Friday, February 11, 2011

News -- January 2011

31/01/2011: Prime minister election a medley of gambles, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai and Bhadra Sharma (kp), Govt unlikely by Feb 6: Prachanda, by Somanth Bastola (ht), Task at hand (ht), Decision time: Agreement on integration in the next few days vital (kp),Leaders, NA brass discuss army integration (ht), Let army remain apolitical: CoAS (kp), Lawyers press lawmakers for timely statute (kp), Bar pressure to draft statute on time (ht), Searching for a common ground, interviews with Krishna Prasad Sitaula and Barshaman Pun 'Ananta' (kp), Revolt only way, says Badal (ht), Martyrs’ families slam government apathy (ht), War victims boycott felicitation function (ht), Strong mechanism needed to ensure rule of law: Experts; Punishment more severe for heinous crimes in new code (ht), All carrot, no stick, by Hari Bansha Dulal (rep)
28/01/2011: Fresh election to begin on Feb 3 (kp), Talks on government formation: Taskforce to draft consensus paper (kp),Three-party taskforce fails to iron out differences (nn), Maoist-led govt unacceptable to Congress: KC (nn), What is the NC waiting for? The deadline for a consensus government is over, but its possibility has not ended, by Damakant Jayshi (nt), Khanal believes responsibility of leading new govt will again fall on UML's shoulders (nn), All night vigil to press parties (kp), Halfway there: The decline in rights violation over the years suggests that the Maoists are transforming, by Mahendra Lawoti (kp), Time to look within: If the Regmi affair gets leaders to reflect on their actions, the slap may have been a lesson worth giving, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), The slap that shook Nepal: Devi Prasad Regmi got applause from people right across the country for smacking a political leader on the face, by Ashutosh Tiwari (nt)
27/01/2011: Statute panel to resume work early next week (kp), Parties’ bid fails, prez to call House to elect PM (kp), There is no rest for the weary: Leaders of three major parties give an A for their effort even after missing deadline (ht), Another major three meet fails to find common ground for govt formation (nn), PM election on Feb 3 (nn), Dahal, Bhattarai factions at variance (kp),Shekhar for cooperation with Maoists (ht), HRW raps int’l actors for complacency (kp) [see report on Nepal], Takes two to tango: A Madhesi alliance should give more variety to political space (kp), A glimmer of hope: Maoists sound confident a national government with rotational leadership, a constitution and the completion of the peace process can all be achieved within one and a half years, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), Fulfilling the obligation: Incorporating economic, social, and cultural rights into the new constitution, by Raj Kumar Siwakoti (kp), Debate on Nepali Army reform: Experts against using term ‘democratisation’ (ht) [In the past, the army has been used as a tool to safeguard royal politics. As such, it stood outside the rule of law. It still disregards democratic norms, fundamental human rights and government orders. Without any doubt: The army has to be democratized!!],Shaktikhor ceremony: Door of opportunity for Maoist combatants, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht), Building Peace Through Pro-People Politics, by C.D. Bhatta (rn), Tackling Tarai insecurity, by D.B. Subedi (rep)
26/01/2011: CA sends drafts of seven thematic committees to CC (nn), Parties may form a majority govt: Extended deadline ends today; agreement still elusive, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Scenario bleak for consensus coalition: NC, UML not to let UCPN-M lead next govt (ht), Opportunity squandered (rep), More surprises in store: Dahal; Confident he’ll be the next PM, come what may (ht),‘Possible if we lead’, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai, Crucial three-party meeting ends fruitlessly (nn), PLA integration: Maoists say they are ready to be flexible (kp), House okays new rules on PM poll (kp), Madhesi alliance likely to get new lease of life (kp), Nepal grilled on human rights issues in Geneva (nn), Government grilled over steps for ending impunity: Told to enforce HR treaties it has signed (kp), Nepal's human rights examination, by Dinesh Bhattarai (rep), Unfinished business: The road to new democracy in Nepal, by Baburam Bhattarai (kp), Judiciary in federalism: Autonomy comes first, by Shyam Prasad Mainali (ht), Ardently Sought Step, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn)
24/01/2011: Implementation of plan crucial: PLA handover has task cut out for government, Maoists, by John Narayan Parajuli and Mahesh Acharya (kp), Combatants hopeful of a secure future, by Binod Tripathi and Mohan Budhair (kp), Sober goodbye: The handover is a step forward, but more is needed (kp), Maoist military in charge stresses on the need for early completion of integration, rehab of PLA combatants (nn), Maoist brass at odds over PLA reins handover (ht), Special mechanism to get final shape with additional three members (nn), Three-party meet put off (ht), Major three make no headway for consensus as second presidential deadline draws near (nn), PM election amendment proposal registered; no-result will automatically terminate election after 3rd round (nn), Dahal parleys with Koirala for Maoist-led govt (nn), Maoist-led govt in five days, says Prachanda (ht),Learning the Sudanese way: Sudan’s example should be a lesson to Nepali leaders about what to avoid, by Shyam K.C. (kp), The urge within the NC to take the peace process forward has waned, interview with Gagan Thapa (kp), Post-slap fame falls into Regmi’s lap (ht), Man booked for slapping UML chairman walks free (nn)
21/01/2011: Govt formation: Deadline ends; parties to make frantic bid today (kp), NC stakes a claim to govt leadership (kp) [What is the legitimate reason??], Big three to make joint call to Prez to extend deadline for govt formation (nn) [28 May would be the ideal date of extension!!], 28 parties agree to extend deadline for govt formation (nn), President gives five more days to parties for consensus govt (nn), PLA handover: Army, police chiefs, diplomats to attend tomorrow’s gala (kp), Window of opportunity: There are signs the Maoists are serious on integration (kp), Roadblocks to constitution: Only if the political parties set aside their ideologies is a new constitution possible, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Clearing the air: When the constitution is ready and elections imminent, there may be no time to properly prepare the voters’ roll, by Madhu P. Regmi (kp), Factional Politics In Nepal, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn), Fork in path in Nepal: It is time for Dahal to pick up the phone and make peace with Bhattarai, by Prashant Jha (nt), "They should have just killed me": On the 15th anniversary of the start of the war, and nearly five years after it ended, the wounded are forgotten, by Laxman K.C. (nt), House sitting deferred until Monday (nn), Critical Barriers in Creating a Functional State, by Dev Raj Dahal (sp), Gender Strategy: Give Women Land Rights, by Radha Poudel (sp)
20/01/2011: Parties stick to guns, House adjourned: Agreed formula on prime minister poll process still a far cry (kp), Three-party meet to build consensus for unity govt inconclusive (nn), Rao, Dahal try to clear arriere pensee: Maoist chairman clarifies his party not against India, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Maoists not against India: Dahal; Says he wants to visit Delhi and clear the air (kp),Non-Maoist govt is India’s ‘first choice’, by Anil Giri (kp), Impunity And Reconciliation, by Raj Kumar Siwakoti (rn), Maoist army charge handover: Grand fete to mark occasion (kp), Insecure Tarai: Peace and security are among the fundamental rights of every Tarai citizen, by Chandra Kishore (kp), Heat waves in the cold weather: Between party rifts, shocking predictions and a revealing book, it’s been an eventful winter, by Dilip Rayamajhi (kp), Maoists' 'People's Revolt', by Jainendra Jeevan (rep)
19/01/2011: CC tasked to end disputed issues (kp), 28 parties authorise CC to finalise thorny issues of new statute (nn),Amendment of parliamentary rules: Political parties fail to reach consensus (kp), PLA to come under special panel on Jan 22, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), AISC proposes three names for monitoring mechanism; Madhesi parties express dissatisfaction for ignoring them (nn), India hails peace process evolution, by Anil Giri (kp), India to back any govt in Nepal: Rao (ht), Being neighbourly: A weakened Nepal cannot safeguard Indian interests (kp), Killings during the insurgency: SC respite for 21 Maoist cadres (kp), PM defends arms import (kp), Prophecy and departure: Landgren’s premonition before her departure isn’t without foundation, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Consensus govt likely to elude parties, by Ananta Raj Luitel (ht), House sitting postponed for third time in row as parties differ in PM election process (nn), Nepal: Transition or Transformation?, by Anand Aditya (tg)
18/01/2011: NA wants to break monitoring shell, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht) [A further step to end the peace process?], Nepal Army 'unwilling' to come under AISC monitoring (nn), NA not off panel hook: Dahal (ht), Committee starts PLA monitoring (ht),PLA command to be handed over to Special Committee amid official ceremony on Jan 22 (nn), Delhi may soften view on Maoists, by Anil Giri (kp), Military hardware coming from India; Army claims ignorance, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), PKD flays NC, UML for doubting pact (kp), The danger of parties: Though they simplify elections, political parties can be a divisive force, by Frank Maretin-Buck (kp), CC given more teeth to settle statute issues (ht), End of Madhes debate, by Sukhdev Shah (rep), Looking ahead, by Prakash Chandra Lohani (rep), House session cancelled for the second straight day (nn)
17/01/2011: Special panel sectt to brief arms monitors (kp), Special Committee takes charge of first, sixth PLA divisions (ht),Dahal lauds UNMIN’s contribution to peace (kp), Brief evaluation of UNMIN, by Bimal Neupane (rep), Issues to consider (ht), Dahal objects to NC leader Mahat’s remark on monitoring of NA (nn), India to resume arms and ammunition supplies to Nepal (nn) [??],India trashes report of resumption of lethal weapons supplies to Nepal (nn), Illusions of progress: Ad hoc moves need not be viewed as grand feats (kp), Big Three’s no to new national flag (kp) [Did the the male Bahun leaders of these parties really ask their non-Hindu MPs before taking this decision? The original Hindu meaning can never be changed!!], Parties wave the flag for continuity (ht), Vow to ensure indigenous people’s rights (kp) [How this, if all decisions are taken by the male Bahun leaders??],Nembang pledges Janajati panel in CA (ht), Address ethnic grievances, by Hari Bansha Dulal (rep), Maoists to make efforts for new govt formation, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Maoists to pitch for Prachanda as consensus prime minister (ht), PM Election, Scenario Still Hazy, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Parliamentary regulations on PM election to be amended (nn), House session deferred until Tuesday (nn)
16/01/2011: Farewell to the mission: UNMIN’s contribution to the peace process is undeniable (kp), Nepali monitors slide into UNMIN groove, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Special panel monitors begin work at Maoist cantonments (ht), Maoists to discuss PLA camps handover (ht), Ceremony to bring PLA under PM-led panel (ht), AISC begins monitoring at PLA Shaktikhor cantonment of Chitwan (nn), Diplomats reaffirm support (kp), President again prods parties for consensus, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Form unity govt within a week: Prez (ht), HRW wants citizenship provisions amended: Says some stipulations contradict int’l laws (kp) [seeHRW statement (14/01/2011)], Scenario Still Hazy, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Constitution??! Whose responsibility?, by Dinkar Nepal (rep), When rhetoric rules, by Paras Kharel (rep)
15/01/2011: Special Committee to fill UNMIN void, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Govt, Maoists ink
three-point pact: Special Committee to take over UNMIN task, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Goodbye UNMIN (rep), Peace without a referee, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), UNMIN’s parting shot to parties (kp), Holding on to benefits, by Siddhartha Thapa (kp), UNMIN and Beyond, by Gopal Siwakoti 'Chintan' (kp),  Process to form govt begins in a day or two (ht), Dialectical Politics Of Maoists, by Pranav Bhattarai (rn)
14/01/2011: Crisis group warns of unrest: Says federalism debate extremely politicised (kp) [see report by International Crisis Group (13/01/2011)], Maoists want government to request a ‘rollover’ (kp), UCPN-Maoist seeks rollover for UNMIN (ht), Special panel will control them: Govt, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), House committee directs govt to form mechanism, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), UNMIN lowering flag, parties raising stakes (ht), Call a spade a spade: Landgren’s forecasts of the post-UNMIN scenario are not without grounds, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Cut off: Conflicting powers agreeing to UNMIN's departure could cost Nepal int'l clout, by Navin Singh Khadka (kp), Miscarriage Of UN Mission In Nepal, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (ht), Government formation: Leadership row mars discussions (kp), Brainstorming on for way ahead (ht), Vacuum ahead: Whatever the permutations, a sustainable deal to share power is unlikely, by Prashant Jha (nt), Search for consensus: A new way to find the next prime minister is needed (kp), PM pledges to execute NHRC recommendations (ht), Building better politics: Destination unknown?, by Ganga Thapa (ht)
13/01/2011: RCP quits race; protracted PM poll ends (kp), Nepali Congress yields to everyone’s wishes: Withdraws Paudel’s candidacy;Stage set for fresh polling; UCPN-M to stake claim to head govt, by Arjun Bhandari (ht), Big Three at odds over new process, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), Major parties see increased internal rift ahead of new govt formation (nn), Panel formed to amend House regulations (nn), Taskforce on monitoring meets; results zilch (kp), UNMIN logistics: Govt sends ‘unilateral’ letter to mission (kp), Alternative urgently needed, says UNMIN: ‘Without it logistics can’t be handed over’ (ht), Parliamentary panel instructs govt to form ‘reliable mechanism’ for monitoring both NA, PLA before UN mission’s exit (nn), Govt decides to bring PLA cantonments under Special Committee (nn), Terms of engagement: Maoist insecurity will deepen with UNMIN’s exit. National and international isolation will radicalise the party further, by Akhilesh Upadhyay (kp), How It Will Affect Nepal’s Peace Process, by DB Subedi (rn), Citizenship provision slammed (ht), Kirat outfit top brass operating in disguise (ht), Democratization of Nepal Army, by Dipak Gurung (rep), US issues Travel Alert on Nepal; says Maoists remain 'Global Terrorist' (nn) [????? Says the country whose MPs are shot at home by her own citizens!!!]
12/01/2011: UNMIN set for a ‘low profile’ exit: Sudan vote eclipses Nepal issue, by Phanindra Dahal and Mahesh Acharya (kp),Post-UNMIN: Political parties split over new mechanism (kp), Peace process: Parties should discuss the post-UNMIN void seriously(kp), Taskforce fails to decide on post-UNMIN arrangement (nn), UN to continue support for Nepal’s peace even after UNMIN exit(nn), Without UNMIN: If UNMIN’s leaving makes the Maoists pause, it puts even more responsibility on non-Maoists, especially NC, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Unreached potential: In hindsight, UNMIN failed to go beyond symbolic deterrence after the CA elections, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), Ongoing prime ministerial election process ending today (nn), UML adds insult to Congress injury, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), CPN-UML to vote against Paudel: Khanal rejects plea to call CC meeting (ht), PM election process to restart afresh as NC withdraws Paudel’s candidacy (nn), Maoists within an ace of forming new government: UCPN (Maoist) has kept four options open for govt formation (kp), NC, UCPN (M) meet to discuss forming govt on rotational basis inconclusive (nn),Madhes parties to form alliance (kp), A question of trust, backbreaking work, by Sunil Babu Panta (kp), Genuine Peace Becomes Elusive, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn)
09/01/2011: Landgren’s briefing to UN security council: Parties in a stew over UNMIN chief’s stance (kp), Landgren briefing defamatory: PM; Rules out UML-Maoist coalition (ht), Maoists press for joint NA-PLA team: We’re open to all sorts of possibilities: NC, UML, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Mission accomplished, claims Dr Bhattarai: Hints India might support Maoist-led govt (ht),‘India ok with Maoist govt’ (kp), House winter session starts from today (kp), Donors have peace, dev plan: Strategy also includes their major concerns, by Anil Giri (kp) Prepare to work without UNMIN, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), UNMIN's exit: Good for Nepal, by Murari Sharma (rep) [Sounds as if the Maoists were the main reason for delay; fact is that Maoists, government, other parties and the army equally share responsibility!!]
07/01/2011: Maoist aye to conditional exit: Party for monitoring NA in post-UNMIN scenario, by Phanindra Dahal (kp), Peace process in peril: Landgren to UNSC (ht), Government vents ire at Landgren’s briefing, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), Nepal’s Permanent Mission conveys govt’s annoyance over UNMIN chief’s ‘malicious conjecture’ (nn), Arms monitors’ withdrawal begin (kp), Big Three dwell on fill-in for UNMIN (ht), UK, US envoys consult PM, Congress: Post-UNMIN scenario figures in discussions (ht), Dr Bhattarai prescribes panacea: Proposes four bases to break prevailing deadlock; Lays stresses on need to forge middle path, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Bhattarai floats 4-pt plan to end deadlock (kp), Terms of engagement: New Delhi must engage meaningfully with Maoists (kp), The chicken or the egg: Cause-and-effect relationships between political instability and corruption are hard to untangle, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Focus on political economy: For democracy in Nepal, by Surendra Pradhanang (ht), Post-UNMIN tasks
The parties should be focusing on enabling the existing local mechanisms post-UNMIN, by Damakant Jayshi (nt), Stop wasting time(nt), Big Madhesi politics: Watch this space for future splits among the Madhes parties, by Prashant Jha (nt), Core Questions Confronted in Constitution Making, by Ganesh Datta Bhatta (sp), Reactionaries Working Against Changes, by Barshaman Pun Ananta (sp)
06/01/2011: UNMIN chief Landgren tells UNSC Nepal’s peace process ‘largely deadlocked’, but political gains won’t be reversed(nn), Letter to UNMIN: Govt bid ruffles Maoist feathers (kp), Maoists propose different UN unit as alternative to UNMIN (nn), British, US envoys continue political parleys on peace process (nn), Govt brings action plan, Maoists averse, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp),Dahal, Bhattarai poles apart: Baidya party organisation boss, Chand YCL chief (kp), What next, Mr Chairman? The Maoists have baffled attempts to trace the logic in their trajectory, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Hard facts of consensus: Political consensus is ideal, but in this climate, pragmatism must rule, by Sagun S. Lawoti (kp), Apocalypse now: Letting the Constituent Assembly fade away through chicanery will unleash anarchy, by Abhi Subedi (kp), 17th run-off likely on Jan 12: NC to withdraw Paudel candidacy if he loses (ht), 28 parties one on 127 issues (ht)
04/01/2011: Dahal sets to mending fences with Bhattarai, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Give us the arms bins, govt tells UNMIN, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), Wikileaks blows the lid off the sordid saga, by Mukul Humagain (kp), Leaked US cable: Gachchhadar offered bribe to PAC member to approve aircraft deal (nn), Govt in fix over TMLP defectors (kp), Ministers of TMLP splinter faction not to be removed from govt (nn), VP Jha’s press advisor convicted of sedition (kp), Congress decides not to retreat: In no mood to withdraw Paudel’s candidacy from the prime ministerial race (ht), NC not to continue Paudel's candidacy if rejected by majority(nn), Maoist secy rules out support to Khanal; NC, UML leaders differ on 'rotational system' (nn), Veep’s press adviser convicted: Fined a mere Rs 500 for sedition; To move Supreme Court (ht), A new year’s gift: Indian policy in Nepal retains dominance by supporting weak institutions, by Aditya Adhikari (kp), Peace-building in Nepal: Multi-track approaches, by Hari Bansha Jha (ht),New Nepal: Need Of A Complete Ethnographic Profile, by Prem Khatry (rn), 28 parties nod to taskforce report on disputed issues of three thematic committees (nn)
03/01/2011: UNMIN term row: Maoists may move court, by Mahesh Acharya (kp), Maoists preparing to file case against govt letter to UNMIN (nn), UNMIN’s departure will create complications, interviews with Geja Sharma Wagle and Prashant Jha (kp), TMLP appeals to PM to sack its ministers; UML Chair Khanal engineered the split: Lal (kp), Picking up the pieces: Factionalism has weakened the Madheshi movement (kp), Maoist U-turn on resolved issues (ht), Fringe parties unhappy with taskforce’s job (kp), A crooked line: Corruption has become accepted in Nepali politics it’s time for a change, by Shyam K.C. (kp), Limbuwan cadres on rampage: Attack lawmaker and Janamorcha activists for opposing federalism (ht), Political intrigues: Nothing unusual in the real sense, by Sugat Ratna Kansakar (ht), Will 2011 be any different?, by Hari Bansha Dulal (rep)
02/01/2011: Missive miffs MoFA mandarins: Foreign secy raises questions about content, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Dahal unhappy over parties’ attitude: Accuses of unilaterally writing UNMIN obituary (kp), Maoists trying to deceive: NC; Party not to quit PM race (ht) [?? ..and the NC is deceiving the Nepali people by destroying the peace and reconstruction process!!], Paudel seeks a disarmed UCPN-M [Yes, but this ought to be the goal of the peace process, overviewed by UNMIN, and not a preconditional step!!],Gagan accuses Maoists of trying to engineer a split in NC (nn) [The NC does not need outsiders, Gagan!], Maoist hackles up at criminal cases’ revival (kp), Handle Federalism With Care, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Nationalism, maturity & light, by Murari Sharma (rep), Student unions, we've had enough!, by Ramesh Khatry (rep), TMLP requests PM to remove dissident party leaders from govt (nn), Political fragmentation (rep)
01/01/2011: Mandate meagre: Karin; Peace process at crossroads, parties inert, says Ban (kp), SC secretariat set to take over UNMIN job, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), NHRC may go bust to B status, by Kamal Raj Sigdel (kp), Order or liberty: Two opposing political visions are being fought over in the CA—and it is by no means easy to reconcile them, by Aditya Adhikari (kp), A modest proposal: With India growing by 9 percent and China by 10, we have good reasons to remain hopeful, by Akhilesh Upadhyay (kp),Welcoming a new power order: New Nepal doesn't just exist in a political scaffolding. Rather, it manifests itself more vividly in a socio-cultural context, by Yug Pathak (kp), The democratisation of foreign policy: The evolution of Nepali politics has made institutionalising and implementing foreign policymore challenging. It is time for a broad political consensus on the key issues of our times , by Prashant Jha (kp), Minister Yadav tells TMDP got to split: Snatches nine lawmakers to form TMDP-Nepal (ht),Plenum fiasco: While the recent meeting of Nepal’s Maoists was supposed to offer clarity and energy for the party’s future strategy, it did neither, by Post Bahadur Basnet (Himal Southasian)
Posted by on
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)