WEEKLY NEPAL MEDIA REPORT: March 9

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KATHMANDU 000481

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC PGOV PREL KMDR NP
SUBJECT: WEEKLY NEPAL MEDIA REPORT: March 9
to 15, 2004


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

WEEKLY MEDIA REPORT (March 9 to 15, 2004)


1. GOVERNMENT

-- NHRC submits list of dos to protect human
rights: The National Human Rights Commission
has submitted a memorandum to the government
urging the latter to immediately take
minimum steps to protect the human rights
situation in the country. The NHRC
statement said that the government's acts of
violation of human rights has led to
impunity adding that the NHRC findings
indicate that arbitrary or abusive use of
force and firearms by law-enforcement
officials still exists. (Centrist
"Kantipur," V/D and "The Kathmandu Post,"
E/D, 3/13)

-- New "draconian" TADA on anvil: The
government is preparing to introduce a more
stringent version of the Terrorist and
Disruptive Activities (control and
punishment) Act 2002, (TADA). The changed
TADA allows security forces to hold people
incommunicado for one year. The draft has
been sent to the office of the Attorney
General for final consideration. (The
Kathmandu Post, 3/10)

-- No shirking from holding polls, PM: Prime
Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa has expressed
unflinching commitment to hold the election
even if that demands going for highly
staggered polls whereby polling is conducted
in two phases in any single administrative
zone. (The Kathmandu Post, 3/10)

-- Govt. decides to open telecom sector: In
a step to revolutionize the country's
telecom sector, the government has decided
to completely open the telecommunications
services and to convert Nepal
Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) into a
company. (The Kathmandu Post, 3/10)


2. POLITICAL AFFAIRS

-- Koirala decries "foreign meddling":
Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad
Koirala Sunday came down heavily on the
"foreign and Nepali groups working for
conflict management" stating that
significant foreign intervention is being
seen in the country in recent days.
Indicating that the United States and India
have inter fered in Nepa 1 ' s internal matters ,
Koirala sa id , "Games are be ing pl ayed in
Nepal with weapons, barrages and dams."
According to him, several foreign and Nepali
groups have been earning dollars in the name
of conflict management because of regression
and terror." (Pro-India "The Himalayan
Times," E/D, 3/15)

-- NC unification process: Former prime
minister and president of Nepali Congress
( Democratic ) , Sher Bahadur Deuba , has sa i d
that unity with Nepali Congress was possible
only if his party was recognized as a
separate entity and treated with respect.
Deuba said, "Unity is impossible if they
expect us to shed our self-esteem to join
them." Dissolution of both the party's
central and local committee's and formation
of an ad-hoc committee are the key criteria
of NC (D) for unification Meanwhile, the
Nepali Congress is ready to issue an
informal letter in token of recognition of
Nepali Congress (Democratic). (Major
reports, 3/15)

-- Parties discuss including Maoists in the
movement: The five stirring political
parties Saturday decided to launch a
capital-centered protest and defiance
movement from April 2. They claim to bring
the capital to a standstill. They also
discussed the possibility of opening up
dialogue with the Maoists. "The meeting
could not take a final decision on that but
agreed to initiate discussion with the
Maoists," said People's Front leader Lila

Mani Pokhrel. (The Kathmandu Post, 3/14)
-- Parties mull relevance of monarchy:
Speaking during "third joint mock session"
of dissolved House of Parliament and
National Assembly on Thursday NC president
Girija Prasad Koirala said movement has to
go across two powers equipped with guns in
the country. "Our movement should end the
king's continuous trampling of democracy,"
said Koirala accusing the monarch "of
intending to impose arbitrary and autocratic
rule upon the people like a monarch of
eighteenth century." (Major reports, 3/12)


3. MAOIST INSURGENCY

-- Maoist blockade affects 16 districts:
Economic activity in 16 districts of the
western region has come to a grinding halt
as a result of the Maoist-imposed "economic
blockade" for over two weeks beginning March

7. The blockade that will remain in force
till March 23 has been imposed in 13
di stri ct headquarters of Gandak i , L umbin i ,
Dhawalagiri and Narayani zones. The rural
people have been told to stay away from the
district headquarters or face monetary fine
and physical action. The blockade has forced
all private transport trucks to retreat from
the middle of their destinations that has
already hit food supply in most parts of the
region. (The Kathmandu Post, 3/9-15)

-- Rebels abduct teachers, youth: Maoist
rebels have abducted 42 teachers from
various schools in Dadeldhura district to
get them involved in district conference of
the Maoist-aligned teachers' organization.
They have also abducted 14 youth including
three girls in Myagdi district to induct
them as Maoi st m i 1 i t ia . ( The Kathmandu Post ,
3/13 )
-- Maoists out on "long march": "Thousands
of Maoist rebels from Rukum, Rolpa and
Jajarkot have embarked on "long march"
towards northeast with the stated aim of
"seizing power in the center." They have
stuffed weapons and ammunitions, food and
other essentials in ponies and are
collecting more on the way. They are also
forcing the locals to join them The Maoists
have announced a three-day bandh (shutdown)
on April 6,7 and 8 while observing April 8
as Democracy Restoration Day." (Leftist
"Drishti," V/W, 3/9)


4. NEPAL-U.S.

-- Friendly football match: The government
officials and diplomats played a friendly
football match in an effort to raise funds
for chi ldren a f fected by the con fl ict .
Chief secretary Bimal Koirala led the
government team and the U.S. Ambassdor
Michael E. Malinowski headed the diplomats'
team. The diplomats won the match scoring
seven goals against the secretaries' two
goals. (Major reports, 3/14)

-- Americans' training Nepali army!: "The
American Army is training the Royal Nepal
Army (RNA) personnel, RNA confirmed
Thursday. The army spokesperson said that
the American and Nepali army have been
sharing their experiences for sometime He
also said that the visits by the American
Ambassador to the army barracks in Nepal are
simple. Gurung said that it was natural
that America would be interested in knowing
the development in mid-west since it has
invested a lot in the development of the
area . " ( Centri st "Nepa 1 Samacharpatra , " V/D ,
3/12 )

5. REFUGEE PROBLEM

-- Bhutanese leader issues SOS: Bhutanese
leader Ronthong Kinley Dorji said he fears
he could be deported to Bhutan by the Indian
side. The leader who has served a seven-
year jail term on various charges is being
deported on the request of the Druk regime.
It may be recalled that the case challenging
the extradition is pending in the Delhi High
Court and is in the advance stage of
verdict. (The Kathmandu Post, 3/15)

-- Refugees worry over coming aid reduction:
Peoples Forum for Human Rights Bhutan has
appealed donors, support groups and
neighboring countries to urge Bhutanese king
to hold dialogue with the dissident
Bhutanese leaders. Cautioning that the
refugee youth might be attracted to anti-
social activities and vi
olence if the
repatriation process is further protracted,
the Forum has appealed the donors to set
aside one-sixth part of the total grants and
assistance given to Bhutan for higher
education of the refugee students. (The
Himalayan Times, 3/13)

-- India to press Bhutan on refugees:
India's Foreign Secretary Shashank, who is
slated to visit Bhutan by the end of this
month, will press upon the Druk government
to resume the stalled bilateral process with
Nepal on the Bhutanese refugee issue. This
is to figure besides their bilateral talks.
When contacted, Secretary Acharya denied the
acknowledgement of the Indian assistance,
but said, "Any such move is highly welcome
if it helps to bring the derailed bilateral
process back on track." (The Kathmandu Post,
3/12)

6. BUSINESS/ECONOMY

-- WB approves loan: Despite strong
reservation of some of the directors of the
World Bank (WB) over "unacceptably slow"
progress on financial sector reform, the WB
approved US $ 75.5 million loan to Nepal to
support the country's ongoing efforts at
improving its Financial Sector Restructuring
Project Wednesday. The Financial Sector
Restructuring Project, the second phase of
the Financial Sector Technical Assistance
credit, approved by the World Bank in 2002,
is an attempt to address the critical
situation of the banking system in the
country. (Major reports, 3/11)

-- NDF meeting in May: Nepal Development
Forum's (NDF) meeting will be held in
Kathmandu on first week of May. Major donor
countries and agencies, including World
Bank, participates in the NDF meeting, which
is held every two years. It is estimated
that over 55 percent foreign aid is
necessary for Nepal to achieve the goals of
National Tenth Plan. (The Kathmandu Post,
3/9)


7. OTHERS

-- Journalists in double trouble: A report
released on Thursday blamed both the
government and the Maoist rebels for
attacking the freedom of the press. Both
sides are targeting journalists said the
report of the Committee to Protect
Journalists (CPJ). It has held the Maoists
responsible for a journalist's murder and
blamed the government for detaining over
hundreds of them. "The government detained
more than 100 journalists and the Maoists
were responsible for kidnapping and
torturing one and murdering at least one,"
says the CPJ's annual survey of global press
freedom condi t ions . The research says ,
rebels continued to threaten scribes whose
reporting criticized the 'people's war.'
(Media reports, 3/12)

MALINOWSKI