Friday’s election for PM likely to be inconclusive

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 23 July: Chairman Prachanda and NC Vice-chairman Ram Chandra Paudel face a standoff election Friday for prime minister; the vote is likely to be inconclusive.
The 599-member parliament has been called into session at one in the afternoon [07.15 GMT].
Maoists have 237 seats while NC has 113 seats.
The second round election is being held after an inconclusive first round vote Wednesday.
UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal had majority support of 391 members and could have been elected in a simple majority vote.
But caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who proposed Khanal’s candidacy, announced Khanal wouldn’t contest without the support of 401 lawmakers.
UML said it has taken a ‘principled decision’ by pushing a national government with the support of 401 legislators.
But President Dr Ram Baran Yadav ordered elections in majority to chose Nepal’s successor after major parties failed to elect a government chief through consensus.
Call it by any name, the successor of Nepal will be elected by majority vote.
UML says it will boycott Friday’s vote and a front of four Madesh parties haven’t yet decided whether to cast their decisive votes.
The group which has 89 seats says it will support the candidate who supports its concept paper for a peace process, constitution and Madesh demands.
The front didn’t come out with its concept because of a ‘technical glitch’ Thursday night.
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All towns in Dang closed down

Kathmandu, 23 July: All towns in Dang district, including Ghorai and Tulsipur, remained closed Friday to protest the overnight murder of Hemraj Dahal, Chairman of Tulsipur FM.
He died while undergoing treatment for gunshot wounds Thursday night at Rapti Zonal Hospital.
A pillion rider on his motorcycle was also injured.
Dahal was a Nepali Congress activist.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

Megha Bank Nepal Ltd. begins operations Friday

Kathmandu, 23 July: Megha Bank Nepal Ltd. began operations Friday.
“Megha Bank will be the first five-star bank. Customers will get service like in five-star hotels,” CEO Anil Shah said.
Its main branch is located at Kantipath in the capital.
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Nepse loses 2.95 points

Kathmandu, 23 July: Nepse lost 2.95 points Thursday—the last day of five-day weekly trading.
The market closed at 469.34 points.
Altogether 54,770stares were traded for Rs 27.68 million through 1,032 transactions.
Share prices of hydropower companies fell pulling down the Nepse index.
Prices of Chilime Hydropower Company and Butwal Power Company fell Rs 110 and Rs 81 per share respectively.
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Iraq expelling 30,000 Nepali workers

Kathmandu, 23 July: All Nepalis working in Iraq and being expelled in 18 days, Nagarik reports.
The Central American Command wrote to all companies Tuesday to remove Nepali and Filipino workers in 20 days.
Thousands of Nepali workers in Iraq will be affected by the directive.
An estimated 30,000 Nepali workers are in Iraq despite a Nepali government ban.
American command has directed companies to ensure by 9 August whether workers in companies meet US, international, local and national laws.
A whitepaper warns companies strong action will be taken if laws aren’t met.
The letter says because Nepali and Filipino governments have banned nationals from proceeding to Iraq, the laws of host nation and countries from where workers come will be violated.
Nepal government banned nationals from going toIRaq after violence on 16 Bhadra 2061 [nearly five years ago].
Violence broke out after 12 Nepalis were abducted and killed by Sunni terrorists in Iraq.
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13 Nepal Police mutineers sentenced to jail terms

Kathmandu, 23 July: Almost two ears after they revolted against their senior officers complaining of ‘unfair treatment’, 13 members of the Riot Control Unit of Nepal Police have been sentenced to seven years in prison, Republica reports from Surkhet.
A special court formed to probe the first ever rebellion in Nepal Police on Tuesday fined 32 other cops for abetting the rebels in uniform. Of them, 14 will each have to pay a fine equivalent to two years’ salaries. The rest 18 will each have to pay a fine just equivalent to one year’s salaries.
On August 11 in 2008, a group of 45 police personnel led by sub-inspector Dhan Bahadur BK had revolted against their senior officers. They had held their senior officers hostage for hours.
Those convicted by the court have already been put in jails in Dhangadi and Tulsipur. While other 45 police personnel can join their duties after paying fines, the 13 convicted rebels can only appeal to the supreme court.
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Nepal’s bid for top UN post hits rough weather

KATHMANDU, July 23: -
Nepal’s dream of securing a top post in the United Nations has been hit by controversies and a lot of work needs to be done if Kul Chandra Gautam, Nepal’s nominee, is to secure the coveted position, The Kathmandu Post reports..

The caretaker government, without proper homework, announced Gautam’s nomination for the President of the 66th United General Assembly and there is a serious lack of homework such as “a ceremonious propaganda” both at home and abroad to publicise the candidacy, an informed source said.

Gautam, a former UN Assistant Secretary General, faces yet another problem. Neither Nepal’s permanent mission in the UN believes that he could create a wave in his favour at the UN headquarters and the international establishment nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) is convinced that he is the right pick for the job, an official said.

“In fact, Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, as former foreign and finance minister with considerable in-country track record, would have been a better choice,” the official added.

Nepal’s bid for the GA presidency is not necessarily ill-timed, but the question is whether we are well prepared to mount a serious campaign, the senior MoFA official said.

“Given the fact that Gautam has a seemingly weak national profile and a huge gap between his last UN position, we are not exactly in a great position to buttress his credentials,” a senior government official said.

UN watchers say Nepal’s high point at the UN was during the tenure of Rishikesh Shah, who was Nepal’s permanent representative to the New York mission in the 50s. “He had outstanding academic, diplomatic and political credentials,” said a UN official based in New York. “He had excellent oratorial skills too. He was by far Nepal’s brightest prospect in the international arena. It is unfortunate that he didn’t pursue a UN career.”

Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa, former finance and foreign minister and ambassador to India and the U.S. is another Nepali with excellent credentials for the job, he added, “though Shah and Dr. Thapa come from different backgrounds.”

The president of the 65th GA session (2010) is former Swiss president Joseph Deiss.

Dr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, the incumbent, has served as Secretary (Minister) of African Union Affairs, who played a significant role in the formation of the African Union. He has been directly involved in mediating several conflicts in Africa, notably in Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia/Eritrea and Djibouti/Eritrea, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus and the Philippines.

Gautam’s competitor for the UN post is Nassir bin Abdulaziz al Nasser from Qatar, who has served as Permanent Representative to the UN for 16 years. Other than his New York profile, Nasser is also backed by strong diplomacy fueled by the Gulf diplomacy and Qatar’s petro dollars. It also proactively pushed its candidacy, announcing it as far back as four months ago. “It has even asked Nepal to vote for it,” said government officials. “We are, however, still twiddling with our candidacy.”

After having backed Dr. Mahat for two months, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal suddenly made a U-turn and opted for Gautam, which, among others, has left MoFA officials and Dr. Mahat himself in a state of confusion.

To begin with, Dr. Mahat announced his reservations about the prime minister’s request to select him for the GA job for two reasons. One, his political career evidently on an upswing, he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to stay away from home for a year. Two, he also insisted with the prime minister that his candidature needed to be supported unanimously by all political parties.

“He obviously didn’t want to be a controversial candidate and he did explain this to the prime minister. He is now a little perturbed as to why the prime minister first of all made a request to get into the GA race if he was going to make a U-turn. This really is a mystery,” said a former Nepali diplomat.

According to rough calculations, more than Rs 100 million will have to be spent if Nepal intends to mount a serious GA campaign and officials aren’t sure whether it would be the right investment given the county’s poor financial health.

To help bolster his thin credentials, the government is seriously considering appointing Gautam either as advisor to the prime minister or the ambassador at large or a special envoy for an interim stint, said an official. “It is important to ensure that our candidacy has a sound political profile and height too,” the official said.

The president of the GA is a position voted for by representatives in the UNGA on a yearly basis by its member states. The presidency rotates annually between five geographical groups.
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National ID cards being distributed

Kathmandu, 23 July: Government is distributing national identification cards replacing citizenship certificates, Nagarik reports.
National Identification Card Management Center was opened this week by appointing 26 officials.
“The concept has been introduced to record all personal details of a citizen,” The center’s Director Narendra Dahal told Nagarik. ‘Distribution will be started this year.”
The cards will first be distributed to Nepali citizens above 16 years of age and then to children.
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51 persons killed in floods, landslides; no firm decision by govt.
Kathmandu, 23 July; Floods, landslides and lightning have killed 51 persons in one month while 15 are missing, Naya Patrika reports.
Rs 300 million set aside for victims of natural disaster hasn’t been disbursed.
No firm decision was taken even though an emergency meeting of the natural disaster relief committee met Thursday under the chairmanship of Home Minister Bhim Rawal
All government agencies were put on high alert.
The meeting didn’t take any decision on sending relief to persons and districts hit by floods and landslides.
Damage is estimated at billions of rupees, according to home ministry’s natural disaster management unit.
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Celebration party at Indian embassy; other details
Kathmandu, 23 July: After a unanimous decision of the Nepali Congress to make Ram Chandra Paudel candidate for prime minister, the same day a dinner was held for’ well-wishing Nepali friends’ at the Indian embassy, Janadharana reports.
Deuba faction in the Nepali Congress wasn’t present.
The faction close to UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal wasn’t present as well; Maoist leaders Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Dinanath Sharma were present.
On the pretext of a farewell for one embassy official, Ram Chandra Paudel, Bimalendra Nidhi, Arjun Narsingh KC, Sujata Koirala, Minendra Rijal and Damannath Dhungana of Nepali Congress were present
UML leaders KP Sharma Oli and Pradip Geywali were also present.
Other Nepali friends of India, Surya Bahadur Thapa, Upendra Yadav and Mahanta Thakur along with Chief Secretary Dr Madhav Ghimere and Foreign Secretary Dr Madan Bhattarai also attended.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“’The constituent assembly meets at a building constructed by China; assembly members ride there is buses provided by India; inside the assembly are television sets provided by the US government; members seated on chairs provided by Norway speak over mikes provided by Denmark. Everything but a Nelson Mandela or a Gandhi can’t be gotten by begging.”

(Congress leader Gagan Thapa, Kantipur, 23 July)