One person, identified as Ashok
Kumar Yadav of Motipur, died in a bomb blast at Belahath in the
Dang District.
An Indian national, identified
as Bimal Gupta of the State of Bihar, was injured in a bomb blast
in front of the Kathmandu Mall at Sundhara in capital Kathmandu.
A pamphlet of Ranabir Sena, an underground outfit, was found at
the explosion site.
The Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party
(TMLP) decided to withdraw its support to the Government. Hridayesh
Tripathi, co-chairman of the TMLP, said, "We have withdrawn the
support we extended to the Government due to its continued apathy
toward Madhesh issues."
The Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist
(CPN-Maoist) and
Nepali Congress agreed to set a three-month deadline for the return
of lands and properties seized by Maoists to the rightful owners.
January 2
The Supreme Court issued a stay
order asking the Government not to implement its decision to withdraw
349 cases. The apex court gave the order saying that cases not
related to politics and those criminal cases related with law
and order of society, too, were in the list of withdrawal.
January 3
Police arrested two persons on
suspicion of carrying out a blast near the main entrance of the
Tribhuvan International Airport in capital Kathmandu. In a telephone
interview with Avenues TV from an unknown location, Ranabir
Sena chief, Bhagirath Singh, said the blast was carried out as
a warning to the Government and the CPN-Maoist as they have not
responded seriously to his group's demands, which includes withdrawal
of the constitutional provision to declare Nepal a secular state.
January 4
Cadres of the CPN-Maoist attacked
the Bhandaris, the aides of the Pashupati priests, and
other devotees in the Pashupatinath temple premises in Kathmandu
injuring at least 10 persons.
January 5
The Young Communist League (YCL)
cadres stationed at the Balaju Industrial Estate in Kathmandu
begun to vacate their camps. Balaju Industrial Estate Management
(BIEM) Ltd. Director General Giri Raj Bhandari said the YCL cadres
have left nearly 80 percent area of the estate along with their
livestock and fish farming.
January 6
The CPN-UML central committee
condemned the YCL attack on party cadre Bibek Devkota from Jitpur
VDC. The CPN-UML also prevented vehicular movement for an hour
in the capital Kathmandu. Devkota was critically injured in the
attack and doctors had to amputate his left leg.
A senior leader of the CPN-Maoist
and Minister of Information and Communication, Krishna Bahadur
Mahara, said, "the Nepal Army (NA) can fill vacant posts,
but new recruitment cannot be carried out." He added that
the issue of recruiting personnel in NA had been unnecessarily
exaggerated in the recent days. A day earlier, Defence Minister
Ram Bahadur Thapa had said in Chitwan that the Chief of Army Staff
Rookmangud Katawal had defied the Government's directive to stop
recruitment in the NA.
The Cabinet decided to reconstitute
the special committee on army integration and rehabilitation.
Prime Minister Prachanda would now head the committee, which would
have eight members, two each from three major coalition partners,
the CPN-Maoist, CPN-UML and MJF and two from main opposition Nepali
Congress (NC).
Prime Minister Prachanda dismissed
speculation that the Government is preparing to dismiss the Nepal
Army chief Rookmangud Katawal for not stopping new recruitments
despite the Government order.
The Rupandehi chapter of the Nepal
Teachers' Union alleged that the Maoists are putting pressure
to appoint their party cadres in the vacant seats of school teachers
in the Rupandehi District against the rules.
January 8
The United Nations Secretary-General
Ban Ki-Moon said that the peace process in Nepal "remains a fragile
one," which will continue to need United Nations assistance. In
a report he presented before the Security Council, the Secretary-General
said that the "critical agreements" on the integration of former
Maoist combatants with the Nepal Army still remains to be implemented
and expressed his disappointment at having to "report so little
progress" regarding the issues most relevant to the mandate of
United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), the special political
mission tasked with helping advance the peace process in Nepal.
The meeting of the central secretariat
of the CPN-Maoist concluded that anarchy had set in among some
of its cadres, which needed to be corrected. The meeting admitted
mistakes in the Nuwakot incident where YCL cadres had severely
injured cadres of the Youth Force, youth wing of the CPN-UML.
January 9
An unidentified group shot dead
a security guard, identified as Bhawanath Pudasaini, working at
Basudeva Industries Pvt. Ltd, at Banjhariya-7 in the Bara District.
Pudasaini was abducted from his office before being killed. Tabaresh,
the District in-charge of the JTMM-J, claimed responsibility for
the killing.
January 10
The first round of talks between
the Government and JTMM-Rajan held in Janakpur ended in a five-point
understanding. Peace and Reconstruction Minister Janardan Sharma,
who is the coordinator of the Government's talk team, and Rajib
Jha, chief negotiator of the JTMM-Rajan, signed the agreement,
which includes cessation of hostilities and the Government's pledge
to treat the armed group as a political outfit. During the talks,
the armed group proposed the cantoning of its fighters, like that
of Maoist combatants, but the Government side refused to discuss
this, leaving the matter for another round of talks, reports said.
Jha claimed that JTMM-Rajn has 8000 fighters. Sharma informed
that the Government has been trying to bring other insurgent groups
also into the dialogue process and talks with the JTMM-J would
begin very soon.
January 11
Uma Singh, a Janakpur-based journalist,
was killed by a group of unidentified assailants. The attackers
forcibly entered her apartment in Rajoula and killed her with
sharp weapons. Three years ago, the victim?s father and elder
brother were abducted from their homes at Mirchaiya in the Siraha
District. Her family had then accused the CPN-Maoist of being
involved in the abduction.
An unidentified group shot dead
one person, identified as, Pachhu Hajara, at Raghunathpur-6 in
the Rautahat District.
January 12
Cadres of the ATMM, formerly known
as JTMM-G, shot dead Rajkumar Kamati, former chairman of Sirauwa
Pachuware VDC in the Siraha District. Kamati was accused of being
a spy and assisting the Police for establishing a Police station
in the VDC. Biplov, District in-charge of the ATMM, claimed responsibility
for the killing.
The Bethahani in-charge of YCL,
Babar Khan, and other cadres allegedly abducted a 16-year-old
girl, Bahida Khatoon, a CPN-UML supporter, from her residence.
The abductors also robbed NR 25,000 and some valuables.
The CPN-Maoist and Communist Party
of Nepal-Unity Centre (CPN-Unity Centre) decided to unify the
two parties. A joint meeting of the central committees of the
two parties decided to name the new party as Unified CPN-Maoist.
The unified party also decided to drop Prachandapath as
its guiding principle. The unification is to be formally announced
in a public function on January 13.
January 13
Addressing a mass meeting, Prime Minister and
chairman of CPN-Maoist Prachanda warned of a 'people's revolt'
if the current Maoist-led Government is forced to quit. "This
government is not a repetition of past ones. If it is overthrown
our party will spearhead a people's revolt from the next day and
capture power? Nothing in the world will stop us," he said. The
meeting was organised in Kathmandu to make the formal announcement
of unification between the CPN-Maoist and Communist Party of Nepal-Unity
Centre (Masal). Prachanda heads the united party which has been
named as Unified CPN-Maoist. The party will have a 175-member
central committee that includes 38 members from the Unity Centre
(Masal).
The Jay Krishna Goit led ATMM, formerly known
as JTMM-G, Pawan Giri-led SJTMM and JTMM-J formally announced
the unification of the three parties and decided to name the unified
front as Terai Janatantrik Party (TJP). A meeting of the three
fronts held at an undisclosed location in Siraha District took
the decision to this effect. The unified party will be chaired
by Jaya Krishna Goit and Pawan Giri will be the vice chairman,
while Jwala Singh will be the general secretary. Likewise, Aajad
has been appointed the chief of Terai Government of the newly
formed alliance and Khudiram will be its organisational department
chief, said a statement issued by Goit.
January 14
Jwala Singh, president of the JTMM-J, said that
his party would sit for talks with the Government only if the
latter met the four pre-conditions - release of its detained activists,
withdrawal of 'fake cases' against its activists, declaration
of a cease-fire and guarantee of security for its leaders. Commenting
on the unification of his outfit with the outfits led by Jaya
krishna Goit and Pawan Singh, he said only the process for unification
had begun. "Goit's Morcha wants all armed groups to be unified.
We have been talking with the two groups. The parties may unite
in the future," he said.
The Madhesh Rastra Janatantrik Party-Revolutionary
(MRJP-R), an armed outfit active in the Terai, shot dead two youths,
identified as Ram Udgar Muchi and Ramesh, residents of Phulkaha
Katti-5, in Siraha. The MRJP-R District Commander Arjun claimed
responsibility for the killing.
January 15
Seven cadres affiliated to various Terai-based
armed outfits surrendered to the Police in Rautahat District.
Four of the surrendered cadres are from the JTMM-J, two from Terai
Army and one from ATMM.
The SJTMM, one of the three major Terai-based
armed outfits, denied reports of a merger with the ATMM and JTMM-J.
Sources said the SJTMM leader Kautilya told a press conference
in Janakpur that there had been no unification between the three
largest and most important underground armed groups operating
in Terai and said they have no plans to merge with other two groups
either.
More than 150 cadres of the United CPN-Maoist
and MJF deserted the parent parties and announced the formation
of a new outfit named the Krantikari Rastriya Madheshi Mukti Morcha
Nepal. Hira Kumar Nishad, a former member of the Abadh State Committee
of the Maoists, reportedly heads the outfit. He was also the battalion
commander of the Maoists' Krishnasen Smriti Brigade. Organising
a press meet in Bhairahawa, the defectors accused the Maoists
and MJF of not bothering to address issues facing Madhesh even
after coming to power.
January 16
The Nepali Congress forwarded the names of Ram
Sharan Mahat and Minendra Rijal as its representatives to Army
Integration Special Committee. Other members of the committee
include Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal as chairman and Defense
Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa representing the Unified CPN-Maoist,
Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam and Bhim Rawal representing the CPN-UML
and Agriculture Minister Jay Prakash Gupta and Mohammad Habibulla
representing the MJF.
January 18
Police arrested a Unified CPN-Maoist cadre, Shrawan
Yadav, from his house in the Rampurbirta area of Siraha District
on the charge of murdering the Janakpur-based journalist Uma Singh.
Yadav, the Maoist's regional committee member of Siraha-5, was
arrested on the basis of a statement given by Nemlal Paswan, another
accused, who was arrested from Saghar in the Dhanusha District
a day before. According to Police, Paswan is an 'army commander'
of the Terai Ekata Parishad and a notorious criminal. The Maoist
Siraha in-charge, Dilip Sah, confirmed Yadav as their regional
committee member.
Babban Singh, an independent Constituent Assembly
member from Rautahat-1, who was arrested in Birgunj on January
17 on murder charges, was remanded to judicial custody for three
days.
A dialogue held between the Government and the
Kirat Janabadi Workers Party (KJWP), a Terai-based underground
outfit, in Dharan ended with a five-point agreement. The Government
agreed on releasing detained KJWP activists, treating their cadres
as political activists, providing security to the outfit's dialogue
team, implementing the ILO Convention No. 169 concerning indigenous
people, among others. Likewise, the KJWP agreed to withdraw all
protests and illegal activities. The Government also agreed on
reconsidering some agenda of the 19-point demand forwarded by
the KJWP and carrying out additional homework for their next dialogue.
A Police constable, Awadesh Kumar Jha, a resident
of Rautahat, was injured when unidentified assailants of an armed
gang attacked a temporary Police Post at Padampokhari VDC in the
Makawanpur District.
January 20
The Police recovered over a dozen
socket bombs reportedly left behind by cadres of the CPN-Maoist
from the house of former Appellate Court judge, Yam Narayan Dhital,
at Madhuvan under Dhodhari VDC-8 in the Baridya District.
The second general convention
of the MJF concluded in Birgunj, the headquarters of Parsa District,
re-electing Upendra Yadav as party chairman and appointing a 31-member
central working committee.
Police confiscated 20 gun barrels
which were being taken to Humla in a MI-17 helicopter of Shree
Airlines from Surkhet. According to the Mid-Western Regional Police
Office, Policemen deployed at Bholam airstrip in Humla seized
the barrels. The initial investigations suggested that Lok Bahadur
Eidi of Humla, who has been living near Surkhet Airport since
some time, had sent the goods making a bill for water pipes.
January 21
24 persons, including some police
personnel, were injured during clashes between cadres of the student
wings of the CPN-Maoist and CPN-UML, ANNISU-R and ANNFSU respectively,
at the Prithvi Narayan Campus in Pokhara. 12 motorbikes and two
bicycles were allegedly vandalised by ANNFSU activists. They also
set ablaze the ANNFSU office. Trouble reportedly broke out over
the contract of the campus canteen.
Cadres of the ATMM, formerly known
as JTMM-G, abducted two persons, identified as Bik Narayan Yadav
and Shankar Yadav, residents of Lohojhara-2, from Bhardaha Chowk
in Saptari District. One ATMM cadre, Ajit Singh, claimed responsibility
for the abduction citing their affiliation with another Terai
armed group Madheshi Virus Killers.
January 22
Jhala Nath Khanal, General Secretary
of the CPN-UML, warned of retaliation if anyone attacked leaders
and cadres of the student wing of his party. Speaking at a press
meet organised by the Dang chapter of Press Chautari Nepal, Khanal
said, "If there were any violent attacks on the students affiliated
to our party, the students would be forced to retaliate." Khanal's
remark came a day after a clash between ANNISU-R and ANNFSU, student
wings of the CPN-Maoist and CPN-UML respectively at Prithvi Narayan
Campus in Pokhara.
January 23
The UNSC decided unanimously to
extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN)
by six more months and endorsed its plans for further gradual
drawdown of the operation. The UNMIN's tenure has been extended
for third time. It was slated to expire on this day. Now it has
been extended till July 23. The UNSC has asked the Nepal Government
to take necessary decisions "to create conditions conducive to
completion of UNMIN's activities by the end of the current mandate."
The central secretariat meeting
of the Unified CPN-Maoist decided to hold a crucial meeting to
discuss the Madheshi issues on January 29-30. All the Madheshi
CA members, who have been elected on a CPN-Maoist ticket, in-charges
of the Madheshi State councils like Mithila, Bhojpura, Awadh and
Tharuhat, intellectuals and prominent central committee members
are expected to attend the meeting.
The newly elected president of
the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF), Upendra Yadav, said the second
general convention of the party held recently in Birgunj has adopted
social democracy as the political ideology of the party.
January 25
Two persons, identified as Jayanarayan
Mahato of Karkach Karmaiya-4 and Hari Raya of Harsatol, were killed
and one woman was injured in a bomb blast at a marketplace in
Rautahat's Katahariya VDC. While Mahato died on the spot, Hari
succumbed to his injuries a day after. The central vice-president
of Terai Army, Mister Shahansha, claimed responsibility for the
blast.
A leader of the JTMM-Rajan threatened
to kill Jitendra Khadga, a correspondent with Kantipur.
Making a telephone call, its central committee member Manoj Mukti,
who is also a member of the outfit's talks? team, issued the threat
over a news report published in Kantipur on January 24.
The daily reported about clashes between local businessmen and
the group members which were prompted by the release of an arrested
District leader of the group Niraj Mukti on January 23. Police
had arrested him while he, along with others, had turned up at
My Shop, a garment shop, at Rajbiraj a day before.
January 26
Three high-intensity bombs were
detonated in a series at Rajbiraj, headquarters of Saptari District
in the Terai. The first explosion occurred at Rajbiraj-1 around
6:25 pm. Three minutes later, another explosion occurred at the
Shiva Shaktai electrical shop at Ward-3 and subsequently the third
blast occurred at the backyard of the District court in Ward-7.
One minor, identified as Pooja Das, was injured after being hit
by splinters during the second explosion. Police estimated that
property worth NR 400,000 might have been destroyed in the blast
at the shop. The other two explosions did not cause any damage
to properties, Police confirmed. One Parwan, who claimed to be
the in-charge of a previously unheard group Mahan Madhesh Janakantri
Party, claimed responsibility for the blasts.
January 28
10 persons were injured when community forest
consumers affiliated to the Unified CPN-Maoist and the CPN-UML
clashed at Gaduwa of Jutpani in the Chitwan District over the
issue of election for the post of chairman of the Chaturmukhi
Community Forest based at Jutpani and Shaktikhor VDC.
A meeting of major political parties finalised
the Terms of Reference for the formation and operation of the
local peace committees envisaged by the Comprehensive Peace Accord
reached in November 2006. The local peace committees shall be
automatically dissolved following the adoption of new constitution.
The local-level peace committees will be established in all 75
Districts to promote lasting peace and communal harmony in society.
Section officer-level officials, stationed in the District headquarters,
will run the District-level peace committees. The 25-member local
peace committees shall comprise up to 15 members from the political
parties representing the Constituent Assembly, three from non-Governmental
organisations and civil society, four from conflict-hit communities
(Maoists as well as Maoist victims), two from minorities, ethnic
and Muslim communities and one from Federation of Nepalese.
The cabinet meeting formed a task force headed
by Minister for General Administration Pampha Bhusal to define
the 'Madheshi' community. The task force, which includes Madhesh-based
ministers, will prepare a list of Madheshi castes after a study
within few days, said Dev Prasad Gurung, Minister for Law, Justice
and Constituent Assembly Affairs. The castes included in the list
will be specified as Madheshis in the Act on Inclusiveness, he
informed. The groundwork to draft the Act is on, he said.
The Unified CPN-Maoist expelled four of its cadres
from the party for their involvement in a highway robbery and
for shooting on a vehicle carrying the Chief District Officers
of Rolpa and Pyuthan Districts recently.
The Tharuhut Autonomous State Council, a Terai
based ethnic group, mobilised its armed militants at Deukhori
of Dang District to takeover the soil, water and forest resources.
January 30
Five persons, including two minors, were injured
when a bomb planted at Maisthan in Birgunj exploded. Bhagat Singh,
the Parsa District in charge of the Madheshi Mukti Tigers, claimed
responsibility for the blast.
Four students were injured after students affiliated
to the Nepal Student''s Union and All Nepal National Free Students''
Union clashed at Putalisadak in the capital Kathmandu.
Prime Minister Prachanda said the concept ''One
Madhesh, One Autonomous Province'' goes against the Madheshi people
and it does not fully represent the entire Madhesh. "We will announce
programmes shortly that will advocate ''One Madhesh-Various States''
policy," a CPN-Maoist source quoted him as saying.
February 1
An unspecified number
of the YCL cadres were arrested for allegedly assaulting a local
youth at Teliya Village Development Committee-5.
February 2
Police arrested four cadres, including district
in-charge Hariom Sharma of the ATMM, formerly known as the JTMM-G,
in Nawalparasi. The arrestees included area commander Dan Bahadur
Harijan, Pinku Kewat and Bhagawati Dhobi. Two sophisticated revolvers,
two locally-made pistols and 15 rounds of ammunition were also
recovered from their possession.
The Unified CPN-Maoist passed its new statute
with an objective to reach communism all the way through socialism.
A meeting of the party held at the parliamentary party office
in Singha Durbar endorsed the new statute after the unification
of party with the Communist Party of Nepal-Ekata Kendra Masal.
February 5
Prime Minister and Unified CPN-Maoist
chairman Prachanda claimed that the party?s youth front YCL now
does not have a paramilitary structure. "YCL is only a political
group. It is now working on development works," he said replying
to a query from a delegation of German Parliament.
Defence Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa
''Badal'' warned the Nepal Army of action if it does not stop
recruitment immediately.
The Army Integration Special Committee
decided to discharge Maoist combatants, who were disqualified
by the United Nations Mission in Nepal during the verification
process, from the cantonments and start their rehabilitation process
at the earliest before the Army integration process begins.
February 6
An unidentified armed group attacked
a Police Post at Syaulibang in the Pyuthan District killing one
Policeman, identified as Suman G.C. The group also looted all
10 weapons including five 3-knot-3 rifles from the post. Police
suspect the little known armed outfit Mongolian Mukti Morcha to
have carried out the attack. Chief District Officer of Pyuthan
K. S. Budhathoki said, "This group had been reported to be involved
in sporadic violence in Rolpa but had so far not been known to
be active in Pyuthan."
February 8
Police shot dead the Eastern ?area
commander? of the ATMM, identified as Lalan Kumar Yadav alias
Bikrant, in Saptari. Police also arrested three other cadres
of the outfit along with some pistols and bullets. Bikrant had
claimed responsibility for killing a worker with the Surya Nepal
Private Limited in June 2008.
The Nepal Army (NA) published
the final recruitment results and with this completed the recruitment
procedures of over 2,800 personnel, including combatants and non-combatants.
February 9
Shakti Bahadur Basnet, the personal
secretary of Prime Minister Prachanda, as well as a politburo
member of the Unified CPN-Maoist, sustained bullet injuries at
his left leg when an unidentified gang opened fire at him at Koteshwor
in the capital Kathmandu.
Mongolian Mukti Morcha (MMM),
a little known underground armed outfit, claimed responsibility
for the attack on the Syaulibang Police Post in the Pyuthan District.
A man, who identified himself as ?platoon commander? Sangharsha
of the MMM, called Annapurna Post and claimed responsibility
for the attack. Sangharsha also informed that four MMM cadres
had been injured in the attack. The group is believed to have
been formed by a breakaway faction of the CPN-Maoist.
A group of unidentified assailants
attacked and injured three YCL cadres at the outfit?s office in
the Okhaldhunga District. They also abducted an YCL cadre, Ramesh
Shrestha, and vandalised the office. However, the Unified CPN-Maoist
regional bureau member, Tilak Karki, alleged that the attackers
were activists of the Youth Force, youth wing of the CPN-UML.
Matrika Prasad Yadav, a Politburo
member of the Unified CPN-Maoist, said he would reconstitute the
CPN-Maoist party as the Maoist leadership had sidelined revolutionaries
and brought in ''opportunists'' into the party.
February 11
A Nepali Congress (NC) leader,
Krishna Bahadur Balami of Okharpauwa, was injured in an attack
by the YCL in Nuwakot. The NC claimed that YCL cadres Raj Kumar
Balami, Sanu Kaji Balami and Kaila Kaji Balami were involved in
the attack.
February 12
A high-level US Government official
informed that the US was looking into removing the terrorist tag
off the Unified CPN-Maoist. "The more they (Maoists) act
within a political system and abandon past practice of terrorism
and violence, the easier it will be for us to finish this review.
That is what we are doing. We are trying to gather about what
they are doing and what is going on. We will make the decision
when we feel like it is time to pull them off (terrorist tag),"
the visiting US Assistant Secretary for Bureau of South and Central
Asian Affairs Richard Boucher said in a press conference in Kathmandu.
February 13
A bomb exploded at the office
of the UNHCR in Nepalgunj. Though pamphlets of the Bhisan Himali
Bag, a previously unheard group, were found at the incident site,
security sources suspected the involvement of Hindu extremists
in the blast. However, there was no report of any major loss.
An unidentified group detonated
a ?pressure cooker bomb? at the District office of the Nepali
Congress at Hasanpur in Dhangadhi. Walls of ground floor and stairs
were destroyed in the blast.
Police said that the two suspects
arrested in connection with the February 6 attack on a Police
Post at Syaulibang village in the Pyuthan District had conceded
their affiliation with the Mongolian Mukti Morcha (MMM), the group
responsible for the attack. Bagbir Budha and Balbir Budha admitted
they are members of the MMM led by Tekbir Budha. Police recovered
important documents from the duo. Tekbir ran training camps at
Garjabang and Libang villages which once served as training centers
for the erstwhile CPN-Maoist cadres during the insurgency.
Clashes between the All Nepal
National Independent Students'' Union- Revolutionary and All Nepal
National Free Students'' Union, student wings of the Unified CPN-Maoist
and the CPN-UML respectively, were reported from various campuses
of the Chitwan District in the run-up to the Free Student Union
elections.
The Sarita Giri-led Nepal Sadbhawana
Party, a minor party in the Constituent Assembly, withdrew its
support to the Maoist-led Government, accusing it of functioning
in an undemocratic manner.
February 14
Prime Minister and Unified CPN-Maoist
Chairman Prachanda said the party would not always be engaged
in the peace process. The party would move in a different manner
in order to embrace change through revolt, he said at a programme
organised in Lalitpur. "We should realise that current condition
will not prevail for long and we also should prepare ourselves
seriously for the next situation," he said.
February 15
The Supreme Court upheld the detention
of Govinda Bahadur Batala alias ?Jivit?, a commander of
the People?s Liberation Army (PLA). Jivit is one of the prime
accused in the murder of Ram Hari Shrestha, a Kathmandu-based
businessman who was killed on May 10, 2008, allegedly by the PLA
cadres, at Shaktikhor in Chitwan.
February 16
Narendra Khati, a supervisor at
the Janakpur cigarette factory, was shot dead in Janakpur. An
unidentified person claiming to be a cadre of the JTMM-J claimed
responsibility of the killing.
An unidentified gang shot dead
one person, Gambhir Saud, a resident of the Sripur Village Development
Committee-4 area, and injured his son, Prem, at Dhangadi in the
Kailali District.
An unidentified group vandalized
and set ablaze the building of the Pahupatinagar VDC in the Bardiya
District. All the documents and furniture were destroyed in the
fire.
February 19
10 activists of the Nepali Congress
(NC) and the CPN-UML were injured in a clash between the two sides
at Jingariya in the Rautahat District following a dispute over
a public partnership forest.
A radio journalist, Gyanendra
Raj Mishra, sustained bullet injury when an unidentified gang
opened fire at him near his office at Ward Number 4 of Birgunj
municipality.
February 20
The Raman Singh-led faction of
the Madheshi Mukti Tigers (MMT), an underground outfit active
in Terai, announced a four-member talks? team that would participate
in the dialogue with the Government. Issuing a statement in Kathmandu,
the MMT said that it has formed the team under the coordination
of Bhola Prasad Mukhiya with Bishwonath Pandit, Dhani Mandal and
Anil Kumar Jha as members. The statement signed by Raman Singh
expressed hope that the Government would address the equitable
demands of the Madheshis. Meanwhile, the MMT forwarded its preconditions
that include security guarantee for the talks? team, release of
its cadres from Police custody and withdrawal of the cases against
them.
February 21
The Government reached a five-point
agreement with an underground armed outfit, Liberation Tigers
of Terai Ilam, at a dialogue held in Birgunj. As per the agreement,
the Government will take the responsibility of the security of
the talks? team of the outfit and will treat the outfit in a political
manner. The outfit on its part will not carry out any armed activities
during the period of dialogue. The agreement also includes that
the outfit will provide the names of its detained cadres to the
Government and the latter will release the cadres after investigation.
The co-ordinator of the outfit Ram Lochan Thakur aka Swami
along with four other members was present in the dialogue.
February 22
An unidentified gang detonated
a bomb at Indu Shankar Sugar Mill at Hariaun in the Sarlahi District.
The blast, however, caused no significant damage. General Manager
of the mill, Bijay Kanta Jha, said that it could be the terror
tactic of one of the underground outfits as the mill had not given
in to their extortion demands.
The Supreme Court issued an interim
order to the Defence Ministry and the Nepal Army to halt the process
of inducting new personnel in the army till Feb 28.
February 24
The Eighth National Convention
of the CPN-UML elected General Secretary Jhalanath Khanal as party
Chairman by a margin of over 15 per cent. Khanal will lead the
party for next five years. Likewise, Ishwar Pokhrel was elected
General Secretary.
February 25
YCL, the youth wing of the erstwhile
CPN-Maoist, merged with the All Nepal Janabadi Youth Association,
youth wing of the erstwhile CPN-Ekata Kendra-Masal, following
the unification of their mother parties to form the Unified CPN-Maoist.
The name of the new organisation will remain YCL. However, it
will adopt the flag of the All Nepal Janabadi Youth Association.
February 26
The Army and Police personnel,
who left their jobs during the insurgency, warned of waging an
armed struggle unless they were reinstated. Surya Bahadur Ghimire,
the Central commander of the National Struggle Committee of the
conflict-affected Army and Police personnel, claimed that some
of the Security Force personnel who left the jobs during the conflict
have joined different armed outfits in the Terai, adding, "The
armed movement in Terai would end if the Government reinstated
them. Our movement is for our rights."
February 27
Speaking at a programme at Sauraha
in the Chitwan District, the Nepali Congress (NC) President Girija
Prasad Koirala directed the party cadres to retaliate against
the violent activities of the Unified CPN-Maoist cadres.
March 1
24 persons were injured when the
YCL cadres attacked workers of other political parties at Musikot,
the District headquarters of Rukum. The YCL attacked the Nepali
Congress, CPN-UML, Janamorcha Nepal, and Rastriya Prajatantra
Party activists taking part in a meeting organised to protest
against the Maoist lawmakers'' indifference towards coordination
in the public opinion collection drive for the constitution-to-be
drafted.
The Tharu Kalyankari Sabha, an
association that is demanding a separate Tharu state, announced
a month-long protest, opposing the list of ethnic groups publicised
recently by the Government in which the indigenous Tharus are
recognised as a part of the Madheshi community. The central committee
meeting of the Tharu organisation held in Chitwan decided to launch
the agitation starting from March 2.
March 3
The Unified CPN-Maoist-affiliated
People?s Liberation Army (PLA) began its recruitment drive in
all the seven divisions. The enrolment guidelines were notified
at Chulachuli, Ilam; Dudhauli, Sindhuli; Shaktikhor, Chitwan;
Jhyaltungdanda, Nawalparasi; Dahagaon, Rolpa; Dasharathpur, Surkhet
and Masuriya, Kailali.
The United Nations Mission in
Nepal (UNMIN), which has been monitoring the peace process in
Nepal, said the fresh recruitment in both the Nepal Army and the
PLA would be against the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
The Supreme Court referred the
hearing on the Nepal Army recruitment controversy to a larger
bench after a two-member bench was split on whether to allow the
Army continue recruitment of 3,010 personnel.
March 4
Four persons were injured in a
bomb blast in Birgunj. Police said the bomb exploded in an eatery
at Mina Bazaar. The Police later arrested one person on suspicion
of his involvement in the blast.
A Cabinet meeting decided to finalise
the list of Madhesis only after holding consultation with the
concerned organisations of indigenous nationalities. However,
indigenous groups agitating against the ordinance on reservation
have decided to continue with their protests even after the Cabinet
decided to revoke the "faulty" caste categorization
dubbing it "insufficient".
March 5
The situation in Rajbiraj in the
Saptari District was tense following a clash between cadres of
the JTMM-Rajan Mukti and the local businessmen. The clash ensued
after the local businessmen retaliated against the JTMM-Rajan
Mukti cadres who were forcibly shutting down the market areas
demanding the release of their fellow cadres, including Subhash
Jha, who were arrested along with arms, a week ago.
March 6
One security personnel was hacked
to death and another was seriously injured by irate Tharu demonstrators
in Sauraha region in Chitwan District after two Tharu agitators
died in police firing a day earlier. The Tharus are demanding
revocation of the ordinance that recognises Tharu communities
as Madheshis.
March 10
A group of the YCL cadres led
by Phatta Bahadur Tamang assaulted a Nepali Congress activist,
Binod Pathak, at Thansing in the Nuwakot District. The incident
led to postponement of the opinion collection campaign in the
District for the constitution in the making.
March 11
Despite the PLA decision for deferral
of its fresh recruitment campaign, the 7th division at Taalbandh
in the Kailali District announced to carry out fresh recruitment.
Earlier, issuing a statement on March 9, the PLA Chief Nanda Kishore
Pun had said the PLA headquarters postponed the recruitment drive
from March 10 respecting the Supreme Court''s stay order and Army
Integration Special Committee (AISC)''s directives to stop fresh
intake in the PLA.
Talks between the Government and
the agitating Tharu community ended inconclusively after the Government
did not agree to the latter?s demand to assure them a constitutional
guarantee of proportional reservation in all public services for
ethnic groups on the basis of population. The Government agreed
to eight out of nine demands put forward by the Tharus including
making amendments in the interim constitution and a controversial
ordinance as demanded by the indigenous Tharus. The word ?Madhes?
included in the statutes will be changed to either ?Terai? or
?Terai-Madhes?. Another round of talks is expected to take place
on March 12. The Tharu community has not withdrawn its strike
even as the talks are ongoing.
March 13
At least four members of the Nepali
Congress affiliated Nepal Students? Union (NSU) were injured when
cadres of the YCL and ANNISU-R, student wing of the Unified CPN-Maoist,
attacked them at Lamjung Agriculture Campus. The clash ensued
after the NSU students padlocked the Campus Chief Office accusing
the ANNISU-R of filing single candidacy.
The Darchula District headquarters
Khalanga remained tensed since March 9 due to continuous clashes
between the YCL and the Youth Force (YF), youth wing of the CPN-UML.
The conflict started when YF activists assaulted two YCL cadres
"for threatening a Free Students Union election candidate of CPN-UML
aligned All Nepal National Free Students? Union (ANNFSU) and vandalising
the party office" on March 9.
March 13
The PLA cadres from Jit Smriti
Brigade indiscriminately attacked a rally organised by locals
of the Kalyan VDC-3 in the Surkhet District protesting the ongoing
PLA raids in the village. Following the attack on a Maoist soldier
by some locals over a dispute during Holi (the festival of colours)
on March 11, the PLA cadres from Jit Smriti Brigade have reportedly
been raiding the houses at Kalyan VDC and assaulting villagers
in acts of reprisal.
March 14
A ?pressure cooker bomb? exploded
at the office of the Nepali Congress at Nepalgunj-13 in the Banke
District damaging its walls and two doors, according to the District
Police Office. Bhagat Singh, District in-charge of the JTMM-J,
claimed responsibility for the blast and said it was carried out
to protest the Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala''s
recent statement against ''One Madhesh One Pradesh''.
The shutter of the office of the
Unified CPN-Maoist at Surkhet Road in Nepalgunj was damaged when
an unidentified gang detonated a bomb in the office.
March 16
The Kirat Janabadi Workers'' Party
(KJWP), an armed group active in the eastern hilly Districts,
dismissed its talks? team coordinator. In a press statement issued
by the party Chairman Navin Kirati and Secretary Rabin Kirati,
it was mentioned that Ananta Kranti has been dismissed as he failed
to play an important role during the dialogue with the Government.
The Army Integration Special Committee
(AISC) decided to form a technical committee for the integration
and rehabilitation of the PLA combatants with the Nepal Army.
The AISC meeting held at the Prime Minister''s Office in Singhadurbar
decided to form the technical committee as important tasks for
the integration could not be carried since the integration body
was earlier formed as a political committee.
March 17
Police and cadres of the JJTMM-J clashed in the
Betahani area of Banke District. Following the clash, Police arrested
one Madhumohan Sarkar, reportedly an Indian citizen, staying in
a rented apartment from the Puraina area of the District and seized
a gun from the incident site.
Police arrested three suspected weapons peddlers
in possession with a large number of automatic guns, their bullets
and some illegal drugs in Kathmandu.
March 18
Seven persons were injured when a bomb exploded
in front of the Maistahan Temple at Birgunj in the Parsa District.
Police Inspector Bhuwanesor Prasad Shah said five persons, including
Raj Bahadur Gosai, the Birgunj in-charge of Terai Mukti Morcha,
were arrested in connection with the blast.
Eight activists of the ANNFSU and one of the ANNISU-R
were injured during clashes in the capital Kathmandu on the eve
of the Free Students Union polls.
A cabinet meeting approved the six-point agreement
signed between the Government and various Tharu organisations
on March 14. The Government and the Tharu community had agreed
on various points, including amending the constitution and laws
to replace the term ''Madhesh'' by ''Terai-Madhesh'' and guaranteeing
a distinct identity to Tharus and other ethnic communities living
in the southern plains.
Fearing for their life, over 90 percent of the
locals of Kanchanpur in the Bara District fled their homes after
a group of around 300 persons claiming to be cadres of the Unified
CPN-Maoist looted and vandalised over two dozen houses in the
area. The victims said they chose to escape after the intruders
stormed into their houses and began vandalising their TV sets,
cupboards and other property before escaping with some cash and
valuables.
March 19
An unidentified gang shot dead a CPN-UML cadre,
Brija Mohan Yadav, and injured another at Jhatikaiya in the Dhanusha
District. According to Police, cadres of the JTMM-J could have
been involved in the murder. Police arrested one Satya Narayan
Yadav, a JTMM-J cadre, in connection with the incident.
An unidentified gang bombed the Sukauli VDC office
in the Nawalparasi District. Police said the gang detonated a
powerful 'pressure cooker' bomb damaging the office building completely.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the incident.
March 20
The Government and the Madhesi Mukti Tigers (MMT),
an armed outfit operating in the Terai, signed a four-point agreement
during the first round of talks held between them at Kathmandu.
As per the agreement, the Government will provide security to
the MMT negotiators and take initiative for the release of detained
MMT cadres following investigation while MMT will stop its armed
activities during the dialogue process. Likewise, the Government
has agreed to recognise the MMT as a political outfit.
March 21
A group of senior MJF leaders dissociated themselves
from the parent party and formed a new group, the Madhesh-Terai
Party. The new group formed an 11-member central committee headed
by Amar Yadav. "We will formally launch our party next week,"
said Yadav, who had earlier defected to the MJF from the Nepali
Congress.
March 22
Six persons, including a Policeman, were injured
in Beni Bazaar, the headquarters of Myagdi District, as cadres
of the Unified CPN-Maoist and CPN-UML clashed following a dispute
during the District Council meeting. The District administration
has clamped curfew in Beni Bazaar from 5 pm to bring the situation
under control.
March 23
One person was killed and another sustained injuries
when a bomb exploded at the Transport Management Office in Nepalgunj.
A motorcycle, cycle and the rooms at the back of the office were
destroyed in the explosion. Police said the person died while
trying to detonate the bomb.
Over 10 students, including a former Free Students'
Union (FSU) president, were injured in a clash between the ANNISU-R
and other student unions in Ghodaghodi Multiple Campus of Sukhad.
The clash occurred after ANNISU-R cadres entered the campus with
weapons during nominations for the FSU polls scheduled to be held
on March 31.
Keeping in view the forthcoming by-elections,
the YCL is set to establish checkpoints to foil the arrival of
"unwanted people" in Rolpa District. Speaking at a press conference
at the District headquarters Liwang, the YCL District chairman
Gobardhan Ghartimagar said they would establish checkpoints at
the two bordering areas in the District soon.
The Rajan Mukti-led faction of the Janatantrik
Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Rajan), an armed Terai outfit, held discussions
with Vice President Paramananda Jha in the capital Kathmandu.
Rajiv Jha, talks' coordinator of the JTMM-Rajan, said that the
outfit urged him to implement the six-point agreement signed with
the Government. According to him, the outfit told the Jha that
it would launch an agitation if the agreement is not implemented.
"Second phase of talks has been uncertain, as the six-point agreement
signed by the government on Dec. 21 during the first phase has
not been implemented," he said.
Two persons, including a 12-year-old, were injured
when cadres of the JTMM-Prithvi Singh detonated a bomb at the
office building of Sahara Savings and Cooperatives in Malangawa,
the District headquarters of Sarlahi. The explosion, however,
caused no damage to the company building and materials. The underground
armed outfit said the office was bombed as the owners did not
pay the ?donation? of NR 500,000 as sought by them.
March 24
24 students were injured in a
clash between ANNFSU, the student wing of CPN-UML and the ANNISU-R,
the student wing of Unified CPN Maoist at the Kailali Multiple
Campus. The clash ensued after the ANNISU-R students entered the
campus premises with slogans for registering election nominations
while the ANNFSU were organizing a welcome programme for the elections
scheduled to be held on March 31.
March 25
Police shot dead two persons in
Birgunj claiming the duo was involved in bomb blasts in various
parts of the city, extortion and shooting incidents.
Four persons were injured while
making a bomb in the same town.
The Army Integration Special Committee
(AISC) formed an eight-member technical panel that would assist
it in the integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants.
The newly appointed members of the technical panel included Indrajit
Rai and Barsha Man Pun from the ruling Unified CPN Maoist, Shambhu
Ram Simkhada and Balananda Sharma from the Nepali Congress (NC),
Dipak Bhatta and Gopal Singh Bohara from the CPN-UML and Shadananda
Kurmi and Ramananda Mishra from Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF).
March 26
An unidentified gunman shot dead
one Sanjaya Kumar Gupta at Birgunj, the headquarters of Parsa
District.
Unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle
shot dead Prachanda Thaiba, a cadre of the Youth Force (YF), the
youth wing of CPN-UML when he was returning home at Butwal -9
Deepnagar in the Rupandehi District. The CPN-UML accused YCL of
being involved in the killing. However, Rakesh Bidrohi, District
in-charge of Jaya Krishna Goit led ATMM owned up the responsibility
for the killing in a telephone call to the local media. Bidrohi
said Thaiba was killed because the he was asking for donations
from the local people posing as an ATMM cadre.
Announcing a nationwide agitation
against the killing of its cadre, the CPN-UML decided to boycott
the cabinet meeting till the Maoists rectify themselves. Further,
CPN-UML warned of pulling out from the Government accusing the
Maoist party of continuing violent activities and assaulting the
CPN-UML cadres.
March 28
Five persons were injured when
a powerful socket bomb exploded at the busy Garuda Bazaar of the
Rautahat District. Barud Singh, commander of JTMM-J, claimed responsibility
for the blast.
April 2
Anuj Thapa Magar, a seventh grade
student at Bargachhi-based Gograha Secondary School as well as
a cadre of Youth Force (YF), was killed and two others injured
when a gang of five assailants stabbed them in front of Namuna
Higher Secondary School in Biratnagar, the headquarters of Morang
District. Eyewitnesses claim the assailants were associated with
the YCL.
April 6
An election candidate of the Morang
? 7 representing Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party (CBREP) was
assaulted by an unidentified group. The unidentified group also
vandalised the party constituency office located at Chandni Chowk
in Biratnagar and set ablaze the party flag. In protest, CBREP
cadres obstructed transportation and shut down markets in Biratnagar
and other towns of Morang in the morning of April 7.
Prime Minister Prachanda said
the forces who protest the integration of the Maoist People?s
Liberation Army (PLA) into the national army are criminals. "No
one has the right to oppose the army integration. Hence, they
should be gotten rid off," he said while addressing the people?s
assembly organised by the Maoists in commemoration of the 1990
People?s Movement in the capital.
The Unified CPN Maoist cadres
attacked and injured five Nepali Congress (NC) activists at Pukchowk
in the Kaski District. According to the NC, the Maoists manhandled
its activists who were on their way back after attending a programme
at Lekhnath municipality.
April 7
The Unified CPN-Maoist women cadres assaulted
one Nanda Bhandari, a Government lawyer pleading for a murder
accused, on the premises of Surkhet District court.
April 8
A Nepali Congress cadre, Prem Bahadur Kandel,
was killed by an unidentified group in the Thaparek VDC area in
Nuwakot District.
Over a dozen people, including two Policemen,
were injured in internecine clashes between cadres of the Unified
CPN Maoist and CPN-Maoist led by Matrika Yadav in Biratnagar.
The local administration imposed prohibitory orders in areas surrounding
Sirauchiya of Biratnagar to control the situation. According to
media reports, cadres of the Matrika Yadav led Maoists attacked
cadres of the other group alleging them of violating the code
of conduct of the by-elections. They also vandalised a van used
by the Unified CPN Maoist.
The central secretariat of the ruling Unified
CPN-Maoist expelled Sujit B. K., a leader of the YCL of Rupandehi
District, from the party's general membership and other organisational
responsibilities. The CPN-UML, one of the major partners of the
Maoist-led Government, was insisting that Sujit is the prime accused
in the murder of Prachanda Thaiba, a District leader of the CPN-UML's
youth-wing Youth Force.
Cadres of the YCL assaulted Chhabi Lal Punjali,
an activist of the CPN-UML, at Mijure VDC area in Kaski constituency-1.
The YCL cadres were reportedly led by Suri Man Neupane.
April 9
Santosh Shah, the CPN-ML candidate for Dhanusha
constituency-5, was abducted from Binahi on the eve of the Constituent
Assembly by-election. The Terai Rastriya Mukti Sena, an underground
armed outfit, claimed responsibility for the abduction.
The YCL cadres chased six election monitors deployed
by the Nepali Congress from the Mauja VDC area. The YCL warned
to take action against them if they did not leave the village.
An armed cadre of the JTMM-J, identified as Parasuram
Kori, was killed in an encounter with Police at Shivapur village
in the Banke District. Police sources said Kori was killed in
retaliation after the JTMM-J cadres opened fired at a Police patrol
team leading to an exchange of fire for about half- an- hour at
Shivapur. A semi-automatic gun, one pistol, three socket bombs
and dozens of rounds of ammunition were recovered from the bag
of the deceased. The kin and relatives of the deceased, however,
said that Kori was innocent and added that JTMM-J men had forcibly
taken him under their control three days ago. "They abducted my
son and two others three days ago. My innocent son was killed
for nothing," said Buduni Kori, the victim''s mother.
April 11
Cadres of the Madhesh Rastra Janatantrik Revolutionary
(RJR), an armed outfit active in southern Terai, shot dead Chatthu
Yadav, a resident of Ayodhyanagar and the District in-charge of
Madheshi Mukti Tigers (MMT), another armed outfit active in the
Terai, at Mahanaur-3 VDC area in Siraha District. The central
command in-charge of the RJR, Chandra Shekhar, while claiming
responsibility for the incident said the RJR was compelled to
take "physcial action" against Yadav as the latter was active
in extortion in the region.
April 16
Three persons, including two members
of a family, were killed by an unidentified gang in the Mabu VDC
area of Ilam District. The dead bodies of Moti Bahadur Gurung
of Mabu VDC-7, Gunj Bahadur Gurung and Purna Kumari Gurung were
found at Moti Bahadur''s house in the morning of April 17.
The Government announced the formation
of State Restructuring Commission under the leadership of Ganesh
Man Gurung. According to Government spokesperson and Minister
for Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the
Commission will include representatives from all parties in the
Government. Sita Thebe was nominated as a representative of women
in the Commission but other members are yet to be named.
The District Administration Office
in Bardiya asked cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist to return the
lands captured from various people during the insurgency to their
rightful owners within 15 days failing which the administration
will use force to vacate such lands.
April 17
The Tharuhat Joint Struggle Committee
(TJSC) announced a fresh agitation criticising the Government
for not being serious towards implementing past agreements done
with it. Organizing a press conference in capital Kathmandu, the
TJSC said it will hold phase-wise protests from April 21 to 29
to exert pressure on the Government to fulfill its various demands,
including the scrapping of all decisions made against the ethnic
Tharu community till now.
A senior leader of the main opposition
Nepali Congress (NC), Ram Chandra Poudel, said in Bhaktapur that
the Government committed a huge mistake by ''unilaterally'' constituting
an important commission like the State Restructuring Commission.
"The Government has formed the commission without consulting Nepali
Congress. This is not acceptable," Poudel said.
April 18
Two children were killed in a
forest of Gulmi District when a stray bomb exploded. Hom Bahadur
B.K. and Bam Bahadur B.K., both 11-years-old, had gone to the
forest to herd cattle. The children were playing with the bomb
taking it as a toy, reports said.
April 19
The Government is set to hold
the second round of talks with six armed outfits active in the
Terai region by the end of April 2009. The Peace and Reconstruction
Minister and coordinator of the Government's team, Janardan Sharma,
said that the cabinet meeting held on April 16 decided to continue
the second round of dialogue with the armed outfits that are currently
engaged in negotiations with the Government. The second round
of talks will be held by the end of April 2009. The Government
team led by Sharma had held talks with the Madheshi Virus Killers,
Sanyukta Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha, the Rajan Mukti faction
of the Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha, Liberation Tigers of Terai
Ilam, Madheshi Mukti Tigers and Kirat Janabadi Workers Party during
the first phase.
April 20
The Ministry of Defence issued
Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rookmangud Katawal a letter with a
24-hour ultimatum to furnish clarification for "disobedience of
the Government decisions". Sending the letter to Katawal, the
Defence Ministry asked him for clarifications on the new enlistment
in the Nepal Army (NA), NA?s stand on the retirement of eight
brigadier generals and the NA staying out of some events in the
recently concluded Fifth National Games among others. The letter
was sent to the CoAS as per the April 19 cabinet meeting. The
Ministry asked for a clarification from Katawal concluding that
the NA has disobeyed the Government directives by not stopping
the new enlistment, by ordering the eight NA generals whom the
Government had given retirement to work and by boycotting six
events in the National Games following the participation of the
Maoist People?s Liberation Army (PLA).
Prime Minister Prachanda informed
President Ram Baran Yadav in the afternoon about the Defence Ministry?s
decision to seek clarification from the CoAS on some serious issues.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Baburam Bhattarai warned that the
CoAS would be dismissed if he failed to furnish a clarification
for defying a series of Government orders.
The main opposition party Nepali
Congress (NC) is reported to have boycotted the day?s parliamentary
sitting, objecting to the Government''s order to Katawal to furnish
a clarification within 24 hours. The NC vice-president Ram Chandra
Poudel said the Government''s move was an attempt to demoralise
the Army.
April 21
Rookmangud Katawal, the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS),
submitted his clarification in writing to the Cabinet Secretariat.
Katawal stated that his actions in the capacity as Army Chief
did not defied the Government's order as well as the norms and
values of civilian supremacy. General Katawal defended the recruitment
of 3,010 soldiers in the Army saying the army headquarters duly
informed the Government, United Nations Mission in Nepal and Joint
Monitoring Coordination Committee before initiating the recruitment
process. On the second question regarding reinstatement of eight
brigadier generals, the CoAS argued that he merely complied with
the direction of the Supreme court by extending the tenure of
the generals who were given retirement by the Government. He also
defended the boycott of events in the Fifth National Games, in
which the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA) had participated,
by stating that the decision was taken after athletes refused
to play citing last minute change in the game's tie set.
A meeting of 16 political parties, including a
key partner in the Government coalition, the CPN-UML, concluded
that the Maoist initiative to seek a clarification from the Army
Chief was against the spirit of the peace process.
A bomb disposal unit of the Nepalese Army defused
a bomb in the premises of the District Development Committee (DDC)
of an unspecified District. The bomb, which some unidentified
persons had hurled into the office in the night of April 20, did
not explode.
President Yadav, reportedly, in a letter to the
Prime Minister cautioned him against taking any decision to sack
the CoAS whereby the nation would plunge into a political deadlock.
April 22
Prime Minister Prachanda conferred with President
Ram Baran Yadav early in the morning regarding terminating Katawal
from the post. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Prachanda
said Yadav advised him to seek a consensus from the political
parties on the issue. "The discussion was positive," Prachanda
said. Returning from the meeting with the President, the Prime
Minister called for an emergency meeting of the central secretariat
of his party for further discussions on the issue.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's call for an
all-party backing on his move to take action against the Chief
of Army Staff (CoAS), Rookmangud Katawal, reportedly went largely
unheard in the all-party meeting. Political leaders said a majority
of the parties at the meeting urged the Prime Minister to defuse
the present crisis through political dialogue, ensuring that the
Army remains free from political interference. Key coalition partners
like the CPN-UML and MJF remained "reserved" regarding whether
action should be taken against the Army Chief. The other two ruling
parties, Unified CPN Maoist and Nepal Sadhbhawana Party, asked
the Prime Minister not to dismiss the Army chief. The main opposition
party Nepali Congress warned the Prime Minister not to take action
against the CoAS saying that the fragile peace process would be
jeopardised with such a move. The Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party
also urged the Government not to take action against Katawal.
The Nepal Majdur Kishan Party, Rastriya Janamorcha, Sanghiya Loktantrik
Rastriya Manch and Dalit Janajati Party did not participate in
the meeting.
April 23
Normal life in the various Districts of Terai
region remained paralyzed for the second consecutive day due to
the indefinite shutdown call given by the Tharuhut Joint Struggle
Committee. Normal life has been crippled in Sunsari, Saptari,
Udaypur, Siraha, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu,
Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, Kanchanpur among other districts
due to the shut down.
April 24
The Nepalese Army (NA) described the reports about
a highly-charged discussion in the Principal Staff Officers (PSO)
meeting at the Army headquarters on April 23 as being false and
"fabricated as part of a conspiracy to create rift between the
Army and the Government". Kantipur Daily and its sister
publication The Kathmandu Post ran cover stories in their
April 24 editions on two opposite conspiracies - one being a ''soft
coup'' planned by Chief of Army Staff Rookmangud Katawal in response
to the attempts to oust him and the other concerning NA second-in
-command, Lt General Kul Bahadur Khadka, who would have replaced
Katawal under the Maoist plan. The news reports cited information
provided by insiders on the PSO meeting that was organised to
discuss the situation in the wake of the government decision to
seek clarification from Katawal, which set off huge political
dispute.
Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel said
the rumour about the "Coup" was spread by Maoists to demoralize
Nepalese Army. Poudel said the Army cannot take such heedless
action at this juncture. "It is just a misapprehension on the
part of Maoists who still believe in ''gun culture," he said at
a programme at Reporter''s Club. He urged Prime Minister Prachanda
to substantiate the misgiving - which Prachanda reportedly made
at the parliament the other day - about Nepal Army through the
intelligence agencies at his disposal. Prachanda was speechless
when lawmakers asked the latter to substantiate speculations about
the Army, Poudel said.
Refuting media reports that he sent a letter directing
Prime Minister Prachanda not to oust Chief of Army Staff Rookmangud
Katawal, President Ram Baran Yadav said he had never sent any
letter to the Prime Minister in this regard.
A new UN report said commitments from Prime Minister
Prachanda to remove all disqualified children from the combatant
cantonments by end February 2009 have not been implemented so
far.
April 26
Agitating Tharu activists set ablaze seven Village
Development Committee (VDC) offices in Kailali District. Police
said offices of Sadhepani, Balia, Bhajani, Joshipur, Thapapur,
Dododhara and Ramshikarjhala VDCs were set ablaze in between 11pm
to 3am. Documents and furniture in the offices have been destroyed
in the arson. However, the Tharuhat Joint Struggle Committee has
denied its involvement in the incidents. Accusing the Government
of failing to put into effect the six-point agreement signed with
the Tharu body in March 2009, the committee has called for an
indefinite shutdown from April 22.
April 27
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal urged the chairman
of the CPN-UML, Jhala Nath Khanal, to support the Government's
plan to dismiss the CoAS, Rookmangad Katawal. Khanal had gone
to the Prime Minister's residence in the morning to propose an
option acceptable to both the Maoists and the main opposition
Nepali Congress (NC). The CPN-UML's standing committee meeting
on April 26 had decided that the Government should not take action
against the CoAS without a political consensus. The CPN-UML has
reportedly proposed making the third-in-line in the Nepalese Army,
Chhatra Man Singh Gurung, as the new CoAS and have Defence Minister
Ram Bahadur Thapa resign from his post.
Prime Minister (PM) and Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman
Prachanda said that he would take action against the CoAS General
Rookmangud Katawal by forging consensus with all major political
parties. "There is no alternative to consensus and I am committed
to sack him. Let's not say it now, what will happen if he defied,"
he said. Talking to journalists after the inauguration of the
third phase of BP highway at Baradanda in Khurkot, Sindhuli District,
PM Prachanda said the discussions are being held to forge consensus
with the parties for action against the CoAS. He also expressed
confidence that the parties would reach a common agreement.
The main opposition Nepali Congress and 15 other
political parties turned down CPN-UML's "middle-path" approach
to resolve the ongoing stand-off over the Maoist move to sack
CoAS Rookmangud Katawal. CPN-UML had proposed to remove Katawal
and the second-in-command Lt. General Kul Bahadur Khadka and settle
for a third person to lead the Army, besides getting rid of Defence
Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa.
Minister for Culture and State Restructuring Gopal
Kiranti said he was preparing to table a proposal to ban the Rastriya
Janamorcha Nepal (RJM) at the Council of Ministers in his capacity
as the minister responsible to oversee the restructuring of the
state. Agitation against federalism is unconstitutional as federalism
has already been mentioned in the interim constitution, Minister
Kiranti said. So, the RJM should be banned, he added. The RJM
has been agitating against federalism saying such system would
divide the country, invite ethnic war, and jeopardize the national
integrity. It is the only party represented in the Constituent
Assembly against federalism.
April 28
The United Nations Secretary-General
(UNSG), Ban Ki-moon, cautioned that differences among key political
parties continue to impede the consolidation of peace though progress
has been made in the peace process, including steps towards drafting
a new Constitution. In his new report on Nepal?s peace process
made public, Ban Ki-moon wrote that nation-wide public talks are
under way and the Special Committee mandated to supervise, integrate
and rehabilitate Maoist army personnel has kicked off consultations.
He also said that the Government has taken steps towards discharging
disqualified Maoist army personnel from the cantonment sites.
The report said lack of cooperation among the four major political
parties, the Maoist-led coalition government, remains ?fractious,
marked by public acrimony and weak consultation over major decisions?.
Lieutenant General Kul Bahadur
Khadka, second-in-command of the Nepalese Army, objected to the
CPN-UML?s proposal of removing him from his position to end the
ongoing stalemate. "What wrong have I done? There has to
be a charge (against me) to remove me" Khadka is reported
to have asked.
Police arrested the chairman of
the Tharuhat Joint Struggle Committee (TJSC), Laxman Tharu, from
Baneshwar in Kathmandu. The TJSC has been leading an indefinite
strike in the Terai since April 22.
April 29
The TJSC activists set ablaze
eight Village Development Committee (VDC) offices in the Dang
District?s Deukhuri valley, destroying all the furniture and documents.
Offices of Gobardiha, Gangaparspur, Gadhawa, Lalmatiya, Sishaniya,Sonapur,
Bela and Rajpur VDCs were destroyed. Meanwhile, Police released
Laxman Tharu, the coordinator of the agitating Tharuhat Joint
Struggle Committee, from its custody.
Nepalese Army personnel defused
a bomb (concealed in a pressure cooker) and two socket bombs inside
the District Police Office council. A police patrol team had seized
the bombs from Kanaiya Tiwari, a resident of Sujhampur of Kapilvastu
municipality 11, at Maryadapur border point in Kapilvastu District
along the India-Nepal border on April 24, the Police stated.
The Nepalese Army (NA) made it
clear that there was no division in its rank and file. In a joint
statement issued by the Chief of Army Staff Rukmangud Katawal,
Lt. Gen Kul Bahadur Khadka and Lt. Gen Chhatraman Gurung, they
also expressed doubts over a ploy to create a division in the
NA. "We would like to request all the countrymen not to believe
the rumours and we stand as one," the statement read. It also
added that the NA is committed to follow the Government?s orders.
The National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC) directed the Home Ministry to clarify as to why the latter
had recommended the withdrawal of 238 court cases against the
alleged perpetrators of the September 2007 Kapilavastu carnage
and other acts of grave human rights violation. The Kapilvastu
carnage is one of the gravest incidents of human rights violation
after the 2006 peace deal, according to NHRC officials.
April 30
The Unified CPN-Maoist decided
to go ahead with the plan to take action against the Chief of
Army Staff (CoAS), Rookmangud Katawal, after a meeting of the
party''s central secretariat. Talking to reporters after the meeting
held at Prime Minister and party chairman Prachanda?s residence,
the Maoist spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma said the Government has
been advised to show ''maximum flexibility'' while taking action
against the CoAS. He added that ''maximum flexibility'' would
mean an understanding with the ruling ally CPN-UML and the main
opposition Nepali Congress on the action against Katawal.
During his meeting with President
Dr Ram Baran Yadav, the Prime Minister reportedly informed the
President, who is also the supreme commander of the Nepalese Army,
about the decision to dismiss Katawal and tried to take him into
confidence over the issue. Meanwhile, President Yadav is said
to have rejected the idea of dismissing Katawal, warning that
such a step may have serious consequences which may even derail
the peace process.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal
is reported to have told civil society leaders and human rights
activists that the Government is committed to dismiss the army
chief to ?uphold civil supremacy?.
The CPN-UML has threatened to
pull out of the Government if the Maoists dismissed Katawal by
a unilateral decision. An emergency meeting of the CPN-UML''s
standing committee held in the evening urged the CPN-Maoist not
to dismiss Katawal in haste.
A joint demonstration was organised
by the civil society, businessmen and students against the ongoing
strike called by the JTSC. However, convener of the agitating
JTSC, Laxman Tharu, said their agitation would continue until
the Tharu community was recognised in the new constitution.
May 1
The senior Unified CPN-Maoist
leader and Finance Minister Baburam Bhattarai said his party is
firm in its resolve to take action against the Chief of Army Staff
(CoAS) Rookmangud Katawal even if it has to quit the Government.
Addressing a May Day function organised by the Maoist-affiliated
All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF), Bhattarai said the Government
would take action against the CoAS at any cost in order to safeguard
civilian supremacy. He added, "If the President tries to
veto the decision by misinterpreting the constitution he will
face the fate of (former king) Gyanendra." He also warned
of "another revolution" if attempts were made to curtail
the peaceful political transformation.
Sushil Koirala, acting president
of the Nepali Congress, during a meeting with a team of civil
society leaders led by Sudip Pathak said, "Nepali Congress will
also continue to obstruct the parliament until the Government
withdraws its decision to take action against the Army chief."
May 3
The Maoist-led coalition Government
removed the Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS), General Rookmangud
Katawal. The major coalition partner, the CPN-UML, has consequently
withdrawn support to the Government. Two weeks ago, the Government
asked for a clarification from General Katawal saying he violated
its orders on three issues - recruitment in the Nepalese Army,
extension of eight Army brigadiers? tenure, and the Army?s withdrawal
from six events in which it had to play against the People?s Liberation
Army (the Maoists? Army) in the Fifth National Games. The Government
felt that the Army Chief disregarded civilian supremacy and challenged
the Maoist-led Government. The Defence Ministry gave General Katawal
24 hours to clarify. Two weeks later, the Government concluded
that the clarification General Katawal submitted was not satisfactory
and a Cabinet meeting decided to dismiss him.
Government spokesperson Krishna
Bahadur Mahara told reporters that "Until an arrangement
is made, General Kul Bahadur Khadka will work as acting Army Chief."
The Cabinet meeting was boycotted by several parties, including
the CPN-UML, the MJF and the Sadbhavana Party-Nepal, supporters
of the coalition Government that was formed in August 2008, saying
it was the Maoists? decision alone. Later, the CPN-UML?s central
committee meeting decided to pull out from the Government.
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav sent
a letter at 10.30pm to the army headquarters asking Katawal to
continue in his position as CoAS. The President gave such orders
in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the Nepalese Army.
The President intervened in the issue following a memorandum submitted
by 18 political parties, including Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML.
A copy of the letter was sent to Prime Minister Prachanda. However,
the Prime Minister reportedly refused to accept the letter and
described the President?s intervention as unconstitutional.
The TJSC called off the shutdown
it had been observing in 22 districts of the Terai saying it had
changed the approach of agitation. The TJSC issued a press statement
to announce the withdrawal of the strike, almost two weeks after
it started. According to the statement, the strike was withdrawn
keeping in view the latest political developments in the country
and in response to the call by various human rights organisations.
The agitation will continue until the demands are met, the statement
added.
May 4
Nine months after he was elected
the first Prime Minister (PM) of the Federal Democratic Republic
of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal announced his resignation which was
subsequently accepted by President Ram Baran Yadav. In an address
to the nation, the PM said, "To resolve this difficult situation
and to create a positive environment to save democracy, nationalism,
and peace process, I announce my resignation." The announcement
came after the President, who is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief,
asked the CoAS, General Rookmangud Katawal, to continue in office.
In a statement, the President said the Army Chief?s dismissal
by the Cabinet on May 3 did not "meet the constitutional requirements
and due process."
The Nepali Congress (NC), the
CPN-UML and other parties welcomed the Prime Minister?s resignation.
An all-party meeting is scheduled for May 5 to decide on forming
a new Government.
The Unified CPN-Maoist decided
to agitate in the Parliament and the street until their decision
to dismiss Katawal is implemented. A meeting of the party secretariat
held at Baluwatar following Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal?s
resignation decided to launch the agitation in favour of democracy
and civil supremacy.
May 5
An unidentified group shot dead Tekbir Budha,
chairman of the armed outfit Mongolian Revenge Group (MRG), at
Gam VDC area of Rolpa District. According to locals, six masked
gunmen killed him in Khalbang Harja at around 7AM. Sources claimed
the Police recovered some arms and ammunition that the group looted
from Syaulibang Police Post of neighbouring Pyuthan District about
four months ago.
President Ram Baran Yadav called on parties in
the Constituent Assembly (CA) to form a Government by May 9 after
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal resigned on May 4.
An all-party meeting was called by the CPN-UML,
the third largest party in the CA, but the Unified CPN-Maoist
and the MJF did not take part. CPN-UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal
told reporters that his party would request the Maoists also to
join the Government. The Nepali Congress had already said it was
ready to support the CPN-UML in Government formation. Khanal said
some other parties had also requested them to lead the Government.
"But we will try to forge consensus on forming a national Government,"
he said.
In a video telecast by Kathmandu-based Image
Channel in the afternoon of May 3, the Maoist chairman Prachanda
is seen telling Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA) combatants in a
meeting at Shaktikhor cantonment in Chitwan how the party swindled
all into believing that the number of PLA was 35,000 when it was
actually not more than 8,000, ultimately leading to the increase
in PLA''s strength rather than its reduction as has been assumed.
Prachanda is seen further justifying the inflated figure in the
video which the channel claimed was from January 2, 2008 when
the Maoists were an important constituent of the Girija Prasad
Koirala led interim Government. He said that apart from the PLA,
which he said is now already a "regular army", the party has also
formed YCL comprising thousands of youths despite various difficulties
and "who now add to our strength". The Maoist chairman also revealed
that a significant share of the money that will go to "our martyrs"
in villages throughout the country and the PLA in cantonments
will be used by the party to prepare for revolt and ultimately
capture the state. "You all know that if we have enough money
in our hands we can prepare a good battle plan. So, the party
needs a good amount of money for the revolt," he said. He further
said that though the party may appear to have again reached a
compromise (with the state and political parties), "but if you
look deeply then you will know how seriously the party is preparing
for the ultimate revolt". Claiming that PLA combatants are "politically
aware", he said even a small number of their entry into the Nepalese
Army is enough to establish a complete Maoist control over the
Army. This was why Chief of Army Staff Rookmangud Katawal was
against our soldiers' entry into the Army, he said. Prachanda
said his party would clarify the contents of the video tape.
The Supreme Court, ruling on a case filed on May
4 by the INHURED, an NGO, issued a show cause notice demanding
the office of President to submit reasons for asking General Rookmangud
Katawal to stay in the same position though the Government had
dismissed him.
The Maoist District committee in Ramechhap issued
a warning to members of the Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML to
leave the District by May 9. The District leaders also threatened
to take 'physical action' if anyone being warned did not abide
by the circular in the said period. The village committees of
the party have circulated the warning throughout the District
and posted it in several public places. Maoists have alleged NC
and CPN-UML of being pro-Indians.
The Unified CPN-Maoist cadres demonstrated in
various parts of the nation against the President who directed
the Army Chief to continue with the office despite the cabinet''s
decision to terminate him. Further, CA members of the Unified
CPN-Maoist decided not to allow any business in the Parliament
until President Ram Baran Yadav apologises for his move to reinstate
the army chief before the House.
Chief of United Nations Mission in Nepal, Karin
Landgren, said the crisis sparked by the Prime Minister's resignation
threatens the gains made so far in the peace process and urged
all parties in Nepal to work urgently to rebuild trust and achieve
consensus.
May 6
Organising a press conference over the videotape
of his lecture to PLA commanders some 16 months ago, the outgoing
Prime Minister and Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias
Prachanda said his party had three tiers of armed forces - central
and regional as regular armed forces and militia that numbered
well over 100,000. Prachanda said what he mentioned in the tape
that real strength of the PLA was 7,000 to 8,000 was only the
number of the ''central regular armed force''. He argued that
the broadcasting of the videotape, containing his speech in a
different political situation, is a reactionary ploy to cover
up the unconstitutional move of President Ram Baran Yadav and
to jeopardise the peace process.
Prachanda also reiterated his commitment to the
peace process and constitution-drafting which will transform the
country into a federal republic. Claiming that some elements have
been trying to push them again towards war, he said under no circumstances
will they end the peace deal to start violence again. In his written
statement, Prachanda said his party is ready to engage in forming
the new Government if the President withdraws his move to reinstate
Rookmangud Katawal as the Chief of Army Staff. He termed the President's
move as 'rule of decree'.
Responding to journalists' queries regarding the
threats issued to members of other political parties in Ramechhap,
Prachanda said it was against the spirit and policy of his party
and that concerned persons have been directed to withdraw it immediately
and take action against anyone involved in issuance of such threats.
However, Maoist cadres attacked the CPN-UML party office at Ramechhap.
Shanti Prasad Poudel, District deputy secretary, CPN-UML, alleged
that a group led by Rajan Dahal, Deputy District in-charge of
the Maoists, vandalised the party's office and also manhandled
many CPN-UML supporters.
Protesting supporters of Unified CPN-Maoist clashed
with Police at Kathmandu. Police used tear gas and bamboo batons
to break up a protest of about 500 Maoist supporters. No one was
seriously injured. Authorities have imposed a ban on protests
and rallies in key areas of Kathmandu this week.
Police arrested 10 underground leaders of Terai
outfits, including Mahottari District leader of JTMM-Rajan and
Dhanusha District in-charge from Mahottari District. The Deputy
Superintendent of Police of the Armed Police Force, Ramesh Pandey,
said that JTMM-Rajan's Mahottari, Dhanusha Districtin-charge Tufan
Ansari and Ganesh Sah and others were arrested. They were arrested
near Khair VDC of Mahottari while asking for donation.
May 7
In a notice issued by YCL chief of the Siraha
District, those supporting President's move to reinstate Government-sacked
army chief have been alleged to be Indian agents and warned of
physical action. The YCL cadres also said this was to uphold the
civilian supremacy and whoever goes against that will face punishment
from the people.
The YCL organised rallies in Bhaktapur, Lagankhel
of Lalitpur and Basantapur of Kathmandu against the President's
move to reinstate the army chief.
The politburo meeting of Unified CPN-Maoist ended
stressing that the party should organise more protest programmes
to exert pressure on President Ram Baran Yadav to correct his
''unconstitutional'' move to reinstate the Army chief.
The Minister for Education Renu Kumari Yadav,
who is a central leader of MJF, is said to have issued the death
threats to a Journalist. Saptari District correspondent of Avenues
Television Baidha Nath Yadav had filed a news report about
teachers associated with MJF smearing soot over the district education
officer's face protesting the latter's decisions.
The MJF agreed to support the CPN-UML to lead
the next coalition Government. The deal was made at a late night
meeting between Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala
and MJF leaders Upendra Yadav and Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, who
met at Koirala's residence in Maharajgunj.
May 9
The Politburo meeting of the Unified CPN Maoist
held at Ravi Bhawan decided not to take any initiative to form
the new Government until President Yadav corrects his "unconstitutional
move" by reversing his step to reinstate the army chief.
May 10
With the May 9 midnight deadline for political
parties to reach a consensus for a new unity Government already
over, President Ram Baran Yadav wrote a letter to the Parliament
to start procedures for the formation of a majority Government.
As per the Article 38 (2) of the Interim Constitution, if attempts
to form a Government of "national consensus" do not bear results
then a call should be made to form a majority Government.
Leaders of the NC and CPN-UML, who met in the
afternoon, decided to make joint efforts to form a CPN-UML-led
coalition Government. The two parties have decided to hold an
all-party meeting on May 12.
The NC demanded re-verification of the Maoist
combatants saying the real number of the fighters were far less
than they are today. During the parliamentary party meeting, the
NC lawmakers asked the party leadership to take up the issue seriously
since the fact was revealed by the recently leaked video featuring
the Unified CPN-Maoist chief Prachanda.
May 11
The Unified CPN-Maoist decided to escalate the
street agitation against the President's 'unconstitutional' step
overturning the Government decision to dismiss the CoAS Rookmangud
Katawal at a meeting of the Maoist politburo. Rallies and mass
meetings would be organised across the country as part of the
protest programme. The party arrived at the conclusion that a
new "government with civilian supremacy" cannot be formed unless
the current "constitutional crisis" is resolved. Earlier, during
a meeting with representatives of donor agencies and the United
Nations Mission in Nepal officials, the caretaker Prime Minister
Pushpa Kamal Dahal reiterated that his party was not in a mood
to relent unless the President's step is reserved.
A senior Maoist leader instructed party cadres
to chase away activists of the NC and CPN-UML from villages by
taking "people's action" against them. "Maoists will take people's
action against those supporting the president's move and drive
them out of the villages," said the Central Secretariat member
of the Unified CPN-Maoist, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, while addressing
a protest programme in Sandhikharka. He also said those supporting
the President's move should resign from their parties within a
week or face consequences. Terming the President's move to reinstate
Katawal as "an initiation of war", he said the party won't hesitate
to raise arms again and capture villages and the capital "if they
are forced to take such a step."
Bardiya District, the former VDC chairman of Manau
VDC, Gopal Siwakoti, and NC activists arrived at the District
headquarters Gulariya to take refuge following threats from the
Maoists.
The Maoists attacked NC's Basanta Raj Bhatt, former
VDC chairman and UML member Gopal Silwal, NC District member Krishna
Paudel and an NC-affiliated teacher Keshav Paudel in Banke District.
According to Bhatt, some 60 knife wielding Maoists attacked him
at 11:30 p.m. and looted NR 27,000. Further, the Maoists also
vandalised the house of Anantaram Tharu alleging him of allowing
his house to be used as an NC village unit office.
The YCL cadres distributed pamphlets stating that
they would continue their action in the Banke and Bardiya Districts.
May 12
Unidentified assailants shot at
and wounded Jiva Nath Chaudhary, a junior clerk at the District
Development Committee (DDC) in Dhanusha District, while he was
on his way to office in the morning. Another DDC official Mitthu
Chaudhary and a local woman also sustained bullet injuries in
the attack. Police suspect the role one of the many Madhesh-based
armed outfits in the incident.
The NHRC urged chiefs of security
agencies to step up security after receiving "information"
that cadres of opposing political parties in more than 13 Districts
had been displaced due to Maoist attacks. "With the unfolding
political situation, the excesses and unruly activities of the
leaders and cadres of Unified CPN-Maoist and its political wings
have increased," it said. The NHRC expressed serious concern
about organised attacks on leaders and cadres of opposing political
parties in Districts, including Sankhuwasabha, Bhojpur, Jhapa,
Saptari, Panchthar, Morang, Dhankuta, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Kailali,
Bardiya, Khotang and Taplejung.
The NC-UML alliance reached closer
on forming a new Government under the leadership of CPN-UML leader
Madhav Kumar Nepal. After several rounds of bilateral and multilateral
talks till late evening, the coalition garnered verbal support
from at least 15 fringe political parties in the Constituent Assembly.
Two of the three members in the Madheshi coalition had reportedly
sent their memos to support his candidacy.
May 13
The MJF, a key player in the formation
of a new Government, failed to reach a final decision regarding
its support to the new coalition during its parliamentary party
meeting. Though most lawmakers demanded voting to decide the party?s
position, president Upendra Yadav and vice president Jay Prakash
Prasad Gupta, who have been opposing the idea of supporting any
possible CPN-UML-led Government, postponed the meeting until May
15.
Mohan Baidya ?Kiran?, a senior
leader of the Unified CPN-Maoist, said his party did not trust
the Supreme Court (SC). Speaking in Kathmandu, Baidya said, "The
SC is not the people?s court." Expressing dissatisfaction
over the judiciary, he said, "Feudalist and reactionary forces
are still active in the judiciary." The party would rather
carry on with the street protests to press President Ram Baran
Yadav to correct his ?unconstitutional? move, he added. Baidya
also ruled out his party?s participation in the Government led
by the CPN-UML. "We will not join the government led by another
party," he said.
The JTMM-Rajan called for an indefinite
shutdown in Mahottari District demanding the release of its 10
cadres who are serving jail sentences at the District Police Office.
Educational institutions and markets remained closed in Mahottari
since the morning.
The Madheshi Mukti Tigers (MMT),
an underground Terai outfit, warned of ending the truce that it
called following the reconciliatory talks with the Government
on March 20. Accusing the Government of arresting its cadre in
violation of the Agreement, the MMT threatened that it would take
up arms once again.
May 14
Two persons sustained bullet injuries
when unidentified gunmen opened fired on them at Lahan in the
Siraha District. The injured were identified as Suresh Singh of
Tenuwapatti-9 and Ram Narayan Singh of Sitapur of Siraha. The
Madhesh Rastra Janatantrik -Revolutionary called the local media
and claimed responsibility for the attack.
May 15
The MJF took a decision in the
morning that they would join the next Government only if it is
formed under their leadership with the backing of other parties.
They also decided that they would give outside support to the
other parties or coalition forming the Government, provided an
agreement is made in writing to implement the eight-point agreement
signed by the Government with United Democratic Madhesi Front
in February 2008, should they fail to garner support in forming
the next government under their leadership.
May 17
One person, identified as Yam
Bahadur Roka was killed, while his son Ramesh Roka was seriously
injured when a stray bomb exploded at Bhingri-VDC in Pyuthan District.
30 persons were injured when a
cylinder bomb exploded in a train heading to Janakpur from Jayanagar.
According to the railway administration, the five-litre capacity
cylinder placed in the first class section exploded soon after
the train neared Parabaha station in Dhanusha District. Meanwhile,
Prithvi, coordinator of the Terai Rastriya Mukti Sena, claimed
responsibility for the incident. However, Akash Tyagi, former
army bureau in-charge of the armed outfit, condemned the incident
and added that Prithvi would be punished.
The Unified CPN-Maoist cadres
clashed with Nepali Congress activists at Bariyaarpur-4 of Bara
District, leaving more than a dozen from both parties injured.
Reports quoted Police as saying that eight among the injured are
in a critical condition. They had clashed over a land dispute.
Most of the seriously injured are local members of the NC while
only two belonged to the Maoists.
Maoists pelted stones at the vehicle
of the CPN-UML leaders, including general secretary Ishwar Pokhrel,
at Tipling of Ramechhap. Police escorting Pokhrel opened fire
in the air to disperse the attackers. Meanwhile, the Government
started providing additional security to some UML and Nepali Congress
leaders after threats from the Maoists started increasing in various
Districts.
May 17
The CPN-UML -led coalition submitted
350 signatures of lawmakers to Speaker Subas Nemwang for formation
of a majority Government under the leadership of senior UML leader
Madhav Kumar Nepal. Altogether 22 political parties including
Nepali Congress, MJF, Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP), Nepal
Sadbhawana Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and CPN-United extended
their support to UML to form the new Government. Only two others,
Unified CPN-Maoist and Nepal Workers and Peasants' Party (NWPP),
did not sign in favour of Nepal.
Caretaker Prime Minister and Maoist
chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda accused the UML-led
new coalition of trying to derail the peace process, insisting
that the parties are being ''remote-controlled'' as they engage
in homework to form the new Government. "On the surface it looks
like an attempt to bring down the Maoist-led government, but their
intention is to disrupt the peace process. They want to push the
country into disarray," Prachanda said while addressing a mass
meeting organised by his party at Kathmandu's Khula Manch. The
mass meeting preceded by protest rallies across the town was part
of the protest against the President's order to reinstate the
army chief dismissed by the Government. However, Prachanda said
the Maoist party would not backtrack from the peace process despite
being provoked to do so. "We will fight peacefully to make sure
that the new constitution is drafted and peace process concluded,"
he said.
May 18
Ignoring its earlier commitment
not to obstruct the parliamentary proceedings once opposition
parties show majority for formation of new Government, the Unified
CPN-Maoist decided it will continue to obstruct the House. The
central secretariat meeting of the party held at Baluwatar in
the morning concluded that party will continue rallying at the
House until their demand to nullify President?s move is met.
The Unified CPN-Maoist lawmakers
obstructed the proceedings of the Parliament. Speaker Subas Nemwang
had to announce the adjournment of the sitting as the Maoist lawmakers
started chanting slogans against the President's move to reinstate
the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS). The Maoist lawmakers picketed
the rostrum demanding withdrawal of President's move.
A Constituent Assembly subcommittee
under the National Interest Preservation Committee is reported
to have proposed compulsory military training to all adult Nepali
citizens. The subcommittee headed by the CPN-UML lawmaker Rabindra
Adhikari finalised a concept paper on National Security and Nepal
Army with a provision of compulsory military training and service
for two years to all citizens above 18 years of age.
May 19
The UNMIN said it was not responsible for the
erroneous registration of more Maoist combatants than their actual
strength as revealed in the recent controversial video featuring
the Maoist chief Prachanda. The UNMIN issuing statement said it
was not requested to verify whether the registered Maoist army
personnel were eligible for integration into the Security Forces.
May 20
The Unified CPN-Maoist decided to table a 'commitment
proposal' against the President's move to block the Government's
decision to dismiss the Army Chief at the Parliament and allow
the normal proceedings of the House. A secretariat meeting of
the party held at the Prime Minister's residence in Baluwatar
in the morning decided to try for a conducive environment for
resuming the House after tabling the proposal.
Normal life in the Nawalparasi District was affected
as the Janatantrik Madheshi Mukti Tigers (JMMT) declared a two-day
shutdown in the District. Issuing a press statement signed by
Pratap, the military chief, it had called a two-day general shutdown
across the District including transport services, factories and
markets to protest the killing of its two cadres in Rupandehi.
However, they have asked educational institutions in the Districts
to remain open. On the eve of the shutdown, the JMMT detonated
bombs at different places in the District. No damage was reported
from these blasts.
May 21
The advisory committee on parliamentary procedures
decided to hold the election for a new Prime Minister at 3pm on
May 23. The committee also handed over the authority to Speaker
Subas Nembang to decide the issue of the resolution by the Unified
CPN-Maoist against the President's decision to block the Government
decision to dismiss the Army chief.
The MJF decided to send representatives to the
proposed Madhav Kumar Nepal-led Government. Its central committee
decided to join the Government after a debate but failed to finalise
who would lead the party in the new coalition.
Police seized 35 kilograms of explosive substance
from a Delhi-Kathmandu bus from Kathmandu. Chief of Kathmandu
Police Navaraj Silwal said a substance called liquid mercury,
used to make bombs, was seized from the bus at Kamalpokhari.
May 22
A Nepali Congress (NC) activist, identified as
Uma Kant Hamal, was killed in Jumla, the headquarters of Jumla
District, in the night.. NC claimed that Hamal was killed by the
YCL cadres. Hamal was abducted from his house at midnight by a
gang of about 25 persons and his body was later found in a jungle
in the morning of May 23.
May 23
Two persons were killed and 13 others wounded
when a bomb exploded at a Catholic church in Dhobighat in the
Lalitpur District in the morning.The deceased were identified
as Alicy Joshi, an Indian national, and Deepa Paitri. The bomb
was detonated inside the church from a ladies bag at around 9.30am,
an eyewitness said. According to Police, a leaflet of Defence
Army was found at the incident site.
The Parliament elected CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar
Nepal as the new Prime Minister. He was elected unopposed as no
other candidates filed nomination for the post. The Unified CPN-Maoist
lawmakers walked out of the parliament hall, boycotting the election
process and the Nepali Janata Dal also stayed away from the election
process.
May 24
Former Prime Minister and Maoist chairman Pushpa
Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' urged his cadres to stay ready for a revolution
as the 'war' is not over yet.
May 25
Prime Minister-elect Madhav Kumar Nepal was sworn
in as Prime Minister. President Ram Baran Yadav administered him
the oath of office and secrecy during a special ceremony at the
President's office, Shital Niwas. Nepal formed a three-member
cabinet, inducting CPN-UML leaders Bidhya Bhandari and Surendra
Pandey as defence and finance ministers respectively.
Speaking to the media after assuming office, the
newly elected Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said bringing
the peace process to its logical conclusion and drafting a new
constitution on time would be top priorities of the new Government.
Nepal also mentioned that addressing the immediate needs of the
people, maintaining good governance, law and order and creating
employment would be other priorities of his cabinet. He said a
political consensus is necessary for addressing the pressing problems,
adding that the Government would implement the agreements reached
with various groups in the past.
Senior leader of the Unified CPN-Maoist and former
finance minister Baburam Bhattarai said his party would unilaterally
form local bodies if the present Government fails to do so. Bhattarai
said in Kathmandu that his party would assemble people in the
villages and form local bodies to give continuity to developmental
programmes initiated by the previous Government.
May 26
Cadres of the Prithvi Singh faction of the JTMM-Prithvi
abducted and subsequently shot dead a teacher, Menuka Kumari Sah,
near Itiyahi at Bhulahibharwaliya Village Development Committee
(VDC) of Bara District. District military commander of the group,
Dewa, claimed responsibility for the killing.
Addressing the nation, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar
Nepal said, "We have the responsibility to write a new constitution
which people will not only feel it to be good but also as their
own." He acknowledged that the Constitution writing process has
been sidelined due to political upheavals. In his 18-minute long
address, Nepal called on the parties to cooperate to achieve the
mission set out while signing the 12-point agreement - ending
the conflict, writing a new constitution and building a peaceful,
prosperous and stable Nepal. He warned that increasing hostilities
among political forces could likely distract all from the mission.
He also said civilian supremacy cannot be established under a
totalitarian authority and asked the Maoist leadership not to
define the term just for political interest.
The Unified CPN Maoist has reportedly refused
Prime Minister Nepal's call to join the Government. Talking to
the media after the Prime Minister's address, Maoist spokesperson
Dina Nath Sharma said there is no possibility of joining the Government
or working together until 'civil supremacy' is maintained.
The MJF put forward four conditions to be included
in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for joining the new Government.
The party demanded implementation of the eight-point understanding
signed between United Madhesi Democratic Front and Government,
Terai centered multi-dimensional development projects, inclusive
bill and the review of all commissions formed by the then Unified
CPN-Maoist-led Government. The party also demanded a clear stance
from big parties in the coalition on 'One Madhes One Province'
and possible number of states to be created.
A meeting of the 16 out of 22 parties in the CPN-UML-led
coalition held at the Prime Minister's office in Singh Durbar
decided to scrap the Ministry of State Restructure created by
the former Unified CPN-Maoist-led Government, and form a commission
for State restructures. Similarly, the Constituent Assembly (CA)
affairs ministry was renamed as parliamentary affairs ministry.
Similarly, the parties urged Speaker Subash Nembang not to table
the resolution registered by the Maoists at the parliament secretariat
before the Parliament for discussion. The parties also suggested
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to revert the decision of the
Maoist Government to terminate Army Chief Rookmangud Katawal and
appoint Kul Bahadur Khadka as the acting chief.
Over a dozen students were injured in a clash
between All Nepal National Free Students' Union (ANNFSU) and All
Nepal National Independent Students' Union -Revolutionary (ANNISU-R),
student wings of the CPN-UML and Unified CPN-Maoist respectively,
at Sano Thimi Campus in Bhaktapur District. The clash ensued on
the issue of scholarship.
May 28
The YCL is planning to launch a nationwide protest
against President Ram Baran Yadav's move to reinstate the CoAS
Rookmangud Katawal. Speaking at an interaction programme, the
YCL president Ganesh Man Pun Sagar said they were busy briefing
the District level party cadres on the latest political developments.
According to him, "Initially, we will be focused on the awareness
campaign about the President's move, foreign intervention in state
affairs and formation of the new government, which has overlooked
the popular mandate." The YCL, he stated, would mobilise the youth
across Nepal to protest against the President's move, adding that
they would fight to maintain civilian supremacy as they had fought
for republicanism, putting an end to two and a half century-old
monarchy.
May 29
Maoists affiliated to the All Nepal Peasants'
Organisation-Revolutionary (ANPO-R) have seized property belonging
to the former minister and RPP leader, late Rabindra Nath Sharma,
on May 29. The Maoists seized 36 Bigahas (24.372 hectare)
of land and an ancestral house located in the Bhathaudiya area
of Ramnagar Village Development Committee in Nawalparasi District.
A cadre of the ANPO-R, Ramdhani Kewat, said the seized land would
be distributed to the landless people. Kewat also claimed he acted
in line with the party's policy to capture land and property of
feudal landlords.
The CPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias
Prachanda has said that his party would now spearhead city-centred
protest programmes to pressure the new ruling coalition to nullify
the President's decision to reinstate the dismissed Army chief.
Speaking in Lalitpur, Prachanda claimed that conspiracies were
being hatched for restoring monarchy, under the disguise of 'baby
king', and pointed at the Government's decision to relocate a
republic monument from Narayanhity Museum to Ratna Park as a step
in that direction.
Modernising the Police and armed Police forces
and setting up an Industrial Security Force are among the top
programmes of the Ministry of Home Affairs for the next fiscal
year. The ministry has prepared a draft proposal placing high
priority on modernising security organs under it so as to improve
the law and order situation in the country. The ministry has recommended
the Government set up additional Police units to increase the
number of vehicles, buy modern equipment and logistic support
for security and increase police patrolling on highways and in
urban areas in a bid to ensure security in society. It has also
proposed an increase in the number of Security Personnel stating
that the present manpower of the Police forces was not enough.
There are around 56500 Nepal Police and around 25000 armed Police
personnel, the report added. Further, as per the demand of Police
headquarters, the ministry had begun the process of creating 10,001
new positions in the Police and 7000 in the armed Police. Officials
at the ministry said the current security situation would be improved
significantly in the country if the recommendations were implemented.
May 31
One more person, identified as Buddha Laxmi Joseph
(45), died at the hospital, taking the death toll in the Church
bomb blast in Lalitpur District to three. As reported earlier,
two persons were killed and 13 others wounded when a bomb exploded
at a Catholic church at Dhobighat in the Lalitpur District on
May 23.
Maoists assaulted the Nepali Congress District
president, Mukti Prasad Nyaupane, in Kalikot. Local cadres of
the Unified CPN-Maoist and the YCL attacked Nyaupane as he was
going to the District headquarters Manma from his home in Badalkot.
The Police arrested two YCL cadres, identified
as Raj Kumar Singh and Kamal Pahari, for showing black flags to
the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal in Chandranigahpur. Later,
the CPN-UML cadres assaulted the duo. The Unified CPN-Maoist cadres
had also showed black flags to Nepal at the District headquarters
in Gaur.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal urged the Unified
CPN-Maoist to join the coalition Government and help take the
peace process to a logical conclusion. Addressing a civic felicitation
programme in Rautahat District, Nepal said the task of writing
the new statute and taking the peace process to a logical end
would be easier if all parties remained united.
June 2
A 10-year-old boy, identified
as Rajan Bohora, was killed and two others, Mohan Bohora and Amar
Bohora, were injured when a bomb exploded in the premises of Mahadev
Higher Secondary School at Kapalseri VDC area in Bajhang District.
The kids accidentally picked up the stray bomb from the debris
of a house near the school, which was damaged by the Maoists during
the insurgency period.
A woman was arrested from New
Baneshwor for the bomb blast at the Assumption Church in Lalitpur
on May 23. Speaking at a press conference in Nepal Police Club,
the Deputy Inspector General Kuber Rana said 27-year old Sita
Shrestha Thapa, a resident of Gyaneshowr in capital Kathmandu,
was arrested for her involvement in the blast. According to Rana,
the injured Catholics have identified Thapa as the culprit in
the incident. "Thapa admitted that she left a bag with a pressure
cooker bomb in the Church premises while the morning prayers were
underway," Police sources said.
Cadres of the YCL attacked two
CPN-UML cadres at Chandrnigahapur in the Rautahat District. Prime
Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal?s former personal assistant Bhupendra
Khadka and the CPN-UML District committee member Dip Kumar Regmi
were injured in the attack. Following the incident, the CPN-UML-affiliated
Youth Force cadres ?arrested? some YCL cadres and took them to
the CPN-UML party office for necessary ?investigation?.
The Maoist-affiliated trade unions
reportedly continue to occupy buildings and land belonging to
the Industrial Estate Management Limited (IEML) in Pokhara, Dharan
and Patan although they have been warned to move out many times.
The IEML is contemplating starting legal proceedings against the
trade unionists to regain its properties.
A Special Court issued clean chits
to the Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ?Prachanda?, senior
leader Baburam Bhattarai and over a dozen Maoists on a charge
of treason. A three-member bench of Justice Gauri Bahadur Karki,
Bhola Prasad Kharel and Om Prakash Mishra acquitted the accused
in the case of Bandipur Police Post attack, on January 26, 2001
saying the Government could not provide enough evidence to support
its claim. The erstwhile Government had filed a case against Prachanda,
Bhattarai and almost a dozen Maoists on February 16, 2001 seeking
a 10-year jail term each on charges of involvement in the attacks.
Two Maoists, Padam Rana and Keshav Raj Sigh, were arrested in
connection with the attacks, but the Special Court released them
later.
The Unified CPN-Maoist demanded
that the Indian Government end encroachment of Nepali land on
the border and immediately return seized land to create an environment
of peace and to maintain security along the border. The Maoists
also appealed to the Constituent Assembly to take up the issue
of peace and security on the border, return of seized land and
an end to encroachment. Maoist Spokesman Dinanath Sharma claimed
in a press release that there were reports of encroachment by
the Indian Border Security Force in Patauli, Koilabas, Siriya,
Sukouli, Gurung, Bhousahi on the border with Dang and instances
of rape and torching of houses in 20 other places such as Jhitkaiya,
Badki, Fubriya,and Basantapur had caused people to flee their
homes.
June 3
The Unified CPN-Maoist launched
a nationwide protest against President Ram Baran Yadav''s decision
to reinstate the Army Chief General Rookmangud Katawal, who was
dismissed by the then Maoist-led Government. Maoist cadres staged
a sit-in protest and surrounded the District Administration Offices
(DAOs) across the country for two hours. In Kathmandu valley,
hundreds of Maoists demonstrated in front of the DAOs of Kathmandu,
Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, chanting slogans against the President''s
''unconstitutional move'' and demanding its immediate withdrawal.
The Unified CPN-Maoist is to stage
similar demonstrations at the Village Development Committee offices
across the country and organise other protest programmes in the
following days to restore civilian supremacy. The party has said
it would launch a stronger protest movement if the President move
is not retracted.
June 4
The Unified CPN-Maoist staged
rallies in capital Kathmandu protesting the alleged encroachment
of Nepali territory by India and harassment of Nepalis living
in bordering villages. After rallies at different parts of Kathmandu,
hundreds of Maoists staged a sit-in protest in front of the Indian
embassy at Lainchaur. They also submitted a memorandum at the
embassy calling for an immediate end of the border encroachment.
The Unified CPN-Maoist called
an all-party meeting to discuss the border encroachment and evacuation
of Nepali settlers from several border villages in Dang. At the
meeting the parties agreed to send a joint delegation to Dang
district to assess the situation there. The Madheshi parties,
including the MJF, Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party and Sadbhawana
Party, didn''t attend the meeting.
June 5
A Maoist, identified as Ladai
Shah of the Pataura VDC area, who was assaulted by the CPN-UML
cadres in Rautahat District on June 1, died of injuries in capital
Kathmandu. Shah was injured after the CPN-UML cadres assaulted
him following the arrest of two YCL cadres for showing black flag
to the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal during his visit to Rautahat
on June 1.
The Unified CPN-Maoist organised
a general strike in the five Districts of western Terai region
- Banke, Bardiya, Dang, Kailali and Kanchanpur. The general strike
called at the initiation of the Maoist-affiliated Tharu Mukti
Morcha to protest the President''s move against the erstwhile
Government''s decision to dismiss the Army chief Rookmangud Katwal
brought life in these Districts to a complete halt.
The MJF is all set to withdraw
its support to the CPN-UML-led Government, after the party expelled
seven senior leaders, including its parliamentary party leader
Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, from the party. In a press conference,
the MJF chairman Upendra Yadav announced that the central committee
meeting of the party held in the morning decided to expel parliamentary
party leader Gachchhadar, who was appointed as the Deputy Prime
Minister on June 4, Sarad Singh Bhandari, party spokesperson Jitendra
Dev, Rameshowr Raya and Upendra Jha, among others. Yadav also
announced the withdrawal of support to the CPN-UML-led coalition
Government and a one-day general strike in all Terai Districts
on June 8. He blamed Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and the
Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala for plotting to
divide the party.
June 8
Normal life in the Terai region
and eight Districts of the Gandaki and Dhaulagiri zones has been
paralysed due to a shut-down call given by the MJF and the Unified
CPN-Maoist-affiliated Tamuwan Swayatta Rajya Samiti (TSWR) respectively.
The MJF has called for a shutdown in the Terai Districts protesting
against the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal?s decision to appoint
Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar as the Deputy Prime Minister without
the party?s recommendation, while the TSWR has called the shutdown
in eight Districts of Gandaki and Dhaulagiri zones as part of
the on going protests by the Unified CPN-Maoist and its sister
outfits against the President?s move to block the Maoist-led Government?s
decision to dismiss the Army Chief. Shut down organisers have
obstructed traffic on the east-west highway, Prithvi highway and
other supporting highways and forced markets, shops and educational
institutions to shut.
The curfew imposed by the District
administration of Kavre in and around Banepa after violent clashes
between the locals and activists of the Maoist-affiliated Tamsaling
Rastriya Mukti Morcha (TRMM) in the course of the shutdown enforced
by the latter in ten Districts on June 7 was lifted from the morning.
Cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist
who were protesting the attack on their party office on June 7
vandalised the Banepa-based office of the Kavre District committee
of the CPN-UML in the afternoon. A clash erupted between Maoists
and CPN-UML cadres. About three Policemen and two CPN-UML cadres
were injured when the Police tried to control the situation.
The Unified CPN-Maoist threatened
to return to war as its cadres called a general strike in the
west and staged a show of might in central Nepal. Hundreds of
Maoists poured in from adjacent villages in a show of strength
at Banepa, a small town in the Kavre District east of capital
Kathmandu, a day after their office there was vandalised by angry
locals for enforcing a general shutdown and attacking public vehicles.
Marching with red flags, the Maoists threatened they would start
another "people?s war" and had the weapons to do it,
a private television station reported.
Shutdown enforcers and businessmen
clashed in Rautahat in the course of the Madhesh shutdown call
given by the MJF. The shutdown was organised to protest the appointment
of Bijay Kumar Gachhadar for the post of Deputy Prime Minister.
Six persons were injured in the clash.
Two Maoists were injured when
activists of the Youth Force (YF), Youth wing of the ruling CPN-UML,
and the YCL clashed at Manma bazaar in Kalikot District. The clash
reportedly ensued after a minor argument between the two groups.
The Nepali Army (NA) agreed in
principle to initiate a court of inquiry against Lt Gen Kul Bahadur
Khadka, the second-in-command in the NA, for his alleged association
with the Unified CPN-Maoist. The NA has taken serious exception
to his breaking the chain of command and violating the NA?s discipline.
"We are determined to start the court of inquiry against
him," a source at the NA?s Legal Department said.
June 9
A faction of the MJF led by Deputy
Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar registered a new party,
the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal, at the Election Commission
(EC). Ram Janam Chaudhari, chief whip of the new faction, said
they registered the new party with the support of a majority of
the Constituent Assembly members of the MJF. According to the
Interim Constitution, a new party can be registered by 40 per
cent members of the parliamentary party of any political party.
Gachhadar led the team of 29 CA members and 16 central committee
members of the party to the EC in the afternoon, to protest his
and six other leaders? expulsion from the party. "We will
study the application and decide on the issue later," said
Uddhav Prasad Baskota, the EC spokesperson.
The top leadership of the Unified
CPN-Maoist and CPN-UML reportedly agreed to end the political
deadlock and move ahead on the basis of a consensus. The parties
made an understanding to find a middle-path to resolve the conflict
and let the House function smoothly. In the meeting at a hotel
in Lalitpur, the Maoist leaders agreed to stop disrupting the
House proceedings if Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal satisfactorily
addressed the Maoist- backed issues.
June 10
Police seized a small cache of
bombs and guns hidden in a rice mill at Indrapur VDC area of Banke
District. Acting on a tip-off provided by the locals that the
Janatantrik Madhesh Mukti Tiger, a Terai outfit, has stored weapons
there inside a pile of rice husk, Police recovered two pistols,
two guns and a socket bomb.
June 11
Senior leaders of the ruling CPN-UML
and the agitating main opposition Unified CPN-Maoist met in the
morning, and discussed ways to end the parliamentary deadlock,
but could not arrive at any understanding. The meeting ended inconclusively
as the Maoists repeated their demand that the Government uphold
the previous Government's decision to dismiss Army Chief Gen.
Rookmangud Katawal and the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal deliver
a speech in the parliament opposing the President's move against
that decision. On the other hand, CPN-UML leaders proposed to
give 'retirement' to Gen. Katawal few weeks before he retires
officially, and appoint Lt. General Kul Bahadur Khadka as the
Prime Minister's defence advisor. The Maoist leadership is reported
to have rejected the CPN-UML?s proposal.
June 12
In an effort to form a counterforce
against the YCL and Youth Force, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal
(RPP-N) formed a 151-member National Youth Front (NYF). Addressing
a gathering of District-level party leaders, RPP-N leader Kamal
Thapa said, "NYF will not follow in the footsteps of the YCL and
Youth Force. The front is formed to protect national interests."
He claimed that the number of NYF cadres would exceed 10,000 by
2010. Claiming that the republican system had failed to live up
to popular expectations, Thapa stressed on the need to conduct
a referendum to decide the fate of monarchy. He defended monarchy
and warned of dire consequences if his advice was not well heeded
to. Stating that only constitutional monarchy could protect nationalism,
he said, "We are not advocating absolute monarchy, but constitutional
monarchy is the need of the hour." Alleging that the "unholy alliance"
of the CPN-UML and Nepali Congress had pushed the country towards
further anarchy, he claimed that constitutional monarchy was the
only remedy to the challenges faced by the country.
Normal life in nine Districts
of the mid-western region falling under Magarat Autonomous Province,
namely Palpa, Argakhachi, Baglung, Gulmi, Rolpa, Pyuthan, Rukum,
Salyan and Myagdi, was affected due to the general strike called
by the Magar Rastriya Mukti Morcha (MRMM), an ethnic wing of the
Unified CPN-Maoist. Reports said that MRMM activists started staging
protests in most of the affected Districts since early morning.
This was the fourth day in a row in which the Maoist-affiliated
ethnic outfits have imposed a shutdown in various parts of the
country protesting against the President?s move to reinstate Chief
of Army Staff Rookmangud Katawal.
June 14
The YCL cadres staged demonstrations
in the capital Kathmandu demanding a probe into the mysterious
death of Maoist?s Kathmandu District member Rajendra Phuyal. "We
were informed about Phuyal?s death four days after his body was
found," said Jwala, YCL Kathmandu District in-charge. Maharajgunj
and Balaju remained tense after YCL cadres started hurling stones
at the Police and blocked the traffic. Police had to fire tear
gas shells to bring the situation under control. A few Police
personnel were also hurt in the clash.
YCL cadres set ablaze the party
office of the ruling CPN-UML and assaulted more than 25 of its
cadres in Manma, the District headquarters of Kalikot, for defying
the shutdown call given by the Bheri-Karnali Mukti Morcha.
Three Madheshi parties ? the Bijay
Gachchhadar faction of MJF, Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP)
and Sadbhawana Party - objected to the agreement between the Nepali
Congress and CPN-UML on allocation of ministerial portfolios.
Leaders of the three parties met at the parliamentary party office
of the TMLP in Singha Durbar in the afternoon to draw out a common
strategy. They have complained that UML and NC didn't involve
them in the power-sharing negotiations.
June 15
A man, identified as Prakash B.K,
died in a landmine explosion at Lamahi in the Dang District. Prakash
had sustained serious injuries when he accidentally stepped on
a landmine planted by the Nepal Army (NA) near Arjunkhola. The
NA base camp is situated nearby the area.
The Unified CPN-Maoist enforced
a general strike in two far western zones, Seti and Mahakali to
protest the President's move and rejection of their 'commitment
proposal' at the Parliament. Due to the shutdown called by the
Seti-Mahakali State Committee of the party, normal life in the
region has been badly affected.
June 16
An Indian national, identified as Narendra Kumar
Sharma, from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, was seriously injured
when a 'socket bomb' he was carrying exploded at Radhakrishna
Chowk of Gulariya in Baridya District. District Police officials
suspect that Sharma may be working for one of the many armed outfits
active in the area.
A group of journalists were attacked by cadres
of the Unified CPN-Maoist affiliated All Nepal National Independent
Students' Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) in Nepalgunj. The group
which comprised Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) general
secretary Ramji Dahal, Kiran Nepal, editor of the Himal Khabar
Patrika, managing editor Indra Shrestha and journalist Rameshwor
Bohora were on their way from Nepalgunj airport to a programme
organised by the FNJ in Nepalgunj, when they were attacked. While
nobody was injured in the attack, the vehicle was damaged.
Cadres of the All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers´
Union, a trade union affiliated to the Unified CPN-Maoist, assaulted
Jagdish Maskey, the owner of Gemini Departmental Store, at Bouddha
in capital Kathmandu. Over a dozen cadres led by Ramesh Babu Panta,
chairman of the trade union, attacked Maskey. Panta and other
cadres attacked them after Maskey sought clarification from some
of his employees who were absent for months without reporting
and therefore declined to pay them.
June 17
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal expanded his
cabinet for the third time, but failed to form a full-fledged
cabinet as three Madheshi parties - the MJF, TMLP and Sadbhawana
Party (SP) - didn't send their representatives. The Prime Minister
inducted five new ministers and six ministers of state - four
ministers and three state ministers from his party, CPN-UML, and
one minister and three state ministers from Nepali Congress. The
Madheshi leaders' absence is being construed as their displeasure
over the distribution of ministerial berths.
June 18
The Cabinet in its meeting held at Singha Durbar,
the Prime Minister's office, took a decision to reverse the previous
Government's decision to dismiss the CoAS Rookmangud Katawal,
and appoint Lt. General Kul Bahadur Khadka as acting CoAS.
June 21
The Unified CPN-Maoist cadres clashed with Police
and vandalised Government offices in various Districts, including
capital Kathmandu, in the course of sit-in demonstrations they
staged in front of the offices across the country to prevent civil
servants and service seekers from entering, as part of their protest
against the President's decision on the COAS and the recent Government
decision to overturn the Maoist-led Government's decision to dismiss
the COAS. Clashes occurred in front of the Singha Durbar after
demonstrators defied propitiatory orders and tried to breach the
Police cordon. Some demonstrators, including a Maoist Constituent
Assembly member, were injured in the incident. Some journalists
were also injured and the cameras of some photojournalists were
damaged. Violence also erupted in Kavre as demonstrators attempted
to forcefully enter the District Development office. At least
four persons were injured. Maoists and Police clashed in many
other Districts, including Bardiya, Darchula, Mahottari, Ramechhap,
Ilaam, Morang, Darchula and Baitadi, among others. At least 50
people were injured in these clashes. Police fired tear gas to
disperse the demonstrators in Baitadi and Baridya Districts. The
situation in Dhading became tense after the Maoists assaulted
the Local Development Officer. The local administration, consequently,
imposed a curfew in the District headquarter and surrounding areas.
The Unified CPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
alias Prachanda said his party is preparing to launch a
decisive third people's movement to uphold civilian supremacy.
"The party would launch third people's movement by joining forces
with nationalist forces," he said at a party ceremony organised
at Daman in the Makwanpur District, adding that a revolution is
necessary to uphold civilian supremacy to counter the growing
military dominance in the country. The former prime minister also
described the CPN-UML-led Government as a "puppet" installed by
"foreign masters" and said it is worthless to expect anything
from it. He also said the people's movement the party would launch
will bring to an end "the opportunists, anti-nationalist, and
reactionary forces".
June 22
A meeting of top leaders of the three major parties
- the Unified CPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML - held in
an effort to break the deadlock in the Parliament ended inconclusively.
During the meeting held at the Maoist parliamentary party office
in Singha Durbar, Maoist leaders insisted that the Government
must in one way or the other address their demand for rectification
of the ''unconstitutional step'' of President Ram Baran Yadav
reinstating the army chief dismissed by the previous Maoist Government.
June 23
Cadres of a little-known armed
Terai outfit, the Madhesh Rastra Janakranti Party (MRJP), shot
dead a an activist of the ruling CPN-UML, identified as Ram Swagarath
Kapadi, at his house in the Kharihani VDC-5 area of Dhanusha District.
The MRJP District in-charge Ganesh claimed responsibility for
the killing and said Kapadi was murdered for charging a high interest
rate on loans to poor villagers. He was also accused of sexually
exploiting women in the village.
June 24
The Unified CPN-Maoist called
for a shutdown in Kailali protesting the Police intervention which
injured at least 21 Maoists on June 23 at Tikapur in Kailali.
The clash ensued when Maoists attacked the car of the State Minister
of Power, Chandra Singh Bhattarai, after showing black flags at
the inauguration of the Municipal Assembly of Tikapur Municipality.
The Government agreed, in principle,
to extend the term of the UNMIN. The Communications Minister and
Government spokesperson Shankar Pokharel told reporters after
the cabinet meeting in the evening that the Government "decided,
in principle, to extend UNMIN's term". But the period of extension
is yet to be determined, he added. The term of the UNMIN, which
was established in 2007 to monitor the management of arms and
armies and facilitate the peace process, has already been extended
thrice, by six months each time. Its term expires on July 22.
The newly-appointed Minister for
Peace and Reconstruction Rakam Chemjong denied the possibility
of the Government holding a dialogue with all armed Madheshi outfits
active in the Terai, saying that most of them are not "political
groups" as they are involved in criminal activities.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal
expanded his cabinet for the fourth time by inducting five ministers.
Sharat Singh Bhandari and Mrigendra Kumar Singh from the Gachhadhar
faction of the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF-G) took the oath
of office and secrecy for Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation
and Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives respectively. Similarly,
Ganesh Nepali and Ram Chandra Kuswaha from the TMLP took the oaths
for Ministry of Youth & Sports and Ministry of Education respectively.
Also, Deepak Bohara, who was proposed for the Ministry of Forest
and Soil Conservation by Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), took
his oath of office and secrecy. However, Mahendra Yadav of TMLP,
who is proposed for the Ministry of Industries, refused to take
the oath expressing his dissatisfaction over the ministerial portfolio
assigned to him.
June 25
Police arrested Bhairav Yadav
alias Mister Sahansa, vice-chairman of the Terai Army,
and Birendra Yadav, the Sarlahi District in-charge of Prithvi
Singh faction of the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Prithvi),
from Chhatiwan in the Sarlahi District. Mister Sahansa had become
the central commander of Terai Army after its commander Mister
John was killed in Police action in May 2009. Police seized two
guns, some bullets, two motorcycles, two mobile sets with SIM
cards, gold and silver lockets and cash from the arrested. Police
said the armed outfits were involved in extortion, kidnapping
and murder in Rautahat and Sarlahi. They were also involved in
bomb explosions in the capital.
12 people were injured in a clash
between the people of a local Madhesi community and cadres of
the YCL at Khairapur, Gulariya Municipality-2. The clash erupted
when the Madhesi community attacked the local YCL office for assaulting
Gopal Teli on the charge of stealing a bicycle.
Two new Ministers from the TMLP,
who missed the swearing-in ceremony on June 24, were sworn in.
However, the Sadbhawana Party refused to send its representatives
to the Government after its demand for two cabinet ministers was
rejected by the CPN-UML.
June 29
It was decided in the meeting
of the politburo of the Unified CPN-Maoist to go for a Maoist-led
''national Government''. At the end of the meeting that ran for
two weeks at Koteshwor, party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias
Prachanda said the politburo has decided to push for a national
Government in place of the "unethically and unconstitutionally
established" Government of 22 parties.
June 30
Seven activists of the ruling CPN-UML were injured
when they were attacked by the cadres of the YCL at Bhimad Bazaar
in Tanahun District. Sources said that the YCL cadres suddenly
attacked the CPN-UML cadres who had seen them taking a Youth Force
member towards Khairenitar on the charge of being involved in
a brawl 20 days ago. Two YCL cadres were also injured in the incident.
July 1
Cadres of the ANNISU-R, student wing of the Unified
CPN-Maoist, smeared tar on the face of Jasa Bahadur Lungeli, chief
of the Mahendra Multiple Campus, in Ilam.
July 3
Speaking at a press conference, Defence Minister
Bidhya Devi Bhandari said the Army Integration Special Committee
(AISC) is going to be reconstituted under the chairmanship of
PM Madhav Kumar Nepal as per the tradition set by the previous
Government. At present, the Unified CPN-Maoist chairman and former
PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda is the chairman of
AISC. The Maoists had proposed for the continuation of Prachanda
as the Chairman of the AISC as the largest party in the Constituent
Assembly.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal expanded his
cabinet for the fifth time by inducting Rajendra Mahato from the
Sadbhawana Party and Prem Bahadur Singh from the Samajwadi Prajatantrik
Janata Party as Commerce and Supplies minister, and Law and Justice
Minister, respectively. However, the MJF, TMLP, Sadbhawana and
some fringe parties are yet to recommend names of some ministers
and state ministers from their parties.
July 6
The Unified CPN-Maoist and the ruling CPN-UML
reached a four-point understanding to resume House proceedings,
which had been halted for nearly two months due the Maoists' obstruction
over the President's decision on the army chief issue. The understanding
recognises the fact that the Unified CPN-Maoist obstructed regular
business of the House over the "President's move on the army chief
issue and civilian supremacy." "An initiative will be taken to
forge a consensus on the issues raised by the Maoists within a
month, after holding discussions among the parties," the pact
states.
July 10
14 People's Liberation Army (PLA)
combatants of the Ilam-based PLA First Division headquarters and
satellite camps quit the PLA to join the Matrika Yadav-led CPN-Maoist.
Speaking at a programme of the CPN-Maoist-aligned National Youth
People's Protection Committee, the fighters said they decided
to part ways with the military wing of the Unified CPN-Maoist
as the party confined them as prisoners. Shiva, Platoon Commander
of the Danabaari-based Biplav-Srijan Memorial Brigade of PLA,
said they all have decided to quit the PLA and join the CPN-Maoist.
"We''re leaving the PLA as the Unified CPN-Maoist is for
dissolving its army," he claimed. However, the PLA First
Division Commander Pratikshya refuted the report about the desertion.
Home Minister Bhim Rawal said
political protection to criminals has created difficulty in maintaining
law and order in the country. Speaking at the CPN-UML parliament
party meeting in Singha Durbar, he said political parties and
leaders must refrain from patronising criminal elements, and sought
help from CPN-UML lawmakers in doing so. He also admitted that
some CPN-UML cadres were involved in criminal activities, saying
that the Government would take every measure to improve the security
situation. According to Rawal, there are at least 107 armed groups
in Terai that are involved in criminal activities including kidnapping,
extortion and robbery and that no talks would be held with these
groups.
July 15
Two persons were injured in a
clash between activists of the Nepali Congress and MJF at Harpur
in the Nawalparasi District. Cadres of the two parties clashed
after MJF activists accused NC activist Paras Yadav of kidnapping
a child.
July 16
Police arrested the District Chairman
of the Tharuhat Autonomous State Council (TASC), Kanaihyalal Chaudhary,
and four cadres of the Tharu organisation while they were indulging
in extortion at Bhurigaun in the Bardiya District. The TASC has
reportedly intensified "tax" collection in the Bardiya
and adjoining Districts in recent days. Issuing a public notice
some two weeks ago, the Tharu body warned people not to pay tax
to the Government, declaring itself as the only authentic body
to collect tax on the District's natural resources. TASC activists
warned a contractor, Bishnu Rijal, not to pay tax to the Government
and pay it to them instead. The cadres threatened to take physical
action against Rijal if he did not obey their decree.
50 youths who joined the Matrika
Yadav led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist) were former
Maoist combatants who had rebelled from various cantonments of
PLA in the country, said Matrika Yadav.
July 17
The actual process of releasing
disqualified Unified CPN-Maoist combatants from the cantonment
and rehabilitating them into the society started although eight
months ago the Maoist-led Government had expressed commitment
to immediately discharge the disqualified combatants. The Ministry
of Peace and Reconstruction started the discharge process from
the cantonment at Hattikhor in Nawalparasi District with the help
of the UNMIN and Unified CPN -Maoist. The UNMIN had disqualified
4008 combatants during the Maoist Army verification process it
conducted in various phases. Among them, it identified 2975 as
minors (below 18 years of age as of May 25, 2006).
The Tharuhat Struggle Committee
in Nawalparasi started a campaign to form the Tharu Liberation
Army. Ram Bahadur Chaudhari, the District Deputy Chairman of the
Struggle Committee, said, "We have started to form our own
army to pressurise the government to implement the agreement reached
between the Struggle committee and the government earlier."
He claimed that more than 2000 youths had joined their army in
Dang and other Districts of the western region so far. He said,"
We will recruit 100,000 army personnel within the next six months."
According to the Committee sources, they plan to recruit 50 army
personnel from each District at the initial phase. Chaudhari said,"
50 youths have already joined in our army in the district."
The Struggle Committee informed that those fifty persons would
be given different training including arms operation. Chaudhari
informed that they were organising a national convention of the
Tharu Liberation Army in Bhairahawa from July 22 to 23.
July 19
The Kapilvastu District Police
arrested three cadres of the Samyukta Janatantrik Terai Mukti
Morcha (SJTMM) for possession of weapons from Mutajhutawa in the
Bithuwa VDC area. They were identified as Kapilvastu-Dang in-charge
and bureau secretary Anil Mahamad Khan, bureau secretariat member
Chandrashekhar Sunar and bureau member Dharmendra Kumar Sahani.
Police also confiscated two locally-made pistols with two rounds
of bullets, and NR 11000 from the trio, said Inspector Kedar Khanal.
July 20
Police shot dead the Siraha District
in-charge of the Madheshi Mukti Tiger (MMT), Prashuram Yadav,
a resident of Gurudham of Chandralalpur, when he tried to escape
from Police custody. He had earlier been arrested from the capital
Kathmandu on an unspecified date. He reportedly attempted to flee
while heading for Siraha in Police custody. Yadav had also fled
from Siraha prison on September 14, 2008.
Locals of the Balaju area in capital
Kathmandu assaulted the Unified CPN-Maoist Constituent Assembly
(CA) member Prem Tamang and leader of the Nepal Tamang Ghedung,
an autonomous and non-profit making Tamang People's national organisation,
Kumar Blon, while they were allegedly trying to disrupt vehicular
movement along the Pasang Lhamu Highway.
Following a debate over the appointment
of a teacher, the Unified CPN-Maoist cadres led by Upendra Bohara
assaulted four persons at Simar in the Rudreshwor VDC area in
Baitadi District.
July 22
A ?military commander? of the
Terai Madhesh Rastra Mukti Sena (TMRMS), an armed underground
outfit active in the Terai region, was shot dead by the Police
in Janakpur. The TMRMS ?military commander? Akash Tyagi was killed
in an exchange of fire with the Police team patrolling near Bhrampura
Police Station. However, three other cadres of the outfit managed
to escape, the Police said. Some letter pads of the TMRMS, three
sets of sutali bomb, two bullets, two SIM cards, a book against
the Nepalis and other explosives were found from the possession
of Tyagi.
July 25
An unidentified armed group shot
dead the YCL central leader Laxman Yadav in the Bishrampur VDC
area in Rautahat District. A little known underground outfit,
the Terai Janatantrik Mukti Morcha-Arun, claimed responsibility
for the murder.
July 26
The Election Commission (EC) gave
its official recognition to the MJF faction led by Upendra Yadav.
The EC asked the faction led by Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Gachhadar
to register a new party. "We took the decision through a bench
after discussing the argument," said EC spokesperson Nilkantha
Uprety, adding, "The final decision was made after collecting
the evidences."
Organisations associated with
journalism in Panchthar protested the assaulting of two journalists
by cadres of the YCL and threatened to take to the streets. As
many as six organisations ? the Federation of Nepalese Journalists,
Press Union, Press Chautari, Indigenous Journalists? Association,
Free Journalist Struggle Committee and Panchthar Publications
Pvt Ltd - issued a press release and condemned the YCL for demonstrating
''criminal behaviour'' against the media.
July 29
The Police arrested a central
member of the Unified CPN-Maoist Ram Kumar Poudel along with a
Chinese pistol from the capital Kathmandu. He is also the ''division
commander'' of the PLA stationed in Chitwan. The Police caught
Poudel with a pistol and a bullet in course of checking from the
south gate of Singhadurbar, said the Metropolitan Police Division
Anamnagar. He was handed over to the UNMIN, which has been mandated
to monitor the management of arms and armed personnel of the Nepal
Army and the Maoist army, in line with the provisions of the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement.
Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar
Gachhadar registered a new party ? the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum
- Loktantrik (MJFL) - at the Election Commission (EC). Gachhadar?s
move came after the EC, on July 26, recognised the Upendra Yadav-led
Madheshi Janadhikar Forum as the legitimate party and told the
Gacchadar-led faction to register a new party if it so wished.
July 30
11 persons were injured when the
YCL cadres attacked a signature campaign programme organised by
the Rastriya Prajatantra Party- Nepal (RPP-N) at Chipledhunga
in Kaski District for a Hindu nation, constitutional monarchy
and federalism. Four Policeman, six RPP-N activists, including
its District chairman Devijung Gurung, and YCL District chairman
Sushil Devkota were injured in the incident.
Organising a joint press meet
in Rajbiraj, leaders of four armed groups operating in the Terai
region urged the Government to resume the talks which the Maoist-led
Government had initiated during its term. The four armed groups
? the MMT, MVK, Terai Samyukta Janatantrik Party and JTMM-Rajan
- with whom a first round of talks were held also warned the Government
to intensify their armed struggle, if the Government did not resume
the talks.
Following weeks of deliberations,
the Unified CPN-Maoist Central Committee endorsed the political
document tabled by Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal a.k.a. Prachanda
some two weeks ago. With this endorsement, formation of national
consensus Government for constitution drafting and the conclusion
of peace process as mentioned by Prachanda in his document have
been adopted by the Maoists as their immediate strategy.
August 2
Chairman of the Unified CPN-Maoist
Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda said his party would
resort to a fresh protest movement if the Prime Minister's commitment
to address the issues raised by the party didn't materialise within
the next four days. "We had given one month ultimatum to address
the issues concerning the President's unconstitutional move. There
will be protests in the streets as well as the parliament if those
issues are not addressed within four days," Prachanda warned while
speaking at the press conference in Koteshwor to publicise the
decisions of the central committee meeting. Prachanda said the
present Government would be responsible for the situation arising
from the street movement. He said the protests would be peaceful.
Mentioning that 'reactionaries' are creating rumours that the
Maoists are preparing to return to armed movement again, Prachanda
said such rumours are meant to defame the party.
Cadres of the YCL attacked a General
Manager of the Industrial Area Management Limited (IAML), Giriraj
Mani Bhandari, while addressing a press conference in Balaju.
A group of YCL cadres led by Rohit, who is also the chairman of
All Nepal Federation of Trade Unions (Balaju chapter) entered
the press conference venue in Balaju, dragged out Bhandari, smeared
black soot on his face and assaulted him. Some staff members of
the IAML were injured while trying to protect Bhandari. YCL cadres
are understood to have attacked Bhandari in revenge of the latter's
proactive role in removing the YCL camp from the Balaju Industrial
Estate (BIE). YCL cadres had illegally occupied space in BIE and
set up a camp to house their cadres.
Further, a large amount of explosives
was seized by the Armed Police Force from Gaddachauki Customs
at Mahendranagar in the Kanchanpur District along the Nepal-India
border. Two persons were arrested along with ammunition they were
ferrying from India. 406 sets of gelatin, 584 detonators and 30
rolls of safety fuse which is used to manufacture bombs were seized
from the accused.
August 3
The Standing Committee meeting
of the Unified CPN-Maoist seconded party Chairman Prachanda's
warning and decided to re-launch a struggle "from the street and
the parliament" if the Government failed to come clear on the
issues of civilian supremacy and the 'unconstitutional' move of
the President on the Army chief episode within the next three
days.
The Standing Committee also decided
to boycott the public appearances of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar
Nepal and President Ram Baran Yadav if the 22-party coalition
failed to address the issues raised by the party.
Prime Minister Nepal met President
Yadav at the latter's office, Shital Niwas, and discussed the
Maoist ultimatum to the Government to address the issue of civilian
supremacy, among other things. According to the Prime Minister's
political advisor Raghuji Panta, the Prime Minister and President
concluded that no parliamentary debate can take place on the President's
move, as demanded by the Maoists.
August 4
Organising a press conference
at Damak, the Kochila State Committee of the Matrika Yadav-led
CPN-Maoist said the PLA fighters of First Division Cantonment
had abducted two of its District leaders, Santa Rai and Sharan
Rai, from Damak in Jhapa District on August 3. Santa is the Jhapa
chairman of the committee whereas Sharan is the assistant coordinator
of the party''s security branch. Both of them are former PLA combatants
who recently defected to the Yadav-led CPN-Maoist.
Police arrested two cadres, including
an Indian national, of the JTMM-Rajan Mukti along with three grenades,
two socket bombs and two hand grenades from Nagdhunga in the capital
Kathmandu. According to an unnamed senior Police officer, the
arrests have "prevented potentially heavy casualty inside the
Valley". The arrestees were identified as Prakash Kumar Karna
and Mithilesh Kumar Yadav. Karna is in-charge of JTMM-Rajan Mukti
Saptari District, while Yadav is from India. Based on the duo's
confession, Police said they had planned to plant the bombs in
different public places inside Kathmandu.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal
expressed disappointment over the current level of mistrust between
his Government and the opposition Unified CPN-Maoist and accused
its Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda of maintaining
a dubious position on the issue of integration/rehabilitation
of PLA combatants.
August 7
The Unified CPN-Maoist launched
a protest movement as its ultimatum to the Government to address
the issue of civilian supremacy vis-à-vis the President's
move reinstating the dismissed Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), General
Rookmangud Katawal, expired. As part of its protest movement,
the Maoists obstructed the day's parliamentary proceedings saying
the 22-party ruling coalition ignored the issues it has raised.
Speaking at the start of the House sitting, Deputy Leader of the
Unified CPN-Maoist in the Parliament, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, said
his party was forced to declare a stir as the ruling coalition
had failed to fulfill its commitment to address those issues within
one month. He said the party would wage the protest movement in
Parliament and the streets and that it could well turn into the
'third people's movement'
The Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman
and former Prime Minster Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda
warned that the new Constitution cannot be drafted if President
Ram Baran Yadav's move to reinstate the CoAS was not discussed
in the Parliament.
Lawmaker and joint general secretary
of the Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party, Ram Kumar Sharma, reportedly
joined the Unified CPN-Maoist.
August 9
The Government decided to appoint
Lt. General Chhatraman Singh Gurung, second-in command of the
Nepal Army, as the acting Army Chief. A meeting of the Council
of Ministers in the capital Kathmandu made the decision as the
current Chief of the Army Staff, General Rookmangud Katawal, is
going on a customary month-long leave from August 10 before retirement.
Gurung, 57, will officially be the Army Chief after Katawal''s
three-year tenure expires on September 9.
An informal meeting between the
Government and four armed groups operating in the Terai region
was held in Kathmandu. The meeting was reportedly held to prepare
the ground for a second round of dialogue to resolve the crisis
facing the southern plains. Peace Minister Rakam Chemjong represented
the Government side at the meeting in which representatives of
the armed Terai groups - Madhesh Mukti Tigers, Madheshi Virus
Killers, Terai Samyukta Jankranti Party Nepal and the Rajan Mukti
faction of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha - were present.
August 10
The talks between the Government
and four Terai-based armed outfits ended with both sides agreeing
to resume deliberations on the morning of August 11. The former
Maoist-led Government had held separate talks with the four outfits,
namely Madhes Mukti Tigers (MMT), Madhesi Virus Killers (MVK),
Terai Samyukta Krantikari Party (TSKP) and the Rajan Mukti-led
Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Rajan Mukti).
August 11
A bomb exploded at the Nepali Congress's (NC)
central office at Sanepa in the capital Kathmandu. The office
windows were damaged due to the explosion. The bomb was planted
in the room of the underground meeting hall, according to NC sources.
While Police found two bombs at the incident site, the NC, sources
said, was already informed about the planned attack through some
newspapers. Pamphlets of the Nepal Defence Army, an underground
outfit, were found inside the office.
A bomb was found at the Transport Management Office
in the Ekantakuna area of Kathmandu.
August 12
Cadres of the ANNISU-R, student wing of the Unified
CPN-Maoist, set ablaze two Government vehicles at Butwal in the
Rupandehi District. A vehicle each belonging to Nepal Drinking
Water Corporation and Revenue Investigation Office were those
set ablaze by the Maoist students. Chairman of ANNISU-R Rupandehi
T. P. Rijal said, "We attacked the vehicles to protest the Government's
decision of phasing out the Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL)
from the Government colleges."
August 13
The Unified CPN-Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai
said that "civilian supremacy" must be maintained, and the constitution
drafting and peace process should be brought back on track in
order to stop further bloodshed in the country. He accused the
current CPN-UML-led Government of trying to push the country towards
another conflict by reversing the achievements gained through
the people's movement instead of institutionalising it. Speaking
at a programme organised in the capital, Bhattarai, who is also
one the three vice chairmen of the Unified CPN-Maoist, said that
they will complete their political revolution through agitation
as his party's revolution has yet to be completed.
August 14
Around 200 PLA combatants came out of their cantonment
and assaulted locals in the Kailali District. The assailants,
belonging to the Bahubiryodha Brigade in Sahajpur, attacked 36
locals at Shantipur in the Nigali Village Development Committee-1
area. The victims alleged that they could not complain immediately
after the incident since the PLA personnel had threatened them
with dire consequences if they informed the Police and media.
Trouble reportedly broke out when locals questioned four PLA combatants
who were consuming alcohol at a shop in Shantipur. "The PLA personnel
took umbrage at the locals' questioning. Soon, around 200 PLA
fighters arrived at the scene and started beating the villagers,"
alleged Hukum Saud, an eyewitness.
August 19
The Chairman of the Unified-CPN-Maoist, Pushpa
Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda, said the incumbent Government will
not succeed in taking the peace process to a logical conclusion,
nor will it be able to frame the Constitution. "Paradoxically,
the Government that should have been working towards peace and
constitution is trying to derail the peace process and thwart
constitution writing," Prachanda said at the inaugural convention
of the United National People''s Movement (UNPM). The UNPM was
formed on August 3 under the leadership of the Maoist Vice-Chairman
Baburam Bhattarai to lead the series of protests announced by
the party earlier in August. "The Government is unnecessarily
prolonging the transitional phase," said Prachanda, adding that
"We must form a comprehensive united front to tackle reactionary
and regressive forces who are against the peace process and writing
of the statute."
The ''comprehensive united front'' the Maoists
aim to form, according to them, will incorporate all those who
are in favour of ''civilian supremacy'', national sovereignty,
peace and constitution. "It is not necessary to form the front
only with those who believe in Maoist ideology. It can comprise
all nationalists - especially from other parties - who want to
see lasting peace and new constitution in the country," said Prachanda
expressing hope that such a ''front'' led by the Maoists would
garner support from different sections of the society.
The patrolling Police team arrested two cadres
of the Terai Rastriya Mukti Sena (TRMS) along with weapons. The
Police arrested Sunil Kumar of Rajawa Tole and another person
whose identity has not been disclosed by the Police in the course
of checking at Pidari Chowk. They were carrying a pistol. Sunil
Yadav, a cadre of the TRMS, had been arrested earlier as well,
the Police said.
August 21
Ramesh Kumar Rai alias Ananta, spokesperson
of the Kirant Janawadi Workers Party (KJWP), an underground armed
outfit active in the Terai region, and coordinator of its team
formed to hold talks with the Government, was released on bail
in the presence of human rights activists. He was arrested on
charges of involvement in abduction and extortion from capital
Kathmandu on July 17 and taken to Udayapur for trial. Speaking
to the media after his release, Rai said the KJWP aims to ensure
the equal rights of indigenous people through a dialogue. Accusing
the Government of running away from the talks, Rai said the KJWP
was ready to sit for talks honestly.
August 24
A cadre of the Unified CPN-Maoist was killed and
one YCL cadre was injured when an unidentified gang opened fire
at Goskhana Tole in Taplejung. The deceased has been identified
as Liban Village Committee secretary Lal Dhoj Limbu. The injured
YCL cadre has been identified as Lokesh Limbu.
Police detained 19 People's Liberation Army (PLA)
combatants with sophisticated arms from Jitpur in Kapilvastu District.
The PLA fighters, including an assistant brigade commander, were
arrested while returning to the PLA fourth division cantonment
at Jhyaltungdanda in the Nawalparasi District from Nepalgunj.
Nine sophisticated weapons registered by UNMIN were seized from
them, said Superintendent of Police Bikram Singh Thapa. The fourth
division assistant brigade commander Shakti Rokaya, who is among
those detained, said they had gone to Nepalgunj to provide security
to party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. "But we were returning to
the camp as per the directive of the party leadership," he said.
He further claimed their action was not against the peace process.
Later in the evening the detained PLA fighters were released in
presence of Nepalgunj-based UNMIN representative, Claudia Feola.
"It's a serious violation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,"
Feola said, adding that the UNMIN would seriously look into the
matter.
District Administration Office (DAO) in Dang banned
all activities of the Tharuhat National Council (TNC) after it
displayed its ''army'' in Dang. Some 500 activists clad in combat
dresses from various 22 Terai Districts had gathered in Dang from
August 23 for what they have called their ''First Military Convention'',
reports Nepal News. The TNC has claimed it has a 100000- strong
Army, including some of them armed. Dang administration cordoned
off Bal Janata Higher Secondary School in Deukhuri, where the
TNC cadres were holding their military convention and foiled a
press conference organised at the end of the convention by not
letting journalists enter the school. Meanwhile, the TNC military
convention has declared the Terai Districts west of Dang as their
''base-area''. It has also formed a five-member ''General Staff''
under the leadership of its chairman Laxman Tharu.
The YCL cadres halted the main highway of Chitwan
for five hours demanding immediate release of their four cadres.
Police in the morning had arrested the four YCL activists on the
charge of distributing illegally imported sugar. The District
Police Office said the arrested were later released conditionally.
August 25
The UNMIN expressed its serious concern at Unified
CPN-Maoist combatants' act of leaving their cantonment with arms
and weapons in Kapilvastu on August 24 and said it violated the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). In a press release, the UNMIN
said it was continuing its investigation as several provisions
of the CPA were relevant, including 4.1.2 on the use of weapons
for perimeter security of Maoist Army cantonments, 5.1.1 on holding
and carrying arms, and 5.3.2 on unauthorised troop movements.
August 26
More than a dozen cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist
and Nepali Congress (NC) were injured in a clash on the issue
of land at Bishunpurba VDC in Maanpur of Rautahat District. The
Police personnel fired three rounds of bullets in the air to contain
the situation.
The Government decided to recommend to President
Dr. Ram Baran Yadav the appointment of the acting Army chief Chhatra
Man Singh Gurung to the Post of Chief of the Army Staff. The Cabinet
decided to promote Lt. Gen. Gurung to the post of Army Chief effective
from September 9, said Minister for Information and Communications
Shankar Pokharel. The tenure of the incumbent Army chief Rookmangud
Katawal, who is currently on customary leave before retirement,
expires on the same day.
Two schoolteachers from Kharibot of Gorkha District
were compelled to leave the village after the cadres of the YCL
assaulted them.
August 27
The Unified CPN-Maoist said the party will be
ready for army integration only after the Government assures drafting
of new constitution. Speaking at an interaction programme organised
by Nepal Institute for Policy Studies in Lalitpur, Maoists chief
for political affairs Barsha Man Pun said the party is not ready
for army integration at a time when the chances of constitution
drafting seem null.
August 28
A socket bomb exploded outside the Vice President
Paramananda Jha's residence at Gaurighat in capital Kathmandu
in the evening, injuring one person. Parwati Khatiwada, a resident
of a house near the Vice President's residence, received minor
injury as the blast damaged the windowpanes of her room. However,
the blast caused no damage to the Vice President's residence.
An armed outfit called Kirat Janabadi Workers Party (KJWP) claimed
responsibility for the blast, saying Jha was targeted for taking
his oath of office in Hindi.
The UNMIN said it does not have any mandate to
manage and supervise the Maoist army cantonments and movements
of Maoist army personnel as portrayed by the media reports. Issuing
a statement on its arms monitoring mandate, the UNMIN stated it
was not charged with the responsibility to enforce and control
the Maoist combatants. The UNMIN's role has always been understood
as light monitoring presence and not an enforcement or control,
it stated.
August 30
The Kirat Janabadi Workers Party (KJWP), an armed
underground outfit in eastern hilly Districts, split into two
factions after the intensification of internal squabble within
the party. One of the splinter factions is led by group chairman
Nabin Kirati while the other faction is led by the group's General
Secretary Bidhrohi Bibash. However, both factions have blamed
each other of being against the ethnic liberation and sowing the
seed of conflict within the party. Bibash said the internal feud
was created by elements who wanted to convert the party into a
terrorist group. "Social criminals have been trying to defame
the party," said Bibash. Meanwhile, Nabin Kirati said the clash
was between the revolutionary section and status-quoits. He claimed
that some central members, including the General Secretary, tried
to neutralise the revolutionary faction.
With the split within the armed group, the ongoing
talks between the Government and the group has been stalled as
each of the factions has been claiming to be the official one.
August 31
The Unified CPN-Maoist agreed to join the defunct
Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation
of Maoist combatants led by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
An agreement to reactivate the special committee was reached in
a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Nepal and Maoist
Chairman Puspha Kamal Dahal. The committee is all set to resume
operation from September 1. "The meeting of the special committee
is scheduled for Tuesday (September 1) 9:30 a.m. (local time)
at Singhadurbar," said the Prime Minister's Press Adviser Bishnu
Rijal. He said, "The time was fixed as per the understanding between
the prime minister and the Maoist chairman."
The Kirat Janawadi Workers Party (KJWP) clarified
that the party had no policy and programmes of demonstrating weapons
and terrorising people. Issuing a press release in Jhapa, the
party in-charge, Sanken Kirati, maintained that elements who wanted
to disrupt the Constitution drafting process had triggered a bomb
blast near the residence of the Vice President Paramananda Jha.
He also denied that the outfit was organising press conferences
at gunpoint in several parts. The KJWP is reported to have demanded
action against those brandishing weapons and creating terror.
August 31
The Unified CPN-Maoist affiliated
All Nepal Farmers' Association seized about 80 hectares of land
belonging to Bharat Gurung at Shrinathkot Village Development
Committee area in Gorkha District. Gurung is a former aide of
the royal family. A group of Maoist activists led by association's
District chairman Krishna Dhaurali announced that they captured
the land by fixing a party flag. Terming Gurung as "royalist"
and "land mafia", he claimed the land was captured as per the
party policy.
September 1
The Special Committee for Supervision,
Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist combatants decided to
complete the process of integration and rehabilitation of Maoist
combatants within the next six months. "We have decided to
extend the tenure of the technical committee under the special
committee for the next three months effective from today,"
Nepali Congress leader Ram Sharan Mahat told reporters in Singhadurbar
after the meeting, adding, "Beginning Monday, the committee
will complete its work within six months."
The Constitutional Committee (CC),
under the Constituent Assembly (CA), resumed its normal business
after three months of inactivity, following the election of its
new chairperson. The first meeting of the committee held under
the chairmanship of its new leader Nilambar Acharya at Singha
Durbar decided to constitute a sub committee to draft the concept
paper and preliminary draft of the constitution. The CC had remained
almost defunct after its chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal was elected
Prime Minister following resignation from the then Prime Minister
Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
September 3
Cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist
pelted stones at the convoy of the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar
when he was heading to Basantapur Durbar Square to attend the
Indra Jatra (a religious ceremony) in the evening. The
Maoists waved black flags and pelted stones at the Prime Minister?s
convoy when it arrived at New Road around 4:45pm (NST). They also
chanted slogans against him and President Ram Baran Yadav. Police
later resorted to baton-charging to disperse the protesters, arresting
a few of them. Two Policemen and some protesters were injured
in the incident.
The Maoist party said it will
be boycott all programmes attended by the President and the Prime
Minister as part of its protest against the President's move blocking
the erstwhile Maoist-led Government's decision to dismiss then
army chief Rookmangud Katawal.
The Maoist-affiliated All Nepal
Trade Union Federation carried out protest rallies in the capital
against the President's move and demanding guarantee of the rights
of workers.
September 4
Nearly 50 cadres of the Unified
CPN-Maoist assaulted the newly appointed priests, Girish Bhatta
and Raghavendra Bhatta, at the Pashupati Temple premises in Kathmandu.
"Both the Bhattas were dragged away from the Bhandar Ghar to the
Shankaracharya temple a few hundred meters away and thrashed,"
Sushil Nahata, member-secretary of the Pashupati Area Development
Trust (PADT) said. The two Indian priests were undergoing purification
rites at the Bhandar Ghar (store room) since the evening of September
2 as they were to start worship from morning of September 5 (today).
Police said that nearly 50 Maoists entered the temple in the guise
of pilgrims, but later began protesting. The five Policemen deployed
at the premises were assaulted by the mob. The Unified CPN-Maoist
affiliated struggle committee has been protesting the appointment
of Indian priests since last week and PADT administration has
been padlocked since August 30. Their demands include appointment
of Nepali priests and transparency in the offerings made at the
temple.
A bomb went off at Sahidmaidan
(Army ground) in Biratnagar. However, no untoward incident was
reported following the explosion that was planted on the way to
the District Administration Office. Police said the explosion
was carried out by Ranabir Shena, an underground armed group.
Documents and leaflets of the armed group were recovered from
the explosion site. According to the police, the pamphlets mentioned
slogans like: "Cows cannot be slaughtered; Downfall of Prachanda".
The Government cut off state facilities,
including the VVIP security and salary, provided to Paramanda
Jha, who has rejected to abide by the Supreme Court ruling to
retake the oath in Nepali and preferred seeing his Vice Presidential
post vacated.
September 5
A bomb disposal squad of the Nepal
Army defused a bomb, which was apparently targeted at a regional
assembly of the Unified CPN-Maoist, at a ground in Biratnagar.
A separate team of the Nepal Army defused another thread-bomb,
wrapped with a polythene bag, recovered at Bargachi on the Koshi
road.
A team of Kathmandu Metropolitan
Police Range in coordination with the Morang District Police Office
arrested Ram Prasad Mainali, the chairman of the Nepal Defence
Army (NDA), a religious extremist group, from Bhagidubba in Jhapa
District in eastern Nepal. Further, the NDA ?commander? for the
Morang District, Tribhuvan Yadav alias "Police",
was also arrested from Motipur in Morang. The religious extremist
group owned up the explosion at Assumption Church in Jawalakhel
in May, in which four people were killed and 15 injured. The Home
Ministry, in its secret report, has listed the NDA as a religious-criminal
group. The Police seized a pistol along with 14 bullets, a revolver
along with five bullets, mobile set, SIM cards issued from Nepal
and India, pamphlets and threat notes.
September 6
Three persons were killed and
five others injured in a bomb explosion at Malakheti VDC in the
Kailali District. The bomb exploded Harka Bhadaur Mahata?s home,
resident of Malakheti-8.
A report prepared by the Home
Ministry is reported to said that only 12 out of 109 armed groups
active in the country are political, while 70 of them are purely
criminal groups. The report has categorised the armed groups as
political, religious, political criminal, religious criminal and
purely criminal. 12 groups, including Akhil Terai Mukti Morcha
(Jaya Krishna Goit), Kirant Janbadi Workers Party and Tharuhat
Swayatta Rajya Parishad, have been categorised as political groups.
Four groups, including Cobra (Nagraj) and Nepal Defence Army,
have been put in the religious criminal category, while 11 others
have been categorized as political criminal groups. The nature
of eight armed groups could not be established, the report added.
The Special Committee on Supervision,
Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist combatants took the first
steps to bring all 19,602 combatants under its command and control,
effectively de-linking the ex-fighters? allegiance to the Unified
CPN-Maoist. The Committee reviewed the technical committee?s proposal
and instructed the panel of experts to develop a code of conduct
and prepare manuals related to supervision, control and command
for the former "People?s Liberation Army" living in
the UN-monitored cantonments.
September 7
Police arrested two leaders of
Ranvir Sena, identified as Binod Kumar Pandey, ?vice commander?,
and Navin Pandey, from Biratnagar. Pandey was arrested on September
6, but the information was disclosed only in the evening of September
7. Police said that Pandey had converted his house at Biratnagar
into the group?s headquarters, where he had been making bombs
and explosives. The Police recovered a revolver, five rounds of
bullet, 12 sets of pipe bomb, two sets of Sutali bomb, 13 sets
of metal pipes and other explosives. Pandey (41), a civil engineer
by profession, is a permanent resident of Rajbiraj in Saptari
District.
Three Madhesi parties in the ruling
coalition raised serious objection to the Cabinet's decision to
scrap the perks given to Vice President Paramananda Jha.
The General Staff meeting of
the Maoist combatants demanded that the Government should prepare
a legal framework to ensure the integration and rehabilitation
of combatants before bringing them under the control of a special
committee.
September 8
Five cadres of the Unified CPN
Maoist were injured when Police personnel charged batons at the
Maoists who were chanting slogans and showing black flags to the
Minister for Information and Communications Shankar Pokharel in
the Syangja District. Later the Maoists obstructed vehicular movement
from Kubinde to Syangja Bazaar demanding free medical treatment
to those injured in the clash.
Speaking to the media in Nepalgunj,
the Unified CPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias
Prachanda said his party would not move an inch backward to end
the deadlock in the Parliament unless the ruling coalition agrees
to debate the President?s move.
September 10
After two months of deadlock,
the Government and the Unified CPN-Maoist reached an agreement
to resume the process of discharging the disqualified PLA combatants
from the camps. Due to lack of co-operation from the combatants,
the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction had to stop the process
on the very day it reached the camps to release 4,008 disqualified
PLA members on July 17. The Government had targeted to complete
the process by early November 2009. However, the Maoists did not
provide support to the Government mission. As per the agreement,
the process of releasing the combatants could start shortly after
the Dashain (religious) festival. The agreement was reached
in the presence of representatives from the United Nations Mission
in Nepal, the United Nations Development Fund, the Norwegian ambassador
and political party representatives.
The vice-president of the Madheshi
Rashtra Janvadi Krantikari Party, Ramnarayan Yadav, its spokesman
Rambriksha Mahto and three other party supporters were arrested
from Jainagar area in the Madhubani District of Indian State of
Bihar. Arms and ammunition without valid documents were seized
from them.
September 11
Pushpa Kamal Dahal a.k.a. ?Prachanda?,
the chairman of Unified CPN-Maoist, issued a threat to the Nepali
Congress and the CPN-UML to accept their 45-point demand or else
brace for a new movement.
ANNISU-R, the student wing of
the Maoists, announced an indefinite closure of private Higher
Secondary Schools across the country from September 13 as the
Higher Secondary Education Board did not pay heed to its demands.
September 13
Koutilya Sharma, coordinator of
the SJTMM, an armed outfit operating in the Terai, said his party
had no plans for an armed struggle. Speaking at a programme at
Birgunj in the Parsa District, he said, "We?re attempting
to walk in the path of peace. We?ve no plans of resuming the war
again." He, however, warned of a bloody war if their demands
were not met.
The Unified CPN-Maoist cadres
assaulted Deep Bahadur K. C., Bakrang village committee chairman
of CPN-UML, in Gorkha accusing him of taking Maoist supporters
to a regional convention of CPN-UML.
September 14
At least 15 cadres of the Unified
CPN-Maoist and two Policemen were injured as the Maoists tried
to disrupt the convocation ceremony of Purwanchal University,
attended by the Prime Minister Madhav Nepal at Shahid Stadium
in Biratnagar, headquarters of Morang District.
A couple of socket bombs were
recovered nearby the defunct Vice President Paramananda Jha?s
residence at Gaurighat in the capital Kathmandu. A bomb disposal
squad of Nepal Army defused the explosives which were wrapped
with a plastic bag and left unattended on the ground at 7-8 meter
distance from Jha?s residence.
September 15
Six cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist were injured
when they clashed with the Police in Janakpur. The incident took
place after the demonstrators showed black flags to Minister for
Labour and Transport Management Mohammad Aftab Alam. Dhanusha
district committee member of the Unified CPN-Maoist Devsagar Das
and YCL Dhanusha coordinator Shyam Yadav are among the injured.
The Maoist aligned Priest Appointment Joint Struggle
Committee (PAJSC) unlocked the door of the Pashupati Area Development
Trust (PADT) office taking into consideration the upcoming Dashain
and Tihar festivals. PAJSC had padlocked the PADT office around
two weeks ago protesting against the appointment of two new Indian
priests at Pashupatinath Temple.
September 16
Continuing their protests, cadres of the Unified
CPN-Maoist waved black flags and pelted stones at Prime Minister
Madhav Kumar Nepal as he attended the 34th convocation ceremony
of Tribhuvan University in Kirtipur in Kathmandu. A few Maoist
cadres were injured when the Police used force to break the protest.
Seven activists of Youth Force (YF), the youth
wing of CPN-UML, were injured in a clash with YCL cadres over
the appointment of a teacher at the Dupchheshwori Lower Secondary
School.
September 17
Two YCL cadres were injured in a retaliatory attack
by the YF on YCL cadres. The clash had started over the appointment
of a teacher at the Dupchheshwori Lower Secondary School.
JTMM-J announced a truce for 36 days considering
the upcoming festivals. Issuing a press statement, the JTMM-J
chief Nagendra Paswan alias Jwala Singh said the ceasefire
has been declared in view the major festivals like Dashain, Tihar
and Chhat and Ed. Jwala Singh said his group would stop armed
activities during the cease-fire effective from September 19.
Addressing media persons on his arrival at the
Tribhuvan International Airport following a four-day Hong Kong
visit, chairman of the Unified CPN-Maoist, Pushpa Kamal Dahal
alias Prachanda, said his party was ready to withdraw all
the protest plans if the parties agree to amend the interim constitution
changing the jurisdiction of the President to correct his 'unconstitutional
step'.
A three-day meeting of the Unified CPN-Maoist
held in Jajarkot decided to resurrect their people's Government
in the District, arguing that the people have been facing difficulties
due to the prolonged absence of representatives at the local bodies.
Local leader of the Maoists said the decision was taken since
the Government had shown apathy towards the peoples' problems.
"We've decided to resurrect the local Governments to ease peoples'
works,'' said Gagan Khadka 'Jeevan', the Unified CPN-Maoist District
secretary, adding that Government officials at the local bodies
would be asked to work as per the directives of their local Government.
September 21
The Armed Police Force (APF) arrested two cadres
of the JTMM-G along with explosives from Parsa in the night. The
duo was identified as Satyendra Pandey (21) of Ramnagari, Parsa
and Ramprabesh Pandit (17) of Parwanipur-5. They were planning
to detonate a bomb at the Apex Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd in Pathalaiya
Corridor in Birgunj, the District headquarters. A Police constable
was injured when a bomb exploded while trying to confiscate it
from Pandey and Pandit.
Cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist showed black
flags and pelted stones at the vehicle carrying the Minister for
Irrigation Bal Krishna Khand in Tikapur of Kailali District, hours
after he said that the Government will be compelled to react strongly
if the Maoists continue with their violent ways in the name of
carrying out agitation for civilian supremacy. The Police resorted
to baton-charging to disperse the protesters, which resulted in
a clash. Three Maoist cadres and two Policemen were injured in
the scuffle.
September 22
The Unified CPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
alias Prachanda claimed that some Madhesh-based parties
are likely to withdraw support to the coalition Government shortly.
Speaking to journalists in Pokhara, Dahal said the CPN-UML and
Nepali Congress are adamant not to let the House debate the President's
move seeing the possibilities of the Government not fetching majority.
September 23
The chairman of Unified CPN-Maoist Pushpa Kamal
Dahal alias Prachanda said that his party would table a
no confidence motion in the Parliament against the CPN-UML-led
Government if there's no agreement to 'rectify' the President's
move. Speaking to reporters at Tansen in Palpa District, he said
the Maoist party would try to reach an understanding with the
UML and Nepali Congress till October 7, but it would go for no
confidence motion if the talks failed.
September 25
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights, Nepal (OHCHR-N) asked the Unified CPN-Maoist leadership
to fully cooperate with ongoing investigations by authorities
into alleged human rights abuses committed by its members. Issuing
a statement, OHCHR-N said that it had sent a letter to the Unified
CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on July 24 expressing its
concerns over lack of progress in investigations into killings
of businessman Ram Hari Shrestha, journalist Birendra Sah, Arjun
Lama and the June 2005 bus bombing in Madi, Chitwan. Maoist cadres
were held responsible for the three killings and the Madi bus
bombing in which 39 people were killed and more than 72 injured.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal rejected the
Maoist proposal for a parliamentary debate on the President's
move to reinstate Army Chief dismissed by then Maoist-led Government.
October 4
Matrika Yadav, who broke away from the Unified
CPN-Maoist to form another party, which goes by the name CPN-Maoist,
said his party is going to float its own army. Organising a press
conference at Malangawa in Sarlahi, Yadav said no political force
could complete the revolution without its own army and that his
party was going to float its armed force soon. Yadav said his
party would not possess weapons, but would be forced to capture
State's arms and launch an armed revolt if the State tried to
crush the movement.
The JTMM-J said that the group is ready to hold
talks with the Government. Chairman of the outfit, Jwala Singh,
said the JTMM-J was ready for the talks if the Government presented
itself responsibly over the matter. He demanded that the Government
implement the past agreements reached with the Madheshi parties
and institutionalise the spirit of the Madhesh movement for the
talks. Jwala Singh, however, said the recently introduced special
security policy of the Government was against the Madheshi people.
October 5
A one-on-one meeting to find out ways to end the
current political stalemate was held between Prime Minister Madhav
Kumar Nepal and the Unified CPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
alias Prachanda. "We discussed the country's overall political
situation at the moment," Nepal told the media at his private
residence at Koteshwor where the talks were held. A highly-placed
source privy to the discussion said that Prachanda urged Nepal
to address the President's May 3 move to reinstate the then Chief
of Army Staff, Rookmangud Katawal, and the issue of civilian supremacy
in the House. But the Prime Minister ruled out such a possibility,
the source added.
October 6
The Armed Police Force arrested a central committee
member of the JTMM-J, identified as Sakhichandra Yadav, from Ekdara
VDC-8 area in the Mahottari District in the morning. Earlier,
Yadav was arrested along with a set of pistol and bullets. However,
he was freed a year later by the Government to make an environment
for talks. Soon after being freed, Yadav went underground.
October 10
Cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist hurled stones
at the vehicle of Industry Minister Mahendra Prasad Yadav when
he was on board in Butwal. However, Minister Yadav was not wounded
in the attack, confirmed the Police.
October 11
Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS), Chhatra Man Sing
Gurung, said that the Nepal Army (NA) would accept the decision
of the Government based on the recommendation made by the Special
Committee for the Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation
of Maoist combatants which is headed by the Prime Minister Madhav
Kumar Nepal. Briefing the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister
Bijay Kumar Gachhadar and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala during
their inspection visit to the Army headquarters, the CoAS expressed
hope that the decision (on the integration of combatants) will
respect the neutral, professional and apolitical nature of the
Nepal Army. The CoAS also said that the integration and rehabilitation
of Maoist combatants is clearly a political issue and that the
NA will accept the decision of the Government. "But it shouldn''t
breach the Army''s standard norms," he added.
October 13
At least 12 cadres of the Unified
CPN-Maoist were injured in a clash with the Police personnel in
Pyuthan District. The clash broke out when the Police intervened
in the Maoist demonstration against the visiting Minister for
General Administration Rabindra Shrestha. Accusing the Police
of using force to quell the party's peaceful demonstration, the
Unified CPN-Maoist announced an indefinite transport strike in
Pyuthan District.
21 Maoists from the Palpa District
defected to the Matrika Yadav-led CPN-Maoist. They announced their
desertion by issuing a statement. This is the third incident of
Palpa-based Unified CPN-Maoist cadres leaving the party to join
the splinter faction. However, the Palpa chapter of the Unified
CPN-Maoist said in a statement that the deserters were expelled
from the party for committing financial irregularities.
October 14
Political parties differed over
the issue of whether to retain or change the national flag, national
song and national emblem. While the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML
were in favour of retaining the current national flag, the Unified
CPN-Maoist and Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal, including few other
small parties, wanted to change it. The Maoist leader Dev Gurung
was quoted in the media as saying that the current national flag
should be changed so as to reflect the nationalities in the country.
October 15
At the meeting of the Constitutional
Committee (CC) of the Constituent Assembly, lawmakers unanimously
demanded "easy and flexible provisions" to make amendments in
the new constitution except those concerning its basic tenet and
spirit. At the discussion on the constitutional amendment, lawmakers
said flexible provisions would ease amendment procedure in the
constitution except clauses pertaining to fundamental rights and
press freedom. The lawmakers, representing a spectrum of political
parties, said that a referendum can be held if any amendment needs
to be made in the constitution regarding the two issues of fundamental
rights and press freedom.
October 21
Defence Minister Bidhya Bhandari
said the Government would resume recruitment in Nepal Army (NA)
by the end of October 2009. She said fresh recruitment can be
carried out so long as the number remains within the 95,753 ceiling.
"The government is currently engaged in an exercise to resume
recruitment. I have asked the Army to submit the number of personnel
needed and the departments where positions are vacant," Bhandari
said after meeting top Army officials at the Defence Ministry.
October 23
The Unified CPN-Maoist gave a
9-day ultimatum to the Government to address the demands raised
by the party regarding the President's move. A meeting of the
Maoist standing committee held at the party headquarters set November
1 deadline to the Government to come up with an understanding
on issues raised by the party vis-à-vis the President's
move against the erstwhile Government's decision to sack the then
Army Chief Rookmangud Katawal.
More than 2,000 hectares of private
land in Kailali District is still under the occupation of Unified
CPN-Maoist according to District Administration Office statistics.
The Maoists have distributed the seized land to party cadres and
landless families. The landless are obliged to contribute 25 per
cent of their produce to the Maoist party. "Some families donate
cash to the party instead of crop produce," said a local, who
has been cultivating the land the Maoists took over from Bijay
Thapa at Pahalmanpur.
October 26
A cadre of Nepali Congress's sister
organisation Tarun Dal, Chandra Prakash Hanggam was killed in
Ilaam-Godak section of the Mechi Highway in Taplejung District.
A group of about half-dozen persons attacked Hanggam and his pillion
rider while he was going towards Jhapa from Taplejung on a motorcycle.
Pillion rider Patanwa was seriously injured. Nepali Congress alleged
that cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist are involved in the murder.
Minister for Irrigation Bal Krishna
Khand warned that the Government would be compelled to use force
against Maoists and their supporters if they continue their unruly
activities that includes displaying black-flag to the President
and Prime Minister and attacking ministers. "There will be no
option left for the Government but to resort to using force if
the Maoists continue with their atrocities like attacking the
Prime minister and ministers," Minister Khand said at a press
meet organized in Jhapa.
The two main ruling parties -
Nepali Congress and CPN-UML - decided to make a 'final call' to
the Maoists to come to a compromise to resolve the current political
deadlock. The two parties also urged for more flexibility from
the Maoist side on the President's move.
Speaking at a reception organised
by the Maoist-affiliated Newa State Council in the capital Kathmandu,
Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda said
the Maoists are going to create a wave of protests which might
well turn into the third Janaandolan (people's movement),
and asked party cadres to stay prepared for that.
The Unified CPN-Maoist vice-chairman
Baburam Bhattarai said in an interview to World People's Resistance
Movement of Britain that the ultimate plan of the Maoists
is to "smash" the State into pieces in order to replace it with
a "new state" that will be led by a proletarian party, or the
Maoists.
October 28
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal met President
Ram Baran Yadav at the latter's office Shital Niwas and discussed
the latest political developments, especially the prolonged political
deadlock. The Prime Minister briefed the President on the ongoing
negotiations between the major parties on resolving the deadlock,
according to Prime Minister's political advisor Raghuji Panta.
The Constituent Assembly (CA) Chairman Subash
Chandra Nemwang said that there is no alternative to the Parliament
when it comes to endorsing the annual budget. After meeting Prime
Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal in the capital, the CA chairman said
that the nation could fall into an economic crisis if the budget
is not endorsed at the earliest.
November 1
After efforts for a consensus made no headway,
the Unified CPN-Maoist launched the second phase of protests against
the Government from the evening. The Maoists have decided to intensify
the stir after the ruling parties objected to their proposal on
discussing the President's move during the Army Chief row in the
Legislature-Parliament. The Maoists had delivered an ultimatum,
to the parties and Government to resolve the ongoing political
crisis, which ended on November 1. As per the protest schedule,
the Maoists staged torch rallies nationwide in the evening. Unified
CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal a.k.a. Prachanda
and other senior leaders took part in one of the rallies that
was taken out from the New Buspark in the capital Kathmandu. Mohan
Baidya, Ram Bahadur Thapa and Hit Man Shakya also were present
in the rally. Similar rallies were staged in other places in Kathmandu,
Lalitpur and Bhaktapur Districts.
Speaking at a programme on the outskirts of Kathmandu,
Prachanda warned of a revolt if the Government tried to suppress
his party's planned protest.
Finance Minister Surendra Pandey warned that almost
all the essential services related to health, security, education
and jails will come into a complete halt if the budget for current
fiscal year is not approved soon. Addressing a press conference,
Pandey said most Government bodies will not be able pay their
staff and meet their daily expenditure if the budget is not passed
soon as they have already spent the 33 percent budget proposed
for them. The Credit Bill passed by the Parliament to enable the
Government to function till the budget is passed does not allow
the use of more than 33 percent fund proposed for a heading.
November 2
Cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist 'captured' the
Dhankuta Municipality, and 'appointed' the office-bearers of the
municipality, including the mayor and the deputy mayor. The Maoists
declared Ganesh Bista as the mayor and Kabita Rai as deputy mayor.
They also appointed chairmen in nine wards in the municipality.
The party declared that its team would look after the entire matters
with the municipality.
Further, Maoists picketed the offices of municipalities,
District Development Committees and Village Development Committees
(VDCs) across the country, preventing work in these bodies during
the protest, reports Nepal News.
The Information and Communications Minister Shanker
Pokhrel warned that if the Maoist agitation violates the letter
and spirit of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the Government
would be compelled to mobilise the Nepal Army to bring the situation
under control. "If the agitation respects the CPA, we will tolerate
it. However, if the situation goes beyond control and the Maoists
break the spirit of the CPA, then we will have to seek more options.
This means the deployment of all security agencies," he said.
Announcement of a parallel Government or a blockade seriously
violates the CPA and all effort to restore peace will be imperiled,
he added.
November 3
The locals of Dhankuta demonstrated at Sindhuwa
since early morning demanding security following the violent incident
that took place the previous night. The locals demonstrated against
the Unified CPN-Maoist who set ablaze a motorcycle and vandalised
a van.
Admitting that exchanges exist
between the Unified CPN-Maoist and the Indian Maoists, a senior
Standing Committee member of the Unified CPN-Maoist, C. P. Gajurel,
was quoted by Rajdhani as saying, "We have extended our
full support and cooperation to the Indian Maoists, who are launching
armed revolt." Talking to pro-Maoist journalists in the Bara District
of southern Nepal on November 1, Gajurel, however, did not elaborate
on what type of support they have extended to the Maoists in India.
The statement came shortly after India?s Home Minister P Chidambaram
mentioned about possible arms supply from the Nepalese Maoists
to the Maoist insurgents in India.
The Unified CPN-Maoist, which
had declared nationwide protests beginning from November 1, called
off its proposed shutdown at the Tribhuvan International Airport
in capital Kathmandu on November 10. They reportedly called off
the shutdown at the request of foreign diplomats who met party
chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda earlier in
the day.
The Unified CPN-Maoist Vice Chairman,
Baburam Bhattarai, said that his party's plan to declare autonomous
federal states would only be symbolic and a publicity stunt. Bhattarai
said so in the wake of mounting criticism against the Maoists'
protest programme, saying that the main opposition party tried
to create parallel power centers.
November 4
The Unified CPN-Maoist recruited
youths and began to impart military training to them in Sindhuli
District. More than 100 youths have been acquiring military training
at Madhutar in the District headquarters for the last one week.
The Maoist source said that it had been providing training to
the party activists of its youth wing, the Young Communist League
(YCL), who were selected from 13 areas of the District.
The Unified CPN-Maoist vice chairman,
Babu Ram Bhattarai, clarified that his party is committed to peace
and is not planning for any revolt.
November 5
Cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist
staged sit-in in front of the District Administration Offices
(DAOs) across the country for the second day. In Kathmandu Valley,
hundreds of Maoists gathered in front of the DAOs of Kathmandu,
Lalitpur and Bhaktapur from early morning, carrying flags and
banners emblazoned with slogans for restoration of 'civilian supremacy'
and against the President's move. They also chanted slogans against
the Prime Minister and the 22-party Government. Maoist central
leaders and Constituent Assembly members led the sit-in programmes.
The Maoist cadres ordered six
families in Sabhapokhari and Barhabise VDCs in Sankhuwasabha District
to vacate their houses and immovable property at the earliest.
All the victims owe their allegiance to the Nepali Congress and
the CPN-UML. The Maoists claimed that these families usurped the
assets during the decade-long insurgency. The Maoists claimed
that the victims did not seek their permission for the ?seizure?.
Teachers of Bhanu Secondary School
at Dharampur in Jhapa District were forced to shut down the institution
four days ago after Maoist cadres threatened to kill them. Representatives
of the Nepal Teachers? Union (NTU), Jhapa, alleged that the Maoists
issued death threat to Yam Nath Chimariya, headmaster, Bhanu Secondary
School, and two of his colleagues Radha Krishna Khanal and Badri
Bhattarai. Narayan Prasad Gautam, president, Jhapa, NTU, said
that the threat was issued during a meeting with the school authorities
on November 1.
The Government is all set to hold
talks with the armed outfits in the Terai, Laxmanlal Karna, Minister
without portfolio, said in Rajbiraj. "The talks will commence
with the armed outfits of Terai in a week," he said, speaking
at a press meet. He said that the Government had prepared a list
of 102 armed outfits operating throughout the country. The talks
he said is aimed at bringing the criminal groups under the law.
November 6
After calling off its shutdown
strike at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Unified CPN-Maoist
withdrew the party?s pre-announced programme to declare autonomous
provinces in many parts of the country on November 9. The United
National People?s Movement Central Committee of the party, which
has been organizing nationwide agitation since November 1 to uphold
what it calls "civilian supremacy", issued a press release
on stating that the party?s aforementioned program has been called
off for now.
November 8
Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
alias Prachanda hinted his party could ease obstruction
in the legislature parliament to let the budget for this fiscal
year pass. Speaking to journalists at a programme organised by
Parsa chapter of Reporters Club in Birgunj, in the morning, Prachanda
said we have realised the difficulty faced by the nation as the
budget is not passed, we will open the House soon only to let
the budget pass. He also claimed that his party had no connection
with Indian Maoists. Speaking at the press meet, Prachanda said,
"Though we had political relations with the Indian Maoists
earlier, we ceased to have any contact with them after we joined
the peace process."
November 9
Cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist
released 19 passenger buses belonging to Araniko Yatayat Sewa
Samiti. The Maoists released the buses they had taken under control
on November 7 and 8 after the Araniko Yatayat Sewa Samiti, agreed
to provide NR 5,000 as ?donation? for each of the buses. The Maoists
had demanded NR 50,000 in ?donation? for each of the buses operating
from Kavre to Koshipari understandably for the support of their
ongoing agitation. The Maoists forcefully seized the buses after
the bus entrepreneurs declined to give donation to the party.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal
urged the agitating Maoists to withdraw all their protests and
sit for talks to solve the political deadlock stating that demonstrations
and protests are not the proper means to find solution.
November 10
Vehicular movement to and from
the Kathmandu valley through various entry points was blocked
by cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist as they enforced valley blockade.
According to the Traffic headquarters, no vehicles plied on the
roads at main entry points, including Nagdhunga, Pharping, Sangha
and Teenpitle, since early morning. The Maoists have been obstructing
vehicular movement at these four entry points. However, the blockade
has not affected normal life of the residents in the valley. Public
and private vehicles are operating in the streets after the agitating
Maoists clarified that they have not called a transport strike
in the valley. The agitating Maoists blocked vehicles as part
of its second phase of protests against the President?s move on
the issue of Army Chief and to establish civilian supremacy in
the country.
The agitating Unified CPN-Maoist,
which had withdrawn its earlier plan to announce federal States,
on November 9 declared the eastern Districts as Kirat federal
state based on, what they describe, caste, language, culture,
and historical background. The Maoists made the symbolic announcement
amid a function organised at Diktel, the headquarters of Khotang
District, as part of their protest against the Government. The
Maoist Kirat state Committee in-charge and Maoist politburo member
Gopal Kirati made the announcement. Saying that the state would
be known as Kirati only to those people who are in favour of fighting
against communal harmony and for equality, Kirati warned that
the door of Kirati state would be closed for Indian imperialist,
tyrants, and capitalists. However, office bearers of the state
were not appointed. "It was only symbolic announcement for now,"
said leader Kirati, "We will appoint office bearers after some
time. The headquarters of the Kirati state has yet to be searched
though it was declared in Khotang district. He informed that Pandhare
of Bhojpur District is likely to be made the capital of the state.
Kirati said that federal state was declared only after taking
consent from party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal though the central
programmes were suspended earlier.
November 10
A meeting of the Unified CPN-Maoist central officer
bearers concluded that the Government is not serious about seeking
a consensus to defuse the current political imbroglio. The main
opposition party which launched its second phase of protests against
the President's "unconstitutional" move on November 1 has also
decided to further intensify its stir. The meeting was held at
the party headquarters in Parisdanda in the capital Kathmandu.
November 12
Cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist are picketing
Singhadurbar which houses Government's main administrative offices
for two days starting from as the last programme for the second
phase of protest. Thousands of Maoists are reportedly staging
a sit-in protest outside Singhadurbar area since early morning.
Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda is participating
at the programme from Bhadrakali, Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai
from Maitighar Mandala, Narayan Kaji Shrestha from Padmodaya turning
and leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara from District Administration
Office. The Government has deployed some 10,000 Security Force
personnel in and around Singhadurbar area, according to Jay Mukunda
Khanal, spokesperson for the Home Ministry.
The Vice-chairman of the Unified CPN-Maoist, Baburam
Bhattarai, said that it is wrong to associate Nepali Maoists with
the Indian Maoists. "The attempt to associate us with the Indian
Maoists' movement is totally wrong," Bhattarai said. "It's their
internal matter and we have no links whatsoever with them," he
claimed.
November 15
The Unified CPN-Maoist vice chairman, Narayan
Kaji Shrestha, said his party is planning for a no-confidence
motion against the coalition Government to topple it and open
doors for new national consensus Government. Speaking at the Reporters
Club, Shrestha said his party now has no alternative to filing
a no-confidence motion since Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal
had allegedly failed to take the initiative for forging a national
consensus to end the ongoing deadlock. Claiming that leaders of
the Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist
Leninist (CPN-UML) have accepted the president's move as unconstitutional
though of political nature, Shrestha said the parties have to
accept it publicly that it hindered civilian supremacy.
November 16
Normal life in various eastern and central Terai
Districts has been affected since early morning due to a bandh
(shutdown) called by the CPN-Maoist faction led by Matrika Yadav.
The party has announced an indefinite bandh starting today in
the Terai Districts demanding release of their cadres arrested
on charges of attacking the chief of Birgunj Custom Office Kewal
Bhandari.
November 23
Police arrested Narendra Tamrakar,
PLA ?commander? of Masuriya-based cantonment, on the charge of
abducting a girl, Kalawati Tamrakar (18), in Dadeldhura District.
Narendra was caught from Ajayameru VDC-7 on the same day. According
to eyewitness accounts, seven men, including Narendra, had grabbed
Kalawati and took her away in broad daylight. Deputy Superintendent
of Police Chakra Bahadur Singh said that the other six men involved
in the abduction are on the run and a Police team has been mobilized
to search and arrest them. Kalawati has been handed over to her
family.
December 2
Speaking at
a programme organized in the capital on the occasion of Jyapu
(indigenous peasants of Kathmandu) Day, Prime Minister Madhav
Kumar Nepal said that the plan of the Unified CPN-Maoist to declare
autonomous federal states is against the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
(CPA) and the Interim Constitution, accusing the Maoists of trying
to end the significance of the Constituent Assembly (CA) with
this move. He criticized the Maoists for their plan to declare
federal states at a time when the political parties are holding
discussion on state restructuring, adding that the Maoist move
is objectionable.
The District
Administration Office (DAO), Banke, ordered the Police to take
Maoist People?s Liberation Army (PLA) fifth division brigade commander
Deependra Shah aka Yuganta into custody for three months.
The administration decided to hold Yuganta in detention for three
months on charge of public offence.
December 3
The Unified CPN-Maoist
concluded that it would demarcate the borders of its proposed
autonomous states only after holding broader deliberations.
December 4
Upendra Yadav,
the Chairman of MJF said that his party would launch peaceful
protest, starting December 5, to press the Government to implement
agreement signed with the party including the demand for 'One
Madhesh One Province.' Talking to journalists in the Sunsari District,
Yadav said the party has been compelled to resort to the strike
as the Government remained indifferent to the Madhesh demands.
He said the first-phase protest will include general assembly
of cadres. Yadav said general strike has not been included in
the first-phase protest as an ultimatum to the government. He
said other agitation programmes will be launched if the demands
were not met even after the peaceful protest.
As part of the third phase of protest programmes
announced by the Unified CPN-Maoist, Maoist-affiliated Nepal National
Dalit Mukti Morcha disrupted transport service in the capital
Kathmandu in the morning. The ethnic front called strike in the
valley for two hours from 10:30 am local time.
The Brigade Commander of the PLA, Dipendra Shahi
'Yuganta', who was handed down three-month detention by the District
Administration Office of Banke on December 2, has been released
after the Nepalgunj Appellate Court approved his habeas corpus
petition.
December 6
JTMM, an armed
outfit active in the Terai belts, split up after a mere seven
months of its merger with the Madheshi Mukti Tigers (MMT) party.
Both outfits had merged in April 2009 to form Janatantrik Madhesh
Mukti Tigers Terai (JMMTT) with an aim to launch armed revolution.
According to one of the underground party leaders, the party has
expelled party chairman Jwala Singh for his failed leadership
and individualistic activities. The two-day party meeting held
at some unspecified location in the eastern borderland has formed
a committee under the leadership of Rajan Pratap. Similarly, Surya
Dev Singh is the new committee Vice President and the meeting
has established eight-member politburo. The politburo members
consist of activists who were previously associated with different
organisations including Gajraj, Kranti Singh, Thufan Singh, Bidhrohi,
Bhagat Singh, among others.
All Nepal Teachers
Association (ANTA) affiliated to the Unified CPN-Maoist, and Republic
Educational Forum (REF) called for a nationwide shut down of academic
institutions on December 7.
The Unified
CPN-Maoist-called nationwide general strike brought life to a
standstill across the country. The Maoist party had enforced the
strike protesting the death of three people in Police action against
squatters in the Kailali-based Dudhejhadi forest on December 4.
December 7
Nepal Media
Society (NMS), an alliance of publishers and broadcasters, requested
the Unified CPN-Maoist-affiliated trade union to seriously internalise
people?s freedom and their right to information and demanded that
the union immediately withdraw the proposed shut down of the publication
houses on December 9.
The Unified
CPN-Maoist captured a house reportedly belonging to its lawmaker
Binod Pahadi at Butwal in Rupandehi District. The Maoist cadres
led by central committee member Bamdev Chhetri seized the two-storey
house and set up a liaison office of its Abadh Madhesh State Committee.
Chhetri inaugurated the party office amid a function. The party
captured the house at a time when there is a rift between the
party and lawmaker Pahadi over the ownership of the house. Stating
that Pahadi went against of the party policy, the recently held
meeting of the state committee had recommended central committee
to take disciplinary action against him. The meeting also decided
to set up its party office in the house.
The Unified
CPN-Maoist vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai accused the Government
of seeking to compel the Maoists to return to war by opening fire
at unarmed landless squatters in Kailali District on December
5, killing four persons.
December 8
The CPN-UML
leader Jhala Nath Khanal urged the opposition Unified CPN-Maoist
to withdraw their plan to announce autonomous states. Speaking
to media persons in Salyan in the morning Khanal alleged that
Maoists are trying to bypass the mandate given to Constituent
Assembly and make it useless. He said that Maoists must seek solution
of all differences through the constituent assembly and that the
announcement of states by a party does not give a good public
message. "The job is mandated to CA, let it do that,"
Khanal said. In another context, Khanal repeated his statement
that UML must make sacrifices to forge political consensus that
would end the current deadlock.
President Ram
Baran Yadav again called for consensus among the stakeholders
to ensure that the country gets a new constitution within the
stipulated time. President Yadav said it is very important that
constitution is written within the next six months and that the
constitution writing and concluding peace process must be the
top priority for now.
December 10
The Unified CPN-Maoist
expressed its dissatisfaction over a Cabinet decision on December
9 which mentioned that Maoists had breached the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement (CPA). A meeting of the Maoist standing committee?s
officials held in Naya Bazaar, in the morning, concluded such
decision was against an agreement between its chairman Pushpa
Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister (PM) Madhav Kumar Nepal at a meeting
in the evening of December 8. Speaking to journalists after the
meeting Maoist vice chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said, his party
would talk to the PM again and remind him of the agreement.
December 11
Notwithstanding the extensive
national and international concerns, the Unified CPN-Maoist declared
autonomous Kochila and Laimbuwan States. The Unified CPN-Maoist
made the announcement as part of its third phase protest. The
Maoists declared Kochila State at Birtamod in Jhapa District.
The Kochila state includes Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari Districts.
Likewise, it also declared Limbuwan autonomous State at Myaglung
of Terhathum District. Leader Magar said border of the Limbuwan
State, however, has not been delineated. He said the border of
the State would be finalised later after border discussion within
the party. He warned that the Maoists would declare parallel Government
if the Government failed to address their demands by December
22.
Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa
Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda accused that the Government is
bent on killing some Maoist leaders.
December 13
Despite the
national and international concerns over its move, the Unified
CPN Maoist declared Seti-Mahakali and Tharuwan autonomous States
as part of the party's third round of protests. The Maoists declared
five Districts in western Terai as Tharuwan autonomous State amidst
a huge gathering of party cadres and supporters in Nepalgunj of
Banke District. The Tharu ethnic community forms the majority
in the region. Similarly, the Maoists also declared Seti-Mahakali
autonomous State - which comprises hilly Districts of far-west
- in Dhangadi of Kailali District. Maoist leader Lilamani Pokharel
addressed the function attended by large number of Maoist activists
and supporters.
Prime Minister
Madhav Kumar Nepal had said the Maoist decision to declare federal
States would invite political confrontation and urged the Maoists
to withdraw the decision if they wanted timely drafting of constitution.
Tharu Kalyankarini
Sabha (TKS), a semi-political organization working for the
welfare of Tharu community, raised objection over declaration
of federal states by the Unified CPN-Maoist. Issuing a statement,
TKS general secretary Raj Kumar Lekhi said the Maoists undermined
the Constituent Assembly by declaring States, and without considering
the concerns of indigenous communities.
The Maoists
had on November 25 unveiled its plan to declare 13 autonomous
States based on ethnicity and region within December 11-18.
Ten political
parties in the Government including Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and
MJF-Loktantrik urged the agitating Unified CPN-Maoist to withdraw
its agitation including the general strike on December 20- 22
and the declaration of federal States.
December 14
The Unified
CPN-Maoist declared two more 'autonomous States' in the eastern
Nepal. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal announced Sherpa State
in Solukhumbu, and politburo member Gopal Kirati declared Kirat
State in Khotang. As part of their third-phase agitation against
the Government, the Maoists have decided to go for a phase wise
declaration of autonomous States.
Around 25 cadres
of JTMM, an underground armed group active in Terai, including
its central chairman Surya Bidhrohi joined en mass the reconstituted
CPN-Maoist led by Matrika Yadav.
Enraged by
acts of violence by Unified CPN-Maoist cadres in different parts
of the country, including in Salyan, Rukum and Nuwakot Districts,
the CPN-UML decided to launch a nationwide ?exposure campaign?
against the main opposition party.
December 15
Prime Minister
Madhav Kumar Nepal met the United Nations (UN) Secretary General
Ban Ki Moon at the sidelines of the Copenhagen Climate Summit
in Copenhagen in Denmark and held discussion on the future of
United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN). During the meeting that
lasted for nearly 30 minutes, PM Nepal is learnt to have informed
UN Secretary General Ban of the Government's intention to extend
the tenure of the UNMIN for some more time. However, PM Nepal
said he made it clear to Ban that UNMIN's term can be extended,
but it can't be allowed to stay in the country indefinitely.
December 16
The Unified
CPN-Maoist announced two more autonomous States - Newa and Tamsaling
- defying calls from several quarters to withdraw the autonomous
state declaration programme. Unified CPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa
Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda declared Newa autonomous State
amid a function organized at Basantapur in the capital Kathmandu.
The Maoist proposed Newa autonomous State comprises Kathmandu,
Bhaktapur and Lalitpur Districts. Similarly, Maoist vice-chairman
Baburam Bhattarai declared Tamsaling State from Kakani of Nuwakot
District. The Tamsaling autonomous State comprises Nuwakot, Dhading,
Sindhupalchowk, Kavre, Ramechhap, Makwanpur and Dolakha Districts.
With this, the number of Maoist-declared autonomous States has
reached ten.
The Unified
CPN-Maoist captured hundreds of acres of land belonging to various
individuals across the country on December 15 using its sister
organisations. Maoist cadres captured about 100 hectares of land
in Tanahun, 15 hectares in Kavre, 6.3 hectares in Palpa, over
30.3 hectares in Bara and about 3.3 hectares in Nawalparasi, by
hoisting their party flag. They issued threats to the landowners
not to sell or use the land. They said the land will be distributed
to landless persons. Large number of Maoist cadres affiliated
to unions of farmers and squatters had flocked to hoist their
party flags in the seized lands. Most of the captured land plots
belong to leaders of other political parties including Nepali
Congress and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). The seized land
in Nawalparasi belonged to late Surya Bhakta Adhikari, while that
in Kavre belongs to RPP leader Pashupati Shumsher Rana and his
relatives.
Nepali Congress
has condemned the seizure saying it is a serious of the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement (CPA).
The discharge
of disqualified Maoist combatants currently living in the UN-monitored
cantonments will start from December 27 and completed within 40
days. The representatives of the Nepal Government, the Unified
CPN-Maoist and the United Nations signed the action plan for the
release of 4,008 disqualified combatants, most of them minors
in Kathmandu.
December 17
Disregarding
calls from various quarters including the political parties to
refrain from declaring autonomous States, the Unified CPN-Maoist
declared two more Autonomous States?Magarat and Tamuwan. The Unified
CPN-Maoist declared the Magart State from Tansen-Tudikhel, the
headquarters of Palpa District and the Tamuwan State from Pokhara
in Kaski District. Likewise, Senior Maoists leader Dev Gurung
declared the Tamuwan Autonomous State at a function in Pokhara
amid cheering Maoist cadres. With the latest Maoist announcement,
the Maoist-declared autonomous States have reached to 12. According
to the Maoists, the Magrat State includes Palpa, Gumli, Arghakhachi,
Salyan, Pyuthan, Rukum, Rolpa, Baglung and Myagdi Districts, while
Tamuwan State includes Lamjung, Gorkha, Tanahun, Mustang, Kaski,
Parbat and Syangja Districts.
Another outfit,
Swatantra Madheshi Youth Force, Parsa, declared Madhesh autonomous
State amid a function in Birgunj. Addressing the function, outfits
central chairman Pradip Biswokarma said, "Only the Madheshis
of this place have the right to declare provinces under the Madhesh
state," adding," If the Maoists try to interfere in
Madhesh by using traitor Madheshi, we will remind them of the
Gaur incident." He said that the Madhesh from Mechi to Mahakali
was ?one? and that it had become autonomous with the declaration.
Morang District administration
mobilised Police and reclaimed the Sahid Stadium of Biratnagar.
Cadres of the Unified CPN-Maoist-affiliated Kochila Autonomous
State Council had seized the stadium on December 16 as a part
of the Maoist-launched land seizure drive to settle the landless,
freed bonded labourers and disaster victims.
December 18
The Unified
CPN-Maoist wrapped up its autonomous state declaration programme
by declaring Madhesh autonomous state, reports Nepal News.
The Maoist vice-chairman Babu Ram Bhattarai announced the establishment
of Madhesh autonomous state amid a programme organized at Barabigha
Ranabhoomi Maidan in Janakpur District. The Madhesh state comprises
12 Terai Districts from Saptari in the east to Kapivastu in mid-west
Nepal. With the announcement, the Maoists have finished declaration
of 13 autonomous states based on ethnicity and region. Earlier,
the Maoists had declared Limbuwan, Kochila, Kirat, Sherpa, Bher-Karnali,
Tharuwan, Seti-Mahakali, Tamsaling, Newa, Bhote, Magarat and Tamuwan
autonomous states.
The Maoists
declared that they would go ahead with their pre-announced plan
to impose nationwide general strike for three days starting December
20.
The Unified
CPN-Maoist cadres pelted stones at Minister for Energy Prakash
Sharan Mahat in Baglung in the morning while he was on the way
to participate at one programme. He was also shown black flags.
The situation in Baglung has been tensed following the assault.
December 20
The entire
nation came to a grinding halt on the first day of the three-day
general strike called by the Unified Unified CPN-Maoist and at
least 50 protesters and two dozen security personnel were injured
in clashes in Kathmandu. Protests in Kathmandu and some Districts
were marked with sporadic violent clashes between security personnel
and protesters. The situation in Kathmandu, which was relatively
calm until one in the afternoon, suddenly became tense after the
police fired water cannons at protesters in Naya Baneshwor square
to clear the road for Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal?s motorcade
from the airport.
Businessmen
in Parasi picketed the District office of the Unified CPN-Maoist
protesting the party?s decision to close down the Parasi bazaar.
Unified CPN-Maoist-affiliated
students set ablaze campus chief?s office of Mahendra Bindeshowri
Multiple campus in Rajbiraj for defying their general strike.
December 21
Normal life remained crippled
on the second day of the three-day general strike called by the
Unified CPN-Maoist. The general strike in the Capital remained
relatively peaceful compared to December 20, while clashes took
place in some parts of the country with over a dozen incidents
of vandalism, arson and attack on Government employees. The Capital,
which witnessed violent clashes on December 20, remained largely
peaceful with Maoist demonstrators burning tyres, singing songs
and chanting slogans against the government. However, protesters
in Bhaktapur manhandled Haribol Khanal, Director of the Curriculum
Development Centre. They had vandalised three vehicles near the
centre before entering the office. The Home Ministry had beefed
up security in the Capital to prevent untoward incidents. Over
5000 security personnel, including senior police officers were
deployed.
Outside the Valley, Maoist cadre
vandalised Government offices, attacked Government employees,
journalists and resorted to arson. The agitators did not even
spare an ambulance in Rupandehi. In Mugu, Maoist cadre attacked
journalist Kabi Raj Karki with boots, sticks and stones while
he was taking pictures of the demonstration. Over a dozen Maoist
cadres were injured in a clash with security personnel in Panchthar.
The clash ensued after protesters resorted to vandalism and tried
to shut down the district Land Revenue Office. Maoist cadres vandalised
two Government offices and a Government vehicle in Butwal. In
Gorkha, a group of 25 YCL cadre attacked Bhola Shrestha, a CPN-UML
District member at his home.
Security personnel held at least
17 strike enforcers on the charge of indulging in vandalism, arson
and attacks in different parts of the Capital.
Baburam Bhattarai, chairman of
the United National People?s Movement that launched the strike,
said the strike would conclude in the afternoon of December 22
with rallies and assemblies. Further, he warned
of more protests if the Government did not address their demand
to restore civilian supremacy.
In a bid to end the protracted
political deadlock with the agitating main opposition, Prime Minister
Madhav Kumar Nepal called on Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Puspha
Kamal Dahal and asked him to shun violence.
Central Chairman
of the MMT Raman Kumar Singh warned to launch its agitation starting
from January 15, saying that the Government remained indifferent
to dialogue procedure. He claimed that the agitation slated for
January 15 will be peaceful.
December 23
At least 22
activists of Tarun Dal, youth wing of the Nepali Congress party,
were injured when the Unified CPN-Maoist cadres attacked them
at Harmatari Chowk in Gorkha District. The injured activists included
Tarun Dal?s general secretary Krishna Parajuli. The Maoist cadres
attacked the microbus in which the Tarun Dal activists were riding
on the way for Gorkha from the capital at Harmatari Chowk. The
vehicle was totally damaged. "Maoist cadres pelted stones and
vandalised the microbus, the police rescued us when they tried
to torch the vehicle keeping us inside ", Parajuli said. The Tarun
Dal cadres were due to call District shut down on December 24
today protesting against the Maoists attack on Gorkha Tarun Dal
secretary Dhruba Pant on December 22. The party was preparing
to stage a sit-in at the District administration office for an
hour and vehicular strike. The Maoists said that they attacked
the Tarun Dal activists as they were coming to the District to
create chaos.
A media mission
team formed by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) concluded
that Rukum-based journalist Tika Bista was attacked by the Maoist
cadres. The mission team made public its findings in the capital
after conducting field study on the case of Bista?s attack. Journalist
Bista was seriously injured in an attack by an unidentified gang
in Rukum District on December 8.
A meeting of
10 ruling parties gave a positive nod to extend the mandate of
the UNMIN, which has been monitoring Nepal's peace process since
January 23, 2007. The UNMIN's current mandate is due to expire
on January 23, 2010.
December 24
After completing its third-phase
protests for 'civilian supremacy, Unified CPN-Maoist commenced
its publicity programmes for what the party called "national sovereignty".
Emerging from a meeting of the party office bearers, Maoist
Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda informed that
his party launched the publicity programmes as the 'civilian supremacy'
cannot be established without national sovereignty. Issuing a
press statement Dahal demanded that all the unequal treaties including
the 1950 Indo-Nepal treaty of peace and friendship be scrapped.
Jaya Prakash Yadav, central chairman
of Madhesi Virus Killers (MVK), an armed outfit active in the
Terai, joined Matrika Yadav-led CPN-Maoist. The armed group is
still in negotiation with the Government. Issuing a press statement,
Chairman Yadav stated that he relinquished the armed outfit and
joined CPN-Maoist, reconstituted by Matrika Yadav who earlier
walked out of the Unified CPN-Maoist. The statement says that
the ongoing negotiations with the Government could not make any
achievement on the behalf of Madhes and Madhesi people and that
he had given up the armed struggle.
The Constitutional
Committee (CC) rejected the Unified CPN-Maoist proposal for changing
the national flag by voice majority. The CC also declined to take
up the terminology ?People?s War? in the preamble of the constitution-in-the
making, while endorsed the Terai-based parties? proposal to use
"Madhes Andolan" in it.
December 27
Omkar Gosain,
Baguada region ?commander? of Terai Janatantrik Mukti Tigers (TJMT),
an armed underground outfit active in the Terai, was killed in
an exchange of fire with the Security Force personnel in a forest
between Nairanpur and Matahiya across the Rapti River in Banke
District. Gosain was killed when the Armed Police Force (APF)
men acting on a tip-off tried to catch the TJMT cadres and opened
fire in the forest. According to APF, the TJMT cadres fired two
shots while the Police fired three shots. Some of the TJMT cadres
fled the scene after the brief exchange of fire. Police recovered
a pistol from the deceased.
Matrika Yadav-led
CPN-Maoist announced the formation of its military wing in the
East under the name of Namsam Memorial Battalion. Organising a
press meet at Dharan in Sunsari District, Kirant-Limbuwan-Khumbuwan-Kochila
State coordinator of the group Amar said the battalion comprises
combatants who recently defected from the Unified CPN-Maoist.
"There are 650 combatants in our three companies--Kirat-Limbuwan
A, Khumbuwan B and Kochila C," said Amar. He said the battalion
would soon manage arms. "We have weapons at the UN-monitored
cantonments and the Maoist PLA fighters will soon defect our battalion
with these arms," he claimed. Twelve combatants in combat
dress were presented at the press meet. Amar further said the
battalion would not collect donation but ask for people?s support.
He also warned the party would soon form parallel government across
the country.
Business Advisory Committee (BAC)
of the Parliament decided to scrap the membership of expelled
Maoist leaders Matrika Yadav and Jagat Yadav. Both Matrika and
Jagat Yadav were formerly members of the erstwhile CPN-Maoist.
They announced, they would quit the party and reconstitute the
original CPN-Maoist, after the erstwhile CPN-Maoist merged with
CPN-Unity Centre-Masal to form the Unified CPN-Maoist, in February,
2009.
December 28
The Unified
CPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda floated
a new strategy to shore up support for his party?s fourth phase
of protests. The political dossier, which Prachanda presented
at the politburo meeting, says that the Maoist party will work
in unison with all ?nationalist forces? to give the fourth phase
of protests a boost. The fourth phase comprises a month long nationwide
?awakening and exposure campaign?. "The chairman?s report
underscores the need for a national movement," said Maoist
spokesman Dinanath Sharma.
The discharge
of disqualified Maoist combatants, which was to start from December
27, was postponed to January 7.
December 29
Cadres of the
Unified CPN-Maoist attacked Federalism, Constituent Assembly (CA)
Affairs and Culture minister Minendra Rijal with bamboo sticks
in Udaypur District. A statement issued by Nepal Congress (NC),
Udaypur unit president Narayan Bahadur Karki informed that minister
Rijal was attacked on head and shoulders with bamboo sticks as
he was coming out of the party's District office in the afternoon.
The seventh
interim constitution amendment bill was tabled at the legislature
parliament. Minister for Law and Justice Prem Bahadur Singh said
the bill was tabled with the intention to allow Vice President-elect
Paramananda Jha to take oath in Hindi. Vice President-elect Paramananda,
whose position was rendered defunct earlier after the Supreme
Court vacated his oath in Hindi and directed him to re-take oath
in Nepali, would be eligible to take oath in Hindi after the passage
of the bill.
December 30
Nepal Tarun
Dal, the youth wing of the Nepali Congress (NC), staged demonstrations
in capital Kathmandu condemning attack on its cadres by the Unified
CPN-Maoist. The protest demonstration that started from Maitighar
Mandala parade marched through several places of the capital and
finally converged into a corner meeting at New Baneshwor.
Major two constituents
of the ruling coalition - the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML-
decided to mobilise their cadres to retaliate what they have described
as "Maoists' excesses" politically. They said that they will launch
political campaigning for the drafting of new constitution. A
meeting between the leaders of the two parties held at the NC
parliamentary party office in Singhadurbar took the decision.
December 31
Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist
(Unified CPN-Maoist) activists in Dang District have started selling
land the party had seized during the insurgency. It has been learnt
that the Maoists in the District are forcing landowners to sell
captured plots to the party?s chosen clients for commission. Maoist
cadres, including some District leaders, are earning commission
from land purchasers for arranging land at a cheap price. In some
cases, the Maoists immediately buy back land from the first purchasers
to sell it at a higher price. Maoist activists have plotted some
20 hectares land belonging to 16 people in various parts of Dang
to profit from sales. "Maoist activists involved in such
deals submit 20 to 25 percent of the income earned to the party,
and land transaction has become the main source of income for
the party and its activists in recent days," a highly placed
Maoist source said. Maoists in the district have deprived owners
of the right to sell their own land. Either sell the land to the
party?s chosen client or pay a certain amount if you plan to sell
the land on your own. This is the choice the landowners have.