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A Mess of Politics In Nepal
By KTM Metro Reporter
October 26, 2010: Nepalese leaders have made a mess of politics in Nepal. First, all of those leaders agreed on the consensus politics, then the NC leaders forced the UCPN-Maoist to agree on the majority politics. Now, the NC leaders are dragging the politics keeping its candidate in a Prime Ministerial race just to continue the political deadlock among other issues.
Speaking at an interaction held by the Janasanchar Abhiyaan in Kathmandu on Sunday, October 24, 2010, one of the Vice-chairmen of UCPN-Maoist Mohan Vaidya Kiran has said that his party could not form a new government and the political leaders could not work on the consensus politics because of the foreign interference in the Nepalese politics, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of October 25, 2010 and nepalnews.com write. He has said that Nepalese leaders can break the current political deadlock if NC candidate for Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel pulls out of the race and sits for the consensus politics. He has also said if the political leaders want the UCPN-Maoist to lead a new government, it is all right for his party and if not his party is willing to sit in the opposition.
Vice-chairman Mohan Vaidya Kiran has also said that his party is not willing to accept the full-fledged budget if the officiating government presents it; his party will not permit the parliament to pass it.
Another Vice-chairman of UCPN-Maoist Narayankaji Shresha has said on Monday, October 25 that his party will not accept the package deal the NC has put forward for breaking the current political deadlock but willing to deal with the peace process and constitution writing, and it is not necessary to resolve all political issues before agreeing on the power-sharing, myrepublica.com writes.
Following the insistence of Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, the office of the officiating Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has called a meeting of the representatives of the Finance Ministry, the Public Account Committee of the Legislature-Parliament, the Public Procurement Monitoring Office and the Commission on Investigation into Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and has urged them not to delay the purchase of aircrafts for the state-owned Nepal Airlines Corporation; however, the office of Prime Minister has denied putting any pressure on anybody for buying aircrafts, ‘The Himalayan Times’ online writes on October 25, 2010 quoting the state-run news agency RSS.
In response to the call of New Delhi to investigate the incident of throwing shoe at the Indian diplomat Rakesh Sood while he was in a visit to the Solukhumbu district, the officiating government of Madhav Nepal has decided to probe into the incident and asked the Chief District Officer to prepare a report on the incident and submit it to the Ministry of Home, myrepublic.com writes on October 25, 2010. On October 10, 2010, the Maoist cadres have thrown shoe at the diplomat while he was in a visit to the district for opening drinking water projects and an eye camp aided by India. Immediately, Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda has apologized to the Indian Ambassador for the incident, and the Government of Nepal has regretted that the unpleasant incident has happened. However, recently, the Foreign Ministry of India has called Nepalese Ambassador to India Rukma Sumsher Rana and told him that the Government of Nepal regretting the incident has done nothing so far.
On the objection of the UN rights agency on the extension of the term of Nepal Army colonel Raju Basnet, Prime Minister Madhav Nepal said that it did not fall under the jurisdiction of UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights to object the government’s decision, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of October 25, 2010 writes. So, anybody can see the real picture of Mr. Madhav Nepal when he defends the culprit of human rights violation while all the human rights agencies protest against what Mr. Madhav Nepal has done. What about the National Human rights Commission that has also protested the extension of the term of colonel Raju Basnet, Mr. Madhav Nepal; has it mandate to protest against what you have done?
On October 28, 2010, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has strongly objected the government’s decision on extending the term of Colonel Raju Basnet, that has been alleged to be responsible for disappearing 49 people taken under custody by the Bhairabnath Battalion of the Nepal Army he had commanded during 2003-2004 causing gross violation of human rights in Nepal.
The ICJ has called on the UN Human Rights Council and other key international actors to meaningfully address the failure to combat impunity in Nepal, myrepublica.com reports and quotes ICJ, "In this respect, the Human Rights Council must use the opportunity of the upcoming session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva in January 2011, where Nepal will undergo a comprehensive review to assess its human rights performance."
Representative of ICJ in Nepal Douglass McCrae has said that the government’s latest action is emblematic of two aspects of impunity in Nepal. "First, there is a persistent failure to investigate and prosecute serious crimes under international law. Second, it is patently obvious that the government does not vet its military and police personnel based on human rights concerns. Both aspects of impunity are grave and disappointing in light of Nepal’s history and the justice aspirations of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement," McCrae said.
Talking to the Republica reporter, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Rakam Chemjong has said that the government has written to UNMIN asking whether the PLA commanders have taken its permission to visit China arguing they have already in principle come under the Army Integration Special Committee but they have not taken any permission from it, myrepublica.com writes on October 25, 2010. Myrepublica.com quotes the letter written to the Cheif of UNMIN, “the Government of Nepal would like to request you to inform us if the division commanders of respective cantonments requested for your permission to leave the cantonments for their visit to China." Answering to the question why the government wrote to UNMIN, Chemjong said the government just wanted to know if the UNMIN had been informed about the purpose of their leave and the visit.
At the same time, UCPN-Maoist leader Barsaman Pun has said on Monday, October 25, 2010 that the government doesn’t have the rights to seek clarification from Maoist PLA commanders about their recent visit to China, and has also alleged that Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has violated the agreement on the Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist Combatants publicly demanding the clarification from the Maoists, myrepublica.com and ‘The Himalayan Times’ online write. He has also said that they have followed all the rules and laws for visiting China; so the, government has been making the publicity of the visit.
Barsaman Pun is the chief of the Maoist integration bureau, and said that they have agreed not to publicize any contentious issues discussed at the meeting of the Special committee and said that he will raise it at the upcoming meeting of the Special Committee. He has also said that following the rules, 12% of the combatants registered at the cantonments can go on leave at any time, and they can go anywhere they like. He has also said that all the Maoist leaders at all levels of the command are informed about the visit, and some of the Nepalese TVs have informed about it to the public.
Talking to the reporters at the Simara Airport, officiating Prime Minister Madhav Nepal said, "The government will seek clarification from the PLA commanders for their visit to China as they are under the Army Special Integration Committee, and did not inform the government about it," ‘The Rising Nepal’ writes quoting the Prime Minister.
On Monday, October 25, 2010, Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda on a five-day visit to China has held a two-hour meeting with Chief of Foreign Department of Communist Party of China (CPC) Wong Jerai in presence of Vice-premier Ai Ping and Chief of Foreign Department of UCPN-Maoist Krishna Bahadur Mahara Beijing, myrepublica.com writes. Leaders of both the countries have discussed the issues concerning the two countries and the peace process and constitution writing in Nepal; and Chinese leaders have promised to give support for the peace process because they want peace and political stability in Nepal, myrepublic.com writes quoting Mr. Mahara. Mr. Jerai’s position is equivalent to the Foreign Minister. The Foreign Department of the CPC is a powerful body that makes decisions on issues concerning international relations. Mr. Jerai has hosted a reception in honor of Chairman Prachanda.
At the first meeting of the newly elected Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Nepali Congress held on October 28, 2010, the members have decided to continue the prime ministerial race and keep parliamentary leader Ram Chandra Poudel on the Prime ministerial election until leaders of other political parties agree on a package deal that breaks the current deadlock, Nepalnews.com writes.
