Nov 03, 2006

The SPA and the Maoists reach close to resolving the knotty issue of arms as they start discussing specific modalities of its management

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

PM Koirala : Arms management first

After months of intense discussions, the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) and the Maoists seem to be zeroing in about the resolution of the most sensitive issue of managing the arms.

Ever since the two sides started peace talks following the April change, the management of arms surfaced as the most daunting challenge for both of them. Reaching to a widely acceptable – both domestically and internationally – terms and conditions of managing the rebel arms – had to be done in such a manner that the Maoist leadership could sell them easily to its battle-hardened and ideologically-bathed militants and cadres - indeed, an uphill task.

However, in the past one week, media reports have suggested that the two sides may be quite close to reaching such an agreement on the arms management.

Having reached agreement on “almost all political issues” the two sides had homed in on the issue of arms since last many days. And now, quite encouraging for the wider public, the two sides are talking about specific proposals like ‘single lock or double system.’

“Now there are very few issues related with the arms management that still remains to be resolved. We no longer want to further complicate this matter,” said Ram Chandra Poudel, general secretary of the Nepali Congress (NC).

In the previous four rounds of summit meeting between the SPA leaders and the Maoists, the issue of monarchy and the arms management had emerged as the most contentious ones.

The issue of monarchy seems to have been, more or less, resolved after the Prime Minister agreed to nationalize the ancestral properties of the King and the Maoists agreed to let the ‘powerless’ King continue till the elections of Constituent Assembly (CA) – which would ultimately decide the fate of the institution of monarchy.

But the arms issue has not yet been resolved. However, since this issue is quite sensitive and key to leading up to the peaceful CA elections, the SPA and the Maoist leaders have begun intense ‘jaw jaw.’

The fifth round of summit meeting, which was to take place after Tihar festival, has not taken place till Wednesday (November 1) afternoon because, as the government talks coordinator Home Minister Krishna Sitaula says, “the leaders want to reach agreement through intense home work first.”

Issue of Arms

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has often reiterated that the Maoists cannot be taken into the interim government before they are completely disarmed. He has stated that taking armed Maoists into the interim government would lead to an international isolation and non-recognition of Nepal government.

But the Maoists, on the other hand, have both real and perceived concerns about the complete disarmament. “We will not surrender before the Constituent Assembly elections,” Dev Gurung, a member of Maoist talks team, recently stated in Dhangadi.

Prachanda : Narrowing down differences

The reading of Maoist leaders’ statements show that they perceive the “separation of arms and army” as surrendering. That is why, they have demanded that equal number of army and weapons of the Nepali Army (NA) also be ‘locked up.’ 

In recent days, specific proposals of arms management are being seriously considered. The Maoists, it seems, have already agreed to put their army and weapons in cantonments under a “single lock” system – the key remaining with them.

This proposal, however, does not seem to have convinced the SPA. The Prime Minister is learnt to have pushed for “double lock” system with one key given to the Maoists and the UN monitoring team each.

The leaders expect the two sides will reach a compromise soon on this issue. “All issues were discussed and all discussions have been positive,” Dr. Suresh Chalise, advisor of PM Koirala, told media after the first meeting between Koirala and Prachanda after Tihar early this week.

Continuing Parleys

When the meeting between PM Koirala and the Maoist leadership was held immediately after Tihar, the PM Koirala pushed his position that the Maoist leadership must separate their army and weapons and join the interim government.

However, the complete separation of their army and weapons seem to be out of question for the Maoist leadership, which has made a counter proposal that if it is difficult for the PM to take Maoists in the interim government at this present stage, they are also willing to peacefully take part in the CA elections without joining the government.

“We have said that we are ready to take part in CA elections without joining the interim government also. Joining the government is not our primary concern. We have shown this much of flexibility,” said Maoist spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara.

But this proposal is also not realistic because nobody would take any CA election seriously if it does not accompany arms management.

“How can anybody believe that a free and fair CA election will be held when there are Maoists with arms taking part in it?” said a political analyst. “Therefore, the Maoists must agree to acceptable terms of arms management and join the interim government if only to ensure that a credible and legitimate CA election will be held.”

Meanwhile, not only the Nepalese political leaders, intense efforts are being made also by international community to facilitate the early resolution of peace process.

In recent days, the UN and US officials have visited New Delhi for consultations over the Nepalese peace process.

The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s point-man in Nepal Ian Martin visited New Delhi last week to exchange views about the modalities of management of Maoist arms.

Likewise, this week, the American ambassador James Moriarty went to New Delhi where he held talks with Indian foreign secretary and other officials.

India and the US both are favoring complete management of Maoist arms before anything else on the political front can proceed. The US ambassador Moriarty has been quite vocal in demanding that the Maoists first renounce violence completely.

While the Indian authorities have not been that much forthcoming, some Indian analysts have hinted that India , too, favors the arms management first.

“The Maoists cannot join the interim government as a guerrilla organization, rather they must abandon arms before doing so,” said a leading Indian analyst Retired General Ashok Mehta. Talking to BBC Nepali Service last week, Mehta said New Delhi could still play the role of a ‘facilitator’ to help peace process in Nepal just like it did when bringing the 12-point pact between the SPA and the Maoists to fruition last November.

Indian ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee met with Prime Minister Koirala as well as Maoist chairman Prachanda, separately, this week. Although details of his talks with them are still unknown, reports say they were focused on the successful resolution of the peace process.

Breakthrough This Week!

As proposals are flying thick and fast, influential leaders have hinted that there could be a major breakthrough in the upcoming summit meeting – which could be held anytime soon, within this week.

The Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said, on Tuesday, that he expects a breakthrough in the summit meeting. “Since both seven party leaders and Maoist leaders are seriously engaged in home work, I hope the summit meeting would take place within this week,” Nepal said.

His views were echoed by Home Minister Krishna Sitaula. “Just wait for a few more days. We are working hard to resolve all differences,” he said.

Koirala Rejects Call For Republican Front

Prime Minister and president of Nepali Congress (NC) Girija Prasad Koirala has said that his party “will not be a part of any Front for Republic.” Talking to journalists in Biratnagar last week, PM Koirala said that since NC is a separate party, it will go to the elections of Constituent Assembly with a separate manifesto.

His refusal to join republican front comes at a time when Maoists have been saying that they would be willing to show maximum flexibility in the management of their arms and armies if the Seven Party Alliance (SPA), including NC, agrees to join a united republican front to establish republic through the CA or referendum.

Senior Maoist leaders have gone on record saying that they would accept making Koirala even the first president of the country. Apart from the Maoists, the proposal for republican front has been supported also by the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML). Likewise, Deputy Prime Minister and president of People’s Front Nepal (PFN) had recently urged PM Koirala to “lead” such a republican front. However,

PM Koirala has been favoring the line of keeping ‘ceremonial monarchy’ in place, at least before the CA gives its final verdict on the status of monarchy.

Meanwhile, senior politician Rabindra Nath Sharma, who has assumed the position of president of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP- Thapa faction) by replacing former Home Minister Kamal Thapa, has said that there is a need to form a separate democratic front.

“I see there is going to be a swift polarization between leftist forces and democratic forces. Our party will work to strengthen the democratic camp,” Sharma said after taking over the party reins. Sharma, however, said that any democratic front has to be led by PM Koirala.