Has details of objections to govt. appointed special committee on integration

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 1 Nov: Major parties in the CA, including main opposition Nepali Congress, have raised serious objections to a special five-member government integration committee under Home Minister Bamdeb Gautam for the unification of Nepal Army and Maoist PLA.
The objections have put obstacles on the path for early integration of the two armies.
Nepali Congress says the unacceptable unilateral formation of the committee is a breach of an agreement between seven parties and against a provision in the interim constitution.
An agreement between seven parties says a high-level political committee should be formed for integration, resettlement and weapons management with the representation of major political parties.
Article 146 of the interim constitution says a special committee should be formed by the cabinet by including major parties in the CA.
‘There should be an understanding between major parties for the formation of the committee; it’s not for the government to take a unilateral decision,” Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi told Kantipur.
Congress has refused to sit in the committee and other representatives in the committee are only from the CPN-UML and MJF.
“Government has formed the committee stealthily through the backdoor. Who is the government to determine the prominent parties?” asked Hridesh Tripathi on the Tarai Madesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP).
Other parties not included in the committee have asked the same question.
The committee is stillborn with the eruption of differences.
Maoist coalition government partner top leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal also said the committee can’t function without including Nepali Congress.
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Maoist leader says Maoist commander qualifies to be Nepal Army Chief

Kathmandu, 1 Nov: Top hard-line Maoist leader CP Gajurel said Friday Maoist Commander Nanda Kishore Pun Pasang is qualified to be chief of the integrates Nepal Army and PLA.
“Pasang along with the PLA has received qualification certificates from the UN. Pasang has also been awarded by the UN. Why can’t be the chief of the national army?” Gajurel asked in the capital Friday, according to Rajdhani.
Gajurel said the two armies should be integrated at the brigade level.
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Controversial Maoist leader lashes out at Baburam Bhattarai

Kathmandu, 1 Nov: Maoist leader Matrika Prasad Yadav top leaders have been influenced by foreign powers to remove the suffix Maoist from the party’s name, Rajendra Uprety reports in Kantipur from Mohottari.
He said this at a public meeting in Jaleshwor.
‘We fought the people’s war pursuing the ideals of Maoism. Removing the suffix to please foreigners will never be acceptable. Maoist is the party’s ideals and principles,” Yadav said. “It’s objectionable when some [Baburam Bhattarai] say the suffix should be removed while in the USA or when another person [Prachanda] says the same in competition.
Yadav said the statements to please foreigners are attempts to minimize the people’s war and will harm new Nepal.
He said opportunists should be expelled from the party whose members are amassing wealth and constructing houses.
Nepali Congress additionally charged the government has unilaterally set terms of reference for the special committee.
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