PRACHANDA FLTING TO BARDIYA TO ASK FOR RETURN OF SEIZED ASSSETS

PRACHANDA PAYING FLYING VISIT TO BARDIA TO PUSH DRIVE TO RETURN SEIZED ASSETS

Kathmandu, 20 Nov.: Maoist Chairman Prachanda is paying a flying visit to Bardiya Sunday where supporters of an anti-establishment group in UCPN (Maoist) are obstructing party and government assurances to return seized assets during the 10-year insurgency to owners.
The Maoist party chief is visiting the far-West district with main opposition NC and other party leaders to persuade holders of seized assets to return property.
The UCPN (Maoist) factions of the chairman and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, who is party vice-chairman, have agreed in principle to return seized with government and local administration involvement.
But the return is progressing at snail pace.
Opposition parties have set pre-condition--return seized assets to complete the peace process and constitution drafting for full normalization.
Maoists say the landless people and not the party have seized land—an argument rejected by opposition parties.
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