BIG THREE MEET AGAIN SATURDAY

Kathmandu, 29 Jan.: Amid faint chances of a breakthrough, the Big Three meet again Saturday to discuss assembling a national unity government and integration of 19,000 former Maoist combatants in state agencies along with their resettlement.
Extended bilateral and trilateral meetings between Maoists, NC and UML have been inconclusive; the parties meet as parliament holds elections to elect a successor of Madhav Kumar Nepal who resigned 30 June 2010 under Maoist pressure.
When the three-phase vote is held Thursday, Nepal will have held office for more than seven months.
Analysts expect a result in fresh voting for al government after amendment to a parliamentary procedure to elect a government banning lawmakers from voting against a candidate; legislators can only vote in favour of a candidate and they cannot absent themselves from the vote or stay neutral.
A tripartite meeting is being held Saturday as Maoist standing committee Friday rejected pre-conditions of NC and UML for a Maoist-led government.
The two parties pushing a democratic/left front
demanded the completion of a delayed peace process to accept a
Maoist-led government.
The ruling parties also said they don’t feel ‘secure’ only with the ceremonial transfer of the chain of command and control of the fighters from the party to a special committee headed by the prime minister.
An informal task force of the three parties that conducted
inconclusive talks Friday on Maoist integration and modalities for assembly in state agencies will report to the summit Saturday.
The body Friday discussed the number of fighters for integration, a procedure for it and how to handle stored Maoist weapons.
NC and UML insist a Maoist-led government is acceptable only after preparation of a modality for fighter integration.
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LESS THAT FOUR MONTHS REMAIN TO PROMULGATE A CONSTITUTION

Kathmandu, 29 Jan.: Less than four months remain to promulgate a
constitution to institutionalize a declared republic.
The basic law has to be met by the second extended deadline of 28 May 2011.
Chairman of the main constitution drafting committee Nilambar Acharya said this week ideological differences between main parties in the constituent assembly are making his task challenging.
In fresh developments, seven of 11 thematic committees sent their reports with differences of contentions to the committee.
All 28 parties in the assembly have agreed to activate the committee to complete a draft amid strong concerns a constitution won’t meet the second deadline.
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ARMY REJECTS GROUP INTEGRATION OF FORMER MAOISTS

Kathmandu, 29 Jan. Nepal Army (NA) Friday rejected group integration of 19,000 plus former Maoist fighters in the state army as their integration, resettlement and supervision gain national and international after UNMIN withdrawal and the transfer of their command and control from the party to a special committee headed by the prime minister.
“There’s no mention of group entry in the interim constitution and in any agreement between Maoists and government. There can’t be any group integration of Maoists,” Spokesman Brig. Gen. Ramindra Chetri said
‘The army doesn’t have a separate view,” he said when asked on how to handle the former communist fighters. “Let there be a modality at the political level.”
“The special committee has already started work of integration. Let it come to a decision. The nation belongs to all. Let’s not attempt to influence the work of the special committee formed constitutionally and the secretariat formed under it,” Chetri said the future of the fighters should be decided by the committee.
He called the interim constitution, the peace agreement between parliamentary parties and Maoists, the agreement to monitor armies and weapons and agreements between Maoists are the official documents to handle the combatants.
“It’s said to make election free and fair, Nepal Army was monitored.
“It’s meaningless to have two separate units when NA came under a Maoist-led government and Maoist defence minister”
The spokesman said NA isn’t being monitored by the special committee.
“The special committee hasn’t put the NA under its watch. Only weapons kept at Chauni in a container are being monitored,” he said.
Following UNMIN withdrawal 15 January, teams of three state security agencies and PLA are monitoring Maoist weapons and cantonments and Chauni.
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MAOIST OBJECTION

Kathmandu, 29 Jan.: Maoists Saturday immediately ‘seriously objected’ to the NA statement.
Spokesman Dinanath Sharma said NC wasn’t the body to talk on integration.
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CAR OF LEGISLATOR VANDALIZED
.
Kathmandu, 29 Jan.: A car parked at the home of lawmaker
of Gayatri Shah from Janata Dal was vandalized and badly damaged overnight.
She blamed followers of her party, facing a split, for the attack.
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ARMY TEAM LEAVES FOR INDIA

Kathmandu, 29 Jan.: A team of Nepal Army (NA) led by Maj. Gen. Daman Bahadur Ghale flew for India Friday on an eight-day visit.
The team of an inspection visit will be in New Delhi, Lucknow,
Bareilly, Ranikhet and other formation headquarters to study
administrative training and welfare schemes of the Indian army.
The delegation will call on Army Chief VK Singh who just
concluded a Nepal visit.
NA called the visit routine adding such visits have enhanced NA’s know-how.
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BAGLUNG DECLARED LANDMINE FREE

Kathmandu, 29 Jan.: Baglung district was declared landmine free Friday by Nepal Army (NA).
The NA placed 418 landmine around military installations in the district during the 10-year people’s war.
British Ambassador John Tucknott was present during the declaration ceremony.
De-mining operations have to be completed at 15other points nation-wide to make the country landmine free.
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DR. HARSHA BUDAMAGAR DEAD

Kathmandu, 29 Jan.: Dr. Harsha Budamagar, an academic of the Magar community, died Friday of diabetes and high blood pressure.
He was 83.
He authored several books on the Magar community.
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TWO TERAI GROUPS MERGE

Kathmandu, 29 Jan.: Akhil Terai Mukti Morcha of Jai Krishna Goit and Samyukta Janatanrik Mukti Morcha led by Sagar have announced a merger.
Sagar has been nominated politburo member and organization chief of the united group, an announcement said.
Goit group is one of the most violent in the terai.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

INFLATION SLIPS

Kathmandu, 29 Jan.: Inflation on measured by measured by consumer price index fell to 9.6 percent in mid-December from 10.2 percent compared to the same period the previous year, Nepal Rashtra Bank (NRB) said.
Inflation in the capital was 14 percent.
Food prices rose 15 percent while vegetable prices soared 33.7percent and sweets 56.6 percent.
The country’s balance of payments fell to Rs 3.35 billion in the first five months of the current fiscal year compared Rs 14.5 billion in the same period the previous year with a decline in trade deficit and increased remittance.
Lending by commercial banks to private sector was only Rs 23.98 billion compared to Rs 52 billion in the five months the previous year with deposits falling in commercial banks and a continued financial crunch.
Remittance flow increased Rs. 10 billion during the review period to Rs. 96.58 billion.
Trade deficit fell one percent to Rs. 127 billion and exports increased 8.5 percent to Rs. 27.25 billion.
Gross foreign exchange in md-December was $3.67 billion.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

‘No matter what colour it is, the cat has to kill the rat.”

(UML Secretary Yubaraj Geywali hinting in The Himalayan Times
the party may change official stance and vote for the candidacy of Prachanda as prime minister, The Himalayan Times, 29 Jan.)

“Most of the small arms are with hooligans and well-organized criminals in the capital, and getting hold of them has become a major challenge.”

(Kathmandu’s new police chief SP Pushkar Karki, The Kathmandu Post, 29 Jan.)
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PRITHVI NARAYAN SHAH UNIFIED NATION






Kathmandu, 29 Jan.: Various speakers at an interaction Thursday appreciated the contributions made by Prithvi Narayan Shah in uniting Nepal as one kingdom, The Rising Nepal reports.
They said that the words of wisdom given by Shah should be taken as a core element while restructuring of the country.
Various intellectuals said that Shah wanted unity among all castes and federalism would disintegrate the nation and invite cultural war.
Presenting a paper work, Ramesh Kumar Dhungel, representative of Nepal and Asia Research Center, Tribhuvan University, said that unification campaign of Shah was productive in preserving the culture of the country.
"Shah always gave direction to preserve the culture of our country," said Dhungel.
Citing various examples Dhungel said that the practice of calling Lamas to the palace while marking rituals was a glaring example that Shah was in favor of unity among all the indigenous groups.
He said that lack of homework before entering the country into a federal states could be catastrophic.
"Federalism can disintegrate our country and heighten cultural war," said Dhungel.
Dr Surendra K.C said that the unification of Shah to discriminate the indigenous people was bogus. "All the castes of our country have been living in harmony for the several centuries and it continues till date," said K.C.
Pesal Kumar Niraula, history expert, said that federalism should not be based on caste system.
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