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Kathmandu Tuesday November 20, 2001 Marga 05, 2058.
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Talks aftermath
Aweek after the
third round of talks between the government and the Maoists, the Koirala coterie within
the Nepali Congress (NC) has begun raising voices against the way the talks have been
shaping up. The Maoists, a few days before the third round talks, gave up their demand for
a republican state. In turn, the government scrapped the Public Security Regulations (PSR)
and released 68 Maoists to create a conducive atmosphere for dialogue. Whoever says
whatever else about the way Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has taken up the task of
resolving the six year old Maoist insurgency, one cannot take away from him the fact that
he has managed to kick start the talks and keep them going. He has brought the Maoists to
the negotiating table thrice in a bid to restore peace in this troubled land. There have
been no killings of innocent police personnel and civilians as happened during the Koirala
administration. The situation of peace and public security has improved palpably since the
government initiated the talks. Neither can the Maoists now go back to their old demand
for a republican state. The point is, it is still too early to evaluate the three rounds
of talks negatively. The government should not listen to those who have been opposing the
talks simply because it has not yielded more results quicker or to elements that are out
to play spoil sport.
Former Prime Minister and NC
president Girija Prasad Koirala has of course been pressing Prime Minister Deuba for
quicker results from the talks and has publicly denounced the scrapping of the PSR. The
way Koirala has been actively engaged in a campaign against the government-Maoist talks
ever since he resigned as prime minister shows that he is vehemently against any
(re)conciliatory move towards the Maoist leadership. Koirala has even termed them
terrorists and there is no question he will accept any solution to the Maoist problem
arrived at through the talks. His intention clearly appears to be more to derail the talks
process than to create a healthy process towards a political solution. He is clearly out
to throw a spanner in the works. Besides, the recent abduction spree in various places on
different occasions shows that a section of the Maoists, especially the lower rungs, are
not in favour of the talks either. They have already acted as though they are not under
the control of Maoist supremo Prachanda and ideologue Dr Baburam Bhattarai. This apart, Dr
Bhattarai has also hinted at the possibility of resuming violence, if the political
leaders disagree with their demand for an interim government and a constituent assembly.
All this could be nothing but a ploy to derail the talks. Two years ago, Koirala overthrew
the Bhattarai government when it proposed talks with the Maoists. Now Koirala has begun to
nudge the country towards renewed conflict to make the going difficult for the government.
The Maoists, if they can still act with one mind, must now realise that circumstances for
a safe landing may get worse instead of better and that there is no perfect constitution
which will be totally acceptable to all even if it is drafted by a constituent assembly.
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