TMLP to launch protests Sunday

Kathmandu, 20 Jan: Terai Madesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP) launched two –week protests to press demands in the south bordering India Sunday. Party chairperson Mahana Thakur has threatened to launch what he called decisive protests to fulfill 11 demands including autonomy and self-determination—a virtual declaration of independence. Madesh Janatantrik Forum and the Rajendra Mahoto faction of the NSP (D) has also announced a joint protest from Wednesday to press regional demands saying the 10 April assembly election can’t be held without first meeting demands of the south. Seven parties and government last week agreed election isn’t possible without a negotiated settlement of the terai demands; yet their leaders at their second meeting in Biratnagar Saturday said the vote will be held on schedule. Government and seven parties have asked rebel groups to come to then negotiating table Daily violence continued unabated in the region.

Maoist Chairman Prachanda, meanwhile, charged and reiterated 'foreign imperialists' are trying to spread communal violence and feeling to eliminate Maoists.He didn’t name the foreigners this time but has previously identified Indians and Americans.‘But whatever the conspiracies, nobody can stop assembly elections," he said. Meanwhile, Federal Limbuwan State Council rejected government offer of talks as its Chairman Kumar Lingden said talks with government are just ‘ a waste of time’. The Council is demanding proportional representation election and regional autonomy for the hills.

Morang CDO residence bombed

Kathmandu, 19 Jan: A rebel group Saturday set off a bomb in front on the residence of Morang CDO in Biratnagar immediately after a second joint assembly rally of seven ruling political parties. Madesh Mukti Morcha claimed responsibility for the bombing. The meeting, otherwise, west off without major untoward incident. Ruling party leaders assured announced elections will held as scheduled on 10 April. The meeting was held amid tight security at Sahid Maidan. Ruling party leaders said most regional demands have been met and remaining demands of the terai will be met after constituent assembly elections. Dr Baburam Bhattarai told the rally monarchy is dead and vote will hold its funeral. Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi asked Jwala Singh and Goit groups on JTMM to participate in elections. CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal asked rebels to come to the negotiating table. A section of the Nepali Congress opposing growing links between the party and Maoists boycotted the Biratnagar rally after the first joint rally in the capital. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is personally pushing the alliance. Rebel leader Gobinda Raj Joshi told Jandesh the party had gone against the directive of the general convention to incorporate a republic in the constitution.

Bomb blast in Biratnagar

Kathmandu, 18 Jan: There was a bomb blast in Biratnagar, the hometown of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, ahead of Saturday’s second joint meeting of ruling seven parties to face the doubtful assembly polls.Nobody was injured in the socket bomb blast at Pohkhariya road.The house of a CPN-UML leader was also bombed in the town h ours before the scheduled meeting Saturday.More than 1,500 security personnel have been deployed along with sniffing dogs amid heightened security.CPN-UML is the meet sponsor; Nepali Congress was the sponsor of the first meeting in the capital.People’s response to the capital’s meeting was lukewarm and was greeted with a bomb blast that injured eight persons.Bags have been banned at the Biratnagar meeting.Seven persons were killed and 27 bus passengers were injured in a petrol bomb attack on a bus in Bara Friday one day before the meeting.A petrol bomb was hurled at the passenger bus.The seven ruling parties are attempting to present a joint front against the rebel groups in the terai ahead of the 10 April first assembly vote postponed twice.

Maoists first opposed the vote but they are now fully behind it after the Koirala government met their demands in a 23-point agreement.Maoists are complaining the agreement has not been fully implemented.Now the turn has come for the Madesh groups to oppose elections which they say can’t be held with meeting their demands.The vote wasn’t held in the first round when th divided Congress was still not united.Foreigners, including the USA, are fully behind the Iraq-style vote; Nepal is moving towards that direction with daily violence after the announcement of poll date.

Five more joint public meetings are planned –all in the terai- after Biratnagar.The ruling parties resorted to violence to prevent local elections ordered by the King before February 2005; Prachanda even revealed Premier Koirala criminally ordered killings during and before the election campaign.

The national scene now is worse than in 2004; the present government overturned results of the local elections after assuming office. More than 30 percent participate din the vote.The government is preparing for the poll which has no meaning as they have already imposed a republic on the people.The vote is being held just of satisfy foreign governments like the USA that has stopped aid because a vote hasn’t been conducted.Foreign governments are embarrassed with the increasing autocracy of the ruling parties and their inability to hold elections so far after being pushed to national power with foreign help.

US envoy again pushes polls amid bloody violence

Kathmandu, 18 Jan: US Ambassador Nancy J. Powell again called for assembly elections in Pokhara Friday as a suspected terai group killed at least seven persons and injured 27 others after torching a bus in Bara.Violence and killings have become daily occurrences after government announced the country’s first assembly elections last Friday."The United States strongly supports the upcoming polls and is committed to doing its part to help them become a reality.

"The election is a key step in the peace process, but, in important ways, the real work will begin after the election is over."Many of the commitments made in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the other peace accords have yet to be implemented," she told a meeting in the resort town, according to the US embassy. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala ordered elections one day after she told him bluntly American assistance wouldn’t be resumed until elections.Major groups in the terai have opposed elections saying there was no environment.To recall, Washington opposed local elections called by the King before 1 February 2005; the present ruling parties boycotted the polls.Maoist Chairman Prachanda even revealed the prime minister urged his party to go on a killing spree to disrupt the vote.

Major foreign governments are embarrassed with government’s inability to conduct promise elections twice; the vote is unlikely for the third time even with foreign support for Koirala and his government. Main foreign capitals are embarrassed with the two postponements because they pushed the April 2006 street protests which has proved a national disaster.Koirala has lost political grip and the forces he let loose for a system change are instead demanding virtual cessation of a nation united by the Shah kings and the present Nepal Army. Election, without creating an environment, will let loose bloodshed which has already started.
Powell is not certain if campaigns have begun for a vote have started in Nepal; she last reminded her audience in her country a campaign started nearly two years ago.
"As political parties begin their campaigns for elections, I hope they are beginning, let me suggest that discussions also focus on Nepal’s economic challenges and the options for policy responses by a newly elected government," she reportedly told her Pokhara audience. Powell, in retrospect, is pushing Iraq-style elections in Nepal.