 |
| |
VOL. 28, NO. 23, March 06, 2009 (Falgun 23 2065)
|
|
Thaw Setting In?
The cold war between the government and the Nepali Army (NA) seems to have ended with the government lawyers defending NA’s recruitment at the Supreme Court
By SANJAYA DHAKAL
On Sunday (March 1), the bench number 5 at the Supreme Court was unusually crowded.
The joint bench of judges Balram KC and Abadesh Yadav were due to hear the case regarding the writ petition filed by one Inhured International against the government over what it deemed as illegal recruitment by NA.
The interest of the people had heightened since it was unclear till the last hour whether the government lawyers would defend NA or not – in the backdrop of public spat between Defense Ministry and NA over the recruitment.
However, the decision of the five ruling parties held a day earlier, to endorse the NA recruitment must have tilted the balance.
In what appeared as a sign of thaw setting in between the government and the Nepali Army (NA), the government lawyers defended NA full and total.
Government lawyers Kumar Chudal and Yubaraj Subedi, pleading before the Supreme Court (SC) bench, said that the recruitment was not for additional posts but only to fill the posts rendered vacant.
They said that the recruitment processes were carried out in close coordination with the government and that it did not violate any agreement.
They were speaking before the bench after the SC – in response to a writ petition filed by Inhured International claiming the recruitment violated Comprehensive Peace Agreement - asked the government to explain its position following its issuance of interim order, last week, asking the NA to halt the recruitment process for the time being.
The government lawyers also said that there was no need for the interim order since the recruitment process for around 3000 army personnel had already been completed and that the new recruits were now undergoing training process.
They stated that around one lakh people had applied for the job and the government had even collected Rs 5.4 million as revenue from them.
The government lawyers dismissed as ‘hearsay’ that there was any difference between the NA and the government over the recruitment, which they stated did not violate the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
They regretted that such a sensitive issue had been dragged into the court. They said that without recruitments to fill positions that become regularly vacant in army would render the organization defunct.
Meanwhile, unsure till the last hour about whether its case will be represented or not, the NA had also brought its own army of private lawyers to plead on its behalf.
SRI LANKAN PRESIDENT IN TOWN
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa came to Kathmandu on March 2 for a three-day visit – becoming the first head of state to visit Nepal after it became a republic last year.
The Sri Lankan president met with his Nepali counterpart Dr Ram Baran Yadav at the latter's office in Shital Niwas and exchanged views on Nepal's peace process, the ongoing civil war in Sri Lanka, promotion of tourism and establishing direct air link between the two countries.
Rajapaksa arrived in Kathmandu at the invitation of Dr Yadav. President Rajapaksa is accompanied by first lady. Massive security has been provided to the Sri Lankan President during the visit.
Rajapaksa also held meetings with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. On Wednesday, the Sri Lankan President will visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.
During his visit, the two countries are set to ink two accords – Air Service and Joint Commission Agreements. These agreements will boost cooperation in tourism, education, agriculture and cultural sectors.
