Maoists have started a concerted campaign to throttle a free and independent press as the country is preparing to hold the country’s first constituent assembly elections to first determine the future of the 238-year-old monarchy.The assembly also has the responsibility to draw the parameters for a ‘ new nepal’ as the government of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has demolished established institutions and suspended a constitution replacing it with an interim’ basic law.Everything is interim in Nepal right now a cynic said and nobody knows how longthe transition and dangerous void will last –two three eight years.Maoists have been targeting critical broad-sheets to silence them—a charge denied by Maoist Minister for Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara.Maoists bicycle distributors Saturday for the second time in two weeks didn’t lift newspapers from the printing presses for delivery to subscribers. The distributors work for a Maoist front and not the publishing house that owns the newspapers.
The bicycle boys are demanding they be enrolled by the publishing as employees—a demand rejected by the daily newspaper owners.Copies of The Himalayan Times and Annapurna Post were lying at the printing presses.The bicycle boys earlier exerted similar pressures on Kantipur, The Kathmandu Post and Nepal Samacharpatra; HBC FM that broadcasts news every hour on the hour has also been victimized.The publishers have united and threatened to permanently close down newspaper publication without succumbing to Maoist pressures.The FM radio station has also closed down because of sit-ins staged by employees.
CARTER CENTER comes down heavily on Nepal Government, Maoists
The Atlanta-based Carter Center headed by former President Jimmy Carter has come down heavily on government and eight ruling parties telling them to demonstrate firm intention to conduct the 22 November constituent assembly polls.The Center, funded mainly by EU member states, particularly peripheral oil-rich Scandinavian states are attempting to seek a foothold in the strategic Himalayan state, through the Center by using Carter’s international stature as a campaigner for freedom and human rights.
There’s very little funding for the Center from within the USA.The Center, releasing a report Friday on the outcome of Carter’s Nepal in mid-2007, said the time now has come for government and ruling parties to demonstrate genuine intention to hold the historic vote to decide the future of monarchy.‘Now is the time for the government of Nepal to demonstrate its genuine intention to hold the CA election on November 22."A common commitment of the political parties hasn’t come and commitments made haven’t been implemented," the Center’s Nepal office said in the report.The call comes amid credible and consistent reports Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is attempting to convert the interim parliament into a constituent assembly and declare a republic without going for the vote which many say won’t be held because of the deteriorating law and order situation.
Koirala is attempting to expand the parliament by including armed rebel groups in the terai in an attempt to defuse the seven-month rebellion that is taking a separatist and communal turn.The Madeshis in the south are deliberately targeting hill people in their deadly attacks as the people from the north flee the region bordering India.India and influential western countries have opposed Koirala’s conspiracy with the Maoists who don’t want elections; they, like Koirala, want to declare a republic without a vote.
Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel said this week security situation hasn’t improved since June when the vote was first scheduled.Goit group of JTMM Thursday shot dead a Pahadi and Dalit leader Purna Bahadur Sunwar in Kapilbastu warning people from hill to leave the south immediately.Terai has become a killing field and killings have become a daily occurrences ; government officials and hill people have been targeted.‘However, as time is short.. and another electoral delay may undermine the legitimacy of the present interim government….
People doubt the commitment of all ruling parties to the November 22 election date."People have a lot doubts with the continued Maoist violence and aggressive behaviour, " the Center said.The Center said new Maoist preconditions for election—a roundtable conference, election on proportional representation basis and declaration of a republic before a vote—makes election still more uncertain.
The bicycle boys are demanding they be enrolled by the publishing as employees—a demand rejected by the daily newspaper owners.Copies of The Himalayan Times and Annapurna Post were lying at the printing presses.The bicycle boys earlier exerted similar pressures on Kantipur, The Kathmandu Post and Nepal Samacharpatra; HBC FM that broadcasts news every hour on the hour has also been victimized.The publishers have united and threatened to permanently close down newspaper publication without succumbing to Maoist pressures.The FM radio station has also closed down because of sit-ins staged by employees.
CARTER CENTER comes down heavily on Nepal Government, Maoists
The Atlanta-based Carter Center headed by former President Jimmy Carter has come down heavily on government and eight ruling parties telling them to demonstrate firm intention to conduct the 22 November constituent assembly polls.The Center, funded mainly by EU member states, particularly peripheral oil-rich Scandinavian states are attempting to seek a foothold in the strategic Himalayan state, through the Center by using Carter’s international stature as a campaigner for freedom and human rights.
There’s very little funding for the Center from within the USA.The Center, releasing a report Friday on the outcome of Carter’s Nepal in mid-2007, said the time now has come for government and ruling parties to demonstrate genuine intention to hold the historic vote to decide the future of monarchy.‘Now is the time for the government of Nepal to demonstrate its genuine intention to hold the CA election on November 22."A common commitment of the political parties hasn’t come and commitments made haven’t been implemented," the Center’s Nepal office said in the report.The call comes amid credible and consistent reports Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is attempting to convert the interim parliament into a constituent assembly and declare a republic without going for the vote which many say won’t be held because of the deteriorating law and order situation.
Koirala is attempting to expand the parliament by including armed rebel groups in the terai in an attempt to defuse the seven-month rebellion that is taking a separatist and communal turn.The Madeshis in the south are deliberately targeting hill people in their deadly attacks as the people from the north flee the region bordering India.India and influential western countries have opposed Koirala’s conspiracy with the Maoists who don’t want elections; they, like Koirala, want to declare a republic without a vote.
Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel said this week security situation hasn’t improved since June when the vote was first scheduled.Goit group of JTMM Thursday shot dead a Pahadi and Dalit leader Purna Bahadur Sunwar in Kapilbastu warning people from hill to leave the south immediately.Terai has become a killing field and killings have become a daily occurrences ; government officials and hill people have been targeted.‘However, as time is short.. and another electoral delay may undermine the legitimacy of the present interim government….
People doubt the commitment of all ruling parties to the November 22 election date."People have a lot doubts with the continued Maoist violence and aggressive behaviour, " the Center said.The Center said new Maoist preconditions for election—a roundtable conference, election on proportional representation basis and declaration of a republic before a vote—makes election still more uncertain.
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