Nepal

OCHA Nepal Situation Overview Issue No. 39, 15 Dec 2008 - 15 Jan 2009

Format
Situation Report
Source
Posted
Originally published
Origin
View original

Attachments

Highlights:

- Government's Koshi Displaced Returns Strategy Endorsed; Humanitarian support to Koshi displaced continues

- High food prices continue despite seasonal price reduction of certain commodities

- Strikes affect life of many in different ways

- Government talks team members consult with Terai groups as security operations continue

- District officials facing challenges from youths allied to political parties

- Terai-Madhes Democratic Party Withdraws from the Government

- Government seeks UNMIN Mandate extension for 6 months

- Nepal Electricity Authority Increases power cuts to 16 hours a day, causing difficulties in all sectors

- Avian Influenza detected in Nepal

Context

Political situation

On 15 December, the Constituent Assembly (CA) formed 14 committees (a 61-member Constitutional Committee, ten thematic and three procedural committees) for the Constitution-drafting process. Following consultations over membership of the CA committees, on 13 January, elections were held for all the chairpersons of the 14 Committees, who were then sworn in by the CA chairperson. At the same time, the chairpersons of the other 10 Legislature/Parliamentary committees were also sworn in.

Following the government's invitation to the Terai armed groups for talks in early October 2008, some progress was made in the talks between the government and Terai armed Groups. On 26 December, the government held talks with the United Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (U-JTMM) and both parties agreed among other things on suspension of armed activities, gradual release of U-JTMM jailed cadres after investigations and that the government would provide security to U-JTMM talk's team members during the talks.

On 28 December, another major Terai armed group Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM- Jwala Singh) indicated its readiness for talks subject to the government agreeing to release some of its Central Committee members from jail so as to join in the talks. Despite the talks, the government continued with the special security operations against armed activities in the East and Central Terai Districts (See Safety and Security below).

During this period, Royalist Hindu fundamentalist groups stepped up their activities in the capital Kathmandu. On 27 and 28 December, two Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDs) were detonated in Kathmandu. On 1 January, another IED exploded in the city centre, injuring one person. Ranabir Sena, a Hindu Fundamentalist group which has been advocating for Nepal to remain as a Hindu Kingdom took responsibility for the explosions. In pamphlets found at the explosion sites, the group demanded the restoration of democracy, establishment of a Hindu Kingdom, and an end to atrocities committed by Communist Party of Nepal (CPNM)'s Young Communist League and UML's Youth Force (YF).

The group threatened to intensify its activities if the government failed to fulfil its demands. On 2 January, another Royalist fundamentalist group Shiv Sena threatened to launch a movement if the government took steps to undermine Hinduism.

On 1 January, the Terai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP), the fifth largest party in the CA, withdrew its support of the CPN-M led government, claiming that the government had failed to recognize it as a major party and also failed to fulfill its demands. TMDP announced that it would launch a peaceful movement from 12 January to press for its demands, which include conducting a new national census, dissolution of the Ministry of State Restructuring and stopping the allotment of jobs to non-Madhesis on the Madhesi quota through fake certificates.

The proposed recruitment of 2800 personnel into the Nepal Army (NA) as well as the stated intention of the CPNN-M to recruit an additional 16,000 CPN-M personnel, remains controversial. The United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) maintains new recruitment contravenes the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). A decision by the cabinet to temporarily suspend the NA recruitment was reported by the media to have been rejected by the Chief of Army Staff, who had reportedly indicated in a letter to the Defence Ministry that he will continue with the planned recruitment.

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) increased electricity power cuts in the capital and other cities to 16 hours a day. The cuts, which are scheduled to coincide with peak usage, continue to severely disrupt humanitarian, commercial and domestic activities in the Kathmandu valley and other parts of the country and have triggered protests by students and other unions.

On 30 December, the government sought extension of the mandate of UNMIN, which expires on 23 January, for a further 6 months. The request is due to be tabled before the UN Security Council on 16 January for discussion.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.