TOP TEAMS APF AND MMC PLAY THEIR MATCHES S UNDAY IN GURKHA GOLD CUP TOURNAMENT

TOP TEAMS APF AND MMC PLAY THEIR MATCHES IN
GURKHA GOLD CUP TOURNAMENT SUNDAY
Kathmandu, 15 April: Armed Police Force (APF) play Bansbari in the first match Sunday in the British Gurkha Gold Cup in the capital.
Manang Marshyangdhi Club (MMC) play Sarashwati in the second match.
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MEDIA GOOGLE
‘We handed over responsibilities of PLA to Nepal Army even while tolerating strong criticism inside the party.”

(Maoist Spokesman and Education Minister Dinanath Sharma, Nagarik, 15 April)
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PrESIDENT ASKED TO BE BALANCED
Kathmandu, 15 April: Nepal Adibashi Janajati Mahasangh objected to President
Dr. Ram Baran Yadav’s statement Friday he won’t certify a constitution that he
feels will divide the country.
Mahasangh Genera; Secretary Ang Kazi Sherpa ‘Kishan’in a statement asked
the president to be ‘balanced,’ and asked him to conduct duties ‘neutrally and in a fearless manner’.
He said the president has no right to speak on the recommendation of a committee on state reorganization power sharing that has recommended 14 rovinces andautonomous states.
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DARAI TO LEAD PLA IN INTEGRATION

Kathmandu, 15 April: Besides the formal 7-point deal on the technical issues related to PLA’s integration agreed in the Special Committee on Saturday, the top leaders have also reached some informal understandings, Republica reports.

According to a highly placed source privy to the understandings, one PLA commander will get the post of colonel in the Nepal Army and two PLA commanders will become lieutenant colonels.

The leaders have also agreed that the PLA commander who will become the colonel in the national army and lead the Maoist combatants will be at least 45-year old. This is an average age of colonels in the Nepal Army.

The source said that Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal intitally wanted Dhan Bahadur Maski Magar, who is among his trusted men in the PLA and currently leads PLA’s Third Division based in Shaktikhor, Chitwan, to lead the PLA men opting for integration.

But since he is just 35-year old, the NC and UML leaders opposed his name. Chairman Dahal then floated name of Santu Darai, who currently leads PLA’s Seventh Division based in Kailali, to the post of colonel. Darai, 45, once led Chairman Dahal’s security team and is the seniormost division commanders in the PLA.

The leaders have also agreed that there will be a concession on the level of education in the case of some of the Maoist commanders. As an exception, the current level of education of these commanders will be accepted though the 7-point deal signed on November 1 categorically says that the education of the combatants at the time of joining the PLA will be considered for integration.
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ONLY 3,000 FORMER FIGHTERS LIKELY TO BE INTEGRATED
Kathmandu, 15 April : With enthusiasm for integration flagging among Maoist combatants, the total number of former rebels joining the Nepal Army (NA) directorate is likely to stand
around 3,000, Kiran Pun writes in Republica..

“Don’t ask me about numbers. It’s very difficult to find comrades who speak positively about integration,” said a division commander requesting anonymity.

In the combatants categorizations two months back, 9000-plus combatants were registered for integration, and after an initial survey, the PLA had assessed that 3,000 to 5,000 would join the NA. But no longer.

On Saturday, when almost all the combatants at the Fourth Division at Jhyaltungdanda opted for voluntary retirement, the PLA commanders requested to army major in charge of the cantonments to tell the combatants that they would be safe with the NA.

“We are like two sons of same mother. Even a husband and wife are not always on good terms, but they always reconcile. A job is a job and so you had better opt for integration,” a combatant quoted the NA major as telling them.

After all, it is in the interest of the commanders to integrate as many as possible for that will increase the number of senior positions in the directorate. But many combatants remain unconvinced.

What has brought about this change of heart among the combatants?

PLA insiders say there are at least three reasons for this. First, it was the way the cantonments were taken over by the NA following the Special Committee decision. “The combatants were shocked by the way the party leadership decided to send the army into the cantonments,” says a junior commanders seeking anonymity. According to some, the incident aggravated the already soured relations between the party leadership and combatants, with the latter dubbing the move an act of ‘grave betrayal’ against them and against the revolution.

“In a way we have attained the status of professional army personnel. But the leadership of our own party decided overnight to send the NA into the cantonments. I no longer wish to join the army,” said platoon commander Barun at PLA Sixth Division, Surkhet.

Secondly there was a breach of trust between senior commanders and combatants developed mistrust of the commanders due to the latter’s repeated lies and their failure to disclose financial accounts even though integration was just around the corner. “We began to feel that they could not protect us from possible humiliations in the NA, which we had regarded as the enemy for so long,” said one combatant. Many combatants feel that they might be treated badly during their bridge course and will have to opt later for voluntary retirement after undergoing humiliation.

Thirdly, PLA personnel are still in the dark about the ranks they will be given after integration and how their level of education will be taken into account. Many commanders don’t know what positions they will get in the NA and many don’t want to join the army at all if those junior to themselves should end up in higher positions. Many had also dreamed of high level positions in the NA, but their hopes will not materialize if their current level of education is not counted. They remained confused about this.

“I don’t know what magic wand the party will wave in the next few days to increase the number of friends joining the army,” said a division commander.

In fact the party that for so long stuck to a tough position on the numbers for integration has already begun exercises to reverse the situation, fearing the decline in number of combatants.

On Saturday, the party circulated text messages via cell phone stating that the education levels they currently have will be taken into account, and that those who opt for integration will not be rejected by the NA. But the parties have not signed any written agreement over this, and the seven-point deal clearly states it is the level of education at the time of joining the PLA that will be taken into account and each combatants must meet the set criteria, including physical fitness.

Many combatants who had reached their home districts to make adjust in dates of birth in citizenship papers and education certificate said they no longer wished to join the NA. “This is bad for the party. We are trying our best to increase the numbers. But I am not very hopeful”, said a division commander.

(Kalendra Sejuwal also contributed to this report from Surkhet.
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GACHHADAR FOR DIRECTLY ELECTED PRESIDENT
Kathmandu, 15 April: Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar on Saturday held that United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) is in favour of directly elected president and prime minister elected through the parliament, The Himalayan Times reports..

Speaking at a TV show to be aired this evening, Deputy Prime Minister Gachhadar ruled out the directly elected prime minister as being demanded by the CPN-UML.

He further reasoned that the directly elected prime minister will be despotic while the prime minister elected through the parliament can be overthrown in case he becomes autocratic.

Also the chairman of Madheshi Janadhikar Forum-Democratic, Gachhadar claimed that a national consensus government will be formed under the leadership of Dr. Baburam Bhattarai with the participation of Nepali Congress and CPN UML in the government.

He expressed his belief that an autonomous Madhes state will be ensured in the new constitution and that the federalism carved out along ethnic lines will not divide the country.
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