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Kathmandu Wednesday October 03, 2001 Ashwin 17, 2058.
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Peaceful solution to Maoist
problem emphasized
Post Report
LALITPUR, Oct 2 - The government and politicians
should be ready to reform and even to change the present Constitution if that works in
giving way to the five-year old Maoist insurgency and bloodshed, said a study here today.
According to a study carried out by the South
Asia Partnership (SAP) - Nepal, locally elected representatives, professors, politicians,
human rights activists and lawmakers have urged the government to reform or change the
Constitution if it can solve the Maoist insurgency which so far has claimed almost 2,000
lives in the country.
Disseminating the outcomes of the six seminars
conducted in five places of the country - Biratnagar, Chitwan, Kathmandu, Nepalgunj and
Pokhara - Executive Director of SAP-Nepal, Rohit Kumar Nepali, said, "There are some
defects in the present Constitution or in its implementation and the government and the
major political forces should be ready to amend or change it."
"The state has categorically failed to
punish high government officials, politicians and bureaucrats", said Nepali adding
"It shows that there are some defects in the Constitution or in its
implementation."
Quoting the participants’ view expressed in
the seminars, Nepali said the country should be ready to go for referendum if needed.
"And, the republic should be considered as the alternative of constitutional
monarchy," Nepali said.
Participants attending today’s function
also suggested to include some representatives from the civil society in the
government-Maoist talks. "There should be representation from the civil society in
the talks," said Chandra Prakash Mainali, central committee member of the Communist
Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist).
"The after-1990 democracy is the
"capitalist democracy" and it needs massive changes to use it in the
people’s interest", Mainali said.
Speaking on the occasion, Sarita Giri of Nepal
Sadbhavana Party said the greatest drawback of the Constitution is its provision of two
third of majority for its amendment.
Vice-President of Rastriya Prajatantra Party,
Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani, speaking on the occasion, said, "The increased massive
economic inequality during the last 12 years and a small but satisfied class (10 per cent)
suppressed a bulky but dissatisfied class (90 per cent)." Maoists are the product of
it, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, leader of the main
opposition CPN (UML), Jhala Nath Khanal, said, "We want to amend the Constitution but
it needs national consensus."
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