PLA Commanders Press PM To Rehabilitate Disqualified Combatants
The commanders of Maoists’ People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have collectively pressed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ to rehabilitate the combatants disqualified by the UNMIN. At the meeting of the General Staff of the PLA, in Kathmandu, on Sunday (March 15), the commanders said that they were hard pressed to support the livelihood of disqualified combatants through the money made available to them for supporting the verified combatants. After the pressure from the commanders, PM Prachanda assured that they would soon be rehabilitated based on the decision of the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC). He also asked PLA commanders to rest assured that there will be respectful integration and rehabilitation. In seven main and 21 sub cantonments, there are 19,692 verified combatants and over 4000 disqualified combatants. Kantipur daily reports
No Intention To Pull Down Govt, Claims Koirala
Former prime minister and president of main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) Girija Prasad Koirala has claimed that he has no intention of pulling down the Maoist-led government. Talking to reporters upon his return from New Delhi, Sunday (March 15), Koirala said that his trip to India had nothing to do with politics. “I have no intention of pulling down the government. I have no interest in that,” he said. Koirala, however, added that Maoists were not concentrating on constitution making through political understanding. During his New Delhi stay, Koirala underwent check up at the hospital there. He also met with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, main opposition leader Lal Krishna Advani, among others. Compiled from reports
Differences Persist In Pancheshwore
As Nepal and India both claimed their nominee should head the Pancheshwore Development Authority, the progress in the much-anticipated Pancheshwore Multipurpose project could not be made at the meeting of Joint Committee on Water Resources, which concluded recently in New Delhi, India. At the meeting, India stated that since Nepal did not have much experience on such mega projects, its nominee should head the authority. Nepal, on the other hand, proposed that the authority should be headed by a Nepali and that the position could be rotated every three years. The mega project can irrigate 1.5 million hectare of land in Indian territory, according to a study. It can irrigate 93,000 hectares of land in Nepali territory and generate 6480 MW of electricity. The Authority has to be formed first to carry out this project. Kantipur daily reports
34-Point Accord To End Water Woes
Nepal and India signed a 34-point agreement last week in New Delhi, capping the two-day meeting of the Joint Committee on Water Resources (JCWR). This was the fourth meeting of the joint mechanism. The next round will be held in Pokhara — the scenic Lake City — in September. “The JCWR, among other issues, has pledged to establish a Joint Committee on Inundation and Flood Management. It will review inundation woes on the whole and will also try to solve problems of flooding in the border areas,” said Shital Babu Regmi, joint secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Nepal. Regmi was a part of the 15-member Nepali delegation. Both neighbors also finalized the Terms of Reference (ToR) for Joint Ministerial Commission. “The ToR for Pancheswor Development Authority will be finalized during the fifth round of talks. It’s a huge project. Hence, we require more time for deliberation,” said Regmi. India has agreed to construct a canal to irrigate Dodhara and Chandani VDCs in Kanchanpur district in the far-west. According to Regmi, New Delhi has given its nod to expedite the construction of the link road in Mahendranagar and at Pancheswor barrage as soon as Kathmandu furnishes the mandatory environmental clearance. The repair work of breached embankments of the Koshi is in full swing. Nepal’s demand to build four powerful cross-border transmission lines to facilitate export and import of power has also been well received. “India has sought certain data pertaining to the Naumure project. New Delhi will build Kalkalwa embankment on the Laxamanpur barrage. This will help control floods at Mahalisagar,” added Regmi. “We have not been able to address all the issues. But the meeting paved the way for a greater cooperation between the two countries,” said Shankar Prasad Koirala, secretary, water resources. The Himalayan Times daily reports
Koirala Meets With Advani, Mukherjee
Former prime minister and president of main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) Girija Prasad Koirala met with opposition leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lal Krishna Advani and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on Thursday (Mar 12). He also held talks with BJP president Rajnath Singh. Shedding light on the agenda of those talks, NC leader Sujata Koirala, who is accompanying her father in the current India tour, said that the NC is not in any mood to pull down the Maoist-led government. Sources added that Koirala, however, explained to Indian leaders about the growing ‘Maoist dictatorship.’ Meanwhile, reports have said that former King Gyanendra who is also on India visit met with firebrand leader of BJP Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on Thursday. Kantipur daily reports
Muslims Offended By Madhesi Categorization
The Unified Muslim National Struggle Committee (UMNSC) Thursday (Mar 12) announced protests against the government for categorizing them under the Madhesi category in the recently promulgated ordinances. The UMNSC said it will organize protests rallies and general strike within March 27, amidst a press meet in the capital. UMNSC coordinator Taj Mohammed Miya said they were compelled to launch protest after the government turned a deaf ear to their demands. Expressing concern over the government attempts of wiping out the identity of other indigenous groups by listing them as Madhesis, Miya said they are “Muslims, not Madhesis” and urged the government to provide identity on that basis. The UMNSC has demanded withdrawal of the ordinances concerning inclusiveness and assurance of the constitutional identity of Muslim communities. Other demands include proportional reservation for Muslims in every region based on their population, formation of National Muslim Commission for resolving their problems, revision of the population census, among others. It has warned to launch second-phase protest from March 28 if their demands are not met. Compiled from reports
AG Sings A Different Tune
Attorney General (AG) Raghav Lal Vaidya did a U-turn in the Supreme Court (SC) Thursday (Mar 12). He urged the apex court to issue directive to the Nepali Army (NA) to stop its recruitment process. He termed the hiring drive a violation of the interim constitution. This, in turn, translated to overruling the government order. Pleading in a full bench, comprising Justices Ram Prasad Shrestha, Khil Raj Regmi and Girish Chandra Lal, the chief legal advisor to the government categorically said that the NA’s exercise flouted the peace process. “During the last 12 years many women have lost their husbands. There has been widespread violence. We cannot tolerate the same things again,” argued the AG. However, he urged the bench not to annul the appointment of the 3,010 NA personnel. He only demanded a stricture against such appointments in the future. “The army cannot work against the government order,” he reasoned. Ironically, though Vaidya and the government attorneys argued against the NA Thursday; they had defended the national army in division bench of Justices Bala Ram KC and Abadhesh Kumar Yadav only last week. What transpired in the past few days is open to interpretation? Deputy Attorney General Kumar Chundal and Yuba Raj Subedi had illustrated the rift between the government and the NA as a minor dispute between the two wings of the state organs. On the other hand, senior Nepali Army (NA) officials were taken aback by Attorney General (AF) Raghav Lal Vaidya’s role in the Supreme Court on Thursday. “We are surprised by his action,” a high-ranking NA official said. The AG had told the media around two weeks ago that he and the government attorneys would defend the NA in this case. The Himalayan Times daily reports
President Yadav Says Special Measures Needed To End Impunity
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav on Thursday (Mar 12) expressed serious concern at the rise of culture of impunity in the country and stressed the need of "special initiatives" to end it. He also promised he will personally draw the attention of the government on the issue. During a meeting with a delegation of Amnesty International (AI) Nepal, a prominent rights watchdog, at the Presidential palace in Shital Niwas, Dr. Yadav said that the culture of impunity, if allowed to go unchecked, will put the nation's democracy "at serious risk" and urged all human rights activists to join hands to put an end to this malaise. "All countries adhere to the same [fundamental] principles of human rights. The one followed by a developing country doesn't differ to that followed by a developed country," he told the AI delegation. The delegation led by president of AI Nepal Chapter Hem Kumar Khadka met the President to express their concern about the rise in culture of impunity in Nepal because of past negligence where individuals guilty of committing serious human rights violations and atrocities where allowed to go scot-free. The delegation also drew the attention of the president to the delay in the formation of Disappearance and Truth and Reconciliation Commission and safety of human rights activists. The President is learnt to have given a patient ear to AI's concerns. In the meeting, AI also expressed its dissatisfaction to a provision in the draft of the proposed Truth and Reconciliation Commission which grants amnesty to individuals found guilty of committing serious crimes against humanity "in the line of duty or due to his/her political conscience" and requested its omission. Nepalnews.com reports
Maoists Term Delhi Tours As Political Expedition
The meeting of the central secretariat of the Unified CPN-Maoists, Tuesday (Mar 10), has concluded that the planned trip of Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala to New Delhi, India coinciding with the stay in India of former King Gyanendra and trip to the southern neighbor by other political leaders as ‘political expeditions’ aimed at ‘plotting against democratic republic.’ “This is conspiracy against the nascent republic,” said Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav,’ leader of Maoists. “Efforts are on to build new political equation bypassing us,” accused another leader Dev Gurung. Koirala is leaving for India on Wednesday for health check-up. Ex-King is in India since last two weeks. UML leader KP Oli recently returned from Delhi tour. Compiled from reports
