OHCHR-N TENURE EXPIRES THURSDAY; NO WORK YET ON EXTENSION ;PM BHATTARAI SICK

OHCHR-N TERM EXPIRES THURSDAY
Kathmandu, 8 Dec.: The extended six-month tenure of UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal ) ends Thursday.
Government hasn’t decided on its tenure, its under immense pressure from western countries to extend the tenure.
The cabinet meets later to decide the future of the UN human rights agency based in Geneva.
The body has sought a year’s extension amid government hesitation.
UNMN quit Nepal 15January 2011.
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PM SICK
Kathmandu, 8 Dec.: Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai is sick, a radio report said Thursday morning.
Dr. Arun Sayami from TU Teaching Hospital is treating the premier at his official Baluwatar residence/
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NEPALI WOMAN MARRIED IN ASSAM RE CEIVED 4200,000 TO FINANCE INSURGENCY IN THENORTHEAST STATE; SHE’S UNDER CUSTODY
Kathmandu, 8 Dec.: Nepal Police have arrested a woman for assisting her Singapore-based Indian husband to finance a terror outfit active in Assam and Nagaland from Nepal. The Himalayan Times reports.

Nepal Police seized two lakh dollars that were remitted through proper banking channels from Singapore to the account of Sarita Giri Rai (in her 30s) in Naya Baneshwor-based branch office of Everest Bank eight days ago.

According to a police source, the amount belongs to Dima Haolam Daogah (Jewel faction) aka Black Widow, an insurgent group active in Assam and Nagaland.

Rai, who is now facing money laundering and terror financing charge, told the investigators that the amount was transferred to the bank account by her husband Niranjan Hojai, the self-styled commander-in-chief of the terror network. She was preparing to send the money to the ultras in India through hundi when the police caught her.

Rai of Sindhupalchowk was living a luxurious life in Jorpati. “The amount we seized from her bank account is just a tip of the iceberg. She also has a well-furnished house worth over Rs 40 million, four ropani land and a fleet of cars in Kathmandu,” said an investigator. She has failed to reveal the source of the properties and the amount seized. The money was remitted from a Citibank branch in Singapore to her account two weeks back. Had the Nepali authorities not reached the Everest Bank on time, the money would have been sent to India.

However, officials refused to say whether she received money from the terrorist network in the past also before pushing it into India.

Hojai had married Rai a couple of years ago apparently to use her as a link person for the terrorist network.

She has also a daughter allegedly fathered by the terrorist leader. Her passport details show that she used to frequently visit Singapore.

The money is suspected to have been generated through extortion by the insurgent group. The outfit has been demanding a homeland - ‘Dimasaland’ - for the Dimasa people in areas falling in Assam and Nagaland.

The Special Court had sent Rai to judicial custody to investigate into the money laundering charge on December 1 through Anti-Money Laundering Department.
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CHINA HELPS WIDEN ROAD AROUND CAPITAL
Kathmandu, 8 Dec.: Nine-kilometre stretch of the 10-lane ring road is being redesigned in coordination with the government of People’s Republic of China, The Himalayan Times reports.

According to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, the ring road stretch between Kalanki and Tinkune, will be expanded to 10 lanes by July 2014.

“The Chinese technical team is preparing the design. The team recently completed the field visit and started the designing process,” said Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the MoPPW. “The bidding process will be over within six months and the Chinese government will

send the contractors to carry out the construction by the next fiscal year,” he added.

The 10-lane ring road will have four central lanes, two service tracks on each side and one cycle-cum-walking lane on each side. The total right of way of the ring road will be 62 metres, according to the MoPPW.

Two major motor bridges will be built between Kalanki and Tinkune, apart from overhead bridges. “These will include pedestrian bridges and flyovers for vehicles at major intersections,” said Sitaula. “The construction will begin next fiscal year and is likely to be completed in another two years.” China will provide 350 million yuans to complete the nine km stretch of the ring road. China has also assured the Nepali government to assist in the development of remaining

section of the ring

road, claimed the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works officials.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City and the MoPPW had permitted Innovative Concept Nepal, a private company, to construct three overhead bridges along the ring road at Kalanki, Balaju and Machhapokhari in the last fiscal year. The construction of the three-storey overhead bridges had begun but a few weeks ago the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee ordered dismantling of the bridges for the development of the ring road. The contractor should demolish the construction on its own expenses as per

the agreement with the

government made last

year, according to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works.

The work to expand road from Maitighar to Tinkune (about 3 km) to six lanes is on. The process to clear the encroached land has been completed, said Sitaula.

Innovative Concept Nepal was also permitted to construct three-storey overhead bridge at Naya Baneshwor, along with the ring road overhead bridges. However, the construction of overhead bridge at Baneshwor is unlikely to happen, said the ministry officials.

10-lane stretch

• Nine km section of ring road between Kalanki and Tinkune to be expanded to 10 lanes

• Chinese govt to fund 350 million yuans

• Construction to begin next fiscal and will be completed by July 2014
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MAOISTS ASKED TO REURN FONDS TAKEN IN NAME OF COMBATANTS
Kathmandu, 8 Dec.:: Parliamentarians have demanded that the Maoist leadership return the money of the combatants retained from them as deposits, Republica reports.

Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, the lawmakers also accused the Maoist leadership of embezzling the salaries for the combatants.

“It is a great frivolity on the future of the combatants,” said NC lawmaker Ram Sharan Mahat, referring to the news “Where is our deposit money, comrade?” carried by Republica on Wednesday.

He argued that it is unethical to retain the money meant for the combatants and demanded that the party immediately return the money to the combatants.

The combatants have sought the return of money the party has kept as "deposits".

The UCPN (Maoist) has been retaining Rs 1,000 from the salaries of each of the 19,525 combatants every month since November 2006 till November 2011.

The combatants were told that Rs 500 was to be deposited as each combatant´s savings, while the rest of the money would go to the party headquarters, the combative outfit Young Communist League (YCL), and to carry out various party activities.

Mahat also stated the Maoists must return the money they received as the salary of around 3,000 combatants who were not there in the cantonments.

Similarly, Ram Nath Dhakal, of the CPN-UML argued that the Maoists should return the money they received as the salary for absent combatants. "The Maoists must not be allowed to go scot-free for the corruption. They cannot be forgiven in the name of peace process," said Dhakal.

Maoist lawmakers, on the other hand, objected to the statement of the Nepal Army that those who defected to the PLA during the insurgency would be court-martialed. “We doubt if the army is under the civilian government,” said Yasoda Gurung from the UCPN (Maoist).

Some lawmakers had opined that term of the OHCHR should be extended till the first general election.
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