After holding a series of formal and informal parleys during the week, the Nepal government and leaders of agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) on Thursday inked an eight-point agreement, bringing an end to the 16-day long indefinite strike in restive southern region.

On behalf of the government, the Prime Minister and Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala and from the UDMF side, Mahanta Thakur of Tarai-Madhesi Democratic Party, Upendra Yadav of Madhesi People's Rights Forum and Rajendra Mahato of Sadbhavana Party signed the agreement at former's official residence in Baluwatar this evening.

The top brass of ruling seven-party alliance - mainly CPN-UML chief Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoists chairman Prachanda — and human rights activists, civil society members and mediapersons were present on the occasion.

Immediately after reaching the agreement, UDMF leaders called off their 16-day-long agitation in Tarai and expressed firm commitment to take part in the upcoming Constituent Assembly election slated for April 10.

According to the agreement, the government has expressed a commitment to recognise Madhes and other regions as federal autonomous states without affecting national integrity and sovereignty.

Earlier, the Madhesi leaders were demanding 'one Madhes single autonomous state along with right to self-determination', which PM Koirala had rejected outrightly stating that he would not accept such demand for the sake of national integrity and sovereignty.

The government and the UDMF have agreed on prompt implementation of the constitutional provision regarding equal representation of all marginalised groups in all organs of the state. The government has also agreed for proportional recruitment of the Madhesi and other socially deprived people in Nepal army as well.

The government has also agreed to recognise all 46 Madhesi people who were killed during the year-old Madhes movement as martyrs and provide financial assistance to their family members and compensation and treatment for the injured people.

Both sides have also agreed to invite other armed and unarmed outfits agitating in Tarai and other parts of the country for dialogue and to resolve all problems through negotiations.

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has said he appreciated PPP co-chairman’s gesture to elect him as President in place of President Pervez Musharraf, but was not seeking that job at the moment.

“I would rather like to have a President who could support the removal of all distortions made by Musharraf in the constitution,” he said. These include the dissolution of assemblies and primer ministerial powers to make key appointments like services chiefs, judges, governors and heads of various institutions.

In an interview with TV channel ARY, Sharif said he had three or four names in his mind, which he would discuss with Zardari and ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan at an appropriate time. The interview was conducted by popular anchor Asma Sherazi, who reappeared defying a ban imposed by Musharraf on independent anchors on November 3 last year.

Nawaz said he had developed a good chemistry with Zardari despite some early glitches and described it as a good omen for the nation. He said he had assured full support to Zardari in the formation of the government, but his party members were not ready to join the Cabinet at this stage. He stressed he was committed to back the PPP government no matter whether his party sits in the Cabinet or stays out.

Sharif said a sticking point in his party’s power-sharing parleys with the PPP was the reluctance of PML-N members to take oath of office administered by Musharraf. “He is not a legal or constitutional President,” he said, adding that once Musharraf left, his party would join the Cabinet.

He was confident that Musharraf’s days were numbered. But PPP sources differed with his perception and believed Musharraf still enjoyed the backing of the establishment though they acknowledged that this support was steadily eroding.

English daily The News quoting sources in the presidential camp said Musharraf had decided to dig in and face the current campaign led by Sharif to dislodge him. He had held a flurry of emergency meetings with allies, including PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Pervez Elahi, Fisal Saleh Hayat, some Independent lawmakers and also talked to MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

“Musharraf is trying to rally support from allies and urging them to close ranks in order to encourage desertion in the PML-Q,” an official said. 

The top leadership of three main election winners- the PPP, the PML-N and the ANP- have made a major breakthrough in closing ranks on complex issue of reinstatement of deposed judges and constituted a committee to suggest modalities.

Asif Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan heard preliminary formulations from eminent jurist Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim on the issue and designated two more prominent lawyers to assist him in finalising recommendation within next couple of days regarding the procedure for installing the deposed judges, including Chief Justice Itifkher Chuahdry.

Informed sources said the Ebrahim had told the political leadership that Parliament could adopt a resolution declaring illegal Musharraf’s November actions, including imposition of the emergency, purge of superior judiciary and amendments in the constitution. The new government can then issue an executive order to reinstate deposed judges.

The panel has also been asked to recommend appropriate constitutional amendment to restore the constitute to its position on October 12, 1999 when Musharraf toppled Nawaz Sharif government and made drastic changes in the basic document during last eight years. 

London, February 28
Charlie Chaplin was on Adolf Hitler's "hit-list" being categorised as an 'Artistic Jew', suggests a Nazi propaganda book, which has the name of prominent Jewish figures, including Albert Einstein.

The book, 'Juden Sehen Dich An' (The Jews are Watching You), was published in Berlin in the 1930s and consists of 95 pages which include the names of activists, bankers, economists, journalists, academics and artists.

The Nazi regime failed to see the funny side of Chaplin and attacked the legendary comedian "in a section named 'Artistic Jews', with the suggestion that he was of Jewish origin and, therefore, a "pseudo-Jew."

The "black book" authored by Dr Johann von Leers, who is regarded as one of the most notorious anti-Jewish propagandists of the Nazi regime, is set to be auctioned next week, The Daily Telegraph of Britain reported.

"The book aims to attack leading Jews worldwide, warning the German people that these people, were forming an international network aimed at world domination," auctioneer Richard Westwood-Brookes said.

Film historian Kevin Brownlow said Chaplin was once sent a copy of the book and made the classic comedy 'The Great Dictator' in 1940 as an act of defiance in response to seeing himself on the "hit-list".

Brookes said, "Chaplin must have feared for his life when he saw the book because the majority of the people in this book were exterminated by the Nazis."

"The Nazis mistakenly thought he was Jewish because Chaplin never denied it," Brownlow said. The book is set to go under the hammer at Mullocks Auctioneers on March 6 at Shropshire. — PTI 

Bangkok, February 28
Deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today returned from 17-month exile to face corruption charges, saying that he hopes to restore his reputation following his ouster in a coup. The police immediately took him into custody.

Thai authorities took the 58-year-old billionaire politician into custody after his arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on a Thai Airways flight from Hong Kong, said police Maj Gen Thaweesak Toochinda, the head of airport immigration police.

Two arrest warrants were issued for Thaksin after the September 2006 coup that ousted him. He faces corruption charges in two separate cases that date to his time in office from 2001-2006 and could receive a maximum of 15 years in prison.

"I have to restore my reputation which has been tarnished by the coup," he told reporters on the plane shortly before landing.

Thousands of supporters had gathered at Suvarnabhumi International Airport before dawn to await his return. They danced, beat drums, sang and carried signs reading "We love Thaksin."

Surrounded by 40 followers before boarding the plane in Hong Kong, Thaksin told reporters, "I believe in the Thai justice system, especially the court system. Normally in justice systems everywhere, a person is innocent until proved guilty." He said that he was a "little bit" concerned about his security. But he added that there was little chance his return would spark violence. — AP