Prachanda calls for sacrifices to end deadlock

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Maoist Chairman Prachanda Sunday called for sacrifices from other parties to end a four-month political impasse by Wednesday.
“The deadlock will be broken if all parties can make sacrifices from their respective places. We’re ready to make compromises if other parties are ready to make sacrifices.
‘Maoists are committed to a politics of consensus, draft a new constitution and the peace process by forming a mechanism. If an environment for consensus is created, other parties should make sacrifices like Maoists,” Prachanda said at a festive season tea reception organized by ruling CPN-UML.
Maoists have warned there won’t be a breakthrough without addressing some of their demands, including what they call restoration of civilian rule.
In a hard-line attitude, party Vice-Chairman Dr Babauram Bhattarai said in Tansen Monday there won’t be a breakthrough until national government I formed under Maoists
“If there’s an agreement Maoists are ready to lead government,” Bhattarai said.
Without naming the prime minister, Bhattarai said there’s a need to remove a person from two constituencies in the April 2008 constituent assembly elections.
Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala, at the same CPN-UML function, called for the formation of a high-level political mechanism to defuse the four-month political deadlock by Wednesday.
Parliament meets Wednesday after a dasain recess.
Nepali Congress has suggested Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist Chairman Prachanda and CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal should be in the mechanism.
“Coming national crisis will be averted,” Koirala said charging unidentified persons for inciting it.
PM Nepal also gave a rosy political picture.
“Homework is going on. There could be an outlet by Wednesday,” Nepal said as he exchanged pleasantries with Prachanda despite a Maoist boycott of the prime minister and ministers at public functions.
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Garbage collection again obstructed

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Locals from Okharpauwa, Nuwakot,
dumping site again obstructed from Sunday the dumping of 500 tons of the Valley’s garbage.
They presented 11 demands and sent back one garbage container.
Talks are being held Monday to take up the demands.
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Sri Lankan president coming again

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is visiting Nepal for the second time this October, a foreign ministry source said.
Details of the visit, including a pilgrimage to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is being finalized.
The president of the Buddhist state cut short his first visit in March after the several members of a Sri Lankan test cricket team were injure in a shooting incident in Pakistan.
Rajapaksa returned home without visiting Lumbini.
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Maoist central leaders asked to return vehicles to party headquarters in one week

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Maoist central leaders were asked Sunday by the standing committee to return motor vehicles used by them to party headquarters within one week.
The vehicles will come under party control.
The decision comes amid charges in the party central leaders were living an ostentatious lifestyle.
The extended standing committee meeting which concluded Sunday formed 18 departments headed by top leaders.
Second-ranking leader Mohan Baidya Kiran heads the school department after recommending the revival of the departments ahead of a threatened popular movement to assign top leaders specific party responsibility.
Former tourism minister Hishila Yami heads the environment and tourism department.
Maoist ministers on the ousted Prachanda government were also given responsibilities.
Post Bahadur Bogati has been given responsibility for the missing department while Pampha Bhuwal heads the women’s department.
Then health minister Girirajmani Pokhrel has been entrusted with the health department while party spokesman Dinanath Sharma will look after publicity department.
Former Ministers Khadga Bahadur Bishwakarma and Deb Gurung head the Dalit and indigenous people and regional front respectively.
Dr Baburam Bhattarai is leading the joint national people’s movement.
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PM Nepal announces hike in compensation

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal announced a Rs 6,000 compensation hike for those injured during the 2005 popular movement.
Nepal said, following a cabinet decision, injured will now receive Rs 10,000.
He gave the assurance while visiting policeman Mukesh Kayashta in Kavre Monday.
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Four vehicles looted

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Despite government claim security was enhances along highways for the festive season, five vehicles were looted at a bridge near Amlekhgunj overnight in south central Nepal by placing a roadblock on the highway.
An armed gang robbed Rs 150,000 in cash and goods from passengers.
Three buses and one car were plying between Pathlaitya from Hetauda.
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Police forms inquiry committee

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Police has formed a five-member inquiry committed headed by Sub-Inspector Prem Chand to investigate a complaint of a woman she was drugged and raped by six police colleagues in Accham during the festive season.
The woman claimed she was raped after being served food laced with drugs/
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Krishna Bahadur Manandhar dead

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Teacher Krishna Bahadur Manandhar died Friday.
H was 89.
Manandhar was co-founder of Padmodaya High School and also its principal.
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Dharan church death toll rises to 24

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Dharan church death toll has risen to 24.
Raju Rai died Sunday at a hospital while undergoing treatment for injuries.
More than 60 persons were killed in the church collapse.
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Another shooting incident in the Valley

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Samendra Parsai was seriously injured in a shooting incident Sunday evening in front of Himalaya Hotel in Kupandole, police said.
A motorcyclist decamped after firing two bullets at Parsai who is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
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Girija residence no longer a pilgrimage site

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Whether in or out of power, the residence of Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala was a ‘political pilgrimage site’ for top foreign visitors, Rajdhani reports.
But there are now indications the Koirala residence will no longer be a pilgrimage site.
Indian National Congress General Secretary Janardhan Dwibedi flew back to New Delhi without calling on Koirala with whom an appointment was fixed for Saturday; the appointment for was cancelled.
But Dwibedi held discussions with six senior Congress leaders including Sher Bahadur Deuba, he also held discussions with Bimalendra Nidhi, Ram Chandra Paudel, Khum Bahadur Khadka, Chakra Bastola and Arjun Narsingh KC.
Khadka, Bastola and KC have lately become Koirala critics.
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Discharge of disqualified PLA combatants to start 5 November

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: The government and the Maoists on Sunday agreed in presence of UN officials to form a high-level committee to coordinate, monitor and oversee the discharge of disqualified Maoist combatants, Republica reports.
They agreed to complete the discharge process, which resumes October 11, by November 19.
The disqualified will start to leave their cantonments from November 5. They will then be kept in transit centers, as per the agreement.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

NRB pulled to court

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Advocate Hem Mani Subedi Sunday filed a writ petition for what he said was an ‘unlawful’ act of Nepal Rashtra Bank (NRB) to circulate Indian currency to meet a cash crunch during the festive season.
The writ demanded court intervention to prevent loss to the public, industries, businessmen and the economy.
The writ demands court intervention to amend a 2001 act to include a provision to punish officials short shortcomings.
The writ says the central bank also wrongly circulated defective notes to meet the shortage.
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Three–wheelers started movement

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Operators of the Valley’s gas driven three-wheelers came out on the streets Monday demanding government to rescind a decision to take them off the streets.
Operators blocked vehicular movement on roads with their vehicles creating long traffic jams.
Government recently announced plans to take such three-wheelers off streets in the entire country.
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SPORTS

Nepal plays Lebanon in AFC U-16 football tournament

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Nepal meets Lebanon in the opening fixture of the five-nation AFC U-16 Group B soccer tournament in the capital Monday.
Maldives pulled out of the tournament citing technical reasons.
All the matches are being at the Dashrath Rangashala.
Tajikistan, Iran and Baharain are also in the group.
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Ganesh Thapa no longer SAFF president

Kathmandu, 5 Oct: Kazi Salahuddin, president of Bangladesh Football Federation has taken over the presidency of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) from Ganesh Thapa Saturday.
Thapa is president of All Nepal Football Association (ANFA).
Salahuddin was elected unopposed Saturday by the SAFF congres sin Dhaka.
Thapa led the eight-nation South Asian regional grouping since 1999.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“’Party hasn’t given my any responsibilities. Honest people cannot move ahead in Nepal. Those who wish the nation well, meet my fate.”

(Congress leader Khum Bahadur Khadka, Naya Patrika, 5 Oct.)

“We’ve started the process of launching a military wing in the party. Immediately, the wing won’t be armed.”

(Rebel Maoist leader Matrika Yadav, Rajdhani, 5 Oct.)
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