Journalist Tika Bista, who was attacked in Rukum two days ago, has been transferred to Kathmandu for medical treatment. Doctors said she had blood clot in her head, and serious injuries in her cervical spine, hands and feet. Bista spoke to The Himalayan Times about the threats she received before her attack:
“When I answered the phone, I was wished good morning. When I asked who was speaking, a male voice replied, “Why do you need to know? Writing about the widows? What a famous journalist you have become! How did you have the right to write about Tirtha? Should I send you to heaven? Yadu Gautam is already there and you can meet him there.”
Bista had written an article about some personal attacks made by the Maoists against a former MP, Tirtha Gautam, during a program in Rukum. Tirtha's husband, Yadu Gautam was a prominent UML leader, who was killed by the Maoists in 1999.
Maoist party’s Rukum district secretary has called the allegations of his party’s involvement in the attacks preposterous. Nagarik quotes him:
“Some media outlets are trying to destroy our reputation by linking us to the attack.”
The Maoist party is also fending off accusations of the breach of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The Kathmandu Post writes:
A cabinet meeting on Wednesday accused the UCPN (Maoist) of “seriously” breaching the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
“The Maoists have staged several incidents such as the one in Kailali that go against the peace agreement,” said a cabinet minister. “We have sufficient proof that Maoist combatants were deployed during the Kailali incident. It’s time UNMIN spoke fairly about which party has breached the accord.”
Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara disputed the allegations. Rajdhani reports:
The government’s allegations are not going to make a difference to the Maoist party, Mahara said, adding that the government itself has breached the CPA from time to time. “If the government is looking for a confrontation, we will be forced to think along the same lines.”
Meanwhile, the government has decided to form a high-level commission to look into the plight of landless people. The Himalayan Times reports:
A cabinet meeting today decided to form a 13-member Commission on Resolving Problems of the Landless Squatters headed by Gopal Mani Gautam. “The commission will suggest ways to redress the woes of landless squatters throughout the country.”
The cabinet also decided to collect taxes from the former king and the members of the royal family, who had enjoyed tax exemption during the monarchy.
The cabinet also made a controversial decision to appoint Maj. Gen. Toran Jung Bahadur Singh as the acting chief of Nepal Army while Chhatraman Gurung visits India. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has accused him of severe human rights abuses, and has asked the government not to promote him as the chief of army.