Special Issue: Social Inclusion Policies in South Asian States UNMIN: Extending Uncertainty Food Crisis: Hunger Strike '"li!R "l'-' ,,,: -~---'~-- SPOTLIGHTNEWSMAGAZINE 8 QUOTE UNQUOTE 2 BRIEFS 3 NEWSNOTES 4 MAOIST POLITBURO: Ra id Signals 7 FOOD CRISIS: Hunger Strike 15 UNMIN: Extending Uncertainty 14 OPINION : Dr. A.B. Thapa 16 Book : On Personal Diary 17 Seminar On : Social Inclusion Policies in South Asian States 18 CONSTITUTION WATCH : Professor REI SHIRATORI 22 CONSTITUTION WATCH : Manohar Prasad Bhattarai 23 FORUM: Tatsuo MIZUNO 24 INTERVIEW- Shanker Pokharel 12 Editor and Publisher : Keshab Poudel, Copy Editor: Ben Peterson, Corresponde nt: Saroj Dahal Marketing Manager : Madan Raj Poudel, Photographer : Sandesh Manandhar Cover Design/Layout : Hari Krishna Bastakoti Editorial Office : Phone/Fax : 977-1-4602807, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Office : Newplaza, Putalisadak, Tel: 4421846 Printers : Pioneer Offset Printers (P.) Ltd., Olllibazar, Kathmandu. Ph: 4415687 COO Regd. No. 148/063/64 NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE IJ uly 01-2009 j l QUOTE UNQUOTE "T he Maoists shou ld take responsibility for the parliament impasse." Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, addressing a publicfunction in Gothatar. "Just like heroes end up victorious in ftlms, we will win in politics." Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', at a function organized to welcome 94 film artistes into Unified CPN­ Maoisf fold. "I have asked Prachanda to head the high level political machinery to guide the government. l have told him that I • will also stay in it as a fi gurehead." Girija Prasad Koirala, former prime minister and president of Nepali Congress, in an interaction with reporters. "M aoists want to establish Gurilla supremacy in the name of people's Sanjay Shrestha, a r enowned supremacy." Michael Jackson, in BBC Nepali Nepali pop singer, on the death of Service. CPN-UML leader K.P.Shrama Oli, Michael Jackson, in Nagarik daily. in Kanlipur speaking at Madan Bhandari Memorial program. "L al Salam (Red Salute) comrade." "H e was literally the emperor of pop music. We were a ll affected by his kind Famous Nepali actor with die-heart "I am still a fan of Michael Jackson. ofmusie." monarchist background joining l have been thoroughly inspired by his before Maoist party before Maoist • Om Bikram Bista, famous Nepali style." chairman Prachanda in Jandisha. singer, mourning the death of TRANSITION advisor at the Ministry of Finance, by agreed to extend the mandate of the cabinet. UNMIN by another six months once APPOINTED: Shankar Pokharel, its expires on July 22. FORMED: A high-level party Minister for Information and mechanism comprising Prime Minister INSTRUCTED: Rakam Chemjong, Communications, as the spokesperson Madhav Kumar Nepal, Chairman Minister for Peace and Reconstruction, of the government. Jhalanath Khanal, General Secretary to hold talks with the armed groups in Dr. Yubaraj Khatiwada, as the vice lshwor Pokharel and Secretary Bishnu Terai, by the cabinet. chairman of National Planning Poudel, formed by the CPN-UML to DECIDED: The government bas Commission (NPC), by the cabinet. assist in smooth running of the decided to establish government. embassies in Keshab A chary~ as the chief economic Canada, Brazil, South Africa and EXTENDED: The government has Kuwait NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE I July 01-2009 j 2 BRIEFS Representative in Nepal Richard Ragan in a statement. "In observation of basic international humanitarian principles, l urge all protesting groups to allow safe and unhindered passage of WFP humanitarian relief convoys so that vital food assistance can reach Koshi flood victims in a timely manner," Ragan said. THE GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL IS MAKING significant efforts to eliminate human trafficking but has not fully met the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. says the US State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report. The annual report notes that Nepal still does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Tt says the government continued modest Newly Appointed Ministers Taking Oath of Office w ith President Dr. Rambaran Yadav efforts to prosecute traffickers and raise public PRIME MINISTER MADHAV sworn in Wednesday, the party's awareness on trafficking during the KUMAR Nepal on Wednesday (June Mah..Y,ndra Raya Yadav as the Industry reporting period, thougb its efforts to 24) expanded the Cabinet for the fourth Minister was sworn in on Thursday. So adequately punish labor trafficking time, adding six new faces. In the latest was the party's nominee as Minister of could be improved. Additionally, extension, the PM inducted five cabinet State for Industry Dan Bahadur trafficking-related complicity by ministers, representing two Terai-based Chaudhary. government officials remained a serious parties and a fringe party. Five new THE GOVERNMENT HAS problem in Nepal. Nepal maintains its ministers are two each from the REVERSED THE PREVIOUS status as a Tier 2 country in the US State Gachhadar faction of Madhesi government's decision to sack Chief of Department's report released on June Janadhikar forum (MJF) and the Terai Army Staff Rookmangud Katawal and 16. "Nepal is a source country for men, Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP) and appoint Lt. General Kul Bahadur women, and children trafficked for the one from Rastriya Prajatantra Party Khadka as acting CoAS. A cabinet purposes of commercial sexual (RPP). Meanwhile, PM Nepal meeting held at the Prime Minister's exploitation and involuntary servitude. administered the oath of office and office, Singha Dw·bar took the decision . Children are trafficked within the secrecy to the newly appointed ministers CoAS Katawal was sacked by the country and to india and the Middle amid a program in presence ofPresident Maoist-led government on March 3. East for commercial sexual exploitation • Dr. Ram Baran Yadav this afternoon. President Dr Ram Baran Yadav blocked or forced marriage, as well Sarat Singh Bhandari and Mrigendra as to India the erstwhile cabinet's decision by and within the Kumar Singh Yadav from MJF were country for involuntary asking Katawal to remain in position. servitude as domestic sworn in as Minister for Tourism and servants, circus Prachanda resigned the next day over e 11 terta1· ners factory workers or Civil Aviation and Agriculture and ' the s ame issue. ' Cooperatives respectively. Likewise, b eggars. " A ccor d e·m g t o th report , Ram Chandra Singh Kusawaha and UN WORLD FOOD PROGRAM NGOs working on trafficking issues Ganesh Nepali from the TMLP were HAS CALLED ON protesting groups reported an increase in both sworn in as the Minister for Education, to allow safe and unhindered passage transnational and domestic trafficking and the Youth and Sports respectively. of humanitarian relief convoys- food during the reporting period, although Deepak Bobara of the RPP has been assistance - across the Terai. As a a lack of reliable statistics makes the appointed the Minister for Forest and result of ongoing strikes in the Terai problem difficul t to quantify. NGOs Soil Conservation. He also administered called by various groups, the WFP has estimate that I 0,000 to 15,000 Nepali the oath of office and secrecy to Man been unable to deliver more than 400 women and girls are trafficked to India BahadurShahioftheCPN-MLasState metric tons of food assistance to annually, while 7,500 children are Minister for Land Reforms. Though thousands of food-insecure Koshi flood trafficked domestically for commercial only two ministers from theTMLPwere victims, said WFP Country sexual exploitation." • NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE I July 01-20091 3 Chandra Acharya. Apart from that Nepal, the government should strictly Menon also met with top leaders of deal with the protests. He also assured major political parties including fonner of India's support in th is regard. Jana Prime Minister and Nepali Congress Astha weekly reports President Girija Prasad Koirala, fonuer NTH Launches Campaign In Prime Minister and Maoist Chairman India Pushpa Kamal Dahal, CPN-UML With the obj ecLive of promoting Chairman Jba lanath Khanal and Nepal among the Indian consumers Madhesi Janadhikar Fomm leader and targeting Indian summer holiday season Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya in New Delhi. Nepal Tourism GacW1edar. Menon bad arrived in the Board(NTB) in partnership with Nepal capital for a two-day visit on Santrday. Embassy, New Delhi, Nepal Airli nes Compiled from reports Menon Refutes Reports Of and Nepalese Private Sector companies Ex King Gyanendra to speak has launched consumer promotion Border Encroachment out? campaign in two big shopping malls Indian Foreign Secretary Shiva Ex King Gyanendra who has been of New Delhi, India in different dates Shanker Menon Sunday (June 21) keeping mum over the poli tical from 19-21 and 26- 28 June 2009, says reiterated his government's developments in the country is said to a release from Nepal Tourism Board. commit•uent to extend support to Nepal be preparing to speak out. According The consumer promotion program has in its transition to multiparty democracy to sources close to Nirmal Niwas, the been initiated to further position the and the ongoing peace process. Menon, ex King is anxious with the "Nepal Tourism Year-201 l" campaign whose visit comes close on the heels of deteriorating political situation. And he to achieve substantial growth in tourism reports that Indian side encroached is preparing to speak out in one way or industry through new programs. The Nepali territory in various Indo-Nepal the other on the occasion of his birthday Nepalese tourism promotion among bordering points, however, refuted that on Asar.23 (July 7). Meanwhile, to mark Indian consumer was launched from there has been unnecessary propaganda his 63rd bi1ihday, a committee has been 19-21 June 2009 at V3S East Center and publicity regarding the invasion of formed headed by forrner ambassador Mall in New Delhi in the first phase. A Nepali soil by India. "The fact is 98 Khil endra Prasad Pandey.