Elections being held for chairpersons of four CA committees

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 13 Jan: Delayed elections are being held Tuesday for chairpersons of four committees of the constituent assembly and parliament after there was no unanimity on consensus candidates between major parties.
Chairpersons of 19 committees were elected unopposed Monday night.
Former CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal is being challenged by Bishwendra Paswan of Dalit Janajati Party for chairmanship of the constitutional committee of the assembly with the main responsibility of drafting Nepal’s new constitution.
There was no unity on an unanimous election of Nepal even with the support of ruling parties and main opposition Nepali Congress; Nepal’s election is assured
Nepal was nominated to the CA one member resigned to facilitate the entry of former CPN-UML chief to the assembly; Nepal lost the 10 April constituent assembly elections from two constituencies.
Janak Kumari Chalise (CPN-ML) and Pramod Prasad Gupta (MJF) are contesting the leadership of the public opinion collection and coordination committee of the CA which also acts as parliament.
Ramnath Dhakal (UML) and Top Bahadur Rayamajhi (Maoist) are contesting the leadership of parliament’s state affairs committee while Sarita Giri (Sadbavana- Debi) and Yasoda Gurung (Maoist) will contest the control of legislative committee.
Lal Bahadur Pandit (UML), Binda Mande (UML) and Lokendra Bista (Maoist) were unanimously elected chairpersons respectively of the CA committees for protection of the rights of minorities and marginalized, fundamental rights and state directive principles and protection of national interests.
Amik Serchan (Maoist), Mina Pandey (NC) and Ramesh Rijal (NC) were elected unanimously to head CA committees for protection of national interest, civic relations and determining structure of legislative bodies.
Nawodita Chaudhary (RPP), Gobinda Chaudhary (TMLP) and Prabhu Shah Teli (Maoist) were unanimously chosen to lead committees for determining bases for cultural and social unity, structure of constitutional bodies and structure of a judicial system.
Amrita Thapa (Maoist), Mrigendra Kumar Singh Yadav (MJF) and Sambhuhajara Susadh (NC) were unanimously to head the natural resources economic rights an revenue distribution, capacity building and resource management and government system determining committees respectively.
Padma Lal Bishwakarma (Maoist), Shanta Chaudhary (UML) and Ram Krishna Yadav (NC) will respectively head the parliamentary international relations and human rights, natural resources and means and public accounts committees.
Kul Bahadur Gurung (NC), Sandhya Debi (MJF), Sushila Kandangwa (Maoist) and Jitendra Prasad Sonar (TMLP) were unanimously elected leaders of parliamentary special hearing, women children and social affairs, finance labour relations and development committees.
CA Chairman Subash Nemwang is ex-officio chief of parliamentary security committee.
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Prachanda elected chairman of Unified CPN-Maoist

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 13 Jan: Prime Minister and strongman of ruling CPN (Maoist) was Monday night unanimously elected chairman of the Unified CPN–Maoist.
The integrated party was formed by integrating the revolutionary CPN (Maoist) and CPN (Unity Center/Mashal) which splint in 1975.
The new integrated party is announcing their merger at a public meeting at the open air theatre in the capital Tuesday.
The unified party will have a 175-member central committee which will plan the 7th unity convention later in 2009; CPN (Maoist) will get 106 and Unity Center Mashal 31 seats in the central committee; 38 persons will be appointed by the unified central committee Thursday.
The party’s central office will be headed by Prachanda.
The integrated party adopted people’s federal democratic nationalist republic as its slogan—a slogan adopted by the just national workers’ meet of Maoists in the capital.
The party will complete people’s revolution.
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French serial killer challenges his murder conviction of American tourist

Kathmandu, 13 Jan: Supreme court Tuesday is scheduled to give a verdict on an appeal by French serial killer Charles Shobraj challenging lower court decisions he murdered American woman tourist Connie Zo Bronzich in 1975 in the Valley.
Nepal, where drugs flowed freely and legally, was a popular destination for western youth then during the hippie movement.
Shobraj is serving a 20-year jail sentence.
He is also facing a sub-judice charge in a Bhaktapur court for murder of Canadian national Laurent Armond Carierre.
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Indian security force withdrawn from Ilam

Kathmandu, 13 Jan: India’s border security force that two weeks ago occupied 11 ropanis of land at Shriantu in Ilam adjoining Darjeeling have withdrawn after negotiations between Nepali and Indian officials.
Markers put up by the Indian security agency have been uprooted.
There was agreement between Surendra Lal Karna of Nepal’s district forest official and Darjeeling district forest officer TB Bhutiya, according to RSS.
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Supreme court objects govt. more to retire judges

Kathmandu, 13 Jan: The full court of the supreme court Monday unanimously rejected a government proposal to retire judges on a voluntary retirement scheme.
The bench said the package to be implemented by amending existing laws wasn’t attractive.
The full court of the apex court also doubted government’s motive amid shortage of justices.
The court asked government to modify the proposal for reconsideration.
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Fire at Kathmandu Guesthouse

Kathmandu, 13 Jan: An overnight fire at the popular Kathmandu Guest House in Thamel left behind three million rupees in damage.
The guesthouse is popular among budget tourists.
There were no casualties.
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Students close down Janakpur

Kathmandu, 13 Jan: Students Tuesday morning closed down Janakpur where woman journalist Uma Singh, 28, was brutally murdered Sunday.
Tuesday is being marked as a day of remembrance for the slain radio journalist amid continuing protests.
Journalists have accused government of failure to provide security.
Four suspects have been arrested.
Singh’s father and brother went missing from Siraha three years ago.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“There is no possibility of their [CPN-Maoist] returning to war. Put simply, they cannot do so even if they desired.”

(CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli, The Himalayan Times, 13 Jan.)

“There were protests not support after a Nepali was appointed after centuries to conduct worship at the nation’s holiest shrine. In this country’s there’s social, economic, political and religious colonialism.”

(Dr Bishnu Dahal who was dethroned by government six days after appointment at Pashupatinath, Naya Patrika, 13 Jan.)
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