Still Too Fragile
The show of brute force by the Maoists over appointment row exposes the fragility of the peace process
By SANJAYA DHAKAL
In terms of agreements and understandings, Nepal has come a long way in the path towards restoration of durable peace. From November 2005 12-point New Delhi understanding to successful people's movement and from 8-point understanding to identical letter sent to the United Nations to the much touted November 8 agreement, November 21 Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Agreement on the Monitoring of Management of Arms and Armies; there has been a systemic movement towards establishment of peace and cessation of violence.
Just last week, the seven parties government and the Maoists signed the interim constitution even – which awaits formal promulgation.
The agreements and understanding would have us believe that the peace has indeed arrived.
However, the process still appears to be much fragile. Given the swiftness and rudeness with which the Maoists imposed one-day bandh in the valley last week and the abandonment of Maoist People's Liberation Army from cantonments exposed the prevalent vulnerabilities.
Ostensibly to warn the government to withdraw its decisions to nominate ambassadors and officials of human right commission, the Maoists even announced – which was later withdrawn – the two-day Nepal Bandh on New Year's eve.
In an incident which has disturbed the optimism of many people, hundreds of Maoists' guerrillas came out of their cantonments carrying weapons last week to protest the government decision to appoint ambassadors. The 800 PLA men from Chulachuli camp in Ilam district came out with their weapons. They came three kilometers south of the camp and held demonstration saying that they would not return till the government cancelled its decisions regarding appointments, relocation of police posts and directives sending VDC secretaries to villages.
Likewise, altogether 3500 PLA men including 800 from the main camp in Chulachuli and the rest from sub-camps left the camps (according to The Himalayan Times). In Biratnagar, 1900 PLA men in two sub camps of Morang left their camps in the afternoon. In Dang district, around 2500 PLA personnel came out of main cantonment site of Dahaban of Rolpa and held demonstration. In Dhangadhi, 3000 PLA men of the seventh main camp at Taalband and other sub camps came out of camps with weapons. In Surkhet, around 6000 armed PLA men from the main camp at Dasrathpur and other sub camps left the camps.
According to Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, the Maoist army have gone into the cantonments on their own will and can come out on their own will at this juncture when the official monitoring has not begun. Another Maoist leader Krishna Mahara warned the government not to underestimate and/or bypass them. "If the government flouts agreements, then we alone cannot be expected to abide by them," he said, claiming that the government had agreed to consult with them before making any major decisions.
Fortunately, the rapidly spiralling down relations between the two sides were quickly arrested after the Maoists withdrew their two-day Nepal Bandh slated for December 31 and January 1 after what they claim as 'understanding with the government.' In a statement he issued late on Friday, Maoist chairman Prachanda has called off the bandh. He stated that the government informed him that its serious attention has been drawn to the Maoists' demands.
Although the government has not actually promised to withdraw the nominations, Maoist leaders claim that since the government has told them that they will not proceed further without consulting them, "it (nomination) is as good as dead."
The pressure on the government was also mounted by its key alliance partner Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) whose acting general secretary Amrit Bohara urged the PM to withdraw the decisions to nominate ambassadors in view of Maoist protests.
The government due to the fierce opposition has not forwarded the nominees to the parliamentary hearing committee for confirmation. Neither has it officially withdrawn the nominations. How it moves ahead in the coming days could shape the peace process and Maoist response.
