F OCHA Nepal Situation Overview Issue No. 18, covering the period 16 September-08 November 2007 Kathmandu, 8 November 2007 Hi ghlights: • Constituent Assembly (CA) election postponed • CPN-Maoist pull out of government • Re-unification of the Nepali Congress announced • Violence in Kapilbastu and Dang Districts leads to mass displacement • Respite in Violence by different groups to mark religious festivals • CPN-Maoist steps up its extortion drive countrywide • The second phase of registration of CPN-Maoist comb atants continues • Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) and other groups continue to affect the ‘reach of state’ • Humanitarian and Development actors continue to face access challenges • Diarrhoea outbreak in different parts of the country CONTEXT Republic and adopting a fully proportional electoral system. The session, which resumed on 11 October, was however Politics and Major Developments postponed to 29 October due to the Dashain holidays and to give time to the parties to consult further. On 4 November, On 18 September, four CPN-Maoist ministers in the interim following failure of the political parties to reach consensus government tendered their resignation to the Prime Minister even after intense negotiations, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist pursuant to their earlier threats. The CPN-Maoist cited the backed each other during a parliamentary voting session. failure of the other seven political parties in the government The Interim Parliament then endorsed the CPN-UML to reach an accommodation on the CPN-Maoist 22-point amendment proposal seeking the government to take demand. While the Prime Minister did not accept the concrete steps to hold the CA election, to declare the country resignations, the CPN-Maoist stepped up its campaign and a federal democratic Republic and to adopt a fully stated that they would oppose the planned Constituent proportional electoral system. Assembly (CA) election and launch fresh protest programmes unless Nepal was declared a republic prior to During the reporting period, the second phase of registration the election and a fully proportional electoral system adopted and verification of CPN-Maoist combatants at Surkhet and for the CA election. Kailali cantonment sites were completed. On 15 October, the second round of verification of CPN-Maoist combatants at On 25 September, following protracted negotiations and Rolpa continued before it was suspended for ten days due to subsequent Mahasamiti (general party) meeting, Nepali the Dhashain festival. The reporting period was also marked Congress (NC) party and the Nepali Congress (Democratic), with increased pressure by the CPN-Maoist leadership to the which broke away from NC in 2002, reunified. This re- government to honour its commitment and release the unification made NC the largest party in the interim allowances to the CPN-Maoist combatants who are staying in Legislature-Parliament. The reunified NC adopted a federal the cantonment sites. Following a cabinet decision on 8 republican platform, marking a historic shift in the party’s October, the government reportedly released three months approach to the monarchy and governance. worth of allowances for Maoist combatants, except for those that did not appear for second round of registration On 5 October, at the request of the government, the Election (verification). Commission (EC) announced the suspension of all electoral programmes previously scheduled for November 22. This Conflict and Security followed failure of the seven political parties to reach consensus on the mode of electoral system to adopt for the CA election. The CA poll was suspended after the CPN- The killing of local leader Moin Khan, a local Muslim and Maoist stuck to its demand for announcement of republic President, Democratic Madhesi Mukti Morcha, on 16 through the interim parliament and a fully proportional September triggered violence between different groups in election system while the Nepali Congress and other political Western region’s Kapilvastu District, which spread to Dang parties opposed the same. No new CA election date has been District on 20 September. Indefinite curfews were imposed fixed and the political parties agreed to announce a new date by the District Administration Offices in Kapilvastu and for the CA election after further consultations. Following the Dang to curb the violence. This violence, which assumed postponement of the 22 November CA election, the MPRF both ethnic (Pahadi-Madhesi) as well as religious (Muslim – leadership repudiated their previous agreement with the Non Muslim) facets led to confirmed death of 14 people and government and vowed to pursue its agitation for a fully left several others injured. The Ministry of Home Affairs proportional electoral system. At the request of CPN-Maoist, (MOHA) recorded the destruction of 325 houses and shops a special session of the interim legislature-parliament was in six Village Development Committees (VDCs), along with convened on 11 October to consider the issues of declaring a 155 vehicles torched and vandalized by mobs since 16 September. The Ministry also reported 20 houses being OCHA Nepal Situation Overview, Issue No. 18/October 1 damaged in Dang District. The violence, which has since Abductions and killings by different groups also continued to subsided, led to displacement of approximately 5000-7000 be reported across the country. On 8 October, JTMM (Goit) people. For more information, please see www.un.org.np for claimed responsibility for the shooting dead of a VDC the reports produced by OCHA on the Kapilbastu and Dang Secretary in Bara District. On 14 October, an unidentified situation. group is reported to have abducted a former VDC Secretary of Karderiya VDC in Eastern region’s Siraha District. On 16 October, a businessman was reportedly abducted in the same district by JTMM (Goit) on claims that he had refused to pay ‘tax’ to the JTMM faction. On 22 October, the JTMM (Goit) also reportedly abducted another businessman in Sarlahi District. The reporting period was also marked by increase in abductions carried out by CPN-Maoist in different parts of the country, principally targeting those affiliated to other political parties. On 13 October, CPN-Maoist is reported to have abducted a businessman in Eastern Region’s Bhojpur District on claim that he was selling a rare variety of tree products without the permission of CPN-Maoist. CPN- Maoist are also claimed to have been involved in the abduction of a journalist on 5 October in Bara District. The whereabouts of the journalist remained unknown despite calls for his release and high level advocacy efforts by the family members, human rights organisations and political parties until a committee set up by CPN-Maoist to probe the incident reported that the journalist had been killed by CPN- Maoist cadres in their ‘personal capacity’. Similarly, during Humanitarian Vehicle Burnt in Kapilbastu Photo Courtesy: OCHA the reporting period, three children were reported to have been abducted and subsequently killed in the vicinity of Kathmandu valley by abductors either to settle personal In view of the Hindu and Muslim festivals Dashain and Eid scores with the affected families or for ransom. Meanwhile, a Ul Fitr, a number of Terai groups announced that they had new group called ‘Ganatantrik Tigers’ claimed responsibility suspended their ‘military activities’ to give people an for two abductions in Mid Western region’s Dang District. opportunity to celebrate the widely respected religious ceremonies. The groups including Madhesi Mukti Tigers During the reporting period, Bandhs (Strikes) and blockades (MMT) and Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) called by various groups for a variety of reasons reduced in announced suspension of strikes and other activities between intensity due to the religious festivities. The period prior to 14 October and 25 October to give people time to peacefully the religious festivals was marked by widespread strikes and participate in the religious festivals. On 12 October, due to blockades by different groups. However, on 25 October, preparations for the Dashain and Eid festivals, the Federal CPN-Maoist and its affiliates organized short protest Limbuan State Council (FLSC) also suspended their strike programmes across the country to voice discontent over the which had been in operation in the Eastern region from 3 government decision to raise oil prices without due regard to October. On 24 October, JTMM (Jwala Singh) is reported to what the CPN-Maoist claimed to be corrupt practices within have announced an extension of suspension of ‘military’ Nepal Oil Corporation, the main supplier of Petroleum activities to 17 November to enable the people of Terai to products in the country. Since 30 October, government observe all the religious festivals. The move by the above employees in Eastern Region’s Saptari District have called mentioned groups led to marked reduction in the number of for closure of government offices to protest the shooting dead reported incidents, though abductions and other forms of of a District Development Committee (DDC) employee on 29 violence continued to be reported. October in Raj Biraj by unidentified assailants. The protesting government employees are demanding assurances Prior to the announcements by groups to suspend their from the government of their security and action against activities due to religious festivals as mentioned above, those who killed their colleague. bombings, killings, abductions, demand for ransom and other