constituent assembly could be a point of convergence.”

Nepalnews.com Translation Service

53 killed in Chitwan landmine explosion

2005-06-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

Nepalnewsnews.com

The death toll in the landmine explosion targeted against a passenger bus by Maoist insurgents in Chitwan district Monday morning has reached 53, while over 40 passengers have been injured in the explosion, state-run Radio Nepal said.

Three among the dead are reported to be security personnel. Reports from the district also said that nearly a dozen security personnel were traveling in the bus. However, the authorities are yet to confirm the deaths of security personnel.

Over hundred passengers were traveling in the bus which was blown to pieces after the explosion.

This is perhaps the biggest civilian toll since the Maoist insurgency began in the country.

The incident took place at around 8 in the morning. The explosion site is reportedly a bridge over the local Mudhekhola in Kalyanpur VDC, Madi area of Chitwan district.

Some critically injured passengers have been brought to Kathmandu via helicopter for treatment while those sustaining minor injuries are undergoing treatment at Bharatpur hospital in the district, security sources said.

Forces have launched search operation against the insurgents.

Knock the door of court instead of protest: Giri

2005-06-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

Kantipur online

KATHMANDU, June 5 - Vice Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Tulsi Giri on Sunday suggested the political parties and the lawyers to ask for justice at the Supreme Court rather than take to the streets.
Speaking at a programme in the capital, Giri said that rule of law couldn’t be established by taking to the streets.

“The security personnel will enforce law if the law professionals do not follow it while protesting,” he warned.

Giri’s remarks followed the protest rally by members of Nepal Bar Association in prohibited areas of the capital.

He also suggested the agitating political parties to look for legal solution to their demand of reinstatement of the House of Representatives.

He said that it would be acceptable to everyone if the demand for restoration of the House, “which is already dead,” is put before the Supreme Court. (snn)

Consensus On Leadership

2005-06-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

Despite his silence, Girija Prasad Koirala emerges as the only consensus leader for the post of party president

By KESHAB POUDEL

Despite his old age, Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala is still active in his party politics. The octogenarian Koirala’s daily chores begin at 4 am in the morning and lasts till 9 pm. Along with meeting the party workers at residence, Koirala’s hectic work schedule includes attending mass rallies.

From early in the morning former prime minister Koirala welcomes visitors and discusses party strategy. At present, one can safely say that Nepali Congress does not have a leader who can accommodate all the factions in the party and command the party cadres like Koirala. In South Asia, Koirala is one of the few leaders actively surviving in the politics even in such old age.

Koirala lives in a room at the top floor of his nephew Dr. Shashanka Koirala’s house in Maharajgunj where many congress leaders prefer to meet him early in the morning that is before 5 am. Unlike others, Koirala’s daily schedule begins with the political dialogue.

His active life is responsible for placing him in the top league of the politics in Nepal. Whether one likes it or not, Koirala is a political leader who has faced various challenges. In the last two years, Koirala has been able to bring back Nepali Congress to the position where it was before its split.

Even as Koirala remains tight lipped, three second generation leaders of Nepali Congress have already announced their candidature for the post of party president in the forthcoming general convention.

Although age is not in his side, there seems no one to match his stature and command in the party to enjoy wide acceptance. Among the three contenders Shailaja Acharya, Ram Chandra Poudel and Sushil Koirala, not one of them have the charismatic personality or commanding stature to lead the party.

If Koirala gives up his claim to become the party president in the forthcoming convention, his position will be like B.P. Koirala and Ganesh Man Singh. As an active politician, it is impossible for Koirala to remain idle and helpless. “The reality is that Koirala needs the leadership of Congress party and Nepali Congress needs his charismatic leadership,” said a political analyst. “Reality and rhetoric are two different things.”

In his recent meetings with party workers, Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala, however, has asked all three leaders to develop consensus among them for the coming elections hinting that he will step in if there is a triangular context.

“At a time when the Congress is launching the nation wide agitation demanding the restoration of democratic system, party needs Girijababu’s leadership. There is no other leader in the country who can challenge the despotism,” said Sushil Koirala, general secretary of Nepali Congress. ”If Girijababu does not contest the elections, I will be the candidate for the party president-ship.”

Other contenders including Shailaja Acharya and Ram Chandra Poudel are pleading for the new leadership in the party. “The party requires new leaders to meet the challenges posed by the Maoists and undemocratic moves of King,” said former deputy prime minister Ram Chandra Poudel attending a public rally in far-western city. “Only a new energetic leader can effectively lead the party.”

Although a large segment of intellectuals oppose Koirala, he is still popular among his party workers.

Nepali Congress’s general convention is scheduled for the first week of February. Till now no second generation leaders have been able to secure the support from all the factions. If the differences among the second generation leaders persist, Koirala will emerge as the consensus leader.

Koirala arrives in New Delhi

2005-06-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

आजको कान्तिपुरमा
SURENDRA PHUYAL

NEW DELHI, June 4 - With a pledge to further strengthen age-old Nepal-India relations and muster more support for the peaceful movement for democracy back home, Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala arrived in New Delhi Saturday.
“I am extremely thankful to the Indian government and the people for the moral support extended for our democracy,” the 82-year-old leader said as electronic and print media representatives mobbed him at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

“I am a political figure, so political discussions will take place,” he said. “I am also going to thank Indian leaders, Sonia-ji, the prime minister and others for their continued support for democracy in Nepal.”

Though the visit has been dubbed a medical trip, Koirala is scheduled to take the opportunity to hold discussions with leaders in the Indian government and the opposition, his old friends and the exiled leaders and representatives of different political parties.

They include Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance, the ruling coalition; Prime Minister Manmohan Singh; Opposition Leader Lal Krishna Advani; External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh; and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee. He is also meeting his old friends like former Prime Ministers Chandra Shekhar and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Overall, the four-time former prime minister of post-1990 Nepal said: “The main objective of my meetings with the political figures would be to further strengthen the age-old relations existing between the two countries.”

Asked to comment on his position on Indian arms to Nepal, he said: “Before supplying arms to Nepal, one must make sure that the arms are going to be misused, or used against democratic. But it’s entirely up to them, it’s their policy.”

At Kathmandu airport, he had declined to comment whether he would be meeting Maoist leaders in India. But he said: “India has a role in solving the problem in Nepal. There will be talks with India about the solution to this problem.”

At the New Delhi airport Koirala was welcomed by his daughter Sujata, nephew Shekhar, exiled Congress leader Krishna Sitaula, Royal Nepal Embassy official Jyoti Prasad Adhikari and Ranjit Rae and Munu Mahabar of the Indian External Affairs Ministry.

Outside the airport terminal, Koirala was welcomed by dozens of workers of Nepali Congress affiliate Pravashi Nepali Janasamparka Samiti. As Koirala smiled and walked with them under the sweltering heat, the workers holding party flags and banners chanted slogans welcoming him and wishing him good health.

In the evening, Koirala was busy meeting his party workers and the exiled leaders of the seven parties at his Cannaught Place hotel room. On Sunday and Monday, Koirala—who is suffering from bronchitis and is a heavy smoker—will be examined by his doctor at the Apollo Hospital.

Koirala’s return date is not yet fixed. Family sources said his stay could stretch between seven to 10 days.

Agitating political parties hold mock parliament

2005-06-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

KATHMANDU, JUN 3 (PTI)
Major political parties in Nepal today organised a mock session of both the houses of Parliament in Lalitpur district as part of their agitation to restore democracy and civil liberties in the Himalayan kingdom.

Former parliamentarians of the 205-seat House of Representatives and 60-seat Upper House, which were dissolved after February one royal takeover, were present at the 'Street Parliament' in front of famous Krishna temple in Mangalbazar witnessed by 15,000 people, the largest gathering in the district after the February one royal takeover.

Chitralekha Yadav, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives chaired the meeting, attended by top political leaders including Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala, Nepal Communist Party-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal.

The mock parliament endorsed the common agreement and commitment made by an alliance of seven parties to resolve the current political crisis and backed the agitation to restore full-fledged democracy and fundamental rights.

The parties' also resolved to form an accountable all party government on the basis of national consensus, to return sovereignty to the people and resolve the Maoist problem through initiating dialogue.

Chairing the 'Parliament Session', Yadav urged the Maoists to abandon violence and respect people's right to a peaceful life by joining the mainstream politics.

A host of speakers who addressed the gathering also asked to release all political detainees, guarantee press freedom and return civil rights.

Nepal's lawyers to boycott Anti-Corruption Commission

2005-06-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

Kathmandu, June 01:

Nepal's lawyers have decided to boycott King Gyanendra's Anti-Corruption Commission, saying the body was "unconstitutional." The Royal Commission for Corruption Control, formed after the royal takeover on February 1 has the power to investigate, prosecute and sentence former politicians and government officials accused of corruption. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), at a meeting of the association's working committee yesterday, appealed to all its members to boycott the RCCC terming it "unconstitutional." The SCBA, since its inception, has viewed it (RCCC) as detrimental to the prestige and honour of its members, who have been raising their voice for rule of law and human rights, to take part in pleading before an entity that has been declared unconstitutional by the association itself, it said in a statement. "I fully support the SCBA decision to boycott the pleading for RCCC," said Nepal Bar Association President Sambhu Thapa. The commission was illegally constituted and is outside the parameters of the Constitution, he said. RCCC has already accused several high-level ministers and government officials of corruption and embezzlement, including former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and former Minister Prakash Man Singh, for their alleged involvement in the decision to award contract of the Melamchi drinking water project access road.
Bureau Report

Rashtrabadi education

2005-06-02T02:36:00.000-07:00

By BISHNU SAPKOTA

- Education Minister RK Mainali is hell-bent to introduce a rashtrabadi (patriotic) educational curriculum ever since he took oath as a royal minister. His argument is based on an assumption that the present education system is anti-nationalist. Mainali himself was educated in Nepal, so he must have received an anti-nationalist education, which he wants to replace now.
If we are to accept that Nepal's present educational curriculum is to be revised to make it nationalistic, this is also to accept that what we have been imparting in the name of education so far is all anti-nationalism.
By the same token, we must also accept that all the educated Nepalis are somehow anti-nationalist because they have received an education that is anti-nationalist. This means we are traitors to some degree and it is our education that has made us so. All our educational certificates are certificates of treachery against the nation. But Mainali and his bureaucratic aides have never found it necessary to tell us what harm the present educational curriculum has done to our nationalism.
Would the minister ever bother to explain what his nationalism means? Does his violent communism of Jhapa movement represent Nepali nationalism or his period of democratic flirtations later or his present political conviction? One can plainly expect that there must be certain indicators or standards of patriotic education.
It is most unfortunate that the word "nationalism" has always been abused by the power elites in the history of modern Nepal. In the beginning, this nation belonged to the kings and queens. Then it belonged to the ruling Ranas. Even after the advent of democracy, the nation
never belonged to the people. In the 12 years after democratic restoration, the nation was gradually beginning to belong to the people. But still,
people were never able to define their nationalism on their own. In the autocratic Panchayat era, people were told that development is nationalism, not democracy.
Mainstream political parties need not claim that they are nationalists because they always are. It is only democracy that strengthens nationalism and this is a commonplace understanding for the civilized world.
Our ministers must realize that myths and fabricated stories do not strengthen nationalism. Mt. Everest and Lord Buddha may be important to identify Nepal to the world but they do not constitute our nationalism.
It is no pride to be known as the land of the Gurkhas because our Gurkhas were paid soldiers who fought for imperial powers, and not always for this country. We read the history of Prithvi Narayan Shah and his unification of modern Nepal but it does not mean that we should be grateful to him. He unified Nepal for his own royal
ambition and interest, not to strengthen people. Our nationalism, like everybody else's, is a pure accident.
But, let Minister Mainali know this, we are fully aware that our nationalism-- accidental it may be--is not any worship of a dynasty, mythical kings, Everest and Buddha. If nationalism does have a meaning, it is one that emanates from a common feeling of belongingness towards the nation. If I have to become a nationalist the way Mainali defines it, I would be proud to be an anti-nationalist.
Source: kantipur