Maoists escalate electoral violence
By Bhola B Rana
Kathmandu, 19 March: Amid protests of parties in the ruling seven party alliance that includes the CPN (Maoist) as well, Maoists Wednesday escalated electoral violence; constituent assembly election is 22 days away.
Maoists disturbed public meetings and attacked candidates of NepaliCongress, CPN-UML and Janamorcha.
Two Maoists were also killed.
Communist Rashtriya Janamorcha candidate Kamal Prasad Adhikari was sshot dead dead in Banke overnight; Adhikari was vice-chairman of the party.
The Home Ministry accused militant Jwala Singh group of the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha for the killing accusing it for attempting to sabotage elections. Puran Singh Dayal was injured in chest, head and legs in a Maoist attack in the terai and another CPN-UML candidate and former minister Dharma Prasad Shah was attacked during a door-to door campaign in Siraha.
Three bombs defused in Biratnagar in the hometown of Premier Girija Prasad Koirala—one in front of a school.
Maoists Tek Bahadur Buda and Bhakta Bahadur BK were shot dead overnight in two separate shootings in Rolpa where Chairman Prachanda was campaigning for assembly elections; Prachanda is also contesting from Kathmandu-10.
Radio Nepal, now controlled by Maoists who are in government, said in prime time news Wednesday a M16 used cartridge was fund at the site of one of them murders.
M16 rifles were supplied to Royal Nepal Army by USA; Maoists seized some of the modern automatic weapons from the state army during the insurgency.
Other ruling parties have complained to the Election Commission Maoists are violating an election code of conduct by broadcasting and printing one-sided news and opinions in state-controlled media, including Radio Nepal.
Nepali Congress and CPN-UML similarly misused state media in previous governments when they controlled the Communications Ministry.
Congressman Arjun Sapkota was injured in Lamgung and Janamrocha meeting was disrupted in Ramechap.
Congress complained Maoist combatants in cantonments under UNMIN watch have come out of camps for campaigning violating the terms of a government, Maoist peace accord.
The party asked UNMIN to keep daily tabs on the movement of Maoist fighters
in the cantonments.
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Maoists condemn Tibet protests

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 19 March: CPN (Maoist), who are in government, Wednesday ‘strongly’ condemned what it called the Free Tibet and anti-China activities adding the party supported a one-China policy.
The support for Beijing came at a time when China clamped down on a fresh uprising against Chinese in Tibet resulting in at least 13 deaths.
After CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist) is the second party to extend support to China and condemn activities of Tibetans against China.
A front-page cartoon in The Kathmandu Post Wednesday ridiculed CPN-UML condemnation of Tibetan refugee protests in Nepal and support for China.
The cartoon shows party General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal delivering sticks to police to beat a protesting Tibetan refugee staging a sit-in at the UN office in the Nepalese capital.
Tibetan refugees in Nepal continued protests for the fourth consecutive day in front of the UN office Wednesday demanding what they called Chinese oppression ahead of the August Olympic Games in Beijing.
Government, which also supports a one China policy, has remained silent on the uprising in Tibet.
Watch on the Nepal-Tibet border has been increased on both sides following the rebellion.
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