BLOODY POLICE ATTACK ON MAOISTS STAGING PROTESTS AGAINST INDIAN AMBASSADOR

MAOISTS DISBAND THREE RIVAL TRADE UNION GROUPS (UPDATE)

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 29 March: Three rival trade union groups in the formerly regimented and disciplined communist party, the largest in Nepal, was disbanded by the party standing committee Tuesday, party Spokesman Dinanath Sharma said.
The factions were loyal to Chairman Prachand and Vice-chairmen Kiran
Baidya and Dr Baburam Bhattarai and have been clashing almost daily on
the streets reflecting a deep division in the organization.
A faction loyal to Baidya joined a trade union affiliated with terai parties to close down industries in the Moang/Sunsari and Birgunj/Pathalaiya corridors challenging a decision of the establishment group to resume work securing a Rs. 1,500 monthly pay hike.
The agreement with management with concurrence of NC and UML
affiliated trade unions was labeled a ‘sellout.
The standing committee decided to committee to convene national elections for a single trade union after discussion with central leaders, Sharma said..
The standing committee also concluded the recent upsurge of violence wasn;t normal and blamed ‘rightists’ for serial bomb blasts in moving buses killing one and
Injuring 43 others.
A national protest will be held Sunday.
The party also decided to expand the executive body of a newly formed
volunteer bureau to 46 members and policies will be made public by
Prachanda.
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TWO DOZEN MAOISTS INJURED IN POLICE CRACKDOWN ON
PROTESTERS AGAINST INDIAN AMBASSADOR SOOD

Kathmandu, 29 March: At last two dozen Maoists were injured in a first police crackdown on activists of the ruling party against Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood in Tikapur, Kailali, Tuesday.
Maoists said four activists, including district leaders, were injured.
Maoists have been staging black demonstrations since last Dasain starting
from Solu at the foot of Mount Everest for ‘anti-China activities’along theborder with Tibet.
Shoes were hurled at Sood in Solu; Maoists compared it with the hurling
of shoes at President Gorge W. Bush by an Iraqi journalist in Baghdad..
The demonstrations were tolerated by police but they acted with force
for the fist time in the far-West where departing Indian envoy began
touring Kanchanpur and Kailali Monday.
He was in Tanakpur to attend a Tharu cultural programme when violence
broke out.
Maoists immediately shut down town and warned the district would be
closed down Wednesday if two dozen activists weren’t released.
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