April 10– As per the tripartite agreement reached between the Nepal government, Maoists and the United Nations the NA weapons are being stored in the 14 containers placed at the Chhauni barracks today. Brigadier General and NA Spokesperson Ramindra Chhetri informed Tuesday that the storage will begin shortly at the Chhauni barracks.

The United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) team has already arrived at the site. Chhetri further informed that Joint Monitoring Coordinating Committee (JMCC) comprising representatives of the Nepal Army (NA), United Nation (UN) and the Maoists plans to complete the process within three days.

The second phase of the arms registration process will begin after NA’s arms are stored. According to an agreement between UNMIN, NA and Maoists, NA will be storing arms equal in number of that stored by the Maoists. Earlier UNMIN had stored 3,500 Maoist arms during the first phase of Maoists’ arms registration. However, during the process, 96 arms assigned for Maoist leaders’ security and 522 arms assigned for security in camps would not be included for storage, UNMIN stated.

RAUTAHAT, March 24- Indian security officials yesterday promised support to Nepali policemen in capturing the culprits of Wednesday’s attack in Gaur, who reportedly fled to Indian territory. Suspecting that some assailants fled to India, Nepali officials asked for support from Indian authorities. The officials yesterday held a meeting at the district police office Gaur. Suman Kumar, district majistrate of Sitamadhi district of India and MR Nayar, superintendent of police (SP) of India, DIG Kiran Gautam and SP Ram Kumar Khanal from Nepal Police and Chief District Officer (CDO) Madhav Ojha, among others, discussed the security situation during the meeting. Indian security officers were ready to help capture the culprits, according to DIG Gautam.

At least 28 people were killed during the clash between Madhesi People’s Rights Forum and Maoist-aligned Madhesi Rastriya Mukti Morcha in Gaur, the district headquarters of Rautahat, Wednesday. As speculations of an impending Maoist retaliation against the bloody attack spread in the area, locals in and around the district headquarters are terrified. Terror-stricken pepole fear even to come outside their houses. The situation is Gaur is yet to see normalcy.

Meanwhile, in Dang, Nepali and Indian authorities agreed to work together to curtail violence and other irregularities along the Nepal-India border. They agreed to discover, restore and monitor border pillars at Koilabas VDC in Dang district, according to CDO Rudra Prasad Paudel. DIG SK Mathur of Saraswoti in India, among other Indian security officials took part in the meeting.– by Shiv Puri

Chairman of the agitating Madheshi People’s Rights Forum Upendra Yadav has said that the Maoist intervention in the forum’s program in Nepalgunj was the height of “terrorism and militant philosophy”.

Condemning the Maoist disruption and vandalism during the forum’s mass meeting in Nepalgunj Saturday, Yadav today (25 Jan) said, “This exemplifies that the Maoists are still following the philosophy of terrorism.” Yadav also accused the Maoists of harboring a tyrannical manner.

Labeling yesterday’s disruption of the MPRF mass gathering at Tribhuvan Chowk in Nepalgunj as an attack on democracy, the forum chairman said, “The attempt by the Maoists to crush freedom of expression is reminiscent to Pol Pot’s tyranny.”– by J Pandey (continue reading here)

CPN-Maoist leader Ram Bahadur Thapa (Badal) said that Nepal would go for a federal setup only after the Constituent Assembly elections. “Bringing in a federal system prior to the CA elections will be unfortunate and create dispute in the country,” Badal said, adding that issues of self-governance for the ethnic groups and autonomy were part of the Maoist agenda. Talking to journalists in Itahari Thapa said that the second address to the nation by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had addressed the Madhesi movement, adding that the country should adopt a federal setup after the elections to a constituent assembly.

Badal arrived in Biratanagar with a heavy security detail in the run-up to the mass gathering there on 18th February. Labeling the recent controversial speech by acting Chief of Nepal Army’s Western Divisional Headquarters, Dilip SJB Rana advocating a military resolution to the Madheshi unrest, a “conspiracy”, Badal said that political speech by the Rana was part of conspiracy hatched by the King. He further said that the civil society, eight parties, and people from all quarters should protest against such statements from non-political wings of the government.

Feb 2– In face of the rising tensions in the central and eastern terai regions, the district magistrate of Bihar, India today put into effect Article 144 of the Indian Constitution that prohibits more than five to seven people from gathering at one place in areas adjoining the Nepal border. The new order, which came into effect at various checkpoints along the Nepal-India border since yesterday evening, also prohibits anyone from carrying any kind of weapon in the restricted areas.

The clause will continue to remain in effect until the ongoing unrest in Nepal subsides, according to a public notice issued by magistrate Upendra Raya of Ararariya district adjoining Biratnagar. According to Indian government officials, the clause will be effective in the region stretching from Raxaul to Kishangunj in India. The officials have also issued a travel advisory urging Indians not to visit Nepal until the tension subsides there.

The government of Nepal has called all the groups protesting in terai region for talks. According to reports, today’s special meeting of the council of ministers called all groups protesting in terai region for talks to solve the impasse. The cabinet also decided to give one million rupees to each person killed during the protests in Lahan district. Two protestors have been killed during the protest programme held after the murder of a student, Ramesh Mahato, reportedly by a bullet fired by a Maoist cadre, during a rally called by the Madhesi Janadhikar forum. The meeting also decided to provide free treatment facilities to all people injured during the protests in Lahan.

The meeting also approved the judicial commission formed by the Home Ministry to probe the Lahan incident. The Home Ministry had formed a three member judicial commission headed by Judge of Patan Appellate Court Janardan Bahadur Khadka to probe the incident. Yesterday’s meeting of the ruling seven party alliance and the Maoists asked the government to form high level commission to probe the Siraha incident and also provide appropriate compensation to the families of the deceased people.

Jan 21- Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has called for an eight-party meeting Monday (22 Jan) morning to discuss the worsening situation in Lahan, where violence flared up following Friday’s killing of a teenager. The PM called for the meeting at his residence at Baluwatar at 8 a.m. tomorrow, sources said. The meeting will also be attended by Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) leaders. Meanwhile, Siraha District Administration today clamped a 15-hour curfew in Lahan and surrounding areas for the third consecutive day to foil any further violence. A curfew order from 11 this morning till 2 am tonight has been issued. Security was beefed up since the morning in Lahan but sensing an eruption in violence and vandalism again by the demonstrators, the local administration decided to impose the curfew again. (background)

Jan 18 – Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala administered the oath of office and secrecy to Chief Justice (CJ) Dilip Kumar Poudel at a special swearing-in ceremony organised at the National Planning Commission hall inside Singha Durbar, today afternoon. This is the first time in the five-decade history of the Nepali judiciary that the prime minister has sworn in the chief justice. Earlier, the king used to enjoy this authority.

Talking to reporters after the swearing in ceremony, PM Koirala said that an interim government, including the Maoists, will be in place within the next three weeks. “An interim government will be formed in the next 15-20 days. The management of the Maoist arms and army will be completed before the formation of the interim government,” said the PM.

Similarly, CJ Paudel said that he has taken his swearing-in by the PM “normally” and that it would not hamper the independence of the judiciary. “As the prime minister now also enjoys the rights and authority of the head of the state, I have taken this (swearing-in by the PM) very normally. It will not interfere with the independence of the judiciary,” said CJ Paudel.

According to Article 162(2) of the Interim Constitution of Nepal promulgated on January 15, all judges need to take fresh oath of office and the judges who fail to do so will be automatically dismissed from their posts. A special Cabinet meeting on Wednesday had decided that the CJ should take the oath of office by the PM and that the CJ would administer the oath of office to other SC justices.

Clarifying the confusion over the oath taking of the judges under the Interim Constitution, the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday had finalised the procedure and format.

Jan 17- US ambassador to Nepal, James F Moriarty today morning said that the United States welcomes the Maoist’s inclusion into the new Interim Legislature. Moriarty today made the comment during a meeting with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the latter’s residence in Baluwatar this morning. According to sources, Moriarty informed the PM that Washington was positive about the recently promulgated interim constitution and the Maoist participation in the interim legislature. Meanwhile, Moriarty’s visit marks the first time any foreign diplomat met the PM in the days following Monday’s historic promulgation of Interim Constitution of Nepal-2063 that brought into effect the Maoist- included interim legislature.

Subash Nemwang appointed Speaker

Jan 17- Subash Chandra Nemwang on Wednesday was sworn in as the Speaker of the newly formed Interim Legislature-Parliament. Today’s sitting of the interim parliament formally elected the former speaker of the dissolved House of Representatives, Nemwang as the new speaker by a unanimous consent. Nemwang’s appointment was unopposed in the Interim Legislature.

Earlier today, the eight parties had agreed to continue with Nemwang and Chitralekha Yadav as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the parliament respectively despite the CPN-M demanding the new Speaker to be someone from their party. The parties had opted for a general consensus to decide on the new Speaker instead of holding elections for the same after CPN-UML and CPN-M both lay claim to the post of Speaker.