UPDATE BAIDHAYA GROUP ANNOUNCES DETAILED PROTEST PROGRAMME

BAIDHAYA GROUP ANNOUNCES DETAILED PROTEST PLANS UPDATE

Kathmandu, 23 March: The hardliner faction of the UCPN Maoist has formed alliance with other political parties and chartered out protest programs against their own party headed government, ReportersNepal.com reports.

A meeting of the faction with leaders of various eleven parties concluded with protest programs that they claimed will pressurize the government to conclude the constitute writing process.

According the plans announced on March 31 the alliance will hold signature campaign in all 240 election constituencies across the nation.

On April 2 graffiti will be drawn all across the nation, on April 4 memorandum will be submitted to lawmakers, on April 5 they copies of BIPPA will be burnt, on April 9 protest discussions will be held across the nation, on April 12 torch rallies will be organized through out the nation to protest against corruption, price hikes, violence informed Maoist Secretary CP Gajurel during a press meet following the meeting.

Those to align with the Baidya faction are Matrika Yadav led CPN Maoist, Mani Thapa's party, CPN United, Federal Democratic National Front, Nepal Nagarik Party, Akhil Nepal Adivashi Janajati Mahasangh United, Adivashi Janajati Mahasangh Samajawadi, Tharu Mukti Sangram, among others.
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NO NC PLAN FOR GOVT. CHANGE
Kathmandu, 23 March: Nepali Congress leader Narahari Acharya has said that the his party had no plans to change the government as the peace and constitution was the main agenda of the party, RSS reports from Pokhara.
At a press meet organised in Pokhara on Friday morning by the Nepal Press Union, Kaski, he said the UCPN (Maoist) had made attempts to remove the prime minister to delay the peace process and constitution making.
NC is effortful in bringing an integrated draft of the new constitution by May 27 after the integration of the Maoist combatants, he said, and urged the Maoists not to make any pretext in the way of finalising the peace process.
NC is in favor of federalism that can be sustained by the country, he said, and added that all had agreed on five to seven provinces.
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PEOPLE OF FAR-WEST DEMAND SETI WEST POWER PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
Kathmandu, 23 March: As politicians debate for and against the West Seti Hydroelectricity Project in Kathmandu, local stakeholders in the Far West have started a phased agitation, demanding the project should not be stopped at any cost, Mohan Buda Ayer writes in The Kathmandu Post from Dhangadi.
The West Seti Stakeholder Committee (WSSC) and civil society staged a two-hour chakkajam in Attariya on Thursday. The Parliamentary Natural Resources and Means Committee (NRMC) is currently investigating an agreement between the government and the China Three Gorges Corporation International (CTGI). The panel had questioned the proposed modality of investment and equity sharing in the deal. The agitation, according to the stakeholders, is meant to mount pressure on authorities to start the project as announced earlier.
The project located in Doti and Dadeldhura districts is seen as a crucial one for the industrialisation of the Far-West region. One of the protesters, bus driver Tej Bahadur Ayer, said he is ready for an eight-hour of chakkajam for the sake of West Seti. “But, the project must start at any cost,” he said. The locals are also against politicisation of the project.
Stakeholder committee chairman Ratan Saud said any activity with the intention of stopping the West Seti project will not be intolerable. “People of the Far West, who waited for the West Seti project for 16 years, will intensify their protests if the project does not start,” said Saud.
“People of the affected areas have abandoned their farmlands and houses, while budget for such areas has not been sanctioned for years.”
Bishnu Chand, the general secretary of the WSSC, said the NRMC can investigate without stalling the project. “If project developer—Three Gorges International Corporation—is sent back, we will not tolerate it,” he said.
Signature campaign in Doti
Demanding an end to the deadlock over the West Seti project, locals in Doti have started a signature campaign.
More than 700 signatures were collected on Monday, the first day of the campaign in the district headquarters, Silgadhi. Students, teachers, intellectuals and commoners are active in the campaign.
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