Another Chavez dig at Bush

Kathmandu, 27 Oct: President Hugo Chavez had another dig at outgoing President George W. Bush in the presence of Nepal Maoist leader C. P. Gajurel who was recently in Venezuela.
“When I nationalized banks George W. .Bush was really against it. But now he has become my comrade, he too has nationalized banks in his country,” Chavez jokingly told Gajurel, according to the Nepali Maoist in The Kathmandu Post.
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Maoist present interim constitution to prove democracy without opposition

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 27 Oct: Maoist ideologue C.P. Gajurel Monday gave the example on the interim constitution without an opposition in an attempt to prove there was be Maoist-conceptualized multi-party democracy.
“..there will be competition between parties that are nationalist that have fought for the country and republicanism, who want to make a new Nepal.
“Its not necessary that, like in parliament, there has to be an opposition party and a ruling party.
‘In the interim period we didn’t have an opposition but the system was democratic, In fact, there is no provision for an opposition in the interim constitution.
“Only after the Nepali Congress decided to stay in the opposition did we decide to allow for it,” Gajurel told The Kathmandu Post Monday.
Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala fighting for democracy , before opting to stay in the opposition, even wanted such a system to continue for another 10 years.
Maoists want to impose rules and conditions for parties to function under their rule.
Immediately after April 2005, Maoists pursued conservative and traditional parties.
To argue there can be democracy without a parliamentary system by extending the example of transitional rule under the interim constitution before April 2008 is childish.
The Koirala rule after April 2005 guided by the interim constitution was the worst example of democratic rule in Nepal when there was no rule of law and the judiciary and legislature were stifled.
There was a dictatorial rule of seven/eight parties—mostly of communist bent.
Gajurel said there must be ‘commitment towards the constitution we draft’ although they fought a people’s war and topple the 1990 constitution which wasn’t accepted by Maoists before they went to the jungle.
The constitution to be drafted will be final—a document which can’t be challenged by anybody.
On an average, Nepal has had one constitution for every 15 years.
A tradition has been established to topple constitutions and governments through street protests without developing constitutional government.
This tradition will continue unending.
Maoists are embroiled in a debate and differences on a people’s republic or a democratic federal republic.
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Govt invitation to nine rebel groups

Kathmandu, 27 Oct: Peace Minister Janardhan Sharma Prabhakar has confirmed government has sent invitations to nine tarai rebel groups for talks to resolve southern demands.
Response of five groups, he said, was positive.
Formal talks are yet to start.
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Govt attempt to monitor meetings of foreigners with political leaders and govt officials


By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 27 Oct: Foreign diplomats in Nepal will compulsorily have to inform the foreign ministry of their meetings with political and government officials, Anil Giri reports in Annapurna Post.
Such meetings will have to held in the presence of officials of the foreign ministry.
A seven-point directive presented by Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav was approved by the cabinet Saturday.
Foreign Secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya said this was to re-vitalize the foreign ministry.
The spirit behind the effort is good and appreciable although such an effort is not new.
Such rules existed in the past but were relaxed and ignored after 1990 to the joy of foreign diplomats who direct access into the bedroom of the prime minister in Baluwatar.
The effort should start with the meetings foreign diplomats seeks with the prime minister and ministers; their meetings should be recorded by the foreign ministry.
Appointments should be also directed through the foreign ministry to control mayhem that currently exists.
The chaos started with Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in 1990 and peaked during the Koirala rule when even junior officials mainly from India had direct to ailing Koirala’s bedroom.
Bulawatar under Koirala, was the focal point of. international conspiracy with involvement of the government chief.Foreign diplomats resisted attempts to curb their direct access with Nepal’s power centers.
How can the foreign ministry monitor meetings with politicians? It’s not practical.
Look at the background of the MJF of Yadav; MJF was an NGO funded by westerners now turned into a regional political party.
MJF was never transparent about its links with foreign organizations.
The spirit behind the move is good; push it to the extent possible.
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