More details on release of Dr Bhaktaman Shrestha

Kathmandu, 5 June: The doctor telephoned his brother Jagatman Shrestha who in police triggering his release.
Another brother and the wife of the missing doctor picked him up from Dhading after the phone call.
Abductors drove him by car and motorcycle from a clod room where he was kept to release him in Dhading.
Police said its own investigation is continuing as mystery still surrounds the abduction even after his safe release.
The doctor told reporters he was treated well and no demands were presented by abductors who he said he couldn’t personally identify because be was blindfolded.
Bu he placed responsibility of Hindu Janata Party.
Doctors asked his to rest and meeting with reporters was brief so journalists couldn’t quiz him in detail.
The doctor claimed he didn’t know where he was kept by abductors saying he wasn’t tortured.
He thanked all those who worked for his release.
Three vehicles intercepted his car before his kidnap at gunpoint from Hakim Chowk.
The release came hours after a Maoist inquiry panel headed by top leader Amik Serchan concluded the specialist doctor was abducted and his safety was the team’s main concern.
Top Maoist leaders has always maintained Dr Shrestha was safe with a newspaper report saying Maoists had detained him.
Television footage showed the doctor waiving to well-wishers from his home in Bharatpur as he broke down.

Maoist demand separate force for combatants


Kathmandu, 5 June: Maoist military leader Barsha Man Pun Ananta demanded Saturday the formation of a separate force of 19,000 plus combatants in 28 cantonments and satellite camps under limited UNMIN watch.
The new demand comes as ruling parties demanded the disbandment, resettlement and integration of the former rebel fighters in state agencies to complete the peace process and draft the constitution.
Such disbandment of also a government pre-condition for the formation of a Maoist-led national unity government
“In view of our Thursday’s standing committee decision, we are going to propose the formation of a separate force for our combatants in the next meeting of the three parties,” Pun told The Kathmandu Post.
The demand is unlikely to be met by ruling parties.
Maoists consulted commanders their latest demand.
The former combatants are still under Maoist command as government attempts to bring them under the ambit of the special committee on supervision, integration and settlement of fighters headed by the prime minister.
The integration and resettlement to be completed in six months hasn’t been completed even in three months.
Maoists have been using combatants as a bargaining chip with government.
Foreign agencies through government are funding the upkeep of the fighters.
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Govt. moves to fill in army vacancies amid Maoist objection

Kathmandu, 5 June: Maoist Spokesman Dinanath Sharma Saturday objected a government move to start recruitment to fill in vacancies in Nepal Army.
To resume the recruitment of infantry personnel in the Nepal Army that is suspended for the last 16 months, the Defence Ministry has appointed two representatives to carry out the process forward, The Kathmandu Post reports.
Joint Secretary Devendra Sitaula and Under Secretary Pushkar Panta have been assigned the task following a request by Nepal Army regarding the appointment of representatives for the new enrolment.
‘The Ministry has appointed the representatives as per the request of the Army. The Army will now carry out the recruitment based on the procedures, Defence Secretary Nabin Kumar Ghimere said on Friday.
The Army has not recruited for the infantry since February 2009 after its last decision raised the hackles of the then Maoist-led government.
The Supreme Court on March 13, 2009 issued a stay order against new recruitment in the Army, The Nepal Army maintains that the halt of recruitment drive has taken away 8,000 -10,000 manpower from its 95,753 ceiling.
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‘And the constitution? There may still be hope. It shouldn’t take that much of a miracle to reconcile the Maoist and Narahari Acharya versions and put it to a vote.”

(Maila Baje, Nepali Netbook, 5 June)
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