AMID FOREIGN PRESSURE, GOVT., AMOISTS TO SENT JOINT LETTER TO UN; OTHER DETAILS (BREAKING NEWS)

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 13 Sept.: Amid pressures mainly from USA, UK and France—three western powers and members of the UN security council, government and Maoists Monday signed a four-point agreement to extend UNMIN mandate for another four months without current mandate change.
Nepal and Prachanda agreed to send a joint letter to UN to extend UNMIN mandate whose tenure ends Wednesday.
The government and main opposition and former communist rebels said the extension will be the last.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoist Chairman Prachanda agreed to sign a four-point agreement in the presence of government and Maoist negotiators.
Earlier, government and Maoists sent separate letters to UN with different perceptions; the two sides came under intense pressure to send a joint consensus letter to extend the mandate.
Several western countries threatened to extend the tenure through rollover of the current mandate even without the consent of the government—an action that would have meant the UN would only be welcome guests of Maoists, which is attempting to form a government under its leadership.
The effort is unlikely to succeed with resistance from ruling coalition partners NC and UML opposing Maoist leadership of government.
Maoists agree to complete integration and resettlement within four months and bring the former PLA combatants under the command and control of a special committee headed by the prime minister during that time.
The 19,000 Maoists combatants under UNMIN watch are under party command and control even four years after the peace agreement.
UNMIN says monitoring of cantonments isn’t within its mandate even as an agreement between Maoists and parliamentary parties, to which UN is a witness, envisages, formation of a mechanism with UNMIN involvement to oversee activities of PLA—often criminal and murderous.
The command and control will revert to the special committee if the agreement is honestly implemented.
Maoists have agreed to consider favourably the needs and requirements of Nepal.
The only remaining responsibility of the UNMIN is to monitor arms and armies to complete the peace process started four years ago—a process which was to be completed in six months.
Despite the fresh agreement, there’s no guarantee the four-point agreement will be fully implemented.
Beyond its mandate UN and UNMIN have been passing judgments on Nepal’s internal politics even suggesting the nature of government and promoting controversial bodies like the high-level political mechanism. now dead and defunct after the death of Girija Prasad Koirala.
UN praised the body even as influential of major parties called unconstitutional and formed without party authorization.
Even with the extension, UNMIN can no longer be effecive because one side believes it’s a Maoist tail. The political wing of UN in Nepal has lost its neutrality image.
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.NO PARLIAMENT MEED AFTER MAOIST PRESSURE

Kathmandu, 13 Sept.: Parliament couldn’t meet again Monday amid Mmaoist objections to an audio tape conversation in which Maoist leader Krishna Bahaudr Mmahara demanded Rs 500 million from an unidentified Chinese to finance the purchase of votes in parliament for Chairman Prachanda—a candidate for parliament.
Parliament was scheduled to discuss the tape contents.
Maoist central committee didn’t deny the contents saying only it was an international conspiracy.
Spokesman Dinanath Sharma charged embassies of USA, India and Nepal Army were illegally taping phone conversations.
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MOHAN BAIDYA CHARGES INDIA

Kathmandu, 13 Sept.: Maoist Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya, second ranking Maoist leader, charged Monday India was obstructing the entry on Maoists into government from parliament.
He charged Monday India conspired to prevent the election of Chairman Prachanda in the 7th round election ; the 8th round will be conducted 26 September.
Baidya said ’there’s no alternative’ to a people’s revolution.
He also charged UML for the deadlock in electing a government.
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SENIOR GOVT.OFFICIALS INJURED

Kathmandu, 13 Sept.: Five people, including three chiefs of government offices, were injured in a road accident on Monday morning, RSS reports from Nuwakot.

The accident occured when a Toyota jeep belonging to Soil Conservation Office, Nuwakot, heading towads Trishuli from Kathmandu skidded off the road and fell some 20 metres down at 12 mile of Okharpauwa-1.

The slightly injured government officers are Nuwakot District Judge Mohan Krishna Khanal, District Soil Conservation Officer Prakash Regmi, Agriculture Development Officer Rajaram Adhikari, Assistant Soil Conservation Officer Bijendra Kumar Singh and Accountant Madan Krishna Shrestha of the same office.



Police said brake failure of the jeep caused the accident. The government officials were returning to office after celebrating a two day holiday in Kathmandu. After the accident they returned to Kathmandu.
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AMEND PARLIAMENTARYRULES TO END DEADLOCK; LAWYERS

Kathmandu, 13 Sept.: Constitutional lawyer said Monday after a meeting with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav parliamentary rules should be amended to end the current political deadlock.
Bhattarai was one of five top lawyers the president consulted on the current deadlock and crisis it has created.
“The process should be broken. Speaker should effort an understanding with all,” Bhararai said.
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