UPDATE PRACHANDA SAYS PARTIES AGREE TOIMPLEMENT TUESDAY'S DECISION

JOURNALISTS SAY ATTEMPT TO COVER UP PLANNED MURDER OF JHAPA JOURNALIST

Kathmandu, 11 April: Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has said that the government is determined to protect the nation's media, media houses and
Journalists, RSS reports.

The prime minister expressed this determination in a meeting with a delegation of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) that had reached his office at Singha Durbar today to draw his attention regarding Jhapa-based journalist Yadav Paudel's killing.

The FNJ deputation had gone to meet the prime minister to draw his attention on the local administration's failure to identify Paudel's killers and bring them to book.

In the meeting with the FNJ delegation, Prime Minister Bhattarai expressed the confidence that legal action would be soon initiated against the culprits as they have already been identified.

He vowed that attacks on the Press would not be condoned and tolerated under any circumstances.

FNJ president Shiva Gaunle on the occasion drew the prime minister's attention to the delay in the government's initiation for making public Paudel's murderers and called on the government to immediately bring the culprits to book as the attempts to hide the facts about the 'premeditated' murder by the Jhapa district administration and its failure to catch the criminals has raised doubts on the intention of the district administration.

He suggested that the government should be serious and work towards removing the impunity in relation to incidents of attack on Fourth Estate of the state.
The FNJ delegation drew the government's attention to the need of immediately making public Paudel's killers, making provision for the livelihood of Paudel's dependants and paying attention to the education of Paudel's children.

The delegation comprised president Gaunle, FNJ former president SDharmendra Jha, general secretary Om Sharma and representatives of different organizations.
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TASK FORCE FORMED; OTHER DETAILS
Kathmandu, 11 April: At least 22 Mohan Baidhya
activists and policemen were injured Wednesday in a clash at Ratna Park as police attempted to disrupt a torchlight procession of dissident Maoists who chanted anti- government and anti-party slogans.
But the party establishment and government convened a meeting Wednesday to implement and review Tuesday’s decision to handover cantonments wth Maoists and their weapons to Nepal Army(NA).
Soldiers in battle gear entered seven cantonments and diddnlt meet any resistance; the first order to enter cantonment was received at 6.50 in the evening Tuesday.
A meeting of the special committee for integration and supervision attended by top leaders who aren’t regular members Wednesday reviewed Tuesday’s decision to implement a four-point agreement and agreed to pursue talks Thursday.
The committee formed a four-member task force to
settle technical issues like formation of directorate to integrate fighters , selection committee, rank determination and standards and norms.
A code of conduct was also discussed.
Barshaman Pun from Maoists Dr Minendra Rijal of NC ,
Bhim Rawal of UML and Jitendra Dev of TMLP are its
members.
“The meeting decided to implement yesterday’s decision,”
Chairman Prachanda said after the meeting.
All fighters and weapons in cantonments have been handed over to NA Wednesday.
Three security agencies met in the capital to review the
handover described as ‘unilateral and surrender
by dissidents
Retirement process of fighters will start Thursday and
integration of fighters will follow later.
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