DISQUALIFIED MAOIST FIGHTERS DISRUPT LIFE IN EAST FOR SECOND DAY

DISQUALIFIED MAOISTS CLOSE DOWN EAST FOR SECOND DAY
Kathmandu, 5 March: Disqualified Maoist fighters disrupted normal life in the
East for the second day of an indefinite strike pressing four demands demanding, reinstatement, financial aid and other benefits.
The fighters were disqualified by UNMIN which has withdrawn before completing assigned responsibilities.
The combatants were sent out of 28camps because they were child soldiers or
joined PLA after a deadline for qualification as fighters.
The strike didn’t affect the West like as on Sunday.
Nnnn
SPEAKER CALLS FOR UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN
PARTIES

Kathmandu, 5 March: At a time when deep differences have
developed between major parties delaying the peace process and
constitution drafting, Speaker Subash Nemwang told women
lawmakers Monday parties to conduct talks for an
understanding to come to mutual understanding to
break a deadlock.
“Parties should come to a mutual understanding,” he told women lawmakers.
“Parties can came their arty positions. But there should be give and take for a constitution by 28 May,” he said.
Nnnn
SUBSCRIBERS HIT AS SMALL OPERATORS LACK CONNECTIVITY
Kathmandu, 5 March: Smart Telecom (Smart Cell) and Nepal Satellite Telecom (Hello Nepal) have been around for more than two years, but their subscribers cannot call each other. Similarly, subscribers of STM Telecom (Gramintel) and Nepal Satellite cannot make calls to each other. The reason is lack of interconnectivity between these small telecom operators, Ramesh Shrestha writes in The Kathmandu Post.
There is no interconnectivity due to two factors—indifference of the regulator and negligence of the telecom operators. Till now, Smart Telecom, Nepal Satellite and STM Telecom have not established interconnectivity to make and receive calls from each other.
Interconnection in telecommunications is a physical connection between two operators that allows a user from one network to make or receive a call from another operator’s network. The delay in forging an interconnection agreement between these three operators is hurting the rights of over 0.35 million telecom service users. The subscribers of these three phone companies, however, can make and receive calls from the big operators—Nepal Telecom, Ncell and United Telecom. All the operators have to interconnect with each other according to the Interconnection Guideline implemented in 2008.
Small operators admit that lack of interconnection between them is a “serious matter” in the telecom sector. However, they point at each other for the failure to establish interconnectivity for free flow of calls. They also said that the regulator Nepal Telecommunications Authority’s (NTA) regulations regarding interconnectivity were confusing. “Many subscribers are complaining that they cannot make a call to the network of another operator,” said Smart Telecom CEO Subash Bajracharya. He added that it was a bitter fact that they had not been able to make an interconnection agreement even after two years of operation. The company started service in 2010. Following rigorous homework, Smart Telecom and STM have started interconnection service as a trial.
Smart Telecom had 0.21 million subscribers as of mid-January this year as per the statistics of the NTA. Similarly, Nepal Satellite and STM Telecom have 0.13 million and 5,332 users respectively. “We have made many attempts for interconnection with Nepal Satellite,” said Bajracharya. “But they haves not been fruitful so far.”
However, Nepal Satellite said that it was hard to establish interconnection with other small operators for lack of a clear provision from the government in the Interconnection Guideline. “The government has not clearly defined which is the interconnection seeker and which is the provider,” said Mani Chaulagain, CEO of Nepal Satellite. He added that operators were unable to establish an interconnect network as they preferred to be the provider and collect the fee from another company seeking interconnectivity.
Nepal Satellite also said that it was ready to provide interconnection service to any operator approaching it. However, STM and Smart Telecom said that there should be a provision under which both the operators needing interconnection service should invest in the infrastructure mutually. “Two companies needing interconnection have to make equal investments to remove this type of problem,” said STM Telecom CEO Sunil Jakibanja. He added that STM was in dialogue with Nepal Satellite for establishing interconnectivity.










nnnn
FINANCE MINISTER PUN ASKS SAUDI ARABIA TO AMNESTY NEPALI WORKERS
Finance Minister Barshaman Pun has requested Saudi Arabia to grant amnesty to 60,000 Nepali runaway workers and workers with expired visa and offer them at least six months’ time for easy repatriation, The Kathmandu Post reports.
A five-member delegation led by Pun raised a number of issues like necessity of bilateral labour agreement, assistance to open a world class Vocational Training Institute in Nepal for pre-departure training and orientation for migrant workers.
Saudi Arabia has become a major destination for Nepali migrant workers. Currently, around 600,000 Nepalis have been working and around 10,000 are going to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) every month.
During his meeting with Dr Sulyman Al-Turkey, the Deputy Minister for International Finance Affairs at the Ministry of Finance and National Economy, Pun reuested the official not to issue visas to Nepali female workers who work as domestics through the embassies of the KSA in India and Bangladesh. He requested the Saudi officials to open their embassy in Kathmandu and to stop female workers until the finalisation of an agreement between the two countries.
The Nepali delegation also requested the Saudi government to build a rest house in Mecca for Nepali pilgrims.
Pun also extended an invitation to the Finance Minister of Saudi Arabia to visit Nepal.
He also visited the Nepali embassy’s ‘shelter house’ and spoke with some housemaids who were waiting for their early return to Nepal.
Pun had left for Riyadh on March 2 , 2012 leading the delegation that includes Udaya Raj Pandey, Nepali ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Pralad Kumar Prasai, joint secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Lal Shankar Ghimire, joint secretary at the Ministry of Finance.
Minister in Kuwait
In a bid to hold a meeting with representatives of Kuwait Fund, Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun reaced Kuwait on Saturday. Pun will hold bilateral talks with the Kuwait Fund representatives on Sunday. He is scheduled to meet the chairman of the Kuwait chamber of commerce and industry and Kuwaiti private sector entrepreneurs on Monday and discuss possibilities of Kuwaiti private sector investment in Nepal. Pun will also visit the Nepali Embassy and meet representatives of the Nepali community there before his departure to Nepal.
nnnn








UML TOP LEADERS CLAIM INTRA-PARTY DIFFERENCES SOLVED TO STRENGTEN OPPOSITION PARTY





Kathmandu, Mar. 4
The CPN-UML leaders Sunday announced that the party had overcome the intra-party rift and groupism. They also criticised the Maoists and the government for not implementing the seven-point and other deals signed in the past and not moving the peace process ahead honestly, Rajesh Dahal writes in The Rising Nepal.
Speaking at the mass meeting organised here to announce the opening of the National Representatives’ Council (NRC) meeting, the second largest political body of the CPN-UML, the UML leaders delivered the message of party unity claiming that the leadership had succeed to resolve all the internal disputes of the party.
Speaking at the mass rally, party chairman Jhalanath Khanal, senior leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Oli and others said that the Maoists had the key of the peace and constitution writing processes and conclusion of peace was a must to institutionalise the political achievements.
Chairman Jhalanath Khanal said that the party had no groupism and factionalism that had flourished after the 8th general convention of the party due mainly to misunderstanding among the leaders.
He said that the Maoists were trying to capture the state power as they were unable to overcome the hangover of dictatorship.
He said that his party was ready to scarify for peace and constitution and added, "The transitional period will be managed by concluding the peace and statute writing processes."
He said that the Maoist-led government was trying to establish the dictatorship in the country and said that the Maoists should implement the seven-point deal to conclude the peace process.
He said that cooperation and co-work among the parties were essential to conclude the historical tasks of peace and statute.
UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said that the party leadership had started the movement of unity among the party leaders and cadres.
He said that the Maoists had the key of the peace and constitution writing and added that the Maoists should respect democratic norms and values.
He said that concluding peace process was a

precondition to promulgate the constitution.
"It will not take a long time to draft the new constitution but if the Maoists do not become honest to conclude the peace process, the constitution drafting will be delayed," he said.
He said that his party would not accept any types of politicization in the Nepal Army and urged the Maoists to end the politics of weapons and army.
Leader KP Oli said that his party had started the movement of strong unity among the UML leaders and cadres.
He said that the Maoists should end their extremist politics and added, "The new government is necessary to secure the peace and constitution."
UML vice-chairmen Bamdev Gautam and Ashok Rai, general secretary Ishwor Pokharel, secretary Yubaraj Gyawali, UML Kathmandu Chairman Nirmal Kuikel and others stressed that the Maoists should implement the seven-point deal to conclude the peace process and statue drafting.
On the occasion, party cadres demonstrated different cultural performances and marshal arts.
According to UML, the NRC will set the party’s clear stance on the issues of state restructuring, party unity and other contentious issues of party. The representatives of NRC from across the nation would participate in the council.
nnnn

NATIONAL SECURTY POLICY DRAFT AMENDED
Kathmandu, 5 March.:4
A meeting of the Security Council on Sunday decided to amend the draft of the national security policy proposed by the previous government and send it to the Constitutional Council, The Rising Nepal reports.
This is the first Security Council meeting held after Dr Baburam Bhattarai became Prime Minister. The meeting decided to make amends in the earlier security policy draft after consulting concerned experts.
The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Bhattarai confirmed that it is necessary to consolidate the security situation by clearly determining the duties, responsibilities and rights of the Security Council.
The meeting decided to submit the draft of the security policy to the Constitutional Council along with suggestions.
Council member and Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hridayesh Tripathy said that the meeting discussed the democratization Nepal Army and made an assessment of the current security situation of the country.
Nnnn