MAOISTS TOREMAIN 'UNITED' AT LEAST UNTIL MAY END

MAOISTS TO REMAIN ‘UNITED’ AT LEAST UNTIL END OF MAY
Kathmandu, 29 March: - Despite sharp ideological and political differences, UCPN (Maoist) will remain united at least till May 27 as an informal meeting of the Central Committee members of establishment faction on Wednesday recognised the parallel functioning of party's hard-line faction led by party's Vice-chairman
Mohan Baidya,, in The Kathmandu Post..
Though the establishment faction led by party's Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal was all set to hold an official CC meeting, they held only the informal meeting in the request of Baidya faction and unveiled a separate policy and programme to “create an appropriate environment to conclude peace and constitution writing processes”.
The meeting also decided to organise a separate programme to mark party establishment day on April and a grand mass meeting on May 1 in Kathmandu for peace, constitution and labour rights. The meeting also decided to declare a union of those disqualified combatants and who opted for volunteer retirement and to initiate a campaign for peace and constitution within the deadline.
The hardliners few days ago had unveiled their own policies and programmes highlighting the need of revolt to ensure people's constitution.
With this, the rival factions will function separately with their respective policies and programmes. The establishment faction led by Dahal and Bhattarai will work for peace and constitution while hard-liners will make preparations for possible revolt.
'High hope of constitution'
Meanwhile, addressing the informal meeting, Dahal expressed full confidence that a new constitution will be drafted within May 27. He said there have been positive talks among political parties and “chances of a compromise on most disputed issues” of peace and constitution appears thick.
Dahal, however, said that no agreement has been forged on contentious issues of peace and constitution. “Politics is heading towards consensus and compromise,” a leader quoted Dahal as saying in the meeting. According to the leader, Dahal said the issue of rank, education and standards and norms of integration of the former Maoist combatants are yet to be settled. “Once the issues related to integration of combatants are settled there is a high change of compromise on forms of governance,” he said.
Dahal informed party men that there has been comfortable and positive discussion among parties on the issue of federalism, the most disputed issue of constitution drafting, in the recent days. “Chairman (Dahal) was fully confidence that a “consensual constitution will be promulgated on May 27,” politburo member Hematna Prakash Oli said. He also said that if Nepali Congress and CPN-UML refused to accept identity-based federalism, the Janajati lawmakers from those parties will revolt and come to support the Maoists.
Taskforce to manage commune
The informal CC meet also decided to form a three-member taskforce led by Standing Committee member Krishna Bahadur Mahara to manage and revive Maoist communes stationed in different parts of the country. The taskforce also comprises Standing Committee member Giriraj Mani Pokhrel and politburo member Devendra Poudel. Many communes developed during the conflict area in the far-western and eastern districts are on the verge of collapse as the families are leaving the commune.
Maoist had developed the concept of communes as a shelter for party cadres and for production related works. The taskforce will recommend the party headquarters about managing communes. The meeting also decided to take concrete steps for the management of party cadres.
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ERRORS IN MATH. QUESTION PAPERS IN SLC
Kathmandu, 29 March: School Leaving Certificate examinees had a hard time attempting three questions on the Optional Mathematics paper today due to printing
rrrors, The Himalayan Times reports.

Jaya Ram Adhikari, a teacher at Gyan Sikha Higher Secondary School, said there were printing errors in three questions with total weightage of 10 marks. He said, “Due to the errors, students were confused and some of them did not even attempt these questions.”

Samundar KC, an SLC examinee from Imadol-based Children Garden Academy, said the questions were corrected by teachers in the exam hall.

He said, “We were confused in the beginning. But later when the questions were corrected, we found it easy to solve them.”

Meanwhile, the Office of the Controller of Examinations admitted that there were errors on the question paper. Ambika Prasad Regmi, deputy controller, said there were a few printing mistakes in the question papers.

“We will direct examiners to take the errors into consideration,” said Regmi. He said students who have at least attempted the question would get full credit for their answer.
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