Incidents involving Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist 2012

January 1: The Army Integration Special Committee (AISC) decided to start voluntary retirement and rehabilitation of the former People's Liberation Army (PLA) combatants within a week. A meeting of the AISC held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister (PM) took the decision to this effect. The voluntary retirement and rehabilitation of combatants, who had chosen these options during the regrouping process, will conclude in 12 days, AISC member Ram Saran Mahat said.

January 3: As the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) leaders continue to present their views stressing on the need for keeping party unity intact in the Central Committee (CC) meeting, chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda showed his readiness to revise his political report to address the feeling of the rival faction led by vice chairman Mohan Baidya.

January 5: The PM Baburam Bhattarai, who is also a vice-chairman of UCPN-M, met senior vice-chairman, Mohan Baidya to discuss ways to find common ground to keep party unity intact.

The ongoing CC meeting of the ruling UCPN-M for the day was put off until January 6 due to a bandh (shutdown) called by the disqualified Maoist combatants that has partially affected life in the Kathmandu Valley.

January 10: The UCPN-M chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda met Prime Minister and party's vice chairman, Baburam Bhattarai to assure that he is not seeking to replace him.

January 11: Hardliners in the UCPN-M rejected a 'consensus proposal' prepared by party Chairman Prachanda, stating that Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai should step down immediately for consensus. Earlier in the morning, Dahal had dispatched a draft of the consensus proposal to Baidya. However, Dahal has assured Bhattarai that the present Government will continue for some time as the party lacks a credible plan B, while also trying to win over the hardliners by appearing to agree with their demands at least in principle.

January 13: Even as the internal dispute in the UCPN-M appears to have subsided for the time being, the Mohan Baidya faction reiterated that it has not given up its stance for resignation of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai.

January 15: The two-month long meeting of the Maoist CC, which was put off numerous times, ended with the party establishment and the hardliner Mohan Baidya faction agreeing to put aside their differences for the time being in order to avert a vertical split in the party.

January 17: The Government has allocated over NPR 1.97 billion as the first instalment for the Maoist combatants who have chosen voluntary retirement.

January 18: The "People's Government" formed by Maoists during the decade-long insurgency had certified some 5,000 land transactions in the Salyan District alone, and UCPN-M led Government is all set to implement it legally, Most of war time transactions were conducted in Bafukhola, Shivarath and Bame Village Development Councils (VDCs) as they were Maoist base-areas during the conflict.

The CPN-UML Chairman, Jhalanath Khanal warned the UCPN-M)of dire consequences if the Government's decision of legalizing the transactions of properties during the conflict period is not revoked.

January 19: The UCPN-M Chairman, Prachanda, conceded at a closed-door party meeting that he made a mistake in compromising with the parliamentary parties on the issues of peace and constitution, and pledged he would no longer enter into any such consensus against the party´s fundamental principles. Dahal said that after the NC and CPN-UML pushed hard on PLA integration and constitution drafting issues and sought compromises one after another.

January 23: Leaders from the non-Maoist parties at the Constitutional Committee (CC) meeting of the Constituent Assembly (CA) on January 22 have expressed disappointment after UCPN-M Chairman, Prachanda, reportedly disowned the previous agreements reached at the dispute resolution subcommittee.

January 24: In a new turn of events within the UCPN-M, party Chairman, Prachanda has piled pressure on Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai for scrapping the Cabinet's decision to legalize the land transactions made through the parallel Government run by Maoist party during the period of conflict.

The Energy Minister Posta Bahadur Bogati while speaking at a program in Nuwakot said that the national consensus Government would be formed under the leadership of UCPN-M. Minister Bogati said that the possibility of forming the new Government under the leadership of General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa could not be ruled out.

General Secretary of the UCPN-M, Ram Bahadur Thapa has said that the party would not break up just because of ideological debate.

January 26: As pressure from hardliners in the party mounts, UCPN-M chairman Prachanda, refused to take back the Government's decision to legalise conflict-era property transactions without first finding an alternative arrangement. The transactions were made by the parallel government during the Maoist insurgency.

January 27: The Prime Minister-led special committee is all set to initiate the process to bid farewell to those UCPN-M combatants who opted for voluntary retirement during the regrouping process within three days. During the meeting held, Prime Minister, Baburam Bhattarai, directed his secretariat to initiate the process at the earliest to bid farewell to the combatants.

January 29: At a time, when opposition parties are obstructing parliament, demanding that the Government scrap its decision to legalize war-era land transactions, 16 sister organisations of the UCPN-M have decided to hit the streets to press the Government to effectively implement the decision.

January 30: The process of discharging 7,365 UCPN-M combatants who opted for VRS during the recent regrouping process is set to begin from today.

February 3: The distribution of cheques to the PLA fighters opting for voluntary retirement package kicked off at PLA Third Division at Shaktikhor in Chitwan District. As many as 1‚137 out of the total 3350 combatants have chosen the retirement package and the cheques were distributed to 447 of the aforesaid number.

The UCPN-M chairman, Prachanda, said that the claim of NC over the Government leadership was valid. "Our party and the UML have headed the government twice each. The NC's demand for a turn is valid," he added. He revealed that his party was ready to look into the possibility of an alternative to the current leadership of the Government if efforts to turn the coalition cabinet into a unity Government failed.

February 4: The handover of checks to UCPN-M combatants opting for voluntary retirement was disrupted for hours at many places because of disputes over their ranks in the PLA hierarchy. They combatants claimed that they had been promoted twice since the verification by UNMIN in 2007, and declined to receive the checks made out to them as per their ranks recorded back then, saying it amounted to humiliation. In Sindhuli, Shambhu Prasad Devkota, who was battalion vice-commander in 2007 and has now been promoted to brigade vice-commander, claimed that he should get NPR 600,000, and when officials gave him a check for NPR 500,000 he asked his colleagues to boycott the whole process.

February 5: A group of 70 disqualified UCPN-M combatants disrupted the ongoing voluntary retirement process in the Surkhet-based Maoist cantonment by vandalizing a makeshift office used by officials from the secretariat for the Special Committee.

NC leader, Ram Saran Mahat, revealed that UCPN-M commanders have been seizing cheques issued to the retired PLA fighters, demanding a certain percentage to the party. "We told Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai during today's meeting and he said he would find out the truth."

February 6: The Chief of the PLA , Nanda Kishore Pun, down-played the controversy over the seizure of cheques and identity cards by the commanders from outgoing PLA members in some cantonments saying it is an "internal matter" of the party.

YCL and disqualified cadres padlocked the UCPN-M party offices in nine Districts in the far-west region, demanding same assistance package provided to the voluntarily retiring PLA members and those being integrated with the NA.

The Prime Minister, Baburam Bhattarai, has sent a formal letter to the Ministry of Defence instructing it to start the process of integrating former PLA fighters into the NA. The official instruction comes in the wake of mounting pressure from opposition parties to take forward the integration process.

Coming down heavily on the Government and the ruling UCPN-M leadership, NC and CPN-UML issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Government and the UCPN-M party to make tangible progress in the peace process and to end obstruction in constitution writing as per the November 1, 2011 seven-point deal.

February 7: Information and Communications Minister, Jaya Prakash Gupta, warned that the Madhesh region could sever its relationship with the State if the issues of the region are not addressed. He claimed that a revolt is brewing in Madhesh due to the haughty attitude of the major parties towards the region.

Cadres of the Maoist youth wing, YCL, who have been demanding facilities at par with the PLA combatants, disrupt the discharge of the combatants choosing voluntary retirement by obstructing the road which connects the division cantonment in Talbandi.

Amid reports of the YCL closing down the UCPN-M party offices demanding same assistance package provided to the voluntarily retired combatants, the UCPN-M decides to provide assistance to them through its own sources.

February 8: The UCPN-M-led Government has back-tracked from its adamant stance on the heels of agreement reached among the three major parties- UCPN-M, NC and the CPN-UML. However, the Cabinet was willing to search alternatives ways to legalise the war-time property transaction within a week, after holding consultations with the opposition parties.

The UCPN-M had directed commanders in all the seven PLA divisions to collect 40 percent of the retirement pay received by each retiring combatant, a PLA source has confirmed. It is learnt that the UCPN-M leadership had called for a mandatory contribution from all retiring combatants so that the amount could be used in rehabilitation programmes for the disqualified PLA fighters and members of the YCL.

In the six-hour-long meeting at the Gokarna Resort, UCPN-M Chairman, Prachanda, proposed formation of a national consensus Government to facilitate the peace and constitution writing processes.

February 9: The Cabinet decided to withdraw its January 12 pronouncement to legalise the war-time land-deals carried out by the UCPN-M's 'people's Government' during the period of insurgency.

The Government sent a letter to the NA to start preparations for the integration of UCPN-M combatants into the NA. The Defence Ministry dispatched a formal instruction along with the minutes of the Special Committee decision to the Army Headquarters. The formal communication was delayed due to an ambiguity in the letter sent to the Defence Ministry by the PM's Office on February 5. The minutes were prepared on the basis of the seven-point deal signed in November 2011.

The Special panel asks banks to only make payment to former UCPN-M combatants as seizure of pay cheques increases. The Special Committee for Monitoring, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist fighters decided to direct Government banks to make payments of the account payee cheques given to UCPN-M cadres opting for VRS only if they appear in person with their identity cards.

The hard-line faction of the UCPN-M led by vice-chairman, Mohan Baidya, as demanded resignation of Prime Minister, Baburam Bhattarai, accusing him of violating party policy by revoking cabinet decision to legalise the war-era land transactions. Emerging from a Standing Committee meeting, party secretary, CP Gajurel, said that they proposed to call back Bhattarai from the Prime Ministerial post. Baidya loyalist leader also said that PM's move was against the party policy.

February 10: That voluntary retirement of the UCPN-M cadres has drawn to a close with completion of the process in six cantonments. As of today, the secretariat of the Special Committee concluded voluntary retirement process in Ilam, Sindhuli, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Rolpa and Surkhet, according to Balananda Sharma, convener of the secretariat. He said works in the cantonment in Kailali would conclude on February 11. "Only 55 combatants are yet to get the retirement package as of Friday. We will complete the work on Saturday," said Gopal Singh Bohara, who is leads a secretariat team in Kailali." He said.

That at a time when the UCPN-M's hard-line faction has demanded Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's resignation over the cabinet decision to put on hold its previous decision on legalising war-era land transactions, Maoist chairman, Prachanda, claimed that the internal dispute was not so serious as to bring the Government down. He further said the party had settled bigger disputes in the past and that the current dispute would also come to an end.

February 11: The discharge process of over 7,000 Maoist cadres opting for voluntary retirement ended today. The 9,705 fighters opting for integration in the NA will now be relocated in the seven main and seven satellite cantonments, a meeting of the committee decided.

The major three parties UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML had decided to amend the constitution-drafting calendar that would give them one more month to iron out the differences on issues related to the new constitution.

The retiring UCPN-M cadres of the first division cantonment located at Chulachuli of Topgachhi VDC-7 in Jhapa District have protested the snatching of their checks by cantonment commanders. They informed press-reporters that they had formed a struggle committee to resist the commanders and had chosen Purna Bahadur Limbu as their coordinator. The retiring combatants said 701 cadres had received half of the declared money and the commanders had looted the checks provided by the State.

February 12: The attack on two CPN-UML cadres of Odanku VDC in District Kalikot by YCL cadres has left them injured. Jore Sunar, 46, and his brother Kalya Sunar, 48, were injured when beaten by five YCL cadres including YCL District member, Gante Luwar alias Akhanda, and Takka Singh with an iron rod.

That with almost 40 percent of the verified 17,170 UCPN-M cadres returning home with the cash package they received from the Government, the Special Committee decided to shut down from today 14 PLA cantonment sites that were set up after the peace process began in 2006.

February 21: The two major opposition parties -- NC and CPN-UML -- have made it clear that they would not accept "group entry" [in units] of UCPN-M combatants in the NA. The two parties also raised strong objection to the Maoist demand for one post of Brigadier General for the combatants.

February 22: Amid calls for his resignation within the party, UCPN-M faction led by Prime Minister, Baburam Bhattarai, is seeking ways to resist the growing pressure. But both the factions led by Maoist Vice-chairman, Mohan Baidya and Chairman Dahal are trying to create a situation in which Bhattarai is squeezed and forced to resign. The Maoist Standing Committee met today to discuss a change in Government. "Dahal has felt that it is the right time to tarnish the popular image of his competitor Bhattarai and to create a situation so that he resigns," said CC member Khagaraj Bhatta.

February 23: As the issue of integration of the UCPN-M's PLA fighters has tied Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai in knots, he has called a meeting of top leaders of major political parties today in a bid to find a way to address major disputes related to integration and drafting of the constitution, Integration of UCPN-M fighters has become a Gordian knot ever since the NA forwarded a proposal to this effect to the Prime Minister. The UCPN-M party has demanded that at least one Brigadier-General's post should be given to Maoist fighters in the to-be-formed directorate under NA, but the opposition parties have objected to the idea. Even the national army has said the demand was against the seven-point deal.

February 24: A meeting of three major political parties has bestowed the responsibility to resolve contentious issues seen in constitution drafting and the peace process to the top leaders of the major parties. The big three meeting held at UCPN-M Chairman, Prachanda's residence in Lazimpat today and discussed the issues of peace process, constitution drafting process and the formation of a national consensus Government.

Finance Minister Barshaman Pun, who is also the standing committee member of the UCPN-M claimed that UCPN-M combatants would get a post of Brigadier General while being integrated into NA. Pun also said the integration proposal of the NA, which says the combatants can only be given up to the post of Major, should not be criticised as the issues is yet to be agreed among the parties.

Prime Minister, Baburam Bhattarai said that integration of the UCPN-M combatants into NA is in the final stages and that it would come to a conclusion in a matter of few days.

The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Chhatra Man Singh Gurung, directed all division commanders to make preparations for the integration of former UCPN-M combatants in the NA. In his closing remarks at a two-day conference of the Army brass at the Army headquarters, Gurung said, "Though the integration process is a political problem, we should offer a substantive contribution to conclude the peace process as per the interim constitution, various agreements and the seven-point agreement and by keeping the Army's norms, values and standards intact.

February 26: The UCPN-M Chairman, Dahal, has proposed that PLA cantonments will be vacated within 2-3 weeks, provided the parties agree to offer the rank of an 'honorary brigadier general' or a colonel to a PLA combatant opting for integration in NA. Dahal tabled the proposal as per the responsibility entrusted on him by a three-party meeting on February 24.

February 27 : The Government has withdrawn criminal cases involving 349 individuals, including cases of abduction and murder, upon the request of ruling and opposition parties. The cases are currently under consideration at different courts.The sources told that most of the withdrawn cases relate to murder, abduction, arson and robbery and involve UCPN-M cadres and supporters of the ruling Madheshi parties.

February 29: The Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and UCPN-M chairman, Prachanda held discussion on ways to accelerate the stalled constitution-drafting and peace process. During the meeting, Dahal is learnt to have urged PM Bhattarai to come up with a clear work plan with definite time-frame to complete the important task of army integration.

The Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai led Special Committee decided to shut down 13 People's Liberation Army (PLA) cantonments and relocate UCPN-M combatants opting for integration to the remaining 15 cantonments within the next 10 days.

March 4: Members of the PAC of Parliament have demanded details of the fund released by the Government for the UCPN- M combatants who were not found in the cantonments during the regrouping process. In the PAC meeting held today they demanded details of the amount that the government released by creating fake names. The Government has already released the amount for 2,449 combatants who were found to have left the cantonments.

March 5: Officials in the MoD said that the NA proposal on integration of the UCPN-M combatants was submitted directly to the Government bypassing the MoD, The ministry's comments came nearly a month after the integration proposal was submitted to the Government by CoAS, Gen Chhatra Man Singh Gurung.

Normal life in eastern part of Nepal has been affected due to a bandh (general shutdown) enforced by disqualified combatants of the UCPN-M for an indefinite period. The disqualified ex-fighters have enforced shutdown since March 4 demanding the previous agreements made with Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction be implemented.

March 8: The top leaders of the UCPN-M and the UDMF agreed to amend the Interim Constitution to ensure citizenship certificates to the children of those who have received citizenships on the basis of their birth. The two coalition partners' decision on this effect comes in the wake of a Supreme Court stay order on Government's move to issue citizenship certificates to the persons in question.

March 9: UCPN-M lawmaker, Balkrishna Dhungel, who was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court of Nepal, said that he will not go to jail under any circumstance. Speaking at a programme organised to inaugurate the golden anniversary of Ghorakhori Higher Secondary School in Okhaldhunga, Dhungel said, "They are forcefully trying to prove me the murderer by sending to jail but I will not go to the jail under any circumstances. He was present in the programme with party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Maoist chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Dhungel reached Okhaldhunga on March 9 to attend the programme in a helicopter.

March 10: Senior leader of the CPN-UML, Madhav Kumar Nepal has accused the UCPN-M of using its fighters, arms and YCL cadres to capture booths during the election to the Constituent Assembly.

March 11: The three-party meeting of the UCPN-M, CPN-UML and NC discussed in detail the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a Commission to probe conflict-era disappearance cases.CPN-UML chairman, Jhala Nath Khanal, said the parties are near consensus on the terms of the bills related to the Reconciliation and Disappearance Commission. "The next meeting will finalise the terms of the bills related to the formation of the two commissions," Khanal said.

March 12: The UCPN-M has demanded that for the constitutional-drafting process to kick-start, NC should be flexible on "moving one step forward" from its current stand on "traditional" parliamentary system. The Maoist leaders urged the NC to be flexible on contentious issues of constitution, including forms of governance so that a meeting point could be found somewhere between a parliamentary system proposed by the NC and the directly elected presidential system proposed by the Maoists.

March 13: The Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has agreed to convene a meeting of the AISC on March 13 to take the stalled integration process forward. The UCPN-M leaders have been demanding that their combatants be given positions at the decision-making level in the new Army directorate. Instead of the Army's proposal for a general directorate led by a lieutenant-general, National Congress (NC) leaders are mulling a directorate to be led by a brigadier-general for integrating the combatants.

March 14: The hard-line faction of the UCPN-M has initiated a process to form a new paramilitary force comprising of retired and disqualified combatants loyal to it. The faction, led by Vice-chairman , Mohan Baidya, has been opposing the ongoing process of the combatants' integration and rehabilitation. The Baidya camp organised a meeting of the combatants loyal to it in Dang today.

March 15: Radio Paschimanchal, an FM radio-station of the UCPN-M in Palpa District, was blown up by an unidentified group. The blast took place at the third floor of the building where the FM office was stationed, leaving the office completely damaged. However, no human casualty was reported. UCPN-M cadres reside in the other two floor of the building. No one has claimed responsibility for the explosion. A detonator wire and bullets have been recovered from the incident site.

The UCPN-M standing committee member Dev Gurung has demanded resignation of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to end political deadlock facing the country. Senior Maoist leader Dev Gurung sought the resignation of senior leader of his own party saying that his resignation was necessary to implement the agreements signed in the past and to make other political parties implement those agreements.

March 16: The agitating YCL leaders said UCPN-M leaders have treated them like beggars and insulted them during a meeting called to finalize package for youth-wing members who were former combatants. "The meeting ended up being a fiasco. The party chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal walked out of the meeting within 5 minutes saying he had a headache, and PLA chief, Nanda Kishor Pun made remarks at the meeting insulting us," said Indra Angbuhang, vice-coordinator of YCL Limbuwan State Committee.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, who heads the AISC has urged opposition parties-- NC and CPN-UML--to be flexible in providing a senior post for the PLA combatants in the proposed Nepal Army directorate. During a meeting of the committee today, Bhattarai said that the integration process will move ahead once the opposition parties agree on a senior post for the PLA fighters.

March 17: Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's political advisor Devendra Paudel today ruled out possibility of the PM resigning from the post. His statement came as a reaction against the public statement made by Maoist hardliner faction that it will compel the PM to step down within a week. Speaking at an interaction in Kathmandu, Paudel said that resignation was not the subject matter to be sought from the street.

A group of about 100 UCPN-M cadres led by Man Bahadur Thapa, the UCPN-M Pyuthan member and VDC secretary Gobardhan Thapa, 50, arrived on March 17 from Rajbara VDC and looted 140 poles brought for electrification of remote Aglung VDC of Gulmi. Over 20 villagers including Radhika Malla, 70, Manmaya Bishta, 45, Mina Chand, 40, and Bijay Chand, 52, of Aglung VDC-6 hurt in their attempt to stop the UCPN-M cadres from taking away the poles. The YCL cadres armed with khukuri, spears and batons had surrounded the homes of village elders before seizing the poles. They even assaulted the Policemen arriving from Pujanibase station.

March 18: Senior Vice-chairman of the UCPN-M, Mohan Baidya, said that he was not struggling to become the prime minister in the present context. Speaking at a news conference organised by the Revolutionary Journalists Association, in Janakpurdham, Baidya warned that, "New constitution is the dream of martyrs and common people. People will take to the streets if conspiracies are hatched in constitution making process and they are betrayed." Responding to a query, the Maoist vice-chairman said he was not in favor of the president's rule this time, adding that imagining it under the present circumstances was to give birth to an authoritarian ruler.

March 19: The UCPN-M chairman Prachanda told the party´s CC members loyal to him that the party is heading toward imminent split or dissolution if current differences within UCPN-M are not resolved immediately.

March 20: Three persons including PLA platoon commander have been arrested in Sunsari District for their alleged involvement in dealing of arms from an Indian national. PLA First Division platoon commander, Arun Subba, 30, a resident of Panchthar, PLA fighter Narayan Pakhrim, 40 of Morang Tandi VDC-5 and Bijay Thakur, a resident of Arariya District of India were arrested by Chimadi area Police Office from Ramgunj Belgachhiya VDC-5.The trio were arrested along with a pistol, its two bullets and two magazines.

March 22: The prime minister-led AISC agreed to introduce an action plan based on the seven-point agreement within five days to start the PLA integration process.

The Baidya faction is reportedly holding talks with fringe parties and groups to form a "united front" to struggle for a "people's constitution and national independence". According to leaders, talks are on with 11 political parties to take to the streets. The Baidya faction held talks with Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF), CPN-Maoist led by Matrika Yadav, Rastriya Janmukti Party (RJP) and Samyukta Rastriya Janasangharsa Samiti (SRJS) on the formation of a united front.

UCPN-M Chairman Prachanda said that the Vice Chairman, Mohan Baidya's faction's "true intention" was to sabotage the ongoing peace and constituting drafting processes. "The main cause of the intra-party rift is that we want to conclude the peace process, but they (Baidya faction) want to sabotage the whole process," he added.

March 23: Prime Minister, Baburam Bhattara held discussions with a team of high ranking NA officials led by CoAS, Chhatra Man Gurung, on issues relating to the integration of PLA combatants.

March 24: The AISC Secretariat submitted personal details of the UCPN-M combatants who have chosen integration to the NA. Meanwhile the AISC has decided to allow combatants who have already opted for integration during the regrouping process to choose for a second time between integration and voluntary retirement.

March 26: UCPN-M Secretary C P Gajurel, said that the current Maoist-led Government is just like "a patient kept in an ICU (Intensive Care Unit of hospital)." Gajurel also accused the Government of signing various 'anti-national' agreements like the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) and agreement on the Upper Karnali, the Pancheshwar and the Kosi High Dam projects which are against the interest of the people and the nation.

March 27: Amidst serious threat of a vertical split in the UCPN-M party, the meeting of the UCPN- M CC slated for today in Kathmandu has been put off for the second time in a conciliatory move toward the faction led by Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya. "We are currently working to accommodate them (hardliners). We need more time to persuade them," said Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha.

The hard-line faction of the UCPN-M led by vice chairman Mohan Baidya held a separate cadre training programme in the capital Kathmandu sending out a clear message that it is not coming to terms with the party establishment any time soon. According to sources, while Baidya is not willing to relax his demand for immediate resignation of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and a commitment from chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda to implement the previous decisions of the CC, he assured the intermediaries that his faction would not go to the extent of dividing the party vertically.

The establishment side of the UCPN-M has accused the Baidya-led faction of the party of selling the party-seized land to pocket commission in Dang. Meanwhile, the Baidya faction has denied the charge. "We are not selling land for commission. We've only asked party members to facilitate its sale if it meant that the farmers were also getting some benefits from it," said Subas Pun, a Baidya sympathizer.

March 28: The CC meeting of the UCPN-M is underway at party headquarters in Kathmandu today. The establishment faction of Maoist led by Prachanda and PM Bhattarai is holding party's CC meeting to chalk out a future policy and programme focusing on peace and constitution.99 members out of the total 149 CC members of UCPN-M participated in an informal meeting called by the party establishment to counter the radical faction, which has been forming parallel committees at various levels and threatening to split the party.

March 29: UCPN-M launched forceful donation campaign in the name of organising cultural programmes to ensure peace and timely constitution in various places in the Okhaldunga District. The party has been collecting donation with the slogan 'Samana Sanskritik Pariwar' for peace and people's constitution saying that party has launched a wider cultural campaign since March 23. According to locals, UCPN-M cadres are collecting donations from teachers, schools and businessmen in Manebhanjyang, Nisankhe, Rampur and Okhaldhunga bazaar saying that the campaign will continue till today.

March 30: The three major parties -- UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML-- have decided to form a task-force to come up with a proposal regarding formation of the TRC and the Commission of Inquiry into Enforced Disappearance by tomorrow.

March 31: The meeting of the top leaders of the three major parties formed the task-force comprising Khim Lal Devkota of UCPN-M, Ramesh Lekhak of NC and Agni Kharel of CPN-UML. The taskforce has been charged with the responsibility to come up with its recommendation by today.

April 1: The UCPN-M Chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda, urged the YCL leaders to compromise on the party´s revolutionary ideals for the sake of peace and constitution. "Time has come to make sacrifice. We will have to sacrifice our stance for peace and constitution," YCL leader, Ram Parasad Sapakota, quoted Dahal as saying.

April 2: The AISC has decided to get the cantonments vacated by sending some PLA combatants into voluntary retirement and the remaining ones under NA control for integration along with handover of their weapons to the Government by April 12.

April 3: UCPN-M hard-line faction led by vice chairman Mohan Baidya on April 3 accused party chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal of showing monopolistic behaviour by imposing personal decisions and creating unnecessary hype over intra-party rift, reports Nepal News. Issuing a joint press release, Mohan Baidya and general secretary general Ram Bahadur Thapa said that the act of the party chairman was the result of intolerant and monopolistic thoughts. "No attention is being paid towards possible conspiracy from reactionary forces while dealing with peace, constitution and army integration issues. Comrades of our own party have viciously attempted to tag us as adversaries of peace and constitution," said the statement.

April 4: The AISC endorsed a time-bound action plan to vacate the cantonments of PLA combatants and hand over the stored weapons to the N A by April 12. The technical teams assigned by the AISC will depart to cantonment sites from April 6 and start the process of discharging the combatants who wish to go for retirement from April 9.

April 6: Seven teams of surveyors from the AISC fanned out to PLA cantonments to categories remaining UCPN-M combatants and send them home or the N.A for integration. "Secretariat's teams of surveyors today left for all seven main PLA cantonments. Some have already reached the camps while others are on their way," said Deepak Prakash Bhatta, a member of the Secretariat who is leading the survey team to the PLA's sixth division based in Surkhet. As per the Special Committee's direction, all teams commence the re-categorisation work from April 8. The teams are mandated to reduce the figure of the ex-fighters opting for integration down to 6,500 and send others home with perks and benefits on a par with what fellow combatants who opted for voluntary retirement received in January.

April 7: At least two UCPN-M cadres were injured in a clash between the rival party factions led by Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya over local financial sources in Dhangadi. The clash ensued when the cadres of the establishment faction assaulted the Baidya faction cadres with iron rods when the latter were collecting taxes from Indian trucks at Milanchowk, Dhangadi-3.

April 8: The Dhangadhi-based district office UCPN-M was vandalised and all documents inside it set ablaze by the party cadres loyal to the Baidhya faction today. They also took away two computers, a printer, a fax machine and other goods from the office. A group of around 25 people barged into the office at Buddha Chowk of Dhangadi at 6:00 this morning and set all documents inside the office on fire after piling them up in the street.

A Standing Committee (SC) meeting of the UCPN-M held in the presence of PLA commanders today called for an agreement on the remaining issues of army integration to accelerate the peace process,. The meeting, where leaders from the hard-line camp were not invited, decided to adopt "maximum flexibility" to conclude the integration process. Maoist leaders also decided to hold political parleys to forge consensus on the disputed issues of integration by April 12. A three-party meeting is expected to take place on April 10 to discuss the same issues. Finance Minister and Maoist SC member Barsaman Pun said parties have already decided on rank, but stand divided on when to be conferred the top post on one of the senior PLA commanders.

In addition, the UCPN-M leadership, which failed to commence the second scheduled regrouping process by today, has told the NC leaders that they would select 5,000 to 6,000 combatants on their own and hand them over to the NA by April 12. The Maoist leadership, however, was emphatic over one condition that the selected combatants should not be screened in such a way that a significant number of them get disqualified.

April 9: Voluntary retirement of UCPN-M combatants, which was due to start across the country from April 9, failed to materialize except in one camp in Rolpa mainly due to internal differences within the UCPN-M as well as dispute over the number of combatants to be integrated into the NA. The .AISC meeting had decided to vacate cantonments by April 12 by sending home those opting for voluntary retirement and handing over those who are opting for integration to Nepal Army.

April 10 : In what is being considered a major development in Nepal's peace process, NA has taken control of the UCPN-M PLA cantonments, combatants and the weapons stored in containers inside the camps. This is in line with a decision taken by the AISC today. NA will now be responsible for the Security of the 15 remaining Maoist cantonments, including its infrastructure. Around 9,700 combatants who have opted for integration remain in these cantonments, and there are over 3,000 weapons in the containers. A little more than 7,000 former fighters who voluntarily retired with cash packages left the camps in mid February, while 12 satellite camps were shut down in March.

The Mohan Baidya faction of UCPN-M described the decision of the AISC to hand over the PLA combatants to Nepal Army as 'surrender' and that it would protest against it.

April 11: UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal today remarked that the PLA combatants were handed over to the NA in haste considering the possible disruption to the integration process. He termed the move to hand over Maoist combatants, their arms and the cantonments to NA a "bold decision". Dahal remarked that the protests by his party hard-line faction led by senior Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya over the decision to hand over the combatants and arms do not hold water. "The protests by the faction of Kiran ji [Baidya] was part of their responsibility," said Dahal, hinting at the hardliners. "This [protest] is like their regular job. But, now petty issues should not be bickered over."

The UCPN-M secretary, C.P Gajurlel condemned the Police interference in the torch rally carried out by the hard-line faction of the UCPN-M today.

April 12:The AISC formed a taskforce to settle the technical issues of Army integration. The four-member task-force comprises AISC members Barshaman Pun of UCPN-M, Bhim Rawal of CPN-UML, Minendra Rijal of NC and Jitendra Dev of MJF-Loktantrik. The team has been asked to present its recommendations in the AISC meeting to be held today.

The Joint National People's Movement Committee, an alliance of 13 Communist parties led by hard-line faction of the UCPN-M announced the second round of protest, declaring Baburam Bhattarai-led Government a "fascist" coalition. The protests will start from April 20 with a mass meeting in Dhulikhel of Kavre District and will conclude on May 15 with torch rallies in the major towns across the country.

April 13: After three days of confusion and delay, the survey teams of the AISC resumed voluntary retirement process from today. UCPN-M directed commanders at cantonments to let the process move forward. "We were asked to resume the process from 1:30 pm today," said Balananda Sharma. As of today, altogether 638 combatants - 275 combatants at the Shaktikhor cantonment, 160 at Surkhet, 94 at Rolpa and 109 at Nawalparasi - have taken voluntary retirement, according to Sharma.

Moreover, the AISC has enforced a 12-point code of conduct for former PLA combatants, barring them from engaging in any political activity inside cantonments. The code came into effect in all the 15 cantonment sites from today.

April 15: Further, the ongoing second phase of voluntary retirement process of the combatants belonging to the PLA so far suggests the number of combatants choosing integration is going to be far less than 6,500-the combatants' intake number in the NA set by the seven-point agreement signed on November 1. Of the 9,705 combatants who opted for integration during regrouping in November 2011, 4,052 combatants from all the seven PLA division camps chose voluntary retirement as of today.

April 16: The second round of regrouping conducted by the AISC concluded at the PLA's Third Division Camp at Shaktikhor in Chitwan District. Altogether 1,587 of the total 2,414 former Maoist combatants kept at the Third division at Shaktikhor went for VRS during the regrouping process. With this, 5,480 former Maoist combatants have opted for VR in all seven Maoist divisions till the evening of April 16.

Parallel District and State committees of both factions of the UCPN-M are being established in six Mid Western Districts, "The establishment side's attempt to limit the role of experienced leaders has compelled us to form parallel committees for the sake of our existence," said Haribhakta Kandel, Maoists politburo member from the hardliner camp led by Party vice President Mohan Baidya.

April 17: The second round of regrouping conducted by the AISC concluded at all the seven divisions except Kailali today. Altogether 5,800 of the 9,705 former UCPN-M combatants who had initially opted for integration into NA chose VRS during the second round of regrouping that started at all the PLA divisions on April 8. As of today, 3,905 former UCPN-M combatants seem to be willing to join NA. There are 6,500 openings for UCPN-M combatants in the NA set by the seven-point agreement signed by the parties on November 1, 2011.

April 18: The UCPN-M, ex-combatants qualified for officer-level positions in the NA hierarchy have threatened to opt for voluntary retirement if they are awarded positions in the NA directorate as per the recommendations of the PLA leadership. As per the tacit understanding between the parties, the PLA leadership will recommend positions for the ex-combatants in the NA directorate. As of today of the 9705 combatants, 6413 have opted for voluntary retirement.

The UCPN-M chairman Prachanda said that his party would not step back from its stance of directly elected presidential system and federalism based on identity. "We will not give up our stance of federalism based on identity and directly elected presidential system while drafting new constitution," Dahal said, adding that the Maoist combatants were being integrated into transformed NA, not the traditional Army. "Our decision on army integration has discouraged those forces who are active to disrupt constitution drafting process," he added

April 19: The major three political parties - UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML agreed to merge two separate proposed commissions on Truth and Reconciliation and Disappearance.

April 20: Former PLA combatants who were disqualified by the UNMIN staged a sit-in protest at UCPN-M headquarters at Parisdanda, Koteshwor demanding rehabilitation package. The disqualified combatants have been demanding facilities on par with the combatants who have chosen voluntary retirement option.

April 21: Armed Police Force (APF) on April 21 arrested Binod Nepali, a former UCPN-M fighter heading home following his voluntary retirement, with six rounds of bullets of a SLR from Krishnapur VDC in Kanchanpur District, reports The Himalayan Times. Nepali was a Maoist fighter stationed at Kailali's Talband-based PLA Seventh Division. "During preliminary investigation, Nepali told police that he brought the bullets with the consent of his commander," Superintendent of Police (Kanchanpur) said.

The UCPN-M ex-combatants who opted for voluntary retirement during the second phase of the re-categorization have complained of inordinate delay by banks in cashing their paychecks."The Agricultural Development Bank in Dang asked us to visit the bank after three to four days. But when we visited the bank again we were told that the government had not transferred the money to the bank. We are confused," said Rajendra Pun, an ex-combatant from the fifth division. The process of re-categorization by the Special Committee secretariat concluded on April 19 with 6,576 combatants opting for voluntary retirement. The commanders, however, claimed that the banks are retaining the money for some time in order to collect interests. "They want to retain the amount for some time in order to collect interests," said Yam Bahadur Adhikari, division commander from the first division.

April 22: The leaders from major political parties today reached an understanding to adopt a mixed system of governance in which the executive powers will be shared between the directly-elected President and Parliament-elected Prime Minister. The leaders also agreed on directly-elected vice-president.

April 23: The UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the Parliament is setting up Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission on the Disappeared to probe into wartime killings, torture and forced disappearance, adding that legal actions will be taken against those involved in such rights violations.

A large quantity of bombs and ammunition were found buried in a river near the Tila satellite cantonment in Gairigaun in Rolpa District Inspector Rupesh Khadka said that Police found explosive devices, bombs, bullets and other ammunitions in large quantity after locals informed the Police about the dump.

April 24: Political parties settled all the disputes seen in the constitution drafting process except State restructuring. The meeting of UCPN-M, NC, CPN-UML and the Madheshi alliance held at Constituent Assembly building settled their difference on the key issues related to the constitution. The understanding is to adopt the mixed electoral system where President and Prime Minister would share executive powers.

The Mohan Baidya faction of the UCPN-M reactivated 'people's volunteers bureau' which comprises former combatants and the young cadres. The Baidya faction announced the new 17-member central body of the volunteers bureau amidst a programme in Lalitpur. The bureau is headed by standing committee member Netra Bikram Chand. A number of leaders and cadres of the YCL, who were loyal to the hardliner faction, have joined the Volunteers.

April 26: Amidst differing positions of the three major parties on number of federal States in the new setup, the UCPN-M proposed a 10-State federal model based primarily on ethnic identity. The Maoists propose to keep Chitwan District as a centrally-administered zone. The proposal has, however, largely failed to impress the NC and CPN-UML, which are averse to the idea of ethnicity-based federal states

April 27: Former UCPN-M combatants have united under a new body called 'Ex People's Liberation Army Association', which is headed by former PLA Chief Nanda Kishor Pun 'Pasang'. The association was announced at a programme attended by the leaders of the UCPN-M establishment including party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. The formation of the Ex-PLA Association comes two days after the hardliner Mohan Baidya faction reactivated its 'combat' organisaton 'People's Volunteers Bureau' which includes a number of discharged former combatants.

April 28: The meeting of top leaders of the major three political parties-- UCPN-M, NC, CPN-UML and Madheshi alliance held at CA building at New Baneshwor to find possible ways to resolve disputed issues related to the constitution drafting process ended inconclusively. The leaders discussed the model of federalism. However, they could not arrive at a consensus. The UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the meeting ended with positive note.

May 1: Some 700 former PLA combatants who had opted for the integration into the NA during the second phase of regrouping has asked the AISC to send them into voluntary retirement. It has been learnt that the combatants are urging the Special Committee to re-open the option of voluntary retirement for them. Commander Tej Bahadur Oli at Nawalparasi's Jhyaltungdanda-based Fourth Division camp is also one of them, said Under Secretary Madhu Bilas Pandit.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai today said that his Government had taken big risks to move forward the peace process toward conclusion and therefore should be allowed to remain in office until the new constitution is promulgated.

May 2: The major parties - NC, CPN-UML, CPN-Maoist and UDMF-- today agreed to form a new national Unity Government to replace the current Government to ensure constitution by the May 27 deadline. CPN- UML chairperson Jhala Nath Khanal said that there has been an agreement between the political parties to form a new national unity Government possibly by May 3 after dissolving the current Baburam Bhattarai-led Government.

May 3: Major political parties-UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML along with the DMF signed a five-point agreement on May 3-4 to form a National Unity Government. As per the agreement, all 48 Government ministers representing coalition partners UCPN-M and UDMF in the current cabinet tendered their resignation to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai today.

May 4: The major three parties - UCPN-M, NC, CPN-UML and UDMF have decided, in a meeting, to form the cabinet by the evening of May 5. Emerging from the meeting, convened at the Prime Minister's residence in Kathmandu today , the UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said that the national consensus Government would be constituted by May 5. According to sources, all the parties agreed to send the names of the ministerial candidates by that date.

May 5: Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has administered the oath of office and secrecy to 11 ministers at the presence of President Dr Ram Baran Yadav in Sheetal Niwas today. The reshuffle is being carried out in a bid to form the national consensus government. Five of the ministers from UCPN- M, two from NC and five from UDMF have sworn in the presence of the President. The UCPN-M ministers include Narayan Kaji Shresha, Post Bahadur Bogati, Dina Nath Sharma, Barshaman Pun and Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, while Krishna Prasad Sitoula and Surya Man Gurung are representing NC and Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, Rajendra Mahato, Hridayesh Tripathi, Mahendra Raya Yadav and Raj Kishor Yadav are from United Democratic Madhesi Front.

May 6: Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai today appointed N C leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula as the deputy prime minister. Sitaula took the oath of office and secrecy at the president's residence in Sheetal Niwas.PM Bhattarai appointed Sitaula in the post after NC President recommended his name for the post. However, the portfolio for Sitaula has not been finalised.

May 10: Cadres of the UCPN-M captured the land and property belonging to one District. The house was captured accusing Pahadi of selling the land that was being used by Badri Pahadi of Okharbote in Madirambeni Village Development Committee (VDC-1) in Sangkhuwasabha the Maoists.