MAOIST APPEAL FOR CLEMANCY

Kathmandu, 19 Sept.: Maoists asked Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Home Minister Bhim Rawal for clemency for their lawmaker Balkrishna Dhungel convicted for murder by the supreme which awarded a life sentence this month.
This was confirmed by party Spokesman Dinanath Sharma.
The president, at cabinet’s request, can issue a pardon or reduce the sentence/
Maoists criticized the court decision saying the apex violated a comprehensive peace treat between seven parliamentary parties and them/
According to Maoists, an amnesty was awarded fore political crimes during the 10-year insurgency.
Nnnn

BHUTANESE REFUGEE COMMITS SUICIDE IN USA

Kathmandu, 19 Sept.: A female Bhutanese refugee, Nirmala Gurung, 35, hanged herself to death at an apartment in New York couple, a published report said.
Her husband was not at home.
The couple moved to USA in June from a camp in Jhapa.
More than 30,000 Bhutanese refugees have been repatriates to USA from camps in Jhapa and Morang.
nnnn


BODY OF DRIVER RECOVERED

Kathmandu, 19 Sept.: The body of a driver Wajil Budhathoki who was tossed into Seti rover in Sirkhet was recovered Friday .
An irate mob threw him into the river Snnday after a vehicle he was driving killed a child.
Nnnn
Clamour for release of Veep's aide

Kathmandu, 19 Sept.: Rajesh Ahiraj was arrested from the office of Madheshvani Weekly in Hanumansthan on Friday evening, The Himalayan Times reports..
"The state has arrested Rajesh at a time when factual, objective and fearless information disseminated by Madhesi journalists is rocking the foundation of status quoists..."
Eighteen different organisations have expressed serious concern about the arrest of Vice President Paramananda Jha's personal secretary Rajesh Ahiraj Jha and demanded his release.

Police last evening raided the office of Madheshvani Weekly at Hanumansthan, Kathmandu, and arrested Rajesh, the editor and publisher, on treason charge.

The arrest was made after the weekly on its Friday's edition published a vacancy advertisement for the recruitment of 6,145 candidates for the army wing of Rajan Mukti-led Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha, a Tarai-based armed underground outfit.

"The state has arrested Rajesh at a time when factual, objective and fearless information disseminated by Madhesi journalists is rocking the foundation of status quo-ists. We also cannot deny the fact that Madhes-based armed forces are frequently disturbing peace in the society. However, catering information about the activities of armed forces in Madhesi society to the readers can never be termed treason," the organisations said in a joint press statement.
Nnnn

Power-sharing with Maoists unlikely

Kathmandu, 19 Sept.: The Nepali Congress (NC) seems to toughen its stance towards the UCPN (Maoist) after the General Convention if its political document is any guide, Kamal Deb Bhattarai writes in The Kathmandu Post..

NC’s policy document rules out any power-sharing deal with the Maoists without addressing over half a dozen issues related to peace process that NC believes the Maoists have not honoured.

In its political document, which is being presented in the ongoing General Convention for endorsement, NC has stated the Maoist party is trying to influence the constitution-writing process by not giving up weapons and military structure. “The Maoists have used the peace process as a strategy to seize state power and impose a totalitarian regime. They are deliberately delaying the peace process,” the document reads.

NC views that promulgation of the constitution is almost impossible without first integrating and rehabilitating the Maoist combatants. The document has significant bearing on NC’s future course, peace process and constitution writing.

The party’s document envisions no prospect of agreement with the Maoists under the prevailing circumstances. On fixing the number of Maoist combatants, the document calls for honoring the “Gentleman’s Agreement” between the late Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

The agreement, according to NC leaders, had fixed the number of combatants between 3-5 thousand that was subject to compliance with existing norms and standards of security agencies.

The document also calls for handing over the security responsibility of Maoist leaders to the government forces. NC wants the Maoists to return the seized property, dismantle YCL’s paramilitary structure and ensure return of the displaced people.

On state restructuring, NC blames the Maoists for complicating the issue. NC argues that more than seven provinces would be neither practical nor economically feasible. But the Maoists and the CPN-UML have proposed over 14 provinces.

Despite a tough approach, the document stresses on the indispensability of continuous dialogue with the Maoists to take the peace process to a logical end.

nnnn