FALSE NEWS OF BABURAM EXPELLED - BBC DECLARED This means that Nepalese should not trust (1) nepalnews.com and (2) Kantipuronline.com ----------------------------- Nepal rebels deny reports of rift: - BBC NEWS Maoist rebels in Nepal have flatly denied official claims they have expelled one of their senior leaders. State-owned media has reported that Baburam Bhattarai and his wife, Hisila Yami, were ousted after a meeting of the rebels' central committee. But a rebel statement said the reports were "absolutely false". Mr Bhattarai was "working with party chairman Prachanda and continuing to carry out his responsibilities", the statement circulated to the media said. The reports from official circles that say that Baburam Bhattarai and his wife were expelled from the movement are absolutely false Maoist Communist Party statement Correspondents say Baburam Bhattarai is the second most powerful person in the rebel movement. The Maoist statement also said it was untrue that there had been a campaign of graffiti against the party leadership and the movement. "Both of these claims amount to propaganda by the army and a continuation of the reactionary policy of divide and rule," it said. "We urge people not to be taken in by such misinformation." Mounting violence Mr Bhattarai led the rebels in failed peace talks with the government in 2003. Since then there have been frequent newspaper reports alleging a rift between him and rebel leader Prachanda - apparently over Mr Bhattarai's wish to resume peace talks. Violence has escalated in Nepal following the rebels' withdrawal from negotiations in August 2003. About 11,000 people have now died in the 10 years since the rebels began their fight for a communist republic, the army says. Last month, with the security situation worsening, King Gyanendra sacked the multi-party government, seized direct powers and declared a state of emergency. Prachanda responded by promising to step up what he called armed resistance. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/4350189.stm Published: 2005/03/15 12:51:19 GMT