TEA ESTATE WORKERS ON STRIKE

ANOTHER AGREEMENT TO EXTEND PRACHANDA SUB-COMMITTEE TENURE

Kathmandu, 17 April: Twenty-seven parties in the main constitution drafting committee agreed Sunday to extend of a Prachanda-led sub-committee to discuss differences on articles to be incorporated in a constitution.
The meeting was held at the initiative of the Chairman of the main constitution drafting committee Nilambar Acharya and was also attended by constituent assembly Chairman Subash Nemwang.
The meeting was convened to discuss the extension of a sub-committee headed by Maoist Chairman Prachanda to attempt resolution of differences of articles between major parties to be incorporated in a constitution that has to be promulgated 28 May.
The 15-day tenure of the sub-committee ended Thursday without a single meeting.
The sub-committee Friday asked for a month’s extension to complete work.
The Nilambar committee also discussed how it should address demands of several small parties who disrupted committee proceedings charging big parties sidelined interests of Dalits, Muslims and minorities in a proposed constitution.
A task force of five members has been formed to address the demand; the task for consists of Nemwang, Acharya and representatives of three big parties.
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TEA PLANTATION WORKERS ON STRIKE

Kathmandu, 17 April Team plantation workers in east hill districts and Jhapa went on an indefinite strike Sunday demanding status of industry workers and implementation of social welfare schemes.
They staged sit-ins in front of processing plants.
Nearly 40,000 workers produce pluck 500,000 kg tea leaves every day.
Tea is a cash crop of the East.
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ARMY NO TO MASS MAOIST INTEGRATION

Kathmandu, 17 April: Nepal Army (NA) has made it cleat it’s not the army’s ‘bottom line’ to integrate Maoist fighters by forming a separate unit, Bishnu Subedi reports in Annapurna Post.
Generals at a special meeting Friday of representatives of defence ministry and generals at army headquarters made clear their views their view on integration and concluded the country was passing through a grave situation.
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