MAXIMUM SENTENCE DEMANDED AGAINST PM, ATTORNEY GENERAL UPDATE Kathmadndu, 13 Jan.: Maximum sentence has been demanded against Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and Attorney General Mrkti Pradhan in a case filed against them at the supreme court Sunday. The premier and th attorney general attempted to influence a verdict in a case of murder registered at Surkhet appellate court, the writ said. nnnn DAILEKH TENSE Kathmandu, 13 Jan.: Dailekh remained tensed for the 10th consecutive day on Sunday owing to the ongoing protest against the government obstruction in the interrogation of the accused in the murder of journalist Dekendra Thapa, RSS reports from Dailekh.. Civil society and the central mission team from the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) continued protest demonstration on Sunday as well, citing government intervention in the investigation process into the case. The Office of the Attorney General on Friday allegedly wrote to the district police administration asking it not to take the investigation process further ahead. The Dailekh Police has arrested five people for their involvement in the killing of district-based journalist Dekendra Thapa. Earlier, the Nepal Police Headquarters also sent a letter to the Dailekh Police to immediately stop the investigation process. Since then, the civil society, journalists and different political parties here have been staging various forms of protest programmes. The FNJ has filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court against the government obstruction in carrying out further investigation into the case. "We, media people, have planned to knock the door of the International Court for justice to the victim if the government dared to free the murder accused", said FNJ President Shiva Gaunle. Journalist Thapa was mercilessly thrashed to death by the then Maoist cadres after abduction on August 11, 2004. Nnnn TIBET BOUND ELEPHANT TUSK SEIZED Kathmandu, 13 Jan.: Nepal Police have seized red sandalwood and necklace made of Elephant tusk from Pipalbot, Boudha of Kathmandu. The banned goods were meant to be smuggled to Khasa of China, RSS reports. According to the information shared at a press conference organised by the Metropolitan Police Circle on Sunday, a police team in plain clothes received around 64 kilograms of red sandalwood hidden inside a Toyota car (Ba.2Cha. 8200) parked at a garage in front of the Autoclinic in Boudha and 24 set of necklace made of elephant tusk. The car driver Akkal Bahadur Guwaji of Pangtang-4, Sindhupalchowk was arrested, and he was found to be a seasoned trader in banned sandalwood and wildlife products. nnnn MAOIST PAPER PROPOSES ‘DEMOCRATIZING’ ARMY Kathmandu, 14 Jan.: Even as former People´s Liberation Army (PLA) combatants have been released from the cantonments with some of them undergoing trainings at various Nepal Army (NA) barracks, the political document endorsed by the ruling UCPN (Maoist) general convention organizing committee on Saturday has proposed forming a national army by developing PLA as a professional army and democratizing NA, Kiran Pun writes in Republica.. "The national army will be formed through dignified integration of PLA and democratization of NA," reads the political document. The document also states that the party should focus on dignified integration of the PLA into NA. A total of 1,442 former Maoist combatants have currently been undergoing trainings in various NA barracks. Of them, 71 are being trained for officer level positions in the NA. Six of the former combatants had opted for rehabilitation package, while another 17,000 had opted for voluntary retirement. In the initial phase, there were around 32,000 former combatants in the cantonments of which only 19,602 were verified by UNMIN. “The integration process is yet to complete. Various issues, including inclusion, are yet to be settled," party secretary Post Bahadur Bogati told Republica. There is only one issue yet to be decided and that is the determination of the ranks of the combatants undergoing trainings for officer level positions. The Maoists have been seeking the post of a colonel and two lieutenant colonels, while the Special Committee has recommended major as the highest rank for PLA. The Maoist fighters were cantoned various seven main and 21 satellite cantonments following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord. In the seven-point deal among the major political parties, the parties agreed to integrate 6,500 former combatants in NA. Over 9,000 former combatants had opted for integration after Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal faction issued a whip to this effect. However, only 6,500 were allowed to join the integration process. In the second phase of regrouping, over 3,100 had opted for integration but only 1,442 are currently undergoing training in the NA barracks. Differences on the issue of PLA integration was also one of the causes of split between the Dahal faction and faction led by then senior Vice Chairman Mohan Baidhya. While Dahal claimed that the combatants had been ensured dignified integration, Baidhya said such an integration only meant “surrender” Interestingly, the document also claims that the party leadership made a serious mistake by signing the seven-point deal. Former PLA commanders had expressed disagreement with Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai terming the seven-point deal a “surrender”. “Dignified integration could not be ensured due to the party leadership´s liberal stance on the issue of age, education and marital status of the former combatants," reads the document. The document, however, remains silent on the issue of alleged irregularities in the PLA fund. nnnn