Jha doesn’t know Nepali

Kathmandu, 25 July: Vice-President Parmananda Jha Friday asked how he can take an oath of office in a language he doesn’t know.
He made the comment after a two-man bench of the supreme court Friday ruled his oath-taking in Hindi one year ago was unconstitutional.
Jha is a retired justice of the supreme court whose proceedings are conducted in Nepali.
Jha took an oath in Hindi even as President Dr Ram Baran Yadav administered it in Nepali.
The vice-president took the oath wearing a dhoti as the president was dressed in national attire.
“The decision isn’t constitutional. I don’t know Nepali. How can I take an oath in Nepali? What will a deaf do? ” Jha asked.
Government business is conducted in Nepali.
“I may resign. Let the justices who have the verdict resign,” Jha said.
Nnnn

Council asks Nepal to consider ways to end UNMIN mandate

Kathmandu, 25 July: UN security council has asked Nepal to consider measures to end the extended UNMIN mandate by 23 January 2010.
A UN security resolution said the ,” current monitoring arrangements are conceived as temporary measures, rather than long-term solutions, and cannot be maintained indefinitely.’
The council asked Nepal to consider measures to ‘end the present monitoring mechanism’.
The council asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to report by 30 October on the progress of implementing the delayed peace process to end UNMIN’s fourth extended mandate by 23 January 2010.

Seniority dispute in Maoists

Kathmandu, 25 July: Deep controversy has surfaced on seniority in the Unified CPN (Maoist), Rajdhani reports.
There’s no dispute in appointing Mohan Baidya Kiran senior vice-chairman.
But a controversy has surfaced on whether Dr Babaurai Bhattarai or Narayankazi Shrestha should be the senior vice-chairman.
Chairman Prachanda favours appointing Shrestha after the integration of Maoists with Mashal. But Bhattarai has expressed dissatisfaction.
Bhattarai says a general convention should take the decision and most members in the party are behind Bhattarai.
Nnnn

MEDIA GOOGLE

“Because of intense heat in New Delhi, a meeting with the Dalai Lama in Dharmashala was arranged through trickery [by Lumbini Development Foundation] saying the meeting would be held in Simla.” But no political discussions were held with Dalai Lama.”

(Lawmaker Rukmini Chaudhari, Annapurna Post, 25 July)


“Recruiting or buying weapons or upgradation of any kind by either the Nepal Army or the Maoists without the issue being discussed by the high-level monitoring committee is a violation of the pact [12-point New Delhi agreement]. The possible resumption of Indian military assistance has not been discussed in the monitoring committee.”

(UNMIN Spokesman Kosmos Bishwakarma, The Himalayan Times, 25 July)

“The constitution could not be drafted until the rehabilitation of Maoist combatants and management of their arms.”

(PM Nepal, The Rising Nepal, 25 July)
nnnn