The buzz on the streets of Kathmandu is about the oil shortage and the banda tomorrow. The buzz in party headquarters is about an exciting new committee that will find a solution to end the current deadlock. The Himalayan Times reports:
The leaders of the three major parties – the UCPN-Maoist, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML – today formed yet another six-member taskforce to normalise inter-party relations, avoid confrontation and find and amicable solution to the political deadlock.
The new taskforce is different than the high level political mechanism announced last week but has the same goals as the the political mechanism, and several other committees before it.
Perhaps it is the business of forming all these committees that is keeping the leaders busy from attending Constituent Assembly meetings. Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang has to call in the three big bosses yesterday to remind them to attend CA meetings. Nepalnews writes:
Nemwang reminded the leaders about their poor presence in the parliament and constituent assembly meetings. He also urged them to sort out differences as early as possible
So, Nembang has asked the leaders to designate at least two senior leaders from each party to attend thematic meetings on constitution so that it can be written. Nembang said:
“They have responded positively to my request.”
Other issues of contention have found solutions too. The argument about whether one of the dead in Kailali, Narendra BK, was a Maoist combatant was put to rest on Monday – by Narendra BK himself. Republica quotes BK:
“The reports are close about my name, address and station. But reports about my death is totally wrong,” he said, adding, “I am fully alive and kicking.”
So, turns out the identity card with the registration number 3682, said to have been belonging to Narendra BK, actually belongs to Rudra Prasad Chapai of Satakhani-5, Surkhet, who is section commander of the division’s Jit Smriti brigade.
The PLA’s sixth division commander, Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, said the government produced a fake identity card to defame the PLA:
“An investigation has to be conducted to find out the motives behind this conspiracy.”
Meanwhile, Kailai was shut down for another day on Monday. Saying the Maoists have threatened to ask the landless to occupy the forest again, the home ministry has decided to set up a temporary base for the Armed Police Force and the Nepal Police Force.
Talking about bases, the Maoists have said that they are going to discharge the unqualified combatants from UNMIN cantonments unilaterally. The PLA’s sixth division commander, Mahendra Bahadur Shahi has said he is going to release up to 600 combatants from his division. Nagarik reports:
“We will give them bus fare and release them,” he said. “They will go among the people of this country to sacrifice themselves as volunteers.”
(Posted by Indu Nepal)