NEMWANG CALLS FOR BREAKTHROUGH IN CONSTITUTION DRAFTING

SPEAKER ASKS PARTIES TO WORK FOR BREAKTHROUGH IN TWO MONTHS TO DRAFT CONSTITUTION

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 3 Oct. Even as no progress has been recorded in constitution drafting one month after an extension of constituent assembly (CA) for writing and promulgating a constitution, Speaker Subash Nemwang Monday suggested a breakthrough at a special committee.
“A breakthrough has to come through an understanding in a special committee headed by Maoist Chairman Prachanda and where major parties are represented.
“The special committee should be active. Parties are represented there but not the constituent assembly. They should come to a decision,” he told Radio Nepal in a Monday morning interview.
“Put pressure on them not to go abroad. They should work even on holidays. Ask for results,” Nemwang said.
H charged parties for breaking commitments.
‘You have broken your commitments. They have to be told that,” he asked concerned to pressurize parties represented everywhere.
The speaker called for a breakthrough before Prime Minister Babauram Bhattarai goes abroad 21 October for his second foreign trip after addressing the annual UN general assembly in New York last month.
The premier is paying an official visit of neighbouring India.
“The situation s favourable. Internationally, everyone is helping us from abroad. Even when atmosphere is positive there are no results,” he bemoaned.
“ A IPU conference is being held in Switzerland. I have cancelled my participation, Don’t go abroad. Don’t pass on blame,” he told parties.
“No progress has been recorded in constitution drafting. I have drawn the attention of the prime minister and others. Parties are entangled in controversies.
“Parties are now entangled in controversies. There is a big distrust in parties.
Election was first held when fighters were in camps. Yesterday election was held when they were in camps. What is the reason?,” he asked.
“Yesterday there was trust. Today it’s not there,” parliament’s speaker, who is also chairman of constituent assembly (CA) replied to his own question.
There’s no trust I parties now, he added.
“There was agreement to appoint a prime minister on rotation. They [parties] can’t implement that as well. Parties don’t believe themselves. Parties haven’t been able to remove this big chasm in confidence.”
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NO PROGRESS IN RETURNING SEIZED LAND BY MAOISTS

Kathmandu,3 Oct.: Not a single piece of land seized by Maoists during the conflict period has been returned to the rightful owners even after 20 days since the commitment given by the government and the Maoist party on September 10 to do so with immediate effect, Kiran Chapagain writes in Republica.

This indicates the commitment this time, like on previous two occasions, may also turn out to be just a lip-service.

According to Home Ministry officials and chief district officers, there has been no progress on translating the commitment except the ministry directing the regional administration offices and district administration offices to ensure the return of the seized properties.

"We have yet not started the work toward implementing the decision," said Sudhir Kumar Shah, spokesperson at the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is responsible to implement the government decision on property return, told Republica when asked about the progress.

Announcing a relief package on September 10, the Maoist-led government had announced to return the seized properties "immediately" and directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to implement the decision. Then, the ministry had immediately directed district administration offices to make Maoist cadres return the seized properties.

The government decision had followed internal circulars from the Maoist party to its leaders and cadres to respect the government decision. The move was aimed at building political confidence among political parties.

When asked why the works have not begun yet, Shah said, "We remained busy in other administrative works though we have already directed regional administration offices to implement the decision."

Asked whether there is any political reason behind the delay in implementing the decision, Shah said, "No, there is no political reason."

Republica contacted a few chief district officers from the districts where the number of seized properties is high to know about the progress in returning the seized properties.

"We will start implementing the government decision after Dashain," said Bashudev Dahal, chief district officer of Kanchanpur.

Ram Krishna Subedi, chief district officer of Bardiya, said he held an all-party meeting after he received a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs. "We discussed the issue in the meeting and we are going to update the details of the property seized," he said.

In Dang also, there has been no progress toward returning the seized properties. According to Rishiram Sharma, chief district officer, no one has yet approached the administration seeking return of the seized properties.

The chief district officers contacted by Republica on Sunday said not a single individual has yet approach the district administration offices, seeking the administration´s assistance in claiming back their seized properties. They said they do not have an updated record as to how much land was seized during the conflict period in their respective districts.

Returning seized property is one of the components of the five-year-old peace process that began with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) in November 2006. Though the CPN (Maoist), as it was called then, had committed itself to returning the seized properties in the CPA and subsequently in two more agreements relating to the peace process, these commitments were never acted upon.
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GOVT. PREPARES TO PARDON CONVICTED LAWMAKER

Kathmandu, 3 Oct.: Ignoring concerns from national and international human rights communities, the government has begun the process of pardoning the life sentence slapped on Maoist lawmaker Bal Krishna Dhungel, who was convicted by the Supreme Court for the 2004 murder of one Ujjan Kumar Shrestha of Okhaldhunga, Gani Ansari writes in Republica.

"The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has begun the process from today
[Sunday]," Attorney General Mukti Pradhan told journalist at a reception organized by Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmee at Baluwatar.

In the meantime, the cabinet on Sunday received a home ministry proposal to recommend to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to pardon Dhungel invoking his constitutional power. As per the Interim Constitution, the president can give amnesty or commute the sentence of a convict upon the request of the cabinet.

"Though pardoning Dhungel was part of the agenda of today´s cabinet meeting, no decision was made after the prime minister said the proposal needs further discussion," a minister told Republica on condition of anonymity.

Shrestha was shot dead by the Maoists at Tarkerabari-7, Okhaldhunga on June 24, 1998, allegedly for spying on the Maoist party. Dhungel who won the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections from Okhaldhunga-2 in 2008, is still walking free as the court verdict has not been enforced.

The Maoist party has been seeking pardon for Dhungel ever since the Supreme Court in 2010 convicted him of the murder. The Madhav Kumar Nepal-led government had resisted pressure from the Maoist party regarding pardoning Dhunel. The Maoists had even tried to pardon Dhungel during the term of the Jhalanath Khanal-led government. Then Home Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara had registered a proposal in the cabinet to this effect. But the cabinet was undecided then as well.

The fresh move to pardon Dhungel has been initiated at a time when human rights groups have been trying to take Dhungel´s case to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.
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