WEEKLY NEPAL MEDIA REPORT: JUNE 24 - 30, 2003

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001263 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC PGOV PREL KMDR NP SUBJECT: WEEKLY NEPAL MEDIA REPORT: JUNE 24 - 30, 2003 - STATE FOR NP, AC, PM - STATE FOR IN/R/MR - STATE FOR SA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO - STATE FOR SA/PPD 1.POLITICAL AFFAIRS "PEACE TALKS" -- Prachanda urges for talks, blames army: Maoist leader Prachanda has urged the government to implement immediately the agreements of the second peace talks, for further progress in the ongoing dialogue process. He held the Royal Nepal Army responsible for derailment of the ongoing peace process. "The army has tried to derail the process by carrying out various provocative activities, with an ulterior motive to derail the process", he said. (centrist "Kantipur," V/D and the sister publication "Kathmandu Post," E/D, 6/30) -- Prachanda seeks parties' cooperation: Prachanda has asked all the political parties for their "co- operation" in the peace process between the Maoists and the government. In separate letters dispatched to the parties, Prachanda said "there is serious conspiracy from within and outside the country to derail the peace talks." (Media reports, 6/28) -- Thapa government to terminate peace talks: The Thapa government is set to abort the Maoist-government peace talks and is doing homework to announce a referendum to ask whether the people liked the pre-October 4 government system or the king's rule thereafter. (pro- Maoist "Jana Dharana," V/W, 6/26) -- Parties have no confidence: Do the parties have confidence to go for a referendum? They are protesting only because the king is popular. Only five per cent people are in support of the parties. (Rightist "Hindu," V/W, 5/26) "FIVE-PARTY JOINT MOVEMENT" -- Nepali Congress begins relay hunger strike: Nepali Congress commenced (6/29) a 24-hour relay hunger strike in 53 districts as part of the fifth round of the five- party movement against the October 4 royal move. Similar hunger strikes were held at all the three districts in the Valley, demanding disclosure of the assets of King Gyanendra and the nationalization of late King Birendra's personal and family assets. (Media reports, 6/30) -- 5 parties task force meet arrives at consensus: A meeting of the Task Force committee, formed by the five agitating political parties, to explore a common agenda of forward looking approach, has unanimously agreed upon some of the major issues like bringing the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) under the parliament, making public the king's property, keeping the provision of referendum in the constitution and others. ("Kantipur," 6/27) "Army-Maoist clashes" -- Maoist cadre killed in army action: The Army, providing security to a helicopter carrying Japanese assistance for a school in Bhojpur district, shot dead a Maoist who attacked with a socket bomb Wednesday morning. (Nepalnews, 6/26) ¶2. NEPAL-U.S. -- USAID-assisted female health volunteers bring down child mortality rate: Female Community Health Workers (FCHVs) have played an instrumental role in bringing down the child mortality rate in Nepal, a review of their work by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has shown. The review paper was presented at a monthly press meet held by the American Center. The USAID, which has supported the FCHVs, a program of the Ministry of Health, said the voluntary female health workers have brought down the child mortality rate by 42 per cent in the last 15 years, thanks to their success in popularization of Vitamin A use. (Major English dailies, 6/28) -- Assistance money used for visiting U.S. troops: A big chunk of U.S. assistance money to Nepal to eliminate the Maoist war is actually being spent on Nepal-visiting U.S. troops. All the expenses made for the five-member team that arrived in Kathmandu [last week] under U.S. Pacific Commander Lieutenant General Campbell's leadership ".will be deducted from the U.S. government's assistance of 14 million dollars. Although U.S. troops come to Nepal from time to time in the name of training, it has not really helped the Royal Nepal Army (RNA). Instead, their visits have increased the army's expenditure. [Nepali] army officials, who are serious over U.S. troops' increasing activities/interference, say that some officers of the RNA were, in fact, able enough to provide as much of the training as offered by U.S. troops. A military official said: "They have learned more from us rather than teaching us. They visit appropriate/inappropriate places. They come here only to enjoy in the name of conducting training." (leftist "Jana Aastha," V/W, 6/25) -- Tourism boycott over Tibetans called off: A campaign to boycott tourism to Nepal after the deportation of 18 Tibetans has been suspended, the U.S.-based Ethical Traveler organization has said. (Nepalnews.com, 6/25) -- U.S. expects Nepali troops in Iraq: The Bush administration is in talks with Nepal to send troops to help U.S. forces police Iraq. "Nepal is one of the 40 countries the United States is expecting to send troops to Iraq," said a news story in The Washington Post. (Kantipuronline, 6/24) -- No formal request for troops, says Info Minister: The Government has not received a formal request from the U.S. for Royal Nepal Army troops to be dispatched to Iraq, Government Spokesman and Information Minister said in his first formal news conference. (Nepalnews.com, 6/24) ¶3. STUDENT UNREST -- Nation-wide schools' closure from Monday: Private and boarding schools in the nation are closing down indefinitely from Monday, after the private school organizations failed to hammer out agreement with the seven agitating student unions. School officials have said that schools may not resume unless the government fulfils minimum demands of the unions. The closure would affect over 8,500 private schools in the country and 1.5 million students and 150,000 teachers associated with them. (Media reports, 6/30) -- Government, Maoist students hold negotiations: The government has agreed to a number of demands put forward by the Maoist students, All Nepal National Independent Students' Union (Revolutionary). It is said to have withdrawn its policy on phasing out 10+2 from Tribhuvan University (TU) and on investing on higher secondary education, as demanded by the students. Meanwhile, the group of striking student organizations [students affiliated with other political parties] locked up principals' offices and schools' accounts sections in about half a dozen schools in the capital. (Major newspapers, 6/26) ¶4. REFUGEE ISSUES -- Police arrest Tibetans: Police on Tuesday arrested 19 Tibetans in Acham, where they had arrived after crossing over to Nepal from a border village. (Media reports, 6/27)".. The 19 Tibetans have been kept in the UNHCR office in Dhangadi." (pro-India "Himalayan Times," E/D, 6/28) -- First refugee repatriation in 13 years: The first- ever refugee repatriation in 13 years will be done by September 8 this year with the initial departure of around 9,000 refugees towards Bhutan, the Foreign Ministry told Nepalnews Wednesday. (Nepalnews.com, 6/25) ¶5. OTHERS -- 56 families rendered homeless in Baglung flood: At least 56 families were rendered homeless and property worth Rs. 15 million [near 200,000 dollars] was damaged after a flash flood washed away more than 15 houses in Baglung. Around 70 households were badly affected by the flood and landslide in the area. (Media reports, 6/26) MALINOWSKI