UML PROTESTS PLANS FOR AMNESTY OF MAOIST LAWMAKER

UML PROTESTS GOVT. PLANS TO AMNESTY BAL
KRISHNA DHUNGEL

Kathmandu, 9 Nov.: UML, second largest opposition party,
Wednesday protests government initiative to amnesty Maoist
lawmaker Bal Krishna Dhungel saying its serious attention has been drawn to a cabinet decision Tuesday beginning the move.
The party, like the NC, said the cabinet decision to ask the
President to amnesty is a breach of past agreements between
UCPN (Maoist) and other parties.
The government, the party, should abide by court decisions; Dhungel had been sentenced by the apex court to life imprisonment with
confiscation of property.
MHFN of Upendra Yadav also opposed the cabinet decision and demanded the cabinet be overturned.









RSS adds: Various organizations have staged a sit-in near the southern gate of Singha Durbar on Wednesday, demanding action against lawmaker Bal Krishna Dhungel.

The sit-in was jointly organized by Conflict Victims´ Society for Justice, National Struggle Committee of the Nepal Association of Maoist Victimized, Conflict Victim Orphan Society and Civil Rights Activists.


Participants of the sit-in had carried placards reading different slogans like ‘take action against murderer lawmaker Bal Krishna Dhungel’, ‘implement the Supreme Court´s decision’ and so on.

Sabitri Shrestha, sister of the murdered Ujjan Kumar Shrestha, said they staged the sit-in as the government attempted to protect Dhungel, who is accused of murdering Ujjan Kumar, by giving political color to the SC´s decision, and warned to go to the international court for justice if it is neglected.


Father of the deceased, Rameswor Shrestha and mother Ram Kumari Shrestha were also present in the program.



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CONSENSUS GOVT. BY 23 NOV. SAYS UML LEADER
Kathmandu, 9 Nov.: At a time when the Nepali Congress (NC) has been making claims in public that the NC would led the new government subsequent to the deadline of Constituent Assembly (CA) ends, and the UCPN-Maoist busy in arrogating at the helm till the twin task of peace and statue is brought to a logical end, General Secretary of CPN-UML Shankar Pokharel has bobbed up a remark on Wednesday that a national consensus government would be formed after November 23, RSS reports.

The seven-point deal has set a November-23 deadline for completing the regrouping process. Besides, November 30 is the deadline of the Constituent Assembly(CA) itself.

“The term of the present government is until November 23,” said the former Minister for Information and Communications at a press meet organized by the Press Chautari Dadeldhura.

Pokhrel reached Dadeldhura to inaugurate the first district council gathering of the CPN-UML.

Reiterating on opposition’s firm stance that the incumbent government cannot be transformed into a national consensus government, he said, “the spirit of the seven-point deal is also to make another consensus government.”

The CPN-UML is also one of the signatories of the seven point peace deal signed between the Maoist establishment faction and the non-Maoist top guns.

Pokhrel however made it clear that the UML would not claim for leadership of the next government. The UML is standing as opposition along with the NC and some other fringe parties against the incumbent government which is an alliance of the Maoist establishment faction and the United Democratic Madhesi Forum (UDMF).

On the expansion of cabinet, Pokhrel called it was against the seven-point deal and also irrelevant. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Tuesday inducted 26 ministers, seven full and 19 state, into his Cabinet making it a 46-member body.
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CALL TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS
Kathmandu, 9 Nov.: The implementation of a five-year green forestry programme has started in Nepal from November 8, coinciding with the International
Forest Year, RSS reports..

Under a joint initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and CARE International, the programme has aimed at mitigating negative effect borne out of organic erosion and climate change.

Inaugurating a programme in the capital, Vice-chair of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Deependra Bahadur Chhetri said all the concerned sides should come together in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and mitigating the effects of climate change.

US Embassy Mission Deputy Chief, Patricia A Mahoni expressed readiness to work together with the Nepal government and private sector in their efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change.
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