STATE REORGANIZATION COMMISSON BEING LAUNCHED WITH ITS CHIEF AND MEMBERS

BIG THREE, MADESHBADI FRONT LAUNCH STATE REORGANIZATION COMMISSION TUESDAY

Kathmandu, 22 Nov.: The Big Three and a front of six Madeshsbadi parties meet Tuesday to appoint members of a proposed state reorganization commission to recommend a federal state structure.
Maoists, NC and UML agreed Monday to launch he commissionwiothout agreement on its leadership and members.
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UML STANDING COMMITTEE MEET CONTINUES FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE DAY TUESDAY

Kathmandu, 22 Nov.: UML standing committee continues its meet for the third day consecutive day Tuesday.
The committee is discussing an agenda for the party’s 12th central committee that begins Wednesday and other issues, including party affairs.
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NORWEGIAN CROWN PRINCE ARRIVES

Kathmandu, 22 Nov.: Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, who is also goodwill ambassador of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), arrived Monday for a four-day visit.

UNDP Administrator,chair of the UN Development Group and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark is also arriving.
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MAOIST FACTION ABORTING ESTABALISHMENT FACTION EFFORT TO RETURN SEIZED ASSETS

Kathmandu, 22 Nov.: A faction on UCPN (Maoist), leading a government with six Madeshbadi parties, Monday, initiated moves in the far-West to return forcibly seized assets during the 10-year insurgency to rightful owners.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda flew to Bardiya Sunday with NC leader Krishna Prasad Shitaula and UML leader Bamdev Gautam to ask district leaders to return assets seized during the 10-year insurgency.
The persuasion failed.
Establishment faction of UCPN (Maoist) of the chairman and Prime Minister Babram Bhattarai, second Vice-chairman of the party, has urged the return of the seized assts with government support to return seized assets and complete the peace process and constitution drafting.
The opposition parties have set the pre-condition for the return by this week.
Maoist commitment for the return amid opposition from a faction led by first Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya.
Opposition doesn’t buy the argument CPN (Maoist) hasn’t seized assets but landless have held seized assets.
The Baidya faction Monday formed a 13-member action led by Harilal Badi, a landless squatter, in Shreepur VDC, Bardiya, to abort the government effort to return property to embarrass Prachanda and PM Battarai.
The Baidya faction on is also forming VDC action committees to stop return land return.
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NSC RECOGNIZES DHRUBA PRADHAN NOC

Kathmandu, 22 Nov.: National Sports Council (NOC), supreme national sports authority, Sunday gave its recognition to the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) led by Dhruba Pradhan.
The other body link led by Rukma Shumshere Rana and there’s a tussle between the two bodies.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes the Pradhan-led NOC.
Yubaraj Lama, member-secretary of NSC, met President Pradhan Monday and conveyed the support.
Supreme court recognizes the Rana committee,
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ABSENCE OF LAW HURTS BHAIRAWA SEZ PROSPECTS

Kathmandu, 22 Nov.: The process of establishing industries in Bhairawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has been delayed due to absence of related laws, Sher Bahadur KC reports from Bhairawa in Republica..

Local industrialists have expressed disappointment over the delay in enactment of the SEZ Act though construction of necessary infrastructure has almost been completed.

The SEZ Bill registered by the Ministry of Industry (MoI) has been gathering dust in parliament for the last couple of years.

Almost 75 percent of project works has already been completed, according to Bhairawa SEZ Project. The project aims to complete construction works by June next year.
In an effort to promote export oriented industries, the government is planning to set up about half a dozen SEZs in different parts of the country.

“Infrastructure construction work is nearing completion, but we don´t know whether or not the related act would be enacted on time,” said Netra Bhattarai, chief of Bhairawa SEZ Project. “Because of the absence of the Act, we have not started the process of setting up industries.”

Mahendra Shrestha, president of Shidharthanagar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said local entrepreneurs are worried over delay in enacting the SEZ Act. “The indifference of policymakers is hurting country´s economy. It is discouraging inward foreign direct investment,” he added.

Companies based in China, India and South Korea and some local companies have showed interest to set up industries in Bhairawa SEZ.

Bhattarai said the process of establishing industries inside the SEZ would pick pace once the SEZ Act in endorsed.

As per the proposed SEZ Act, industries in SEZ can enjoy tax holiday for five years, 50 percent tax rebate for another five years, exemption of customs duty for raw materials and permission to sell up to 25 percent of the products in local market.
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CUSTOMS CHIEFS OPPOSE MoF IDEA TO KEVY GOODS

Kathmandu, 22 Nov.: Chiefs of major customs offices on Monday criticized the Ministry of Finance (MoF) for its decision to raise the minimum import threshold for compulsory filling up of customs declaration form from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000, saying it will seriously impact customs revenue collections, Republica reports.

“Mechi Customs alone will lose at least Rs 200 million in revenue every month if the new provision is enforced,” said Laxmi Poudel, chief of Mechi Customs Office.
Chief of Biratnagar, Birgunj, Tatopani, Bhairahawa and Dhangadi customs, among others, echoed with Poudel. Together, they also demanded the government to roll back the decision.

MoF on May 22 had made filling up of customs declaration form compulsory for entry of consignments worth Rs 100 and above through the porous southern border. While such a measure was enforced to plug revenue leakage, it drew criticism from businessmen and common people for whom petty purchases from across the border has been a way of life.

Bowing under the pressure, MoF on November 15 decided to raise the limit to Rs 1,000. The decision has not been enforced so far as the ministry has not issued formal notification to the Department of Customs (DoC).

Customs chiefs said if the MoF enforced the new decision, the government will face a huge revenue loss as freeing the people from the need to disclose goods up to Rs 1,000 will exclude a substantial volume of imports from the purview of customs duty.

“Rs 1,000 on one cross-border transaction may appear too small an amount. But what we must not forget is there are many people who travel across the border multiple times eventually building a huge stock of goods on this side of the border,” said Poudel. Binod Kunwar, chief of Biratnagar customs, agreed with Poudel.

Referring to the heat they faced from public when the government initially made customs declaration mandatory for import of goods worth Rs 100 and above, customs chiefs said they had successfully dealt with the pressure so far. “Thanks to this May 22 decision, over 53,000 people who always enjoyed tax-free imports to fulfill their consumption, have come in the tax net. They paid Rs 10 million in customs duty every month,” said Kunwar.

Lawanya Dhakal, chief of Birgunj Customs Office, demanded that the government must continue the existing provision of Rs 100 threshold for abbreviated customs as it has positive impact on customs revenue collection with a large number of traders brought under the tax net.

Responding to the senior customs officials´ concerns, Minister of State for Finance Hari Khewa Limbu said he would ask the government to review the decision. “The government is serious about the concerns expressed by senior customs officials. Apparently, the decision was taken without consulting Customs Department. We can always review it,” said Limbu.

Customs officials who were in the capital for a five-day training on Post Clearance Audit (PCA), which kicked off on Monday, complained about frequent breakdown of automated networking system at customs offices.
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MAOISTPLA FORMER FIGHTERS PREFER
INTEGRATION, RETREMENT
Kathmandu, 22 Nov.:: As reports from different cantonments across the country kept on filtering in, the trend today [Monday] as well had a clear distinction — none of the Maoist fighters choosing for rehabilitation. Like yesterday, integration being their first option to be followed by voluntary retirement, The Himalayan Times reports.

Survey teams deployed by the Special Committee Secretariat began regrouping Maoist fighters billeted in several camps from Saturday and yesterday, with three options — integration into the Nepali Army, voluntary retirement or rehabilitation — the latter two with cash incentives and cash plus trainings and education.

Going by the trend, the number of fighters choosing integration could shoot up to more than the number prescribed by the SC Secretariat — 6,500. The major factor for most of the fighters choosing the integration option is pressure from the Maoist establishment side. A faction led by Maoist Vice-chairman Mohan Baidhya has objected to the idea of integration saying it will be a disgrace to fighters, and the establishment side is persuading the combatants for integration to save its grace. There’s also encouragement from the hardliners that the fighters rather opt for voluntary retirement.

And there’s apprehension factor. Many Maoist fighters fear rehabilitation will lead them to the fate of those who were discharged from camps as minors in February last year. “Many combatants think the rehabilitation scheme will leave them with nothing,” said Balananda Sharma, who is leading a survey team at Maoist’s Third Division Cantonment in Shaktikhor, Chitwan. “It’s one of the reasons they are not going for rehabilitation packages.”

Some fighters even loathe the term ‘rehabilitation’, for they relate it to something close to ‘correctional rehabilitation’ given to convicts in custody. “Are we criminals?” asked Sarbajit Gharti Magar, company commander at Jwar Memorial Brigade, Tila, in Rolpa. Some fighters like brigade assistant commander Pravakar at the Fifth Division Cantonment in Dahaban, Rolpa, said there was a lack of detailed information on rehabilitation package, which includes formal and informal education, vocational training, agriculture and livestock training, and preparation for foreign employment but fails to ensure a job. Many fighters believe the rehabilitation package is vague and find the entire process not only lengthy but impractical. Dhankala Adhikari, a platoon commander, at the Sixth Division Cantonment in Dasarathpur, Surkhet, said she opted for voluntary retirement. “I was not fully informed about the rehabilitation package,” she said. What deters the fighters the most is choosing the rehabilitation option would mean undergoing training or education, the costs of which will be cut from the package. “I will rather take the money I get from voluntary retirement and invest it into a business of my own,” said Adhikari.

Secretariat members, however, expect the number of combatants opting for integration will not cross the 9,000 mark and that it would come down to 6,000, give and take, while the actual integration process — which demands fighters have to meet the norms and standard set by the national army — commences.

An SC Secretariat member told this daily that at this time, Maoist division commanders are sending those fighters who have already made up their mind for integration. “Hence, the tally under integration is higher.”
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SC DISCUSSES GOVT. AMNESTY FOR MAOIST LAWMAKER DHUNGEL CONVIICTED FOR MURDER
Kathmandu, 22 Nov.: The Supreme Court today [Monday] began hearing on whether to retain the stay order against the recommendation of Cabinet to grant amnesty to murder convict Maoist lawmaker Balkrishna Dhungel, The Himlayan Times reports..

A three-member special bench of Justices Kalyan Shrestha, Sushila Karki and Kamal Narayan Das is verifying the constitutionality of November 8 recommendation to pardon Dhungel by invoking Article 151 of Interim Constitution.

Pleading on behalf of the victim’s family, senior advocate Shambhu Thapa urged the apex court not to allow the government to pardon Dhungel as he was a murder convict.

“Without executing the apex court order, government cannot invoke Article 151 of the Constitution,” Thapa argued.

“The apex court should not allow government to choose a convict from many others as cases against other accused are pending in the District Court Okhaldhunga,” Thapa said.

Thapa also added that the presidential pardon is possible for correcting miscarriage of justice or if a criminal reforms, but it cannot be exercised just because the offender belongs to the ruling party.

Former Attorney General Badri Bahadur Karki said the government violated the Constitution by recommending amnesty to Dhungel.

“A convicted criminal is not entitled for general amnesty as per the CPA,” he added.

Karki also said that the apex court should give clear directive to the government on using the provision because the government has been misusing amnesty authority.

Stating that the CPA does not have the provision of pardoning someone with the invocation of Article 151 of Constitution, senior advocate Harihar Dahal argued that the peace accord allows only for withdrawing fake cases filed against one with political agenda during the period of conflict.

“This is a serious threat to the independence of judiciary as the government recommended amnesty to Dhungel sans executing the verdict,” he said adding, “He must abide by the apex court order and prevailing laws,” Dahal added.

Demanding the continuation of stay order, human rights advocates Govinda Bandi, Baburam Giri, Tika Ram Bhattarai, Bhoj Raj Acharya, Bhuwan Niroula pleaded on behalf of Sabitri Shrestha, sister of the deceased, who challenged the government decision to pardon him at the apex court and called for sending Dhungel to jail.
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