PM, president discuss possible legal problems in reinstatingVuce-president

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 3 Feb.: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Tuesday held unscheduled discussions with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav on reinstating inactive Vice-President Parmananda Jha.
The president brought to the government chief’s notice legal problems that could crop up if the head of state administers an oath of office reinstating Jha after five months.
Several legal experts said the country is without a vice-president after Jha refused to take his oath of office in Nepali.
The supreme court ruled the vice-president’s oath of office in secrecy in Hindi was unconstitutional; he took his oath clad in dhoti- an act protested by main opposition and some ruling parties through street protests.
The government amended the constitution for the seventh time to reactivate the vice-presidency even after it withdrew all perks and privileges following the rigid stance of Jha.
Through the amendment, a president, vice-president and prime minister can take their oaths of office and secrecy in their mother tongue.
Hindu is not a mother tongue of Nepalis.
Government has partially bowed to pressures of some groups in the terai to accord official status to Hindi.
A language problem has been created.
Sources close to Jha have even hinted the inactive vice-president may now
take his oath in Nepali after winning a ‘political battle’.
A second round of election has to be held to fill the vacancy, experts said.
The president and the prime minister also discussed reported discussion of demand for a change of government.
” The high-level political mechanism cannot change government,” Raghuji Pant, the prime minister’s political advisor said.
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Maoists not for government change: Dr Babauram Bhattarai


By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 3 Feb: Maoist Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai has dismissed reports UCPN (Maoist) at a meeting of the high-level political mechanism [HLPM] proposed Girija Prasad Kooirala should lead a new government toppling the UML led government of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Bhattarai also said his party will stay in the opposition if UCPN (Maoist) demands are met.
‘It’s not necessary for us to go to govern if our demands are met,” he told Kantipur in an interview Wednesday.
“It’s not correct Girija Prasd Koirala has been proposed prime minister.
If situation comes for formation of a united government, a big party should lead government. If that’s not possible, the party should stay outside
government,” he added.
“Our main agenda is not to form government.
“The meeting of the mechanism [HLPM] is centered around issues of the president’s action and civilian supremacy,” Bhattarai said.
The third ranking Maoist leader suggested the interim constitution should be amended if a constitution can’t be drafted within the28 May deadline.
“Parties should make their best effort to draft the constitution
within the deadline.
”If that doesn’t happen, there’s no alternative with agreement to draft the constitution and to take the peace process to conclusion by extending the mandate [of the constitution assembly] six months,” he said.
The tenure of the assembly also ends 28 May and legal experts say
it can be extended with agreement of parties by amending
the interim constitution before the deadline.
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US conditions for military assistance to Nepal

Kathmandu, 3 Feb.: The US government has reiterated that it would resume military aid to Nepal only if Nepal Army fully cooperates with civilian judicial authorities to investigate and prosecute human rights
violators, The Himalayan Times reports.
According to the budgetary proposals for fiscal 2011 submitted by
US President Barrack Obama in the US Congress on Monday, the
Obama administration stated that no military aid be made available
to Nepal unless the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton certified that the NA is fully cooperating to probing violation of human its by its officials.
The UU government suspended its military funds appropriated under the Foreign Military Financing to Nepal following a royal coup in 2005.
(Note: The suspension continues although India, which also suspended supplies in 2005 has resumed supplies of no-lethal military hardware.)
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Maoists to unite with fringe communist party

Kathmandu, 3 Feb.: Main opposition UCPN (Maoist) will merge
with fringe communist party CPN United (Subedi group).
Agreement to unite was reached this week in the capital.
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Bairagi Kaila appointed chancellor of Nepal Academy

Kathmandu, 3 Feb.: Bairagi Kaila [Til Bikram Nemwang] has been appointed chancellor of Nepal Academ by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal who heads it.
Litterateur Ganga Prasad Upreti has been appointed vice-chancellor.
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More disqualified Maoist combatants being disqualified Wednesday

Kathmandu, 3 Feb.: Altogether 517 disqualified Maoist combatants,
including child soldiers, are scheduled to be discharged from a camp in Surkhet Wednesday.
But all may to board buses.
Nearly half of the disqualified had left camps in Sindhuli, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Ilam and Kailali before their formal discharge.
UNMIN disqualified 4,0008 combatants.
The discharge will be complete after the last group’s discharge in Rolpa.
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UML politburo meets


Kathmandu, 3 Feb.: UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal presents his political report for discussion at a politburo meeting that begins Wednesday.
The high-powered body will discuss state restructuring, drafting the constitution, the HLPM , relations with Maoists, internal issues and other subjects.
The politburo is meeting amid differences in the party
with factions of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and
KP Sharma Oli critical of the chairman.
Reports prepared by task forces appointed by the second politburo meeting after last year’s Butwal convention will be presented at Wednesday’s meet.
The central committee meets after the politburo meet concludes.
Maoist standing committee is also meeting Wednesday.
The standing committee will discuss party organization, protest programmes and strategies.
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Special committee meets today

Kathmandu, 3 Feb.: The special committee for supervision,
integration and rehabilitation of Maoists combatants chaired
by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal met Wednesday to
finalize details for a chain of command for former rebel soldiers.
The committee will also launching a nine-member secretariat for administration.
Maoists have agreed in principle to surrender the chain of command to the
secretariat, which they demand. UCPN (Maoist) should head.
The demand has been opposed by other parties saying an independent should lead it.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“People have had enough of him [Girija Prasad Koirala] in the past
Since he had already ruled the country for more than a decade.”

(Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar, The Rising Nepal,
3 Feb.)

“A government led by Maoists can be accepted; a prime minister
sleeping on his bed isn’t acceptable. Nepal needs a prime
minister physically, psychologically and intellectually fit not someone
lying on his bed.”

(Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar, Nagarik, 3 Feb.)