Sunday, September 02, 2007

No To Terrorism: Terai Army Is A Criminal Outfit


Series of blasts rock capital city; two killed, over 25 injured Simultaneous blasts occurred at three busy areas in the capital city Sunday evening, killing at least two persons and injuring over two dozen others. ..... Tripureshwor, Sundhara and Balaju areas around 4:15 pm ..... blasts in Tripureshwor and Sundhara took place at bus stands. .... Seven students of Bishwo Niketan Higher Secondary School, who were waiting for their bus, were among those injured ..... Anisha KC, a student of Bishwo Niketan, was killed in the blast ..... Another bomb went off inside a microbus near Balaju Industrial Estate, Balaju, injuring over a dozen passengers. The microbus operating on the Ratnapark-New Bus Park route was completely destroyed in the powerful blast. ...... A leader of the little known Terai Army telephoned Avenues TV, a Kathmandu-based private television channel, and claimed responsibility for the blasts, but this is yet to be verified independently.

Maoist soldiers engaging in war with the Royal Army soldiers, I disapproved of, but that was one thing. Killing innocent people going about their lives is a totally different matter. This is terrorism. The Terai Army did not do this for the Terai people. They do not speak for the Terai people.

This was wrong. This was a criminal act. All Madhesi parties and groups should dissociate themselves from this outfit, and should condemn these blasts as should all Pahadi parties and groups. There is no room in Nepali politics for terrorism.

Madhesi grievances are for real. But there is no grievance the Madhesis have that does not have peaceful political outlets. The ultimate solution of breaking the country into two can also be had peacefully. Actually peacefully is the only possible way to get it. I don't support the idea. But I am just making a point.

Killing and injuring school children and regular people going about their daily lives is not the way to Madhesi liberation. That only delays Madhesi liberation. That only makes Madhesi liberation less possible.

We Madhesis are destined for more than equality. We are destined to rule over all of Nepal. Through the ballot box. And that too quickly. That is the way to go. There is no room for violence in the Madhesi Movement.

These acts of terrorism are new of their kind. It is not possible for any responsible Madhesi outfit to do business with this group. The Terai Army should be isolated and marginalized by both the armed and unarmed Madhesi groups.

These acts of terrorism are not political, they are criminal.

When I read the headline, my first reaction was the royalists did it. The same people who threw bombs at Devendra Pandey and Krishna Pahadi's place did it. Even now I am keeping my options open. We don't know for sure who did it. But if there be any evidence the royalists were behind this, that they are trying to disrupt communal harmony in the country so as to disrupt the all important November 22 elections, then the country must be declared a republic immediately.

Those royalists, Hindu supremacists call themselves Defense Army, this group is calling itself Terai Army. Why do the names sound so similar? It is possible for regressive elements to operate without any direct knowledge of the royal family. They represent a small segment of the political spectrum.

It is entirely possible some regressive elements are fishing in the muddy waters. It is possible some ethnic groups are getting funds from regressive elements.

On their part, the government has also made things from bad to worse. It was a big mistake to not treat the Madhesi Kranti with respect as soon as it happened. It has been a big mistake to not engage Jwala and Goit in respectful dialogue. It is still not too late. When you engage the Madhesi Maoists in respectful dialogue, you isolate groups like the Terai Army. If the government will not, the Madhesi Alliance parties should. (The Madhesi MPs And The Idea Of A New Party)

Ridiculous Bahun Poudel
Talk To Goit

In The News

Ethnic bodies suspend talks with government Claiming that the government did not show willingness to address their issues, an umbrella organisation of ethnic bodies has announced indefinite suspension of the negotiation. The Federal Democratic National Front (FDNF), which is an umbrella body of Limbuwan, Khumbuwan and Tamasaling associations, has decided to walk out of the dialogue process following informal chat with the government talks team on Saturday. ..... Rabindra Thing, central leader of FDNF, told Nepal FM that they have decided to "unilaterally suspend the talks indefinitely.' ...... Thing said, "On our demand of ensuring the ethnic autonomy equipped with right to self determination to chalk out 13 provinces in the interim constitution itself, the government responded that they wanted to go by the recommendation to be submitted (to the Constituent Assembly) by the proposed State Restructuring Commission." ...... "Likewise, on our demand of fully proportional representation-based election system, the government team said they had already decided to go for mixed system. And on our third major demand of declaring federal republic in the interim constitution, the government side could not give clear response. Therefore, we see no rationale in holding talks," Thing added. The FDNF was to hold talks with the government team in Dharan on Sunday.
Hooch kills 9 more in Janakpur
Docs protest govt ‘apathy’ towards their demands; warn of stern agitation
Maoist cadres assault UML leaders
Govt-MJF deal was signed after consensus among parties: Poudel
YCL announces protest programmes
Prachanda says Maoists will take part in CA; Dr. Bhattarai wants 22-points addressed first

YCL try to snatch APF weapons in Kalikot; thrash ex-UML MP in Ramechhap Kantipur
Govt outlines 4-tier polls security plan five to 16 police personnel will be guarding ballot boxes at the polling centres on the day of the voting. .... a joint team of Nepal Police and the APF will be patrolling the areas. .... A strike force of the APF personnel will also be kept on standby to deter potential attacks at the polling centres. .... Aerial patrols will be conducted throughout the voting day. ... “all the choppers in the country be used for the election security.” ..... 80,000 temporary guards. .... The Maoists also want its People’s Liberation Army and the Young Communist League to be inducted in the election security plan.
Tharu front calls off protests
Maoists will take part in CA polls, says Prachanda Prachanda said no one should even imagine about the Maoists not taking part in the elections. ..... also clarified that the Maoists will not quit the interim government at this juncture. .... the previous eight-party alliance has ended. .... “not putting forth these demands as pre-conditions”.
Polls impossible sans 22-point prerequisites, says Dr Bhattarai
MPRF denounces Maoist objection to 22-pt deal Speaking at a function in Kathmandu Saturday, MPRF Chairman Upendra yadav, also demanded government's clear stance on the Maoist reaction to the agreement. .... When asked about the reports on division with the MPRF over the agreement, MPRF Chairman Yadav only said that reactionary elements were trying to mislead the people. ..... Yadav, however, asked the Maoists to forget about the past bitterness and act in a friendly manner. ..... Yadav hailed Thursday's agreement with the government as a milestone to build a nation free of regional, religious and ethnic discriminations. ..... Addressing another programme in the capital today, Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai accused the ruling Nepali Congress of staging a “drama of the agreement” by taking some MPRF leaders into confidence.
EC seeks review of ballot paper design the ballot papers for both first-past-the-post (FPTP) and proportional election systems ...... the EC has to arrange for separate balloting in a two-column table in separate colors for the FPTP and proportional election systems. ...... "If all 61 political parties that have been registered at the EC for the election want to contest the CA poll, the EC has to bring out a ballot paper that is more than a meter long," an EC official said, preferring anonymity. ........ design ballot papers in A3 size with more than two column tables, that would be technically and scientifically appropriate ....... "Otherwise the EC will have to design the ballot papers in a booklet format." ...... In 2005, while conducting elections in Afghanistan, the election commission there had arranged a seven-page long ballot paper. ..... before opting for electronic voting machines, India had to arrange ballot papers that were almost 70 pages long to accommodate over 1,500 political parties. Meanwhile, the EC has decided to expand the capacity of the Janak Sikchha Samagri Ltd by arranging for two modern wave machines to print ballot papers. ....... import machines with fast printing, numbering and perforating systems. .... the EC has to print over 40 million ballot papers of 241 different types.
Janakpur hooch death toll mounts to 7
शम्भु उम्मेदवार हुने नेपाल बार एसोसिएसनका पूर्वअध्यक्ष शम्भु थापा ..... 'मैले कुनै दलविशेषसँग कुराकानी गरेको छैन,' उनले भने- 'तर उम्मेदवार बन्ने योजना छ ।' मुख्य दलहरूसँग कुराकानी गरी साझा उम्मेदवार बन्न प्रयास गर्ने उल्लेख गर्दै उनले स्वतन्त्र उम्मेदवारीको तयारी गरेको बताए ।
कांग्रेसमा सरकारको आलोचना कांग्रेस -प्रजातान्त्रिक) ले संविधानसभा चुुनावका लागि घोषणापत्र निर्माणलगायत आवश्यक सम्पूर्ण तयारी गर्न आइतबार पार्टी बैठक बोलाएको छ ।
अमेरिका पलायन अमेरिकाको राष्ट्रिय झण्डालाई काटेर गञ्जी लगाए पनि हुने, हाफप्यान्ट सिलाए पनि हुने र मोटरमा फरफराए पनि हुने रहेछ । व्यक्तिगत स्वतन्त्रता जीवनको हरेक क्षेत्रमा पाइन्छ, कसैले कसैको चासो गर्दैन । हुँदा-हुँदा बाबुआमाले छोराछोरी तह लाउन नसके प्रशासनले तह लगाउँछ । कतिपय राज्यमा बन्दुक तरकारी किनेजस्तै किन्न पाइन्छ । ....... न्युयोर्क सहरमा वाषिर्क ५०० मानिस आपराधिक गतिविधिमा मर्नु ...... तर अमेरिकालाई अवसरहरू भएको देश भनिन्छ । .... त्यहाँ ग्ाएपछि दुःख भए पनि सुख भए पनि गएकाहरू उतै बस्छन् । बाहिरी मुलुकबाट जानेलाई त त्यति सहज जीवन छैन । ..... पूर्वी एसिया, ल्याटिन अमेरिका, अपि|mका सबैतिरका बाबुआमा छोराछेरीलाई त्यस देशमा पढाउन जग्गाजमिन बेचबिखन गरेर पनि पठाउने गरेका विषय त्यस देशका पत्रपत्रिकामा पनि आएका छन् ...... आजभोलि त नेपाली पनि अमेरिकाको ५० वटै राज्यमै पुगेका छन् ..... अवकाश पाइसकेका मानिस पनि स्टेसनमा डोनट बेचेर रमाएका छन् ..... एक युवाले भने, 'पढाइ र काम गर्दा गधाको जस्तो काममा जोतिन परे पनि नेपालमा हुँदा एक बोतल कोकाकोला खान बाबुआमासँग पैसा माग्न पथ्र्यो । यहाँ पैसा कमाउने अवसर छ । आफ्नै कार छ, बस्ने फल्याट छ आदि ।' बाहिरबाट त्यहाँ गएका विद्यार्थीलाई पढाइ धान्न र बाँच्न कठिन छ । परिवारका मानिससँग बोल्न फुर्सद छैन । तर पढाइ भने राम्रो छ । राम्रो काम पाएमा पैसा पनि राम्रो हुनसक्छ भन्ने आशमा दुःख स्वीकारेका छन् । अर्को युवाले भन्यो, 'म अहिले नेपाल र्फकन्न । त्यहाँ सधैं टायर बालेको, बन्द भएको, मारमार भएको र मान्छे मारेको खबरमात्र देखिन्छ ।' अर्कोले भन्यो, 'नेपालमा मोटरसाइकलमात्र चड्ने क्षमता थियो । कहिलेकाहीं बरालिएर हिँड्ने बानी थियो । यहाँ त काम गरेर पढेको छु ।' कसैले त लाजै नमानी 'केटी पनि अमेरिकाकै राम्रा छन्, पैसा पनि राम्रो छ' भने । केटीहरू पनि नातेदार भए पनि स्वत्ान्त्र रूपमा साथीहरूसँग बसेका छन् । ........ धेरैजसोले भने- स्वतन्त्रता छ, दुःख भए पनि नेपालमा भन्दा राम्रो छ । यता बाबुआमालाई अमेरिकामा छोराछोरी पढिरहेका छन् भन्न्ो शान छ । नेपाली केटाकेटी अमेरिकनजस्तै विवाहपूर्व सँगै बसेका छन् । ..... नेपालबाट पनि मानवधन र दिमागी शक्ति सुक्दै जाँदैछ ।
Janajati-govt Pact a Betrayal: NEFINS Himalayan Times The meeting of the federal council of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities Students (NEFINS) has come to a conclusion that the 20-point pact between the government and the indigenous nationalities was a betrayal of the indigenous nationalities. "The pact was incomplete and intended to defuse the movement of the indigenous nationalities" .... The meeting also concluded that education department chief of the NEFINS Rajan Kumar Danuwar had gone against the spirit of the federation.
Maoists thrash ex-MP, UML men Maoists cadres also forced Nepali Congress Ramechhap district vice chairman Labshree Neupane to return from Okhreti VDC yesterday saying the Maoists won’t let Congress leaders to go to villages till NC decides on issue of monarchy. ...... Dhankuta: Maoists on Saturday garlanded Rastriya Prajatantra Party central member Hari Ghimire and RPP district chairman Tika Prasad Ghimire with shoes and paraded them around Dhankuta bazaar. ..... Maoist cadres and activists of its sister organisations — Young Communist League and All Nepal Women’s Association-Revolutionary — frog-marched Hari Ghimire and Tika Prasad Ghimire from the fourth district convention of the RPP where the former was to be the chief guest and the latter as programme chairperson. .... The Maoists said they did so to denounce RPP chairman Pashupati Shumsher Rana’s protest in the parliament against the nationalisation of the King’s property and palaces.
NC manifesto by Sept 27
Prachanda distances his party from SPA “It is the seven-party alliance and the CPN-Maoist, not eight-party alliance,” Prachanda told reporters at a tea-reception organised by Speaker Subas Nembang ..... Prachanda also made it clear that his party would neither run away from November 22 constituent assembly elections nor will it walk out of the coalition government. .... Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Poudel, ministers, ambassadors, diplomats and political leaders attended the reception.
MJF, Maoist cadres clash
FDNF unilaterally suspends talks with govt Nepalgunj, September 1: Activists of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum today clashed with Maoist cadres while the latter were taking out a funeral procession around the town behind a jeep carrying the body of their cadre Nageshwor Raidas who was shot dead by unknown persons on Thursday. At least six persons from both the sides were injured in the clash that erupted at BP Chowk, said police. .... While the Maoists claimed that Raidas was murdered by the MJF’s youth organisation president Hiralal Lonia, the MJF claimed that the Moaists had abducted Lonia. .... The Maoists have denied the allegation. MJF activists were burning tyres at BP Chowk, demanding Lonia’s release. When the Maoist procession reached BP Chowk, an altercation ensued and a clash broke out, said eyewitnesses. The MJF activists had already blocked the road while the Maoists’ condolence meeting was being held at Dhambojhi. ...... Both sides pelted stones at each other. The funeral procession stopped and tension mounted in the area, with the market shutting down. .... The clash stopped after the MJF activists moved to one side. ..... Banke DSP Krishna Hari Sharma said none was seriously injured in the clash. The Maoists cremated Raidas’ body in the presence of a large number of armed police and civil police.

Prachanda says Maoists will take part in CA; Dr. Bhattarai wants 22-points addressed first NepalNews
PM alerts APF to stay prepared for election security
Upendra Yadav rebuffs CPN-M reaction on MJF-govt deal The MJF chairman, himself a Maoist until few years ago, said the Maoist position regarding the agreement is against the ongoing efforts for maintaining “national unity”.
13 die after consuming tainted liquor in Janakpur

Nepal Political Update: Latest Agreement and CA Election Blog.com.np Forget the Maoist reaction, the Nepal government-Madhesi Forum (MPRF) agreement is the best thing that has happened to the Nepali peace process in the past several months.

1 comment:

Ashutosh Shrivastav said...

“Serial Bomb Blast Rocks Valley!”. News is everywhere and so are the opinions about it. Before I read the news, I wanted to see how far I am correct in my guesses about it. I knew people have gained expertise in solely one thing “Blame”; and this decade of blame from all sectors goes to the “powerless” King Gyanendra. My only question that arises “Isn’t it almost two years that the so called “democratic elites” are ruling the country?” And, I saw this change; Blasts. The Maoists have devastated Nepal, and still restructuring, but we “the democratic Nepalese” still think they are the revolutionists. Great! This view from the 90’s has emerged Nepal into global terrorism. The saddest irony, “democratic elites” consider this as democracy. If this is the truth, I believe, it is the urgency of time to change the meaning of democracy; we certainly would not like to hurt the feelings of Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King. Maybe the present day democracy of Nepal is following the path of dictatorship, and Maoism. It is now the demand of time for Nepalese to stop the blame game on King. I feel that people are tired to see this blame game. Prachnda wants to postpone the election, and why shouldn’t he? He is afraid to go back to jungle in his old age without the weapons and his army. Moreover, the blood sucker is getting old, the blood has frozen, and it is getting too late for his dream to be the First President of Nepal. Bhattarai, the frustrated failed person, does not realize what his demands are. Sometimes, I feel, Nepalese politics should be transferred to minor kids; at least they know what they are taking and asking, compared to these “defamed leaders”. Now, there we come--the Madhesis; what a mysterious ethnic tribe. I wonder if they will find what exactly they want. Civil liberty is a process, and Madhesis expect everything overnight. Sadly, Madhesh has not even been able to produce a good communicative leader. Do Madhesis want to be ruled by another Madhesi who are same as these pahade elites? If so, why to revolt and waste life of ordinary citizens? It should be noted, there were always Madheshis in Nepali politics, but who has emerged as a leader? I guess, None. Madehesh revolution united Madhesis, but alas, they are enslaved by Maoists and these party alliances. I wish they would speak different language than their fellows, and have an own opinion about Nepal. This strengthens my doubt of a New prosperous Nepal, and certainly forces me to believe that the new Nepal will be like another Iraq or Afghanistan. It is time not to be lead, but to lead, and to stop the blame on Monarchy; I know this being the easiest excuse to mislead the international organizations, is hard to give up, but at least try, I am sure Nepalese will find a way.