We start this Friday with some heart-warming news from Parsa: Muslim residents of a village, who are in the majority, are building a temple so that the minority Hindu residents can have a place to pray. Republica reports:
Muslims have initiated construction of a temple in Baluwa Tole in Mahadevpatti-2 where just 10 of the 115 households are Hindus. The village has two mosques, doesn’t have any temple for the Hindus.
“We, as good neighbours, have come together for this campaign,” treasurer of the temple construction committee Sheikh Gayasuddin said. Most of the people in the village have contributed financially or volunteered in the work with Gayasuddin. Some of them have contributed up to Rs 50,000 for the construction.
Now for a disconcerting news: Nepal is a transit point for the trade of heroin produced in India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Nagarik reports:
Nepal is used as a transit for worldwide distribution of heroin produced in India and Afghanistan. Police say the drug has reached Netherlands, some Scandanivian countries, Spain and South Africa through Nepal.
Back to politics: the Maoist party plans to declare Kochila and Limbuwan autonomous states on Friday, but it is facing opposition from a Limbuwan group that claims Kochila state is in Limbuwan land. The Himalayan Times reports:
UCPN-Maoist is preparing to declare Kochila and Limbuwan autonomous states tomorrow [Friday] in Birtamod of Jhapa and Myanglung of Terhathum district, respectively, while their rival Sanghiya Limbuwan Rajya Parishad affiliated to Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch, is also planning to organise a mass meet in Birtamod tomorrow itself.
[Kumar Lingden of Sanghiya Limbuwan Rajaya Parishad] said that SLRP was against Kochila state declaration in the Libuwan land. He accused the Maoists of hatching a conspiracy to divide the indigenous people by declaring autonomous states in a hurry.
The Maoists plan to declare 13 autonomous states in the coming week. Maoist vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai has said the declaration of autonomous states by the party is not unconstitutional. Nepali Times has an interview with the Maoist leader in which he says:
"In the interim constitution and Comprehensive Peace Agreement we have already agreed that we will adopt a federal system. In fact those people who are going back on this commitment are violating the spirit of the constitution."
Meanwhile Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has said the key commission to meet the requirements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement will be formed soon. The Himalayan Times reports:
'The draft bills of these commissions have been prepared and they will be tabled in the Parliament as soon as possible because the government is committed to setting up such commissions," Nepal said while addressing a [National Human Rights Commission] programme to mark 61st International Human Rights day.
During the program, National Human Rights Commission took its opportunity to lambaste the government for growing culture of impunity and human rights violations. The Kathmandu Post writes:
NHRC stated that both state and non-state actors have continued to engage in various rights violation such as extra-judicial killing, torture, enforced disappearance, illegal detention and displacement.
It will please NHRC to learn that Maj. Niranjan Basnet, accused on involvement in the murder of 15-year-old Maina Sunuwar, is returning to Nepal after dismissal from the UN peacekeeping mission in Chad. It might not please NHRC to learn that the government is silent about Basnet's fate, despite urges from human rights activists to arrest him upon arrival.
(Posted by Indu Nepal)