Kathmandu, January 14, 2006

Suspected Maoists launched a series of attacks this evening in different police stations and ward offices inside the Kathmandu Valley, killing at least 12 security personnel, including a police inspector and injuring seven policemen and a civilian. This is the first-ever simultaneous attack in Kathmandu Valley after the Maoists made an offensive at the Sankhhu police station last year killing five police personnel. The Maoists attacked the Security Police Check Post at Thankot, killing at least 10 policemen, including an inspector and injuring one, by surrounding the check post from all sides at around 5:35 this evening. Those killed are inspector Mahesh Rawal, Sub-inspectors Prakash KC and Ratna Subedi, police constables Ramhari Dahal, Mithu Karki, Surya Man Tamang, Dikendra Karki, Rabin karki, Baburam Adhikari and a traffic policeman Dipendra Niraula. Assistant sub-inspector Yadav KC died while on the way to hospital. “They (the Maoists) appeared all of a sudden in combat dresses in front of my office and shot dead Dipendra Niraula and swarmed into the office. They asked for money on the counter. When we remained passive, they broke into the office, vandalising the furniture, took the money from the counter and dissapeared,” a thrilled Ramkumar Karki, staff of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Transportation Tax Depot told this daily. Karki’s office lies in front of the police post. Ajay Thakur, a barber running a shop opposite to the police check post, said he saw a group of at least 40 gunmen getting off a bus and opening indiscriminate firing. “I sneaked inside my shop and remained quite during the attack. The attack lasted for about half an hour,” he said. Police personnel were attending the “roll call” when the Maoists opened indiscriminate fire.

Finance ordinance ‘consumer-oriented’

Kathmandu, January 13, 2006

With a view to giving “relief to consumers” by making consumers goods cheaper through the reduction of customs duty and controlling smuggling, state finance minister Dr Roop Jyoti revised some provisions through finance ordinance 2062-63 which was released today. Dr Jyoti has left policy issues untouched. However, adjustments have been made on the revenue front. The fiscal ordinances for the remaining six months of the current fiscal year namely appropriation ordinance, national debt ordinance, loan and guarantee ordinance and finance ordinance will give continuity to ordinances which were promulgated on July 16, 2005. On the revenue front issues are being adjusted which, Dr Jyoti claimed, would be helpful to boost revenue, strengthen Value Added Tax (VAT) implementation, control smuggling and under-invoicing and facilitating consumers with cheaper products in the context of World Trade Organisation and other regional trade bodies.