Main News, September 2010

30/09/2010: 100 lawmakers call for CA meet before Dashain Ask Nembang to settle thematic committee reports through voting (ht), Deuba, Dahal excel at playing hooky, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Ninth round of PM election today (kp), Ninth run-off offers no hope (ht), Cloud number nine: No option to new government and consensus politics (kp), Poudel voted out again; next PM run-off on Oct 6 (nn), Speaker urged to end poll process (kp), Big III begin parleys: NC floats conditions for pulling out of PM race (ht), Maoists, UML cold-shoulder NC (kp), UML leaders oppose PM move on budget (kp), Nepal not in chaos: ICG (kp) [see ICG report (29/09/2010)], Poudel sets 'condition' for withdrawing PM candidacy (nn), Army chief row ends with SC annulling writ on Prez move (nn)
29/09/2010: Major parties stick to their stance, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Breaking the impasse: Sushil Koirala should take a leaf out of Girijababu’s book when it comes to negotiating with the Maoists, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Writ to nullify PM election (kp), Writ filed against 'neutrality' provision in CA Regulations (nn), NC ready to pull out of PM’s race (ht), NC reiterates it won't pull out of PM race (nn) [There is no race! Please be responsible to nation and people or leave politics!!], Eleven parties urge NC to quit PM race; suggest Speaker Nemwang to use his 'prerogative' to end deadlock (nn), NC-Maoist meet to find 'common ground' ends inconclusively (nn), Nepal’s leap forward: Political instability remains the hurdle, by Kamal Raj Dhungel (ht)
28/09/2010: Silver lining to deadlock cloud?, by John Narayan Parajuli and Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Poudel says he won't quit PM race under pressure of leftists (nn) [Sounds extremely stupid! And this man wants to be PM??], Pascoe coming to take a fresh look (kp), UN, NA to bring demining campaign to end by next year (kp), The long march: Towards an open, democratic and transparent society, by Krishna Sapkota (kp), EU asks govt to implement OHCHR recommendations (nn)
27/09/2010: Dahal keeps his word, pulls out of race (kp), Maoists quit PM bid, ask NC to follow suit, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Withdraw call gets more strident, by Kamal Raj Sigdel (kp), Ending deadlock, amending regulations (ht), Taking stock (ht), Right stand, wrong approach (rep)
26/09/2010: NC-UML heading for divorce: Congress dubs UML-Maoist deals fraudulent, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Eighth round of PM election today; UCPN (Maoist), UML to boycott election process (nn), Fiasco awaits eighth PM run-off also (ht), NC not to withdraw candidacy (kp), Unfazed Poudel to do a solo act, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), PM asks Poudel to support consensus by withdrawing candidacy (nn), UCPN-M ‘officially’ registers withdrawal of Dahal’s candidacy (nn), Dahal withdraws from PM race; House rejects Paudel for eighth time; next election on Sep 30 (nn), SLMM to remain neutral yet again (kp), UMDF ro continue with neutral stance (ht), Boycott this meaningless poll: Khanal (kp), Maoists to give PM race a miss (ht), Interpretation Of UML-Maoist Deal, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Democratic Exercises In Nepal, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)
25/09/2010: New PM quest seems hopeless: Two days before the 8th round of prime ministerial polls, the search looks as remote as it did on July 23, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Maoists, UML working on consensus (ht), No UML-Maoist unity: PM Nepal, by Shankar Acharya (kp) [Not only Oli and Bhandari will prevent this but also Madhav; suffering is the country because of the continued stalemate!!], Parties may not toe deadline line (kp), PM poll on despite UML-Maoist pact (ht) [Poudel's stand is absolutely irresponsible!!], Losing its way: In the three years since the Madhes uprising, the movement has not resulted in any real gains for the people, by Pranab Kharel and Ujjwal Prasai (kp), Khambuwan groups unite (ht), Three Madhesi parties to remain neutral in Sunday's PM run-off (nn)
24/09/2010: Maoists, UML push for new course (kp), Maoists, UML urge Speaker to end ‘fiasco’, seek viable alternative (ht), NC sees 'conspiracy' behind Maoist-UML deal (nn), No possibility of unity among leftists: PM Nepal (nn), Dahal meets NC president (kp), Congress, UML take exception to ‘training’ for cantoned fighters (kp), Nepal’s Row With UN, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn), Round and round in circles: It would be naïve to see recent developments as a breakthrough, by Prashant Jha (nt), OHCHR-Nepal calls for independent unit to probe extrajudicial killings (nn), Independent probe sought (ht), ‘State killed 57 in Tarai in 29 months’ (kp), Rights wronged in Tarai: OHCHR; Says 57 killed arbitrarily in two yrs (ht), Ex-king can’t overstep: PM (ht), “Few Signs Of Progress Towards Constitution”, interview with Suresh Acharya (sp)
23/09/2010: Deadlock likely to stay: Maoists won’t quit if NC doesn’t (kp), UNMIN to focus on peace: Calls on parties to expedite integration process (kp), UNMIN to exit after Jan 15: Landgren (ht), Room to deal: Integration and rehab talks require flexibility of all sides (kp), Concern over Sindhuli, Gulmi incidents (kp), UNMIN concerned about PLA activities (ht)
22/09/2010: Maoists serious about resolving PLA issues, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Ex-king fails to grace Indra Jatra, by Prasun Singh (kp) [Open revolt by Hindu fundamentalists!], Home-abroad partnership: Last week’s developments show there are enough wise Nepalis who care for the country’s collective future, by Pramod Mishra (kp 22/09/2010)
21/09/2010: UNMIN chief hails peace process progress here (kp), New process after both hopefuls quit: Nembang (kp), Left tie-up for govt a no-no: UML (kp), Unintended transformation: The Maoist party has changed greatly over the past four years and its traditional political tools are no longer very useful, by Aditya Adhikari (kp)
20/09/2010: Finally, a hope: Recent developments may be beneficial to the peace process (kp) Maoists weigh govt alliance with UML (kp), Maoist-UML coalition ‘possible’, by Tika Ram Pradhan (ht), There is legal provision for withdrawal of PM candidacy, interview with Subas Chandra Nembang (kp), Prachanda seeks special
session of parliament (ht)
19/09/2010: Maoist, UML pave unity govt ground?, by John Narayan Parajuli and Bhadra Sharma (kp), UML asks NC to pull out of PM race: Call follows a three-point deal with UCPN-M (ht), Speaker floats options to parties (kp), Paudel refuses
to budge (ht), Power-sharing with Maoists unlikely, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Begin afresh (rep), PM election getting unnecessarily protracted to derail peace process, Dahal claims (nn)
18/09/2010: Exit Dahal from PM poll race: Maoist-UML deal ends possibility of a democratic alliance govt (kp), Dahal urges NC to back off from PM election (kp), Khanal urges NC to withdraw PM candidacy (nn), UN mulls extra efforts for peace, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), Veep’s secretary held for ‘sedition’ (kp), VP Jha's PA arrested for maintaining links with Terai armed outfit (nn)
17/09/2010: Special panel okays PLA directive: Agrees to form 12-member secretariat body, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Maoists to detach PLA from party: Concept of two armies thing of past, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), PLA combatants come under Special Committee (nn), UNMIN gets ‘last’ extension: Mandate to expire on January 15: Security Council (ht), UNSC resolution on UNMIN (kp), Good riddance?, by Navin Singh Khadka (kp), UCPN-M, UML reach 3-pt understanding; Dahal to withdraw PM candidacy (nn), Supreme court scraps CC recommendations, by Dev Sunuwar (kp), CIAA, EC appointments scrapped, by Ananta Raj Luitel (ht)
16/09/2010: UNMIN gets final four-month extension, by John Narayan Parajuli and Mahesh Acharya (kp), PLA rehab under 4-pt deal (kp), Maoists want Pun to head mechanism (kp), We won’t obstruct NA recruitment: Pun (ht), Towards a ‘state-nation’? Balancing fissiparity and state integrity is the challenge before our CA, by Deepak Thapa (kp), SC scraps appointments in constitutional bodies (nn)
15/09/2010: More letters on UNSC table, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), Govt, Maoists bury the hatchet in letter and spirit: Send separate letters with same spirit to Ban Ki-moon; Seek four-month extension for UNMIN (ht), Pressure mounts (ht), UNMIN extension: A crisis is seemingly averted, but who knows (kp), Peace Process Necessitates Revival, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn), Nepal CA body is already in a death bed, interview with Khum Bahadur Khadka, Nepali Congress (tg)
14/09/2010: Govt, Maoists one on UNMIN extension, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Nepal, Dahal strike deal on UNMIN: UN body to stay for four more months with existing mandate, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Govt, UCPN (M) send identical letters to UN for extension of UNMIN term (nn), Prez seeks expert advice, by Kamal Raj Sigdel (kp), SLMM may vote for Poudel: Karna (kp), UCPN-Maoist to revolt for power: Kiran (ht), Playing with fire: Politics of brinksmanship is extremely dangerous (kp), Ulterior motives: Sections of NC and UML are questioning the very legitimacy of the peace process, by Aditya Adhikari (kp), Democracy, Maoist strategy and India: In the Nepali context, by Uddhab Pyakurel (ht), Dahal, Poudel will fall flat in 8th round too: Khanal (nn), Maoist chairman talks of 'new process' before next PM run-off (nn)
13/09/2010: Govt, Maoists ‘inch closer’ to 5-pt deal (kp), Govt, Maoists agree to send joint letter (ht), Govt, Maoists reach 4-point understanding on peace process; agree to extend UNMIN's term by four months (nn), Nepal’s int’l image ‘tarnished’, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), There are two sides to the peace agreement, interview with new British ambassador John Tucknott (kp), Towards a pariah state: A complete disregard for domestic and international opinion will isolate Nepal, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), PM makes bid to woo Madhes-based parties (ht), Can it work? (ht), Peace & Birds Of Passage, by Kanak Mani Dixit (rep), Maoists' ultimate aim is to capture state power through people's revolt: Baidya (nn), Caretaker PM accuses UCPN-M of attempting to ‘revolt’ (nn), President Yadav consults legal experts on political deadlock (nn)
12/09/2010: Govt, Maoists fail to sit for UNMIN talks (kp), Bijukchhe blames India for deadlock (kp), Taskforce to work out consensus (ht)
11/09/2010: Differing letters from Nepal befuddle UN, by Mahesh Acharya and Phanindra Dahal (kp), Govt floats 6-point draft: Maoists say discussions are positive (kp), Maoists’ talks with govt on UNMIN ‘positive’, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), PM begins parleys on joint letter (ht), Elusive horizon: Having failed to elect a Prime Minister for the fifth time, Nepal continues its quest for democracy to make Jan Andolan II a success, by Deb Mukharji (Frontline)
10/09/2010: Maoists send a separate letter Request UNMIN mandate is kept intact (kp), UNMIN likely to get 60 more days: Maoists seek six-month extension, with no change in its mandate, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), UNSC will give a rollover: Envoys, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Gurung wants talks on UN monitoring of NA (ht), Into darkness: It is unlikely that the current bunch of incompetent leaders can deliver the constitution, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Wrong focus: Citizens must unite to push for a timely constitution, by Joshua S. Leslie (kp), Private sector ready to absorb former fighters (ht), Private sector ready to employ ex-combatants (nn), New imbalance: We've come a long way from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2006, but shifting sands have got us into trouble, by Prashant Jha (nt), Special Security Plan falters: Despite government claims, eastern Nepal is still under the sway of armed groups, by Sita Mademba (nt), Maoist PLA expels combatants involved in crime (nn), UCPN-M decides to block new bills; Saturday’s CC meeting to discuss PM run-off (nn)
09/09/2010: UNMIN extension: The UN has no interest or desire to prolong UNMIN’s life by a day more than necessary, by Karin Landgren (kp), Mandate-cut CPA breach: Landgren (ht), UNMIN bone in govt gullet: ‘Ban Ki-moon’s report ignores realities’, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), Let it be: The wise course of action is to extend UNMIN mandate as it is (kp), UN to get Maoists’ letter (kp), Maoists miffed with govt letter to UN; Dahal writes to UNSG requesting six months extension of UNMIN term with current mandate (nn), Envoys confer with Maoist chairman (nn), PM parleys with envoys of permanent UN member states over UNMIN row (nn), Disappeared’s deaths registered (kp), A case for pluralism: In a multicultural and multiethnic society like Nepal there is no alternative to a pluralist polity, by Shyam Prasad Mainali (kp), Strike affects eastern region (ht), 15 central leaders quit Limbuwan outfit (ht), Quite stationary (ht), What derails democracy?, by Pranav Bhattarai (rep), Sliding into anomie & chaos, by Madhab P. Khanal (rep)
08/09/2010: Govt for keeping current mandate: Makes 4-month term request to UNSC, by Anil Giri (kp), Prime Minister seeks four-month extension for UN mission (ht), Govt writes to UN for UNMIN term extension; RSG paints grim picture of Nepal's peace process (nn), Ex-foreign ministers slam Ban’s report (kp), UNMIN has to stay as it is, by Dilli Raj Khanal (rep), Vote, lawmakers, vote (rep), Clear case of unlucky seven, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai and Ishwar Rauniyar (kp), Tape scandal draws flak: NC, civil society activists demand probe (kp), House adjourned over audio tape scandal (ht), Money, lies and audio tape: Forget the tape, what about C.P. Mainali’s bribery allegation against the Maoists?, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Blast rocks Land Revenue Office in Mahottari; bomb found at Maoist party office (nn), Nepal’s Quest for Inner Party Democracy, by Dev Raj Dahal (tg)
07/09/2010: Ban for letting UNMIN stay on (kp), Govt to seek four-month extension (kp), PM to have last word on UNMIN mandate (ht), Speaker calls on parties to find a way out of stalemate, by Arhun Bhandari (ht), Speaker floats two alternatives, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), MJF likely to vote for Maoists (kp), Three Madhesi parties to remain neutral in PM voting (nn), UDMF again decide to stay neutral as MJF (D) show 'optimism' to vote in favor of Maoist PM candidate (nn), PM elections: Poudel also fails to get elected (nn), Caretaker PM asks Dahal, Poudel to study UML concept paper (nn), A question of trust (ht), Seventh round of PM election today (nn), Fix it: There could be negotiations for a coalition which is largely acceptable (kp), Army recruitment row stays put, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Déjà vu: The consequences of the current struggle to elect new PM may be unimaginable, by Aditya Adhikari (kp), Cabinet to decide on Mahara tape scandal (ht)
06/09/2010: Whose debacle is it anyway?, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Contest for coveted PM chair goes for a six (kp), End meaningless neutrality (rep), Split in Madhesi Morcha? No, says MJF (kp), Rift in UDMF comes to fore (ht), Armed group renews threat (kp), Govt to urge United Nations to reduce UNMIN role in Nepal, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht) [Taking the resistant army out of UNMIN controll is a fast way to end the peace process!!], UNSG for maintaining current mandate of UNMIN (nn), Praetorian proclivities, by C.K. Lal (rep), BJP shows concern over controversial audio tape (nn) [The Indian Hindu fundamentalists show where the wind blows from!], NA takes part in JMCC meeting (nn), AISC extends Technical Committee's term by another four months (nn)
05/09/2010: Peace Process Under Threat, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Doubts cloud 6th round polling too, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), SLMM may abstain, again, by Ishwar Rauniyar (kp), Dev Gurung pins hopes on Madhesi lawmakers (ht), Madhesi front to stay neutral in today's PM election (nn), MJF-Nepal boycotts PM election breaching UDMF alliance (nn), Sixth round yet another fiasco? (kp), Round six PM poll to repeat same old story (ht), PM elections: Poudel also fails to get elected (nn), Next PM election on Tuesday (nn) [What is it good for?], Oli’s change of heart (kp) [Orders from India to this not elected politicians?], Indian envoy Sood confers with caretaker PM (nn), Only NC-led government will give outlet to nation, claims Koirala (nn) [Definitely not! The NC is a non-democratic, not inclusive, oligarchic and not reformative party that wants to prevent urgently needed reforms und peace!!], Why we did what we did, by Akhilesh Upadhyay (kp), NC, UML demand probe on controversial audio tape; govt spokesperson says CIAA can investigate (nn), UCPN-M to look for alternative ways if today's election, too, fails; dubs audio tape scandal as a conspiracy (nn)
04/09/2010: UML under SLMM heat: Madhes parties threaten to vote for Maoist candidate, by Ishwar Rauniyar (kp), UDMF still undecided on voting (ht), Khanal punctures new PM hope: Claims both candidates will lose the September 5 prime ministerial run-off (ht), RPP to vote for NC's Poudel (nn), ‘Nation at the most dangerous stage’ (kp), PM talks UNMIN with US, UK, Japan envoys (ht), UK roots for UNMIN: Envoy calls on PM Nepal (kp), Maoists caught in another controversy; audio tape depicts Mahara asking for Rs 500 million from Chinese man to ‘buy’ parliamentarians (with audio) (nn), Maoist leader trashes audio tape scandal (nn), Audio tape scandal is a conspiracy to ruin UCPN-M's image: Mahara (nn)
03/09/2010: UNMIN mandate: DM seeks int’l help on Army monitoring (kp), Defence Minister intensifies consultation for revision of UNMIN's mandate (nn), PM Nepal starts diplomatic consultations on UNMIN mandate (nn), UNMIN Endgame? The UNMIN is being pushed out of the picture – with unforeseen consequences (sp), NC again dismisses calls for withdrawal of PM candidacy (nn), NC to contest 6th round: Says Maoists must renounce violence, arms (kp), Dr Bhattarai says Maoists ready to pull out from PM race if NC reciprocates (nn), Madhes parties not to budge from stance: Rumour about backing Maoists a ‘tactic to pressure UML’, by Ishwar Rauniyar (kp), Nitty-gritty politicking: The Maoist-Madhes dynamic may yet gel to give Nepal a prime minister next week, by Prashant Jha (nt), UML holding country hostage: Experts (kp), The Money Power: With the sixth round of voting to elect a new prime minister round the corner money threatens to play a decisively dominant role to influence the outcome, by Saroj Dahal (sp), Rise of identity politics: Contrary to many predictions, identity politics has become more salient, by Mahendra Lawoti (kp), Minority rule, majority rights: The big parties have failed to deliver; maybe it's time to give the small ones a go, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Political deadlock: Preventing destabilization urgent, by Dilli Raj Khanal (ht), MJF and MJF (Loktantrik) hint at support to Maoists; TMLP, Sadbhawana stick to previous decision (nn), Unknown Pain: The peace agreement of four years ago has yet to bring a sigh of relief for the families of the disappeared (sp)
02/09/2010: Maoists to pull out after 6th round (kp), Maoists to explore new political landscape (ht), Lekhi warns govt (ht), Against normative Nepali-ness: To be happily unaware of particular social histories is unpardonable, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Insecure nation: Ineffective security mechanisms and increasing threat to ordinary civilians hint at a failed state, by Shobhakar Budhathoki (kp), When will their wait for missing kin end?, by Damodar Bhandari (ht)01/09/2010: Consensus still elusive: Parties pass the buck to each other, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Dahal hints Maoists could withdraw PM candidacy (nn), Anti-India nationalism: The moribund, outdated nationalism has been raising its ugly head again both on left and right, by Pramod Mishra (kp), UNMIN and the Nepal Army: Through the looking glass, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (ht), Disappearance: The Neglected Issue, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)