Confrontation or Conciliation: Dilemma of Political Parties: Nepal update 23.

South Asia Analysis Group

Note No. 163

06. 11. 2002

Confrontation or Conciliation: Dilemma of Political Parties: Nepal update 23.

by Dr. S. Chandrasekharan

The Political Parties are themselves to blame for the current crisis. The political parties which have been left out in the cold in the formation of a new cabinet with a Prime minister selected by the King, are making strenuous efforts to regain the initiative they lost in recommending postponement of elections beyond the statutory limits. Given to dissension both among and within themselves they are unable to evolve a cogent strategy to meet the new situation. Two individuals would be laughing at their pathetic condition- one, King Gyanendra and the other Prachanda the leader of the Maoists.

Two of the Six party alliance, the Nepal Sadhbhavana Party and the Praja Tantra Party are poised to join the government when the cabinet will be expanded after the festival period. The UML is making sufficient noise about "conciliation" with the King in the hope that the King would review his position and form a national government with representatives of all main stream parties in which UML could have a considerable say. Consider the position and the contradictions of the parties when only on October 21, the six party alliance pledged to jointly to "fight all regressive steps against multi party democracy and achievement of 1990 people’s movement."

The Nepali Congress of G. P. Koirala

Koirala declared that the King has breached the norms of a constitutional monarch and that there is a vital need to bring back the King under the constitutional framework at the earliest. The problem is, how does one do it? One of the central committee members Narahari Acharya questioned the very efficacy of the constitution and said that a new constitution through a constituent assembly would be necessary. Chakra Prasad Bastola considered close to G. P. Koirala opted for a constituent assembly in the cwc meeting. Ramchandra Paudel, former Deputy Prime minister under Koirala ruled out the idea of elections to the constituent assembly. The cwc itself which met on October 22, witnessed a majority of members opting for the constituent assembly, though Koirala in the end overruled his colleagues and stuck to the point that the King’s action was an aberration of the constitution that needs to be corrected.

The UML and Madhav Nepal:

Jhalanath Khanal of UML while ruling out confrontation with the King made the strange suggestion that the relationship between the King and the parties must be improved. This according to UML would be reconvening the assembly under article 128 of the constitution and the formation of a national government where the UML would participate- rather an impractical suggestion.

Rashtriya Prajathanthra party of Surya Bahadur Thapa:

Surya Bahadur Thapa lamented that his party colleague Chand was appointed as Prime minister without the party’s consent, but he was not willing to demand the resignation of Chand or suspending Chand for accepting the post of prime minister under the orders of the King..

The NSP of Badri Prasad Mandal:

The NSP while sticking onto the six party alliance in opposing the King’s action in taking over all executive powers under 127 of Constitution, was quite willing to let its President take over as Dy. Prime minister under the powers vested with the King under the same provisions of the constitution! What is more, there are indications that NSP will be providing one more minister to the new government!

Thus the political parties have lost all initiatives and the field is left to the King and the Maoists. This is a dangerous development. It would be better for all the parties to accept the realities, cooperate with the Chand government in dealing with the Maoist menace first before thinking of reforming or redoing the Constitution. The country is in bad straits. This is not the time to discuss on the nuances of the constitution or the role of the King. Law and order has deteriorated to a great extent. People are afraid to venture out after evening even in Kathmandu not to talk about remote areas. Tourism, the main money earner has come to a standstill and the economy is in a bad shape.

Maoist Chairman Prachanda reiterated his party’s position to a round table conference and this time he wanted the King’s participation. In a statement made on October 25, he suggested two options- one, the formation of the constituent assembly and new constitution through talks between (his) party and all the other major political parties of the country including the intellectuals and the King . . . For this the King needs to demonstrate the kind of sacrifice (here sacrifice means give up power)which could ultimately benefit the nation and the people." The second option was an open threat- otherwise "the people at large would be left with no option but go ahead with (their) decisive and historic struggle. " Thus he has thrown an open challenge to the King and the confused political parties.

An update of Maoist incidents since the update of 20^th September is given as an appendix Some points that need to be emphasised are

* For the first time, the Army had a stunning success when Maoists attacked the army post at Rumjatar, Okhaldhunga. The Army had prior intelligence and the garrison though small in number fought well and the Maoists had to retreat after suffering heave losses. The incident was all the more remarkable in that the army men fought on and did not abandon the post although their leader Captain Thapa was killed in the first few minutes.

* For the first time there was a major bank robbery by the Maoists near Simara of Bara district which was not affected by the Maoist menace earlier. Eye witnesses say that of the twelve intruders a majority appeared to be Madhesis, a surprise development. There was an attack on a bus from Kathmandu at Sarlahi by the Maoists resulting in the death of two and seriously injuring many more.

* There have been many incidents in the Terai during this period and it is a question of time before the entire Indo Nepal border adjoining lawless Bihar and Uttar Pradesh becoming disturbed with extremists on both sides becoming inter-supportive and having joint raids in Indian territory also. This is a development which Government of India will have to keep a watch and take remedial measures.

* The Home ministry and the Army have issued an official release on the casualties due to the insurgency from its inception from February 1996. 6011 Maoists rebels, 873 civilian policemen, 773 civilians, 97 armed policemen and 219 army personnel have been killed. The figures relating to Maoist casualties appear to be high while those of the civilians appear to be low.

* A study of the incidents relating to the Maoists shows that 55 districts out of 75 have been considerably affected. The remaining districts except those in the high Himalayas like Mugu have had incidents. The list could be classified as worst affected 11 in number, badly affected another 13 in number and the remaining 31 districts as affected. The following is the list

Worst Affected:

1. Dolpa, 2. Rukum, 3. Rolpa, 4. Jajarkot, 5. Sallyan, 6. Piuthan, 7. Gorkha, 8. Sindhuli, 9. Arghakanchi 10. Dang, 11. Lamjung.

Badly Affected:

12. Acham, 13. Dailekh, 14.,Kabhre, 15. Ramechap., 16. Terathum, 17. Bhojpur, 18. Dhading, 19. Tanahu, 20 Parbat, 21. Kailali, 22. Doti , 23. Pasnchathar, 24. Solakhumbu.

Affected:

25. Surkhet, 26. Palpa, 27. Nuwakot, 28. Kathmandu, 29. Bhakthapur, 30. Lalitpur, 31. Siraha 32. Jhapa, 33. Ilam, 34. Khotang. 35. Okhaldunga, 36. Jumla, 37. Kalikot , 38. Syangja, 39. Gulmi, 40. Makwanpur, 41. Sarlahi, 42. Dholaka, 43. Udaipuir, 44. Bardiya, 45. Bhojpur, 46. Kanchanpur, 47. Baglung, 48. Sunsari, 49. Bajura, 50. Chitwan, 51. Dhamgadhi, 52. Rautehat, 53. Taplejung, 54. Parbat, 55. Kaski.

A list of incidents by Maoists from the last update is given herewith in the forma of an Appendix.

Date                        Incidents

September 2002

17            The terrorists brutally killed six civilians in Jumla, Banke, Nawalparasi and Surkhet districts. In Jumla, the rebels killed a forest guard identified as Hari Bhakta Raut and 30-year-old woman Dhana Laxmi Pandey, both from the Hanku Village Development Committee (VDC).   In Banke they killed two civilians – Ram Prasad Tharu of Naubasta VDC-1 in Banke and Hansaraj Chaudhary of Belwa VDC-3 of Bardiya district. In Surkhet they killed Lok Prasad Kandel, former ward member of Satakhani VDC-8. In Nawalparasi, the body of 18-year-old Rabin Tiwari, a resident of Argheuli VDC-9, was recovered who was knifed to death in the jungle of Mainaghat.

                The terrorists abducted erstwhile Chairman of the Achham District Development Committee, Krishna Prasad Jaishi, and district committee member of the CPN-UML, Bhim Jalala, from Sanagaon bordering Achham and Doti districts.

19            Group of 40 to 50 armed terrorists set ablaze a helicopter of the Karnali Air Pvt. Ltd., 9NAEY (BK117) after forcing the passengers on board out of the chopper. The pilot and two passengers - have been kidnapped.

                Two army men were killed and two others sustained injuries in separate incidents of Maoist attacks in Chitwan and Surkhet. In Surkhet a soldier of the Royal Nepal Army died instantly and two others sustained injuries in a landmine blast laid by the terrorists near Sotkhola River along the Surkhet-Jumla highway. In Chitwan the terrorists on bicycles shot dead 26-year-old Lance Corporal Akash Kumar Mahato at his home at Gunjanagar VDC-9. The value of government property destroyed by the massive terrorists attack on Sandhikharka, district headquarters of Agrakhanchi, amounts to Rs 580 million.

20            In Banke, the terrorists surrounded Bhandariya village of Bageswori VDC from all sides and beat two elderly people to death.

21            The terrorists set ablaze documents of five Village Development Committees, a sub-health centre and a post office. In Dhading they abducted four cadres of the CPN-UML.

                In another incident, an attempt was made to abduct Hom Dulal, a district committee member of Deuba Congress in Ilam. A group of terrorists stormed into the house of the VDC secretary Nanda Ram Bhusal and severed both of his hands in Pyuthan.

22            A five-year-old girl was killed instantly after a    bomb carried by one of the terrorists exploded suddenly in a terrorists shelter in Fattepur Village Development Committee (VDC), Banke.

23            Two soldiers were injured, one of them seriously, in a seven hour long gunfight in Rukum’s Basnet Gaon.

                Terrorists killed Bhim Bahadur Bogati, Treasurer of Doti District Working Committee affiliated with Deuba faction. Three soldiers were killed and four others sustained injuries in the Pawang area of Rolpa, where the security personnel clashed with the terrorists.

24            In Damak, Jhapa a group of armed-terrorists looted property worth Rs. 800,000 breaking into a shop in Madhumalla VDC of Morang.

                In Dhading the terrorists announced a death sentence for Jayaram Shrestha, area committee secretary of the CPN-UML and vice-president of Democratic National Youth Association, UML’s youth wing, on charges of assisting the security forces. He was one of the eight UML cadres abducted by the rebels on 21September.

25            In Rautahat and Morang the terrorsits killed cadres of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML and hacked to death an NC cadre, Rajendra Sahani. In Morang, rebels killed Khadga Bahadur Rai, 45, a UML cadre and former ward member of Ramite Khola VDC. In Dhading, a group of terrorists set ablaze a historically important palace at Jyamrung.

27            In Pokhara the terrorists set fire on Begnas Resort located in an isolated area of Begnas. In another incident, they abducted two cadres of the CPN-UML from Bharat Pokhari VDC, where the UML cadres were holding village-level political meeting.   In Sindhupalchok district, they shot dead Mitra Bahadur Danuwar at constituency-3 and Chhatra Giri, the ex-chairman at Jyamire VDC-4.

29            The terrorists killed Hira Bahadur Chhetri, former chairman of consituency-1 of the Nepali Congress, after abducting him from his home in Argha Village Development Committee in Arghakhanchi. A group of 15 to 20 terrorists destroyed a tower and communication sets of Phaplu Airport in Solukhumbu.

30            The terrorists damaged about Rs. 600,000 worth properties of the Galaxy Public School. Two army men lost their lives in a landmine blast planted by the terrorists in the Jogbudha area of the far-western hill district of Dadeldhura. In Pokhara the terrorists set ablaze the office of Diamond Boarding School a private school at Talchowk in Lekhnath. Property worth Rs. 200,000 was damaged by the fire.

October 2002

1              Schools and campuses in the capital remained closed due to threats by terrorists, who called for a two-day strike against educational institutions.   A group of terrorists killed Bishnu Datta Sharma Dawadi, erstwhile chairman of Simjung Village Development Committee and former headmaster of a local high school. They planted bombs in Dholahiti area of Lalitpur.   A 27-year-old woman was injured during crossfire in Mahat village, hill district of Rukum. The terrorists carrying out their money collecting business in most of the VDCs of the Parbat district, demand Rs. 50 monthly from junior clerical level employees (Mukhiya), Rs. 100 from employees at the Khardar level and Rs. 250 per month from employees above the Khardar level. From local industrialists, businessmen, and the general populace starting with minimum Rs. 100 and going up to Rs. 1,000 to 2,000 on monthly basis.

5              In one of the cruel acts, the terrorists set ablaze an office building of St. Mary’s School located at Prithvi Narayan Municipality-10, damaging property worth more than Rs. 2 million at midnight. A bucket-bomb was planted by the terrorists targeting the Land Revenue Office in Mahendranagar, the district headquarters of Kanchanpur.

7              In Sindhupalchowk a group of terrorists set a range post on fire in Baharabise. the They left behind four socket-bombs, in Kewaljung Gulm. They killed two cadres of the CPN-UML in Dhading and a primary-level lady teacher in a remote village of Humla district. In Parbat, terrorists seized the key of a bulldozer after its owner refused to provide them with Rs. 500,000 in cash. In Rolpa, armed-terrorists set several government offices on fire in Holeri.

8             In Baitadi terrorists destroyed two office buildings of the District Irrigation Office and set fire to office documents and furniture of the Woman Development Branch in Patan Bazaar. In Nuwakot they brutally killed Ram Bahadur Gurung, the former chairman of Kumari VDC and regional convention representative of the Nepali Congress. The terrorists attacked headwork of Khimti-1 and Jhankre Power Project on damaging property worth Rs. 20 million.

10            The terrorists brutally killed two civilians and set five houses on fire in remote villages of the eastern hill district of Khotang. They set five houses on fire in Nerpa VDC. They planted landmine at Masot hill of Laxmipur VDC.

12            One person was killed while nine others injured when unidentified rebels detonated a bomb at a statue of Late King Mahendra in downtown Kathmandu.

13            Letter bombs were delivered to some people. Retired Army Chief Gen. Sachit S J B Rana was not injured when a letter bomb delivered by suspected terrorists exploded at his home in Jorpati. Jagat Gauchan, a prominent leader of the RPP and a sportsman of national stature, was slightly injured while opening a letter at his residence. The Maoists beheaded one Mahendra Rai of Halaunchha VDC, some 12 km from Bhojpur district headquarters.

15            The terrorists blasted the District Forest Office in the far western district of Dadeldhura in the morning destroying completely the forest office.

16            The terrorists destroyed the non-profit school was run by J Varughese, an Indian pedagogue in Kailali. They ransacked the offices and blew up the main building after wiring it up with explosives. They also shot dead a man and injured his son at Sunakoti in Lalitpur.

17            Mohan Kumar Khatri, a retired Major of the Royal Nepal Army, of Mude of Jethal Village Development Committee (VDC), was killed by the terrorists in his own resort at Mude bordering Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha district. They also set ablaze two private buses and a motorcycle parked in the premises of the resort. In Dipayal, the district headquarters of Doti they killed Gopal Bohara, 40, a resident of Jogbudha VDC of Dadeldhura.

18            A man, Run Bahadur Gurung, was killed in the cross-fire between the security forces and the terrorists. They also murdered a headmaster and CPN-UML party man, Manilal Sharma at Singa VDC in Myagdi district

19            A woman vegetable vendor was killed when a bomb set by the terrorists exploded at Okutole in Banepa town in Kavre district. An RNA vehicle was slightly damaged when it ran into an ambush laid by the terrorists near Bhedetar in Dhankuta district.

20            A group of terrorists rebels shot dead Head Constable Binod Kumar Mishra assigned at Samanpur area police station.

                In Dang, the terrorists exploded a powerful bomb on a bridge over the Mushot Khola lying on the Ghorahi-Lamahi Highway

21            Th terrorists have recently imposed a sanction on the import of consumer goods to Rukum’s district headquarters, Musikot as revenge against the security forces. The terrorists set fire to five VDC offices and a range post.

They planted two pressure-cooker bombs in Mamangkhe area of Taplejung district.   A group of armed terrorists barged into three shops and a dozen houses at a remote VDC in the south-west of Rautahat district and escaped with cash and kind worth around Rs. 300,000 on Monday night,

22            The Maoist-called bandh paralysed normal life in Rapti Zone. It affected transportation sector severely. Two soldiers of the Royal Nepal Army were killed and six others injured after a group of terrorists opened fire at a joint patrol team of the security forces in the Kuirepani area of Dang district. A lady died when a terrorist planted bomb exploded at Okutol..   In Sindhupalchowk they shot dead Harka Bahadur Tamang, former Pradhan Pancha of a Bansbari VDC, at his home.

23            A woman injured in crossfire during clashes with the rebel fighters in Rajapur. In Salyan, a military officer was injured after a group of terrorists opened fire at an army patrol in Sitalpati area, according to our Dang-based reporter.

The terrorists also set fire to a petrol pump at Sukhipur Bazaar and burned a building of Pipra VDC. In Mahendranagar, a group of terrorists beat to death a Nepali Congress cadre, Prem Bahadur Malla.

Yet another report from Kailali stated that the terrorists locked up 35 houses belonging to security personnel in Sankhar Deepnagar. They also looted foodstuff and burned a tractor after breaking into the house of Kashinath Joshi, a former assistant minister during the Panchayat era.

24            In Siraha a group of armed-terrorists set a passenger bus belonging to Agni Travels on fire on the busy East-West Highway near Medinipur, located about five kilometres west of Lahan, Siraha’s district headquarters. In Myagdi, the terrorists have sent letters to many people, including government employees, asking for financial support. Maoist demands range from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 100,000 depending upon the financial status of the individual.

25                  Terrorists killed a civilian, Prem Bahadur Thapa, a former ward member of Rajkut VDC, about 50 kilometres from the district headquarters, Baglung. The terrorists also abducted Tejendra Thapa, a local student leader of All-Nepal National Free Students Union. in Surkhet . The postal service in the mid-western region has virtually come to a grinding halt after the terrorists prevented postmen from carrying mail to the region. Postal service is the only reliable means of communication there as the terrorists have destroyed the few phone facilities in the region.

A group of 12 to 13 armed Maoist terrorists barged into the Everest Bank branch at Simara today at around noon escaping with about Rs. 3.8 million. a group of armed terrorists shot dead an activist of CPN-UML at Godahigudhi VDC. The terrorists set on fire a police post and four VDC offices in Sarlahi district. They also set ablaze Aurahi, Kailasi, Jamuniya and Hempur VDC buildings.

26            The terrorists shot dead Nepali Congress activist Gageshwor Tharu in Samshergunj, Banke. One army captain and one soldier died in Sunday night's failed Maoist attack on Rumjatar airport The terrorists killed a political activist, burnt down a police post, four VDC buildings and a truck belonging to Nepal Trading Corporation (NTC). A one-day strike called by the warring terrorists in Banke and Bardiya districts. A group of armed terrorists destroyed Area Forest Office at Shitalnagar Debadaha of Makawanpur district by setting fire. They also set ablaze a motorcycle belonging to the office. They terrorists also set fire on a truck (Na 1 Kha 460) at Rihar area of Dang district. The fully loaded truck was heading towards Nepalgunuj from Birgunj.

27            One Captain of the Royal Nepal army are confirmed dead in a massive terrorists attack on the District Police Office and Rumjatar airport of Okhaldhunga district The terrorists bombed and destroyed the village development committee building at Shankerpur in Sarlahi. Three persons were injured as terrorists set off three separate blasts in the capital. One person was injured at Jai Nepal Chitraghar just across the Royal Palace and two at Lainchaur's Dairy Development Corporation. The explosions were set off prior to the Kathmandu valley strike called by the terrorists.

28            Life in the capital city has been crippled in the wake of the valley bandh called by the underground Nepal Communist Party (Maoist). The bandh called in a series, comes right after the “Tarai Bandh” on Sunday, which paralyzed normal life in the tarai region.

At least three unarmed soldiers of the Royal Nepal Army were killed and another one was seriously wounded when a group of terrorists attacked them at Bhorlegaon of Raluka Village Development Committee (VDC) on broad day light. The terrorists had followed these soldiers from Kabilas VDC, located about six kilometres away from the site of the incident, according to the villagers

29            Terrorist death toll in Okhaldhunga attacks has reached 34 with two more terrorists bodies recovered from the battlefield of Rumjatar airport.

Terrorists stormed the police post at Dumkibas near Butwal in the east-west Mahendra Highway and shot dead four policemen. Two were killed in Pachan area of Solukhumbu.

30            Three terrorists were killed in Lapchane Danda area of Ramechhap district while two others fell to army action in Mainatanda area of Surkhet district.

November 2002

1             Terrorists blasted a bomb at the premises of the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC) injuring one person and causing minor damage to the office.

2            A policeman was killed when he fell prey to a land mine laid by the terrorist at Kulung of Urlabari of Morang district.

4            Nov: Two passengers were killed instantly and 14 others sustained serious injuries after suspected terrorist hurled petrol bombs at a packed bus. The bus was on its way to Siraha from Kathmandu at Ganeshchowk in Sarlahi in the afternoon.

5            A gang of terrorists set ablaze the Umaza and Karaiya Village Development Committee offices in Kalaiya district burning completely the important papers and furnitures, Radio Nepal reported. Meanwhile, a group of unidentified persons barged into the house of Dev Narayan Yadav of Maheswor VDC and decamped with fourty thousand rupees. Terrorists also set ablaze the VDC buildings of Daprathi, Parasauni and Phattepur.

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