Dil Bahadur Chhatyal
Dhangadhi, Sep 1:

Unified CPN-Maoist Seti-Mahakali State Committee has decided not to allow the operation of West Seti project according to the present status of agreement as the project is not in favor of nation. The five days meeting of the State Committee has decided to suggest the central leadership not to behave differently with
Seti-Mahakali region.

Secretary of the Seti-Mahakali State Committee of Maoist Mr. Khagraj Bhatta said that the committee has decided to protest against the project as they are trying to cheat the Nepali people by operating the West Seti project whose investment, profit, utilization and ownership too will belongs to the foreigners.

"Government should assure the security of the investment and must guarantee the profit from it. Utilization and ownership of the project should belong to Nepal after the operation of the project and then only the project will be in favour of nation and its people", said Mr. Bhatta. "Generated electricity must be distributed in Nepal and only the excess one should be sold out, water and electricity must remain in control of Nepali people", he added.

Maoist believes that the agreements done with the government for the operation of the project is completely for the interest of foreigners and against Nepal's benefits. Mr. Bhatta mentioned that the protests that held in various places and the burn down of the information center was done to stop the operation of the West Seti project in the prevailing situation. He also mentioned that operation of the project will be allowed only if it will in favour of Nation and people. He made the allegation that India is doing the agreement by keeping three clear interests in the hydro resources available in Nepali rivers and streams.

"Firstly, to avoid the energy crisis in India by utilizing the water resources of Nepal; secondly, to secure its land from the flood during the monsoon season by storing the excess water in the high dam; thirdly, for the irrigation of their land through the high flow water during the dry season, these are the three major interests of India", he said. "This project is also going to be constructed according to the interests of India", he added.

In the meeting of the Maoist's Seti-Mahakali state committee which was held from 26th August to 30th August, 2009, it was also discussed that Maoist headquarter has not treated Seti-Mahakali equally. In the meeting it was also discussed that equal representation from the Seti-Mahakali was not made in the newly organized unified national people revolution co-ordination committee by the Maoist with the co-ordination of Baburam Bhattarai.

They had also discussed about the leadership which are getting more indulged in the luxury. He has mentioned that it is also decided that three months long ' unified pioneer transition and major people regulated campaign' will be operated to solve the ideological, political and organizational battle and financial analysis within the party in a organized manner.

Source: Nagarik Daily (Nepali), 2 September 2009
Unofficial translation

Agitation Against West Seti: Maoist

Karna Shah, (Dhangadhi):

Indicating that Pancheswor and West Seti project at present condition is against the benefit of the nation, theSeti-Mahakali state committee of unified CPN-Maoist has decided to fight against it.

The four days meeting of the state committee held in Dhangadhi has decided to agitate against these projects, saying they will pressurize to make these two projects in favour of the people. Along with the agitation, the meeting has also handed over the responsibilities of doing dialogue to the in-charge and secretary of the state committee, if government is positive in these matters.

In the press conference organized in the Dhangadhi after the meeting, secretary of the state committee Khagraj Bhatta said, "in the present context West Seti project is not in favour of Nepal". " The condition to deprived Nepali from using electricity generated in Nepal for the period of 30 years is completely not in favour of Nepali, this need to be made in favour of people", he added.

Bhatta has mentioned that West Seti is not in favour of Nepal as the electricity generated in Nepal will not be generated by Nepali and will go straight away to India. He further mentioned that it is not fair to deprived Nepali from using the electricity which is generated by flooding the Nepali land.

Mentioning that it is wrong to sold the electricity to India at a time when Nepali are not getting sufficient amount of electricity, Bhatta said that foremost right of Nepal must be fixed in electricity. "Arrangement must be made to sell the excess amount of electricity to India, which is left after providing it to Nepali people. Foremost right of local people must be made in regard to the electricity", Bhatta said. "One must guarantee the profit of investor, but that should not be made by exporting electricity to India instead it should be made by local utilization", he added.

The state committee has also decided that they will not allow the operation of West Seti project until it is in favour of people. Bhatta is also the co-ordinator of the West Seti agitating committee, formed by the local consumers. The four days meeting of the state organization committee in Dhangadhi has announced the three months long people regulated revolution. The meeting has decided that in three months campaign, it will reorganize the people and will operate various activities like modern farming system, animal farming etc. to improve their financial condition.

On the occasion, politburo member of the Unified CPN-Maoist and the in-charge of the Seti-Mahakali state organization committee Mr. Dhamendra Bastola has said that Maoist are ready to join coalition national government headed by any power which are in favour of changes. He has mentioned that coalition national government without any foreign intervention is the present need of the country; he also said that Maoist is ready to join the government which is headed by the nationalist, republican and transforming party or power.

On the press conference organized by Unified CPN-Maoist Seti-Mahakali state organization committee on Monday in Dhangadhi, in-charge Bastola has made allegation that present government is trying to maintain the prevailing and same old state authority. He also claimed that the present parties which are in the government are trying to force the country once again into the war by disrupting in the matters like purchasing of weapons and the adjustment in the army.

Source: Nepal Samacharpartra Daily (Nepali), September 2, 2009
Unofficial translation