2nd deadline to form consensus govt. ends; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 12 July: The second presidential deadline for political parties to assemble a national consensus government to takeover from caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal who resigned under Maoist pressure 1 July ends Monday.
Amid deep and fundamental differences, UCPN (Maoist), NC and UML, the three largest parties in parliament/constituent assembly (CA), have filed to cobble up a ‘national unity government’ pushed by main opposition Maoists in 12 days s the only means to complete the peace process and draft a constitution.
All the parties hoping to lead a government, but bravely putting up a face in public for a unity government, couldn’t meet the first seven-day deadline set by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav 12 days ago.
The next option for the president is to ask 25 parties in parliament to form a majority government.
NC and UML Sunday rejected a Maoist concept paper with its suggestions for integration and resettlement of 19,000 fighters to end the current impasse to complete the peace process and draft a constitution.
Maoists claim only a consensus government can draft a constitution and complete the peace process without saying how.
To put it bluntly, a unity government won’t guarantee a delayed peace and constitution.
The main opposition told NC and UML it will present a watered down concept of its proposals before the presidential deadline ends Monday.
Parties and people are pushing a constitution within the extended 28 May 2011 deadline, when the need of the hour is a DEMOCRATIC basic law that protects and promotes values of liberal democracy in the 21stcentury.
Maoists are pushing a communist state in the 21st century to push modernization, progress and democratization after toppling monarchy with foreign connivance.
The major parties have failed to institutionalize a republic they already declared through an unelected and self-appointed parliament.
Maoists are desperate to form a government after quitting without facing parliament in May 2009 following a showdown with the president and Nepal Army.
Prime Minister Prachanda bowed out of government while Army Chief Gen Rukmangud Katwal, whose resignation, Maoists sought and pushed from government, continued and completed his term in what some analysts called a ‘presidential and army coup’.
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Special budget being presented

Kathmandu, 12 July: Finance Minister Surendra Pandey presents Monday at 11 in the morning [05.15GMT] a special budget for the new fiscal year 2010/11 begins Saturday ensuring the administration won’t be paralyzed despite a continuing deadlock.
The passage of the budget, which is ensured with the support of opposition Maoists, NC and UML, will allow the caretaker government to spend one-third of the money allocated in the current budget for four months without introducing new taxes.
The special budget is being presented for the second time in two years.
With the special budget, the government can’t address issues the country is facing to get it out of the economic crisis.
Government admitted in its economic survey report 2067 GDP growth was only 3.5 percent while growth in the agriculture and non-agriculture sectors were 1.2 percent and 5.1 percent respectively—targets below government projections.
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UML to protest, expose Maoist murder of its activist

Kathmandu, 12 July: UML, leading the incumbent government, is holding Monday eight-day protests and simultaneous nation-wide ‘expose campaigns’ against Maoists who have been charged for last week’s murder of their Okhaldungha district leader Chabilal Karki.
Top party leaders, including Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, are addressing public meetings to drum up support against the main opposition.
The party said memorial meetings will be held on the 13th day of his death.
Maoists deny the UML accusation.
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All 42 Kailali VDC secretaries resign

Kathmandu, 12 July: All 42 Kailali VDC secretaries have resigned following threats from Sumyukta Jatiya Morcha.
Two dozen VDC secretaries have resigned so far demanding security for their lives, Annapurna Post reports.
Government has shown no concern to their demands.
Nearly 1,050 secretaries have resigned in two weeks.
There are 3,915 VDCs in the country.
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Japanese national arrested

Kathmandu, 12 July: Japanese national Kazi Tamaru was arrested Sunday by drugs enforcement officials at Tribhuvan International Airport Sunday before boarding a Thai Airways flight for Bangkok with 2 kg refined hash.
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Foreign secretary at public accounts committee

Kathmandu, 12 July: Foreign secretary Madan Bhattarai, the chief of protocol and related officials of the foreign ministry began deposing before parliament’s public accounts committee Monday morning to investigate complaints of irregularities while awarding a contract for printing machine readable passports (MRPs).
The contract was awarded to the lowest French bidder to print four million passports at $3.59 per passport.
Four companies from France, Great Britain, Singapore and Indonesia put in bids.
Government first awarded the contract to an Indian government security printing press but later rescinded the decision amid widespread protests and complaints of irregularities.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala played lead roles in awarding the contract to India.
The Indian embassy was embarrassed after a letter from Ambassador Rakesh Sood lobbying for printing the passports with the government was leaked to the press.
India temporarily held up nearly 3,000 tons of imported newsprint of Kantipur Publications whose newspapers leaked the letter.
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Govt. objects to UNMIN interference (EXCERPTS)

Kathmandu, 12 July: The Ministry of Home Affairs has taken a strong exception to direct correspondence with it and its agency by UNMIN and lodged its objection asking the UN political mission to correspond though the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, Kiran Chapagain writes in Republica.
The Home Ministry, in a letter to the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, has even accused UNMIN of violating diplomatic norms by not sending letters through a proper channel.
The Home Ministry’s reaction came after Chief Arms Monitor at UNMIN Colonel Marcos Manuel Miranda Caceres wrote directly to the Inspector General of Police Ramesh Chand Thakuri, asking for an investigation report on the death of Ishwar Das Yadav, a resident of Bela VDC, Dang.
The police have still been investigating into the death of Yadav, a combatant from the 5th division of the Maoist army.
But the police chief declined to reply the letter to Caceres. This promoted the arms chief monitor to write the same letter to Home Minister Bhim Rawal on July 2. But Rawal took strong exception to the letter and directed his officials to lodge an objection.
When asked about whether UNMIN can directly correspond with government agencies, Durga Prasad Bhattarai, joint secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who also heads the UN division said,” It not is a simple thing that diplomatic correspondence should be done only through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?”
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Framers busy planting rice with rains

Kathmandu, 12 July: With the activation of the monsoon Saturday nation-wide, transplantation of rice has picked up, Rajdhani reports
According to the agriculture ministry, plantation of rice has begun in 20 percent land in the upper hills, 65 percent in the hills and 85 percent in the terai
“Transplantation has started in the Valley, upper hills, hills and terai,” “Agriculture Ministry Spokesman Dr Hari Dahal said.
“Farmers are now busy as they couldn’t complete transplantation until mid-July,” he added.
Planting of rice in the hills is completed by mid-July while it continues until mid-August in terai.
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