F OCHA Nepal Situation Overview Issue No. 32, covering the period 27 July – 9 August 2008 Kathmandu, 10 August 2008 Highlights: • Government formation delayed again, still no consensus among largest political parties • Election for new Prime Minister announced • More explosions, abductions and violence in Eastern Region • Strikes and protests continue, affecting several regions of the country • VDC secretaries halt work for an indefinite period demanding security • Food shortage worsening in several districts in Mid- and Far-Western Regions CONTEXT Political situation The government formation was delayed again as the largest Meanwhile, on 10 July, the President asked CA Secretariat to political parties failed to resolve power sharing issues. On 29 conduct the election of the PM and the date has been fixed for July, President Ram Baran Yadav had officially asked the 15 August. The PM is elected by a majority vote of the 596 Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) to form a members of the CA so far sworn in and the candidate needs at government of national consensus. A majority of the 25 political least 298 votes to be elected . parties representing the Constituent Assembly (CA) already have given a green signal to a Maoist-led government based on the Safety and security unity of all parties. On 2 August, the Maoists tabled a proposal for a common minimum programme (CMP) to form the next government during the 25-party meeting at the CPN-M parliamentary party office in Singha Durbar. The 50-point CMP, divided into five groups, focused on maintaining national unity, implementation of a federal democratic republic, state restructuring, lasting peace and guarantee of peace and security, immediate relief package, reconstruction and revolutionary reforms and socio-economic transformation. However, the next three largest parties said that the Maoist-proposed CMP needed more work as it largely focussed on the Maoist agenda and failed to address the issues of all parties. Missing the deadline on 5 August to reach a consensus to form the government, the Maoist leaders requested the President to extend the deadline for three more days to reach a consensus. A taskforce comprising of senior leaders of the four parties, Dev Gurung from CPN-M, Bhim Rawal of UML, Bimalendra Nidhi of NC and Upendra Yadav from MJF, was formed to draft the CMP and agree on power-sharing in order to find a way to end the political deadlock and create an environment of mutual political trust. But the parties missed the extended deadline again due to lack of consensus on the CMP, sharing of ministerial portfolios and http://www.un.org.np/reports/maps/OCHA/2008/2008-08-05- lack of implementation of past pacts. While the taskforce had SecurityJuly1-31Final.pdf been intensifying efforts for a national unity government, top party leaders from NC and UML had been expressing doubts The Eastern Region is under tension due to frequent incidents about the Maoists leading the government and were already of explosions, abductions and violence. On 31 July, an talking about alternative solutions. Ex PM and NC President unidentified group abducted a local of Biratnagar-14 in Morang Girija Prasad Koirala and CPN-M Chairman Prachanda had district. On 31 July, an unidentified gang abducted a farmer of been busy meeting UML leaders to get their support. The NC Rampura Malhaniya VDC of Saptari. On 1 August, an and CPN-M leaders were mostly at loggerheads over the unidentified gang detonated a bomb at the house of a lawyer in sharing of top ministries, with the Defence ministry a key Rajbiraj municipality-5. On 4 August, an unidentified group sticking point. Negotiations between the Maoists and UML abducted a former Nepal Army soldier from Dhankuta district. appear in better shape but are by no means conclusive at this On 3 August, an unidentified group shot and injured civilians point. Disagreement between the Maoists and NC had clearly from Arnaha VDC of Sarlahi. On 4 August, two persons were put an obstacle to reaching final consensus over forming the injured when an explosive device went off at a teashop in government, according to national newspapers. During the Biratnagar, Suditole. On 5 August, the Madheshi Mukti Tigers reporting period, there was still no sign the top parties (MMT) exploded an IED at a local businessman’s house in reaching a consensus, however, they had been intensifying a lot Inaruwa of Sunsari district. In Mahottari, conflict victim of negotiations to form a unity government. Bishnu Maya Thapa was looted when she was returning OCHA Nepal Situation Overview, Issue No. 32/1027 July 2008 1 home with money provided by Home-Ministry as seeking basic services due to the lack of decision-making compensation after her husband was killed by cadres of authority allocated to acting heads of offices. JTMM-Jwala Singh few months ago. Jwala Singh-led Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-J) cadres have Operational space intensified their donation drive. Similarly, Kirant Janbadi Workers Party (KJWP) have also asked donations from the According to NGO staff in Dhanusha and Mahottari districts, VDC secretaries of Khotang and VDCs of Udayapur in Bhojpur the working environment of NGOs in these districts is district. Limbuwan activists continue with their donation seriously affected by activities of armed groups. As per demands from local civilians. They are demanding around Rs district level information, Care Nepal and CARITAS have 2-4 million from business community. suspended their programmes in Dhanusha for the time being. Strikes and protests continued during the period in several regions of the country. On 29 July, Madhesi Janadhikar Humanitarian Forum (MJF) cadres called a general strike in Siraha, Saptari, Rautahat, Bara and Parsa districts protesting the Protection vandalism of the party central office in Kathmandu by The movement of the bonded agricultural labourers Haliyah student unions of other largest parties agitating against Vice community in the FWR is gaining momentum. On 4 August, President Parmananda Jha taking oath of office in Hindi a Haliyah family received land from the landlord due to the language in July. More than three dozen vehicles were initiative of the CDO and Dalit Network in Baitadi District. vandalized for defying the strike. Ambulance drivers also The Haliyah family had worked for three generations for the called an indefinite stop to their operations in Rajbiraj after landlord’s family. In 2007, the Haliyah family filed a case MFJ cadres vandalized and beat up the driver of an against the landlord at the DAO. In July 2008, Haliyah ambulance. On 30 July, activists of Madhesh Youth Forum warned they would capture public land if the demands went affiliated to MPRF set fire to all copies of Kantipur and unheard and accused the government of not seriously Annapurna Post in Birgunj for not favourably reporting their addressing the Haliyah requests. It is estimated that more protests. On 3 August, UML-affiliated Youth Force (YF) than 1,276 Haliyah families live in the FWR region. staged a protest rally at Gulariya of Bardiya District to pressurize authorities to take action against those involved in On 3 August, the Network of Women Human Rights the murder of UML District member and former Mayor of Defenders (NWHRD) demonstrated half naked in the Gulariya Municipality in July. Kathmandu to put pressure on political parties to find justice for Laxmi Bohara who was allegedly killed on 6 June by her The Tharu Welfare Council and other Tharu based in-laws. Bohara was a Female Community Health Volunteers organizations called a strike on 4 August against the Vice (FCHV) and a woman activist at Daijee village of President. On 6 August, the Kailali Chamber of Commerce and Kanchanpur district. Following an agreement with the Industries (KCCI) resumed its protest programmes against the MOHA, the strikes, including the relay hunger strike that truck Syndicate System by ceasing trucking services in the lasted 20 days, ended on 6 August. FWR. The Nepalgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) also announced from 8 August that it will stop the The Raji community ended its 10 days of protest in Bardiya loading trucks or delivery the goods. Since 3 July, an indefinite on 4 August. The protest began following the dismantlement strike July was called by Kanchanpur Loan Users Council of a Raji settlement by the Janagagriti Community Forest (KLUC) with their demands to relinquish of the loans taken Users’ Group (JFUG) and District Forest Office (DFO) at during the period of conflict from the State-owned Rastriya Bhaniyabhar VDC in Bardiya District on 24 July. The Raji Banijya Bank (RBB) and Agricultural Development Bank community, as a recognised indigenous group, had (ADB) in Mahendranagar. According to reports, the CPN-M agreements with the local authorities and communities had persuaded the small farmers not to repay loans. The regarding the use of the land. The protests ended following a Eastern regional office of Agriculture Development Bank in meeting of the district authority, representatives of Raji Morang district also failed to collect Rs 1.5 billion loan community, parties, human rights organizations, NGOs, Civil provided to the farmers after Maoists persuaded small farmers Society and the Federation of Forest Users’ Group not to repay their loan. The Rukum Chamber of Commerce (FECOFUN) agreed to allow Raji to stay at Khurkhurae Phata and Industry (RCCI) called a strike in Rukum from 6-7 August Ward-7 in Bhaniyabhar VDC until the government decided to in protest against the failure of the District Development resettle the Raji in another area. Committee (DDC) to maintain the Salyan (Shreenagar)-Rukum road. UNICEF and the Child Protection Cluster organized a regional Child Protection in Emergencies training on 29 and Reach of the State 30 July in Biratnagar.