UML CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEET POSTPONED
Kathmandu, 9 Aug.: A scheduled central committee meeting of UML heading the communist majority government with Maoists was postponed Tuesday morning because Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal is resting with fever, party and Baluwatar sources
Khanal is also party chairman.
The first meeting of the central committee that started last week was postponed after Khanal fell sick.
The UML has charged Khanal for indiscipline unilaterally reshuffling the government with a new Maoist team led by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kazi Shestha.
Ibrahim Hussaain Zaki, special envoy of Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed, couldn’t deliver Monday an invitation to Khanal to attend the 17th SAARC summit later this year.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari was to have delivered a speech in parliament Monday on Khanal’s behalf on a possible resignation 13 August.
NC has charged Khanal of going back on the resignation issue with Maoist connivance.
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MEDIA GOOGLE
‘Govt. Unilaterally Appoints VCs.”
(Headline in The Kathmandu Post, 9 Aug.)
“I’m against heading a majority government. Such a government can’t resolve problems.”
(Maoist second Vice-chairman Dr.Baburam Bhattarai, Kantipur, 9 Aug.)
MID-HILL HIGHWAY REOPENED AFTER REPAIR
Kathmandu, 9 Aug.: The Mid-hills Highway in Sindhuli district has opened for traffic after nearly one and a half month, The Rising Nepal reports from Sindhuli.
Vehicular movement on the 61-kilometre Khurkot-Ghurmi section of the highway had stopped after it was damaged by mudslide at different places.
The road has been opened after carrying out repair at the damaged sections of the highway, said Devi Datta Devkota, chairman of the Road Users’ Committee.
With the opening of the road, vehicles can now operate to Okhaldhunga, Udayapur, Ramechhap and Khotang districts.
Dadeldhura, The Budar- Jogbuda road in Dadeldhura district is so badly damaged that passengers travelling on this section of the highway are doing so at a great risk.
Landslides and floods have completely damaged the 30-kilometer long road at different places, making the travel risky.
Landslides have occurred at over a dozen points along the 10 kilometers stretch of the road from Budar while flood has damaged the road at more than 30 places along the remaining 20 kilometers stretch. Drivers complained that the damaged condition of the fair-weather road has made travel difficult as well as risky.
The road section serves more than half the population of the district and around two dozen vehicles ply on this road daily.
In Parsa (Birgunj), Policemen are supposed to enforce the law and arrest the offenders. But what if the police personnel themselves are a party to the offence?
The Koielabhar Partnership Forest Management Committee arrested a policeman with two tractors loaded with smuggled timber. Members of the forest management committee apprehended three policemen and two tractor drivers who were allegedly smuggling out the timber from the forest.
The arrested policemen are Tanka Bahadur Shrestha, Amar Lama and Shyam Chaudhari. Similarly, tractor drivers Lalbabu Patel and Hiralal Patel, and another person calledGaya Yadav was also arrested by the committee members and handed over to the Area Forests Office, Badhnihar.
The District Forests Office, Parsa also admits that policemen have been found colluding with timber smugglers.
The arrested policemen however denied their involvement in timber smuggling. They said they had gone there to collect firewood for use by the police station’s kitchen.
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NC RENAGADE CHARGE AGAINST GOVT. ON RESIGNATION ASSURANCE
Kathmandu, 9 Aug.: The government and Nepali Congress could not find a meeting point on resuming the Parliament after Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, reportedly under pressure from UCPN (Maoist), altered the language of his statement supposed to be delivered in Monday’s House session, Phanindra Daahal writes in The Kathmandu Post.
Speaker Subas Nembang postponed the session till Wednesday afternoon after NC lawmakers accused the government of “foul play” and obstructed the parliament sitting. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari couldn’t deliver the prime ministerial statement on behalf of Khanal after NC leaders opposed the last minute changes to the draft agreed on between the two on Monday afternoon.
The draft of the statement agreed to by the two sides commits that the prime minister will tender his resignation on Aug 13 if he fails to forge consensus on contentious issues of army integration and rehabilitation—numbers, modality, rank determination, norms of integration and rehabilitation package—and the outstanding commitments made in the five-point accord ahead of CA’s term extension on May 29.
The agreed-upon draft also exhorts the Maoists to demonstrate seriousness in supporting the PM’s moral and political responsibilities for the implementation of the five-point agreement, according to the copy of the document obtained by the Post.
NC leaders were irked by the amendments made by the Prime Minister’s Office to the agreed draft that omitted sections where Khanal would ask the Maoist leadership to show sincerity in implementing the five-point deal. The proposed statement generalised that all parties should show seriousness in implementing the five-point agreement.
Khanal, in the second draft, also altered the text regarding his resignation and stated that he would like to inform the Parliament about his commitment to step down if he fails to forge consensus on integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants. Contrary to the understanding with NC leaders, the government declined to give recognition to the main opposition as an “alternative government” in the proposed prime ministerial speech.
NC leaders alleged that the change in the texts made by the PMO breached the essence of the understanding reached between the two sides
during talks held on Monday afternoon. Addressing the Parliament, NC leader Ram Sharan Mahat said his party had no alternative but to continue its agitation following the betrayal by the government.
“The opposition had lent its hand to support the government to run the parliament but it could not materialize after the government violated the agreement reached between the two sides. The ruling parties are responsible for the prolongation of this impasse,” he said.
Prime Minister’s Political Advisor Prakash Jwala admitted that UML leaders had reached an understanding with NC leaders on resuming the House session. “We had made slight changes after discussions with other stakeholders,” he said reaffirming the government’s commitment to implementing the five-point accord.
NC Chief Whip Laxman Ghimire claimed that Khanal’s “change of mind” shows that Maoists are playing on him and he is keen to continue in office even after the Aug. 13 deadline. Maoist Chief Whip Dev Gurung declined to comment on negotiations between government and NC leaders held on Monday.
Jwala, at the PMO, reiterated that the government was committed to creating an atmosphere for starting the regrouping of combatants within Saturday. “Congress leaders are reluctant to allow the prime minister to continue till Aug. 31 and want regrouping to complete within this week’s deadline. It’s not yet clear when the resignation will come,” he said.
In both of the statements, Khanal has reiterated that the current coalition can’t prove its importance if it fails to forge national consensus on key issues of the peace process within Aug. 13.
Deputy Prime Minister Adhikari rushed to his quarters at Pulchowk to change into Daura Suruwal after he was briefed on the understanding between the government and NC leaders and that he would be required to read out the statement on the behalf of the prime minister.
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MAOISTS DROP NUMBER, RANK PRE-CONDITIONS
Kathmandui, 9 Aug.: To assure other parties the peace process will proceed to an ‘irreversible’ point by Aug 31—the extended deadline of the Constituent Assembly (CA)—UCPN (Maoist) has decided to agree on the regrouping of its combatants without agreement on rank determination and norms. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal tabled this proposal at a party office bearers’ meeting on Sunday, The Kathmandu Post reports.
According to leaders, the Maoists changed their earlier stance that all issues be settled before going for regrouping to create an atmosphere of trust among political parties. Maoist leaders say they need more some time to make agreement on rank determination and norms of recruitment. Earlier, the Maoists had adopted the stance that there should be agreement on number, rank determination, norms and rehabilitation package to go for regrouping. Changing it, they have now decided to go for regrouping if the parties agree only on number and rehabilitation package for now. The decision follows Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal’s statement that he will resign if he fails to make any progress in the peace process by Aug 13.
The Maoist party is under pressure from other parties to bring a concrete proposal on integration and rehabilitation of its combatants. Dahal has given his word to Khanal that he will take steps to push the integration process by Aug 13. Dahal is scheduled to return on Wednesday after his two-day surprise visit to Malaysia.
Maoist Standing Committee Member and Spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma said his party is planning to regroup the combatants, forging consensus on number and rehabilitation package. “The regrouping of Maoist combatants—separating those to be integrated and rehabilitated—will gain momentum within Aug 13 if NC agrees on the regrouping package,” he said.
The Maoists are holding consultations with Nepali Congress and CPN-UML on management of their combatants. However, the Maoist faction led by Mohan Baidya is continuing to oppose Dahal’s line saying there should not be agreement on integration without finalising the content of the new constitution. Maoist Politburo Member Haribol Gajurel said regrouping by Aug 31 is possible as talks with other parties are heading in a positive direction.
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UML CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEET POSTPONED
Kathmandu, 9 Aug.: A scheduled central committee meeting of UML heading the communist majority government with Maoists was postponed Tuesday morning because Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal is resting with fever, party and Baluwatar sources
Khanal is also party chairman.
The first meeting of the central committee that started last week was postponed after Khanal fell sick.
The UML has charged Khanal for indiscipline unilaterally reshuffling the government with a new Maoist team led by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kazi Shestha.
Ibrahim Hussaain Zaki, special envoy of Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed, couldn’t deliver Monday an invitation to Khanal to attend the 17th SAARC summit later this year.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari was to have delivered a speech in parliament Monday on Khanal’s behalf on a possible resignation 13 August.
NC has charged Khanal of going back on the resignation issue with Maoist connivance.
Nnnn
MEDIA GOOGLE
‘Govt. Unilaterally Appoints VCs.”
(Headline in The Kathmandu Post, 9 Aug.)
“I’m against heading a majority government. Such a government can’t resolve problems.”
(Maoist second Vice-chairman Dr.Baburam Bhattarai, Kantipur, 9 Aug.)
MID-HILL HIGHWAY REOPENED AFTER REPAIR
Kathmandu, 9 Aug.: The Mid-hills Highway in Sindhuli district has opened for traffic after nearly one and a half month, The Rising Nepal reports from Sindhuli.
Vehicular movement on the 61-kilometre Khurkot-Ghurmi section of the highway had stopped after it was damaged by mudslide at different places.
The road has been opened after carrying out repair at the damaged sections of the highway, said Devi Datta Devkota, chairman of the Road Users’ Committee.
With the opening of the road, vehicles can now operate to Okhaldhunga, Udayapur, Ramechhap and Khotang districts.
Dadeldhura, The Budar- Jogbuda road in Dadeldhura district is so badly damaged that passengers travelling on this section of the highway are doing so at a great risk.
Landslides and floods have completely damaged the 30-kilometer long road at different places, making the travel risky.
Landslides have occurred at over a dozen points along the 10 kilometers stretch of the road from Budar while flood has damaged the road at more than 30 places along the remaining 20 kilometers stretch. Drivers complained that the damaged condition of the fair-weather road has made travel difficult as well as risky.
The road section serves more than half the population of the district and around two dozen vehicles ply on this road daily.
In Parsa (Birgunj), Policemen are supposed to enforce the law and arrest the offenders. But what if the police personnel themselves are a party to the offence?
The Koielabhar Partnership Forest Management Committee arrested a policeman with two tractors loaded with smuggled timber. Members of the forest management committee apprehended three policemen and two tractor drivers who were allegedly smuggling out the timber from the forest.
The arrested policemen are Tanka Bahadur Shrestha, Amar Lama and Shyam Chaudhari. Similarly, tractor drivers Lalbabu Patel and Hiralal Patel, and another person calledGaya Yadav was also arrested by the committee members and handed over to the Area Forests Office, Badhnihar.
The District Forests Office, Parsa also admits that policemen have been found colluding with timber smugglers.
The arrested policemen however denied their involvement in timber smuggling. They said they had gone there to collect firewood for use by the police station’s kitchen.
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NC RENAGADE CHARGE AGAINST GOVT. ON RESIGNATION ASSURANCE
Kathmandu, 9 Aug.: The government and Nepali Congress could not find a meeting point on resuming the Parliament after Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, reportedly under pressure from UCPN (Maoist), altered the language of his statement supposed to be delivered in Monday’s House session, Phanindra Daahal writes in The Kathmandu Post.
Speaker Subas Nembang postponed the session till Wednesday afternoon after NC lawmakers accused the government of “foul play” and obstructed the parliament sitting. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari couldn’t deliver the prime ministerial statement on behalf of Khanal after NC leaders opposed the last minute changes to the draft agreed on between the two on Monday afternoon.
The draft of the statement agreed to by the two sides commits that the prime minister will tender his resignation on Aug 13 if he fails to forge consensus on contentious issues of army integration and rehabilitation—numbers, modality, rank determination, norms of integration and rehabilitation package—and the outstanding commitments made in the five-point accord ahead of CA’s term extension on May 29.
The agreed-upon draft also exhorts the Maoists to demonstrate seriousness in supporting the PM’s moral and political responsibilities for the implementation of the five-point agreement, according to the copy of the document obtained by the Post.
NC leaders were irked by the amendments made by the Prime Minister’s Office to the agreed draft that omitted sections where Khanal would ask the Maoist leadership to show sincerity in implementing the five-point deal. The proposed statement generalised that all parties should show seriousness in implementing the five-point agreement.
Khanal, in the second draft, also altered the text regarding his resignation and stated that he would like to inform the Parliament about his commitment to step down if he fails to forge consensus on integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants. Contrary to the understanding with NC leaders, the government declined to give recognition to the main opposition as an “alternative government” in the proposed prime ministerial speech.
NC leaders alleged that the change in the texts made by the PMO breached the essence of the understanding reached between the two sides
during talks held on Monday afternoon. Addressing the Parliament, NC leader Ram Sharan Mahat said his party had no alternative but to continue its agitation following the betrayal by the government.
“The opposition had lent its hand to support the government to run the parliament but it could not materialize after the government violated the agreement reached between the two sides. The ruling parties are responsible for the prolongation of this impasse,” he said.
Prime Minister’s Political Advisor Prakash Jwala admitted that UML leaders had reached an understanding with NC leaders on resuming the House session. “We had made slight changes after discussions with other stakeholders,” he said reaffirming the government’s commitment to implementing the five-point accord.
NC Chief Whip Laxman Ghimire claimed that Khanal’s “change of mind” shows that Maoists are playing on him and he is keen to continue in office even after the Aug. 13 deadline. Maoist Chief Whip Dev Gurung declined to comment on negotiations between government and NC leaders held on Monday.
Jwala, at the PMO, reiterated that the government was committed to creating an atmosphere for starting the regrouping of combatants within Saturday. “Congress leaders are reluctant to allow the prime minister to continue till Aug. 31 and want regrouping to complete within this week’s deadline. It’s not yet clear when the resignation will come,” he said.
In both of the statements, Khanal has reiterated that the current coalition can’t prove its importance if it fails to forge national consensus on key issues of the peace process within Aug. 13.
Deputy Prime Minister Adhikari rushed to his quarters at Pulchowk to change into Daura Suruwal after he was briefed on the understanding between the government and NC leaders and that he would be required to read out the statement on the behalf of the prime minister.
Nnnn
MAOISTS DROP NUMBER, RANK PRE-CONDITIONS
Kathmandui, 9 Aug.: To assure other parties the peace process will proceed to an ‘irreversible’ point by Aug 31—the extended deadline of the Constituent Assembly (CA)—UCPN (Maoist) has decided to agree on the regrouping of its combatants without agreement on rank determination and norms. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal tabled this proposal at a party office bearers’ meeting on Sunday, The Kathmandu Post reports.
According to leaders, the Maoists changed their earlier stance that all issues be settled before going for regrouping to create an atmosphere of trust among political parties. Maoist leaders say they need more some time to make agreement on rank determination and norms of recruitment. Earlier, the Maoists had adopted the stance that there should be agreement on number, rank determination, norms and rehabilitation package to go for regrouping. Changing it, they have now decided to go for regrouping if the parties agree only on number and rehabilitation package for now. The decision follows Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal’s statement that he will resign if he fails to make any progress in the peace process by Aug 13.
The Maoist party is under pressure from other parties to bring a concrete proposal on integration and rehabilitation of its combatants. Dahal has given his word to Khanal that he will take steps to push the integration process by Aug 13. Dahal is scheduled to return on Wednesday after his two-day surprise visit to Malaysia.
Maoist Standing Committee Member and Spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma said his party is planning to regroup the combatants, forging consensus on number and rehabilitation package. “The regrouping of Maoist combatants—separating those to be integrated and rehabilitated—will gain momentum within Aug 13 if NC agrees on the regrouping package,” he said.
The Maoists are holding consultations with Nepali Congress and CPN-UML on management of their combatants. However, the Maoist faction led by Mohan Baidya is continuing to oppose Dahal’s line saying there should not be agreement on integration without finalising the content of the new constitution. Maoist Politburo Member Haribol Gajurel said regrouping by Aug 31 is possible as talks with other parties are heading in a positive direction.
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