FISSURES are reported to be developing between the Maoists in Nepal and Seven-Party Alliance of political parties. The 25-point code of conduct was signed by the Government of Nepal and the Maoists on May 26, 2006. The Home Minister, Shri Krishna Prasad Sitaula, who is the leader of the government'snegotiating team, said in the Parliament on Monday (May 29) that the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) was not strictly abiding by the 25-point code of conduct and cautioned that crisis of confidence might arise if they did not put the truce accord into practice. He particularly mentioned the murder of two Nepali Congress workers (Sambhu and Shyam Sundar Sahani of Rautahut), who were abducted by the Maoist workers about a week ago. Armed Maoists bombed the house of Sahani on May 22 and abducted the two, Shambhu (35) and Shyam Sundar (32). It is said that the Maoists lynched them at Inarwa VDC on May 23.
Commenting on the code of conduct, CPN-UML lawmaker, Shri Bharat Mohan Adhikari cautioned both the parties to abide by the truce accord in true spirit. He pointed out the need to sign a peace accord between the government and the Maoists in the presence of international agencies. He also demanded the formation of House of Representatives (HoR), Talk Monitoring Committee and authorise the body to monitor the code of conduct. Shri Ram Chandra Poudel of Nepali Congress is of the view that the people have no assurance of free and fair management from the Maoists? side. The Maoists have not stopped abduction and extortion even after they expressed commitment for peace.
Maoists demand for dissolution of Parliament
The revival of local bodies is a democratic process and that Maoists should not oppose the decision as the government needs to run smoothly for which presence of people'srepresentatives at the local level is essential. The Maoists should dissolve their people'sgovernment and their army for the peaceful settlement of the insurgency through talks. They should not feel uncomfortable only because they did not have representation at the local bodies.
Coordinator of the Maoist talks team Shri Krishna Bahadur Mahara reiterated at a press conference in Kathmandu on Thursday (June 1) the Maoist demand for dissolution of the House of Representatives and the present government saying the HoR and the government do not represent the forces that were actively involved in the people'smovement.
A recent meeting of the organising committee of the broad national political conference under the URPC, in which Maoist supremo, Prachanda was also present, came to the conclusion that institutionalisation of democratic republicanism and progressive restructuring of the state are the immediate tasks to be accomplished as per the mandate of the recent popular uprising and the 12-point understanding between the Maoists and the seven parties. The meeting also agreed that free and fair election to the Constituent Assembly is necessary and stressed there should be guarantee of restructuring of the army, right to ethnic and regional self-decision, self-governance, equal rights to the women and Dalits and revolutionary reforms.
The meeting also gave the slogan ?Hand over all powers to the Broad National Political Conference?, adding there should be an interim government, interim Constitution and interim representative body in view of the ground reality.
The latest Maoist statement comes at a time when the leaders of the seven parties have been ruling out early dissolution of the Parliament as well as formation of an interim government.
Revival of local bodies
Shri Dinanath Sharma, member of the Maoist negotiation team, told journalist that the call of the political parties to revive the local bodies was regressive. ?By reviving the local bodies they are not moving ahead but returning to 1990, which is not acceptable to us as revival of local bodies is not the mandate of the popular movement of the country and people'saspirations,? Shri Sharma said and added that focussing on the core issue of forming new Constitution and holding elections to the Constituent Assembly, the political parties were moving towards confrontation at the local level by reviving the local bodies. He claimed that Maoists had not dissolved their parallel people'sgovernments constituted by them at the local level as they were formed by the people and were the outcome of the people'sstruggle.
Election to the local bodies was held nine years ago. UML, which had won election to the 60 per cent of the seats in the local bodies during the last elections, has been demanding that popularly elected representatives to local bodies be reinstated through political decision. Shri Shanker Pokhrel, CPN (UML) lawmaker said, revival of the local bodies will strengthen the democratic movement of the country and help towards establishing a democratic republic. He further said it is quite contrary that they (Maoists) are continuing the parallel institutions at the local level but protesting against the revival of democratically elected institutions.
Political analyst Shri Nilamber Acharya said the revival of local bodies was a democratic process and that Maoists should not oppose the decision as the government needs to run smoothly for which presence of people'srepresentatives at the local level is essential. He added the Maoists should dissolve their people'sgovernment and their army for the peaceful settlement of the insurgency through talks. They should not feel uncomfortable only because they did not have representation at the local bodies.
Maoists supremo Prachanda said talks may break down if the seven-party alliance government revives the local bodies. Nepal Communist Party UML is pressing the government to revive the local bodies in which it had sweeping majority and government is also considering the idea. We have not even agreed to the reinstatement of the House of Representatives and if local bodies were revived, it will be a blunder and talks may break down, he warned.
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