ETHNIC AUTONOMY DEMANDS DISRUPT LIFE

ETHNIC AND AUTONOMY DEMANDS DISRUPT LIFE

Kathmandu, 27 April: With just one month remaining to promulgate a constitution to institutionalize a declared republic, strikes Wednesday shut down districts nation-wide.
Newa Tamsaling struggle committee shut down three districts in the Valley and adjoining districts demanding ethnic states.
Other groups demanding autonomy and ethnic provinces have disturbed normal life in the far-West and the East as well Wednesday.
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FIVE-YEAR-OLD BOY RESCUED IN CAPITAL

Kathmandu, 27 April: Five-year-old Sushan Sunar was rescued in a police raid at a house in Jorpati Monday evening four days after his abduction..
Six persons have been arrested.
Sushan was a kindergarten student at a school in the city northern outskirt Kapan.
Abductors demanded a Rs 2 million ransom.
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JAILED WOMAN SELF-IMMOLATES HERSELF

Kathmandu, 27 April: A woman serving a sentence for drug smuggling died Tuesday at Central Jail in the in capital after a successful self-immolation.
The woman was identified as Gita Tilamshina of Pokhara.
She poured kerosene and set herself alight in the prison’s women cell.
She died while undergoing treatment at hospital where she was rushed.
She left behind a suicide note charging family for ignoring her.
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SIX ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTED PASSPORT FORGRY

Kathmandu, 27 April: Six persons—all males--were arrested by police in a raid Tuesday at a shop in Putali Sadah while attempting to forge Nepali passports and citizenships to send people abroad.
Twenty-three forged passports were recovered; equipment to forge documents and two motorcycles were seized during a raid of Future Educational Consultancy adjacent to a school.
The arrests came at a time when police are preparing charges against two lawmakers, including a woman, for allegedly selling their red or diplomatic passports to smuggle persons to Australia via Abu Dhabi.
The two persons who allegedly bought the forged the passports were returned to Nepal from the Gulf and have gone missing after the scam broke.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

MANAKAMANA DEVELOPMENT BANK LTD. PROFIT FALLS DRASTICALLY

Kathmandu, 27 April: Manakamana Development Bank Ltd. profit fell drastically in Q3 of the current fiscal year 2010/11 ending 13 April.
The bank’s net income in Q3 was Rs 48.8 million only whereas it earned a Rs.112.4 million net profit in the corresponding period the previous year.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

‘NO PETROL. NO ELECTRICITY. NO JOB. NO WATER. NO SECURITY. NO MINISTER. YES! WE HAVE A PRI MINISTER!”

(Cartoon in Nagarik, 27 April)
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CHINA HAS VITAL INTEREST IN NEPAL: US

Kathmandu, 27 April: A US Congress report on Nepal has cited that China has ‘several key interests’ in Nepal ranging from keeping the republic from becoming a launching pad for free-Tibet movement to gain strategic inroads in South Asia, The Himalayan Times reports.

“China wants to keep Nepal from becoming a location from which Tibetan activists can promote their cause. China has become more successful in recent years in convincing Nepal to restrict the exiled Tibetan community,” said the report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), a bi-partisan research wing of the US Congress.

The contents of the 17-page report dated April 7 was first revealed by the Indian news agency Press Trust of India.

Under Chinese pressure, the government of Nepal in March prevented around 20,000 Tibetans in exile from voting for a new political head, said the CRS.

“China has made significant inroads into developing ties with South Asian states. Some view this as predominantly economically driven while others, particularly in New Delhi, view Chinese activity with concern,” the report said.

According to CRS, Nepal’s status as a small, landlocked state situated between India and China makes it important to policymakers.

“Some believe India is concerned about a Maoist regime in Nepal lending support to Maoist rebels in India. China, meanwhile, has taken several steps to pressurise Nepal to repatriate, or at least constrain the activities of, refugees crossing the border from Tibet,” the report said.

The report said that the US seeks to promote democracy and civil society in Nepal. “The US seeks to promote democracy and civil society in Nepal and provide developmental assistance to its people,” it said.

“The US has viewed the Maoists’ plans to institute a one-party republic, reform ‘class enemies’ and export revolution as undermining regional stability. Extent to which UCPN-M remains committed to this goals is unclear,” said the report.
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PM LIKELY TO SKIP BUDGET SESSION
PHANINDRA DAHAL-
Kathmandu, 27 April: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav is all set to present the government’s programmes and policies in the absence of Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, if the PM’s schedule is anything to go by, Phanindra Dahal writes in The Kathmandu Post.

The government plans to table its annual policies and programmes in the parliament’s budget session on May 10, while the PM is scheduled visit Turkey through May 7-12. If the PM remains out of the country during the President’s speech, it will be unprecedented in the parliament’s history, parliamentary officials said.

The schedule conflict comes amid criticism by the Nepali Congress and fringe parties for announcing the budget session so close to the constitution drafting deadline. They fear that focusing on the budget now will undermine work on the peace and constitution fronts. The criticism from the opposition parties coupled with the schedule conflict has cast doubts on this year’s budget timetable.

The PM will leave for Turkey on March 7 to attend the fourth conference of Least Developed Countries (LDC’s) that kicks off on May 9. Nepal is the current chair of the LDC’s and the PM is unlikely to return before May 12, Prime Minister’s Foreign Relations Advisor Milan Ratna Tuladhar told the Post on Tuesday.

Senior officials at the Parliament Secretariat said it is “inconceivable” that the PM will be absent on an important occasion.

“The President will be presenting the annual policies and programmes on behalf of the government. So the presence of the head of government on such an occasion is a must,” said Tek Prasad Dhungana, the Chief Legal Advisor of the Constituent Assembly Secretariat. Though law doesn’t say the PM must attend the House session on such occasions, it is normal parliamentary practice for the head of government to be present during the presentation of the government programme and policies, according to the officials.

According to the Parliamentary Rules of Procedures 2008, the PM should table a copy of the President’s address in the sitting immediately after the annual policies and programmes are tabled.

The PM or a minister designated by him must respond to issues raised during House discussions on the annual policies, clause 19 (3) of the Parliamentary Rules of Procedures 2008 says.

“On such important occasions, parliament cannot function in the absence of the PM,” said a senior official at the Parliament Secretariat. “Such a circumstance will be unfortunate and could create a huge uproar in the House.”

The President on Monday summoned the budget session from May 2.

The government plans to complete pre-budget discussions by May 6 and unveil next year’s budget on May 23. Officials at the Parliament Secretariat are, however, not so optimistic of the implementation of the plan. “There are numerous complications when it comes to introducing the budget within the timeframe stipulated by the government. First and foremost, the government is yet to end the obstruction of the House session by lawmakers of fringe parties,” an official said. “Next issue is the looming May 28 deadline of the Constituent Assembly,” he added.
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FPAN FACES DISSOLUTION

Kathmandu, 27 April: All the offices of Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) across the country remain shut for the past ten days, after the regional office of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) suspended grants to FPAN, Arjun Poudel writes in Republica.
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FPAN, a leading national NGO working in the field of sexual and reproductive health, meets its administrative expenses through IPPF grant.

All the services of FPAN have also been halted after the closure of its offices. FPAN has 40 offices across the country and has 25-30 percent contribution in national family planning programs.

The Asian regional office of IPPF at New Delhi had suspended annual grant to FPAN in February accusing irregularities. The regional office as a precondition for releasing the funds has asked FPAN to dissolve all central and section committees. IPPF member organizations must abide by IPPF regulations.

Responding to IPPF instruction, FPAN had organized a two-day special meeting in Pokhara 17 days ago to dissolve the committees,” Udaya Khanal, the chairman of Nepal National Employee Union at FPAN, said.

He said IPPF had instructed FPAN to dissolve all the committees and form an interim committee for one year. Same individuals have remained members of the central board and the committees for the past 15 years. Although the members do not receive any salaries, they are entitled to various facilities and foreign trips. The IPPF issues accreditations to member organizations every five years.

“The accreditation team which visited Nepal last December found irregularities in FPAN and instructed to change the board members immediately, but they did not follow the instruction,” he said. He said the regional office of IPPF in New Delhi is going holding its review meeting on May 5, 6 and 7 and the meeting is likely to cancel its accreditation to FPAN.

Khanal said the union had shut down its offices in an attempt to save the organization from dissolution. “We are seeking assistance from the government to settle the problem,” he said adding, “If we fail to meet IPPF condition, FPAN will be shut forever.” Khanal added.

He claimed that FPAN staffers have not received their salary for the past one month. “We have been told that we will not get our salary if the IPPF grant stops,” he added. The IPPF has member organizations in 170 countries.
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MADESH FRONT DEMANDS HALT TO VOTER REGISTRATION

Kathmandu, 27 April: In blatant violation of Nepal´s interim constitution and the Supreme Court (SC) verdict, the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) on Tuesday demanded an immediate halt to the ongoing voter registration process and threatened to obstruct it after May 2, Bimal Gautam writes in Republica.

Issuing a press release, the UDMF has asked the government to immediately halt the voter registration process as well as the government´s plan to introduce the National Identity Card (NID).
"Conducting the voter registration process only on the basis of citizenship certificates is against the Madhesi people. We will obstruct it in the field from May 2 if our demand goes unheard," reads the press release issued by the UMDF and signed by Bijaya Kumar Gachachhadar, Chairman of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF), Mahanta Thakur, Chairman of Terai-Madhes Democratic Party, and Rajendra Mahato, Chairman of Sadbhabana Party.

"We have already drawn the attention of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal to halt the process," states the decision.

The UDMF has also termed the voter registration process an ´unconstitutional´ move.

"The citizenship problems are yet to be resolved. The court rulings are biased. Many Madhesi people are still deprived of citizenship," said Jitendra Sonal, joint-general secretary of the Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP), adding, "Thus the voter registration process must be halted at any cost."

In the past also, the Madhes-based parties had obstructed the EC´s program in various parts of the country. The process, which was obstructed for seven months following objection by Madhes-based parties, resumed recently after the apex court verdict, issued on February 9, asked the EC to collect the new electoral roll only on the basis of citizenship. And the EC expedited the voter registartion process accordingly.

"We have been conducting the voter registration process as per the legal provisions," said Neel Kantha Uprety, officiating chief election commissioner, adding, "We won´t halt the process since we cannot defy a Supreme Court´s verdict."

Uprety, however, said the EC can resolve administrative, financial and technical problems related to the registration process.

Madhes-based parties´ demand not to make citizenship a mandatory document for voter registration is against the constution, he said. Article 63 (7) of the Interim Constitution reads, "For the purpose of electing the Constituent Assembly, every citizen of Nepal who has attained the age of eighteen years on or before 15 December 2007 shall be entitled to vote, as provided in law".

Constitutional lawyer Madhav Basnet says the voting right is the soverign right of only citizens of the country.

The citizenship row is nothing new in Nepal and the Madhes parties routinely claim that many Nepalis, especially in the southern plains, have been denied their citizenship right.

Following the Madhes movement in 2007, the then government introduced the New Act and Regulations on Citizenship and launched a special door-to-door campaign to distribute citizenship certificates to all elegible Nepalis. According to data at the citizenship section at the Home Ministry, about 2.6 million citizenship certificates were distributed in 2007 after relaxation of the citizenship laws.
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