Nepal Today

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

PRACHANDA, SUSHIL KOIRALA MEET

PRACHANDA, SUSHSIL KOIRALA MEET
Kathmandu, 1 Feb.: Maoist Chairman Prachanda and NC President SUshil Sushil Koirala held discussions Wednesday at the latter’s residence.
The meeting comes at a time of deteriorating ties between government and the opposition.
Maoists are leading the government.
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US AMBASSADOR, PM DISCUSSIONS
Kathmandu, 1 Feb.: Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai held
Wednesday held discussions with outgoing US Ambassador
Scott H. De Lisi who has been transferred to Uganda.
They discusses, among other issues, the retirement of former Maoist combatants from cantonments and satellite camps.
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MADHAV REGMI APPOINTED DEFENCE SECRETARY
Kathmandu, 1 Feb : Madhav Regmi was appointed defence secretary by the government Tuesday.
The cabinet transferred 24 secretaries and regional administrators in a sweeping reshuffle
Balananda Poudel was transferred from Energy Ministry to Women and Children Ministry, Pratap Kumar Pantha to General Administration, Purushottam Ojha and Jayamukunda Khanal to the
Office of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Som Lal Subedi has been transferred to Ministry of Labour, Dinesh Hari Adhikari to Ministry of Land Reformation, Sushil Ghimire to Office of Auditor General,
Navin Kumar Ghimire to Forest Ministry, Lal Mani Joshi to Supply Ministry, and Keshav Bhattarai to Ministry of Science & Technology.
Abindra Shrestha was transferred to Ministry of Information, Tana Gautam to Ministry of Culture, Pratap Kumar Pathak to Office of Auditor General, Yagya Prasad Gautam to Office of Public Procurement, Shri Ram Panta to National Information Commission, Shridhar Gautam to Office of Nepal Trust and Suresh Man Shrestha to National Vigilance Center.
The government transferred recently promoted secretaries. Hareram Koirala has been transferred to Ministry of Energy, Tilak Ram Sharma to Ministry of General Administration, Krishna Poudel as Regional Administrator (east), Arjun Bhandari as Regional Administrator (west), Gyan Darshan Udas as Acting Regional Administrator (mid-west) and Dharanidhar Khatiwada as Regional Administrator (centre).
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ANOTHER RS. 250 MILLION TRANCHE FOR NOC
Kathmandu, 1 Feb. The cabinet Tuesday decided to release another Rs.250 million tranche to cash-strapped Nepal Oil Corporation NOC) that was once running n a profit.
The state monopoly is embroiled in corruption and has lately been under the control of Madeshbadi parties.
The government is pumping n nearly Rs 2 billion every month for oil import and distribution of supplies to people in irregularly making life inconvenient with long waits at petrol pumps.
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MADESH FRONT BLASTS NC, UML
Kathmandu, 1 Feb.:: A meeting of the United Democratic Madhesi Front, a loose alliance of Madhes-based Parties and the coalition partner in the incumbent government, today blasted opposition parties — the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML — for working against federalism and accused ‘their’ representatives in the State Restructuring Commission of ‘lobbying’, The Himalayan Times repots.

According to Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hridayesh Tripathi, senior Vice-chairman of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party, a constituent of UDMF, today’s meeting concluded that NC and UML were against federalism and has decided to urge Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to take NC and UML into confidence on several issues, including the January 12 decision to legalise wartime transactions, which has been vehemently opposed by the two big opposition parties. Tripathi also claimed that UDMF had requested Prime Minister Bhattarai to win NC and UML’s confidence before taking such a decision.

Though UDMF meeting today concentrated on lashing out at NC and UML, things don’t seem to be right on track for the government, as chairman of Sadbhawana Party, another constituent of UDMF, today said nobody can save the government in the event of failure to give impetus to the peace process in a month.

Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato, who is also the minister for health and population, today said at an interaction that UDMF would give a month to the government to give momentum to peace and constitution-drafting processes, make arrangements for the ‘bulk’ entry of Madhesi youth into the Nepali Army and bring Bill on inclusion. Mahato was of the opinion that the government’s significance was on the wane with peace and constitution-drafting processes stalled and Madhesi concerns shelved.

Minister Mahato went a step ahead today to accuse Speaker Subas Nembang, Rastriya Janashakti Party Co-chairman Prakash Chandra Lohani and some Madhesi leaders of engaging in bringing division in Madhesi parties.
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MUSLIMS DEMAND SEPARATE STATUS
Kathmandu, 1 Feb.:: The Muslim community has demanded that they be recognised as a separate minority group — not under ethnic Madhesis, The Himalayan Times reports.

The Muslims today threatened to take to the streets if they are not given separate status and the government continues to ignore problems faced by the community.

Muslim leaders, speaking at a programme organised by the Nepal Muslim Ittehad Organisation, said the government needs to take measures to boost participation of the community in all sectors of the country.

The National Muslim Ittehad Organistaion warned of protests if the government continues to classify followers of Islam under Madhesis.

The organisation said it has already submitted a memorandum to the government.

Also speaking at the programme, UML leader Mahamud Aalam said that the community would not remain silent until the governmental ensured propositional representation of Muslims in each and every sector of the state.

He accused the government of failing to recognise 40 lakhs Muslims, saying there was no alternative to protests to air their grievances. “The government’s move to include Muslims in the Madhesi is a ploy to ignore the identity of Muslims,” said Aalam.
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DEUBA FOR CONSENSUS DIVIDED PARTY
Kathmandu, 1 Feb.:- A separate informal meeting of Nepali Congress (NC) lawmakers held at NC senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba's residence in Budhanilkantha has urged that the party should resolve all the pending issues, including the row over dissolution of sister wings and appointments in the party's key posts through consensus, The Kathmandu Post writes..
Over a dozen leaders close to Deuba who spoke during Tuesday's meeting urged Deuba not to agree on piecemeal solution to all the pending issues that have been plaguing the party for long. NC leadership, however, has long been averse to the idea of resolving all issues at one go. The issues concerning election of the dissolved sister wings, appointments in the Parliament Board, which has authority to distribute tickets during elections, appointments in the vacant posts at the Central Committee and other departments of the party should all be resolved together on consensus.
The leaders also made it clear that there is no alternative to consolidating the unity in the party and party President Sushil Koirala had a major role to play.
Deuba himself and leaders including Bimelendra Nidhi, Minendra Rijal, Purna Bahadur Khadka and Binaya Dhoj Chand expressed their views on the party's internal issues and the larger peace process. They said NC should take a more assertive role in the peace process and statute writing. The meeting is said to continue on Wednesday also.
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NEPAL TO GET TWO INDIAN CHOPERS
Kathmandu, 1` Feb.:In its fresh effort to strengthen defence ties with Nepal, India has agreed to provide two helicopters to the Nepal Army, Phanindra Dahal reports in The Kathamandu Pot.
The new aircraft will be provided within this year to replace two five-seater Cheetah helicopters provided by India that are currently grounded. Nepali side had been pushing for the maintenance of those aircraft provided in 2001 to crush the Maoist insurgency then.
Indian Defence Minister AK Antony made a commitment to provide two aircraft during Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar’s India visit on January 17-21.
Briefing the parliamentary State Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Gach-hadar said India was keen to increase its support for the Army. He also informed that Indian Army Chief Gen V K Singh was visiting Kathmandu in the near future to sign a deal on increasing military cooperation.
“The Indian Defence Ministry has committed to increasing its cooperation with the Nepal Army. They
are ready to provide rescue helicopters and vehicles,” said Gachhadar. “A formal agreement on military
assistance will be signed when the Indian army chief arrives in Nepal to attend a regional summit on disaster management.”
The Nepal Army has stepped up preparations to host a regional summit on disaster management and counter terrorism between March last week and April first week. Indian Army Chief Singh along with heads of the military forces of other Saarc countries will attend the function.
The donation of helicopters will be the largest scale military aid provided to the NA after the political change of 2006. India has also pledged to repair the grounded helicopters, according to Defence Ministry sources.
India had scrapped its military assistance to Nepal following the royal takeover in February 2005 and has not supplied any lethal weapons to the NA so far. It had agreed to resume supplies during the meeting of the Bilateral Security Consultative Group held in Kathmandu in 2009.
Gachhadar claimed India has agreed to resume all kinds of defence support including lethal weapons as required by the Nepal Army during his recent visit.
“They are seeking a formal request and are ready to act accordingly,” he said. Gachhadar said Indian Defence Minister Antony noted that the national armies of the two countries have deep and traditional ties and India was ready to strengthen the capacity of the Nepal Army.
During the three-hour discussion in the parliamentary committee, Gachhadar also briefed lawmakers on his visit to China from December 25-30. Mentioning about Chinese Army Chief Chen Bingde’s Nepal visit in March, Gachhadar said Chinese leaders too were interested in expanding cooperation with the Nepal Army.
China had signed a deal pledging logistics worth Rs 1.3 billion for Birendra Sainik Hospital during Gen Bingde’s visit. Gachhadar stressed that cordial ties with both India and China is in the best interests of Nepal.
Meanwhile, the home minister informed that India has expressed commitment to provide three billion to four billion rupees for the construction of an academy for Nepal Police in Kavre. They have been stressing that there should be an Indian technical advisor for the project to be constructed in 500 ropanis already purchased by the Nepal Police.
“Even the World Bank and the Asian Bank appoint advisors by themselves when they execute the project in Nepal,” said Gachhadar. Maoist lawmaker Pumpha Bhusal said appointment of technical advisor from India in ‘sensitive security installation’ would be unacceptable.

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GOVT. RETRACTS DECISION TO RESTRICT INFORAMATION FLOW

Kathmandu, 1Feb : Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai Tuesday put on hold a
government decision to restrict flow of government information amid widespread protests.
The premier announced this at a meeting with journalist representatives.
The government backed out of a government decision when while defending the action saying the action was a follow-up of decisions of previous governments.
Meanwhile, supreme court (SC) Tuesday issued an interim order asking the government not to implement the directive to restrict dissemination of “information of public importance”.
A single bench of Justice Baidya Nath Upadhaya issued a stay order.
The Democratic Lawyers Association filed the petition, accusing the government of violating the Right to Information Act.
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JUDICIAL PROBE STARTS
Kathmandu, 1 Feb.: A judicial probe commission formed by the government to investigate into the murder of NC-aligned Tarun Dal Chitwan President Shiva Poudel in the prison has started its works, RSS reports from Chitwan .

The team that arrived in Chitwan on Tuesday started investigation into the murder case from Bahratpur prison, informed Chitwan Police Chief Bhupal Kumar Bhandari.
A nine-member team including technicians headed by former justice Mohan Prasad Sitaula has begun investigation into the incident.

The team has started acquiring information from eye witness, police and prison employees since Wednesday morning.

Poudel was attacked inside the prison on December 6 and subsequently died while undergoing treatment on
December 17.
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INDIA, CHINA RIVALRY WORRISOME
Kathmandu, 1 Feb.:: Members of the parliamentary State Affairs Committee (SAC) have expressed serious concern over growing competition between India and China to provide security assistance to Nepal, KoshRajKOirala reports in Repblica..

Speaking at a meeting of the parliamentary committee held on Tuesday, committee members criticized the government for not giving due consideration to the national interest while accepting assistance meant for the army and police. They also asked the government not to accept support in sensitive areas like security.

"There has been growing competition between India and China to provide security assistance to Nepal in recent days. I wonder whether our government has paid heed to the national interest while accepting such assistance," said Nepali Congress lawmaker on the committee Arjun Prasad Joshi.

Joshi cautioned the government that acceptance of aid in the sensitive area of security may seriously undermine the national interest. "This is a very sensitive issue. The government should be very careful while accepting such assistance," he added.

The concern by lawmakers comes against the backdrop of both India and China pledging huge security assistance to Nepal in recent years. In its biggest-ever extension of military support, China recently pledged $ 7.7 million worth of aid to the Nepal Army, besides pledging assistance for setting up the Armed Police Force Academy. India, likewise, has pledged assistance for building the Nepal Police Academy in Panauti and provided military supplies as requested by Nepal.

Speaking at the meeting attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense and Home Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, Maoist lawmaker on the committee Pampha Bhusal criticized the government move to accept Indian assistance for the Nepal Police Academy and hire Indian security officials as consultants.

"The prime minister recently announced that we can collect over Rs 6 billion if all government employees donate their salary for one day and seek support from Non-resident Nepalis. We are ready to donate two days´ salary, not just one day´s, to build the police academy," Bhusal said.

Arguing that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had cut short his visit to just four hours from his originally scheduled three-day trip, most lawmakers speaking at the meeting also flayed the government for failing to maintain effective law and order in the country. "Neighboring countries have failed to feel assured about our security situation. This has placed our credibility into question in terms of security," argued UML lawmaker Pradip Gyawali.

Expressing his reservations, Gyawali also sought the government´s clarifications over the proposed Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty that reportedly contains a provision allowing India legal professionals to plead on behalf of Indian nationals in Nepali courts, and over the government´s plan to seek Indian assistance for changing the entire setup of the immigration offices.

The SAC had summoned Minister Gachchhadar to brief it about his recent visits to China and India, amid speculation in various quarters that controversial agreements had taken place during the visits. Lawmakers raised the issues of missing pillars along the Indo-Nepal border, alleged encroachments of Nepali territory from the Indian side, hassles and misbehavior meted out by Indian border security personnel, and the extradition and mutual legal assistance treaty with India.

Minister Gachchhadar clarified to the parliamentary panel that they had not inked any agreement with India or China during the visits.

"While China has suggested to us to maintain good relations with India, India on the other hand has suggested we maintain good relations with China. This is great political magnanimity. My visit has helped further strengthen our relations with both countries."

Home Secretary Sushil SJB Rana informed the committee that during a recently held home secretary-level meeting in New Delhi, agreements were reached with India to conduct regular joint inspections of the border pillars, hold meetings between chief district officers concerned and their Indian counterparts on a quarterly basis, and exchange real-time information to curb illegal activities including smuggling of fake Indian currency in bordering areas.

"The meeting took stock of the security situation. Both sides exchanged their concerns and analyzed recent security trends," he said.
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SRC RECOMMENDS 11 STATES’ DFFERING VIEW PRESENTED
Kathmandu, 1 Feb:: The State Restructuring Commission Tuesday submitted its report to Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai recommending 11 federal states for Nepal, The Rising Nepal reports.
Among the proposed 11 states are Limbuwan, Kirant, Tamsaling, Tamuwan, Narayani, Magarat, Karnali-Khaptad, Mithila-Bhojpura-Koch-Madhes, Lumbini-Abadh Tharuwan, and one additional state for the dalits.
In the 170-page report, the commission gave priority to communities of people accounting for more than 1 per cent of the total population of the country and living in compact settlements while proposing the states, according to a member of the commission.
He said the commission suggested autonomous areas for Sherpa, Jhangad, Urau, Dhimal, Meche, Santhal, Pahari, Yakkhya, and other communities, accounting for less than one per cent of the total population.
Commission chairman Dr. Madan Pariyar said that the report was unanimously written.He informed that notes of dissent from the commission members were also included in the report.
"We all submitted the report together as the commission members and it bears all of our signatures," Dr. Pariyar said.
Refuting the news report that three of the members submitted separate reports, Dr. Pariyar said that not only three members but all others had differences of opinion.
The SRC, formed to submit the report in two months, got a week’s extension to prepare the report.
Members Ramesh Dhungel, Sabitri Gurung and Sarbaraj Khadka were reported to have presented their notes of dissent.
After the submitting the report, Dhungel told journalists that he had differences regarding the number of states, their borders, names, first rights and the right to self-determination.
"Our opinions were also included in the report," Dhungel said.
According to a statement issued by Dr. Pariyar, the report was prepared as per the mandate given to the SRC by the government by making capacity and identity as the bases of state restructuring.
Demanding information about the report of the State Restructuring Commission prior to its submission, Sherpa lawmakers of various parties staged a sit-in and chanted slogans near the Prime Minister’s Office inside Singha Durbar.
As the commission team reached the PMO to submit its report, the lawmakers demanded to know whether it had included the Sherpa state in it or not.
According to lawmaker Lucky Sherpa, security personnel escorted commission members into the PMO.
Sherpa said the lawmakers staged a sit-in
after receiving information that the commission removed the Sherpa and Jadan Pradesh from its report. The Constituent Assembly committee report proposed such a Pradesh.
CPN-UML lawmaker Pasang Sherpa and Lucky were among others in the sit-in protest.
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FORMER MAOIST FIGHTERS RETURNING HOME THURSDAY
Kathmandu,1 Feb.:The release of the combatants opting for voluntary retirement will begin after the coming Thursday, according to the Army Integration Special Committee, The Rising Nepal.reports.
The AISC had earlier decided to initiate the work from Tuesday.
However, lacking logistical preparations, the team assigned to oversee the discharge of the combatants would leave for the cantonments only on Thursday.
According to AISC secretariat member Dr. Shambhu Simkhada the team could not leave for the cantonments in time due to delay in preparing the bank checks to be deposited in the name of the combatants.
Some 7,365 combatants had opted for voluntary retirement during the regrouping.
It would take two more days for the joint secretary of the Peace Ministry and account officer of the Office of the Auditor General to sign the checks.
The Finance Ministry released Rs. 1.97 billion for the combatants.
The government had urged the combatants to open their bank accounts in Agriculture Development Bank, Rastriya Banijya Bank and Nepal Bank Limited.
By Tuesday, over 5,000 combatants opened their bank accounts and provided the AISC their account numbers.
The team would accomplish the task of releasing the combatants in 12 days after it left for the cantonments, according to Simkhada.
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MEDIA GOOGLE
“The people who form the government lose their conscience in lack of consensus from people then resorts to anarchism and censorship of information”,

(UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, 1 Feb.)
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PRESS NION OPPOSES PRESS RESTRICTIONS

PRESS UNION OPPOSES PRESS RESTRICTION
Kathmandu, 31 Jan :: Nepal Press Union has organised a sit-in protest in the Southern Gate of the Singha Durbar, demanding to scrap the government’s decision of information classification, RSS reports..
The journalists demanded to ensure press freedom, and easy excess to the information to institutionalize democracy.
Speaking on the occasion, President of the Federation of Nepali Journalists Shiva Gaunle said easy excess to information was a must to empower people in a democracy, adding that the government’s latest move to classify the information was undemocratic.
Chairman of Nepal Press Union Kiran Pokhrel said the government decided to keep secret information instead of providing the right information to its people, thereby the journalists have been compelled to protest the move.
Likewise, former president of FNJ Taranath Dahal, Chairman of Nepal Democratic Lawyers’ Association Yadunath Khanal, Chairman of Reporters’ Club Rishi Dhamala, among others condemned the government’s move to information classification.
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KHANAL SAYS UML WILL BE LARGEST PARTY
Kathmandu, 31 Jan; Chairman of CPN-UML Jhala Nath Khanal has claimed that the top leaders of the party were committed to making the UML the single largest party by ending factionalism and maintaining discipline, RSS reports from Dhangadi..
“I will not take rest until the UML becomes the largest party. Only UML can lead the nation,” Khanal claimed.
Addressing the UML’s party strengthening and people mobilisation campaign here on Monday, the former prime minister further claimed that the UCPN-Maoist lacks guiding principle and should join the path of UML sooner or later.
As high as 400 UML cadres are present at the program.
During his one and a half hours long speech, Khanal charged that the Nepali Congress has no capacity to address the people’s aspiration for changes while the parties of Madhesi Morcha lack issues relating to nationalism.
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MAHOTO BLAMES SPEAKER FOR HIS PARTY SPLIT
Kathmandu, Jan 30: Chairman of Sadbhawana Party (SP) Rajendra Mahato on Monday has alleged Speaker Subash Chandra Nembang of being supportive to the recent yet another split in the NSP, greatwayonline.com reports.
“Speaker Subash Chandra Nembang, Vice Chairman of Janashakti Party Prakash Chandra Lohani and some of the leaders of Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) are responsible for the party split,” said Mahato while addressing a programme at the Reporters’ Club in the Capital this afternoon.
SP lawmakers Ram Naresh Raya and Gauri Mahato Koiri on Thursday quit the party and launched their own outfit named National Sadbhawana Party.
Mahato reckoned that Nembang should take the responsibility for the party-split. “Anti-Madhes speaker will get no support from Madhes,” he warned.
The Speaker had formed a parliamentary panel headed by Lohani to make recommendations as to what action could possibly be taken against SP lawmaker Anil Kumar Jha, who had been suspended by the SP for his alleged anti-party activities.
Citing that quest for power and prosperity was the ‘disease’ behind the split of the Madhesi parties, Mahato said that ‘greedy and sinner’ have quit the party.
In a different context, Mahato claimed that no one could save the government if no progress were seen in the process of peace and constitution within a month.
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NORWEGIAN MINISTER TO CONTINUE CONSULTATIONS

kathmandu, 31 Jan.: Norwegian Environment and International Development Mnister Erik Solheim will continue consultations with political leaders before concluding a two-day visit Tuesday.
He held discussions with Prime Minster Baburam Bhattarai, NC President Sushil
Koirala and UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal Monday immediately after
arrival.
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Monday, January 30, 2012

PM GREETED WITH BLACK FLAGS IN BHAKTAPUR

BLACK FLAGS GREET PM
Kathmandu, 31 Jan.: Students greeted Prime Minister with black
flags in Bhaktapur protesting hike in prices of POL products Tuesday morning.
He was en route to Nagarkot to inaugurate festival.
Protesting students were affiliated with opposition UML.
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MILK PRICE HIKED
Kathmandu, 31 Jan.: The price of milk was hiked Tuesday by Dairy Development
Corporation (DDC) with immediate effect from Rs 4 to Rs.6..
Half-litre blue and green packet pasteurized milk will now cost Rs 24 and Rs 28 respectively in the Kathmandu Valley.
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FUEL CRISIS ROUNDTABLE 3 FEB
Kathmandu, 31 Jan.: Ministry of Commerce and Supplies is organising a roundtable with all the stakeholders on February 3 to find a way out of the current petroleum crisis, Shiromani Dhungana writes in The Himalayan Times.

“The roundtable is aimed at finding options to cope up with the current fuel crisis,” according to minister for Commerce and Supplies Lekh Raj Bhatta.

Despite the price hike, the consumers are suffering as the state oil monopoly has failed to maintain smooth supply of petroleum products.

The government is also planning to roll back the price hike completely, though, the minister didnot confirm.

The government has last week reduced prices of petroleum products due to pressure from the students’ unions but they are asking for a complete roll back of the prices.

The roundtable will see petroleum business people, consumer rights forums, government agencies and others.

However, the petroleum business people claim that the government is thinking of creating more shortage by not importing fuel to compel consumers tolerate price hike next time soon.

“Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and Ministry of Commerce and Supplies have been asking financial support to establish Price Stablisation Fund but Finance Ministry is not providing the fund,” the dealers said, adding that the Price Stablisation Fund could help in cushioning the price rise.

“The Finance Ministry has already informed the treasury situation to the government,” joint secretary at the Finance Ministry Lok Darshan Regmi said, adding that it cannot provide Rs 5 billion for the Price Stablisation Fund.

The government has not earmarked any budget for NOC in the fiscal policy for the current fiscal year, he added. “However, the ministry will reduce development expenditure, if government decides to do so.”

But Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has already hinted at giving emphasis to the development expenditures. He is also convinced on price adjustment rather than providing any subsidy to the NOC.

Neither the Finance Ministry is providing fund to establish Price Stablisation Fund nor the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies can adjust price, creating a panic situation among the consumers.

The tug of war between the two ministries and mismanagement of the state oil monopoly is going to create more scarcity of petroleum products, president of Nepal Petroleum Dealers’ National Association Saroj Prasad Pande said, adding that most of the petrol pumps today also witnessed long queues.

“The association has a report that the fuel shortage has started to hit the country again,” he added.

The domestic market consumes 17,000 kl petrol; 65,000 kl diesel; 6,000 kl kerosene; 3,000 kl Aviation Turbine Fuel (domestic); 7,000 kl ATF (international) and 12,00,000 cylinder cooking gas, according to the state oil monopoly.

NOC defies NIC directive

NOC defied the directives of National Information Commission (NIC) by not revealing the names of freebies. The commission on January 19 has directed the state oil monopoly to reveal the list of persons receiving free fuel to the chairperson of Freedom Forum Taranath Dahal within seven days. “Freedom Forum will now appeal at the commission for the information,” Dahal said.
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APF DIG MURDERED WIFE IN COLD BLOOD
Kathmandu, 31 Jan.: Police today made a formal announcement that Armed Police Force DIG Ranjan Koirala had premeditatedly killed his wife Gita Dhakal and burnt her body in the jungle of Palung, Makwanpur, The Himalayan Times reports.

Organising a press conference, Kathmandu Police Chief SP Rajendra Shrestha told mediapersons that police had solid and circumstantial evidences supporting that DIG Koirala had committed the murder in cold blood. “We have recovered a wristwatch and an earring from the jungle in Palung of Makwanpur where charred remains of body parts of Gita were found, and they have been identified by Koirala and the victim’s mother Haripriya Dhakal as Gita’s belongings,” said SP Shrestha, dispelling speculations that were rife with reports filtering in that the accused was changing his statements in a bid to make his crime appear like an incident by accident. Reports had it that if Koirala succeeded in giving an accidental colour to his crime, his jail sentence could be reduced by half. With current charges pressed against him, he has to serve 20 years in prison.

“There is no room for confusion. Whatever an accused says to evade justice does not count, what counts is solid and circumstantial evidences that we have and they prove that the murder was premeditated,” said SP Shrestha. Six match boxes, a bottle of petrol and some other materials, in which police believe the body was wrapped, were also recovered from the vehicle Koirala had used to ferry the body to Palung.

Police have also interrogated a shopkeeper in Kalimati where Koirala had bought two jerry cans to fill them with petrol, which he later used to burn the body.

Though evidences show that the charred remains of the body are of slain Gita, a clinical and scientific test is yet to be conducted. Police have referred the sample to Lalitpur-based Forensic Science Lab for a DNA test after TU Teaching Hospital said autopsy was not possible. “We will hand over the remains to Gita’s father and mother for final rites once we receive DNA test results,” said SP Shrestha.

Police have also recorded statements of locals in Palung — Mangal Bahadur Moktan, Kiranman Bal, Surya Bahadur Dong and Sunita Dong — who had on January 21 seen Koirala roaming around suspiciously in the vicinity of where Gita’s body was burnt.

Meanwhile, police said a country-made pistol and five rounds of bullets recovered from Koirala’s house in Ichangunarayan were illegal. Besides these, a Magnum pistol and 127 rounds of bullets were also seized from the house. Investigators said they were trying to establish whether Koirala had licence for the firearm.
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DUBAI SHEIKH DUPED
Kathmandu, 31 Jan.: After duping the Tourism Ministry to obtain operating licence, Dynamic Airlines Pvt Ltd has been found involved in another forgery case in the United Arab Emirates, Sangam Parsai writes.in The Kathmandu Post.
The airlines, whose licence has already been cancelled by the government, cheated Shk Hamad Ali Jabor M AL-Thani of the UAE by selling 80 percent of the company’s shares under the ‘foreign party’ share sales and purchase agreement, a highly placed source at the ministry said. According to him, the ministry received the information 15 days ago.
The forgery case came to light after AL-Thani informally wrote to the ministry requesting an inquiry about the airline, the source added. AL-Thani is associated with the aviation industry in the UAE.
The Civil Aviation Regulation requires Nepali carriers, who seek to go international, to have a paid-up capital of Rs 500 million.
And, the airline might have cheated the UAE national by showing its licence condition in which the paid-up capital figure is mentioned, ministry officials suspected. According to the agreement documents obtained by the Post, the company sold 4 million shares to
AL-Thani.
Anil Bishwokarma Gajmer of Sunsari and Om Prakash Bishwokarma and Thakur Prakash Bishwok-arma of Kaski were the promoters of Dynamic.
The airlines had cheated the Tourism Ministry to obtain licence for international flights in March 2010. As per the rule, an airline aspiring to go international has to deposit a security bond of Rs 5 million, but the airline deposited a bad cheque at the Lazimpat branch of Everest Bank on February 12, 2010, and submitted the deposit slip to the ministry. The ministry then issued it the licence.
However, after knowing about the fraud, the ministry asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) not to issue an air operator certificate (AOC) to the airline. After getting the licence from the ministry, an airline is required to apply for the AOC at CAAN before starting operation.
As per the rule, an airline has to get the AOC within six months after acquiring operating licence from the ministry. And if it fails, its operating licence will be scrapped automatically, which applied in Dynamic’s case.
Ranjan Krishna Aryal, joint-secretary at the Tourism Ministry, said the operating licence granted to Dynamic was scrapped automatically under the terms of reference set by the government.
“As the licence and the company turned invalid automatically, the issue is none of the ministry’s concerns,” Aryal said, adding that the foreign party should have inquired about the company before signing the agreement.
Sources said it was a forgery case and the police could deal with the issue upon the foreign company’s request. However, the ministry official said the airline was not prosecuted on fraud charges even after it was found wilfully duping the government earlier.
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MAOIST COMBATANT DISCHARGE FROM FRIDAY
Kathmandu, 31 Jan.: The Maoist leadership has assured the opposition parties that the discharge of former Maoist combatants opting for voluntary retirement will begin on Friday, said senior leaders involved in the negotiation, Phanindra Dahal reports The Kathmandu Post reports.
UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai have told the Nepali Congress leaders that they would not backtrack from the Special Committee's decision to bid farewell to 7,365 combatants. The opposition parties had grown warier after some commanders of the Maoist army on Sunday pressed the party leadership to ensure tax exemption in cash package and a certificate from the government to the retiring combatants. Both NC and UML have bluntly rejected the possibility of meeting these demands.
"We are cautious and awaiting implementation of the understanding. The Maoist leadership has told us that the process of retirement would start on Friday," said a Nepali Congress leader.
Maoist Politburo member Janardan Sharma also confirmed that the process would start on Tuesday. However, it was not clear whether the tax exemption and certificate issues could delay the process.
"We are ready to start the process from Tuesday. It is the responsibility of the Special Committee Secretariat to make technical preparations required to start the work," Sharma said.
The Secretariat is busy opening bank accounts and readying cheques to be distributed to the retiring combatants.
The work will be completed by Tuesday and teams to execute the farewell process will be ready to leave for cantonments by Wednesday or Thursday, said a Secretariat member. The Secretariat had last month formulated an action plan that outlines handover of account payee cheques to combatants, opening bank accounts and completing work in all seven main and 21 satellite cantonments within 15 days.
However, the army integration process is likely to be stalled until there is a fresh agreement among parties on ranks and some other issues. Though November 1 peace deal stipulates that maximum 6,500 combatants will be integrated into the Nepal Army, 9,705 combatants expressed their willingness towards integration during the regrouping process.
Maoist leader Sharma said the integration process would commence only after the voluntary retirement process was completed. "To start the integration immediately means obstructing the process. There are issues like ranks and bridging course that should be settled at the political level," he said.
Nepali Congress leader Ram Sharan Mahat demanded that Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai instruct the NA to start the integration process. "Both integration and voluntary retirement process should move hand in hand. The Maoists cannot do what is beneficial to them," he said. "They are creating hurdles in each and every step and inclined to bid farewell to combatants because there is cash component," he said.
Bhattarai has reportedly told NC leaders that combatants opting for integration will be handed over to the Army once the issue of rank is settled at the political level. NC leaders have been arguing that the NA should be allowed to decide on the ranks on completion of the bridging course.
'No tax exemption to combatants'
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress leader and Special Committee member Ram Sharan Mahat on Monday said the combatants choosing voluntary retirement should not be exempted from tax.
Mahat's remark comes a day after Maoist commanders demanded that the party leadership ensure that the cash package worth Rs 500,000 to Rs 800,000 be tax-free. "They are not the creatures from another planet. They should follow the law of land and pay tax like common citizens," he said.
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SPEAKER ASKS PM TO BREAK IMPASSE

SPEAKER ASKS PM TO BREAK IMPASSE

Kathmandu, 31 Jan. Speaker Subash Nemwang Tuesday asked Prime Mnister Baburam Bhattarai to intervene and break a deadlock in parliament.
Seventeen of 33 parties in the legislature have been
obstructing sessions demanding government retract a cabinet
decision to seize assets by Maoist parallel governments during the 10-year insurgency.
Maoists leading the government have been sending confused signals.
Maoist Chief Prachanda said clearly n Butwal Monday assets will be returned on condition alternative arrangements are made for farmers.
Parliament session has been obstructed six times consecutively
with opposition vowing to continue disruption until the decision is corrected.
The prime minister has been avoiding parliamentary sessions.
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TWO SEPARATE REPORTS OF STATE STRCTURE BEING PRESENTED

Kathmandu, 31 Jan.: With deep differences between parties
on a federal structure, two separate reports are being presented to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai Tuesday in by a state appointed state restructuring commission (SRC)
Reports of the majority and minority are being presented separately.
Agreement on major themes to be incorporated
in a proposed constitution has been elusive.
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DEUBA CONVENES MEET OF SUPPORTERS

Kathmandu, 31 Jan.: NC senor leader ha s convened
a meeting of his supporters Tuesday at his residence to collect support for plans to
convene a meeting of party district presidents to broaden his influence in the main opposition.
He’s locked in a bitter dispute with the establishment charging President Sushil Koirala for dictatorial tendencies for dissolving elected ad hoc odies of four sister organizations behind the three-time former prime minister.
In protest, Deuba has resigned from the central committee.
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MADESH ANDOLAN NON-POLITICAL SAYS THAKUR
Kathmandu, 31 Jan : Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party chairman Mahantha Thakur Monday said that the Madhes revolution was not for political achievements and added that the revolution was for the social, economic and cultural transformation of Madhesi people, The Rising Nepal reports..
Speaking at a programme at the party office, he said that he was for establishing equality for the Madhesi people.
He said, "The Madhes revolution is not for showing, it was a demand of the nation and no one has the power to stop the revolution."
He claimed that his party had given a high priority to establish the rights of the Dalit communities and stressed that his party was against the caste-based discrimination.
He said that the Dalit communities had played a major role in the democratic revolution in the nation.
He said, "The Dalit communities’ role to establish democracy is remarkable."
On the occasion, 81 members of Dalit communities entered his party and took its membership. During the programme, chairman Thakur welcomed the members of Dalit community.
Meanwhile, RSS adds: Minister for Health, Rajendra Mahato has claimed that his party, Sadbhavana, split to fulfill the vested interest for power and money.
At an interaction at the Reporter’s Club on Monday, Minister Mahato, however, claimed that his party became healthy after it shed off the malaise.
Chairman of the Sadbhavana party, Mr Mahato further accused Speaker Subash Nembang of playing a role to split his party.
The Speaker has a role to split the Madhes-based parties, he said, buttressing the claim, "I punished Anil Jha but Speaker legitimized his defection. Now as well, two CA members from the party walk out, Speaker again legitimized this."
In another context, he said the peace process clogged after the Nepali Congress and UML created impediments to it.
The Madhesi Front forged an alliance with the Maoist party for peace, constitution and Madhesi people.
Responding to a query relating to his recent visit to India, he said. ''I was on a visit to Tirupati. It was my personal visit. I did not meet any Indian leader.''
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PRACHANDA HINTS REVOKING KABD SEIZUREL SAYS BHATTARAI TO LEAD UNITY GOVT.





Kathmandu, 31 Jan.:, UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ Monday said that the government could revoke the decision to legalise land dealings made by the Maoists’ parallel government during the decade long insurgency on condition that the opposition parties like Nepali Congress and CPN-UML put forward alternatives, Chabi Pandey reports isn The Rising Nepal from Butwal .
The chief of the main ruling party claimed the land transactions made during the war was not only the matter of concern for his party.
"The government’s decision on land dealings could be revoked if protesting parties including NC and the CPN-UML come up with viable alternatives that address the problems of farmers," Prachanda maintained.
Addressing a press meet in Butwal organized by the Revolutionary Journalists’ Association, Prachanda, who arrived here today to orient party cadres of the Abadh-Madesh states committees of his party, asserted that the stalled peace and constitution writing process would move ahead despite recently emerging hurdles.
"The process of farewell to the PLA members who opted for voluntary retirement would be initiated from Tuesday and the task of integration and rehabilitation would also be expedited," Prachanda said.
Saying that he had proposed for the formation of the national government with NC and the CPN-UML after the peace process got momentum, the former prime minister clarified that dialogues could be made regarding the leadership of such a consensus government.
He reiterated that Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai would lead the national government if his party was given the leadership of a national government.
However, senior vice-chairman Mohan Baidhya ‘Kiran’ said that talks would be made within the party over the leadership of the government whenever such an opportunity arose.
Restating that he had conditional support to the present government, Kiran said that he had been for the formation of consensus government for long.
"Party will discuss on who leads the national government. There has been no decision in the party that Dr Bhattarai should lead a national consensus government," he said.
Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, who is also Maoist vice-chairman, said the peace process, which had been stalled for three years, got momentum after the formation of the present current government.
Saying that initiatives were taken for the management of the law related to right to information, the Prime Minister said consideration to the privacy of information would as well be given in this regard.
He expressed confidence that the constitution writing process would be moved ahead according to the lately revised work plan.
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PLA MULLS NEW CHAIN OF COMMAND


Kathmandu 31 Jan 30: With 7,000-plus combatants packing up to return to their homes and the old chain of command breaking up, the Maoist PLA commanders have begun to work on alternative arrangements for managing the remaining
Combatants, Kiran Pun writes in Republica..

On Sunday, the commanders held a preliminary meeting to work out a plan for cantonment management, and they have tentatively agreed to shut down two satellite camps under each division, reducing the total number of cantonments from the existing 28 to 14.

There are seven main cantonments and 21 satellite camps where 19,000-plus combatants were housed after their verification in 2007. But the total number of combatants was found to be just over 16,000 during the categorization process, the rest having deserted the cantonments.

Each of the seven main cantonments houses one brigade -- except Shaktikhor cantonment with its two brigades -- and controls three satellite camps each, again except Shaktikhor. Each satellite camp houses one brigade. There are altogether 29 brigades.

"With the old chain of command breaking up, we are planning to reduce the number of cantonments to 14. It is a force whose command and control should be managed immediately," Suk Bahadur Roka Magar told Republica.

On Sunday, during their meeting with the party top brass, the commanders, besides venting their ire for not having been taken into confidence before the decision to release the combatants opting for voluntary retirement, also discussed creating a new chain of command and control under the new circumstances.

The meeting, held at the new residence of Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal at Lazimpat, was participated by Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya and General-Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa.

Altogether 7,365 PLA will leave the cantonments under the voluntary retirement package and the process of releasing them will begin on Wednesday, while 9,000-plus have chosen integration into the Nepal Army Directorate. Only six have opted for the rehabilitation package.

Most PLA commanders from the Baidya faction have opted for voluntary retirement, objecting to the ´humiliating´ integration deal.

What shall we do with the weapons and cantonments?

The PLA commanders have demanded that the party leadership and the government clarify what will happen to the cantonments and the weapons of those leaving for home.

During their meeting with the party brass on Sunday, the commanders had raised this question also.

They said handing over the weapons and cantonments to the government immediately would in principle amount to surrender.

It may be recalled that the keys of the weapons containers have already been handed handed over to the Special Committee, although some of the combatants have been allowed to keep some weapons for perimeter security at the cantonments.

"There will be 14 empty cantonments and the weapons of those leaving for home. Handing over the cantonments and weapons before the integration process will amount to surrender. So, how will you settle these things," a commander asked Dahal.

The top brass answered that they would discuss the issues in depth in the party and with other stakeholders. The commanders had warned the leadership that they were for integration, not for ´surrender´ or ´recruitment´.
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IRD TO BRING PROFESSIONALS UNDER TAX NET
Kathmandu, 31 Jan : As a part of bringing more income groups under tax net, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) is soon initiating a campaign to get high-income earners registered for Permanent Account Number (PAN) and Value Added
Tax (VAT), Republica reports.

“We have credible information that a larger number of professionals with sizable income are not paying tax. We are initiating the campaign within a couple of days to bring them under the tax net," Tanka Mani Sharma, director general of the IRD, told Republica on Monday.

Sharma said IRD will now study whether or not high-income earners like lawyers, medical doctors, consultants, auditors, stock brokers, Lekhandas, professors, and cooperatives have been brought under the tax net. “After conducting the study, we will request those that are yet to be brought under tax net to register for PAN or VAT,” Sharma said, adding: “We will take action against those that ignore our calls.”

IRD will collect data of high-income earners with the help of umbrella organizations of concerned professionals. “We will then match the data with our record of tax payers. This will help us identify those who are yet to be brought under the tax regime,” Sharma added.

Similarly, IRD is launching a campaign within a week to study tax compliance by educational institutions, health institutions, party palaces and house-rent earners. The department is mobilizing 500 persons, including 200 revenue officials, to launch the campaign simultaneously across the country.

"We will first take stock of tax compliance by these firms and revenue mobilized from them. This will help us sort out the firms that are not under the tax net,” Sharma said, adding that the department was also in the process of formulating a monitoring guideline to effectively regulate house rent collection.

IRD has already directed brick manufacturers to register for VAT. It is expected to bring additional revenue of Rs 500 million in the state coffer. Only around 150 of more than 700 brick kilns operating across the country are registered for VAT.

The government has formed an 11-member committee led by Begendra Poudel, joint-secretary at the Ministry of Finance (MoF), to study situation of brick industries and address the demands placed by brick kiln owners, who recently brought brick sales to a standstill for a fortnight. Brick kiln operators have been opposing the department´s directive for VAT registration.
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RESORT OWNERS CONFUSED IN CHTWAN

Kathmandu, Jan 30, As the contract deadline for the tourist resorts inside the Chitwan National Park (CNP) is nearing, the resort owners, employees as well as the tour operators are in
a great dilemma, Ballav Dahal writes in The Rising Nepal..
They fear that Nepal could lose her charm as a much sought-after wildlife tourism destination internationally if the resorts are closed.
In 2009, various seven resorts operating inside the CNP had urged the government for extending a 15-year contract period. But the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) under the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation did not renew their contracts. Consequently, the resorts had to remain closed for some months. The closure of the resorts, including Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge, Temple Tiger Hotel and Hotel Narayani Safari, had an adverse impact on the country’s tourism industry as a whole.
Then, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) under the Legislature Parliament had taken up the issue with much focus on outstanding royalty and tax dues to be recovered from the resorts. After holding a series of meetings with the concerned stakeholders, the parliamentary body, however, was not against the resorts. Also five of them immediately paid their dues to the government.
Later, another parliamentary body, the Natural Resources and Means Committee, thought that the matter was under its jurisdiction. The committee was in favour of closing the resorts. However, with the committee’s consent, the government decided to extend their contracts for a short period as the national tourism campaign-- Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY 2011)—was round the corner.
It is needless to say that wildlife diversity is an exceptional feature of Nepal. After mountaineering and cultural tourism, wildlife safari is considered to be the third prime product in Nepal. More than four decades ago, Nepal pioneered wildlife tourism in Asia with the opening of Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge inside the CNP. In the wildlife tourism circle, the country is regarded as ‘Africa of Asia.’
Because of its significant contributions to promoting the environmentally responsible tourism, quality services and effective marketing, Tiger Tops has now become synonymous with wildlife tourism in Nepal. As wildlife safari started gaining ground in Chitwan, more other resorts were established inside the park during the 1980s and 1990s.
Several other Asian countries such as India, China, Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia have learned from Nepal and developed jungle safari as their new tourism products.
The CNP, which is UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, is the third most popular tourist destination of the country after Kathmandu and Pokhara. More than 80 hotels and resorts are in operation in and around the park. Chitwan attracts a large number of tourists from home and abroad annually. The number of visitors to the park has been on the rise considerably with the start of the peace process in the country.
Since tourism is one of the mainstays of the national economy, the government must think of pros and cons of the closure of the resorts inside the CNP. It should consider the fact that Nepal would have been so popular as a wildlife tourist destination internationally without the efforts made by these resorts.
The government, however, needs to regulate

the resorts and even take action against them if they are not found sticking to conservation rules and regulations. But it should look at practices of wildlife tourism in Africa and other countries where this type of tourism has flourished before taking its decision on the fate of the resorts.
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NEPALI GIRLS TRAFFICKED TO TIBET

NEPALI GIRLS TRAFFICKED TO TIBET
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: Nepali girls are working under vulnerable conditions in different cities of neighboring country, China, a study reveals, RSS reports from Chautara.

Nepali girls have been trafficked to China by luring them of dignified and decent jobs and are forced to work in cabins, restaurants, lodges and dance bars. However, the girls have been barred to return home though they wish so.

The study conducted in Khasa and Kuti of Tibet by Maiti Nepal for a month reveals that among 137 interviewed girls, 50 per cent said they were working under hardships against their interests.

The study further reveals that all the documents of the Nepali girls were taken under controlled by the owners of the dance bars and restaurants, thereby barring the Nepali girls to return home during their convenient time.

The girls shared that getting rid of the Chinese bars and restaurants was far difficult than escaping from the Indian brothels. Most of girls from Tamang, Gurung, Rai and Limbu communities have left for Chinese cities, according to the survey.

Program Officer at Maiti Nepal, Sindhupalchowk, Madan Chaulagain said Nepali girls have been lured to Chinese cities, thanks to high income than the Indian cities. They are provided with Rs 8,000 to Rs 15,000 per month in China.

Girls from 17 districts including Sindhupalchowk, Kavre, Kathmandu, and even Tarai have also gone to Chinese city. Most of the girls are from bordering areas of Sindhupalchowk district including Tatopani and others.

Maiti Nepal has established its office in Kodari from Friday aiming to bar the Nepali girls from going in Chinese cities for doing risky jobs, said Chaulagain.

Meanwhile, a campaign has been started in Dhunche VDC, the district headquarters of Rasuwa district, to control human trafficking in the VDC.

Speaking at a program, stakeholders concerned said that conducting training and income generating programs, and establishment of foreign employment center and conducting integrated programs would help stop the human trafficking.
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UML’S OLI FOR NATIONAL GOVT.
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: Leader of the CPN-UML KP Sharma Oli on Monday has accused the Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai of impeding the formation of national consensus government, RSS reports from Kailali.

Talking briefly to media person here today, Oli said, “Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai should step down at the earliest to pave the way for a national unity government.” Oli has arrived in Kailali today to participate at a program organised by the UML.

Oli further said that people should be provided with right to information and charged the government over its effort for classification of information.

Chairman of the party Jhala Nath Khanal, Vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam, General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel, leaders Oli, Bhim Rawal, among others, are scheduled to address the gathering in Dhangadhi of Kailali district this afternoon
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STUDENTS DEFECT TMDP IN KAILVASTHU-
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: As many as 150 students including District Chairperson of Terai-Madhes Students Front – a student wing of Terai-Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) – have announced quitting the party, RSS reports from Kapailvasthu.
They made this announcement at a press conference on Sunday.
Those deserting the TMDP are, the Front’s Kapilvastu District Chairperson Kamalesh Sharan Chaudhary, Free Students' Union Chairperson of Kapivastu multiple campus, Gayadin Kurmi, senior vice-chairperson Ram Sharan Chaudhary, constituency chairperson Abadhram Yadav, among others.
On the same occasion, they said that growing favoritism, nepotism and despotism practiced within the party, enticed them to take this move.
They would not enter any party at the moment, informed the quitters. RSS
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PEACE. CONSTITUTION ENDAGERED WARNS DEUBA
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: Nepali Congress senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that peace and constitution were in danger as the UCPN (Maoist) did not implement past agreements, RSS reports from Chitwan..
At a press meet organised by the Chitwan chapter of Nepal Press Union in Bharatpur on Monday, Deuba said political obstruction was created in the country after the Maoists did not implement the seven-point agreement of late.
He further said internal disputes in his party should be resolved respectfully.
Deuba claimed that internal disputes in the party had come out due to dissolution of the sister organisations contrary to the earlier agreement made while uniting the party.
Deuba opined that all the 75 districts should be made as provinces if there was no agreement among political parties on state restructuring.
He added that the 75-province-option would be better if no agreement was forged on it.
As for form of governance, it is better to choose a constitutional president and prime minister from the parliament, Deuba said.
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TOP MAOIST LEADERSHIP IN BUTWAL
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: Top guns of the UCPN (Maoist) on Monday have reached Butwal in order to take part in a training of party cadres, greatwayonlime.com reports.
Maoist Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal, Vice Chairman and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and senior Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya reached Butwal today morning to train the cadres of Abadh Madhes Rajya Samiti and Prabas Rajya Samiti.
Top brass are slated to impart training on party unity, party’s action plan and future policy. Maoist politburo member and Abadh Rajya Samiti incharge Devendra Poudel said the programme would convey message of unity in the party which was once heading for imminent split.
It is learnt that around 400 Maoist cadres are present in the programme.
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WOMAN KILLED IN DANG BUS ACCIDENT
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: A woman was killed and 14 were injured on the
on the Ghorai-Lamahi road section of Musot khola in Dang Monday.

A passenger bus heading vehicle for Nepalgunj plunged 50 meters off the road kllling Maya Dahal
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SPEAKER ALSO SEEKS REVIEW OF SUPREME COURT ACTION
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: Speaker Subash Nemwang Sunday asked for a review of the action of supreme court registrar in the last week of December 2011 not to admit application for a review of a apex court decision the current extension until the end of May would be the last.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai also registered an application for such a review.
The supreme court registrar rejected earlier requests of Office of the Prime Minister and Parliament.
Nemwang registered the application even as he wasi the top court verdict should be honoured.
Nemwang sought the review by a five-member full bench
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CONTROVERSIAL NORWEGIAN MINISTERARRIVES MONDAY
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: Controversial Norwegian Minister for
Environment and International Development Erik Solheim with close links with Nepal’s communists arrives Monday for a two-day visit.
He’s controversial for his and his Scandinavian country’s direct interference in Nepal’s internal politics through use of money power and statements.
Solheim boasted of keeping touch with Maoists, declared terrorists, then in the ‘jungle of Nepal’ when Prachanda said he admitted he directed the war from across the urban jungle in India.
Norway kept contacts with Maoists even while
maintaining relations with government.
Nepali leaders have revealed top Maoist leadership was living in New Delhi’s outskirts protested by India.
The Norwegian minister arrives at a time when there deep differences in the Maoist party and Maoist relationship with opposition is at its worst
derailing the peace and constitution drafting processes.
The oil-rich country has been funding and assembling the civil
society movement which is now quiet.
Despite its midget status on the world arena, the country has been attempting to play a role in international politics by fishing in troubled states and attempting to Norway
The result if there for all to see in Nepal
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GOLD IMPORT SLIPS
Kathmandu, 330 Jan.: Gold import has plunged by almost three times in last three years.

“The country imported Rs 9.87 billion worth gold in the first five months of the current fiscal year compared to Rs 25.54 billion in the same period of fiscal year 2009-10,” according to the central bank, The Himalayan Times reports.

However, in the same period last fiscal year, the precious yellow metal has seen a whopping drop to Rs 1.33 billion due to government ban on the import that has hit the dollar reserve due to cross border flow at the cost of import duty difference.

Currently, the domestic market is witnessing a shortage of the gold fuelling the price despite the price in the international market has been decreasing.

“The banks are not been able to supply according to the market demand fuelling the price in the market,” Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers Association president Tej Ranta Shakya said, adding that Nabil Bank’s 50 kg gold was sold out in an hour on Wednesday and Prime Commercial Bank’s 50 kg was also sold out on Thursday and on Friday there was no gold in the market that has put pressure on price today.

The precious yellow metal was traded at Rs 54,000 for a tola (11.664 gram) today.

“Despite rising price, the domestic market’s appetite has started to increase also due to marriage season,” he added.

Similarly, gold had another positive year in the international market, ending nine per cent higher in US dollar price terms and rising even further in most currencies, according to World Gold Council report 2011.

In spite of an interim increase in volatility, which affected all financial markets, gold outperformed a large number of asset classes – reinforcing its role as a foundation asset in portfolio construction, it said, adding that gold provided liquidity when investors needed it the most, acting as a risk management vehicle and also served as a currency hedge throughout the year, in particular against the US dollar.

While such inverse relationship pushed gold prices down toward the end of 2011, in part driven by profit taking and portfolio rebalancing, it is believed that gold fundamentals of supply and demand remain robust, according to the report that expect it continue to support its demand.

After a tumultuous year in financial markets around the world, gold was one of few asset classes to deliver positive returns.

Gold’s price appreciation was generally higher in currencies other than the US dollar, especially in developing markets, with the exception of China, as they saw marked declines of their currencies against the US dollar in the latter part of the year.

True to its role as a vehicle for diversification and risk management, gold outperformed a large majority of assets, including oil, on a risk-adjusted basis during a year of marked uncertainty and increased volatility. However, gold’s performance was not all smooth sailing throughout the year, particularly during the latter months.

Many investors saw gold as one of the few assets able to preserve capital and protect against tail risks, increasing their participation in the market especially during the summer and by early August, gold had broken the $1,800 per ounce level and reached a record high of $1,895 per ounce on the London PM fix on September 6, having traded as high $1,921 per ounce intra-day.

In all, gold’s price pullback of 15 per cent was labeled by some commentators as a break in gold’s multi-year trend. On the contrary, a careful analysis of gold’s historical performance shows that it has experienced various pullbacks over the last 10 years.
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TOURISM ENTREPRENEURS ASK GOVT. TO BE TRANSPARENT
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: Tourism entrepreneurs today asked the government to make the member selection process in Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) transparent. During a meeting with the minister Lokendra Bista Magar representatives from tourism associations including HAN, NATTA, NATO, TAAN, NMA, PATA Nepal Chapter, HRA, NARA, and Reban insisted on reshuffling the current board member, The Himalayan Times reports.

“We have submitted a memorandum to the tourism minister urging him to revise the member selection process of the board,” said president of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (PATA) Pabitra Kumar Karki. “We want two representatives from the private sectors to be included in the selection committee,” he said, adding that the representatives will be selected by the entrepreneurs instead of the government.

The government has selected two members from the private sector in the board but the incumbent two members went to court challenging the government decision as according to them their term has not expired. Karki also said that the tourism entrepreneurs will coordinate among themselves to request two members to resign from the disputed board.

NTB consists of 11 board members, five each from the private and public sectors, as it was established under a public private partnership model. The members from the government are the permanent ones, while the members from private sector will have three years term.

Meanwhile, the dispute has delayed the chief executive selection process
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GOVT. ENTICEMENT FOR SQUATTERS TO VACATE
Kathmandu, 30Jan.: The government has loosen purse strings for squatters by deciding to pay house rents to those who have registered themselves as the landless people, The Kathmandu Post reports.
A meeting of the taskforce formed to evict the people residing on the encroached banks of rivers of the Valley with Home Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar on Saturday made the decision to this effect.
According to taskforce coordinator Mahesh Bahadur Basnet, out of 8,000 residing alongside river banks 1,082 will receive house rents for three months as a temporary measure to bail out the genuine squatters. The government is fixing the rent amount on Sunday.
“This is just a temporary solution. The long term settlement arrangement will be made in accordance with the recommendations of National Squatter Commission,” said Basnet.
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26 INVOLVED IN STEALING NAC SPAREPARTS
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: A high-level committee formed to investigate a series of controversies at the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), including the mysterious disappearance of aircraft parts, has recommended departmental action against 26 officials, The Kathmandu Post reports.
Though the Tourism Ministry has not revealed the names of the people involved, sources said eight NAC engineers, three TIA Customs officials and senior officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) are among those against whom action has been sought.
The Tourism Ministry had formed a four-member high-level committee headed by Joint Attorney General Thok Prasad Siwakoti to investigate the series of mysterious disappearances of vital parts of NAC aircraft on December 4, 2011. The NAC management had turned to the government for help after its investigations turned up blank. The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had also sought strong action against the culprits.
There had been three major thefts at the NAC last year, in which flying kits, tyres of its Boeing aircraft and landing gear of a Twin Otter aircraft disappeared mysteriously, resulting in losses of Rs 150 million. There also were cases of fake appointment given to Indian nationals as ground support staff.
The report prepared after a 51-day investigation revealed that there was involvement of staff ranging from loaders to directors of Tourism Ministry agencies in all these cases. Ministry sources said the report has revealed that those involved in the theft of te fly away kit of the NAC’s Boeing 757 and tyres of its Boeing aircraft are the same people. “The report has named three officials were involved in both the crimes,” a source at the ministry said.
In the theft of the landing gear of the Twin Otter, the report said three staffers from the TIA Customs were guilty. The report, according to sources, has also indicted senior NAC officials in the case of the landing gear theft. The two main landing gears of its Twin Otter DHC-6 brought after repairs were taken by NAC officials, according to the report.
Tourism Minister Lokendra Bista Magar said the guilty will be asked to clarify on why the government should or should not punish them before issuing a final verdict. “All those involved in the theft will not be spared. I have directed the authority concerned to book them at any cost,” he said. Despite Minister Magar talking tough, sources say the Toursim Ministry might opt for softer action like warning the officials.
The 74-page report has suggested that the NAC communicate with aircraft manufacturers and aircraft parts suppliers through the CAAN over the lost fly away kit. It has also asked the NAC to update its inventories at its engineering department and seek compensation of the lost kits through an insurance company.
Regarding the landing gear assembly disappearance, the report has recommended that goods should be brought in and out through a one-door system at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in the future.
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PM BHATTARAI AGAIN BOYCOTTS SAHID GATE

MARTYRS DAY OBSERVED

Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: The sacrifice of four persons martyred during the movement to topple the 104-year old Rana regime were remembered Monday declared a public holiday.
No official celebrations were held lat the Sahid Gate where the supreme court
has put on hold a cabinet decision to remove the bust of King Tribhuvn atop the marble gate to Narayanhiti amid public criticism of the government action.
The busts of the four martyrs are placed at the Gate.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai again avoided paying respects to the martyrs
there repeating his action five months ago when he was appointed prime minister.
Bhattarai then went to Kirtipur to remember martyrs.
The premier Monday wnt to a Saheed Memorial Park in Lainchaur Monday,
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BUDDHA AIR FLYING TO VARANASI

Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: Private carrier Buddha Air is flying to Varanasi, its third international destination, from 1 March.
The airline will operate four weekly flights between the capital and the holy city in India’snorth Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
One way fare inclusive of tax Rs. 5,031.
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VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT DELAYED BY A DAY
Kathmandu, 30Jan.: Jan 30: The secretariat for the Special Committee has revised its plan to start the much-awaited release of Maoist combatants who have chosen voluntary retirement and decided to begin the process from Wednesday due to delay in getting the money from the Ministry of Finance. Initially, the secretariat had plan to start the process from Tuesday, Republica reports.

"We are not going to start the process Tuesday as initially planned as we could not complete the banking works," said a knowledgable source at the secretariat preferring anonymity.

The secretariat got Rs 1.97 billion from the Ministry of Finance only at 4 pm Sunday and the secretariat was able to open bank account at the Agricultural Development Bank, Nepal Bank Limited and Rastriya Banijya Bank within the office time, the source added.

The source said that the secretariat has to prepare all the checks to be issued to the 7,365 combatants who have opted for voluntary retirement in Kathmandu as visiting survey teams cannot take along blank checks and issue them to the combatants in the cantonments concerned.

"The checks need to be prepared in Kathmandu and it is also going to take time. We will have to wait until Tuesday for the works to be completed as Monday is a public holiday," said the source, Republica.
Kuran Pun Adds: Combatants await 'uncertain' retirement
Maoist PLA combatants who have chosen voluntary retirement during the recent categorization process are still uncertain about whether they will be sent home as announced by the government.

They said they have not yet been officially informed about the recent government announcement. Only last Friday, they heard over the radio about the government plan to send them home.

But most of the combatants, who have registered themselves for voluntary retirement are mentally prepared for leaving the cantonments and starting a civilian life afresh back home hoping that the retirement process due to begin Tuesday won´t be stalled yet again.

The combatants are now busy packing, meeting comrades and phoning others living in other cantonments to say their final good-bye.

A total of 7,365 fighters have opted for voluntary retirement during the categorization process.

As their parting time is approaching soon, the combatants have a mixed feeling about their future. While they are excited about reuniting with their family members, they say it is painful to part with the comrades alongside whom they fought the decade-long war and lived together in cantonment for the past five years.

Most of the combatants share that their last five years spent in the cantonments were a waste. They said the years were spent amid uncertainties and they just waited for the time to pass. But now, something is seriously holding them back. As a matter of fact, several fighters grew liking each other, fell in love and even got married during the wartime. Also indelibly printed on their mind is the pain that they got when they had to bid farewell to their comrades being labeled ´disqualified´ by UNMIN.

"Right now, I´m busy meeting my comrades and packing my luggage," Deependra Kumar Gharti Magar, Brigade Vice-commander, PLA Fifth Division Dahaban, Rolpa, told Republica.

Gharti joined the PLA in 1999 leaving his medical profession in his native village of Korchabang, Rolpa, with a dream of a building an "egalitarian new Nepal". He played triple role in the war as a health worker, an artist and a fighter in fatigues.

Gharti said he had a dream to create a new classless society. "Though the dream has been shattered it has not faded away yet. That is going to happen, for sure," he said. "If the Maoist party failed to deliver this promise, some other new party will come up. It´s just a matter of time."

Like his comrades, Bikash Malla, a platoon commander, also remained busy making farewell calls to his comrades before packing his luggage Saturday.

Some PLA commanders and members however expressed ignorance about the government decision to send them home. And they even expressed doubt about the government announcement as a similar announcement earlier was not implemented.

"Last time also, the government announced that we would be sent home, but that did not happen. I don´t know what will happen this time. I have not been offcially notified about the government decision yet," Holika KC, brigade vice-commander at fifth division, told Republica.

Fifth division vice-commander Ram Lal Roka Magar; Bhaktaraj Thapa Magar, battalion vice-commander of third division; and Lal Kiran Roka Magar, battalion commander of fourth division, also said they have not been informed about the government decision yet. "I don´t see any possibility of sending combatants home unless there is a clear agreement on rank harmonization," Bhakta claimed.

Even fifth division commander Ram Lal shared his frustration for he has not yet been informed officially about the govenrment decision.

Ram Lal said they have put forth various demands before party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. They said they want all the money they are to receive in lump sum, a letter of appreciation and that the demands of the injured and physically disabled fighters should be met.

"The government plan on voluntary retirement could face strong rejection in the cantonments if our demands are not met. We will take a decision after holding discussions among comrades," said Ram Lal.

What are their plans?

"I have worn guns for the most part of my life. Now I would like to see what can I do with a pen," Malla revealed his plan. He said he will join university to pursue a bachelor´s degree. The security forces had detained him back in 2001 when he was in Musikot, the district headquarters of Rukum, pursuing his secondary education. He joined the Maoist PLA after his release.

Lal Kiran, who is also a member of Ajammari People´s Commune, Thabang, Rolpa, said he will start a medicinal herbs farm back in his home village. "I´ve no desire to join the party. I see no hope in the plans the party has made for us," he said expressing his frustration toward the Maoist party.

However, Thapa Magar, KC, Ram Lal and Deependra said they will actively involve themselves in Maoist party politics.
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________________________________________



DISSENTING SRC MMBERS TO MAKE PUBLIC THEIR POSITIONS
Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: Dissenting members of State Restructuring Commission (SRC) have decided to go to the public separately with their stance on state restructuring alleging that majority members of the Commission refused to incorporate their views in the main report, Republica reports.

According to political sources, three of the eight members, Ramesh Dhungel and Sabitri Gurung of Nepali Congress and Sarba Raj Khadka of UML, in the Commission are preparing to make public their report separately claiming that other members “ignored” their views and prepared the report “unilaterally”.

The other members of the SRC include Malla K Sundar and Stella Tamang from the Maoists and Krishna Hachhethu and Surendra Mahato from United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF).

The dissenting members are in minority after one of the UML appointees in the Commission Bhogendra Jha allegedly sided with the Maoists and the UDMF.

The Commission´s official report is reportedly proposing creation of 10 provinces and one non-geographical province, something dissenting members from the NC and UML are opposed to. The dissenting members are in favor of creating only six provinces.

Likewise, the Committee members are at odds over whether or not the states should be federated based on ethnic lines. Majority members in the Commission are in favor of creating 11 states including one non-geographical state based on ethnic lines.

A political source said the Commission members have proposed entire Tarai as single Madhes state with a sub-state in it. The Commission members are also sharply divided over whether to delineate states on north-south basis.

As its extended deadline is expiring on February 1, the Commission is mired in controversy. “The report to be presented by the commission is only likely to trigger controversies instead of offering solutions,” said the source.

“Many of the issues settled earlier in the CA committees reemerged during the Commission´s deliberations.”
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________________________________________

KIRANPUN ADDS IN REPUBLICA: COMBATANTS AWAIT UNCERTAIN RETIREMENT

Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: Jan 30: Maoist PLA combatants who have chosen voluntary retirement during the recent categorization process are still uncertain about whether they will be sent home as announced by the government.

They said they have not yet been officially informed about the recent government announcement. Only last Friday, they heard over the radio about the government plan to send them home.

But most of the combatants, who have registered themselves for voluntary retirement are mentally prepared for leaving the cantonments and starting a civilian life afresh back home hoping that the retirement process due to begin Tuesday won´t be stalled yet again.

The combatants are now busy packing, meeting comrades and phoning others living in other cantonments to say their final good-bye.

A total of 7,365 fighters have opted for voluntary retirement during the categorization process.

As their parting time is approaching soon, the combatants have a mixed feeling about their future. While they are excited about reuniting with their family members, they say it is painful to part with the comrades alongside whom they fought the decade-long war and lived together in cantonment for the past five years.

Most of the combatants share that their last five years spent in the cantonments were a waste. They said the years were spent amid uncertainties and they just waited for the time to pass. But now, something is seriously holding them back. As a matter of fact, several fighters grew liking each other, fell in love and even got married during the wartime. Also indelibly printed on their mind is the pain that they got when they had to bid farewell to their comrades being labeled ´disqualified´ by UNMIN.

"Right now, I´m busy meeting my comrades and packing my luggage," Deependra Kumar Gharti Magar, Brigade Vice-commander, PLA Fifth Division Dahaban, Rolpa, told Republica.

Gharti joined the PLA in 1999 leaving his medical profession in his native village of Korchabang, Rolpa, with a dream of a building an "egalitarian new Nepal". He played triple role in the war as a health worker, an artist and a fighter in fatigues.

Gharti said he had a dream to create a new classless society. "Though the dream has been shattered it has not faded away yet. That is going to happen, for sure," he said. "If the Maoist party failed to deliver this promise, some other new party will come up. It´s just a matter of time."

Like his comrades, Bikash Malla, a platoon commander, also remained busy making farewell calls to his comrades before packing his luggage Saturday.

Some PLA commanders and members however expressed ignorance about the government decision to send them home. And they even expressed doubt about the government announcement as a similar announcement earlier was not implemented.

"Last time also, the government announced that we would be sent home, but that did not happen. I don´t know what will happen this time. I have not been offcially notified about the government decision yet," Holika KC, brigade vice-commander at fifth division, told Republica.

Fifth division vice-commander Ram Lal Roka Magar; Bhaktaraj Thapa Magar, battalion vice-commander of third division; and Lal Kiran Roka Magar, battalion commander of fourth division, also said they have not been informed about the government decision yet. "I don´t see any possibility of sending combatants home unless there is a clear agreement on rank harmonization," Bhakta claimed.

Even fifth division commander Ram Lal shared his frustration for he has not yet been informed officially about the govenrment decision.

Ram Lal said they have put forth various demands before party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. They said they want all the money they are to receive in lump sum, a letter of appreciation and that the demands of the injured and physically disabled fighters should be met.

"The government plan on voluntary retirement could face strong rejection in the cantonments if our demands are not met. We will take a decision after holding discussions among comrades," said Ram Lal.

What are their plans?

"I have worn guns for the most part of my life. Now I would like to see what can I do with a pen," Malla revealed his plan. He said he will join university to pursue a bachelor´s degree. The security forces had detained him back in 2001 when he was in Musikot, the district headquarters of Rukum, pursuing his secondary education. He joined the Maoist PLA after his release.

Lal Kiran, who is also a member of Ajammari People´s Commune, Thabang, Rolpa, said he will start a medicinal herbs farm back in his home village. "I´ve no desire to join the party. I see no hope in the plans the party has made for us," he said expressing his frustration toward the Maoist party.

However, Thapa Magar, KC, Ram Lal and Deependra said they will actively involve themselves in Maoist party politics.
Kiran Pun adds: Maoist PLA combatants who have chosen voluntary retirement during the recent categorization process are still uncertain about whether they will be sent home as announced by the government.

They said they have not yet been officially informed about the recent government announcement. Only last Friday, they heard over the radio about the government plan to send them home.

But most of the combatants, who have registered themselves for voluntary retirement are mentally prepared for leaving the cantonments and starting a civilian life afresh back home hoping that the retirement process due to begin Tuesday won´t be stalled yet again.

The combatants are now busy packing, meeting comrades and phoning others living in other cantonments to say their final good-bye.

A total of 7,365 fighters have opted for voluntary retirement during the categorization process.

As their parting time is approaching soon, the combatants have a mixed feeling about their future. While they are excited about reuniting with their family members, they say it is painful to part with the comrades alongside whom they fought the decade-long war and lived together in cantonment for the past five years.

Most of the combatants share that their last five years spent in the cantonments were a waste. They said the years were spent amid uncertainties and they just waited for the time to pass. But now, something is seriously holding them back. As a matter of fact, several fighters grew liking each other, fell in love and even got married during the wartime. Also indelibly printed on their mind is the pain that they got when they had to bid farewell to their comrades being labeled ´disqualified´ by UNMIN.

"Right now, I´m busy meeting my comrades and packing my luggage," Deependra Kumar Gharti Magar, Brigade Vice-commander, PLA Fifth Division Dahaban, Rolpa, told Republica.

Gharti joined the PLA in 1999 leaving his medical profession in his native village of Korchabang, Rolpa, with a dream of a building an "egalitarian new Nepal". He played triple role in the war as a health worker, an artist and a fighter in fatigues.

Gharti said he had a dream to create a new classless society. "Though the dream has been shattered it has not faded away yet. That is going to happen, for sure," he said. "If the Maoist party failed to deliver this promise, some other new party will come up. It´s just a matter of time."

Like his comrades, Bikash Malla, a platoon commander, also remained busy making farewell calls to his comrades before packing his luggage Saturday.

Some PLA commanders and members however expressed ignorance about the government decision to send them home. And they even expressed doubt about the government announcement as a similar announcement earlier was not implemented.

"Last time also, the government announced that we would be sent home, but that did not happen. I don´t know what will happen this time. I have not been offcially notified about the government decision yet," Holika KC, brigade vice-commander at fifth division, told Republica.

Fifth division vice-commander Ram Lal Roka Magar; Bhaktaraj Thapa Magar, battalion vice-commander of third division; and Lal Kiran Roka Magar, battalion commander of fourth division, also said they have not been informed about the government decision yet. "I don´t see any possibility of sending combatants home unless there is a clear agreement on rank harmonization," Bhakta claimed.

Even fifth division commander Ram Lal shared his frustration for he has not yet been informed officially about the govenrment decision.

Ram Lal said they have put forth various demands before party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. They said they want all the money they are to receive in lump sum, a letter of appreciation and that the demands of the injured and physically disabled fighters should be met.

"The government plan on voluntary retirement could face strong rejection in the cantonments if our demands are not met. We will take a decision after holding discussions among comrades," said Ram Lal.

What are their plans?

"I have worn guns for the most part of my life. Now I would like to see what can I do with a pen," Malla revealed his plan. He said he will join university to pursue a bachelor´s degree. The security forces had detained him back in 2001 when he was in Musikot, the district headquarters of Rukum, pursuing his secondary education. He joined the Maoist PLA after his release.

Lal Kiran, who is also a member of Ajammari People´s Commune, Thabang, Rolpa, said he will start a medicinal herbs farm back in his home village. "I´ve no desire to join the party. I see no hope in the plans the party has made for us," he said expressing his frustration toward the Maoist party.

However, Thapa Magar, KC, Ram Lal and Deependra said they will actively involve themselves in Maoist party politics.
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NEW LOOK FOR NEW ROAD, DURBAR SQUARE





Kathmandu, 30 Jan.: People willing to have a look at refurbished Hanumandhoka Durbar Square and New Road will have to wait for some times as the face-lifting tasks of these place have been
stopped mid-way, The Rising Nepal reports.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and Hanumandhoka Durbar Area Conservation Programme Office (HDACPO) had jointly launched a new programme in a bid to give new look to the Durbar Square and New Road about three month months ago.
Hari Kumar Shrestha, Chief of HDACPO, informed that the planned programme could not move ahead due to some official problem. It will start soon once the problem is resolved, he added.
According to the officials at KMC and HDACPO, all kinds of billboards and notice boards at these areas would be prohibited. However, these billboards are still seen hanging up at the commercial places, business complexes and supermarkets within the New Road area.
Such haphazard hoarding boards and posters have degraded the beauty of the archeological and historical sites such as Hanumandhoka Durbar Square but the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has shown no interest to remove them.
The hoardings boards have not only given ugly looks to the historical sites and undermine the values of such sites, but have also sent negative impression of the UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) among both national and foreign tourists.
KMC has also planned to manage telephone and cable lines, which are responsible for the messy look of the New Road and Durbar Square areas.
Despite all the talks, only the road of the New Road section have got a new look after KMC set up dividers with green flowers this time. But the task to install new iron fences alongside the footpath passage is yet to be done.
KMC has allocated a budget of Rs 17.5 million for executing the programmes to give new look to the UNESCO World Heritage enlisted Hanumandhoka Durbar Square Area and the New Road
area.
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MARTYR GANGALAL NATIONAL HEART CENTRE WINS HEARTS
Kathmandu, 30 Jan. : Although most people make negative comments about the services delivered in the government hospitals, Martyr Gangalal National Heart Centre, the specialised government hospital for cardiac ailments, has been an exception, The Rising Nepal reports.
The hospital gained more than 100 per cent achievement in its service delivery targets last year.
During 2011, a total of 3,205 people benefited from Cath Procedure, 1,977 from Coronary Angiogram, 500 from Coronary Angioplasty, 181 from Pace Maker Transplantation, 366 from PTMC and 1,467 surgeries to different kinds of heart ailments were perform successfully in the hospital.
The performances were more than its targets, Executive Director of the hospital Dr. Man Bahadur K.C. said while presenting the progress report of the hospital on the occasion of its 16th anniversary Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Health and Population Rajendra Mahato appreciated the service delivery system of the heart centre.
"As its name, the hospital is doing very well, it is a matter of pride for the government" Minister Mahato said.
The government would support financially to such institution, Minister Mahato added.
He stressed the need of decentralization of expert services outside the valley.
"Though it is a government hospital, every patient suffering from cardiac ailment want to have treatment at this hospital because all cardiac facilities are provided here and it has been a referral centre for specialized cardiac care and treatment," he said.
Cardiologists and the staff working in different departments of the hospital have success stories of the hospital to tell.
"No poor dies in want of services in this hospital," senior cardiologist Dr. Bhagwan Koirala said.
The hospital has been facing excessive flow of patients after the government announced free treatment scheme for the patients aged below 15 and above 75, Director K.C said.
Dr. K.C. urged the government to free the hospital from the political interference.
The government has been providing services free of cost to children aged less than 15 since 2007 and elderly people aged above 75 since the subsequent year.
In 2011, a total of 1 05,525 patients underwent OPD service for several types of cardiac diseases in the hospital. The medics said that the number was very large for a single hospital.
The Centre also provided 200 free cardiac valves to the patients last year.
As the heart is a special part of the body, the government also has focused on this hospital, Dr. Pravin Mishra, Secretary at the Health Ministry said.
The hospital is all set to add 100 more beds during this fiscal year.
Speaking at the programme, cardiologists stressed the need of new health policy for non communicable diseases.
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INTERVIEW

NC, UML SHOULD JON GOVT. SAYSL FORMER SPEAKER DAMANNATH DHUNGANA



Former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana has been a civil society leader. When the country was reeling under the armed conflict, Dhungana played the role of an informal civil mediator for peace talks to end the violence. He was proactive to bring in civil society movement, which also inspired the parties like Nepali Congress and CPN-UML to forge agreement with then rebelling UCPN-Maoist and initiate movement to do away with monarchy. As an observer to the signing ceremony of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Dhungana has been time and again offering suggestions to the political parties, especially whenever they lock horns, to complete the overall peace process in time as promised. As the peace and constitution writing process has hit a snag again, Nandalal Tiwari of The Rising Nepal talked with Dhungana as to what suggestions he has to the parties.
Excerpts:
Despite the fact that you were one of the makers of the 1991 constitution, you eloquently advocated for a Constituent Assembly (CA) to frame another constitution, and the fun of the thing is that you remained out of the CA. How do you take it?
First of all, I do not think I am not in the CA as I consider I am in the higher plane of the CA, the CA of the entire people of our country. The whole Nepal is the CA for me and I feel I have made a place in the CA (heart and mind) of the people.
Second, I did advocate for a CA as I concluded that it could be a meeting point to end violence and initiate peaceful way out to issues that had triggered conflict. I believe peaceful solution is better than adamancy to a particular constitution. Additionally, then, the king had encroached the constitution and the parties that had brought about the 1990 People’s Movement had also failed to meet the aspirations of the people.
The peace and constitution writing processes have not completed even nearly four years after the CA election. Putting the role of the parties aside, how do you assess the role of the civil society in this respect?
It was civil society which brought the parties together for People’s Movement (2006). Needless to say, the parties were poles apart before the 12-point Understanding. Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML were like parts of the state whereas the Maoist party was fighting against the state. At that situation, the civil society- people like us- which stressed on initiating dialogue, ending war and violence. The civil society took to streets and made a strong opinion against tyranny and for change which ultimately resulted in republican set up. This makes it evident that the civil society had a substantial role in the success of the Movement and the formation of the CA. This is one of the three phases of the civil society.
Following the CA election, the second phase movement of the civil society began. At the moment, we are at the third phase.
In the second phase, the political leaders became conscious of the civic power of the civil society leaders as they had given moral courage to them to struggle jointly against tyranny and culminate the struggle to republic. In fact, civil society does not work for sending any civil society leaders, intellectuals or professionals to the House. It is for sending the leaders of the movement to the House. However, the political leaders became shy to take the civil society leaders to the House. The political leaders suffered from inferiority complex as the civil society could be instrumental in making national consensus in the way it had been instrumental, effective and result-oriented in making public opinion against tyranny, monarchy and garnering international support for the joint movement of the parties for the same. The parties feared their importance would dwindle as the civil society would be playing a role of a catalyst in bringing them to a meeting point from their respective stands once the eminent personalities of the civil society entered the CA.
We also had some weakness on our part. Clearly, civil society is not a substitute for the political parties. However, we became submissive when we thought it to be parties to do everything related to peace and new constitution and let them do so. Four processes are underway- peace building, constitution building, nation building and democracy building. The parties created a Berlin wall against the civil society to prevent its participation in these processes. And now, the peace process has become litigants exercise. Every party sticks to its position, there is none to play the role of arbitration or broker, there is no structured dialogue and neither record nor proof of compromise, no venue and system for dialogue, one can retract from the agreement. It is funny, they now ask us to play role after having kept us out of the ring. They urge us to play the game and we are out of the ground. We are limited to boosting and evaluating their show as they did not take us inside the ring to mediate their game so as to not make it fair and timely.
Now, the third phase of the civil society has begun. We know civil society contributed greatly to bring about the epoch-making change. As the parties have kept it away from the whole process to institutionalize the change, it is in a great test. People are fed up with the parties and the leaders. They have lost popular legitimacy. Even the CA has fared no better and now the Supreme Court has quested its legal legitimacy. As there is no completion of peace process, no promulgation of the new constitution so far, people have started to think whether the CA is a cluster of the 601 unworthy. Everybody knows, the CA’s tenure was for two years and that the army integration was to take place within six months from the CPA
signing.
We are in dilemma whether we also should hit the street along with the people declaring the parties as unworthy or correct them to deliver peace and constitution. People think that the parties will fail to make an agreement, form transitional government and deliver peace and constitution by May 27. They are contemplating whether to go beyond the bondage of the parties. We are still with the parties for correcting them. But there are high chances that we may be finally snatched away from the parties because of the public force as we always are with the people if parties fail to form a transitional government by May 27 and make public the draft of the new constitution.
What do you mean by transitional government?
That is a government made up of all the four political forces- Maoists, NC, UML and Madheshi Morcha. They should make a common programme and agree to allocate presiding officer’s power to the head of the government in such a way that the executive exercises the power when the parties fail to find a common ground on any issues. We do not expect the parties to elect prime minister from beyond the parties. However, if they think that party-based executive head will be biased, they can choose from outside. After all, the PM is for presiding over the negations among the parties.
If you ask me whether it is time to replace PM Dr Baburam Bhattarai, I would answer negatively. No, this is not time to go for changing the PM. I am saying this not because I have any personal attachment with Dr Bhattarai. I would say this even if there was any other person as the PM because the deadline of the CA is nearing and we have a lot of task to perform. Change of government at this time means further extension of the CA which has little chances. The PM is for completing peace process and delivering constitution. All the other parties should cooperate with him. In this connection, I would suggest that NC and UML should join the present government immediately. They can put conditions for that, of course. However, frustratingly, the power game is going on. There is no time, so Dr Bhattarai-led government should be changed into transitional government.
Won’t that lead to dictatorship if the PM is entrusted with presiding officer’s power, veto?
It is not veto as such. When the disputes continue, one has to resolve it and the PM can do so if the parties fail to find a meeting point. Otherwise, differences will persist for ever. Dictatorship means doing something beyond the mandate or term. In this sense, dictatorship has been already exercised by extending the term of the CA, which was meant for two years. The very constitutionality of the CA is questioned. However, we believe that if there is real progress, CA term can be extended seeking favour from the Supreme Court.
How hopeful are you that the new constitution will be promulgated by the present CA deadline?
I do not have much curiousity whether the constitution will be promulgated by May 27. Everything has its momentum. The kind of image the parties and the leaders have created of themselves in the last four years, even if they promulgate new constitution I have a little hope from it. Unless and until the parties mend their working styles, it is like to hope against hope. Nepal is undergoing three opportunities. The opportunity brought out by the People’s Movement. We are missing it, but we can tap it if parties mend their ways. The other opportunity is offered by the economic growth gained by our close neighbours, India and China. A new era has begun in our foreign relations too. Unlike in the past, our close neighbours are suggesting us publicly to have good relations with both of them. China is recommending us to consolidate relations with India while India in turn is urging us to have better relations with China. The third opportunity is provided by the support or love shown by the international community. They are urging us to make our country a global centre of culture.
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