Post by RedFlag32 on May 26, 2007 19:35:59 GMT
newspostindia.com/report-1135
Friday 25th of May 2007
The American ambassador to Nepal was Friday stoned
by the youth wing of the Communist Party of Nepal just as a group of
European envoys met the party's chief to express concern about the
controversial young rebels, a television channel reported.
Ambassador James Francis Moriarty, who was traveling in a vehicle
belonging to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) came under a
fusillade of stones from activists of the Young Communist League in
eastern Nepal, the private television channel Kantipur reported.
The American ambassador, the guerillas' bete noire, was returning from a
visit to a camp in Jhapa district, home to Bhutanese refugees.
Moriarty visited the camp to inform refugees about a US resettlement offer
and about plans for USAID, Washington's foreign aid wing, to provide new
food aid worth two million dollars.
The American Embassy in Kathmandu confirmed the attack but said it did not
know who the assailants were.
Earlier this month, the rights group Human Rights Watch said the US
resettlement plan had triggered tension in the camps with refugees who
favour returning to Bhutan trying to intimidate others into rejecting the
offer.
A new political party - the Communist party of Bhutan-Marxist Leninist
Maoist - wants the Bhutan government to take the refugees back. There have
been reports in Nepal's media that the Bhutanese Maoists favour staging an
armed uprising, much as the Nepal Maoists did.
Alarmed by the reports, the UNHCR held consultations with Nepal's home
ministry, resulting in Nepal reinstating police pickets in all the camps.
Ratan Gazmere, a senior Bhutanese refugee leader, says much of the leftist
opposition to the resettlement offer is because it is perceived as coming
from the US.
However, other western countries like Canada have also made resettlement
offers.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres visited Bhutan
Thursday to discuss repatriation with the government in Thimpu, arguing
that refugees should have as many options as possible.
The attack came even as European Union ambassadors to Nepal, headed by
German ambassador Franz Ring, met Maoist supremo Prachanda Friday to
express their concern about youth violence.
Ring said the EU was concerned that free and fair elections would not be
possible in view of the worsening political situation in Nepal. The EU is
also worried about the growing militant activities of the Young Communist
League, which has been attacking government offices and officials.
The mounting criticism of the cadre caused Prachanda this week to meet
with their leaders and advise them to use restraint.
Friday 25th of May 2007
The American ambassador to Nepal was Friday stoned
by the youth wing of the Communist Party of Nepal just as a group of
European envoys met the party's chief to express concern about the
controversial young rebels, a television channel reported.
Ambassador James Francis Moriarty, who was traveling in a vehicle
belonging to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) came under a
fusillade of stones from activists of the Young Communist League in
eastern Nepal, the private television channel Kantipur reported.
The American ambassador, the guerillas' bete noire, was returning from a
visit to a camp in Jhapa district, home to Bhutanese refugees.
Moriarty visited the camp to inform refugees about a US resettlement offer
and about plans for USAID, Washington's foreign aid wing, to provide new
food aid worth two million dollars.
The American Embassy in Kathmandu confirmed the attack but said it did not
know who the assailants were.
Earlier this month, the rights group Human Rights Watch said the US
resettlement plan had triggered tension in the camps with refugees who
favour returning to Bhutan trying to intimidate others into rejecting the
offer.
A new political party - the Communist party of Bhutan-Marxist Leninist
Maoist - wants the Bhutan government to take the refugees back. There have
been reports in Nepal's media that the Bhutanese Maoists favour staging an
armed uprising, much as the Nepal Maoists did.
Alarmed by the reports, the UNHCR held consultations with Nepal's home
ministry, resulting in Nepal reinstating police pickets in all the camps.
Ratan Gazmere, a senior Bhutanese refugee leader, says much of the leftist
opposition to the resettlement offer is because it is perceived as coming
from the US.
However, other western countries like Canada have also made resettlement
offers.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres visited Bhutan
Thursday to discuss repatriation with the government in Thimpu, arguing
that refugees should have as many options as possible.
The attack came even as European Union ambassadors to Nepal, headed by
German ambassador Franz Ring, met Maoist supremo Prachanda Friday to
express their concern about youth violence.
Ring said the EU was concerned that free and fair elections would not be
possible in view of the worsening political situation in Nepal. The EU is
also worried about the growing militant activities of the Young Communist
League, which has been attacking government offices and officials.
The mounting criticism of the cadre caused Prachanda this week to meet
with their leaders and advise them to use restraint.