Kathmandu, 9 July: Office bearers of UCPN (Maoists) met Friday to finalized a schedule for the integration and resettlement of 19,000 plus former fighters demanded my major ruling parties.
The plan will be made public Saturday
They met ahead of the main opposition party’s parliamentary party meeting
which will approve the plan.
NC and UML, two other main parties, have refused to join a national unity government under Maoists without the resettlement and integration of the combatants that’s dragged on for three years.
The processes should have been completed six months after the comprehensive peace agreement.
With only four days remaining to meet a presidential deadline for a national consensus government, the three largest parties are making efforts to assembly such a government under their leadership.
An atmosphere hasn’t yet been created for the formation of such a government.
Consensus government is unlikely without the creation of an atmosphere of trust.
Major ruling parties won’t be satisfied with only a Maoist paper for implementation of past commitments on integration, resettlement, disbandment of YCL and return of seized assets.
“An atmosphere to create confidence hasn’t been created as yet, “ said UML politburo member Yubarab Ghimere Friday.
Four more days remain to assemble a national consensus government.
Twenty-two parties in parliament met Friday to ask three main parties to come to an understanding on a national consensus government demanding implementation of point one of a here-point agreement 28 May.
It asks Maoists to implement past commitments to forge a national unity government.
After urging Acting NC Chairman Sushil Koirala Thursday not to opt for a majority government, 26 youth NC lawmakers will push their agenda Friday at a meeting with party Vice-chairman Ram Chandra Paudel-- a candidate for prime minister.
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UML leader attacked, killed in Okhalgungha

Kathmandu, 9 July: UML activist Chabilal Karki died overnight while undergoing treatment at a hospital for wounds sustained in an attack while having a meal at an eatery in Tholochap in Okhaldunga.
Karki was attacked by unidentified people with sharp objects.
Three suspects have been arrested for questioning.
Local UML cadres blamed Maoists for the assault
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UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari hospitalized

Kathmandu, 9 July: Top UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari, an asthmatic, was admitted overnight to Norvic Hospital for treatment.
Adhikari, a former finance minister, is younger brother of Manmohan Adhikari, the first elected communist party prime minister of the world.
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Lekhnath fire under control

Kathmandu, 9 July: Firefighters battled three hours and brought a fire that started overnight at Gandaki Oil Mills in Lekhnath, Kaski, under control.
The fire started 10 in the night was caused by an electric short circuit, preliminary report said.
The fire left behind million of rupees in damage.
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Injured Indian abductor arrested

Kathmandu, 9 July: Injured Indian abductor Jamid Kawadia was arrested at Fatthepur forest in Banke Thursday during a search, police said.
Three of his colleagues were killed in a search in the forest this week as five kidnapped Nepalis were freed.
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World Cup final screening at Dashrath Rangashala

Kathmandu, 9 July: The World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands Sunday will be screened on six big screens at Dashrath Rangashala.
Eight thousand ticket sales began Thursday.
Growth Sellers Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. and Nepal National and International Players Association are screening the event.
Altogether 45,000 dignitaries have been invited for the screening from eight in the evening.
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Give us poison demand drought-stricken farmers of Bajura

Kathmandu, 9 July: Hunger has set in in Jaganath and 10 other VDCs in the north of the district following a long dry spell that has parched crops and seedlings, Gorkhapatra reports from Bajura.
Farmers, usually busy on the fields, this year have come to district headquarters Martadi with dried paddy, seedlings of barley and shriveled maize stalks following the drought.
They have been meeting officials at their offices and party leaders since Tuesday demanding dole or poison to commit suicide.
Thirty/forty starving families have come to district headquarters begginghelp for survival, according to farmer Man Bahadur Bista of Jaganath VDC.
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Couple in Bhaktapur abducted by Indian police

Kathmandu, 9 July: Four Indians entered a house in Sallaghari and Thursday afternoon abducted a couple renting a house there after they fled from Rajasthan following a love marriage, Nepal Samacharpatra reports from Bhaktapur.
It’s said the abductors were Indian police.
Mukesh Soni, 32, and Lata Rathor, 25, fled to Nepal from rural Rajasthan after their love marriage.
The couple moved to Bhaktapur from Kathmandu to hide after Lata’s relatives came searching.
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UNMIN suggestion just an academic exercise; Dr Ram Sahran Mahat of NC

Kathmandu, 9 The United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) has prepared a ‘non-paper’ proposing a 60-week time plan for the integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants, The Kathmandu Post reports.
The ‘Hypothetical timeline for Integration and Rehabilitation: was handed over last month to leaders of the three major parties—UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress and CPN-UML—involved in negotiations on deciding the fate of the former rebel soldiers.
The paper is based on current proposals from various national actors, refined according to the lessons learnt from the discharge of disqualified combatants and international experience on the subject.
“Much of the timeline will change according to the decisions that are made as negotiations progress. Those decisions are made by the parties,” said an UNMIN official.” It is a paper meant to trigger some thinking and encourage the parties to develop their own realistic timeline.”
Foreigners like to prescribe many such documents. But it will just be an academic exercise unless the current deadlock comes to an end,” said NC leader Ram Sharan Mahat.
A Maoist leader said the party has taken the –non-paper’ ‘positively’ and the integration and rehabilitation task can be completed by eight monaths if there is consensus among parties.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“The day has come to ascertain how suddenly and from where these maternal uncles and relatives have risen. In the party, people seeking comforts have increased. Some say maternal uncles bought them vehicles while others say relatives purchased houses for them. These uncles and relatives weren’t there when five of us stayed in a room and snatched quilts at night.”

(Maoist politburo member Ram Karki, Nepal Samacharpatra, 9 July)

“Suggestions have come for him [Chairman Prachanda] to direct the party from the helm; Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya will look after the party’s principle and ideological matters while General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa will look after organization; Dr Bhattarai will look after government.”

(Ram Karki, Nepal Samacharpatra, 9 July)

“VDC secretaries have been resigning en masse due to threats from SIMM as well as other groups and political parties. Of particular concern are the letters posted by SIMM to VDC secretaries demanding their immediate resignation and threatening action against those who do not comply.”

(UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs-Nepal)

“Nepali politics? I can predict only fair games.”

(Octopus Paul says in a cartoon, Republica, 9 July)

“Not for the first time the present is drama is being staged. Such a drama for a consensus government was enacted before Prachanda and Madhav Kumar Nepal because prime ministers while the inner intention was to assemble a majority government. It’s not easy to get together a consensus government.”

(Advocate Bhadra Bahadur Gole Tamang, Kantipur, 9 July)
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