Thesun 2009-05-06 Page09 Protest In Nepa After Moaists Quit Govt

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| WEDNESDAY MAY 6 2009

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White House: No bailout for newspaper industry

Protests in Nepal after Maoists quit govt KATHMANDU: Thousands of Maoist supporters took to the streets of Nepal’s capital yesterday, a day after the leader of the ex-rebels quit as prime minister following a bitter row over the country’s army chief. The Maoists said they were mobilising protesters in a bid to force through the sacking of the impoverished Himalayan nation’s top general after the president blocked the move, igniting a constitutional crisis. The collapse of the ultra-leftists’ administration after just eight months in elected office leaves Nepal without an effective government and threatens a 2006 peace deal that ended a decade of civil war which left 13,000 dead. A group of more than 20 political parties, including the Nepali Congress and the centre-left UML – the second and third-largest in parliamant – met yesterday and agreed to try and

form a “national government” with the support of the Maoists. “The meeting was boycotted by the Maoists but we are trying to bring them in the table to forge a consensus,” said UML leader Shankar Pokhrel. Maoist leader Prachanda announced on Monday he was quitting as premier after his decision to sack the army chief, a longtime rival, was vetoed by President Ram Baran Yadav. Prachanda’s supporters yesterday kicked off what they vow will be a massive campaign of civil disobedience. “We are planning protests in different parts of the Kathmandu valley,” said Uma Subedi, secretary of the Maoists’ feared youth wing, the Young Communist League. “We will launch regular protests until the president takes back his decision.” In central Kathmandu, at least 3,000 Maoists were on the

streets, waving red flags and blocking traffic. They chanted slogans including “President Resign” and “Long Live Maoists”, under the watch of large numbers of riot police. Protests by Maoist lawmakers also disrupted proceedings in the national parliament and Maoist spokesman Dinanath Sharma said the protests will escalate “unless the president apologises.” The Maoists tried to sack General Rookmangud Katawal for refusing to integrate 19,000 former Maoist fighters currently confined to UN-supervised camps into the regular army, as stipulated by the peace accord. The army views the guerillas as politically indoctrinated, and also accuses the Maoists

of not fulfilling commitments to dismantle the paramilitary structure of the dreaded youth wing. Prachanda, however, has argued that the dispute is merely part of a wider campaign to undermine his democratically elected government, which was formed after the ex-rebels scored a surprise win in landmark polls last year. – AFP

Maoist supporters take part in a protest rally in Kathmandu yesterday.

WASHINGTON: The White House expressed “concern” and “sadness” on Monday over the state of the ailing US newspaper industry, but made it clear that a government bailout was not in the cards. “I don’t know what, in all honesty, government can do about it,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters. “That might be a bit of a tricky area to get into given the differing roles.” Gibbs was responding to a reporter who asked what the White House thought about the recent closure of several US newspapers and a threat to shut down the venerable Boston Globe. “Obviously (President Barack Obama) believes there has to be a strong free press,” the spokesman said. “I think there’s a certain concern and a certain sadness when you see cities losing their newspapers or regions of the country losing their newspapers.” US newspapers have been grappling with a steep drop in print advertising revenue, steadily declining circulation and the migration of readers to free news online. The Senate subcommittee on communications, technology, and the internet announced plans meanwhile to hold a hearing on “The Future of Journalism.” Among those scheduled to appear at today’s hearing is Senator Ben Cardin, who recently introduced legislation aimed at helping US newspapers by giving them tax breaks as non-profit organisations. Advertising and subscription revenue would be tax exempt and contributions to support coverage or operations would be tax deductible under Cardin’s bill. – AFP