Government-Maoists talks postponed

KOL Report

KATHMANDU, April 21 - The Government-Maoist talks scheduled for today has been postponed indefinitely.

Spokesman for the Maoists talks team Krishna Bahadur Mahara told Kantipur Online that the talks were being put off because the government does not appear serious towards the peace process.

He said the government side was unwilling to tackle the main issues terming today’s proposed talks as introductory.

Mahara said the talks would now be held after the Maoist team returned to capital from western Nepal but that no date has been fixed as yet. He said the date will be fixed during unofficial contacts with the government side.

The government and the Maoists were scheduled to meet in Kathmandu Monday morning and would have been the first full contacts between the two sides. (rk)



http://www.kantipuronline.com/



Strike shuts down Kathmandu

KOL Report

KATHMANDU, April 20 - The one day nationwide general strike called by student groups has totally shut down Kathmandu.

The students are protesting the death of a student leader in Butwal, price increase of petroleum products and postponement of the free students union in Tribhuvan University.

The strike in Kathmandu has closed shops, educational institution and forced vehicles off the roads. Early morning commuters were forced to walk to their destination as public transport remained off the roads. One estimate said not even one percent of the traffic was operating this morning.

Security has been tight in Kathmandu with police and the army being posted at sensitive locations. There are no reports of violence so far.

Reports from other parts of the country is expected to come in later in the day.

Yesterday, student groups took out torchlit protest demonstrations in the major cities of the country in defiance of the government restrictions.

In Kathmandu, the protest rally made its way through narrow streets of Kathmandu after security personnel were posted at major junctions.

Meanwhile, the Maoist aligned all Nepal national Independent Students Union – Revolutionary has also joined in the student protest. (rk)

http://www.kantipuronline.com/



Hollywood revives McCarthyist climate by silencing and sacking war critics

By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles

21 April 2003

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=399024



Israeli army accused of targeting TV man killed in West Bank

British 'human shield' near death as soldiers are blamed for another civilian shooting

By Justin Huggler in Jerusalem and Severin Carrell

20 April 2003

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=398803