CHAIRMAN REGMI, MAOIST CHAIRMAN DISCUSS FLOOD, LANDSLIDE DEVASTATION Kathmandu, 21 June; Chairman of Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi and Maoist Chairman Prachanda Friday morning reviewed death and destruction caused by this week’s devastating flood and landslides in the far and mid-West. The review comes after Regmi’s inspection of the damage in Darchula and aerial visits of Kanchanopur and Kailali. Regmi was accompanied by senior ministerial colleagues. The team was greeted by sloganeering people who received relief five days after the floods and landslides. Pachanda is the first leader of a major political party to discuss the natural disaster immediately after the monsoon broke over Nepal. Nnnn CABINET DISCUSSING ADDITIONAL RELIEF FOR FLOOD, LANDSLIDE VICTIMS. Kathmandu, 21 June: The cabinet meets Friday to discuss additional relief for flood and landslide victims. The cabinet didn’t meet Thursday. Chairman Regmi and ministerial colleagues were on a visit of the far-West to inspect damage caused by flood and landsides. Nnnn MOTHER, SON DIE IN MOHOTTARI Kathmandu, 21 June: A mother and son died in Sundarpur in Mohottari overnight after consuming poison. Other details weren’t immediately available. Nnnn .; MAOIST REVOLUTIONARY ECONOMIC MANIFESTO Kathmandu, 21 June: The Unified CPN-Maoist is preparing to launch its ambitious plan for economic revolution to, what it says, lead the country to prosperity through production, construction and management, Tika R.Pradhan writes in The Himalayan Times.. The party says it wants to bring about a sea change in the living standards of people, which ‘will help make the country economically independent’. The party says it is planning to launch several large-scale projects in near future with the investment either from individual(s) or the government or the party itself. Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, a member of the taskforce formed by the party to devise plan on production, construction and management, said the party came up with the idea after realising that the general public could not feel the political change in their day-to-day lives. He said the party was mulling over a plan to manage more than three lakhs organised cadres. Though some critics within the party doubt the success of the party’s new approach, most of the top leaders seem to be enthusiastic. “The increasing flow of leaders and cadres into the party from different political forces immediately after we adopted the economic revolution plan is a solid evidence that our line of approach will get overwhelming response,” said Lokendra Bista Magar. “To execute the plan, the party intends to manage three layers — leadership, cadres and general public,” he added. “Collective, modern and professional ways of production only can uplift the living standards of people. The traditional individual method has forced the youth to go abroad in search of jobs.” Magar, who was the in-charge of party’s cooperatives department, said the party will come up with short-term, medium-term and long-term plans soon. According to Magar, the party, when in the government, will implement the policy, and even if the party is out of the government, it will work hard to get its models included in the government policy. Pokhrel said the taskforce has proposed one project each to every Village Development Committee. The party is also working to set up a production bureau. Lower level leaders are not yet clear about party’s policy though, as leadership is yet to work out a concrete plan. Nnnn Kathmandu, 21 June: The international community has been pressuring all disgruntled political forces to participate in the next Constituent Assembly election scheduled for November 19, Lekhnath Pandey writes in The Himalayan Times.. European Union, Japan, United States, Norway, and Switzerland are not only encouraging CPN-Maoist and MJF-N to join the election process, but also piling pressure on them. Though their language has remained diplomatic, it is not without a warning. “CPN-Maoist might face isolation if they do not take part in the election,” one European envoy recently told THT. Former US President Jimmy Carter was the first international figure to warn the disgruntled parties, mainly the CPN-M about having to face ‘legal action’ if it disrupts the election, during his visit in April. In their meetings with Baidhya and Yadav, European envoys have tried to convince them that election is the only way to do away with the protracted political transition. Indirectly, they have even warned of “consequences” and “isolation” if they disrupt or boycott the democratic process. “Our message is clear and loud — election is the only democratic process,” a diplomatic source quoted EU envoys as telling the CPN-M leadership. “We call upon you to take part in this process and ensure people’s mandate.” The envoys also made it clear that CPN-M might have the right to boycott the election, but should not campaign against it. Of late, foreign delegates and envoys have made it a point to call on Baidhya. Envoys of EU countries have already met Baidhya thrice in less than three months. China has observed that CPN-M has no genuine ground to wage another armed insurgency in Nepal, and the party’s only alternative is to start peaceful politics. “The Chinese have conveyed this message very clearly,” said a diplomatic source. In their recent visits to India, UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba were asked by top Indian leaders to put efforts to bring all stakeholders on board the election. Immediately after returning, Deuba met Baidhya and assured he was ready to initiate dialogue on all demands of the CPN-M except dissolution of the election government. CPN-M, has objected to formation of election government under the chief justice, calling it a severe breach of basic principles of separation of powers and checks and balances. It has held that a party-led-government should hold elections, and for that, a round-table conference is necessary. Yadav-led MJF-N has been demanding that Regmi resign either from the post of Council of Ministers or chief justice. Pampha Bhusal, spokesperson of CPN-M, accepted that the international community had made a clarion call on her party to join the election process. “But, we asked them whether in their countries, a chief justice simultaneously held the post of prime minister,” she told THT. She also said that foreign envoys or agencies have no right to ask Nepali political parties “to do this or that”. Madhav Ghimire, Minister for Home and Foreign Affairs, told THT that the government was doing its best to ensure the participation of all political forces in the election. “We have been in close contact with CPN-M leadership,” said Ghimire, adding that currently talks are going on to bring them to the negotiation table. “If they come for talks, they will participate in the election as well.” Nnnn MEDIA GOOGLE “Our conclusion is that this does not only goagainst the code of conduct of judges, but also violates judicial norms and values.” (Democratic Lawyers Association (DLA) reaction after some newly appointed visited UML headquarters for blessings following appointment, The Himalayan Times 21 June) “Instead of curtailing our rights to be affiliated to political parties, the government should ensure whether the teachers perform their duties during office hours,” )Teacher leader Ratna Bahadur Oli, The Himalayan Times, 21 June0 nnnn