UML ANCHAL WORKERS TO MEET IN CAPITAL Kathmandu, 28 June: Opposition UML is holding a camp of anchal workers in the capital Thursday following a national workers’ meet. Senior party leaders, including KP Sharma Oli, Secretary Shanker Pokhrel and other party leaders are to impart training. Dissolution of constituent assembly, review of current political situation and other issues will come up for review. The party is following a split over demands by janatatis and Madeshis for ethnic provinces opposed by the establishment. Nnnn UML MORE DIVIDED THAN EVER ON FEDERALISM Kathmandu, 28 June: The CPN-UML has failed to rescue itself from a morass of intra-party disputes over state restructuring, with the failure of its central committee (CC) to come up with any unanimous official position on federalism, Tirtha L.Bhusal writes in Republica. . After failing to manage intra-party disputes over policy on state restructuring, the UML leaders chose to convene a two-day national conclave earlier this month and subsequently held a central committee meeting, with the objective of forging consensus among CC members on what is arguably the most debated issue before the country. But the outcome was just the opposite. At least five divergent views emerged at the conclusion of the CC meeting and these were officially registered at the party secretariat. Divergence developed over the seven-province model that was endorsed by the CC meeting. The model proposing delineation of provinces on the basis of multiple ethnic identity and with mixed names was prepared by the standing committee and subsequently tabled for endorsement at a meeting of the all-powerful CC. Though endorsement of the proposal was announced at the CC meeting on June 19 at 10 p.m. when many CC members had already left, thinking the discussions would continue until the next day, it was opposed by a significant number right there and then. Some members recorded their differing views by voice while some others officially registered notes of dissent. A group of influential leaders within the party, including Bhim Rawal, Raghuji Pant, Beduram Bhusal, Mahendra Pandey and Guru Baral, strongly opposed the standing committee´s proposal, saying the nomenclature of proposed provinces was not just faulty but objectionable. They fiercely opposed the idea of naming provinces after the identities of some specific ethnic communities. They demanded that the provinces be given neutral names such as Bagmati, Janakpur and Gautam Buddha. The group also suggested going for a referendum to decide grave issues such as the naming of provinces, if need be. Another group of CC members also, including Surendra Pandey, Gokarna Bista, Arun Nepal and Bisham Lal Danuwar among others, recorded notes of dissent against the seven-province model. They objected to the proposal, saying the model could neither address the concerns of dissident leaders from Madhesi, ethnic and indigenous communities nor win the confidence of those who are lobbying for neutral names. Pandey termed the leaders´ proposal impractical. "As per this model there will be at least three official languages in a province," Pandey said. "It will be problematic in practice because citizens in the province concerned will need to learn at least three languages." Such an impractical proposal might lead to the failure of the federal setup, he opined. Yet another group, including Pushpa Kandel and Karna Thapa, registered notes of dissent demanding that the party revisit its stance on going for federalism in the first place. Though only Kandel had officially registered his view against federalism at the party´s general convention in 2009, the number of members lobbying against federalism is on the increase in the UML. "It is true the number of CC members standing against federalism at all has increased significantly in our party in recent days," said Rajan Bhattarai, a youth leader in the party. "They have started to argue that the notion of transforming the country into a federal model has itself proved a failure." Similarly, another group led by party Vice-chairman Ashok Rai has launched a strong protest against the party leadership for not being ready to delineate and name the provinces on the basis of single-ethnic identity. However, party leaders claimed that registering of notes of dissent by various groups would not create any problem in implementing the party´s official position. Party Secretary Shankar Pokharel said it is usual practice in the UML for members to register differing views. "The members who have recorded dissent views have not challenged the party´s formal stance and have wholeheartedly announced adherence to the official line," said Pokharel. According to him, the party´s latest decision has also calmed the anger of dissidents among ethnic and Madhesi leaders. "They have publicly said that the party´s latest decision is a progressive one even though they are not fully satisfied," he said. Bhattarai, the youth leader, said the party leadership had set out its official position as a compromise between two extreme views -- of those lobbying to form provinces solely in terms of ethnic identity and those arguing that ethnic identity shouldn´t be a basis at all. "Coming up with a proposal satisfying each and every member is just wishful thinking," he said. Nnnn FRESH LEASE OF LIFE FOR HOTELS INSIDE CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK Kathmandu, 28 June: Six hotels inside the Chitwan National Park (CNP) that were asked to move out of the protected area by the end of this fiscal year are likely to get a lifeline. Sources at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), said they were positive about the hoteliers call for the extension of the deadline, which is ending in mid-July 2012. The Natural Resources Management Committee of the parliament in 2010 had asked the ministry not to renew their lease contract signed 30 years ago. Though the committee later allowed them to operate till mid-July 2012, referring to the Nepal Tourism Year 2011, it had strictly instructed the ministry to relocate them after mid-July 2012. But responding to the memorandum of hoteliers, who requested the government to extend the relocation deadline, senior MoCTCA officials said they would soon take necessary steps to renew lease contract of the hotels. “Being a ministry overseeing the tourism industry, it is our responsibility to assist tourism entrepreneurs and save their investment," said Mohan Krishna Sapkota, joint secretary at the ministry. “We are positive about their demand and will soon request the concerned authorities for the extension of their lease contract.” Sapkota said the ministry was holding discussions with tourism entrepreneurs and looking a way forward for alternatives. Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) had recently submitted a memorandum to the ministry and Prime Minister´s Office to review the previous decision so that hotels inside the CNP can continue operation. Although their contract is expiring in two weeks, owners of hotels inside CNP have not started preparations for relocation. Hoteliers said they are hopeful that their contract will be renewed. Out of seven hotels inside CNP, six are still in operation. Gaida Wildlife Camp had shut operations about two years ago due to labor issue. The other hotels include Tiger Tops, Safari Narayani, Chitwan Jungle Lodge, Machan Wildlife Resort, Island Jungle Resort and Temple Tiger. The government had decided against renewing lease contracts of the hotels following mounting pressure from environment activists. Hotels inside CNP are widely blamed for degradation of natural habitat of wild animals as well as the environment inside the park. However, hoteliers claim they have been setting unique example of conservation oriented tourism. “After the resorts were established, animal poaching has been reduced greatly. We are contributing toward conservation,” Basant Raj Mishra, managing director of Temple Tiger Jungle Lodge, said. Nnnn UCPN MAOIST MOVILIZING FORMER FIGHTERS FOR NOV. VOTE Kathmandu, 28 June: Unified CPN-Maoist has coordinated former combatants who have opted voluntary retirement from first and second division cantonments to mobilise them for upcoming election, The Himalayan Times writes from Itahari. Unified Maoist today called all the former fighters who support the party in a meeting in Itahari and formed Former People Liberation Army Association, Nepal’s Eastern level Association in the coordination of the then First Division Cantonment’s brigade commander Pasang Sherpa. Organising a press conference, the newly formed Former People Liberation Army Association informed that their objective is to openly involve in politics and build rapport with public. According to Sherpa over 150 former fighters from Kochila, Limbuwan and Kirant State Committees attended the meeting to take leadership roles in different party campaigns. Former vice-brigade commanders Rajan Chauhan, Prakash Rai, Shyambir Limbu and Balbahadur BK were also present during the meeting. The new association claimed that almost all former fighters who have not been in the process of integration are in favour of Unified Maoist. Party leader Himal Subedi said that they have included former fighters in the association so that they can adjust themselves in the society and focus on the productive work. Sources say, the Eastern Regional Committee’s communication office for the former fighters was based in Itahari so that it would be easier for the former fighters to communicate with people. The programme organised in the Itahari-based Gorkha Departmental Store’s hall saw the participation of party politburo member Haribol Gajurel and the then PLA’s spokesperson Chandra Prakash Khanal. Addressing the programme, Gajurel said that if there is an agreement among the parties then the Constituent Assembly could be resurrected. However, if other parties try to split Maoist then the party would work together with indigenous nationalities and declare people-government from the street. Such a declaration would be approved by Baburam Bhattarai-led government, he added. Gajurel went to say that the president could do nothing to the prime minister merely on the basis of support from some parties. Nnnn BRITISH MINISTER HINTS SOME NEPALIS SECOND CLASS CITIZENS; GRILLED ON CONTROVERSIAL DFID FUNDING Kathmandu, 28 June: A visiting British minister today refuted allegations that the UK government funding was responsible for stirring ethnic tension in Nepal, but he clearly conveyed the message of the UK’s moral support for those “excluded” groups waging inclusion campaigns, including a federal Nepal based on ethnic lines, The Himalayan Times reports. Minister for State of the Department for International Development (DFID), Alan Duncan said he wanted “to set the record straight”. He said the DFID—Nepal office was helping Nepal implement its “own commitment on inclusion”. Terming the comments “biased”, he said DFID was maintaining its “neutrality”. He categorically denied it was supporting the ongoing campaigns for federalism based on ethnic lines, but strongly conveyed the message that the voices raised in the campaigns should be heard. “It’s untenable and unacceptable that any society can have second class citizens and I have no doubt that lasting peace will only be achieved when Nepal has a truly inclusive society,” Duncan said addressing a press conference at the British Embassy this evening. Duncan, a gay himself, did not elaborate how some Nepalis were being treated as second-class citizens. Duncan, who landed in Kathmandu for a three-day visit on Tuesday, faced hard questions from scribes regarding the role of international donor agencies, including DFID’s support for indigenous groups who are waging campaign for ethnic rights, including federalism based on ethnic lines. DFID is one of the largest bilateral donors to Nepal. Duncan announced that the UK aid package would hit Sterling Pound 100 million (Rs 14.25 billion) next year. Asked about DFID’s funding for political activities in Nepal, including the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), who had imposed three-day violent strike from May 20 to 22, demanding single identity based federalism, he said “We funded NEFIN projects. We have not funded any political organisation. We had stopped funding NEFIN after it enforced the national strike,” he added. The international community along with donor agencies had maintained unusual silence regarding that NEFIN strike, when media persons were targeted. The British official was trying to clarify that his visit was not intended to meddle in Nepal’s political process. Earlier, the visit of Norwegian Minister for International Development Heikki Holmås was taken negatively by a section of Nepali media and polity. Duncan met the President, Prime Minister, both Deputy Prime Ministers, Finance Minister and top leaders of major parties. In all meetings, he stressed the politics of consensus. “My message has been consistent: we support Nepal, we encourage you to find a solution which will provide the country with political stability,” he said. nnnn