Kathmandu, August 15, 2007

Cadres of the All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) today sprinkled petrol on CPN-UML Member of Parliament Som Prasad Pandey and tried to set him ablaze.

They also torched the MPs vehicle (Ba 2 Cha 9177). The Maoist-affiliated student activists accused the MP from Palpa district of defying a chakkajam called by them at New Baneshwor. “I had no idea of the chakkajam.

I knew about it only when I reached the area. They just came and sprinkled petrol on me and my vehicle while I was trying to take the vehicle to a parking lot,” Pandey said. He told reporters that he introduced himself and tried to assure the demonstrators that he was not defying the chakkajam.

Though the demonstrators set the vehicle on fire, police personnel moved quickly to douse it. Window-panes and the seats of the vehicle were damaged in the fire. Pandey escaped with minor injuries on hands.

The police arrested Sujan Thapa of Ramechhap for trying to set the MP on fire. “Those who have called the bandh must take the responsibility for the incident,” DSP Dibas Udas at the Metropolitan Police Circle, New Baneshwor, said. He said the police would charge Thapa with attempted murder after Pandey files a complaint in the police office. General Secretary of the ANNISU-R Himal Sharma said the incident was unexpected and that they would launch a probe.

In a press release, the CPN-UML condemned the incident and termed the attack “an inexcusable act.”

6 Maoist regional commands go

Kathmandu, August 15, 2007

A central committee meeting of the CPN-Maoist today dissolved the six military-styled regional commands and replaced them with five political bureaus keeping in mind the upcoming constituent assembly elections, sources said.

The meeting, held to implement the party’s strategy approved by the recently-concluded fifth expanded meeting (plenum), dissolved the eastern command led by Ram Bahadur Thapa (Badal), central command led by Barshaman Pun (Ananta), western command led by Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, mid-western command led by Post Bahadur Bogati, far-western command led by Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav) and international command led by CP Gajurel (Gaurav).

The party decided to constitute five central bureaus and 12 autonomous republic departments and another department to look after international affairs.

The five central bureaus include the Central Military Bureau led by party chairman Prachanda himself, Central People’s Mobilisation Front led by Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Organisation Bureau led by Badal, School Training, Publication and Dissemination Bureau led by Mohan Baidya (Kiran) and International Bureau led by C P Gajurel (Gaurav).