MAOISTS DECIDE TO DIVIDE COUNTRY INTO 11 STATE COMMITTEES
The central committee meeting of the Maoists, which was held in order to implement the decision of fifth plenum, has decided to divide the country in ethnic and regional lines into 11 state committees.
As per its decision the eleven state committees include Seti-Mahakali; Tharuwan; Bheri-Karnali; Magarat; Tamuwan; Tamba Saling; Newa; Madhes; Limbuwan; Kirat and Kochila. The Madhes state committee is further divided into Mithila, Bhojpura, and Abadh sub-state committees, according to a statement issued by Prachanda on Thursday (August 16).
According to the statement, the Seti Mahakali state committee headed by Kul Prasad KC will include Darchula, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Bajhang, Bajura, Achham and Doti districts. The Tharuwan state committee headed by Shakti Basnet will include Dang, Banke, Kailali, Kanchanpur and Bardiya districts.
The Bheri Karnali state committee headed by Khadga Bahadur Biswakarma will include Humla, Jumla, Mugu, Kalikot, Dolpa, Jajarkot, Dailekh and Surkhet districts. Likewise, the Magarat state committee headed by Hemanta Prakash Oli will include Rukum, Rolpa, Salyan, Pyuthan, Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, Palpa, Baglung, Myagdi and Mustang districts.
The Tamuwan state committee headed by Hitraj Pandey will include Parbat district of Dhaulagiri zone and all districts of Gandaki zone. The Tamba Saling state committee headed by Kanchan Sapkota will include Chitwan, Makwanpur, Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk, Kavre, Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts. The Newa state committee headed by Hitman Shakya will include Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts.
The Madhes state committee is headed by Post Bahadur Bogati. It is divided into three sub committees. The Mithila subcommittee headed by Matrika Yadav will include Siraha, Saptari, Dhanusha, Mahottari and Sarlahi districts. The Bhojpura sub committee headed by Hari Bhakta Kandel will include Rautahat, Bara and Parsa districts. The Abadh sub committee headed by Devendra Poudel will include Nawalparasi, Kapilbastu and Rupandehi districts.
The Kirat state committee headed by Gopal Kirati will include Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga, Udayapur, Khotang, Bhojpur and Sankhuwasabha districts. The Limbuwan state committee headed by Ram Karki will include Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, Tehrathum and Dhankuta districts. The Kochila state committee headed by Haribol Gajurel will include Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa districts.
The Maoists have also decided to form a commission led by Dev Gurung to finalize the scientific geographic demarcation of these units. The commission would submit its report to the Maoist central office within three months.
The statement also adds that the Young Communist League (YCL) has been brought under the party’s central military bureau, which is headed by Prachanda. The central committee meeting had dissolved the existing commands and replaced them with various central bureaus.
The central organization bureau will be headed by Ram Bahadur Thapa; the central front bureau will be headed by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai; international bureau will be headed by CP Gajurel; and communication, publication and training bureau will be headed by Mohan Baidya.
ANTUF NOT TO SHUT DOWN MEDIA
The pro-Maoist All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) has stated that it will no more shut down the media houses.
“Given the sensitivities of the media sector, we want to inform that in the coming days while raising the issues of workers we will opt for methods of agitations other than shutting down or disrupting the distribution of newspapers,” says a statement issued by Shalik Ram Jamarkattel, president of ANTUF who is also a Maoist MP.
In a statement issued late Wednesday (August 16) night, Jamarkattel has urged the union workers of The Himalayan Times and Annapurna Post to refrain from disrupting their printing and distribution.
He has also appealed to the management of publication, distribution and media houses not to deprive their workers of professional and organizational rights. The printing and distribution of THT and AP dailies had been disrupted for five days while the broadcast of Radio HBC FM has remained stalled since ten days.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Information and Communication Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara had issued a statement seeking Federation of Nepalese Journalist (FNJ’s) help in resolving media dispute.
Likewise, the Patan Appellate Court, on Wednesday, also issued a stay order directing the All Nepal Communication, Press and Publication Workers' Union not to disrupt the distribution of THT and AP dailies.
NA Chief Visits UK And Australia
At the invitation of the government of the United Kingdom, General Rookmangud Katawal visited the UK for one week. Besides meeting his counterpart and other dignitaries, he also spoke at the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS). He also visited Australia to participate in the Conference of the Pacific Army Chiefs, co-sponsored by the American and Australian Armies. General Katawal briefed the dignitaries and participants on both occasions making it clear that the Nepal Army was fully committed to root out terrorism from Nepal and would never permit extremism to succeed. When asked what was the state of communism in Nepal, Katawal is reported to have told them that communism had failed all over the world and outlived its utility. It is also reported that the Army Chief might also be invited by other friendly countries like the USA, China and India.
WFP DISTRIBUTES FOOD; ICRC CALL FOR UNHINDERED ACCESS
Floods and landslides across the country have continued to ravage the country. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) started distribution of food items to victims of flooding in the mid-western districts of Banke and Bardia from Thursday (August 16).
“Thanks to the quick response from the donor community, and WFP’s excellent working relationship with the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS), in two weeks, we have been able to start delivering food to the most flood-affected victims in the Western Terai,” said Richard Ragan, WFP Country Representative in Nepal. So far, the NRCS and a number of other non-governmental organizations have been working to provide "ready to eat” meals and WFP would now begin providing more complete food baskets, Ragan further said.
WFP said its initial response to provide 10,000 families (around 60,000 people) with three months of food rations was based upon the initial needs identified by the NRCS and requested by Nepal government. Since the GoN’s initial request, the number of people impacted by the floods across the country has increased to over 400,000 people and we are already in the process of appealing to donors for additional funds to cover the increased food needs of the flood victims,” stated Ragan.
On the other hand, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Nepal has appealed agitating groups not to obstruct the delivery of relief teams to the flood victims. A statement issued by them said, "The ICRC calls for humanitarian assistance to be delivered without obstruction. This assistance should be distributed solely on the basis of need, independently of all political, communal and other considerations. Humanitarian actors need unrestricted access to the people in need." It said that humanitarian action is being hampered by high water levels, damaged infrastructure, the calling of bandhs, strikes and other interferences at the local level.
