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| Kathmandu Friday April 12, 2002 Chaitra 30, 2058. |
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Govt-Maoist
unofficial meet likely in Bhairahawa
By Tilak Pokharel
KATHMANDU, April 11 :
Government representatives are meeting with the outlawed Maoist rebel delegates in the
southern border town of Bhairahawa this weekend to discuss a renewed peace bid, highly
reliable sources associated with the latest move told The Kathmandu Post on Thursday.
The government is
sending its representatives and the Maoist representatives are set to come to Bhairahawa
on Friday in an attempt to explore possible renewed dialogue to resolve the rebel
insurgency, a person associated with the bid said on condition of anonymity.
"We are going to
mediate between them (government and the Maoists) in Bhairahawa," the source said
showing a document of agenda put forth by the government side. "I am sure something
concrete will materialise within a month."
However, the source
declined to give the names of the government and Maoist representatives sitting for the
negotiations.
The disclosure comes
even as the government’s drive against rebels continues on a massive scale. It also
comes without any change in the government’s public stance – that is it still
wants the rebels to lay down arms and surrender before exploring peace options. That is
what Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has repeatedly proclaimed.
Sources today said that
government representatives would meet Maoist delegates in the presence of some human
rights activists who are trying to bring the two sides together for talks. Such meetings
could continue for about a week.
At a press conference
organised in the capital on March 18, president of Human Rights Organisation of Nepal
(HURON), Sudip Pathak, had announced that both the government and the central leaders of
the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) had given "go-ahead" to rights activists
to explore renewed peace talks. Other activists involved in the peace bid are Sindhu Nath
Pyakurel, president of Nepal Bar Association and Malla K Sundar, a leftist journalist.
The rights activists
have claimed that they are in regular contact with the central leaders of the Maoists and
the government ministers.
Though the border town
of Bhairahawa has been picked as the site of the meeting, some sources indicate that the
meetings could be shifted to nearby Indian towns. Many in Nepal say rebel leaders are
hiding in neighbouring Indian states where Indian rebel groups provide them weapons,
training and other support.
The latest initiative
comes four-and-half months after the rebels broke off peace negotiations with the
government and launched bloody attacks on government installations. That action led the
government to impose the emergency on November 26 last year, and send the Royal Nepalese
Army to fight the rebels.
Those involved in the
peace process had become more confident of fulfilling their task after Maoist Chairman
Pushpa Kamal Dahal a.k.a. Prachanda in his latest press statement indicated his
willingness to negotiate. "If possible political outlet is developed, we are ready to
withdraw all sorts of protest programmes and operations," Prachanda had said in the
statement 10 days ago.
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