Nepal Communist Party Withdraws from Commission; More Riots, Curfews Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit JUNE 4-5 NEWS UPDATE ON NEPAL source - www.nepalnews.com.np Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) Expresses reservation on Commission formation Kathmandu, June 5--The main opposition in parliament Tuesday issued a statement expressing "reservation" on the formation of a three member probe commission to investigate a carnage at the Royal Palace Friday evening in which King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya, King Dipendra and seven other royal family members or relatives were killed. King Gyanendra announced the formation of the Commission Monday in an address to the nation and asked it to report within three days; the new King promised he would make public the results of the probe. "We have reservations. The Commission should have been established through a cabinet decision and directive," party spokesman Pradip Nepal said. "The Commission should have been established through constitution procedure and existing law." Commission Chairman Chief Justice Keshab Prasad Upadhaya, Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhatt and leader of the main opposition in parliament Madav Nepal met for the first time Tuesday and discussed the issue with constitutional and legal experts, Pradip Nepal said. Other members of the Commission were not available for immediate comment. Madav Nepal issued a statement on the behalf of the party steering committee which also met Tuesday under his chairmanship. The Commission was announced after demonstrators demanded a probe into the killers of the royal family members as they went on a rampage on the streets of the capital and neighbouring Lalitpur where a curfew has been slapped for the second consecutive day to quell the violence; similar protests have been reported from other parts of the country. Agitators claimed a conspiracy behind the killings. "We disagree with the procedure in which it was formed," Madav Nepal said. The entire family of King Birendra was killed in the massacre; power has now been transferred to the brother of King Birendra. The implication is that the commission should have been formed by the government and not the King who is a constitutional monarch. Unofficial translation of the press release of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) Kathmandu, June 5: Unofficial translation of UML news release released by UML general Secretary Madav Nepal Tuesday. "The party's standing committee met today under the chairmanship of General Secretary Madav Kumar Nepal. The constitution of Nepal envisages constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy. The basic spirit of democracy is the supreme respect of the constitution and rule of law. Our party is committed to respecting the constitution. In this context, our party feels the formation of the Commission to investigate the abnormal and unprecedented incident at the Royal Palace on June 1 is not in conformity with the constitution and the prevailing laws. The Commission should have been formed as per the provisions of the constitution and law. Our party asks all that work should be conducted in a transparent manner and within the framework of the constitution and law. We politely want to convey that we disagree with the procedure of the formation of the Commission. To steer the country to the right direction under the present grave circumstances, we appeal to all to respect and follow constitutional norms." Madhav Nepal withdraws name from inquiry panel Kathmandu, June 5--CPN-UML General Secretary and opposition leader in Parliament Madhav Kumar Nepal withdrew his name from the high level probe panel constituted to investigate the recent incident in Royal Palace in which nine members of the Royal Family were killed. In a statement issued Tuesday, Nepal said that the formation of inquiry panel was not compatible with the constitution. "Thus, I humbly withdraw the name from the probe panel", Nepal said in the statement. The emergency meeting of the CPN-UML central committee was held Tuesday which instructed Nepal to withdraw his name from the investigation panel. King Gyanendra in a nationally broadcast message to the nation formed the three member high level inquiry panel headed by Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya to investigate the Royal Palace incident and submit the report within three days. Queen Komal's condition improving Kathmandu, June 5: The condition of Queen Komal recovering from a shoot-out at the Royal Palace Friday night in improving, latest health report issued by attending doctors said. Princess Komal, the wife of King Gyanendra, was declared Queen Monday night after the crowning of Nepal's new King. Princess Shova's condition is also progressing satisfactorily, the announcement said; she is the youngest sister of the King. The condition of Kumar Gorakh Shamshere Jung Bahadur Rana, the husband of late Princess Shruti, is stable and improving. Mrs. Ketaki Chester, cousin of the King, is undergoing reconstructive surgery to cover up the tissue loss in her left shoulder, doctors said. Meanwhile, a 12 hour curfew has been slapped for the second successive day in the capital and Lalitpur following another round of violence, police said. The curfew will be slapped from noon Tuesday. Curfew being imposed again Kathmandu, June 5--Following the second day of violence, curfew in being imposed in the capital and neighbouring Lalitpur for the second successive day from 12 PM Tuesday six hours after it was lifted at 5 AM, police said. A 13 hour curfew was imposed Monday in the towns after four people were killed, including a policemen, and more than 30 others were injured as police clashed with demonstrators demanding a probe into a massacre at the royal palace Friday night killing 10 members of the royal family and immediate relatives; several others injured are undergoing treatment at the Birendra Military Hospital at Chawani. King Gyanendra Monday night said he will make public the result of a probe that is investigating the shoot-out. Chief Justice Keshab Prasad Upadhaya heads the three member probe. " We have to be cautious and united as attempts could be made to undermine our national unity, sovereignty and nationality taking undue advantage of this unimaginable circumstances in the history of Nepal," the King said in an address to the nation Monday night. Meanwhile, authorities scotched rumours that started Monday the city's tap water and milk supplies were poisoned. Curfew has not been slapped in Bhaktapur. Dhirendra Shah also dead Kathmandu, June 4: Dhirendra Shah, 51, the younger brother of King Gyanendra also died Monday of injuries he suffered in the shoot-out at the Royal Palace, doctors treating him said. Dhirendra died at 5.57 PM, an announcement said. Altogether 10 royal family members or relatives have now died in the carnage. Dhirendra renounced his royal title in December 1987 after marrying a foreigner. King Gyanendra forms high-level probe panel Kathmandu, June 4: The new King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev in a royal proclamation has announced a three-member high level probe panel headed by chief justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyay to investigate the massacre in Royal Palace on Friday evening in which nine members of Royal family were killed. King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev The panel is required to report within three days. Other members of the panel are Speaker of Parliament Taranath Ranabhat and opposition leader Madhav Kumar Nepal. His Majesty King Gyanendra said that people would be informed of the finding of the report. He also called upon all people to remain patient at the time of grief and united to protect nationalism and freedom. The King also declared that his wife, Princess Komal, would be Queen. Late King Dipendra cremated Kathmandu, June 4: Late King Dipendra was cremated Monday evening with full state honours at the Aryaghat. His body was taken to the burning ghats at Pashupatinath temple in an open van from Birendra Military Army Hospital in Chauni without entering the city where authorities clamped a 13 hour curfew to stem a violence that killed two persons. This was unusual as bodies are normally carried to the cremation site tied to bamboo poles. Doctors pronounced the King dead Monday morning at 3.45 AM; he was in a coma following a shoot-out Friday. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala attended the cremation. Nepal Television footage showed a bhramin lighting the funeral pyre. The body was transported to Pashupati via the ring road. Dipendra died uncrowned after succeeding his father, King Birendra. PM Koirala says anarchy and disinformation spreading Kathmandu, June 4: As two protesters died in clashes with police in Kathmandu Valley, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala said Monday evening some elements are trying to spread "anarchy and disinformation" and disturb the peace and unity of the country. Police clashed with demonstrators demanding a probe into the deaths of nine members of the royal family at a carnage in the Royal Palace Friday.Koirala said some unidentified "anarchists" were trying to "destabilize the country" by spreading "rumours" and called for peace, restraint and wise judgement. In an address to the nation, Koirala said government has already started an inquiry into Friday's carnage in which nine members of the royal family, including King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and King Dipendra were killed. The government is committed to a thorough probe of the shoot-out, Koirala said. In a statement over Radio nepal, Koirala also called for peace, restraint and national unity at this hour of national crisis when everybody is uniting behind the monarchy which is a symbol of national unity, he said. Leader of the main opposition UML in parliamaent, Madav Nepal, and RPP Chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa and Nepal Sadbhavana party Chairman Gajendra Narayan Singh also appealed for restraint over the state radio; communist leader Bamdev Gautam also called for peace. Koirala did not say who was probing the violence that killed the royal family members in the shoot-out that was been described as accidental by King Gyanendra. Koirala also praised the restraint of all political parties since Friday. The violence of the last two days is reminiscent of the Hrithik Roshan incident in December last year when rumours about a purported anti-Nepal statement that was never made by the Bollywood actor snowballed into violent communal and anti-Indian riots that killed several persons and injured several dozen others. Curfew declared in Kathmandu Kathmandu June 4 - The Kathmandu district administration has announced a curfew in the metropolitan area in preparation for the funeral of late King Dipendra later this evening. Police vans with loudspeakers went around the centre of the city telling thousands of demonstrators around Tundikhel and the inner city that the curfew would be strictly enforced and to stay indoors. Tens of thousands of people are packed along the road leading up to Chhauni from the city and from Swayambhu to witness the start of the funeral procession. The capital has been tense since morning as as organised bands of people with shaved heads shouted slogans demanding justice for the murders of the royal family members. There were processions of motorcylces cruising the city streets also shouting slogans, many of them against the new king and his son, Paras. Taxis, minivans and lorries had been commandeered and going around town full of protesters. Rubber bullets, tear gas and in one instance even live rounds were fired by police to disperse the agitated crowds. Civil servants and senior officials have been asked to be persent at the Birendra Military Hospital after 3PM for the funeral procession of Dipendra, and many were being jeered as they negotiated the crowds on the streets to get there. Other parts of Kathmandu wore a deserted look, with only cars, motorcyles and pedestrians hurrying home to beat the curfew. Curfew imposed on Patan also. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytas-06.05.01-15:12:42-5376