Gaijatra observed

Kathmandu, 26 Aug.: Gaijatra was observed Wednesday to commemorate the dead during the year.
The festival in being observed one day after janai purnima.
The festive season has begun.
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Death for Nepali in UAE

Kathmandu, 25 Aug.: A Nepali has been sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates, the Nepali embassy is Abu Dhabi said,
Amar Bahadur Bom from Darchula was awarded the sentence.
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Paras Shah say’s he’s working for return of monarchy

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 25 Aug.: Former Crown Prince Paras Shah this week gave the clearest indication attempts are ongoing to revive monarchy in some form more than two years after its ouster.
“Monarchy shouldn’t be without a role. After the return of ceremonial or a cultural king it has to be mentioned in the constitution. The role of monarchy should be mentioned in the constitution.
“The role should be clear. What’s a constitutional king?” he said in reply to a question Machepuchere FM Monday.
“Drafting the constitution is difficult until foreigners rule the roost. Nepalis unitedly can draft the constitution. Nepalis want monarchy in some form. Nepali society was dragged in one direction,” he said in the interview.
The transcript was published in Nagarik Wednesday..
“We’ve come forward realizing the need. You can say that,” he said in reply to a question whether he returned from Singapore to attempt to revive monarchy.
Shah said foreign powers had a role in changeover from monarchy to a republic.
‘There’s interest of many international powers. This is out greatest weakness. International powers have a big role in today’s situation.
‘They’ll do something or other after creating this situation.
“Nepalis wanted change but they didn’t know ifs form and substance,’ Paras charged..
The then crown prince said foreign play started in Nepal more than two decades ago when INGOs and NGOs entered the country.
“Foreign play started in 2-45 when INGOs and NGOs came. I know and understand there are 4,000 VDCs here but there are more than 165,000 NGOs here. They are run by foreigners in their interest,” he said.
‘Nepalis should unite and Nepalis should run the country. The biggest danger for Nepal is to run on foreign dole.”
Paras said monarchy can stage a comeback with people’s desire as it had been toppled.
“Anything change with people’s desire. Because of the situation Nepalis again have developed confidence in monarchy,” he added and said a new generation should takeover.
Shah said monarchy should be ‘updated.”
“Yes. It should be updated. This is the pogramme. We want it’s 2010 version.” The then crown prince said.
“Our generation has to come. To bring also in party tendency, there should be generation change,” Shah said without blaming political parties for the country’s situation and plight.
Shah, after his return from Singapore, has been mingling with people and talking with journalists.
“Feelers have been coming,” he said of a possible return of monarchy.
“There’s a tendency to encircle us. Because of that wall, we couldn’t come to you then; you couldn’t come to us,” Paras said in reflection about the fall of monarchy.
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Monsoon havoc nation-wide
Kathmandu, 25 Aug.: The monsoon havoc went unabated across the nation with seven people reported dead and 10 missing in floods and landslides in the last two days, The Himalayan Times reports from Biratnagar.

According to the police, the Garuwa river swept away and killed 44-year-old Bhim Bahadur Khati of Danabari in Ilam while he was heading home from Khudunabari of Jhapa.

In another incident in the eastern region, the police recovered the body of a girl from the Triyuga River bank at Sukaura of Jalpa Chilaune VDC-5, Udayapur, while the Kamal river killed Madan Katuwal (35) of Korobari, Jhapa.

Meanwhile, Santosh Majhi (15) has gone missing after the Pathari river in Morang swept him away, while Kriti Nembang (11) of Nawamidanda-2, Panchthar, died when a rain-triggered landslide buried her on her way home from school.

In Chulachuli of Ilam, a swollen Bajho river has put the entire settlement in grave danger and forced seven households to move to safer places. In Morang, the Mawa river has started washing land away at various places.

While in Sadewa VDC-3 of Taplegunj, Aitahang Seling, his wife Summaya and grand daughter Sukmaya have gone missing after a mudslide swept away their house in the afternoon. The landslip has swept away the houses of Man Bahadur Seling and his son Sagar.

Vehicular movement has come to a halt along the Mechi Highway’s Ilam-Phidim section since this morning following landslides at Gumbadanda of Pauwasartap VDC-7 of Panchthar.

While a report from Sunsari said a swollen Koshi river has put about 150 houses of Chiliya Tapu located between Prakashpur VDC of Sunsari and Rampur of Udayapur at risk.

In Udayapur, a flooded Bageswori river has forced 150 households of Bhagal Tapeswori VDC to leave their village. According to Dillram Bimali, former VDC chairman, about 300 bighas of paddy field has gone under water.

In Bhaktapur, 65-year-old Mithhu Khadka of Chhitapol VDC-8 died when a landslide buried her today, while in Makwanpur Puskal Waiba (4) of Padampokhari-3 died when a stream swept her away, Keshav Mudbari, a local, informed.

No vehicles plied in rural areas of Makawanpur due to the downpour, while Hetauda, the main business hub of the district, remained partially open. The Kara river has inundated several houses in wards 4 and 8 of Hetauda, while Kukhareni river has swept away a pipeline, affectiong four hundred families of Padampokhari-1.

In Tanahun district, Junumaya Shrestha (65) of Rising-5 died yesterday when the Nidi river, that flows near Bhimad, swept her away, the police said, adding that a swollen Seti had displaced 10 families from the Bhimad bazaar. According to Sumanbandhu Bhandari, a journalist, about 50 households built on the Seti river bank are u nder threat.

Jhak Bahadur BK of Taman VDC-3 has gone missing in the Taman river since Monday afternoon, a report from Baglung said. In Nawalparasi district, a rain-fed Narayani has inundated Susta VDC-4.

More than half a dozen houses have collapsed across Dadeldhura. Seven houses have collapsed in wards 5 and 7 of Amargadhi municipality, Dewal VDC-2 and Bageswori-2.

In Sarlahi, a raging Bagmati has put Karmaiya, Rajghat, Hajariya, Sundarpur Chudawa, Manpur, Harkathawa, Balaral and other VDCs in peril. A flooded Lalbakaiya river in Rautahat has inundated dozens of VDCs, including Sitalpur, Barganiya and Inarwari.

In Pyuthan, a landslide has displaced 11 families based in Pakala-6, forcing the displaced to seek refuge in neighbours’ houses.

Khemraj Bhatta (23) of Raikwar Bichiwa-3, Kanchanpur, has gone missing in the Mohana river on Monday evening.

In Bara, 30 houses at Sakhuwai tole of Manarwaha VDC have gone under water after Bangari river gushed into the settlement in the afternoon.

In Chitwan, the Bagai river swept away and killed Tulsi Mahato of Baghauda-1, while another river claimed Hari Prasad Upadhyay of Ayodhyapuri-6.

With rains lashing the district for two days, most parts of the district have gone under water. According to Water Measurement Centre, the water level in Narayani and Rapti Rivers has reached the danger mark.

The police said the Riukhola has submerged Amilia, Bote Simara and Baghauda of the district. People in parts of Bote Simara have been staying atop trees to save themselves from floods, Krishna Chaudhary, a local, said over the phone.
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UN body’s fate hanging on edge of three alternatives
Kathmandu, Aug. 25: -
Three options are under discussion among political parties and within the government itself before taking a final call on the fate of the UNMIN, the United Nations political mission tasked to supervise and monitor the arms and armies of the Nepal Army and Maoist combatants, The Kathmandu Post reports..

UNMIN chief Karin Landgren on Tuesday held a meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and discussed the future of the UN’s body after Sept.15. The meeting was mostly dwelt on the UNMIN’s fate.

During the talks, Landgren requested the prime minister that the UN Security Council is meeting next week in New York and asked him to dispatch a letter in advance. “The prime minister informed her that he will be holding a meeting with major political parties and stakeholders before reaching an agreeable conclusion and will inform the Security Council accordingly,” said Rajan Bhattarai, prime minister’s foreign affairs advisor.

Landgren is leaving for New York to participate in the Security Council meeting.

Bhattarai said three alternatives are being discussed about the UNMIN among the political fraternity and the parties are intensifying their internal discussion. “There is a strong voice from one corner that the UNMIN should not stay here and thus no extension is needed before Sept.15. Second, the UNMIN’s mandate should be curtailed to make its roles more effective. And thirdly, its tenure should be renewed,” said Bhattrai.

However, Bhattarai is convinced that without striking a suitable pact among the parties about its proper job description, an appropriate mechanism for the alternative of the UNMIN could be wrong. “Apart from seeking an alternative, it’s better to ask the UNMIN to maintain its neutrality if the decision is made to renew its term,” he said.

The prime minister has started holding consultations with senior government officials on the UNMIN’s fate. Officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Nepal’s Permanent Representative to UN Gyan Chandra Acharya advised the prime minister that the international community has expressed dismay for not making tangible progress in the peace process and the UNMIN is suffering due to the protracted political standoff.
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