Sadbhavana Meets In Janakpur

The Maoists Must Continue With The Ceasefire

By their own admission, the Maoists did not declare the ceasefire for the Monarchists. They did it for the democrats. Sporadic clashes here and there with the RNA should fall in the "active defence" category. And they should continue to maintain the ceasefire. The movement of the seven parties that they do support needs that space.

On their part, the seven parties need to speed up the dialogue. Delayed dialogue could lead to a formal breakdown of the ceasefire. The movement can not afford that. Just when massive preparations are underway.

Start at the final step: a Maoist party that is no longer armed and is functioning within a multi-party framework. Then come backwards from there. And dialogue makes so much sense. Because there is no other way.

The Maoists are better off fighting the war of words than the war of bullets at this stage. Let the world know how the RNA continues to hun them and is in no mood for peace. This is an image war. Talk of RNA abductions and excesses. That is how you cash on the ceasefire. By telling the world every day how the RNA is not coming along.

If the RNA manages to provoke you into breaking the ceasefire, you lose. It is almost like who will blink first.

The Democrats Must Do Some Homework

The democrats need to do some arithmetic. 2+2=4.

Narahari Acharya is in news talking some sense. There are too many contradictions right now in terms of where the seven parties stand. You want a political solution to the insurgency, but you refuse to hold dialogue with the Maoists. You are for a republic, but you want the king to become so powerful he should revive a House that can not be revived. You want to revive the House, which is to say you want to revive the 1990 constitution. But you are for a Constituent Assembly, which is to say you think the country needs a news constitution. You are agitated the country has been in a mess for years now, but you are in no hurry to kickstart the mass movement.

King's remark revival of 2017 BS: NSP (A)

The National Working Committee meeting of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party- Anandidevi NSP (A) that concluded in Janakpur Saturday has described the King's recent remarks as a revival of 2017 BS (1960).

"Late king Mahendra had also made such remarks in 2017 BS. The present king repeated those remarks in Lalitpur," reports quoted General Secretary of the party Hridayesh Tripathi as saying.

King Mahendra in December, 1960, had dissolved parliament, banished political parties and imprisoned many democratic leaders ushering in the Panchayat era.

King Gyanendra had, during his Lalitupr visit on Thursday, said that some "unnecessary acts" were being carried out in the capital with foreign money.

The meeting also protested the king's directives to shift zonal and regional headquarters in Dhankuta and Surkhet. "It is against the madhesi community," it said.

The meeting has also called a joint meeting of all seven political parties on Sunday.

In The News

• CIAA begins probe against former KMC mayor for irregularities NepalNews
• King’s UN visit was cancelled to oppose US boycott: Dr Giri US President George Bush didn’t invite Nepali delegates at a reception he hosted in the honour of international dignitaries on the occasion of the opening of the 60th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. This led to the cancellation of His Majesty King's visit to the UN...... cancelled in order to show objection to the decision of the US President ...... “By cancelling His Majesty’s visit we have expressed our dissatisfaction towards the American attitude....... "Inviting only selected people for the reception and leaving others was something unexpected,” Dr Giri said, insisting that the cancellation of the King’s visit didn’t imply that the present administration had become unable to defend the Feb 1 royal move in the international arena........ Including Nepal, altogether 11 countries dubbed as 'undemocratic' were denied invitation at the Bush reception....... not only against the diplomatic protocol it was also an arrogant display of power....... made it a point to vent ire against the political parties for suggesting the international community to boycott the King at the UN assembly. “What kind of political atmosphere do these parties want to establish in this country?” ........
  
• Eight rebels killed in clashes: RNA Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) said a total of eight Maoist rebels were killed in separate clashes over the last two days....... the first major clash after the declaration of unilateral ceasefire by the Maoist rebels ..... Bahadurpur area of Palpa district ...... two way gun battle....... a team of security personnel on regular patrol were attacked by the insurgents. He said then opened fire in which the rebels were killed. He said six other rebels were also taken into custody....... a separate incident, the RNA said two rebels were killed during clashes at Ausidada area in the eastern district of Tehrathum....... security personnel recovered bombs, explosives and documents related to the Maoists from the site of the clashes...... Maoist sources have said of six rebels killed at Bahadurpur area of Palpa district, one was a villager. They said the security personnel have also taken into custody two people from Koldada area of Palpa district including an Area Secretary of the Maoist party, Prem Dhakal....... Maoists said security personnel have taken into custody two people from Ghiring area of Tanahun district including a member of Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Women's Association, Sushila Basyal........ Earlier, Maoist chairman Prachanda had alleged the government of intensifying its security operations and provoking his party to withdraw unilateral ceasefire.......
• Koirala’s ill health and politics of confrontation 83-year-leader had left Kathmandu for Biratnagar ...... doctors had advised Koirala to take full rest for the next few months. ...... Koirala may be taken to Delhi, Chennai or even further for treatment ..... Koirala had fainted and got one of his ribs broken during a scuffle between opposition activists and police in Kathmandu while heading a pro-democracy demonstration early this month........ authorities neither sought apology nor furnished explanation for the police behavior against Koirala........ bringing together seven odd-parties against the royal move—majority of which are communists....... even persuaded them to buy his party’s main agenda—reinstatement of the House of Representatives that was dissolved by his disciple-turned-rival Sher Bahadur Deuba three years ago........ Koirala never became popular while in office....... his unfinished agenda now include restoration of democracy in the country by drastically reducing powers of the monarchy, bringing the Maoists into political mainstream, and bringing his party back to the helms of power ........ His critics within the party say Koirala is also keen to install his successor in Nepali Congress — preferably from his own family......... In his absence, the mantle will fall upon UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal to lead the opposition alliance...... On Saturday, he even challenged the king to go to the people to check which one was more popular—a system of monarchy or a republic....... could result into chaos, anarchy and even foreign military intervention...... G P Koirala has been insisting that reinstatement of the dissolved parliament is the only option to bring the derailed constitution back on track and creating an environment where popular democratic forces and a true ‘constitutional monarch’ could work together for the modernization and development of the country........
  
• King's remark revival of 2017 BS: NSP (A)
• No taxation without representation: DNYO has called upon taxpayers in the country including industrialists and businessmen not to pay taxes to what it called the ‘autocratic regime.’ ........ toughening stand of the opposition parties against the royal regime ...... appealed all not to pay taxes until the country returns to democracy....... “We have not paid taxes to buy arms and ammunition only to suppress people” ...... any possibility of dialogue and reconciliation with the king were now exhausted...... boycott all public functions of the ministers of the present cabinet...... participated in by over 470 delegates from around the country......
  
• Another royal move in the offing: Madhav Nepal
• Crown Prince inaugurates golden jubilee ceremony the 28th anniversary function of Janak Education Production Center ...... minister Mainali said the government was mulling over printing question papers and certificates within the country itself.
• Acharya urges alliance to form team to talk with Maoists Narahari Acharya urged leaders of the seven-party alliance to form a team to officially hold dialogue with the Maoists as the Maoists had declared the three-month long ceasefire to find peaceful outlet of the insurgency........ to transform the ceasefire into sustainable peace as Maoist declared the ceasefire approving new decisions of Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML......... "It is essential for the alliance partners to form a talks team so that they can hold dialogue with the Maoists with ideological clarity. I have already sounded NC president Girija Prasad Koirala on the urgency of the issue" ....... regretted the alliance was unable to even form an authentic talks team though it is almost a month since the Maoists declared a unilateral ceasefire........ Stating that there is no provision in the present constitution to go to the election of the constituent assembly he urged the alliance to clear their stance in this regard, as it might be a obstacle for resolving the problems dogging the country even after the revival of the Parliament.......... also demanded ideological clarity over the agenda put forth by political parties with regard to intensifying the political movement......... urged the political parties to redefine the movement of the seven-party alliance in accordance with the historical decisions of the NC and CPN-UML regarding the monarchy........
  
• India hit by Nepal fertiliser scam: NewKerala.com, India
• Miffed king blames int'l community: Nepal Kathmandu Post, Nepal
• Hearing Adjourned for Third Time on Case Against Giri Himalayan Times, Nepal the third time that the apex court has adjourned the hearing even after the case was scheduled for hearing on the bench. Justice Hari Jung Sijapati today adjourned the hearing citing lack of time for the hearing on the case. Previously, Justices Top Bahadur Magar and Khil Raj Regmi had adjourned the case citing same reasons.
• Guide Aims to Help Bloggers Beat Censors Wyoming News, WY
• Top Maoist Leaders in Dhading Surrender Twelve active activists of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) including the so-called chairman and the vice-chairman of the Maoists’ people government in Dhading district surrendered before the district administration this afternoon. Buddhi Lal Shrestha, the chairman, and Bishnu Bahadur Praja, the vice-chairman, of the Maoists’ people government of the district, secretary Hom Bahadur Shrestha and other members surrendered before the administration. Other members who surrendered are: Jit Bahadur Rijal, Kumal Singh Rijal, Man Bahadur Praja, Jir Bahadur Chepang, Somati Chepang, Basu Praja, Baghsingh Chepang, Kabiraj Chepang and Chakra Bahadur Bishwokarma. Baghsingh Chepang (75), who also surrendered before the local administration, said, "We surrendered before the administration as we want to pass our lives in peace and freedom. Maoists had forcefully made us involved in their activities." Those who surrendered in the presence of Dhading Chief District Officer Ramsaran Chimoriya were released on the witness of Keshav Adhikari, general secretary of RILEK, a human rights organisation.
• Mahat Confused: Acharya Himalayan Times “I have heard that the party spokes-person, in a television interview, said that the party could reconsider its decision on the monarchy provided the dissolved parliament is revived,” he said while addressing a programme at the Reporters’ Club. Acharya said it was not easy to reverse the decision taken by the convention even if the parliament were revived. “There will emerge an ideological crisis if the decision of the convention is altered or misinterpreted,” he said. He made it clear the NC deleted all references related to monarchy after the party, which was involved in drafting three constitutions, failed to make the monarchy a truly constitutional head over the past 50 years.
• Election Commissioner resolute on holding municipal polls "It is meaningless to discuss the participation of political parties until the date for election is fixed." .... the people will force the parties to participate in the election.
  
• Supreme Court Rejects Lawsuit Against King Citing Article 13 UWB Supreme Court today rejected a lawsuit filed against the king claiming that the Feb 1 takeover should be revoked because it was against the constitution. The lawsuit filed by advocate Ramkishore Mahato also demanded a court ruling that would order the defendant (the king) to abide by the constitution. “Posts like Chair/Vice-chair of the council of ministers are aginst the constitution,” advocate claimed. The Supreme Court rejected the lawsuit stating that the article 13 of the constitution forbids anyone from questioning the acts of the king. It is appropriate to note that the king staged the Feb 1 takeover with the shield of Article 127 of the same constitution.