Top communist leaders call for unity

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 1 Feb: Top leaders, including PM Prachanda, have called for unity immediately after efforts to form a democratic front under leadership of Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala.
The meeting in the capital Saturday was attended by Mohan Bikram Singh of CPN (mashal0, a firm critic of Maoists.
“If unity isn’t possibly immediately, let’s have working unity for drafting a progressive constitution,” Prachanda told the meeting.
Communists already dominate the government and parliament but are divided.
CPN-UML, the second biggest communist party in Nepal, criticizes Maoists for being extreme communists.
The call for unity comes after the merger of CPN (Maoist) and CPN (Unity center/Mashal) to form Unified CPN (Maoist).
Prachanda said: “If a communist party can’t be formed immediately, there should be unity of the proletariat, peasants, workers and others to draft a popular constitution.”
CPN-UML leaders participated in the meeting.
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Ordinances won’t be withdrawn: PM Prachanda

Kathmandu, 1 Feb: Prime Minister Prachanda said Saturday three ordinances promulgated by government won’t be withdrawn even amid declaration by main opposition Nepali Congress to take to the streets against rule through ordinances.
The Maoist-led government said it will bring in two more ordinances to establish a truth commission and another on disappearances.
Prachanda told a meeting the ordinances were ‘to give relief to the people’.
“We will bring ordinances, whatever the protests. This is the need now,” the prime minister said.
Amnesty International and International Committee of Jurists also protested the government announcement to form truth commission and a disappearance commission through ordinances.
Prachanda charges governments during the people’s war of bringing in ‘terrorist-like ordinances to kill people’.
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16 arrested for sale and production of spurious liquor

Kathmandu, 1 Feb: Police Saturday arrested 16 persons during raids in the capital for the sale and production of spurious liquor when two persons died after drinking adulterated liquor.
Adulterated liquor and materials used for manufacture were also seized.
Government had earlier banned the sale of popular brands Khukri Rum and Virgin Whisky,
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Tharus say there are not Maeshis

Kathmandu, 1 Feb: A Tharu group has protested government decision to bracket them in the Madeshi group.
Tharu Kalayamkari Sabha protested the government move and asked government to rescind the decision threatening protests.
Tharus are indigenous people of the terai.
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Govt. allocates Rs 10 million for Maoist hospital

Kathmandu, 1 Feb: The health ministry has allocated Rs 10 million for a hospital in the capital operate by Maoists, Kantipur reports.
There’s no legal provision to fund privately operated hospitals.
The hospital is Balaju.
The fund was set aside on orders of the health minister.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Nepal Army is permanent and national army, while the PLA is a temporary and private one.”

(Madhav Kumar Nepal, The Himalayan Times, 1 Feb.)

‘There’s a danger of Nepal turning onto a Sri Lanka if the war of words between Maoists and Nepal Army continues.”

(Madhav Kumar Nepal, Annapurna Post, 1 Feb.)