A chopper carrying Mr. Crown Prince gave some unforgetful moments to Pokhara residents.

Royal chopper blows 4 roofs away

POST REPORT

POKHARA, Dec 23 - A chopper's downwash blew away the corrugated iron roofing of at least four houses at Lakeside, Pokhara Friday and broke the window glass at another building. The chopper that came here to fly Crown Prince Paras back to Kathmandu caused the damage while approaching via the residential area to land at Ratna Mandir helipad. "It was so close we felt it would touch our house," said Lalita Timalsena, a hotel entrepreneur behind Ratna Mandir, where the Crown Prince had been staying for the past one week. Window glass at her guest house was broken when hit by a neighbor's roofing.
The most affected in the area are shops belonging to Man Bahadur BK, Keshav Gautam, Man Kaji BK and Shiva Kumar Singh. Readymade garments and other goods in the shops swirled out onto the street.

Army personnel helped the locals restore their damaged roofs after the Crown Prince returned to Kathmandu. A child, Laxmi Gautam, daughter of Keshav Gautam, received minor injury when a flying roofing sheet hit her leg.

http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=60865

Royal Politician

In three weeks, Bista is another person


POST REPORT

KATHMANDU, Dec 23 - Fine, with time people change. But if you thought three weeks was too short a time for people to change, Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Keshar Bahadur Bista will prove you wrong. Consider this.

December 3: Talking to journalists at his party office in Lalitpur, Bista said elections were not possible under present circumstances. He also said the 12-point understanding signed by the parties and the rebels was a positive thing. He also urged the government to reciprocate ceasefire to create a conducive atmosphere for negotiations.

December 23: Speaking at a program organized by Reporters' Club Nepal, Bista said, "It is a matter of serious concern that the seven-party alliance has reached an understanding with the rebels, which is an unconstitutional force. He also urged political parties to participate in the upcoming municipal polls giving up their "rigid stance" on it. He even asked the seven parties, "Will you act under Maoists directives and announce similar program to boycott polls?"

What led to a complete turn around in Bista's thoughts in these three weeks? One wonders if there is anything else than the fact that he was appointed minister on December 7.

Journalists present at the program on Friday were quick to remind Bista about his previous remarks. A journalist asked him pointedly, " You are a person who resigned from a cabinet post on moral ground in the past when people died at Dashrath Stadium in a stampede, what led to such a moral erosion in you?"

Bista was evasive, and said, " Did you invite me here to pick on me?" On the possibility of holding polls, he said, "I joined the government sensing that there was a conducive environment for conducting polls."

He was also in a mood to lecture the seven-party alliance this time. "Leaders are speaking in most irresponsible ways. They are even threatening to take the government to the international court." He questioned: "Is there such a case of ethnic cleansing or suppression in the name of religious belief for a government to be taken to the international criminal court?" he asked.


http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=60867

Nepal digs out dollars for Chiese arms

Kathmandu, Dec. 26. — After floating a global tender for buying arms and ammunition, Nepal’s army has just spent more than $800,000 on buying arms and ammunition from China. The money was paid to Beijing’s Poly Technologies Incorporated for 18,000 grenades and 4 million rounds of 7.62 mm rifle ammunition that reached Kathmandu in November.
Though Nepal’s media had spotted the ammunition-laden trucks arriving in Kathmandu, the army had denied receiving any lethal supply. The transaction was confirmed by sources in Nepal Rastra Bank, the top bank in the country that drew up the letter of credit for the Royal Nepalese Army. The Chinese supplies came at a time Nepal’s official media has been accusing the Maoist insurgents of procuring arms from India under the guise of the cease-fire called by the rebels in September.
With India and the USA, the main suppliers of arms to the Royal Nepalese Army, suspending aid after King Gyanendra’s power grab , the government has been scouting for fresh supplies. With the civic elections impending and the Maoists having announced they would try to disrupt the polls, the fresh stock would come in handy for the government.
Nepal’s opposition parties have been urging arms donors to keep military aid to Nepal on hold, saying they fear it would be misused. On 15 December, an RNA soldier opened fire after a quarrel with villagers in Nagarkot, killing 11 civilians. A 7.62 mm bullet was found at the site.

Extend truce: Koirala
The seven-party alliance would ask Maoists to extend ceasefire only if the King created a conducive atmosphere by withdrawing the 8 February polls, Nepali Congress president Mr Girija Prasad Koirala has said. — Sudeshna Sarkar

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=8&theme=&usrsess=1&id=100757