Himalayan Daily Ramblings

Terai rebel groups penetrated by Indian criminals: Madhav Kumar Nepal

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 3 Feb: Close of the heels of a disclosure by a UN official Nepal’ s terai rebels have direct links with groups in north India, CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said Indian criminals have infiltrated the rebel groups in the south pushing independence.
“In groups like Goit and Jwala Singh, there are notorious Indian criminal groups. They have taken Nepali citizenship,” he told party workers at the head office Friday.” That’s why they are talking about disintegration.’
Nepal said this as UNDP country representative earlier said, ”Some of these groups that are making life difficult in terai may have some kind of links in north India. It would be enormously helpful if Indian authorities are able to keep these people under control.” PTI the official Indian government news agency quoted Matthew Kahane as saying in New Delhi.
Sensitive India hasn’t reacted to the unflattering comment by the UN official so far.
India earlier accused the UNMIN officials in Nepal by misusing visas issued by the Indian embassy to cross the border and meet terai rebels in the Indian bordering states to help movement of goods during the last monsoon.
Kahane, coordinating humanitarian work, suggested Indian cooperation could help humanitarian work.
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Bhutan calls for toppling King Jigme

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 3 Feb: United Revolutionary Front of Bhutan (URFB) said the ‘ new changes which so much is being hyped is just cosmetic and in reality is not going to benefit all the Bhutanese except a small section”.
The party, in a statement available here, accused the King Jigme Singhe Wangchuk for indirectly consolidating his powers in the name of ushering in democracy.
The recent national council election showed people weren’t interested in taking part in king’s recent political initiatives called ‘democratic” as they were ‘just exercise to eyewash the innocent people and the outside world and retain the absolute power by the king’.
The denial of registration of third political party, Bhutan Peoples
United Party (BPUP) is one instant of suppression and much against the
spirit of the constitution in which it states that as many political parties
as can register and take part in election at the primary level, the party said.
Many parties were denied registration by the election commission on ground of lack of fulfillment of criteria as a ploy to protect and allow the only two
political parties headed by the close relative and confidant of the King to
contest so that the absolute power is strengthen and not challenged, the party revealed.
“… a third force is required. And to abolish the autocratic power and establish peoples' democracy, we have to fight the regime and it is only through arm struggle
as the King is so adamant to peace and reconciliation,” the statement issued by. commander-in chief Karma [only one word] said.


The party asked the international community, the donor countries offering the resettlement of refugees especially the
US which has offered to take about 60000 refugees to once again
carefully review their gesture .

“The kind gesture should not set precedent and encourage the despot to evict the people who pose challenge to its authority and power. On the other hand, India
our closest neighbor and supposed to be the largest democracy in the
world, that espouse human rights and democracy cannot remain a silent
spectator.
“So far it has been siding the King and aiding and abetting
in creating human misery in Bhutan and destabilizing the country. It
should side with the people as people are the supreme power and
architect of the destiny of the nation and not help the single king
with military might,” the statement said.

The URFB took responsibility for serial blasts of 20th January 2008
in four districts of Bhutan and said it was beginning of a struggle.
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Deuba public meeting again bombed

Kathmandu, 3 Feb: Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba escaped unhurt when a Congress party meeting he was addressing in Rajbiraj was bombed Sunday.
Deuba and the Congress party’s meeting was bombed for the second consecutive day.
The second-ranking Congress leader after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala escaped unhurt in the first attack Saturday ion Inaruwa, Sunsari.
Four persons were injured in the Rajbiraj bombing while a child was injured in Sunsari.
Deuba said the controversial and unlikely 10 April constituent assembly election will be held despite the bombings.
After campaigning in the mid-West where Maoists disturbed his meetings, Deuba has continued the election campaign in the East where terai rebels opposed to elections and fulfillment of regional demands before a vote are attacking his meetings.
Deuba has become the party’s star campaigner after Koirala, 84, has been confined to Baluwatar after following seriously sick. Koirala, it appears, can’t participate in the campaign.
Nepali Congress launched its election campaign Wednesday with plans to hold mass meetings in all 75 district headquarters.
Maoists, Congress and CPN-UML have launched their election drives.
Not to be left behind, conservative RPP has also decided to contest all seats in the assembly election.
Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana heads a committee to select candidates and former prime minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand heads a mobilizing committee.
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Management of Valley’s drinking water system privatized

Kathmandu, 3 Feb: The management to the Valley’s drinking water system was awarded to a private Nepali company Sunday amid initial protests from Maoists who control the Ministry of Water Resources.
“The historic agreement paves the way for Asian Development Bank (ADB) to take up the Maleumchi drinking water project,” Water Resources Minister Hishila Yami said.
Yami cancelled a project first awarded by the Bank to a British company to manage the Nepalese capital’s water system when Maoists first joined the government.
ADB has demanded privatization as a condition for further loans.
Maoists have, with the agreement, corrected a previous decision against privatization the second time after joining government three months ago.
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Eight killed in Baitadi, Darchula

Kathmandu, 3 Feb: Snowfall and cold has killed eight persons in remote hill districts of Baitadi and Darchula in the far-West, Radio Nepal said.
Five persons died in Baitadi and three in Darchula.
A cold wave is sweeping the country and it is expected to last for another 12 days.
The cold wave has claimed at least six lives in the terai as well.
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