SPECIAL COMMITTEE FOR INTEGRATION OF FORMER FIGHTERS MEETS SUNDAY

SPECIAL COMMITTEE HEADED BY PM FOR FORMER FIGHTERS MEETS SUNDAY

Kathmandu, 11 Dec.: A special committee on the integration, resettlement and supervision of former fighters headed by Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai Sunday; the committee has members of major parties as members.
The committee meets after the regrouping of 19,000 plus former PLA guerrilla fighters.
The preferences of the combatants were recorded; most opted for integration—more than the 6,500 openings in Nepal Army.
Others opted for voluntary retirement while only a few chose resettlement.
Maoists want but other parties have rejected a request by the party leading the government to allocate more seats for former fighters after the survey.
The survey also found 2,000 plus encamped
Former fighters at 28 cantonments and satellite camps had deserted in the last five years UCPN (Maoists) were collecting monthly government dole in their behalf.
The issue is expected to be raised by opposition at Sunday’s special committee meet.
Nnnn

FORMER PMs PRACHANDA AND JHALANATH KHANAL RETURN GOVT. VEHICLES

Kathmandu, 11 Dec.: Former Prime Minister and Maoist Chairman along with UML Chairman Prachanda and UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal , who is also a former government chief, Saturday returned expensive government cars and other government allotted to them following Thursday’s supreme court ruling which said there was no legal basis for extending such facilities.
Former home ministers Bamdev Gautam and Bhim Rawal from UML also returned government vehicles Saturday.
Senior UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal , a former premier, was the first to return the facilities, Friday.
Cting security needs, Prachanda has retained security personnel
nnnn