Violence continues for second day

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: A Maoist three-day strike continued for the second day Monday closing down businesses, schools and industries nation-wide.
Reports of violence are pouring in on the second day’s strike.
Additional security forces have been deployed Monday following violence the first day strike of the shutout.
After 22 policemen were injured in clashes during the main opposition closure Sunday; they were among nearly five dozen persons injured, including two Maoist lawmakers.
Maoists vandalized 28 vehicles through the country.
Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar, after a ministerial review of the strike Sunday, said security forces will come out heavily strongly against demonstrators Monday.
Surgeons drained blood out of the brains of DSP Dilip Chaudhary who was seriously injured with head and chest injuries in clashes at Naya Baneshwor Sunday.
Gachedhar said the senior police offer was hit with a sharp object with intention to kill.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal visited Chaudhary at the hospital.
Nepal, who received Indian support in Denmark from his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, asked Maoists to come to the negotiating table to unlock a political impasse.
“I will begin work immediately. I have a solution,” he said after returning home from Denmark where he attended a climate change summit.
The Indian support for Nepal may be counterproductive for him at a time when Maoists charge foreigners are interfering in Nepal’s internal affairs.
Nepal seems buoyed up by the Indian support personally telling the media Singh’s praise for him privately.
Singh reportedly told Nepal he was an able prime minister who could united parties and groups to draft a constitution and take the peace process to a conclusion.
Singh earlier propped up Girija Prasad Koirala saying he was the Congress president was the greatest statesman n South Asia immediately after New Delhi-engineered rebellion against King Gyanendra succeeded.
Indian support for Nepal comes at a time when he is facing criticism within his own party, coalition partners and the main opposition for his performance.
“Today’s display of violence was some of the worst on the streets of Kathmandu for several years, perhaps since Jana Andolaan-II. It must not be repeated and those responsible should be held to account,” OHCHR statement said Sunday.
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SLC exams

Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: This years SLC examinations will begin 25 March.
Nearly 450,000 students will sit for the tests.
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Nepali cricket squad for SAG selected

Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has selected a 18-member cricket squad for the 11th South Asian Games captained by Gyanendra Malla.
Other team members are: Amrit Bhattarai, Chandra Saud, Binod Bhandari, Naresh Budhaayer, Subash Khakurel, Lokendra Chand, Prithu Baskota, Rupesh Srivastav, Bhuvan Karki, Anil Kumar Mandal, Aakash Gupta, Amrit Shrestha, Rom Shrestha, Pradeep Sapkota, Pradeep Airi, Anupam Singh and Sagar Pun.
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India to resume military supplies

Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: India will provide more than two billion rupees of military assistance, Kantipur reports.
Formal commitment was made during the India visit of Army Chief Gen Chatraman Singh Gurung.
The chief told this to senior officers Sunday at army headquarters after concluding a eight-day India visit.
A Chinese military delegation headed by Man.Gen. Jia Xiaoning extended a Rs 410 million military aid package, including aid previously committed.
The army chief told officers India was ready to provide any form of assistance anytime.
India asked such request should be routed through government.
“Indian officials have said India is ready to provide any assistance anytime to Nepal Army if such request is routed through the government,” a senior general quoting the army chief told Kantipur.
“The army chief was very satisfied with the visit. He appeared happy India was resuming supplies after five years during his tenure,” a general said.
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Court of inquiry formed

Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: Nepal Army (NA) is forming a court of inquiry board to investigate the return of Maj. Niranjan Basnet from the UN peacekeeping mission in Chad, Annapurna Post reports.
The legal department of NA Sunday sent a proposal to Army Chief Chatraman Singh Gurung Sunday.
A board is being formed under a brigadier general.
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Indian foreign minister coming

Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: India’s External Affairs Minister S.M.Krishna will make a three-day visit to Nepal in what can be seen here as New Delhi’s effort to address Nepal’s call for reciprocity in high-level bilateral visits, The Kathmandu Post reports.
The visit, which begins on Jan. 15, will be his first to Nepal since he assumed office in May.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal also whispered to his Indian counterpart in Copenhagen on the issue [integration of Maoist combatants in army].It is a plot to stall the pace process.”

(Maoist leader Janardhan Sharma, The Kathmandu Post, 21 Dec.)
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