A monitoring farce; who’s to monitor the monitors? [Excerpts]

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 30 March: Questions have begun to crop on the role of monitors of the 10 April constitutional assembly elections –monitors who are to give the vote credibility, reports JB Pun Magar in Himalkhabarpatrika.
Their activities to closely watch election-related events have become controversial.
Chairman Prachanda told a recent election rally in Liwang, Rolpa, international monitors were appointed to defeat Maoists who believe monitors, who are mostly Americans, are out to defeat them. Most national organizations monitoring elections are also funded by Americans followed by DFID of UK.
Most monitors assigned nation-wide don’t meet the requirements set by the Election Commission.
Organizations are appointing party leaders and activists as monitors. Most organizations have appointed teachers who are attacked to political parties. This has been confirmed by a Study of the National Human Rights Commission.
This time around, party workers in the garb of monitors are being enlisted; there’s also the greed for foreign-funding.
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PM Koirala appeals for patience

Kathmandu, 30 March: Prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala Sunday appealed for patience after two Muslims died and two others were injured when four bombs were hurled at a mosque in his hometown Biratnagar overnight.
The town was closed down by a strike.
Three bombs of four bombs hurled exploded during load-shedding.
Local administration lifted an 11-hour curfew at eight in the morning Sunday.
Defence Army claimed responsibility for the bombings.
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Prachanda cancels engagements citing security concerns

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 30 March: Citing security concerns, Chairman Prachanda has cancelled all engagements outside the Valley citing.
This was announced formally by the CPN (Maoist) which didn’t details the threats. But the Chairman himself he is being targeted by national foreign and palace.
But top leaders of rival parties, including former Congress minister Bal Bahadur KC and CPN-UML deputy prime minister KP Sharma Oli charged Maoists were planning to eliminate them.
Both survived deadly murderous attacks during their campaigns.
Prachanda was scheduled to address a public meeting in Chitwan Sunday; Maoist military leader Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ is contesting elections from the district.
CPN (Maoist) alleged rivals were hatching ‘conspiracies’ against the party to defeat them in elections which they were certain to win.
Top party leadership will review the election scenario and the threat perception, party sources.
The outcome of the meeting will deciode on the 10 April election will be held.
Maoist headquarters said Prachanda will be active in the capital to confront the situation steadfastly through ‘essential political moves’.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala warned the country is heading towards an ‘accident’ with mounting daily electoral violence while saying he is determined to hold the vote which will usher in sweeping changes.
Chief communist rival CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal ridiculed Prachanda and Maoists and told them never to think of a communist state in Nepal as the army will foil it.
Nepal, surprisingly, was praise for the army which came under bitter criticism from the CPN-UML before the April 2006 movement.
“If anybody is dreaming of capturing power, that can only be a daydream. There can’t be a communist takeover here.
“The forces that are staying patiently inside their barracks are strong enough to face such a contingency.
“The CPN-UML will never tolerate further accusations against Nepal Army and the police forces,” Nepal told an election rally in the capital Saturday.
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