The 80 plus year old Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala still has the same energy that he used to have in his young days. This man, the most powerful prime minister of Nepal, went to India the day he took oath in the parliament and addressed the meeting of SAARC in New Delhi. Back in Nepal, he was in Pokhara to address his party Nepali Congress’s mass meeting. Here is a report by Neil Horning All pics by Neil Horning.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala spoke in Pokhara today. A crowd of ten to twenty thousand people, slightly larger than the Maoist Newa Mukti Morcha rally in Kathmandu, gathered in Amorsingchowk to witness the event. Koirala, himself, spoke for about 5 minutes before the crowd hurried off to avoid a gathering hail storm.
Koirala sits down while others conduct the closing chants. Below: Koirala waved around a looseleaf notepad while speaking, presumably containing his notes. Central themes focused on “Peace, stability, and complete democracy.”
A look at the crowd
A view of the crowd from the stage
Another look at the crowd
A few spectators stand on a rest platform a ways back from the crowd
Riot police provide security
The Armed Police Force guarded the event with light machine guns and other automatic weapons. When Maoists brought the same weapons (under U.N. registration) to Prachanda’s events they were criticized for displaying arms in public.
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80 responses to “Nepali Congress Mass Meeting in Pokhara”
Funny reporting!
Are we to take the National Development Party seriously? Read more http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/343/FromtheNepaliPress/13408
“When Maoists brought the same weapons (under U.N. registration) to Prachanda’s events they were criticized for displaying arms in public.”
Horning the Maoists are not supposed to be brining guns in the first place. Are they supposed to be in lock up? No one ever said the APF had to lock up their weapons. Despite thier problems the APF is the country’s legetimate security apparatus – hence they have a right to bear weapons. The Maoists on the other hand are now a political party – their cadres cannot carry and display such weapons at a mass meeting. Does this make sense to you?
oh ho thulo kura bhaecha. k ho yesto. When is Nepal going to be declared republic? When will the hen in my farm start laying golden eggs ?
With this quality of reporting, wagle and company are making fun of their own reporting standards.
LOL @ MurliKhutte and Shekhar Mayavi comments
LOL @ dumb head Bhu who is trying to argue with/comment at insane person like Neil.
Anyway both these…All they do is blabber blabber blabber. After all they are SPAMmer.
“A crowd of ten to twenty thousand people, slightly larger than the Maoist Newa Mukti Morcha rally in Kathmandu,”
Now, that’s a full 100% difference in crowd estimate. A person who cannot estimate the difference between 10,000 to 20,000 cannot also differentiate between 8,000 and 10,000 or between 20,000 and 22,000
So basically the crowd could have been 8,000 to 22,000! and it was ‘slightly larger’ than the Newa Mukti Morcha Rally. How much is ‘Slightly’? Okay, well here we are talking about wild estimates and I am already confused for today. We need someone who hits the target correctly and is not a SPAMmer to sort this out.
noname said:
“… I am already confused for today”
What do you mean for today? When have you not been confused?
Well Well, what do you expect from Neil the Hicks?
Hicky, where all the maoists have gone? What are they doing? You dont have any of their news? Whats the matter with you? Are you Ok?
Then why the hell did you cover Girija’s news? Shame on you.
Poor Hicky..
neil , iam right behind you to support you .
make sure you are making back suppot for democrates.
no idiats communist. no murderer maoist.
just democrates.
with peaceful means.
no name please,
first identify who this guy is, then only lend your support.
Certainly, he will not accept your support as he cannot bear to accept maoist as murderers and cummunist as idiots.
He is there to justify those murders as freedom fight and describe maoist insurgency as the best insurgency in the world and every insurgents should follow the path of nepalese maoists.
gaunel bro, you need to chill out and stop being so personally vindictive against Horning. May I remind you that we are living in a democratic country. You need to be able to deal with all sorts of opinions and views. If not whats the difference between you and the Maoists?
Since I have used the democracy argument I know you can disagree with him. But be sensible and disagree with the content of his material rather than attacking him personally.
Now the APF is also giving security the maoists ministers. Its their job and the Govt Of Nepal cannot be compared to a single party like Maoists.
Remember Gaur, where the maoists said where is the APF to guard us against the Forum.
Only because Girja addressed the meetings the YCL didn’t disrupt the program, if it was any other party or leaders, the YCL will not allow the meeting to take place.
Anyway first let see it the maoists return the siezed land and property of people, who do not support the maoists idology.
Good to see that the congress is holding mass meetings. Once the congress unites, then other parties could have problems.
Who is this Neil Horning, a photographer com journalist or some of the spoon of the SPA, dumbass. In fact he does not seem any photographer or any journalist by this report. He seems to have no perspective towards whats going with politics in Nepal and what is he trying to make point with this report making totally irrational comparisons, get lost you dumbasssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Pundit ji,
If neil’s work is democratic, then how can you point out mine as an undemocratic. Read Neil’s other articles, he is just trying to legalize all the maoist activities. I am one of the victims of maoists. So I can not bear these at any cost. Wether by words or by thoughs, I will certainly argue with him and portray his as a David Hicks and indeed he is Hicks.
Pundit, have you lost your loved ones in these conflicts? Have you been roobed? Have your properties been occupied? Nah.. thats why you are saying so. If I try to put my voice against maoist thugs and their supporters, I am labelled undemocratic, right pundit.
Stop your nonsense pundityaes….
gaunel:
I am truely sorry about any loss you had to face at the hands of the Maoists. I am not asking you to condone these Maoist bastards. I am a fierce critic as well as I am sure you can tell from my posts here.
I was just pointing out that you are perhaps being too personally critical of Horning when he just a messenger. The real culprits are the Maoists. Even if Neil doesn’t report these incidences it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Wouldn’t you rather know what these Mao goons are up to? Just because Horning puts up a few pictures it is not going to change anyone’s mind here about the Maoists. Think about that.
Pundit,
I know your views from your posts. But its really unacceptable when someone tries to play with other’s sentiments. About the argument between Neil and Me, I have suffered a lot where as he has gained a lot from these conflicts.
First thing is, why is he here? secondly, since he is here, who is he to justify those maoist autrocities? Thirdly, why do we nepalese fight against each other and let these Hicks to play their role?
Pundit, find out who are happy with the conflicts in Nepal:
(a) Indians, they have the policy “divide and rule” among nepal, bhutan and b’desh. Its all because of indians that we are having these worst situations.
(b) United Nations (UN, which means Utter Non-Sense) : Do you think Ian Martin wants peace in nepal? No way. His status is second next to PM in Nepal. Why should he wants to loose his status and jobs of his fellow followers.
(c) Human Right Activists : Do you think these HR activists are really those people who fight for others? Nah.. do you know how much Mr. Pahadi earns in a month? His montly income is more than US $ 5000. If someone pays me even US$ 500, i will also dress-up like him and start shouting cheap words to attract people’s attention.
(d) People like “Neil”: Foreigner those who want to make most out of the situation wether by supporting them or by practise of “yellow journalism”.
So Mr Pundit, whats wrong with calling him David Hicks? as he is David Hicks, born to be terrorist.
For those who were paying attention, the Maoists were specifically given permission from the U.N. and the government to bring a small number of weapons outside the containments to provide personal security to top Maoist leaders. When they did so they were highly criticized in the press.
Oh ! Thanks Hicky for reminding us.
You wanted Maoist to bring all of those registered weapons outside the cantonments and resume their lootings, right?
Poor Hicky, no fighting these days.
We shouldn’t believe in arms show whoever it maybe in the peace process. Although I totally against the ideology of Neil, but in this case he pointed out the right thing.
This article shows the naivity of Horning when it comes to Nepal. Just take this line ” This man, the most powerful prime minister of Nepal..: – personally, this man is probably one of the weakest we have had ever. I guess Horning has not heard of Prime Ministers like Bhim Singh Thapa and Jung Bahadur.
Or was it UWB who added that line to please it’s master?
Dhanna yo desh me Girija Prasad jee still hunuhunchha ra ramro bhayo. I wish he should still be the top leader in Nepal for nest few years. Otherwise the Moaist president Prachanda jee will finish all other leaders. Girija is the only one who can make Prachand jee feel that he is second.
I agree with Horning that the UN had allowed some arms for the leaders protection. However the comaparison of APF personell to maoist is silly. APF do not fall under any agreement, the Nepal army and maoist do, second and more importantly if Horning had been paying attention to reports other then the ones in his own head – the sort of weapons (many automatic) and the PLA coming out of cantonements to provide additional security to their leaders was not in the UN recommendation. And to top it there were APF personell (armed) ever present as well to provide additional security at the request of the Home Minister at these large maoist gatherings.
One good thing for Girija though regarding the attendance, it is good considering that all who attended did so voluntarily as opposed to the maoist approach – we all know how they get their attendance.
The supporters of SPAMmers are here. Right below in this report from SPAM mouthpiece:
Nepali citizenship lures Indian hordes
BY AMAN KOIRALA in Sarlahi & BINOD BHANDARI in Biratnagar
Sarlahi / Biratnagar, April 10 – Yunus Miya, a local in Sarlahi district, has filed a case at the District Administration Office (DAO) against Harun Shesh of Laxmipur Kodraha VDC-6, alleging that he helped his son-in-law Rahidul Rahaman, an Indian national, acquire Nepali citizenship certificate by preparing fake documents.
One of the evidences Miya submitted at the office against Shesh is the invitation card that the latter distributed during his daughter’s wedding ceremony. Miya has demanded cancellation of Rahaman’s Nepali citizenship certificate and stringent action against Shesh and others for helping an “Indian national” acquire Nepali citizenship.
The invitation card Shesh distributed has Vutahi village of India printed as the address of Shesh’s son-in-law. The wedding ceremony was held on February 10.
Miya claimed that people were involved in “selling Nepali citizenship” in the name of distribution to genuine Nepali people.
Confirming that a case has been filed, Hom Bahadur Khadka, an officer at DAO stated they would start investigating once they completed the distribution.
In Biratnagar, a huge number of “unfamiliar faces” have lately started gathering in and around several bordering villages in Morang district after the government team arrived for distributing citizenship certificates. Also, some Indian “brokers” have intensified their activities in border areas.
Setting up tents in various places, some strangers, whom neither locals nor any of the eight political party representatives recognize, have
gathered and are active in acquiring Nepali citizenship, said locals.
Some Indians have enlisted their names at the index form of their relatives who live in Nepal. They either try to influence political party representatives in their favor or threaten them if the latter refuse to support them. Indian brokers have threatened a number of VDC secretaries for refusing to sign fake documents, according to some VDC secretaries. Some Indians who could not acquire Nepali citizenship even after spending money, locked up some local leaders and VDC secretaries in the area.
Indians spend a minimum Rs 2,000 to 20,000 to influence Nepali authorities, sources said. Bali Ram Yadav and Lekh Ram Yadav of Kisangunj district Teragachh Bhoda Panchayat of India acquired Nepali citizenship certificates from Jhurkiya VDC, said VDC sources. They spent Rs 5,000 each to acquire the citizenship with their certificate numbers 053012/1002 and 053014/1003, sources said.
Thousands of Indian nationals acquired Nepali citizenship certificates from Katahari, Jhurkiya, Majhare, Govindapur, Amardaha, Dainiya, Sorabhag, among other bordering VDCs, sources claimed.
A group of “brokers” that included some Indians, locked up local leaders of eight political parties and the VDC secretary at Govindapur VDC office on Monday after they were “deprived of citizenship certificates” after they had spent money for the purpose and “completed all necessary procedures”. They were later released.
Meanwhile, sources claimed that over 1,000 Indian nationals acquired Nepali citizenship certificates from Amardaha VDC alone. The Indians spent over Rs 2 million for the purpose in the VDC, sources disclosed.
Ram Prasad Ghimire, Assistant Chief District Officer, stated that the administration would start investigations after April 13 as they had received so many complaints of such irregularities.
Posted on: 2007-04-09 21:25:48 (Server Time)
It is not the big issue for spaM.
“The Armed Police Force guarded the event with light machine guns and other automatic weapons. When Maoists brought the same weapons (under U.N. registration) to Prachanda’s events they were criticized for displaying arms in public.”
what do you mean Neil Horning? You are soo stupid to write such line you cannot compare personal/party army with Nepal Army. Maoist have no right to carry weapon in public and threat civilians. And all the weapons of maoist are supposed to be stored in container not to be displayed in public.
The following from http://ohnepal.wordpress.com
This news will astonish some non-Nepalis…except Nepali people themselves. The Maoist terrorists went to the (illegal) Election Commission to register themselves as a party on Monday (09th April, 2007) but they could not get registered themselves because two of their comrades “Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ and Barsha Man Pun ‘Anant’ did not have citizenship certificates.”
Now, how could anyone go to the Election Commission without being a Nepali citizen? How could a person try to be elected as a politician in Nepal without even caring for getting a Nepali citizenship all his life? Perhaps he didn’t fit the ‘criteria’ to be a Nepali? Perhaps he is a non-Nepali by nationality? This baffles you? Nevermind.
No citizenship? No problem. You desire to take part in sham Elections in Nepal? You have the blessings of SPAM Government and foreign interference in Nepal. So, “The two leaders acquired Nepali citizenship certificate from the District Administration Office of Kathmandu on Monday.”
How nefarious can things get in Nepal? Everything that is happening there is a virtual sham. The Maoists and SPAm can do anything and everything there and the public is just clueless and helpless. The Indians and the UN have managed to get their way in Nepal…we have another Sri Lanka (civil war torn country) in the waiting!
I mean exactly what I said Captain Crash. The Maoists had permission from both the government and the U.N. to use a limited amount of weapons to protect their leaders. This is because asking the APF to do it before the Maoists had even joined the government would be as ridiculous as the PLA guarding the king, the fox guarding the chicken coup etc. Now that the Maoists are in the government they ARE allowing the APF to provide them security, as per recent arrangements. This should not be something hard to understand.
My reason for showing the photo was not to criticize Koirala for providing himself security. It was to point out the hypocrisy of the original criticism. If you disagree, please rationally explain why Koirala needs to be guarded by automatic weapons and Prachanda (who actually is a likely target for assassination) does not. Provide evidence to support your ideas. Be brief.
Prachanda is not, ‘likely’ a target for assassination. He IS the target. All the lives that he has destroyed…he will die for sure…if is not the question, when is the question!
Neil – I agree with you on this. Sure you have stirred up controversy by that last line, but you are right. But understand why most bloggers responded in the -ve, its coz Maoists have blatantly abused all accords & agreements and continue to threaten and behave badly, even after joining govt. The response here is not just related to your punchline but on the overall conduct of the comrades. And by this if you are trying to make a point for Maoists, you are nitpicking while displaying unawareness of where most neutral citizens like us are coming from.
Mr Koirala is the president & the prime minister of Nepal. Prachanda is the leader of just one party, and if prachanda is given armed security the it should apply to Madhav Nepal, Deuba and a lot of other leaders. As the maoists are a political party now, they don’t need their PLA for protection.
If The Maoists beleive in the people power, then there is no need for machine gun protection for prachanda.
Hail the democratic voices of Naya Nepal. Thy honorable SPAMmers kindly tell me how and who made ‘Mr.’ Koirala the ‘President’ and ‘Prime Minister’ of Nepal?
With the King suspended, Mr. Koirala is at present both the President & The Prime Minister.
Who suspended the King? How and by what means?
The king was suspended as per the wishes of the great Nepali people expressed through the historic April revolution, under the recommendation of HRH Sonia Gandhi of India and comrade Prachanda.
Furthermore, my first question remains unanswered. Who made ‘Mr’ Koirala the ‘President’ and ‘Prime Minister’? How and by what means?
I would like some Democratic answers here now that I am in NAYA NEPAL!
Nobody has made Koirala the president of Nepal. Only our great comrade Prachanda is eligible for such title. Koirala was made prime minister by the agreement among supreme leaders of seven corrupt political parties of Nepal and the savior of Nepali people-CPN (M). And for your reference-there are only two types of answers-right and wrong. I don’t understand what you mean by ‘democratic answers’. Also, the NAYA NEPAL hasn’t started yet. We are in the interim situation.
I certainly hope Com. Bhayankar isn’t really a Maoist. For the sake of the country.
No name, since you seem to like him so much, can you explain to us who made Gyanendra the king?
I AM GETTING REALLY SICK OF NONAME!!!!!!!!!!
NONAME Shut the fcuk up already you confused shemale.
Wheater you like it or not the SPA is the CLOSET thing to a political party mandated by the people. The King’s future is over in Nepal! Every political party now has removed the requirement for a constitutional monarch. Face it Gyanendra has no future in Nepal. I suggest you GORW UP and deal with that!
Comrade Horning,
Going after comrade Bhayankar will achieve nothing. Comrade Bhayankar is a joker, a satirist who rejoices in dark humor during dark days. You don’t have to wish anything for or about him for ‘the sake of country’ because street maoists like him cannot steer the future of this country. He is destined to live like a mad man and die like a dog. If you really want to wish something for ‘the sake of country’ then I recommend that you think more. You sound like a Maoist supporter and I don’t understand what makes you think that they will not turn out to be communist dictators? Or is that what you want? Why so much benefit of doubt to them? Are you one of those Americans who will die for Dick cheney and Rush Limba ? Or are you one of those who believe that 9/11 was an insider’s job ? Before asking who made Gyanendra the king do you even know how Nepal was founded ?
There are some posts in this website that need approval of somebody before they appear in front of public eyes. I guesss I just sent one of those. The sad part is that when they get posted it is too late. I mean they are already burried under so many posts. Anyways, I will also look forward to the answers of the questions I have posted. Since that seems to have been the way of argument in this thread.
Listen Horny Horning,
Go back to your country and leave me and my Nepal alone. I do not and need not even answer your question or your fu*ked up propaganda. Go and lick pushpa dahal’ ass, not mine.
And coming back to Bhu…Since you are so obsessed with Loktantra, I am just asking Loktantrik question.
So well, answers please. Comrade Bhayankar, thanks for letting me know how things are working in Naya Nepal. But since M is an ally of the criminal SPA parties, you need to give a Loktanktrik answer too.
Why run away from questions? Legitimate questions! In Democracy you need to run Democratically. We ask tough questions, hard questions, questions that are in the interest of the ordinary citizens and every politician or their champions need to answer that!
Bhu gets pissed because I question the legitimacy of the people who feed his ass!
In 1951 A.D the evil Gyanendra, at the age of four, exiled all the members of royal family to India and assumed the reign of Nepal. That was the first time he became the king. The evil boy ruled for about 6 months during which he tortured the people of Nepal more severely than any other dictator anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, at that time there were no Maoists around to snatch his power from him.
Cut to year 2001, once again after 50 years of planning and plotting he became the King of Nepal. But wait a minute, this time around, a rebel had been born-Prachanda, the protector of Nepali people who would deliver them from the evil forces of monarchy. Against all odds by sucking the gulla of Indian masters Prachanda grew stronger by the day and finally knocked Gyanendra out of the ring.
suggestion to noname:
Just let it go man. Don’t try to roll the boulder uphill. If you are in Nepal and if it is so suffocating then I suggest that you get a greencard to US or some other country.
Now, that’s an answer by comrade Bhayankar! Answer, that sounds interesting — ironic but true. We are talking here. It’s suffocating but we are talking. When a non-identity like Neil Horny can make such a brainwash of Nepalis (so called educated Nepalis), I wonder how much brainwashing can be done by bigger, powerful foreigners and criminal Nepalis.
Anyway, here I am in a collection of SPAMmers and as their identity is…they will skip tough questions, hard questions! They would never do any soul searching. They have no Souls!
You can’t keep me out of it, you just can’t!
P.S.: I wonder sometimes if I should think from the viewpoint of Comrades and Communists and SPAM. Perhaps, I will start posting with this name…’Comrade noname’? Perhaps I will start thinking on the benefits of killings Nepalis and gaining power and then running a pathetic propaganda. I will try doing that soon…
The question isn’t who made Gyanendra king, its how long he’s going to remain one.
Skip skip skip the question…that’s what the SPAMmers do!!!!!