UNMIN to discuss Nepal Army request to end holidays for Maoist combatants

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 20 March: UNMIN, on urgent and short notice request, is discussing later Thursday an official request to end holidays for Maoist combatants under its observation at 28 camps and cantonments as the 10 April constituent assembly election is only 21 days away.
Nepali Congress of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Wednesday demanded the daily monitoring of movement of former fighters amid charges they were freely moving in and out of camps to participate in electioneering.
Ten percent of the combatants are allowed holiday at one time.
The constituencies of top Maoist leaders are near the cantonments.
Military leader Ram Bahadur Thapa “Badal’ is fighting elections from Chitwan and Chairman Prachanda from Rolpa, besides Kathmandu-10.
Constituencies in Chitwan and Rolpa are next to cantonments.
Representatives of Nepal Army and Maoist PLA are holding discussions with UNMIN officials at a tripartite committee meeting, Brig Geg. Shiba Ram Pradhan confirmed.
Nepali Congress charged Maoist combatants are electioneering against the spirit of a peace accord between government and Maoists; UN was invited by both sides to monitor the process.
Maoists have stepped up attacks against other parties during electioneering.
Two Maoist candidates were also shot dead at Rolpa where Chairman Prachanda was campaigning; but he was not near the spots where the firings occurred.
Prachanda said election will take place despite the violence.
“The CA polls won’t stop just because one or two candidates are killed,” Prachanda said as he charged India, USA and palace for attempting to deny his party an electoral victory.
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King gives interview to Aljazerra

Kathmandu, 20 March: The King has given an interview to Arabian TV channel Aljazeera, Janadisha reports in its Thursday editions.
A source said the interview will be broadcast in a day or two.
The King said in the interview there was an agreement with seven parties to retain monarchy.
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British Gurkhas return medals [Excerpts]

London, 19 March: Gurkha veterans gave back military medals on Wednesday in protest at ‘disgracefully low’ pensions and called for the right to live in Britain in return for years of fighting alongside British troops, AFP reports.
About 50 Gurkhas, dressed in regimental ties and their distinctive khaki hats, handed over their medals outside parliament to call for their monthly pensions of some 131 pounds to be substantially raised.
“Pour pension is an insult, a disgrace. I was proud to be a British soldier but our British colleagues who retire get so much more than us for doing the same service,” Arkumar Gurung, 42, who saw duty in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 during a 19-year career said.
The veterans handed over thei rmedals to Nick Clegg, the leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, who is backing their cause.
[Note: Gurkhas protected Britain’s Prince Harry, the third in line in succession to the British throne in Afghanistan from where he was pulled out because of security risk after his deployment there was made public; harry praised Gurkhas.]
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Hordes apply for Korean jobs

Kathmandu, 19 March: More than 31,500 job aspirants have signed up to appear in the Korean Language Test scheduled to be held at March-end, The Kathmandu Post reports.
The language proficiency test is part of the process of sending Nepali workers to South Korea under its Employment Permit Scheme.
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Supreme court overturns US court decision

Kathmandu, 19 March: The supreme court yesterday invalidated a 10-year divorce verdict on a Nepali couple by a US court, Ananta Raj Luitel reports in The Himalayan Times.
Dr Pushkar Raj Pandey and Sabina were granted divorce by the Pontotoc District County Court on September 14, 1998. The US court had granted divorce to them when Dr Pandey sought separation, citing irreconcilable differences while they were still living in Ada City in Oklahoma.
A division bench of justices Tahir Alil Ansari and Sharada Shrestha refused to take the US court’s verdict as valid, and ordered the defendant to produce the details of his property before the court and share it with her.
A Maoist candidate Agni Sapkota Wednesday revealed Prachanda and Army Chief Gen Rukmangud Katawal held discussions recently at an undisclosed place and date amid foreign threats.
“Discussion took place several days ago on patriotism. The dialogue was considered necessary as we saw increasing threat to Nepal’s nationality from international forces,” Sapkota told reporters in the capital Wednesday.
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