Related News: 'Maoist warning could result into employment loss' The warning by a pro-Maoist trade union to close down all the industries with US investment in Nepal could result into loss of employment for thousands of people and send wrong signals to foreign investors, reports said. According to Rajdhani daily, total American investment in 90 industries is worth four billion rupees and they are providing employment to some eight thousand people. The major industries with American investment include Bottlers Nepal, Pepsi Cola and American Life Insurance Company (ALICO). We haven't been able to understand the Maoist policy discriminating between the investment from US and other countries," said government's spokesman and minister Dr. Mohammed Mohsin. He said the government would make public its views after necessary consultations. The US government is yet to respond to Maoist threats. Earlier, US officials had said they would not bow down to the Maoist pressure tactics. In a statement issued Friday, the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Federation of Trade Unions (ANFTU) had even appealed the countries other than the US to help fulfill its demands. "The countries, other than the US, can continue their operations as usual," the statement declared. The Federation has alleged the US of providing military support and training to Nepal government. Analysts said the Federation's policy of keeping mum towards other countries that are also providing military training and equipment to Nepal could be a ploy to 'divide and rule.' The Maoists see the US presence in Nepal as a major obstacle in attaining their 'strategic goals,' according to experts. nepalnews.com by Aug 27 04 Related News - Maoist trade union asks industries- other than with US investment- to continue their operations -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indian agencies responsible for 'planting' news reports: Ghimire A day after charge d' affairs at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu, V P Haran, said that Indian media had exaggerated the news of the Maoist 'blockade' of the Nepali capital, a senior Nepali journalist, Yubaraj Ghimire, has said Indian government agencies had 'planted' those reports in the Indian media. In his regular column "Zero Hour" in Samay weekly magazine Friday, editor Ghimire said news reports like "Indian air force to drop food packets in Nepal" and "Plain clothes Indian soldiers in Nepal" were in fact exaggerated. "It would be wrong to blame the entire Indian media for this but there should be no doubt that some (Indian) government agencies had 'planted' those news items for certain objectives." He did not explain who those agencies were. Ghimire-- who has worked with leading Indian dailies and weeklies for over a decade-- said relation to Nepal should not be directed by what he said hypothetical and ideological 'security hypothesis' of India. If that happens, Indian intelligence agencies alone would decide the basis of bilateral relations. It would mean that Indian intelligence agencies would see no other than ISI-- the Pakistani intelligence agency-- and their enemies (in Nepal), said Ghimire. And, instead of expanding relations on other areas, they would focus their concerns on controlling Nepal's security only, he added. Citing reports like "The ISI Game Plan" published by prestigious Indian magazine "India Today" a few years back, Ghimire alleged that Indian intelligence agencies want to run a 'police state' in their neighbourhood' and create havoc in those countries by using media. Commenting on the overall bilateral relations, Ghimire concluded: "There is a need of open diplomacy in Nepal-India relations." nepalnews.com by Aug 27 04 Related News Source: http://www.nepalnews.com.np/archive/2004/aug/arc_aug04_38.htm#3