MS.LOIS QUAM ARRIVES

U.S. Government Global Health Initiative Executive Director, Ms. Lois Quam Visits Nepal
Kathmandu, 29 Nov.: The Executive Director of President Obama’s Global Health Initiative (GHI), Ms. Lois Quam, arrived in Kathmandu Tuesday for a three-day visit, US embassy said.
Designated as one of eight U.S. Government “GHI Plus” countries in 2010, Nepal has demonstrated award-winning results and the potential to significantly improve the health of the Nepalese people thanks to U.S. Government assistance in collaboration with other health sector donors under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Population. GHI places a particular focus on improving the health of women, newborns and children through programs that address, maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, vaccine preventable diseases, HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases, and hygiene and sanitation.
During the visit, Ms. Quam will meet with Government of Nepal senior officials, health donor colleagues, and health implementers to discuss USG and Nepal health development priorities. She will observe integrated GHI programs, visit program sites, and interact with beneficiaries focusing on maternal and child health, vaccine preventable diseases, HIV/AIDS, health research and infectious diseases, and disaster risk reduction.
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PM’S PRESS ADVISOR SAYS TERAI ARMED OUTFIT READY
FOR TALKS WITH GOVT.
Kathmandu, 29 Nov.: Prime Minister’s press advisor, Ram Rijan Yadav has said that the Terai-based agitating armed force Madhes Rastra Janatantrik Party -Revolutionary has expressed its eagerness and readiness to hold dialogue with the incumbent government to shun violence, RSS reports from
Rajbiraj.
Only on Monday, cabinet meeting has formed a three-member talks team to sit in dialogue with different armed outfits operating in Terai districts.

Talking to journalists in Rajbiraj, Yadav said the Janatantrik- Revolutionary was serious to resolve the problem and express their demands through holding dialogue with the government.

PM’s press advisor Yadav further informed that he has recently returned after holding dialogue with the Front composed of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (Agni Group), Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (Abinash Group) and Madhes Rastra Janatantrik Krantikari functioning in the Indian territory.

He added that he had a meeting with Front’s vice-chairperson Bibash Bidrohi, Agni and Abinash in an unknown place of India and urged them to express their demands through peaceful means.
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TAPALEJUNG FIRE DETROYS PROPERTY WORTH RS. 300,000
Kathmandu, 29 Nov.:Property worth Rs 300,000 has been gutted in a fire that broke out in a house at Fawakhola of Taplejung district on Tuesday morning, RSS reports from Taplejung..

It has been reported that the inferno started from the house of Fiplal Ezam of Fawakhola-6.

The fire has destroyed all goods, including clothes and foodstuffs stored in the house.

According to a local Ashish Bhattarai, locals have brought the fire under control.
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sud.as . But I nev t collectedmoneyfrom an official fo
athmandu on November 23 for a week-long visit.

Besides interacting with members of the Constituent Assembly, the delegation had called on the president, the prime minister and senior leaders of political parties and taken stock of the ongoing regrouping process of combatants.

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15,732 preferences ecrded comleted in four coatonments paperwork isof two caps being completed.
Nearky 3,000 desered but party
Kathmandu, 29 Nov.: Preferences of 15,747 were recorded; choices of 1,094 fighters at the7th Division in Kailali in the far-West has to be recorded, according to Balananda Sharma, Coordinator of the secretariat of a special government committee .
Only two male fighters opted for resettlement while 60 percent
opted for integration.
All those who chose to join the Nepal Army (NA) against which the Maoist fighters fought in a 10-year insurgency may not qualify.
The deadline to complete recording preferences for integration, resettlement or voluntary retirement at seven cantonments ended Monday.
The assignment to 210 …was completed only in six of seven cantonments to record choices of 19,000 plus former PLA
combatants in 28 satellite camps and seven cantonments.
They were verified by UNMIN, a UN political agency which was
invited by government and parties but funded by donors, mainly European states.
Amid controversy, UNMIN quit Nepal 15 January 2011 without completing its assignment amid charges by pro-Maoist parties by parties that first invited the UN body to Nepal.

short by around 3,000.
Four placec completed completely paper work remains at two antonmnts
Maoist soldiers have showed up, according to Bala Nanda Sharma, coordinator of the secretariat under the Special Committee.

Now the categorization of only 1,094 is left, in the cantonment in Kailali, according to Gopal Singh Bohara, a member of the secretariat. The cantonment has been given three more days to complete the categorization.

Even if it is assumed that all the remaining 1,094 combatants turn up for the categorization, the number of Maoist army personnel would come to 16,841, or 2,764 fewer than the figure registered by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) in 2007.

This updated figure for the ex-combatants has raised a question about the Maoists over misuse of resources allocated for combatant allowances and rations. As of last month, the Office of Cantonment Management released allowances and rations to 19,525 combatants. That means the Maoists were drawing salary and rations even for combatants who were not there.

Calculations by Republica show that the Maoists were drawing around Rs 27.5 million every month from state coffers as allowance and rations in the name of absent combatants. The government gives Rs 6,500 in allowance and Rs 2,730 on average for rations to each combatant every month.

"This is an expected result. Many combatants who were not in the cantonments also came forward for categorization. Otherwise, the number would have been much less," said Dr Minendra Rijal, a Special Committee member, when asked to comment on the drop in the PLA numbers.

Not a single Maoist leader who could comment on the matter was available.

As a significant number of combatants did not participate in the categorization process, the Maoist party had sent out cadres to villages in Rolpa and Ilam to persuade deserters to come and participate in the categorization.

"We have found that the Maoists have been luring the deserters to participate in the categorization, saying they would get money for choosing voluntary retirement," said a government official involved in categorization at Dahaban cantonment in Rolpa, over the phone.

Our correspondent from Jhapa reported that many deserters have come to participate in the categorization process and the Maoist party made them sign an undertaking to give the party 50 percent of the money they will get for opting for voluntary retirement.

Road ahead

With the categorization to be completed in all the cantonments in the next three days, the next step in the management of combatants such as when those opting for voluntary retirement will be released from the cantonments and when the Nepal Army will start selecting the qualified combatants, remains unclear.

"We were given a mandate only to complete the categorization," said Special Committee Secretariat Coordinator Sharma when asked about the road ahead. "But I think those opting for voluntary retirement should be allowed to go to their respective communities as early as possible because we have sensed growing animosity between those opting for integration and those for voluntary retirement."

Spokesperson at the Special Committee Madhav Prasad Ghimire, who is also the chief secretary, said the Special Committee is required to take a decision on the future course of management of the Maoist combatants once the categorization is completed.

´The Special Committee will take a decision after it receives a report on the categorization from the secretariat," said Ghimire.

Maoists insisting late-comers be considered

Though the secretariat announced the expiry of the deadline for participation in categorization, the Maoists in Rolpa have been insisting that later-comers be considered as well.

"They have told us that they are bringing more combatants in the coming days and insisting they be considered for categorization also," said an official involved in the categorization in Rolpa.

But Sharma told Republica that the deadline was fixed in consultation with PLA divisional commanders and cannot be extended except in Kailali. As the statelite cantonments lie in far-flung areas and the categorization process began three days later in the cantonments in Kailali, the secretariat has given three more day

BIBAHA PANCHAMI BENG OBSERVED
Kathmandu, 29 Nov.: Bibaha Panchami
is being celebrated Tuesday.
Devotees from Nepal and India are taking holy dips at lakes in
Janakpur to offer prayers to Lord Ram and Consort Sita whose
marriage is being celebrated Tuesday.

Kathmandu, 29 Nov.: Government has accepted a Rs. 1,83 billion
British assistance for a project to stop the effect of climate change.
The cabinet has also accepted a s 30.84 million Finnish assistance for an environment transmission improvement project.

REGROUPNG OF FORMER MAOIST FIGHTERS
AT SIX OF SEVEN CANTONMENTS COMPLETED





Kathmandu, 29 Nov.: The task of regrouping former Maoist combatants finished in most cantonments and camps as per the schedule by Monday, Kiran Pandey reports in The Rising Nepal.
Some 15,534 combatants among the 19,503 cantoned in 7 main cantonment sites (MCS) and 21 satellite camps was on Monday while some work remained to be done in the seventh division of Talaband, Kailali district.
By the final day Monday, 1281 combatants of second division located at Dhudhauli of Sindhuli, 3,319 of third division camp of Shaktikhor of Chitwan, 2,614 combatants of fourth division of Yaltungdanda, Nawalparasi, 2,126 combatants of fifth division located at Dahaban of Rolpa, 2,693 combatants of sixth division located at Dashrathpur of Surkhet and 2,219 combatants of seventh division located at Talaband of Kailali had been regrouped.
The regrouping task at seventh division could not be completed as it was initiated behind schedule, said Balananda Sharma, Coordinator of the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC). Sharma said the final

reports, however, were yet to come.
"The deadline has been extended by three days to accomplish all regrouping tasks," Sharma added.
Regrouping at the first division of Chulachuli at Ilam has been concluded.
According to Dr. Shambhu Ram Simkhada, coordinator of the AISC secretariat for the first division, 1,501 combatants out of total 1,930 cantoned combatants have been regrouped. It has three satellite camps.
He said 787 combatants opted for integration and 714 combatants for voluntary retirement; however, 429 combatants were absent in the regrouping.
The regrouping task at the third division in Shaktikhor of Chitwan has been concluded leaving 651 verified combatants absent in the regrouping process.
According to the AISC secretariat of Shatikhor, out of total cantoned 3,970 combatants, only 3,319 were regrouped by the last deadline of the regrouping.
Though the AISC team deployed in third division has claimed that the regrouping has been concluded, the division commanders have insisted that there are still some remaining tasks to be completed.
Meanwhile the regrouping task in fourth division of Jyaltung Danda, Nawalparasi has been concluded.
Having four satellites camps, the fourth division regrouped altogether 2,614 combatants on Monday. Out of total regrouped combatants, 1,277 combatants opted for integration and 1,337 for voluntary retirement. However, no combatant here opted for rehabilitation.
"We are happy that we have finished all regrouping tasks within the stipulated timeframe of November 28," said Ramananda Kurmi, member of AISC secretariat.
Only two combatants of Second Division opted for the government’s rehabilitation package.
During the last phase of regrouping, around 60 per cent of the ex-Maoist combatants have chosen integration while around 40 percent have preferred voluntary retirement.
However, not all the combatants going for integration will be addressed in the 6,500-quota as agreed among the parties for the PLA under a proposed new directorate of the Nepal Army
The rest of them would be either provided with rehabilitation package worth Rs 6 lakh to 9 lakh or voluntary retirement with cash assistance ranging from Rs 5 to 8 lakh.
As per the action plan passed by the AISC the directorate would be formed to accommodate regrouped PLA and the national army will choose the reserved number of the PLA applying its own standards and norms.
During the regrouping, the combatants were asked to voluntarily choose one of the three options - integration, rehabilitation and voluntary retirement. They were given counseling on the packages available.
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n Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Asia revealed that cash assistance for combatants would not provide a lasting solution.

Kathmandu, 29 Nov.: Dashing hopes of any EU financial assistance
to financé the return home of former Maoist from camps, a member of a EU parliamentary delegation visiting Nepal said Monday cash donation wasn;t a solution.
“We view that returning home with cash is not a suitable approach to address the problem,” Lluis Navarro, a member of the delegation,
said.
Government ministers and some members of leading parties hoped EU member states would help the return home of the former combatants.
But five European states had been contributing to a peace fund managed by government to finance the peace process, including the monthly upkeep of 19,000 plus former fighters at the camps.
It’s come to light Monday 3,000 fighters deserted the camps but the paty was collecting the monthly stipends from government.
In effect, the Maoists were being financed through the government agency.



He said the EU could support disabled fighters, women and their children as and when asked, but not in the form of cash.



The EP delegation, led by Jean Lambart, arrived in Kathmandu on November 23 for a week-long visit.

Besides interacting with members of the Constituent Assembly, the delegation had called on the president, the prime minister and senior leaders of political parties and taken stock of the ongoing regrouping process of combatants.

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For cohoe restlement
15,732 preferences ecrded comleted in four coatonments paperwork isof two caps being completed.
Nearky 3,000 desered but party
Kathmandu, 29 Nov.: Preferences of 15,747 were recorded; choices of 1,094 fighters at the7th Division in Kailali in the far-West has to be recorded, according to Balananda Sharma, Coordinator of the secretariat of a special government committee .
Only two male fighters opted for resettlement while 60 percent
opted for integration.
All those who chose to join the Nepal Army (NA) against which the Maoist fighters fought in a 10-year insurgency may not qualify.
The deadline to complete recording preferences for integration, resettlement or voluntary retirement at seven cantonments ended Monday.
The assignment to 210 …was completed only in six of seven cantonments to record choices of 19,000 plus former PLA
combatants in 28 satellite camps and seven cantonments.
They were verified by UNMIN, a UN political agency which was
invited by government and parties but funded by donors, mainly European states.
Amid controversy, UNMIN quit Nepal 15 January 2011 without completing its assignment amid charges by pro-Maoist parties by parties that first invited the UN body to Nepal.

short by around 3,000.
Four placec completed completely paper work remains at two antonmnts
Maoist soldiers have showed up, according to Bala Nanda Sharma, coordinator of the secretariat under the Special Committee.

Now the categorization of only 1,094 is left, in the cantonment in Kailali, according to Gopal Singh Bohara, a member of the secretariat. The cantonment has been given three more days to complete the categorization.

Even if it is assumed that all the remaining 1,094 combatants turn up for the categorization, the number of Maoist army personnel would come to 16,841, or 2,764 fewer than the figure registered by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) in 2007.

This updated figure for the ex-combatants has raised a question about the Maoists over misuse of resources allocated for combatant allowances and rations. As of last month, the Office of Cantonment Management released allowances and rations to 19,525 combatants. That means the Maoists were drawing salary and rations even for combatants who were not there.

Calculations by Republica show that the Maoists were drawing around Rs 27.5 million every month from state coffers as allowance and rations in the name of absent combatants. The government gives Rs 6,500 in allowance and Rs 2,730 on average for rations to each combatant every month.

"This is an expected result. Many combatants who were not in the cantonments also came forward for categorization. Otherwise, the number would have been much less," said Dr Minendra Rijal, a Special Committee member, when asked to comment on the drop in the PLA numbers.

Not a single Maoist leader who could comment on the matter was available.

As a significant number of combatants did not participate in the categorization process, the Maoist party had sent out cadres to villages in Rolpa and Ilam to persuade deserters to come and participate in the categorization.

"We have found that the Maoists have been luring the deserters to participate in the categorization, saying they would get money for choosing voluntary retirement," said a government official involved in categorization at Dahaban cantonment in Rolpa, over the phone.

Our correspondent from Jhapa reported that many deserters have come to participate in the categorization process and the Maoist party made them sign an undertaking to give the party 50 percent of the money they will get for opting for voluntary retirement.

Road ahead

With the categorization to be completed in all the cantonments in the next three days, the next step in the management of combatants such as when those opting for voluntary retirement will be released from the cantonments and when the Nepal Army will start selecting the qualified combatants, remains unclear.

"We were given a mandate only to complete the categorization," said Special Committee Secretariat Coordinator Sharma when asked about the road ahead. "But I think those opting for voluntary retirement should be allowed to go to their respective communities as early as possible because we have sensed growing animosity between those opting for integration and those for voluntary retirement."

Spokesperson at the Special Committee Madhav Prasad Ghimire, who is also the chief secretary, said the Special Committee is required to take a decision on the future course of management of the Maoist combatants once the categorization is completed.

´The Special Committee will take a decision after it receives a report on the categorization from the secretariat," said Ghimire.

Maoists insisting late-comers be considered

Though the secretariat announced the expiry of the deadline for participation in categorization, the Maoists in Rolpa have been insisting that later-comers be considered as well.

"They have told us that they are bringing more combatants in the coming days and insisting they be considered for categorization also," said an official involved in the categorization in Rolpa.

But Sharma told Republica that the deadline was fixed in consultation with PLA divisional commanders and cannot be extended except in Kailali. As the statelite cantonments lie in far-flung areas and the categorization process began three days later in the cantonments in Kailali, the secretariat has given three more day