GOVT. EXPANSION LIKELY BY MONDAY

MJFN TO JOIN GOVT. DESPITE DIFFERENCES IN PARTY

Kathmandu, 1 May: MJFN will get four ministries, including the foreign ministry, and position of deputy prime minister.
The expanded government will have three deputy prime ministers—Bharat Mohan Adhikari from UML, Krishna Bahadur Mahara from UCPN (Maoist) and Chairman Upendra Yadav from MJFN.
Yadav is a former foreign minister.
Besides the foreign ministry, ministries of commerce and supplies, agriculture and cooperatives and labour and transport have been allocated to MJFN.
Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, Maoist Chairman Prachanda and MJFN Chairman Yadav held late night discussions on expanding the government Saturday at the official residence of Khanal.
The decision to award ministries to MJFN comes as Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta, second ranking leader of terai party, is on a nation-wide tour
to oppose the party decision of Yadav to join government.
Maoist central office bearers are meeting Monday to finalize remaining members of its government team; UCPN (Maoist) has to select seven more ministers and 11 state ministers.
Prachanda has been entrusted responsibility to select remaining members of its government team as to pleaders lobby to send their supporters to government.
Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara heada a four-member Maoist team in government.
Sunil Mahandhar of CPN (ML)is also joining the Khanal government; the splinter communist group is led by CP Mainali.
Government is likely to be expanded Monday.
Khanal, elected 3 February, hasn’t succeeded in expanding his government team for nearly three months because of inter and intra-party bickering.
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HALF DOZEN HOUSES DESROYED BY FIRE IN KAILALI

Kathmandu, 1 May: More than one dozen houses were destroyed by a fire overnight at Sukkar Bazzar in Kailali.
Other details weren’t immediately available.
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MAOIST INTER-PARTY DICUSSIONS FOR PEACE AND CONSTITUTION DRAFT

Kathmandu, 1 May: Maoists Sunday begin high-level inter-party discussions with parties, including the main opposition NC and ruling UML heading the government, for constitution drafting and completing the delayed peace process.
A meeting of central office bearers took the decision Saturday following the adoption last week by Maoist central committee of Chairman Prachanda’s changed political strategy after 28 May to temporarily suspend the people’s war in favour of peace and constitution.
Just 27 days to promulgate a basis law that will be missed for the second time in three years 28May;various options have floated opposing suggestions on how to meet a void after 28 May.
Prachanda said an integrated draft constitution will be prepared by 28 May by the main constitution drafting committee headed by Nilambar Acharya.
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SUNDAY DECLARED A PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Kathmandu, 1 May: Sunday has been declared a public holiday to celebrate May Day.
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TERAI GROUP ABANDONS VIOLENCE

Kathmandu, 1 May: Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha, onn of more than two dozen armed groups active in the south along the 1,700 km open Indo-Nepal border, renounced violence and adopt peaceful means to push programmes and polices Saturday in Rajbiraj.
Chairman Rajiv Jha mad the announcement personally at a news conference.
The group was launched February 2009.
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INFORMAL MEET OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE

Kathmandu, 1 May: An informal meet of a special committee on integration, resettlement and supervision of Maoist former fighters meets later Sunday.
The committee is headed by Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and has representatives of major parties as representatives.
The committee last met 23 March.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

ANURAG MISHRA IN SCBSNL

Kathmandu, 1 May: Anurag Mishra took over Sunday as acting chief executive of Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Limited (SCBSN).
He was head of wholesale banking department.
Mishra succeeds Sujit Mundul who retried Saturday after eight years in Nepal.
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NEPSE LOSES 9.15 POINTS

Kathmandu, 1 May: Nepse lost 9.15 points in five-day trading when the market closed of the last day Thursday.
The market closed at 356.87 points on the first day of trading Sunday and settled at 347.72 Thursday.
The bearish trend continued its run.
Market turnover surged 258.65 percent because of bulk transfer of shares of Bottlers Nepal in the Khetan Group.
Altogether 644,096 shares were traded for Rs.356.22 million in 6,046 transactions.
Altogether 3.2 million shares of Country Development Bank were listed in the capital market.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“The constitution must be promulgated by extending the CA term by six months at the most in case the country fails to promulgate the constitution by May 28.”

(Dr. Babauram Bhattarai, The Kathmandu Post, 1 May)
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ARRESTED OFFICIAL IMPLICTES FOUR COLLEAGUES IN PASSPORT SCAM

Kathmandu, 1 May:: Section Officer Bhuminanda Bhandari of the Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport — who was arrested for helping the users of diplomatic passports that lawmakers Gayatri Shah and Bishwanatha Prasad Yadav had sold — has implicated four other immigration officials in the scam, The Himalayan Times reports..

Bhandari spilled the beans on the four who had assisted Prithvi Chhantyal and an unidentified woman fly from Kathmandu with the tampered red passports and later sneaked them out of TIA ‘for astronomical bribes’.

“Bhandari told investigators that Chief Immigration Officer Khadananda Dhakal, section officer Shyam Babu Bhandari, computer officer Indra Kumar Sunuwar and senior immigration assistant Devi Dutta Khatri were also culpable,” a source said.

The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police had arrested Bhuminanda on April 27 in connection with the red passport scam.

“On Khadananda’s instruction, Shyam, Indra, Devi Dutta and myself had received Chhantyal and the unidentified woman and let them loose, instead of handing them over to the Department of Immigration upon arrival at TIA on January 18,” read Bhuminanda’s statement. As per the Immigration Act, TIA immigration officials have to detain persons deported from other countries and hand them over to DoI to establish the reason behind their return. Bhuminanda and others had helped Chhantyal and the woman sneak out of the airport. “Etihad Airways officials had handed Chhantyal and the woman to us and we released them on Khadananda’s instruction,” said Bhuminanda.

The source said Shyam, Indra and Devi Dutta are absconding. “We wrote to the Department of Immigration twice requesting it to produce them before police, but it replied that the three were at large after Bhuminanda’s arrest.”

The source further informed that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority was interrogating Khadananda.

Khadananda told The Himalayan Times that he accepted moral responsibility for what had happened.

Chhantyal and the woman were bound for Australia via Etihad Airways when Abu Dhabi Airport found the tampered red passports on January 16. They were deported two days later.

To make things worse, immigration officials handed over the tampered passports to Santosh Uprety, who runs a forgery racket. According to police, Uprety then handed over the passports to Shah and Yadav.
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GOVT. COMMMITS Rs.2B TO NOC


Kathmandu, 1 May 1: Turning deaf ears to widespread call for adjustment of fuel prices, the government has decided to arrange yet another tranche of loan for Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) to finance oil import to end the fuel scarcity that has paralyzed the country for two weeks,Republica reports.

NOC officials said the government this time was arranging Rs 2 billion in loan from Employment Provident Fund (EPF).

“The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has initiated the process to arrange loan from the provident fund manager,” said NOC Spokesperson Mukunda Dhungel. Talking to Republica, he further disclosed that Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has resumed normal volume of fuel supply to Nepal from Friday after it was informed about the government´s fresh endeavor for arranging loans. IOC stepped up exports after it was convinced that NOC would be able to pay for the supply without further piling up the dues.

The development has raised hopes of fuel availability getting normal by the coming weekend. However, it has left the issue of fuel pricing and NOC´s loss, which stands at the crux of the supply problem, as it is. This means fuel supply remains as vulnerable as ever, admitted officials.

“The immediate good news, nonetheless, is that the IOC has supplied 2,330 kiloliters of fuel from Raxaul on Friday, raising it substantially from around 1,600 KL till a day ago,” said Dhungel.

It has also agreed to issue as much supply as possible on Saturday as well, as Sunday is a public holiday when no supplies are issued. Following such development, NOC distributed 167 KL of petrol and 365 KL of diesel in the Kathmandu Valley on Saturday. However, it also announced that no distribution would be made on Sunday because of the May Day.

“We will step up supplies substantially from Monday and we expect the petrol scarcity to end by Thursday,” said Dhungel. Diesel shortage, however, might persist for a long time as demand of diesel is high in numerous cities and industrial pockets, and the corporation plans to distribute the fresh consignments evenly to all sectors.

The scarcity has hit consumers across the country since 18 days after IOC slashed supplies to Nepal by one-third citing lack of payment from the NOC following which NOC, too, had to slash supplies by similar proportion. Majority of petrol pumps across the country pulled down shutters hanging ´no petrol´ ´no diesel´ tags. Long queues of vehicles were seen at the pumps and consumers were forced to wait for hours to get limited fuel.

“With a monthly loss of Rs 1.96 billion, there is bound to be scarcity,” said officials at NOC, and urged the government to adjust fuel prices so that existing loss could be checked. Otherwise, they cautioned, consumers will face another spate of shortage once the fuel supply ensured by the Rs 2 billion loan is used up.
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MISSING NEPALI CHOIR TURNS UP AND PERFORMS IN UK
Kathmandu, 1 May: The Nepali singers presented Nepali folk songs at the festival today. They are set to perform for two more days, Rudra Pangeni reports in The Himalayan Times.
The Nepali singers who reached the United Kingdom to take part in Cornwall International Male Voice Choral Festival have contacted the organisers on Saturday after missing for three days from the Heathrow Aiport.

Peter Davies, the Festival director, informed The Himalayan Times over telephone that the Nepali choir reached the programme venue at Cornwall at around 1:00 a.m. GMT on today to perform later in the morning.

The Nepali singers presented Nepali folk songs at the festival today. They are set to perform for two more days.

Though Davies did not prefer commenting on the choir’s late arrival, one of its members claimed that none from the organisers’ side turned up at the Terminal 3 of the airport to receive the Nepali team.

Bimal Sherchan told The Himalayan Times over telephone that the team which was already disturbed after losing the musical instruments while flying to Mumbai from New Delhi en route to the United Kingdom was further embarrassed to find itself left high and dry in London.

He claimed the team members stayed at a motel in central London for two days before getting success on contacting the organisers through Internet.

The immigration officials were informed about the Nepali choir’s missing on Tuesday itself. It was suspected that the members had absconded from the airport.

Laxman Bidari “Shesh” leads the team comprising of Bimal Sherchan, Parbati Gurung, R G Kharel, Akash Manandhar, Manoj Chhetri, Goma Lamichhane, Prabin Lal Joshi, Dipesh Shrestha and Yuva Raj Shrestha. They represent the Syuchatar-based Nepalaya Lok Kala Manch.
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JAYAPRAKASH PRASAD GUPTA ON TOUR TO OVERTURN PARTY DECISION TO JOIN GOVT.

PRESIDENT, SPEAKER DISCUSSIONS

Kathmandu, 30 April: President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav at a meeting Saturday with Speaker Subash Nemwang said ”remaining short time should be result-oriented,’ according to the speaker.
Nemwang held discussions with Yadav on peace process, constitution drafting and other issues.
Nemwang briefed the president on the current political situation with only 29 days remaining to promulgate a constitution.
The president was briefed on the peace process, constitution drafting, his meetings with top leaders of the Big Three Friday and budget session that begins Monday.
Eleven parties, including main opposition NC, have opposed the early budget session.
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JAYAPRAKASH PRASAD GUPTA ON NATION-WIDE TOUR TO OVERTURN PARTY DECISION TO JOIN GOVERNMENT.

Kathmandu, 30 April: MJFN second-ranking leader Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta said Saturday in Sunsari he’s on a nation-wide tour to overturn the decision of Chairman Upendra Yadav to join the communist government of Maoists and UML led by UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal.
Gupta said the decision to join government was Yadav’s.
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UN SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY

Kaahmandu, 30 April: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement Friday urged maximum flexibility by all parties in the remaining time to promulgate a constitution by 28 May and complete the peace process.
There should effort to resolve remaining differences in parties, he added..
He reminded barely one month remains to promulgate a constitution.
In a statement issued in New York, Ban said all parties should reach an understanding for integration and replacement of former Maoist fighters,
Bane promised UN assistance for completing the peace process and constitution drafting.
UN withdrew from Nepal 15 January after a failed four-yea effort to help complete the peace process.
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FIVE JOURALISTS REGISTER CANDIDACIES FOR LEADERSHIP OF JOURNALIST FEDERATION

Kathmandu, 30 April: Five journalists, including Kedar Koirala, Poshan KC and Shiba Gaunle, Saturday filed nominations for the leadership of Federation of Nepalese Journalists’ Federation.
Election for an executive committee of the Federation is being later this month.
Most candidates have announced panels with support of major parties.
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SUMMER'S FIRST CHOLERA CASE CONFIRMED IN CAPITAL

NO COMPLETE CONSTITUTION BY 28 MAY

Kathmandu, 30 April: Maoist Chairman Prachanda reiterated time is too short to complete a complete constitution by28 May.
But he called for an integrated constitution draft by the second deadline in Chitwan Saturday.
Party office bearers earlier in the capital decided to launch a dialogue with UML, NC and other parties to complete the peace process and write a constitution.
Former Prime Mionster Madhav Kumar Nepal continued his public criticism of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal Saturday in Kanchanpur.
Nepal accused his successor in government and party for failure to form a national unity government and called for inclusion of main opposition NC and Madeshbadi parties in government.
NC has refused to join the UML/Maoist government.
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FIRST CHOLERA CASE IN CAPITALTHIS SUMMER RECORDED

Kathmandu, 30 April: The first cholera case in the capital this summer was confirmed Friday by the Sukraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital at Teku.
The cholera was found in a woman at the beginning of the rainy season.
The fifty-six year woman from Banepa is a longtime resident of the capital.
A heavy pre-monsoon was recorded in the capital Saturday.
Farmers will be happy as they prepare fields for transplanting paddy.
Hopefully, the crippling 14-hour load-shedding will be reduced with the approaching monsoon.
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SANIMA DEVELOPMENT BANK PROFIT UP

Kathmandu, 30 April: Sanima Development Bank earned a Rs. 95.3 million net profit in Q3 of the current fiscal year ending 13 April.
The profit rose 57.87 percent compared to the corresponding quarter the previous year.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“If I fail, UML will fail. Believe me to prevent it.”

(PM Jhalanath Khanal, Gorkhapatra, 30 April)
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KRISHNA PRASAD BHATTARAI’S LIFESTYLE

By Bhola B. Rana

Kathmandu, 30 April: Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, who died nearly two months ago, took something from very few persons.
Amita Giri Kapali said this in an article entitled: My Guru Kishunji. In Nagarik Saturday.
Kapali said she served Kishunji for two decades.
“He took something from very few people. He wouldn’t take things from anybody. In his lifetime, he took something from Capt. Shriram Sharma, Maiyadebi Shrestha and several others,” former activist of Nepal Student’s Union revealed.
‘He was like a child. Innocent.”
She added: While in the party or as prime minister, he used to keep money in two pockets—one pocket for personal money and the other of the party. He was always conscious the money would be mixed.”
She recalls how persons close to him voided Kishinji after NC under Girija Prasad Koirala adopted a republican agenda.
“After a republican agenda was adopted five years ago, Kishinji was probably the only leader in democratic parties who went against the current. He didn’t support a republic even until his dying day.
“I thought some people close to Kishunji would support him. But they didn’t. I was extremely angry.
”Those who hovered around him and took maximum benefits and did whatever he said didn’t back him, Kapali wrote.
“ At that time Kishunji would remind me: ””Nani! What do you expect from others? Nobody is here for you and me. I would shout and he would say: “” Nani! Leave it. Don’t shout. How much are you going to shout?”
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NEPAL THREATENED WITH BLACKLISTING

Kathmandu, 30 April: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)—a global anti-money laundering body formed by G-20—may blacklist Nepal if it fails to meet its commitment regarding anti money laundering and terrorist financing by June 23 when FATF’s holds its annual meeting, Phanindra Dahal reports in The Kathmandu Post..

This is the warning issued by Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) Executive Secretary Gordon Hook during his meeting with Speaker Subas Nembang on Friday. APF is an anti-money laundering body that monitors this region on compliance of anti-money laundering measures. Nepal is an APG member.

As per Nepal’s commitments, it will have to get two international UN conventions—Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and International Convention of the Suppression of Financing of Terrorism—endorsed by Parliament. The Parliament should also pass laws including Anti-Money Laundering Act (First Amendment), Extradition Bill and Bill on Organised Crimes.

Except the Extradition Bill, the other bills have reached Parliament. The Cabinet is yet to endorse the Extradition Bill. FATF has also repeatedly asked Nepal to meet its commitments.

During his meeting with the speaker, Hook said Nepal should pass two bills at least—Mutual Legal Assistance and Anti-Money Laundering Act (First Amendment)—to avoid the possibility of being blacklisted.

According to a government official, who was present at the meeting with the speaker, Hook admitted that he was worried about the possibility of Nepal being blacklisted like North Korea and Iran.

Officials said in case of getting blacklisted, Nepal will find it difficult to get foreign aid from international organisations like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Foreign banks may not trust the letters of credit (LC) issued by Nepali banks. This in turn will create difficulties for Nepali businessmen at the international trade level. Businessmen here may have to face harassment at foreign customs offices, with those authorities not allowing Nepali goods to go through the green channel. Nepali nationals may also face hassles while undergoing immigration procedures in other countries. Nepal itself has issued a circular to Nepali banks to be overly cautious while doing business with citizens and agencies of North Korea and Iran.

Nepal had assured both APG and FATF that it would fulfil its commitment within December 2010, but it failed. Speaker Nembang told Hook that Nepal is still unable to endorse the bills and conventions due to political stalemate. He added that he would draw the attention of Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and top political leaders towards the matter.

Hook, who arrived here Thursday, also met Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari and expressed concerns over Nepal’s failure to comply with international norms on money laundering. During the meeting, Adhikari assured Hook that he would do his bit to bring all parties together on this issue.

Last year, FATF had categorised Nepal among 20 countries as seriously deficient in combating money laundering and terrorist financing, alleging that Nepal was posing a risk to the international financial system.
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GOVT. DRAWS FLAK OVER CANCER HOSPITAL CLOSURE





Kathmandu, 30 April: Bharatpur Cancer Hospital doctors and officials Friday blamed that the government was ignoring the problem of the hospital, which has halted its services following disputes over appointment of its executive director, The Rising Nepal reports.
They blamed that the government was not serious about the plight of cancer patients.
Around 40 physicians and administrative employees from BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Bharatpur, had come here to talk with the top level officials to solve the problem Thursday.
The Health Minister met with chairman Dr. Rameshwor Shrestha and other physicians to find a way out.
According to Dr. Anjani Kumar Jha, the Health Minister said that he was unable to offer any solution and he would discuss this with other top officials.
The doctors also had a schedule to meet the Prime Minister today. "However, the PM refused to meet us," Dr. Jha said.
No any concrete solution was found from the talks with the Health Minister and the Health Secretary, chairman Shrestha said.
All services except emergency have been closed at the BPKMCH from Thursday.
Due to the disputes over the executive director appointment, the hospital administration has been closed for two months. Employees have not received salary for two months.
Around 400 cancer patients visit the hospital daily.




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PRIME MINISTER, PRESIDENT CONDDOLE LOSS OFLIFE, PROPERTY IN USA

PRIME MINISTER, PRESIDENT CODOLE LOSS OF LIFE PROPERTY IN USA

Kathmandu, 30 April: Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav,in separate messages Saturday to President Barak Obama condoled the loss of lives and property in tornadoes in USA.
They expressed condolences and sympathies.
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MAOISTS TO CONDUCT DIALOGUE WITH OTHER PARTIES

Kathmandu, 30 April: A meeting of Maoist office bearers Saturday decided to hold dialogue with other parties to push peace process and constitution drafting.
Office bearers met after the central committee approved Friday by majority Chairman Prachanda’s changed policy to temporarily abandon people’s war in favour of peace and constitution—a strategy opposed by Mohan Baidya continuing a people’s war.
Office bearer will meet Monday toselect remaining members of its government tam.
The party has to appoint seven more ministers and 11 state ministers.
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THREE PARTIES TO DISCUSS SHOTDOWN OF CANCER HOSPITAL

Kathmandu, 30 April: The Big Three-- Maoists, NC and UML—will discuss Sunday the closure of the prestigious specialized Chinese-aided B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bharatpur, Chitwan, Maoist Chairman Prachanda said Saturday.
He reached the central district with Vice-chairman Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Saturday.
The hospital was closed down indefinitely this week, except emergency service, with the parties pushing their candidates for post of managing director to succeed Dr. Bkaktaman Shrestha who was abducted last year and freed after paying a ransom for his freedom.
The closure of a hospital for appointment of a party friendly executive has been condemned by human rights groups.
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SANJIB THAPA ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF NEPAL RED CROSS SOCIETY

Kathmandu, 30 April: Sanjib Thapa has been elected chairman of Nepal Red Cross Society for a four-year term.
A 22-member executive committee was elected Saturday by a general convention that began in Nagarkot Wednesday.
Remaining members of the executive will be nominated by the president.
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TERAI REBEL LEADER KILLED IN ENCOUNTER

NC MEETING IN JHAPA

Kathmandu, 30 April: Main opposition NC is holding a district assembly in Jhapa to push peace and constitution drafting.
President Sushil Koirala, Sher Bahadur Deuba and other central leaders are addressing the rally.
The meeting comes after the Koirala and Deuba factions agreed this month to take the party ahead unitedly after month of internal bickering.
The party is attempting to spread the message of unity as it has decided to stay in the opposition.
The meeting is the second after a show of unity.
The first was held in Pokhara.
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TERAI REBEL LEADER KILLED IN ENCOUNTER

Kathmandu, 30 April: Anil Chamar, was killed in police action along Rohati khola along Nawalparasi/ Rupandheahi border Thursday.
Chamar died in retaliatory firing of a patrol team,
He was western regional district chief of Madeshi Mukti Tigers.
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SOUTH ASIAN FORUM TO MEET IN SEPTEMBER

Kathmandu, 30 April: The first meeting of South Asia Forum will be held in New Delhi in the first week of September.
A steering committee meeting of the Forum took the decision in the Indian capital.
Foreign ministry Joint Secretary Hari Kumar Shrestha represented Nepal.
SAARC launched the Forum one year ago.
Prasad.
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NRB’S ONE MILLION DOLLARS RETRUNED

Kathmandu, 30 April: One million dollars of Nepal Rashtra Bank (NRB) deposited with Standard Chartered Bank in New York has been returned, central bank, Spokesman Bhaskar Mani Geywali said.
The money was transferred to the account of Tarala International without NRB authorization following a US court order; NRB challenged the decision in court.
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VARIED OPINIONS ON OPTIONS AFTER 28 MAY

Kathmandu, 30 April: Former prime minister and UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal in an apparent changes of his former stance said Friday the tenure of the constituent assembly could be extended after 28 May when the second deadline to promulgate a basic law won’t be met.
“If there’s an agreement between all parties for fighter integration and a constitution draft, the tenure of the constituent assembly was be extended for a complete constitution,” he said in Dhangadi putting pre-conditions.
NC President Sushil Koirala said Maoists are main hurdles in completing the peace process and constitution drafting.
Maoists, he said, should create conditions and environment by implementing past agreements.
The constituent assembly (CA) tenure won’t be extended after 28 May and the main opposition won’t go into government, he said in Jhapa Friday.
Obviously referring to Chairman Prachanda’s proposal to temporarily suspend a people’s war for peace and constitution, Koirala added recent developments in the party were position but can’t be believed without decision implementation.
Foreign and national regressive elements are obstructing constitution writing process, Maoist Vice-chairman Dr. Bahuram Bhattarai charged in Gorkha Friday.
Meanwhile, NSP Chairman Rajendra Mahoto warned Friday in Janakpur Friday terai legislators my resign en masse without timely proclamation of a constitution.
“If a constitution isn’t promulgated in time, front lawmakers could resign en masse and go to the people,” he said.
The front consists of MJFL, TMLP and NSP.
Opinions are varied on options available after28 May; parties haven’t adopted formal positions yet.
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BABURAM BHATTARAI, US AMBASSADOR MEET

Kathmandu, 30 April: Maoist Vice-chairman Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Friday held discussions with US Ambassador Scott H. DeLisi Friday.
Discussions centered around the peace process and constitution drafting.
Bhattarai asked the ambassador to take Maoists off the US terrorist list.
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BoP DEFICIT FALLS; VEGETABLE PRICES JUMP 73.1 PERCENT

Kathmandu, 30 April: Balance of payments (BoP) deficit fell to Rs 11.30 billion in mid-March, Nepal Rashtra Bank said.
Exports increased 6.6 percent and reached Rs.52.83 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year; exports to India jumped 10.8 percent.
Imports increased only 1.4 percent ro Rs.253.49 billion.
Import from third countries fell 27 percent with fall in gold, readymade garments, machinery and parts imports.
Trade deficit widened 0.4 percent to Rs.210.66 billion.
Remittances increased 12.3 percent to Rs.161.62 billion in the review period.
Gross foreign exchange reserve fell 4.4 percent to Rs.257.05 billion.
Consumer price inflation jumped 107 percent as vegetable prices jumped 73.1 percent.
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5TH NRN CONFERENCE IN OCTOBER

Kathmandu, 30 April: The fifth conference of Non-Resident Nepal (NRN) Global Conference will be held in the capital 12 to 14 October.
The conference is held once every two years.
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RAGHUBIR MAHASETH ELECTED

Kathmandu, 30 April: Raghubir Mahaseth was unanimously elected chairman of Loktantrik Madeshi Sanghatan launched by ruling UML in Janakpur.
The convention was inaugurated by Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal this week.
A 56-member working committee was also elected Saturday in Janakpur.
Gopal Thakur was elected general secretary.
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FAMED SWISS CLIMBER ERHARD LORETAN KILLED IN SWISS ALPS

Kathmandu, 30 April: Swiss mountaineer Erhard Loretan, widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest ever mountaineers, plunged to his death during a birthday outing in the Alps, police in Switzerland said on Friday, AFP reports from Geneva.
Loretan was only the third climber — after Italian legend Reinhold Messner and Polish hero Jerzy Kukuczka — to scale the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 metres
He completed the feat by the age of 36.
The 52-year-old mountain guide was with a client on the 3,800 metre Gruenegghorn in southern Switzerland on Thursday, his birthday, when they fell 200 metres.
“The party formed by mountain guide Erhard Loretan and a client fell while scaling a ridge. Erhard Loretan died on the spot,” police in the Swiss canton of Valais said in a statement.
A search and rescue party rushed Loretan’s 38-year-old Swiss climbing companion to hospital in a serious condition after other climbers in the area came across traces of the accident, police said.
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MEDIA GOOGLE
“Time crunch is not the factor that has been obstructing CA. Instead, some external forces have been hindering CA from completing its task. Given that the CA term is extended under the circumstance, drafting of a new constitution won’t materialize even in the next 100 years.”

(RPP-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa, The Kathmandu Post, 30 April)
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ASSURED RISK THROWS ACCUSATION BACK AT POLICE
Kathmandu, 30 April: Assured Risks Pvt Ltd that suppled APCs and other logistics to Nepali peacekeepers deployed in Darfur, Sudan has blamed Nepal Police for turning the armored personnel carriers (APCs) non-functional, Bimal Gautam reports writes in Republica. .

The company, in its reply furnished to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), on Friday has claimed that the APCs were in good condition when they were supplied but became non-functional as Nepal Police failed to ensure proper maintenance and servicing of the vehicles as outlined in the contract agreement,

“The problems in Sudan have occurred because the vehicles have been left unattended and decaying beside the salted waters of Port of Sudan and in extreme temperatures for a long time without daily, weekly and monthly services as required by APCs,” states a three-page document acquired by Republica late Friday. Once the vehicles were supplied to the Nepal Police Forces “they alone are responsible for their vehicles, not Assured Risks Ltd.”

The company has claimed that in an agreement signed with Nepal Police Head Quarters on September 27, 2007 for supplying 8 APCs for Nepal Police, it is mentioned that Nepal Police HQ would take the responsibility of transportating the vehicles. “The Nepal Police, instead of inspecting the vehicles and logistics, instructed Assured Risks to ship them immediately through letters, emails and phone calls,” states the letter furnished to the CIAA.

The company said it was not happy to find that no one had come to the Czech Republic to inspect the vehicles and receive full training on maintenance and operations which was fully paid for by Assured Risks Ltd. To prevent any misunderstanding in future, the company hired a third party to conduct the survey.

Following an approval from the survey company, the vehicles and logistics were shipped on August 12, 2008 and delivered on September 4 2008 at the Sudan Sea Port as requested by Nepal Police. The goods were delivered in good condition and almost five months after the delivery, the UN Section of Police Head Quarters had sent a letter of thanks on January 1, 2009 to Assured Risks, according to the company.

The CIAA had sought clarification from Assured Risks regarding the condition of APCs when they were supplied and the process through which the London-based company was paid.

Two investigation teams -- one led by lawmaker Pradeep Gyawali and another by home ministry officials -- had concluded that around Rs 300 million was embezzled while procuring the APCs and other logistics for Nepali peacekeepers. The source at CIAA said they will conclude the investigation shortly.
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GOVT. PANEL STARTS BURIAL GROUND STUDY

Kathmandu, 30 April: The government panel formed 22 days ago to study the burial ground row has started looking into the issue seriously, The Himalayan Times reports..

The Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture (MoFACAPAC) had formed a five-member panel on April 7 to study Christians’ demand for public land for graveyard. The Christians started a relay hunger strike on the issue at Ratnapark from March 23.

The panel headed by MoFACAPAC under-secretary Rishi Kesh Niraula comprises cultural expert Safalya Amatya, representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Land Reforms and Management, and cultural expert Dr Prem Khatry. The committee was told to submit the report within 45 days.

The panel is to recommend appropriate action

after studying national and international norms on the issue. “We held the first meeting yesterday and decided to write to India seeking information about the norms. We are preparing to hand over an official letter through the Embassy of India,” said Niraula.

“We are also writing to Nepali Embassy in New Delhi and the Department of Archaeology in Kathmandu to furnish necessary information,” Niraula said.

The Christians started protests demanding government land for graveyard after the Pashupati Area Development Trust restricted non-Hindus on December 29 from burying their dead at Shleshmantak forest.

The PADT is enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Christians used to bury their dead at Shleshmantak forest for some years.

A talk between the government and Christians was held on April 18 at the MoFACAPAC, and decided for another round of talks in political level within three days. But it is yet to take place.

The Christian Advisory Committee for New Constitution (CACNC) formed a mediating committee including human rights activists and political leaders to hold talks between the government and Christians on April 15.

Dr Sundar Thapa, coordinator of the struggle committee, said they were waiting for an official invitation from the ministry to hold another round of talks.

The Nepali government has not provided any public land to any of its seven dozen communities. The government has claimed that it would create problem and disharmony if Christians are provided with government land for graveyard.

“But they should buy the land themselves for burial ground as per international tradition,” the government officials said.

While 80 per cent of Nepal’s 30 million people are Hindus, Christians account for approximately 0.5 per cent of the population, according to Christian Freedom International in 2011.
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PARTIES BUSY IN MEETS; NO CONSTITUTION BY 28 MAY

PRACHANDA PROPOSAL APPROVED BY MAJORITY IN CENTRAL COMMITTEE UPDATE

Kathmandu, 29 April: Proposal of Maoist Chairman Prachanda to temporarily suspend a people’s war for constitution drafting and peace was approved Friday by majority in the central committee which began discussions Friday.
The Maoist chief he waned to ‘appear responsibly’ to complete the peace process and basic law promulgation.
The central committee meeting concluded Friday with the majority decision.
Secretary C P Gajurel said earlier there would be no voting; the view was apparently personal.
Supporters in the committee of Vice-president Dr.Baburam Bhattarai, considered a liberal in the radical communist party, supported Prachanda’s changed political programme to be adopted after 28 May when a second deadline to promulgate a constitution to institutionalize a declared republic won’t be met.
Another hard-line Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya who presented a separate proposal for continuing a people’s war for a communist state was defeated.
Baidya, accusing his boss of ‘surrender’ and abandoning people’s war was defeated as the second ranking member in the UCPN (Maoist) wrote a note of dissent.
The Maoist chief himself was considered a hardliner in the largest communist and main communist party.
Baidya’s political report which was rejected by the committee will be recorded in party document as a different opinion, politburo member Debendra Paudel said.
Maoist central committee Friday also discussed integration of its former fighters and selection of remaining members of its government team, Dev Gurung said.
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NC CALLS FOR INCLUSION OF OTHER PARTIES IN CONSTITUTION DRAFTING

Kathmandu, 29 April: A summit of the Big Three- Maoists, NC and UML was held Friday in the presence of Speaker Subash Nemwang and
and another meeting will be held again Monday.
Nemwang convened the meeting as it’s its certain the 28 May deadline to convene a basic law won’t be met again.
NC President Sushil Koirala wasn’t present.
Parliamentary party leader and recently appointed Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel came out of the inconclusive and demanded “inclusion of Madeshbadi and small parties’ promulgate a constitution.
‘Three parties have failed,” he said and added constitution can’t be promulgated without them.
At this late moment, Prachanda called for a ’new process’ to draft a constitution and admitted a sub-committee he heads to resolve differences on articles to be incorporated in a basis law can be activated only by a main constitution drafting committee headed by Nilambar Acharya.
Interestingly, NC has only this month finalized its official positions on the peace process and a state structure as parties trade charges and blame each other for the non-progress in writing a constitution shred to pieces by the present parties themselves.
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UML FIRMON BUDGET UPDATE

Kathmandu, 29 April: UML central committee Friday decided to discuss with other parties an budget for fiscal year 2011/12 being presented one month ahead of normal parliamentary budget session ‘without affecting peace and constitution drafting’.
Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, who is also party chairman and leader of the parliamentary party said opposition to the budget was ‘technical’ and it will be resolved through discussion with other parties.
A meeting of the party politburo to discuss current issues will begin 5 June, the party said.

NC PARLIAMENTARY PARTY MEET ALSO OPPOSES EARLY BUDGET

Kathmandu, 29 April: NC parliamentary party protested government plans to present a budget at a meeting Friday.
The party will meet again 2 May to develop firms plans against the budget presentation the same day, Spokesman of the parliamentary party Nabindra Raj Joshi said,
‘The budget is being presented to draw attention away from the peace process and constitution drafting,” Joshi charged.,
The main opposition party will hold discussions with other parties to prepare concrete plans for opposition against the budget.
The parliamentary party met Friday as NC and 10 other parties presented protests separately to Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and Speaker Subash Nemwang protesting plans of UML and Maoists to present a budget for fiscal year 2011/12 one month ahead of he normal budget session.
NC has already collected support of 10 parties so far; but the coalition still doesn’t have a parliamentary majority.
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PM, ARCHRIVAL KP OLI MEET

AFTER PRACHANDA, MOHAN BAIDYA RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS AT CENTRAL COMMITTEE

Kathmandu, 29 April Maoist Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya, in what is expected to be the last day of an extended party central committee meeting, Friday morning started replying points raised by standing committee, politburo and central committee members.
Chairman Prachanda Thursday responded to points raised at the committee on his amended political report to temporarily suspend a people’s war and push constitution writing and conclude the peace process to finally impose a communist state.
Baidya charged his party boss for ‘surrender’ and abandoning party policy of people’s revolt.
“Regressive forces are now conspiring to create a constitutional void by dissolving the constituent assembly. People want a constitution should be promulgated by the assembly. The need now is to concentrate on peace and constitution,” the Maoist chief reportedly said according to a committee member.
“I stick to the decision of the Palungtar plenum, but it will not be against the mandate of the plenum to follow the line of peace and constitution until 28 May,” another central member quoted the Maoist chief as saying.
The positions of Prachanda and Vice-chairman Dr. Baburm Bhattarai have come closer with the chief’s changed approach; Bhattarai is considered a liberal and Baidya a hardliner in Maoist ranks.
Secretary CP Gajurel said there’ll be no voting on two proposals and both ideas will be withdrawn adopting the line adopted by the Palungtar plenum.
The central committee meeting will continue with discussions on selecting remaining members of a government team and other issues.
Maoists have so far only sent a four-member team to government led by Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara.
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PM KHANAL, OLI MEET

Kathmandu, 29 April: Prime Mnister Jhalanath Khanal held talks overnight with his archrival and critic KP Sharma Oli at the latter’s residence for two hours, party sources said.
Oli, along with Madhav Kumar Nepal, have been opposing Khanal in meetings of party bodies.
Oli and Nepal are critical of Khanal’s ties with Maoists as they push for closer ties with NC.
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CHITRA BAHADUR KC RE-ELECTED

Kathmandu, 29 April: Chitra Bahadur KC has been re-elected chairman of Rashtriya Janamorcha by a national convention in Pokhara Thursday.
A 31-member working committee of the splinter communist party was also nominated.
The party opposes a federal structure.
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SONGWRITER LAXMAN LOHANI DEAD

Kathmandu, 29 April Laxman Lohani died at his residence in Kamaladi Friday morning.
The songwriter was 78.
He was ailing for sometime.
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DELAYED UML PARLIAMENTARY PARTY MEET BEGINS

Kathmandu, 29 April: A delayed parliamentary party meeting of ruling UML began Friday ahead of a budget session that has been convened by government amid protests of 11 parties, including main opposition NC.
The parties that don’t have a majority in parliament warned they’ll obstruct the presentation of the 2011/12 one month ahead of normal schedule.
The UMP parliamentary party was called off abruptly Tuesday citing Prime Minister Jhananath Khanal’s busy schedule amid charges the embattled government is chief is avoiding meetings of party bodies where he’s under heavy fire from a faction led by former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Sharma Oli.
Khanal briefed the committee on government work and current political issues.
Khanal, who is also leader of the UML parliamentary party, has been accused for hobnobbing with Maoists.
The premier, who’s also party chairman, through a party notification also cancelled Wednesday’s central committee meeting convened by the standing committee.
Top leaders asked Khanal to immediately convene the cancelled meeting amid threats by them to start a signature campaign with majority support to convene it.
Khanal has even been threatened with ouster as party and government chief if his ties with Maoists aren’t snapped.
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ONE DEAD, FOUR INJURED IN SUNSARI VEHICULAR ACCIDENT

Kathmandu, 29 April: One person died and four were injured when a bus overturned at Itahari, Sunsari, overnight.
The injured were rushed to Dharan for treatment.
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14 ARRESTED DURING RAID

Kathmandu, 29 April: Fourteen persons were arrested following a raid Thursday night by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a house at Hattiban in Lalitpur.
Fake documents, including certificates and government stamps, were seized.
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SUPREME COURT INTERVENTION

Kathmandu, 29 April A supreme court division bench Thursday issued an interim order directing government, including Department of Education, to stop private and boarding schools from collecting fees higher than government prescribed rates.
The move comes with the beginning of the new academic year when students rush to schools for admission.
The bench directed the government to monitor the situation.
The court asked schools not to sell unauthorized textbooks.
The apex court was responding to a public interest litigation filed by human rights groups asking it to curb costly education.
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$40,000 FIFA AID TO PUSH SOCCER

Kathmandu, 29April; Soccer world governing body FIFA has awarded Nepal $400,000 under a pilot three-year “Goal Football Project’ to upgrade its technical centers at Chyasal, Baluwatar and Dharan to upgrade the standard of the country’s most popular sport.
Nepal is among 10 countries selected for the project.
The money was earlier funneled through FIFA’s Second Goal Project.
A FIFA team led by David Morja, Senior Manager Development Programme Asia is in Nepal to observe the project.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“I will prioritize backlog corruption cases, but I will not issue verdicts in haste under the pretext of expediting backlogging cases.”

(Chief Justice-designate Khil Raj Regmi, Republica, 29 April)
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PM's INDIA VISIT UNCERTAIN

Kathmandu, 29 April: Despite Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal’s keen desire to visit India at the earliest date, no major headway was achieved toward that direction during the meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries here in New Delhi on Thursday, Akanshya Shahwrites in Republica from New Delhi.

Although the visit of Foreign Secretary Madan Kumar Bhattarai was said to prepare ground for the prime minister´s intended visit, no date for the visit was fixed during talks Thursday.
Nepali ambassador to India, Rukma Shumsher Rana, who was present during the talks said, “Among many topics, the visit of the prime minister was discussed during the talks and both sides agreed to work out a timetable suitable to both the countries.”

Bhattarai reached New Delhi four days ago on the invitation of his counterpart Nirupama Rao during the latter’s visit to Nepal in January. However, the official talk was held only on Thursday.

“All high level exchange visits were discussed during the meeting,” Bhattarai told Republica after the talks. He refrained from commenting on the prime minister’s visit plan further.

India’s Foreign Minister S M Krishna during his Kathmandu visit from April 20 to 22 had re-extended Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s invitation to Khanal.
Stating that a whole gamut of bilateral issues was discussed with the Indian side, Bhattarai said, “A review of all bilateral framework on different sectors was taken up during the meeting and we agreed to strengthen all bilateral mechanisms.”

In this connection, the two sides have decided to hold a home-secretary level meeting next month in New Delhi.

The two sides also decided to expedite the meeting of inter-governmental commerce secretary talks and the much-delayed water resources (NCWR) talks.

Similarly, Bhattarai informed that discussions were held on the twin issues of line of credit and treaty on double-tax avoidance, which are already approved by the Nepali cabinet.

On the international front, the two sides discussed the role played by Nepal in the UN peacekeeping missions around the world.

“Since India now has a non-permanent member seat in the UN Security Council, we discussed the PKOs undertaken by Nepal.”

Likewise, India and Nepal will work closely on the issue of climate change and the threat posed by the global warming in the region, Bhattarai said. Climate Change is an issue pursued with priority by SAARC as well, which is working for close cooperation among the member states on the matter.

Bhattarai was accompanied by Hari Kumar Shrestha, South Asia and India Division chief at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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NEPALIS CHASING DREAMS IN AFGHANISTAN

Kathmandu, 29 April: Given the lax monitoring system and confusing legal arrangements governing manpower trade to Afghanistan, thousands of Nepalis continue to be duped and illegally trafficked to the war-torn country annually, The Kathmandu Post reports.

Officials aware of the trafficking racket say some underground networks of traffickers in Kathmandu, Dubai, Kabul and New Delhi have been operating the racket for quite some time now making the Dubai airport their main transit point.

An unofficial estimate has it that there are around 15,000 to 20,000 unskilled Nepali labourers, most of them illegal, currently working in Afghanistan under critical conditions, many of them in jails and out of contact with their families back home.

The Nepal government, however, remains largely unaware of the situation. As Nepal has no diplomatic presence in the country, any support is virtually inaccessible to Nepalis in trouble there.

Officials at the Nepali Embassy in Pakistan, which oversees Afghanistan, say the situation of Nepali workers in the country is “disturbing” and that it is getting harder for them to oversee the country from Islamabad.

“We have received information that Nepalis get trafficked in hoards to Afghanistan by agents via Dubai on duplicate visa. Most of them get caught in Kandahar and are sent to jail,” said Durga Bhandari, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Nepali Embassy in Islamabad. “Nobody knows how many Nepalis are in Afghan jails. We issue travel documents for their release and return home only when we are informed of it.”

Statistics at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM) show that it has issued permissions to only 4,286 Nepalis for employment in Afghanistan since 2002, which is way too low than the current estimate of 15,000 to 20,000. “The gap indicates a large number of illegal Nepali migrants could be working under exploitative conditions,” said Bhandari.

Some victims of this racket, who were interviewed by the Post in Kathmandu, said they paid up to Rs 250,000 to local agents who promised them employment in Afghanistan with wages as high as US$ 1,000 per month.

Krishna (name changed), 25, who recently returned from Dubai after being duped by an agent, said he paid Rs 180,000 for the job. “I flew to Dubai fully assured that I will be sent to Afghanistan within a week. But unfortunately, I was duped. I waited for two weeks at the airport hiding from security personnel, only to return home at last,” he said. “I am making a second attempt through another agent as I have no courage to return home broke and face the money lenders.”

In most cases, agents in Kathmandu tell their clients that “the other party” in Dubai will receive them and make arrangements for their travel to Afghanistan. “But, in most cases, no such party receives the workers,” said Ramesh, another victim, who returned after waiting two weeks at Dubai airport. He said he was duped by a Kathmandu-based agent named Nau Maya Ghimire in collusion with her Dubai-based husband.

There are, however, some instances where some illegally trafficked workers get placements in well paying companies and thus legalise their work. In an average, a successful unskilled worker fetches at least US$ 1,000 monthly, according to officials. “Only one lucky person out of 10 succeeds” said Ramesh.

“The stories of these successful few are what are luring many youths to risk their money and lives.” The Nepali Embassy in Islamabad said that in the last couple of weeks, it received information of arrests of about one-and-a-half dozen illegal Nepali migrants in Afghanistan. The embassy is working with the ICRC, Kabul, in helping out the Nepalis in trouble.

Manpower agents in Kathmandu say more and more Nepalis will continue to suffer unless the government clears the confusion in the labour trade and bring traffickers to book.

While the government says it has permitted sending workers in security companies, the manpower agencies are unaware of it. “The government seems to have been issuing work permits to Afghanistan secretly, or else we would have known,” said Kumud Khanal, General Secretary of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies.
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MAOISTS TO PRESENT INTEGRATED DRFT STATUTE





Kathmandu, 29 April: UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ Thursday said that his party should be focused on presenting an integrated draft of the new constitution to the people before May 28 and trying to reach an agreement on the modality of army integration, The Rising Nepal reports.
The Maoist chief said this while clarifying to the queries made by the party leaders in course of the discussions over his political document that he presented in the Central Committee (CC) meeting.
"The chairman stressed on presenting a united draft of the new constitution to the people by May 28 by integrating the reports of the thematic committees of the CA," Maoist standing committee member Dev Gurung informed the reporters after the meeting held at the party’s head office at Paris Danda, Koteshwor.
Gurung said that the party chairman also asserted that the party should hold discussions with the other parties for making an agreement on modality of army integration so that the peace process moved ahead.
"The chairman argued that as we are the

largest party we have some responsibility to conclude the peace and constitution writing process and that we had to make our utmost effort from our side for the same," Gurung said.
The Maoist CC meeting had started on Friday when vice-chairman Mohan Baidhya ‘Kiran’ had also presented a separate political document disagreeing with the chairman’s proposal. Kiran tabled the report arguing that the chairman’s document had failed to uphold the mandate of the party’s sixth Plenum held in November last year at Palungtar of Gorkha district. The largest party had adopted a tactical line of people’s revolt in case the peace and constitution writing process failed despite party’s effort to make the historic process a grand success.
Gurung said that vice chairman Kiran and another vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai would also present their clarifications on the documents in the 7th day of the CC meeting on Friday. According to Maoist sources, the meeting would come to an end after the clarifications.


NA INTEGRATION MODEL POSITIVE SAYS MAOISTS





Meanwhile, Maoist Chairman and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that an agreement was very close regarding army integration that creates a mixed force of the personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and the Maoist combatants, The Rising Nepal adds.
In an interview with India’s The Hindu newspaper published in its online edition on Thursday, Prachanda said," Once there is an agreement, we can move for regrouping of combatants immediately."
The integration model floated by Nepal Army, is positive and encouraging, the Maoist chief said.
Regarding number of combatants to be integrated, Prachanda said that some special norms could be created and those who fit into the criteria may be integrated as a group.
Prachanda said that an agreement should be reached before May 28 regarding the timeline of combatant integration and unified draft of the constitution.
The Maoist chairman said that the PLA integration and constitution promulgation are interlinked and simultaneous process.
However, Prachanda said, "We agree that the constitution should be promulgated after the process of integration is over."
As the largest party in the CA, we are committed to taking the peace process forward and creating a unified draft of the constitution before May 28 so that the Nepali people believe these tasks will be completed, Prachanda said in the interview taken by Prashant Jha.
The absence of an agreement between political parties has limited that possibility of promulgation of constitution by May 28, Prachanda said.
But he added, "I won’t say it is impossible, because we have often made historic decisions at the last minute."
Responding to a query regarding the Maoist preference for a directly elected president as against NC’s stand for parliamentary democracy with PM elected by the House, Prachanda said that a directly elected president will act as a unifying force in a federal setup with potential tendency of seeking separation from the centre.
"Our model is also within the multi-party democratic system, and we hope others will accept it," said Prachanda.
On a query about his inconsistent nature, Prachanda said what he feels inside emerges outside. "If I am angry, I show it. If I am happy, I show it," he said.




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WORST FUEL CRISIS SINCE 1990

Kathmandu, 29 April: Nepal Oil Corporation, which has slashed fuel import by 40 per cent, is on the verge of running out of its diesel and petrol stock, informed sources revealed to The Himalayan Times today [Thursday], according to Shiromani Dhungana ..

NOC’s Thankot depot, country’s second largest storage facility, is left with mere 1,100 kl of petrol and 1,800 kl of diesel.

The stock is barely enough to meet the need for the next two days before hitting, what NOC officials, call the ‘dead stock’ — the last 600 kl of petrol and 800 kl of diesel that cannot be pumped out for distribution and use.

But NOC officials privately confided to this daily that they had internally communicated, by word of mouth, to downplay the stock that is the lowest since 1990.

According to NOC sources, the looming fuel crisis is due to the government’s apathy. The state oil monopoly says it cannot ensure smooth supply unless it either receives loan from the government or the state raises the price of petroleum products substantially. But the Finance Ministry is saying it cannot give more loan to NOC at present, rather it may strictly ask the state oil monopoly to repay its loan.

“The Finance Ministry is writing to all public enterprises to pay their loans that have crossed the committed deadline,” revenue secretary Krishna Hari Banskota told THT. NOC owes Rs 11.14 billion to the ministry, he said. “The government has released Rs 2.63 billion loan this fiscal year alone. Since the ministry is facing a hard time to meet the revenue target, we are left with no other option than to ask NOC to repay the loan,” added Banskota. On the other hand, Ministry of Commerce and Supplies is seeking additional loan ‘to ease the supply’. “We are optimistic about receiving the loan from Finance Ministry,” said MoCS Secretary Purushottam Ojha.

However, a committee formed to study the price adjustment has not taken any decision fearing public protests. “If the government fails to take decision on reviewing the prices, it will further hit the state coffer,” said Banskota.

Meanwhile, leaders of the main opposition Nepali Congress today expressed concern about the scarcity of petroleum products. A group of NC leaders, including Nabindra Raj Joshi and Pramila Rai, who visited NOC, dubbed it a ‘centre of corruption’.
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NEPAL SINGING GROUP LOST IN UK

Kathmandu, 29 April: A Nepali choir due to sing at a Cornish festival are believed to have absconded from UK airport, The Himalayan Times reports.
Cornwall International Male Voice Choral Festival said the 10 singers were missing from Heathrow airport, the BBC reported.
Festival Chairman David Peters said immigration officials had been informed and they were probing.
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UML ACTIVISTS INJURED IN PETROL BOMB ATTACK ON BUS

THREE UML ACTIVISTS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN PETROL BOMB ATTACK ON BUS IN MOHOTTARI

Kathmandu, 28April: Three UML activists returning home to Mohottari from Janakpur after attending a UML public meeting in Janakpur addressed by Prime mnister Jhalanath Khanal were seriously injured n a petrol bomb attack on a bus at Bholi Chowk late Thursday .
They were injured in a bombing by an unidentified group on a passenger bus.
Workers were returning home after listening to Khanal’s inaugural address at a general convention of a Madesh front of the ruling party heading the government with Maoists.
Khanal in his address invited rebel groups in the terai to sit for a dialogue with to end an armed insurrection threatening stiff action against those who ignore the invitation.
The bus was extensively damaged.
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PM KHANAL CALLS FOR CA TENURE EXTENSION

PM KHANAL SUGGESTS CA TENURE EXTENSION BY AT LEAST FOUR MONTHS

Kathmandu, 28 April: Prime Minster Jhalanath Khanal Thursday suggested the tenure of the constituent assembly (CA) whose second extended mandate ends 28 May by extended by at least four months.
The tenure will again be missed and major political players are showing no regrets.
The premier, who is also UML chairman, argued the extension was needed to complete the delayed peace process and constitution drafting.
He said this while inaugurating a general convention of a teari-body affiliated with the party in Janakpur.
But main opposition NC President Sushil Koirala told Khanal Thursday he and his party were against tenure extension under the present circumstance.
Khanal earlier said the CA tenure should be extended indefinitely until the assembly drafts a constitution to institutionalize a declared republic.
Parties have floated ideas without adopting formal official positions.
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OPINION

VETTING AND BARRING SCHEME

Kathmandu, 28 April: In the regional power play, Prime Minister Jhal Nath Khanal’s coalition government has been rudely tossed onto the defensive. The new government formed in early February, according to a section of the Maoists, was the culmination of Nepali genius, Maila Baje writes in Nepali Netbook..
The claim gained wider resonance as the not-quite-secret seven-point accord underpinning the new coalition was reached during President Ram Baran Yadav’s visit to India ostensibly for consultations on breaking the deepening deadlock following Madhav Kumar Nepal’s resignation as premier.
Whether or how deeply the Chinese were involved in building the new alliance is hard to fathom. The most Beijing would publicly assert was the urgency of unifying all patriotic forces to strengthen Nepali sovereignty and territorial integrity. The elasticity of that assertion, Maila Baje feels, served China’s characteristic pragmatism. But the Maoists and, to a lesser degree, the CPN-UML, sought to profit from the perception of a new northern tilt.
So when a new minister of state representing one of the indigenous and marginalized communities our new Nepal was supposed to have advanced turned out to be an alleged confidant of the Dalai Lama, triumphalism collapsed with a raucous thud.
Minister of State for Finance Lharkyal Lama resigned amid allegations that he carried passports of both Nepal and India, apart from a Tibetan refugee ID card. A UML lawmaker from Sindhupalchowk district, nominated under the proportional electoral system, Lama was also accused of involvement in Free Tibet activities in violation of Nepal’s longstanding one-China policy.
While he termed the allegations as ‘imaginary and baseless’, Lama said he had chosen to resign to facilitate the government’s investigation into the charges. But the move seemed to have come after much personal resistance.
The controversy left Khanal with a putrid egg on the face. How lax could the vetting process have been. That, too, on something he would have been expected to exercise particular prudence. Khanal had hardly endeared himself to the mandarins up north when, somewhere on Chinese soil, he took a call from India’s powerful minister, Pranab Mukherjee, and cut short his visit to return home and criticize then-premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s decision to sack the army chief.
The demolition ball this time hit Dahal hard, too. Or maybe he anticipated – if not quite engineered – something like this. The Maoist chief has now veered to the peace camp led by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai. While hardliners like Mohan Baidya will continue to persist in the urgency of a people’s revolt, Dahal has craftily positioned himself for the post-May 28 situation.
Although visiting Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna reportedly gave Dahal an earful about the former rebels’ waywardness vis-à-vis the south, there are indications that New Delhi may be ready to meet Dahal at least quarter of the way.
No longer able to shun him, New Delhi has presented Dahal with blandishments. If he signed the dotted line – on, say, the extradition treaty, allowing Indian security personnel to man sensitive areas, etc – New Delhi could be sympathetic to the Maoist chief’s return as prime minister.
From his subsequent public comments, Dahal does not seem to have been entirely impressed. What he will do on the China front is anyone’s guess. Maybe – just maybe – he might clear the way for Dr. Bhattarai gain the premiership and implement his grand geopolitical vision. Dahal could then just as easily swing back to the Baidya camp to restore the regional equilibrium, regardless of how the Lharkyal Lama episode plays out.
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REPUBLICAN CITIZEN’S PUBLICITY STUNT

Kathmandu, 28 April: People are known by the company they keep or endorse. Binod Gyawali and his two broadsheets appear to know be aware of the meaning of this adage. His publishing house tried to prop up the names of Ram Prasad Shrestha and former Finance Secretary Rameshwar Khanal, who both have just retired, Trikal Vastavik writes in People’s Review..

Nepali "Nagarik" of the "Republic" took the initiatives of offering special recognition to the two retirees on the occasion of the "Republic" day. Gyawali is interested in money. Two years ago, he prompted his father Hem Raj to pull out from Kantipur publications, the country's "largest" publishing house. The split is said to have earned the Gyawalis about Rs 750 million.

In two years time since the Gyawali broke away from Kailash Shirohiya, a lot has changed. There have been breakups and heartbreaks in the rival business groups. Shirohiya is prepared to lose double of what the Gyawalis lose. His strategy is to squeeze out "Nagarik" and "Republica" where pro-Congress sympathies are said to be dominant.

Today, with the senior Gyawali, having retired or made to retire, now out of the scene, the junior Gyawali has the reins. But the emperor of the republican publications is finding his coffers shrinking fast. He has burnt up half of what Sirohiya had paid his father as the "golden handshake".

With such losses caused by lack of foresight and no prospect of outrunning Kantipur publications in circulation and outpacing them in revenue collections, the Gyawali strategy seems to be engagement in gimmicks with the objective of public attention. This might, or might not help the Gyawali and his publications. But being associated with such publicity stunts will not help former Chief Justice Ram Prasad Shrestha who is supposed to be after spiritualism and complete retired life. A number of Shrestha's decisions as the chief justice had created a positive stir, sending shock waves down the spines of the corrupt, of the past scandals or ongoing ones.

As for Khanal, just because he retired a year or two earlier than his normal term does not equate him with Shrestha. Khanal is not the only person who resigned from office in Nepal's history. In that case, one could place former Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokharel at a high level; for he left his job mid-way to pursue "higher studies" etc. He tries to open his mouth and yet closes it. Some of his friends among pro-Congress journalists might try to spin stories with any story. Khanal is selective and secretive even when he calls for "transparency". His wife's tale of success, thanks to brokerage also involving state-owned corporations, resulting in crores of rupees makes an interesting story.

Moreover, for Shrestha and Khanal to be associated with publicity stunts launched by groups with commercial interests will not enhance their credibility, especially when they are trying to project themselves as motivated by nothing but social welfare and public good.

Ironically, there are persistent allegations against the senior Gyawali who was a senior civil servant with lucrative postings, including customs office, during the Panchayat days. At the height of Gyawali-Shirohiya dispute, quite a few editorial staffs at the not yet split Kantipur House were an audience when the issue of a questionable bank account in Singapore was raised and one of the disputants admitted "error" and apologized.

One recalls how a lecturer at Pashupati Campus said a few years ago during the "united" Kantipur Publications days when the government-owned Gorkhapatra Corporation paid substantially more taxes to the government than did the country's "first private sector broadsheet papers" that boasted of the widest circulation and whose pages boomed with a splash of ad. Khanal is apparently unaware of all this.

In a league similar to the above one is the situation concerning President Ram Baran Yadav who chose to handpick his advisers with out-and-out pro-Nepali Congress background.

Surya Dhungel, legal advisor, might go on speaking and writing against the extension of the Constituent Assembly. He was against the extension last year too. When the CA members gave themselves an extension, Dhungel was found empty of stance. Instead of resigning as presidential advisor he decided to keep the post. It was his freedom to stay on as long as the boss did not dismiss him. In a court of law, he would wear a black coat to submit the argument to the hon'ble bench. But his ethics? Down the drain.

Yadav's media advisor Rajendra Dahal, a Sanskrit Madhyama of the free Sanskrit hostel, once went around as a "water resources" expert of a journalist. His writings on the Arun III hydropower project need to be recalled for what his expertise really was in. I cannot prove to the court of law whether he is pro-Maoist or a pro-UML or any other party, including, of course, the Nepali Congress. But NC leaders admit that he time and again served as a member of NC publicity committee during general elections. It would make his image proud if the former chairman of Nepal Press Council Nepal publicly denied serving NC in the past or the present.

Political advisor Hari Sharma, till last heard of, a novice lecturer of political science, is associated with an NGO with specially American funding that has also assembled people like Sushil Pyakurel, former member of National Human Rights Commission, and considered to be UML associate. Pyakurel's views on Ganesh Man Singh, who led the 1990 movement for multiparty system, are such that Pyakurel might like them to be buried beyond the reach of fact and history. But then Hari Sharma, who served as PA to the late Girija Prasad Koirala, might not find Pyakurel's attitude toward the late Singh a problem.

There are serious questions raised over the links with foreign funds and the NGOs that some of President Yadav's advisors are associated with. Yadav is charged by his critics in NC as taking Janakpur as his fiefdom for family politics. Shital Niwas pretends to show a "busy" president meeting with political leaders and "expressing serious concern" over absence of peace and delay in constitution making process. His advisors get busy in showing how pained their boss is over the multifarious problems. Would the president have been equally enthusiastic to leak or break such non-stories if, say, Girija Prasad Koirala was the prime minister?
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11 PARTIES TO OPPOSE EARLY BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT

11 PARTIES AGAINST GOVT. PLAN TO ANNOUNCE BUDGET IN MAY UPDATE

Kathmandu, 28 Apri1: Eleven parties, including main opposition NC, Thursday opposed UML/Maoist plan to announce a budget for 2011/12 fiscal year one month ahead of normal time.
NC President Sushil Koirala presented a memorandum to Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and a separate memorandum by 11 parties was submitted to Speaker Subash Nemwang Thursday.
The coalition led by NC has now swelled from nine to 11 but it still doesn’t have a majority in parliament.
Eleven parties charged government for sidelining peace and constitution drafting to present the budget 23 May amid threats to oppose it and disrupt parliamentary proceedings..
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KHIL RAJ REGMI APPOINTMENT AS CHIEF JUSTICE CONFIRMED BY PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE

Kathmandu, 28 April: Khil Raj Regmi’s appointment as chief justice was confirmed unanimously by a parliament committee Thursday.
He’ll succeed Ram Prasad Shrestha who is being superannuated.
Regmi will hold office for three years.
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MAOIST CHAIRMAN PRACHANDA RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS RAISED AT CENTRAL COMMITTEE UPDATE

Kathmandu, 28 April: Maoist Chairman Prachanda Thursday responded to points raised by standing committee, politburo and central committee members who presented their views on the chief’s political proposal to temporarily suspend people’s war for peace and constitution drafting.
All central committee members completed presenting their views Thursday.
Vice-chairmen Mohan Baidya and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai will respond to points raised in the extended meeting Friday morning, Spoksman Dinanath Sharma said.
‘There will be no voting and there’s no alternative to unity and rebellion,” Sharma said Thursday.
Baidya presented a separate political report charging Prachanda for surrendering.
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TEA PLUCKERS END STRIKE

Kathmandu, 28April; A 11-day strike by tea pluckers in east Nepal ended Thursday after intervention of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal who hails from Ilam, a tea producing hill district.
Khanal negotiated an end to the strike getting pluckers and team processors together in the capital.
Management of processing plants agreed to consider demands for social welfare schemes for pluckers.
The strike caused losses estimated at one billion rupees.
Workers demanded they be treated like industrial workers.
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PM KHANAL, SUSHIL KOIRALA TALKS

PM KHANAL, SUSHIL KOIRALA MEET

Kathmandu, 28 April Main opposition NC President Sushil Koirala held protested government’s decision to convene parliament’s budget session one month before the normal time during a meeting with Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal Thursday.
Khanal is also chairman of UML
Relations between the two parties have soured after Khanal forged a relationship with Maoists to form a communist-dominated government with majority in the598-member legislature.
NC was in a UML-led predecessor government led by senior UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.
NC helped in bringing down the 21-month Nepal government arguing the party should lead a government to complete the delayed peace process and constitution drafting.
Khanal also worked inside the party to pull down the Nepal government and finally negotiated a secret deal with Maoists sidelining NC which was enraged.
Koirala/Khanal Thursday discussed other burning issues including approaching 28 May deadline to promulgate a constitution; the deadline won’t be met for the second time in three years.
Parties haven’t officially adopted positions to adopt after 28Maythough they floated ideas and concepts—some saying there shouldn’t be another extension of the tenure of the constituent assembly empowered to draft a basic law.
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TWO INJURED IN KAVRE FIRE

Kathmandu, 28 April: Two persons were in a fire at Dapche in Kavre Wednesday.
Six houses were destroyed,
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NO RELEASE IN SIX MONTHS EVEN AFTER RANSOM PAYMENT

Kathmandu, 28 April: Family of a teenager abducted from Birpur VDC in Saptari six months ago is concerned without his release, RSS reports from Saptari.
Family of Sanjaya Kumar Sah has appealed for assistance.
The family said Sanjaya hadn’t been released even after payment of Rs 1.3 million ransom by some villagers.
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NINE PARTIES HANDING OVER MEMORANDUM TO SPEAKER

Kathmandu, 28 April: Following another meeting Thursday, nine parties, including NC, are handing over a memorandum to Speaker Subash Nemwang.
The parties first met Tuesday and formed a coalition after NC factions of President Sushil Koirala and Sher Bahadur Deuba united to move ahead in tandem.
The coalition against the Maoist/UML ruling parties doesn’t have a majority in parliament.
Besides NC, other parties in the new alliance are: MJFL, TMLP, TMLPN, NSP, RJP, CPN (ML), RPP and Samajbadi Prajantrik Janata Party.
Leaders of three Madeshbadi parties, RJP and RPP have come together after visiting New Delhi for political consultations with top Indian leaders and officials.
The parties have decided to obstruct the budget session of parliament charging government was sidelining peace and constitution drafting. The session has been one month ahead of normal time
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INTERNATIONAL VISITOR ARRIVALS TO NEPAL INCREASE 12 PERCENT

Kathmandu, 28 April: International visitor arrivals to Nepal, a popular adventure tourism destination in South Asia, jumped 12 percent February.
Figures were released by Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Wednesday.
Arrivals to the area showed a year-on-year increase of five percent.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

‘If Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal can’t gather for peace and constitution leader Oli can also be an alternative. Oli is capable. UML can’t hang on to one person by sideling peace and the constitution.”

(Bidya Bhandari, former defence minister and widow of Madan Bhandari, Annapurna Post, 28 April)
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CHINESE TEAM IN TOWN FOR AIRCRAFT SALE

Kathmandu, 28 April: Effort has renewed for the purchase of aircraft for Nepal Army; an agreement was reached during the royal rule for purchase from China, Bishnu Subedi reports in Annapurna Post.
Rs.400 million was advanced five years ago for the purchase.
A five-member Chinese team has arrived to discuss the army proposal for the purchase.
The team of China Aviation Technology Import and Export Corporation has held discussions with Defence Minister Bishnu Paudel, Defence Secretary Nabin Ghimere and Army Chief Gen. Chatraman Singh Gurung on the old agreement and new proposal.
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SUDAN SCAM LEAD INVESTIGATOR REMOVED
BHADRA -
Kathmandu, 28 April: The government has transferred Rajendra Subedi, lead investigator of the Sudan scam, to Appellate Court Nepalgunj. The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had assigned Subedi to probe the scam, one of the biggest corruption cases where high-level Nepal Police officers are accused of misappropriating Rs 350 millions in purchasing Armoured Personnel Carrier (APCs) and other logistics worth Rs 400 million, Bhadra Sharma writes in The Kathmandu Post..

CIAA officials are already questioning the motive behind his transfer. They argue that his transfer now will delay the investigation into the 17-month old corruption case. “The transfer will adversely affect investigation. A new case officer will have to spend a lot of time learning the basics of the case,” said a highly-placed CIAA official.

According to him, the anti-graft body will not be able to come up with a decision within the May 28 deadline as demanded by the Parliamentary State Affairs Committee (SAC). The SAC has directed the anti-graft body time and again to take a decision over the Sudan scam at the earliest, arguing that the country’s security situation been affected by prolonged investigation into the involvement of senior police officials in the scam.

Over 48 senior officials including former police chiefs Om Bikram Rana, Hem Bahadur Gurung and incumbent police chief Ramesh Chanda Thakuri have been dragged into this scam.

SAC Chairman Ramnath Dhakal expressed serious concern over the government’s decision to remove the lead investigator. “If the decision has been taken to help any of the accused, we will certainly call the government to account,” said Dhakal.

The Office of the Attorney General transferred four Joint-Attorney Generals— Sameer Silwal, Khaga Raj Poudel, Subedi, Ramesh Pokharel—working at the CIAA to the Office of the Attorney General, Rajbiraj Appellate Court, Appellate Court Nepalgunj and Patan Appellate Court, respectively.

Among them, Subedi has been involved in probing Sudan scam. Officials at the CIAA said Subedi shown the courage to probe the case that implicates senior police officials. Many other Joint Attorney Generals earlier declined to be the lead investigator.

Attorney General Yuba Raj Sangraula said the reshuffling was part of a regular bureaucratic process and that the change of the investigator would not affect the probe. Subedi has completed two years at the CIAA and government officials say that he was transferred after completion of his tenure. Incidentally, the CIAA source, several other Joint Attorney Generals deputed at the CIAA have been left undisturbed despite completing their two-year tenures.
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CLIMATE CHANGE A MAJOR AGENDA OF UN LDC CONFERECE

Kathmandu, 28 April: The fourth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to be held in Istanbul, Turkey next month will adopt climate change as one of the major agenda in the Istanbul Plan of Action for LDCs, Kosh Raj Koirala reports in Republica.

This is the first time the UN conference on LDCs is going to specifically incorporate the agenda of climate change and mitigation and adaptation measures to deal with the menace in the Action Plan. The issue of climate change was not recognized as a major issue facing the LDCs in previous three UN conferences and therefore has not received due priority.

According to Rudra Nepal, spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, two inter-governmental meetings of the preparatory committee aiming to achieve a new action plan to advance the economic and social development of these vulnerable countries have already been held in January and April.

“Negotiations are currently underway to finalize the Istanbul Plan of Action for LDCs,” Nepal said. “The new action plan will incorporate climate change as one of the major agenda facing the LDCs.”

Nepal as the current chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of 48 LDCs has pushed the agenda of climate change as LDCs are at the receiving end of the effects of climate change. Nepal´s Permanent Representative to the UN Gyan Chandra Acharya is coordinating the inter-governmental preparatory meetings and negotiations to finalize the Istanbul Plan of Action.

UN conference on LDCs is held every 10 years. While the first and second UN conferences on LDCs were held in Paris in 1981 and 1990, the third UN conference on LDCs was held in Brussels in 2001.

The Fourth UN conference on LDC being held from May 9 to 13 will assess the results of the 10-year Brussels Action Plan for the LDCs and adopt new measures and strategies for sustainable development of the LDCs into the next decade.

The priorities outlined for the Istanbul conference on LDCs include promotion of productive capacity across the board, infrastructure and energy, science and technology and ICT, commodities and trade, human and social development, gender equality and empowerment of women. Food security, environmental degradation, financial resources for development and capacity building are also among the priorities identified for the LDCs.

Unlike the previous three conferences, the upcoming Istanbul conference on LDCs will have four different tracks on its sideline namely inter-governmental, parliamentary, civil society and private sector. They will contribute expert knowledge in their respective areas to help address widespread poverty and structural weaknesses of LDCs´ economic, institutional and human resources.

Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal is scheduled to leave for Turkey on six-day visit on May 7 to address the UN conference.
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NOMINATION OF NEW INDIAN AMBASSADOR ACCEPTED

Kathmandu, 28 April: President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has approved the assignment of new Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Jayanta Prasad, a 1976 Indian Foreign Service (IFS) cadre, Anil Giri reports in The Kathmandu Post.
Prasad will replace incumbent Indian envoy Rakesh Sood.
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APPLICATIONS FOR 7,100 JOBS IN SOUTH KOREA

Kathmandu, 28 April: The government is starting new batch of Employment Permit System (EPS) from next week, The Himalayan Times reports.
Department of Foreign Employment is calling application for 7,100 South Korean jobs from Nepali youth aged between 18 and 39 years on May2-5.
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NEPAL GAYS TO CELEBRATE WILLIAM KATE WEDDING

MAOIST CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEET CONTINUES

Kathmandu, 28 April: Maoist central committee meeting on two separate proposals of Chairman Prachanda and Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya on how to attain a communist state after 28 May resumed Thursday.
The extended meeting couldn’t be held Wednesday because of a strike on ethnic and other groups demanding a constitution by 28May with ethnic, regional and minority rights.
Prachanda has proposed ‘temporary suspension’ of a declared party policy of a people’s revolt while hard-line Baidya charged his boss for ‘surrender’ abandoning party policy.
Secretary CP Gajurel said Wednesday both proposals will be withdrawn without a vote; he said a policy adopted by the Palungtar plenum in Gorkha can’t be overturned.
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BP KOIRALA BHARATPUR CANCER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL CLOSED DOWNINDEFINITELY

Kathmandu, 28 April: Following disputes between supporters of major parties on the appointment of the managing director chief of BP Koirala Cancer Memorial Hospital, Bharatpur, Chitwan, the hospital was closed down indefinitely Thursday.
Sick have been denied treatment because of dispute over appointment between political parties.
Emergency services will be available.
A dispute has surfaced over the appointment of the successor of Dr. Bhaktaman Shrestha who was abducted last year; he was released in India after a ransom was paid to abductors.
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PANEL TO TALK WITH WORLD BANK

Kathmandu, 28 April: Government has formed a talks team for a dialogue with World Bank for a Rs. 3.46 billion loan and grant for the repair of the Jamara Kalariya irrigation project in Gulariya Kailali in the far-West.
Cabinet took a decision Wednesday.
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OMAN AMBASSADOR ASKS FOR BAN LIFT ON NEPALI WORKERS
DESTINED FOR OMAN

Kathmandu, 28 April: Oman Ambassador Sheikh Humaid Bin Ali Bin Sultan Al-Maani Wednesday asked Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal to lift a ban on Nepali workers destined for the Gulf state imposed after outbreak of political disturbances there.
Khanal told the envoy the temporary ban had been lifted.
The ambassador hoped more Nepali workers will head for his country, Milan Raj Tuladhar, foreign advisor of the prime minister said.
The ambassador asked an honourary consul general be appointed to protect interests of Nepali workers in his country.
Oman Air hopes to double frequency of Oman Air flights between the two countries, the ambassador said.
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ROYALTY FOR NEPALI WOMEN TEAM TO CLIMB ANNAPURNA WAIVED

Kathmandu, 28 April: Government has waived a $3,200 royalty on a four-member all-Nepali women’s team attempting to scale the 7525 meters high Annapurna-IV this spring.
Nepali and foreign expeditions have to pay scaled climbing fees according to height of peaks to the tourism ministry to scale peaks in Nepal, including the 8848 meters high Mount Everest, the world’s tallest.
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NEPALI GAYS TO CELEBRATE WEDDINGOF PRINCE WILLAL WITH KATE

Kathmandu, 28 April: The Nepali gay community will celebrate the wedding of Britain’s Prince William with Kate Middleton with British Council support at the British embassy premises, Blue Diamond Society Director Sunil Baba Panta said.
The Society promotes and protects gay rights in Nepal.
William is second in line of succession to the British throne.
Eight third genders will perform puja while singing and dancing.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

INFLATION JUMPS TO 10.7 PERCENT

Kathmandu, 28 April: Inflation in mid-March jumped to 10.7 percent from 10.2 percent one month earlier in February, Nepal Rashtra Bank said.
Balance of payment (BoP) deficit widened to Rs. 11.30 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year, the central bank said.
Foreign exchange reserve fell 4.4 percent to Rs 257.04 billion in mid-March compared to mid-July 2010.
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SHARE PRICES SLUMP TO A RECORD LOW

Kathmandu, 28 April: Share prices slumped to a record low in six years when the share index fell to 351.96 points Wednesday.
Nepal Telecom shares lost Rs 36 per unit,
Share prices plunged blow 400 points in December 2010.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“If promoters show vested interest n banking operations, how can we expect banks to function healthily?”

(Nepal Rashtra Bank Governor Dr. Yubaraj Khitawada, Republica, 28 April)
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NEPAL ARMY CONSIDERING SENDIG TROOPS TO IRAQ UNDER UN FLAG
Kathmandu, 28 April: The Nepali Army is considering sending its troops to restive Iraq to become a part of the ‘stationary force’ under the United Nations, a highly placed source, The Himalayan Times reports.

The UN had asked Nepal to commit around 222 personnel –– including 35 personnel for mobile units –– for deployment in Iraq around four months ago.

The Nepali Army, however, had previously remained undecided after it was unable to ascertain whether the request came from the UN or western invading force –– the Northern Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as some NATO members, especially Australia, had been actively lobbying for the cause.

Although the army is certain to agree to send troops to Iraq, it is very unlikely that it will contribute troops to mobile units, keeping in mind the safety of its personnel.

The development comes just weeks after Nepali Army chief Chhatra Man Singh Gurung discussed the army’s possible involvement in UN peacekeeping missions, including in the United Nations Assisstance Mission in Iraq, with UN Under Secretary-General for Department of Political Affairs B Lynn Pascoe in New York.

“The army is now clear that its troops will be deployed under the UN,” the source said. “We are working out the details.”

Ramindra Chhetri, the army spokesperson, confirmed that the UN had made the request, but refrained from commenting further.

“We are in touch with the UN through official channels–– Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence,” a senior army officer said. “We are positive about the request, but it will be premature to give a timeline.”

However, the government is yet to have its say on the issue. “We have been approached from different quarters, but we are yet to decide,” said Dhananjaya Jha, Middle East and Europe-America Division chief at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Nepal, which began contributing troops to UN peacekeeping missions from 1958, currently has a quota of 5,000 personnel for deployment in UN peacekeeping missions. Currently, around 4,200 Nepali security personnel, including those from Nepal Police and Armed Police, are deployed in various parts of the world.
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PM POLITICAL AIDE SAYS MAOISTS AND NC OBSTACLES





Kathmandu, 28 April: CPN-UML politburo member and Prime Minister’s chief political advisor Prakash Jwala Wednesday said that the extremist thinking of UCPN-Maoist and Nepali Congress posed as obstacle to the timely conclusion of the peace and statute writing processes, The Rising Nepal reports.
"The peace and statute writing processes suffered a setback owing to the extremist attitudes of Maoists and the NC," Jwala said at an interaction in the capital.
The UML leader admitted that it was a political mistake to hold the Constituent Assembly election without concluding the peace process.
He, however, said that the peace and statute writing processes should be taken simultaneously and the constitution should be promulgated before the conclusion of the peace process.
Jwala called for settling the issues of modality and relief package for the integration and rehabilitation before May 28.
"We must be able to sort out the disputed issues of the new statute prior to May 28. Failing to do so means to invite further chaos in the country," he warned.
On the postponement of UML central committee meeting, he said that the meeting was put off because of the convention of the party’s sister organization.
"The meeting was not deferred because the party’s chair fell in minority. To the date, the chairman’s political document has not been rejected in the meeting," he added.
Nepal Sadbahwana Party co-chairman Laxman Lal Karna claimed that the peace and constitution writing processes could

not be concluded within May 28.
Karna said that the Mahdesi parties would not accept the issuance of the constitution draft with major differences listed in the annexes.
Meanwhile our Biratnagar Correspondent adds that CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli Wednesday said that the peace and statute writing processes could be concluded in time if all the parties worked seriously to accomplish the historic tasks.
"If the parties refrain themselves from playing the musical chair and focus on the constitution making seriously, it could be promulgated within May 28," said Oli, talking to the media people at Biratnagar airport.
He said that the people were sad as the government could not get a full shape.
"The people are frustrated as the government could not take the shape of a national consensus. As a result, the government could not work effectively for peace and statute writing," added Oli.
He said that new statute should not be promulgated on installment basis.
Oli, an arch rival of Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, said, "If PM Khanal fails to act as per his commitments, he should tender resignation for his post."
Giving the example of former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal, Oli said that Khanal should also quit like former PM Nepal did following his failure to accomplish the national tasks of peace and constitution writing.
Oli came to Biratnagar to meet an UML cadre injured by the Maoists.

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PARAS SHAH GUILTY SAYS CHITWAN CDO

TENURE TO INVESTIGATE ATTEMPTED MURDER BY HIRED INDIAN ASSASSIN EXTENDED

Kathmandu, 27 Apriil: The tenure of an official investigation team to probe a failed attempt by a hired Indian gunman to shoot dead Yunis Ansari inside the high security Central Jail in the capital was extended by two week until 14 May by the cabinet Wednesday.
Ansari is serving a sentence for drugs trafficking and dealing in fake Indian currency notes.
The chairman of a television network survived with bullet injuries.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the failed murder.
Manjeet Singh was arrested after the failed attempt and charged for attempted murder and for possession of an illegal weapon,
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PARAS SHAH FOUND GUILTY

Kathmandu, 27 April: Chitwan CDO Basant Raj Gautam Wednesday found former Crown Prince Paras Shah guilty under the public offence act for involvement in a shooting incident at Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge in December 2010.
Bangladeshi son-in-law of Sujata Koirala Rubin Chaudhary first charged Shah for attempting to shot him dead during an altercation,
Shah was released on Rs.10,000 bail after being confined for three days following the complaint of Chaudhary.
Then crown prince has been asked not to repeat the mistake in writing within 35 days for his freedom.
The CDO said the decision can be challenged at an appellate court.
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31 ARRESTED DURING NATION-WIDE PROTESTS UPDATE

Kathmandu, 27 April: Thirty-one protestors were arrested Wednesday during nation-wide protests by organizations and parties, the home ministry said amid demands for promulgation of a constitution within 28 May for ethnic rights and autonomy.
Muslims and Dalits demanded a constitution within the end of May to ensure rights of minorities in a basis law.
Nine vehicles were vandalized in neighbouring Dhading district.
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NO VOTING IN MAOIST CENTRAL COMMTTEE

Kathmandu, 27April; Maoist Secretary CP Gajurel said Wednesday there won’t be voting on two separate and opposing proposals of Chairman Prachanda and Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya suggestions on a future party strategy to be adopted by the largest and mainstream communist party to attain a communist state after 27May.
The committee meeting began last week.
Chairman Prachanda suggested in his paper to ‘temporarily suspend’ a people’s war in favour of constitution and concluding the delayed peace process.
Baidya charged the Maoist chief of surrender by abandoning party policy of people’s war.
It wasn’t clear if Gajurel was speaking personally or for the party,
Gajurel argued a plenum of the party at Palungtar in Gorkha this year had adopted the party policy which couldn’t be changed.
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IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL ARRESTED

Kathmandu, 27 April: Central Immigration Office official Bhimi Nanda Bhandari was arrested by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and handed over to police for further investigation Wednesday.
CBI said Bhandari has admitted his involvement in aiding and abetting two persons to fly abroad on forged passports of two lawmakers, including a woman, arrested for allegedly selling their diplomatic passports.
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BIDYA BHANDARI DEMANDS UML CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEET

Kathmandu, 27April:Former defence minister Bidya Bhandari and widow of former UML General Secretary Madan Bhandari Wednesday demanded Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, who is also party chairman, immediately convene a meeting of the central committee to discuss political issues including party policy towards Maoists.
Bhandari threatened to launch a signature campaign with majority support to convene a meeting if Khanal doesn’t call an assembly.
Khanal abruptly put off Wednesday’s scheduled meeting convened by the standing committee amid protests of a faction of Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Sharma Oli..
Khanal is under heavy pressure from the faction as Khannal avoids meetings of the cenral committee and the parliamentary party.
Khanal’s hobnobbing with Maoists is being challenged within his party.
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SAPTARI FIRE DESTROYS 25 HOUSES

Kathmandu, 27 April: A fire at Lohajara in Saptari destroyed 25 houses causing rs.250,000 in damage Wednesday.
A firefighter was injured.
The fire spread from a haystack.
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