WEEKLY NEPAL MEDIA REPORT FROM AUGUST 10 TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 001647

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC PGOV PREL KMDR NP
SUBJECT: WEEKLY NEPAL MEDIA REPORT FROM AUGUST 10 TO
16, 2004


STATE FOR NP, AC, PM
STATE FOR IN/R/MR
STATE FOR SA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO
STATE FOR SA/PPD


1. CURRENT AFFAIRS

-- Koirala refuses to be in the peace committee: Nepali
Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala has
refused to join the High Level Peace Committee (HLPC).
However, Koirala said he was ready to provide all kind
of cooperation from his side for the restoration of
peace. (Centrist "Nepal Samacharpatra," V/D, 8/16)

-- Three ex-IGPs charged with corruption: The
Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority
(CIAA) Monday filed corruption cases against three
former Inspector Generals of Police (IGPs) -- Motilal
Bohora, Achyut Krishna Kharel and Pradip Samsher JBR,
at the Special Court, accusing them of illegally
amassing millions of rupees during their tenure. (Pro-
India "The Himalayan Times," E/D, 8/14)

-- Govt forms PM-led panel to push peace: The
government Thursday formed a High Level Peace Committee
Nepal (HLPCN) headed by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur
Deuba. It is an umbrella agency and will form a
secretariat to facilitate the entire peace process.

SIPDIS
The committee has CPN-UML general secretary Madhav
Kumar Nepal, RPP president Pashupati Shumsher Rana, Dr.
Mohammad Mohsin and Minister of Forest and Soil
Conservation and NSP president, Badri Prasad Mandal, as
members. The Peace Secretariat will have four
specialists in security, negotiation, statute matters
and conflict management. (The Himalayan Times, 8/13)

-- Four Party Committee formed to advise government: A
high level political committee of four ruling parties
representing the coalition government has been formally
formed to advise the government in implementation of
common minimum programs (CMP) and settle the disputes
arising amidst them. (Centrist "The Kathmandu Post,"
E/D, 8/12)

-- Government makes public details on disappeared: The
Home Ministry has made public the whereabouts of 24
people who were detained and disappeared by security
forces on various occasions from different parts of the
country. The whereabouts of the missing civilians were
made public after a report prepared by a probe
commission led by joint secretary Narayan Gopal Malegu
was handed over to Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka
Wednesday. (Government-owned "National News Agency,"
8/12)... The families of persons who have "disappeared"
have expressed extreme dissatisfaction over the
government's report. The family members said the list
of the government does not provide any information
about their kiths and kin. They have alleged that the
government list does not include actual victims. They
had submitted the list of 112 persons who have
"disappeared." (Centrist "Kantipur," V/D, 8/13)


2. MAOIST INSURGENCY

-- Most industries in the Maoist hit list to close
down: The pro-Maoist All Nepal Federation of Trade
Union's warning has forced 12 industries to close down
their businesses starting August 16. The union has
threatened to take physical action against any industry
that goes against its call. (Nepal Samacharpatra, 8/16)

-- RNA troops retreat from Achham: Two days after
moving deep into insurgency-affected Achham, Royal
Nepalese Army (RNA) troops Friday retreated from remote
villages of Binayak and Kamalbazzar without any major
battle with the rebel militias. (The Kathmandu Post,
8/14)". The army had planned to penetrate rebel-held
areas in Achham and flush the guerrillas out. The army
had received information suggesting that top rebel
leaders were gathering
in the district for a rally.
(Major reports, 8/11)

-- Maoists open fire in hospital: The security forces
and Maoist insurgents have opened fire inside Ghorahi
based Mahendra Hospital in Dang district. The Maoists
on Tuesday night opened fire indiscriminately at the
security team led by Police Superintendent that had
entered the hospital compound to pick up a sick
soldier. Consequently, the security forces were also
prompted to open fire in retaliation within the
premises of the hospital for nearly ten minutes.
Bullets shattered the hospital's windowpanes and hit
the emergency room and maternity ward, forcing everyone
there to run for cover. (The Kathmandu Post, 8/12)

-- EU urges for immediate ceasefire: The European Union
(EU) has called on government and the Maoists to
declare immediate ceasefire and create conducive
environment for peace process at the earliest.
(Kantipur, 8/11)


3. OTHERS

-- Bush's belated greeting to Deuba: Seventy-two days
after Sher Bahadur Deuba was appointed prime minister,
the President of the United States, George W. Bush,
congratulated the former through a message delivered by
his ambassador in Kathmandu. "There is much work to be
done and your recent achievements in bringing into the
government some of the major political parties is a
significant step toward in setting up a structure to
achieve those goals," Bush said in his message
delivered by Ambassador James F. Moriarty. (The
Kathmandu Post, 8/14)

-- Deal signed to explore petroleum in Terai, Chure:
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and
Cairn Energy Public Limited Company of Britain signed
two separate agreements Wednesday for the exploration
of petroleum in the Terai and Chure hills in southern
Nepal. (Government-owned "The Rising Nepal," E/D, 8/12)

-- Finance Ministry's directive on accepting
assistance: The Finance Ministry has directed all
ministries to seek its prior approval before receiving
foreign assistance. The directive was issued after the
trend of opening personal accounts to carry out donor-
funded programs picked up. (Major dailies, 8/11)

-- DFID suspends program in 16 districts: Department
for International Development (DfID),the international
development arm of the British government, has
suspended its Community Support Program (CSP) in 16 out
of 24 districts in the mid and far-western regions of
Nepal. (www.neoalnews.com, 8/10)
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MORIARTY