CONTROVERSIAL COL. RAJU BASNET PROMOTED DESPITE FOREIGN PRESSURE Kathmandu, 4 Oct.: Col Raju Basnet, charged by some international rights groups for rights abuses during a 10-year Maoist insurgency by the party leading the government, was cleared for promotion by a meting Thursday of the cabinet. He was among five colonels promoted on recommendation of Nepal Army (NA). Col Basnet has been cleared to charges of rights abuses New Army Chief Gen. Gaurav Shumshere Rana pushed his promotion opposed by National Human Rights Commission. Government appointed Kuber Singh Rana IGP even though he was cleared at home for rights abuses during the insurgency started by leaders and party leading the government The insurgency killed more than 17,000 persons on both sides of the conflict and caused insurmountable economic loss. Col. Basnet was sent back disgracefully from a peacekeeping assignment in West Africa. Colonels Prabhu Ram Sharma, Bijaya Dhowj Karki, Samir Shahi and Subarna Mahat were also prpmoted. Six lieutenant colonels:Baburam Shrestha Arun Kumar Pal, Pradip Jaung KC, Santosh Dhakal and Niraj Paudel were promoted to post of colonels. Nnnn