DEFENCE MINISTER ISSUES CONCILIATORY STATEMENT

MAOIST OFFICE BEARERS MEET THURSDAY

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: A meeting of Maoist office bearers is being held Thursday after Friday’s central committee Friday was postponed with swelling intra-party differences on handover of Maoist weapons to a government committee.
Differences have also broken out on a four-point agreement between UCPN (Maoist) and five Madeshbadi parties giving concessions on regional demands of terai-based parties to form the coalition parties.
The agreement has been called anti-national.
A meeting of office bearers couldn’t be held Wednesday when a hardline faction ked by First Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya decided to boycott the meet.
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DEFENCE MINISTER SHARAT SINGH BHANDARI ISSUES CONCILIATORY STATEMENT

Kathmandu, 29 Sept. Defence Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari of MJFL Wednesday issued a clarification and a conciliatory statement after his threat of cessation of 22 of 23 terai districts if criticism of a four-point agreement between UJCPN (Maoist) and five Madesshbadi parties continued.
The threat was widely condemned.
“I’m clear and firm even now in that belief. If my reaction is studied wholly, my intention will itself by certified,” Bhandari said saying he was for strengthening unity by bringing 23 terai districts into the national mainstream.
“I only expressed consequences that could happen and everybody should be alert of the consequence when Madeshi, adibashi, janatati and, backward Nepalis aren’t included inclusively in Nepal Army(NA) and other state agencies,” the defence minister added.
“That was not my wish or warning,” he said of his reference to cessation.
“Today’s need for all of us is to reinforce the traditional unity between Madeshi, Pahadi and Himali people. All of us should be even more active in reinforcing this unity.
‘In the past and even now, as defence minister I’m continuously active for the country’s nationality and national unity
Bhandari asked all sides to not to have doubts.
A handlne faction in Maoists leading the government with Madeshi Wednesday evening held torchlight processions nationwide condemning the statement and asked government for its official position.
The Mohan Baidya faction of the party called the threat a part of an Indian design to ‘Sikkimize’ or overrun Nepal.
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MORE DETAILS OF SHER BAHADUE DEUBA RESIGNATION FROM NC CENTRALCOMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP





Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: Nepali Congress senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba Wednesday announced his resignation from the post, accusing the party establishment of not being serious about solving the row besetting the dissolution of sister organizations, Ram Prasad Dahal writes in The Rising Nepal.
With his resignation, his supporters, who were on the fast-onto-death for the last 10 days in party’s central office, Sanepa, also called it off. Deuba offered them juice.
"My resignation is for saving the party from possible division and against the monopoly of party establishment side," Deuba said, talking to the media persons.
He said that he did not tender resignation from the CC post to be saint and split the party.
Deuba blamed that party president Sushil Koirala breached the earlier agreements struck with late Girija Prasad Koirala as well as with him during the time of party unification and appointment of party vice-chairman and general secretary.
He also accused the party president of not showing humanitarian behaviour with those involved in fast-onto-death even though their health became poor and were hospitalized.
These political developments occurred after Deuba held meeting with his central leaders and lawmakers close to him.
NC cadres of the both factions resorted to fast-onto-death for and against the party’s decision but the supporters of establishment side quit the fasting on Tuesday. Earlier, an informal meeting of party establishment, held at president Koirala’s residence Maharajgunj, decided to be maximum flexible to address the issues raise by the Deuba faction.
It demanded to withdraw the 20 September decision to dissolve the central body of Nepal Tarun Dal, Nepal Women’s Association, Nepal Aadibasi Janajati Sangh and Nepal Prajatrantra Senani Sangh and form the prepration committees to hold their convention within six months.
"We are flexible to address the demand made by the Deuba faction by keeping the decision intact and forging consensus" informed party general secretary Prakash Man Singh after the meeting.
However, he said the hunger strike had started before the decision had so it was wrong move from the Deuba faction. Another general secretary Krishna Sitaula informed the meeting reached a conclusion that the party should go ahead with unity.
Central member Arjun Nursing KC said that the meeting discussed about the formation of preparatory committee consisting the representatives from both sides to hold their general conventions.
Likewise, the party affiliated professional organizations also appealed to the leadership to resolve the dissolution rift.
Issuing a joint press release, the heads of Nepal Democratic Medical Association, Nepal Teacher Association, Nepal Democratic Layers Association, Democratic Professor Association, and Center for Democratic Lawyers Association requested to settle the issue through democratic manner as soon as possible.
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