Mahat And Rijal Represent NC In AISC
The main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) has forwarded the names of Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and Dr Minendra Rijal as its representatives to Army Integration Special Committee. With the names forwarded by Nepali Congress, the committee has got its final shape. Other members of the committee include Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal as chairman and Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa representing United CPN (Maoist), Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam and Bhim Rawal representing CPN (UML) and Agriculture Minister Jay Prakash Gupta and Mohammad Habibulla representing Madhesi Janadhikar Forum. In the meantime, the first meeting of the special committee was held on Friday (Jan 16) afternoon at PM residence in Baluwatar. The meeting decided to write code of conduct for the committee members, draw working timetable and hold discussion on working areas for the committee, a statement issued from personal secretariat of the PM said. Compiled from reports
PM Vows To Take Action Against Journo's Killers
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday vowed to bring those involved in the murder of Janakpur-based journalist Uma Singh to book, but said attempts to show Maoist involvement in the incident are inspired by "wrong intentions". In a meeting with a team of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) that had reached his official residence in Balwuatar to submit a memorandum asking the government to ensure security to the journalists and guarantee that such incidents do not repeat, PM Dahal said the Maoist party of which he is a chairman can't be blamed for the murder of journalist Singh just on the basis that her (Uma Singh's) father and brother were abducted and disappeared by Maoist cadres in the past. He said he was "shocked and speechless" after hearing the news about the gruesome murder of the 26-year-old journalist who reported on women's issues. He also assured that strict action will be taken against anyone involved in the murder, that he will spare no one, not even his own cadres if they were found involved in it. FNJ submitted a memorandum to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav on Thursday demanding investigation into the murder of journalist Uma Singh. The FNJ district branches across the nation are also scheduled to submit memos to Chief District Officer in their respective districts Thursday. The FNJ has also announced five-day protest demanding action against those involved in the murder of journalist Singh. In Dhanusha, journalists continued their sit-in program in front of the District Administration Office, demanding probe into the murder case. Compiled from reports
Maoists Honor Murder-Accused With CC Membership
In what appears to be a resounding slap to calls for end to culture of impunity in the country, the ruling Unified CPN (Maoist) has awarded Kali Bahadur Kham 'Bibidh', the main accused in the murder of restaurateur and party sympathizer Ram Hari Shrestha, with a berth on its Central Committee (CC), myrepublica.com reported. The news portal quoted an unnamed Maoist source as saying that the Maoists withdrew all disciplinary action against Kham and included him in the expanded Central Committee of the party under its recent initiative to forge party unity with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Center-Masal). Kham, a People's Liberation Army (PLA) commander at Shaktikhor cantonment, has been absconding since he was charged of subsequently murdering Shrestha after abducting him in May 2008. However, a formal announcement of the inclusion of Kham in the 175 member Central Committee formed after the Maoist's unification with Masal is yet to be made. Senior Maoist leader C.P Gajurel confirmed Kham's inclusion in the expanded CC adding that Kham got into the new committee "by virtue of his membership in the party's CC in 2005." "Reinstating party´s CC members is one thing and the party´s disciplinary action against Kham is quite another," Gajurel told the newsportal, defending Kham's controversial inclusion in the Central Committee. Compiled from reports
70,000 Jobs Lost As Industrial Sector Takes A Beating
Bleak industrial climate has rendered some 70,000 people jobless in the country. According to date compiled by Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and the Industrial District Management Ltd (IDM), a host of factors like labor dispute, increasing load-shedding and frequent strikes have contributed to a huge loss of jobs in industrial districts (IDs). Some 78 industries situated in the 10 industrial estates -Balaju, Patan, Bhaktapur, Hetauda, Dharan, Nepalgunj, Pokhara, Butwal, Birendranagar and Rajbiraj- have already been shut down. According to the IDM, apart from problems caused by trade unions, increasing load-shedding has severely paralyzed the industries across the country. The IDM has also said that it is making utmost efforts to sort out the problems wrecking havoc with the industrial climate of the country. Compiled from reports END
Talk Show Host Lohani Passes Away
Host of the popular television talk show 'Bahas' Indra Lohani has passed away, Friday (Jan 16) night in Kathmandu. Lohani, 45, breathed his last after he suffered from massive cardiac arrest. Doctors at Norvic Hospital declared him dead on arrival at around 9:30 pm. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. Lohani was also a well-known legal practitioner. His talk show 'Bahas' at Kantipur Television was a popular show and he was known for his incisive interviews. Compiled from reports
PM Asks Tharu Community To Remain Alert Against Secessionists
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said that some communal elements are trying to divide the country. He asked Tharu community to resist such forces. "They want to disintegrate the country by creating violence. Tharus from Jhapa to Kanchanpur should resist such traitors," he said, addressing a program by Tharuwan Mukti Morcha on the occasion of Maghi festival in Thakurdwara of Bardiya district on Wednesday (Jan 14). Kantipur daily reports
Khanal Takes Exception To PM's Remarks
The general secretary of major coalition ally Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) Jhal Nath Khanal has taken a strong exception to remarks made, Tuesday, by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda.' Reacting to PM's warning to launch great revolt if the government is dislodged, Khanal told reporters, "I find frustration and arrogance in his remarks." "They are also totally irresponsible," he said. Khanal said his party had ranked the government as an average one. "There is nothing remarkable that this government has done. And there is nothing damaging that it has done," he said. Replying to queries from the journalists, he also trashed reports that there were any moves to amend or adjust the UML's philosophy of People's Multiparty Democracy. He said the coming general convention of the party will further institutionalize this philosophy. Compiled from reports
Singh's Murder Over Political And Family Reasons: FNJ
The Federation of Nepalese Journalist (FNJ) Wednesday concluded that Janakpur-based woman journalist Uma Singh was murdered in an organized manner over political and family reasons. The umbrella body of Nepali scribes, FNJ, drew such a conclusion in its preliminary investigation report on the murder of journalist Singh unveiled amid a press conference at Sanchar Gram in the capital. The FNJ said that Singh's murder should be linked with the abduction of her father and brother, whose whereabouts are still unknown, by the Maoists in the past. Charging the government that it did not take the security issue of the journalists, the FNJ has publicized its more agitation programs. Compiled from reports
Employees To Run NBB
Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has sanctioned the authority to handle the management of Nepal Bangladesh Bank (NBB) to the employees of the bank. The central bank directed senior officer of the bank Govinda Tiwari to steer the bank for the next 45 days as an interim management, according to media reports. Some 15 months back, the NRB had constituted a three-member management team under chairmanship of Basu Dev Joshi. The team has now been dissolved. Two weeks ago, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had asked the NRB to take action against the management led by Joshi for its erroneously releasing collateral to a garment factory. Compiled from reports
Water Tariff Up In Valley
The government has increased the drinking water tariff for Kathmandu valley residents effective from Wednesday on the recommendation of the Commission for Determination of Drinking Water Tariff. Now, those consuming up to 10,000 liters of water per month will have to pay Rs 55. Earlier, the rate was Rs 50 per month. Similarly, those consuming less than 5,000 liters will have to pay Rs 27. For hotels, industries and other sectors where water is consumed heavily, the tariff has been increased by 30.7 percent. Commission said proposal of the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepni Limited to increase the water tariff was approved on condition to improve the leakages and quality of supply water. Asian Development Bank (ADB), the prime investor of Melamchi Drinking Water Project, had set the tariff hike as a condition before starting construction of project tunnel. Compiled from reports
Prachanda Delivers Revolt Threat
Addressing the mass meeting organized to formalize the unification between CPN (Maoist) and Unity Centre (Masal) in Khula Manch in Kathmandu, Tuesday, Prime Minister and chairman of the Unified CPN-Maoists Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has delivered yet another revolt threat if his government is 'forcefully dislodged.' "There are two scenarios. If we fall by our own weaknesses and failings, the country will be trapped in darkness. But if we are forcefully dislodged then we will immediately launch a great rebellion and the people will seize the power," he thundered. "Nothing in the world can stop us." He added that all the parties were in the same boat and if anyone tries to make holes, all will sink "except the revolutionaries who will have options to survive." Compiled from reports
Three Terai Outfits Come Together
Three major rebel organizations engaged in violent struggle in Terai have announced their unity. The Akhil Terai Mukti Morcha (Goit), Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (Jwala Singh) and Samyukta Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (Pawan Giri) have claimed to have forged unity following their meeting held in undisclosed location on Tuesday. The united organization will be known as Terai Janatantrik Party and will be led by Jai Krishna Goit. In a statement issued by Goit following the unity, it is informed that Pawan Giri will be its vice president, Jwala Singh its general secretary, Ajad its Terai government chief and Khudi Ram its organization department chief. The statement says that split in Terai organizations had overshadowed their agenda for independent Terai. Goit has informed that talks are on to forge unity with other similar outfits. Kantipur daily reports
