'राजनीतिक ब्यक्तिलाई सेनामा प्रवेश छैन'

नेपाली सेनाका प्रवक्ता रमिन्द्र क्षेत्रीले राजनीतिमा सक्रिय रहेकालाई सेनामा समावेश गर्न नमिल्ने बताएका छन् । फागुन २४ गते नेपाली सेनाको कल्याणकारी कोषमा भएको रकम सार्वजनिक गर्न जङ्गी अड्डा भद्रकालीमा आयोजित कार्यक्रमपछि संचारकर्मीहरुलाई प्रतिक्रिया दिदै क्षेत्रीले राजनीतिबाट अलग भएपछि मात्र सेनामा समावेश गरिने बिश्वब्यापी मान्यता भएको उल्लेख गरे । सरकार र माओवादीबीच गत वर्ष भएको बिस्तृत शान्ति सम्झौतामा पनि माओवादी छापामारलाई सेनामै समावेश गरिने उल्लेख नभएको क्षेत्रीले बताए ।
सरकार र मधेशी मोर्चाबीचको सहमति अनुसार मधेशीहरू समूहगतरुपमा सेनामा प्रवेश हुने या नहुनेबारे संचारकर्मीहरुले सोधेको जिज्ञाशामा सेनाका प्रवक्ता क्षेत्रीले विधीसम्मत बनेको सरकारले विधीसम्मत निर्देशन दिए सेनाले मान्ने उल्लेख गरे । विधीसम्मत बनेको सरकारले नकारात्मक निर्देशन दिन्छ भन्ने सेनालाई नलागेको पनि क्षेत्रीको भनाइ थियो । 'सरकारले सेनालाई विधीसम्मत र ठिक निर्देशन मात्र दिन्छ भन्ने सेनाको बिश्वास छ' क्षेत्रीले भने ।
कार्यक्रममा सेनाको कल्याणकारी योजना निर्देशनालयका निर्देशक कुमार बुढाथोकीले कोषको स्थिती सार्वजनिक गरेका थिए । बुढाथोकीका अनुसार, कोषमा अहिले ११ अर्व १७ करोड ७३ लाख ३६ हजार रुपैयाँ छ । बुढाथोकीले १ अर्व ६६ करोड बेरुजु रहेको पनि जानकारी दिए । नेपाली सेना संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ अर्न्तगत शान्ति सेनामा जाने सैनिकले पाउने भत्ता कटाएर कोषमा जम्मा गर्ने गरिन्छ ।

माओवादीद्वारा चुनावी घोषणापत्र सार्वजनिक

नेकपा माओवादीले संविधानसभाको चुनावका लागि आफ्नो घोषणापत्र सार्वजनिक गरेको छ।
संघीय गणतान्त्रिक राज्यव्यवस्था तथा नयाँ सङ्क्रमणकालीन अर्थनीति आफ्नो मुख्य एजेण्डा हुने उसले बताएको छ।
नेकपा माओवादीले चुनावी घोषणापत्रलाई पार्टीको प्रतिवद्धतापत्र नाम दिएको छ।
राजधानीको एउटा पाँचतारे होटेलमा शुक्रबार साँझ आयोजित एक कार्यक्रममा अध्यक्ष प्रचण्डले , उनकै शब्दमा, बलिदानपूर्ण संघर्षको नेतृत्व गर्दा नयाँ नेपालबारे आफुहरुले देखेको सपनालाई नै लिपिबद्ध गरेर घोषणापत्र बनाएको जनाए।
अन्य पार्टीहरुले आर्थिक उदारीकरण तथा सुधारमा प्रतिबद्धता जनाइरहेको अवस्थामा माओवादीको आर्थिक नीति के हुने हो भन्ने कौतुहलता थुप्रैमा छ।
घोषणापत्र मस्यौदा समितिका संयोजक डा बाबुराम भट्टराइले भने, "नेपालमा राष्ट्रिय औद्योगिक पूँजीवादको विकासको निम्ति एउटा सङ्क्रमणकालीन अर्थनीति चाहिन्छ। त्यसको कार्यान्वयन भएमा दश वर्षमा प्रतिव्यक्ति आय ३०० बाट ३००० डलर र बीस वर्षमा ८ देखि १० हजार डलर पुग्नेछ। आगामी ४० वर्षमा त नेपाल विश्वको एक सम्पन्नतम मुलुकमा परिणत हुन सक्दछ।"
चुनाव पछि राज्यको नयाँ स्वरुप कस्तो हुने भन्ने प्रष्ट हुनुभन्दा पहिले आफ्ना पार्टी अध्यक्ष प्रचण्डलाई नेपालको भावी राष्ट्रपतिको रुपमा प्रस्तुत गरेपछि उत्पन्न प्रतिक्रियाबारे डा भट्टराईले नयाँ नेपालको निम्ति नयाँ विचार र नयाँ नेतृत्व चाहिने बताए।
सत्तारुढ गठबन्धनका अरु प्रमुख घटकहरु नेपाली कांग्रेस तथा नेकपा एमालेले पनि आ-आफ्ना घोषणापत्र छिट्टै सार्वजनिक गर्ने तयारी गरीरेहेको जनाएका छन्।
एक छुट्टै प्रसंगमा आफु उठेको काठमाण्डूको निर्वाचन क्षेत्रमा माओवादीले आधिकारिक उम्मेदवारलाई जित्न सघाउन थप उम्मेदवार उठाएको भनेर पत्रिकामा आएको चर्चाबारे प्रचण्डले स्पष्ट जवाफ दिएनन्।
तर उनले त्यहि आधार मानेर निर्वाचन आयोगले आफुलाई स्पष्टिकरण सोधेकोमा भने खुलेरै विरोध गरे।

SPA stalls Free Student Union poll

The seven-party alliance took a decisions of the election of the Free Student Union topostponed. likewise ,the meeting of the steering committe took decescion to cancel the the Rs 1 million that the government had planned to issue to each lawmaker for the constituency development program and the plan to form new mechanism to run local bodies.
Emerging from the SPA steering committee meeting o fmonday, leaders informed that the FSU poll has been put off as it could impede the preparations for the April 10 Constituent Assembly elections. before this ,the tu has published annotice to hold election on feb 28.
“Though CPN-UML had been insisting that the FSU poll should be held as scheduled on Falgun 16, but the parties have decided stall it considering the upcoming CA elections,” leader of the Left Front CP Mainali informed. “The election would be held immediately after the CA elections.”
For long the SPA leaders were divided over whether the FSU poll would support the April 10 vote or impede it.

First SPA hunting: Leaders call it “commitment” assembly for CA polls

The seven-party alliance held its first joint rally, which is expected to jumpstart their electoral campaign for the Constituent Assembly elections, at the Open Air Theatre at Ratnapark in the capital Monday afternoon.
Nepali Congress senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Maoist Chairman Prachanda along with top leaders of the SPA addressed their joint electoral campaign.
Congress President and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala could not attend the mass meeting due to his health condition. Yesterday, doctors have advised the ailing octogenarian leader to take complete rest for a few days.
Addressing the joint assembly, the top SPA leaders said that the joint assembly was a “commitment assembly” to show the Nepali people and the world at large that they are serious and want to the go to the CA elections this time around.
They added that parties and the people from all regions must stand united for the elections as elements opposed to democracy were still plotting against the critical vote.
UML General Secretary Nepal said that a truly inclusive democracy can be established only by uprooting feudalism, and for that there is no alternative to go to the elections in a collective manner.
He also urged all the parties to vow to religiously adhere to all the agreements among them and not to resort to any blame game that could thwart the elections.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda said that the joint assembly was a commitment to make a new federal republican Nepal through the CA elections and a challenge to all those opposed to the progressive chance in the country.
Referring to his last year’s proposal to hold the joint assembly of the seven parties across the country, especially in the Terai, Prachanda said that had the other parties accepted the proposal then much of the prevailing crises could have been averted.
Only the royalists, feudal and foreign reactionary, disintegrating forces, and imperial forces could be opposed to the CA elections,” he said

Govt rolls back fuel price hike

government decided to roll back the petroleum price hike following angry street protests Wednesday.
Industry, Commerce and Supplies minister Shyam Sundar Gupta said the government has decided to roll back the price hike taking into account the problems caused by it to ordinary citizens. An informal meeting of the Council of Ministers directed the Nepal Oil Corporation to revoke the hike in the price of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas.
Citing its growing losses and the rise in crude oil prices in the international market, the NOC had on Monday increased the price of diesel to Rs 61 per liter from Rs 56, LP gas Rs 1,250 per cylinder from Rs 1100 and kerosene to 61 per litre from Rs 51.
Student organisations and ordinary citizens took to the street against the price hike from early next morning. Demonstrations continued around the country today as well while the capital Kathmandu remained shut due to the shutdown strike called by CPN (Unified).
With the withdrawal of the price hike, Kathmandu Valley returned to normalcy. Student organizations held a victory rally celebrating the price hike roll back.

NA Chief indicates he is against integrating politically indoctrinated combatants

The Chief of Nepali Army (NA) General Rookmangud Katawal has indicated that he is against integrating the politically indoctrinated Maoist combatants into the army.
Talking to reporters at the airport before he left for China, General Katawal said that the NA does not believe in any political 'isms.'
His comments have come in the wake of debates on the integration of Maoist combatants into the NA following the submission of verification report by the UNMIN.
General Katawal further said that the NA, as a professional army, is not guided by any 'political ideology' but only the 'chain of command' system.
He said NA would always fight for the sake of 'peace and stability' in the country.

PM Koirala's health improving

Amidst rising concerns over his health condition in the country, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala met with media-persons in his official residence in Balulwatar Wednesday.
PM Koirala who is under close observation of doctors from the past 11 days met three media persons including a television reporter and a photo journalist to dispel worries about his health among the people.
"I am sure you are assured (about my health) now?" the ailing 84-year-old leader asked,"Now you can go."
Sitting in a chair donning a overcoat, Daura Suruwal and his trademark Bhadgaule topi, Koirala was taking artificial oxygen through a breathing device as he spoke to the journalist.
Immediately after this doctors involved in his treatment held a press conference in Baluwatar and informed that the prime minister's health is improving.

33,000 refugees to be resettled by 2009

The Kathmandu-based representatives of the Core Group of Nations working closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to support the refugees from Bhutan has stated that in 2008 more than 13,000 refugees will be resettled from Nepal.
"By the end of 2009, we hope that an additional 20,000 or more refugees who have chosen resettlement will be starting new lives in the United States, Australia, Canada, and elsewhere," said a statement issued on Wednesday by US Ambassador to Nepal Nancy J Powell as Chair of the Core Group of Nations -- Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and the US.
The Core Group has emphasized that the offer of resettlement goes hand in hand with continuing efforts to urge the government of Bhutan to accept the return of the refugees. "Repatriation and local integration are recognized by all of us as being equally desirable durable solutions," said Powell in the statement.
The Core Group nations and other nations have extended the offer of resettlement as a durable humanitarian solution for the refugees only after many years of attempts by the governments of Nepal and Bhutan to negotiate a repatriation solution, Powell said.
"I want to express our pleasure at the official opening on January 9 of the refugee resettlement processing center in Damak for the Bhutanese refugees," Powell said. The center is operated by the International Organization for Migration.
The group members have called upon the government of Nepal to approve expedited exit permits for all refugees who are eligible for resettlement and to establish for future use a standardized process for the expeditious departure of refugees who wish to be resettled.

Parties agreed in 23 points

Even as the big three parties claimed they have reached 23-point understanding to break the political deadlock, they have decided to confer with representatives of civil society on Sunday before endorsing the same through seven party meeting.
The agreement to confer with the civil society gathering was reached as a compromise on Maoist demand for roundtable meet. The Nepali Congress (NC) and Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) rejected the roundtable demand but agreed to confer with a gathering of civil society.
Following the meeting of top leaders of NC, UML and Maoists, on Saturday, they called a civil society leader Padma Ratna Tuladhar and requested him to organise an interaction.
“Since the leaders said they needed to confer with civil society on some important matters, we have called a civil society gathering at 11 am on Sunday at Hotel Himalaya,” he said.
He said that civil society representatives will listen to the decision of three parties and give their opinions.

Nepal Telecom's shares to be floated at Rs 600

There has been a decision to sell the shares of Nepal Telecom (NT) at the minimum rate of Rs 600 each, reports said.
The government had fixed the minimum rate after seeing investors' eagerness to buy the shares of this most profitable state-owned enterprise.
The share value was fixed to float shares amounting to Rs 1.5 billion (10 percent of NT's total share) to the general public, according to Kantipur Daily. NT officials said this was done to lessen government's ownership in the largest telecommunication service provider in the country. The Ankit Mulya of NT's shares is Rs 100. Finance secretary Bidhyadhar Mallik affirmed that the government has reached the decision to sell the telecom's share at the minimum rate of Rs 600 each. The government would make at least 9 billion rupees from this.
The government is doing necessary preparation for it so as to float the shares to the public by April this year.
Similarly, along with the general public, NT has also decided to float its shares worth Rs 750 million (5 percent shares) to its employees