MORE DETAILS OF LOKTANTRA DAY CELEBRATION

PM ATTENDS SPECIAL FUNCTION TO MARK LOKTANTRA DAY UPDATE

Kathmandu, 24 April: Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and members of the cabinet Sunday attended a special function organized by main celebration organizing commttee at Nepal Army at the Army Pavilion in Tundhikel to mark the 6th Loktantra Day.
President D. Ram Baran Yadav was also present.
Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal admitted the five-year transition from direct royal rule to a republic ‘has been long and difficult’ while delivering an address from the pavilion.
Khanal recalled government has ‘historic responsibility’ to complete the peace process and promulgate a ‘loktantrik’ constitution.
“We must make some difficult efforts,” Khanal, the chairman of the main celebration organizing committee said.
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FOREIGN SECRETARY LEAVES FOR OFFICIAL, PRIVATE INDIA VISIT MONDAY

Kathmandu, 24 April: Foreign Secretary Madan Kumar Bhattarai leaves for a six-day official cum private India visit Monday.
He’ll hold discussions with his counterpart Nirupama Rao on bilateral issues discussed during the just concluded visit of Foreign Minister SM Krishna.
Nepal an India discussed a wide range of issues including signing a new extradition treaty border security and security of Indian personnel and industries in Nepal.
India raised the issue of smuggling of counterfeit Indian currency notes across the border.
Rao visit Nepal in February for bilateral discussions.
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UML NOMINEE APPOINTED AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI ARABIA

Kathmandu, 24 April: Udaya Raj Pandey, member of UML foreign department, has been appointed Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Pandey replaces Hamid Ansari who was recalled by the party now heading following alleged involvement in involvement of handling compensation money of Nepali workers in a country where he was accredited.
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TENDI LAMA RE-ELECTED BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION CHIEF

Kathmandu, 24 April: Tendi Lama was re-elected unanimously Saturday chairman of Nepal Basketball Association for a four-year term.
He was elected by the association’s second general convention.
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PEOPLE STILL PIN HOPE ON PARTIES, LEADERS





Kathmandu, Apr. 24: Today (Sunday) marks five years of the coming of Loktantra or full-fledged democracy in the country through the struggle with the sacrifice of the Nepali people, RSS reports.
The government led by the then autocratic king Gyanendra Shah was compelled to kneel down under the weight of massive public pressure and after the martyrdom of 25 Nepalis during the People’s Movement-2waged under the leadership of the then seven political parties.
As a result of this popular uprising that swayed the nation, Loktantra was established on April 24, 2006.
The People’s Movement-2 gained further strength and rising popular support after the then CPN (Maoist) lent its direct and indirect support to this movement which was waged on the basis of the 12-point agreement signed between the then Seven-Party Alliance and the Maoists.
This mass uprising that saw the surging participation of the people from both the rural areas and the urban areas ultimately displaced the 239-year monarchy in Nepal. The victory of the people on April 24, 2006 had drawn up the map of a republican Nepal.
In the five years since the advent of Loktantra, the country elected the historic Constituent Assembly and achieved the federal democratic republic with the abolishment of the monarchy, and it finds itself in the present situation.
The conclusion of the peace process and formulation of a constitution that best reflects the aspirations of the people for making the achievements of the People’s Movement -2 sustainable and to institutionalize them is not yet secured.
Political parties giving a new constitution to the country still remains in doubt at this point in time when less than a month remains until the extended deadline of the Constituent Assembly expires on May 28, 2011.
The political parties are at loggerheads regarding important issues like the form of governance and state restructuring for constitution writing. Peace and constitution writing have been affected since the parties are mired in internal political differences, rifts and different factions.
Consensus, collaboration and national unity have remained confined to rhetoric alone due to the internal rift, mutual differences and partisan interests among the major political parties. People are finding it hard to believe what the leaders say.
The political parties that are knee-deep in power politics seem to have forgotten the path of politics of consensus and collaboration shown by the late Girija Prasad Koirala, the veteran leader of Loktantra.
The country is suffering from the pain of transitional politics as the message of consensus, collaboration and unity given by the late Koirala who succeeded in drawing the fate of republic Nepal by bringing the Maoist party that was waging a ten-year-old people’s war into the peace process is far from being realized in practice.
Not only the political confusion, the country is also suffering from escalating violence, killings, anarchy, inflation and slow pace of development works.
The parties are giving more time to permutation and combination of political equation for going to power rather than on constitution writing.
Fifteen thousand Nepalis lost their lives due to the decade-long armed rebellion wages by the Maoist. It was with the wish that the country will be freed from again falling into a trap of violence, killings and anarchy the people had joined or lent active support to the People’s Movement-2 with the expectation of collaboration between the seven-party alliance and the Maoists.
But coming to the present, the country is still stuck in deadlock and a way out is not yet in sight. The people are much afflicted rather than getting a feel of Loktantra due to the long transition.
A pall of despondency is seen among the people. The enthusiasm and hope that was kindled in the people when democracy was reinstated in the country is gradually giving way to a sense of despair. The main political parties and their leaders should realise this as the nation is marking the Loktantra Day.

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GOVT. SKATING ON THIN ICE; PM KHANAL
Kathmandu, 24 April: Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal spoke to The Kathmandu Post Saturday evening at his official residence in Baluwatar on the peace process, constitution drafting, and relations with India.
Excerpts:
How do you assess the time since Janandolan II, are we moving on course?
We are moving forward to institutionalise the goals and aspirations that were raised during the people’s revolution of 2006. The revolution was not meant just for political change but was also the beginning of drastic social and cultural transformation. Now, it is time for us to introduce economic revolution in the country. For that purpose, we should establish necessary national infrastructure. And as prerequisites of that infrastructure, we have to conclude the peace process and complete constitution drafting. Both these tasks are moving forward simultaneously.
More that two months have passed since you were elected, but there is no visible movement in the peace process.
Conflict transformation is complex and time consuming and putting a timeline on it is next to impossible. I know that there is considerable impatience with the slow progress, but things done in haste are often not done right. To quote proverb, slow and steady wins the race. In recent days, we have witnessed a newfound urgency and eagerness to complete the peace process. And, there is renewed commitment for finding a solution. These are positive indications that will lead us to a solution.
Recently, a coalition leader claimed that there would be visible progress on integration and rehabilitation of combatants within a week. Are you preparing to introduce a new timetable for completing the peace process anytime soon?
The Special Committee has formed a taskforce with five different mandates. We have asked them to prepare the modality of integration, determine the norms of integration, fix numbers of combatants to be integrated into security forces, prepare a concept paper on rehabilitation packages and finalise the calendar for completing the peace process. Discussion is on for resolving these issues. Among these, modality and norms are crucial issues. We have been debating on modalities for a long time and in recent days we are coming closer to determine it. If we agree on this, I believe that we can settle the other four issues and we will be able to expedite the peace process.
Will these tasks be completed before May 28 or close to that date?
I am hopeful that they will be completed before May 28. These will take place within the next few weeks to allay fears and uncertainty among people about the post-May.28-situation.. We are trying to give a new direction to the peace process at the earliest. The Maoists are also discussing the issue of completing the peace process as soon as possible. This is a positive indication and it suggests we will move forward on the process soon.
There are media reports that Nepal Army has provided a new proposal for Army integration. But the government has not officially commented on this. Can you elaborate?
We are discussing a concept that has been agreed to by the Nepal Army. This concept is basically formulated by considering desires and well-being of all forces. We should not get involved in controversies as to who proposed it. But the major parties, Nepal Army and the government are close to consensus on the modality being talked about. The possibility of consensus is increasing.
In my view, the attempt for consensus should be completed before May 28. I have taken initiatives for that and I have also talked with Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. I think we will reach consensus on army integration within the next few weeks and that will help us to resolve other issues.
There is barely a month remaining for promulgating the new constitution within the May 28 deadline of the CA. Do you think you can complete the task by then?
Drafting of the constitution is a historic task and a matter of long-term importance. While completing the responsibility, we have made significant progress. Now, we have three more things to do: Forms of governance that we will adopt in future, the upcoming electoral system and how we will complete the restructuring of the state. On all these three issues, we are holding serious formal and informal discussions. We should conduct more formal discussions. I think we can forge consensus on forms of governance and electoral system. If we can reach that point, we can prepare the draft of the new constitution. State restructuring is a more intricate and sensitive issue. This should be dealt academically, practically and technically. All leaders should seriously think about it and find a compromise. If we can make drastic change in our position, we can resolve this issue early. So, by May 28, I am confident we can come up with a first draft but we have doubts that we cannot promulgate the constitution due to time constraint. If we give priority to peace and constitution but still fail to complete some tasks by May 28, there will be no crisis on how to complete them. We can easily reach a national consensus and come up with solution even if we need some time.
You sound confident about a CA extension, but there are parties opposing it. Do you see any danger after May 28?
If by May 28 the major parties fail to fulfill their responsibilities, and we continue bickering and fail to take steps to reach a solution, there will certainly be a crisis. But, if we move in a responsible and active manner, we can defeat the forces which don’t want to see the peace process and constitution drafting coming to fruition.
How will the row over Home Ministry solved?
We are prioritising peace and constitution. No other issues can be priority at this time. No condition is acceptable for obstructing peace and constitution. The Home Ministry and other issues will be resolved by discussion through talks. Our priority is peace and constitution.
What did you discuss with Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna?
We had cordial talks on the historical relations of two countries, bilateral assistance and other issues of mutual interests.

Did Krishna raise India’s security concern very strongly?
He did. I committed that we will not allow Nepali territory to be used against any of our neighbours. But to really address both India’s and our concern we have to strengthen our national security system. We should reach a deeper understanding on managing the open border.
There should be coordination between security agencies of the two countries.
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