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| Kathmandu, Monday January 20, 2003 Magh 06, 2059. |
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Nation heading towards worst crisis, warn experts
By Damaru Lal
Bhandari
KATHMANDU, Jan 19 :
Speakers representing civic society, press and political parties today on Sunday pointed
out at the threats issuing out of Maoist insurgency, if the same is not attended in right
earnest. They also said that the existing crises were fast deteriorating in the absence of
holistic intervention.
"Complications are
fast multiplying. Worse, some elements are trying to further aggravate the crises so that
the peace talks are ruled out," Shyam Shrestha, editor of Mulyankan, said at an
interactive session, organised by Foundation for Parliamentary Studies and Development. He
flayed the arms mafia and foreign powers for fuelling the crisis.
Shrestha also flayed
the political parties for stalling the demand for progressive reforms pressed by the
Maoists, even as he came down heavily on Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML, for
questioning the motive behind demand for election to the constituent assembly.
"Take it from me
status quoist mentality is not going to produce any result," he said, adding that,
all future efforts at resolving the Maoist insurgency should address issues ranging from
ethnic to constitutional, for a sustainable peace.
Significantly, he also
said that the issue of holding peace talks does not figure in the royal agenda, in view of
the political moves which have come to the fore after the October 4 royal intervention.
"The issue is how can we get the agenda on the royal priority list," he queried,
flaying the NC and the CPN-UML for not prioritising the resolution of the Maoist
insurgency either.
Malla K Sundar, former
lawmaker, journalist and facilitator of the talks, warned of a worst scenario in the very
near future, if the situation is not attended in right earnest.
Referring to the
current Nepal mission of two Kofi Annan envoys in connection with crisis here, Sundar
said, "If suitable efforts are not initiated now and here, the country could be
facing worst of times from April. In fact the year 2060 BS could be a fateful one,"
he warned, citing the UN report.
He also claimed Maoists
have not yet made it clear as to what they are fighting for, since the demand concerning
round table conference, interim government and election to the constituent assembly are
merely part of the process.
Speaking on external
intervention in peace process, Sundar said, "Since India and the US are major
stakeholders, point shall have to be made to ensure that they have room in the future
arrangement. We must address their concerns."
He also said that US
would be insisting on having its military presence in the country, in keeping with its
military presence from Japan to Diego Garcia to Pakistan and countries of the former
Soviet Republics for strategic reasons.
Padma Ratna Tuladhar
said the Maoists could not be expected to talk with the incumbent government since it does
not have constitutional legitimacy. "If any they could be expected to talk with the
king, which too stands ruled out since there has been no response from the king to a call
issued by the rebel leadership after the October 4 royal intervention," he said,
adding Prachanda was surprised to find no reply coming from the king.
Radheshyam Adhikari, a
NC member of the National Assembly, suggested formation of a government which should have
the backing of the parliament to rule out influence from unwanted quarters. He flayed the
rebels for laying down more conditions for talks for understandable reasons. Like others,
he, too, conceded that India should have a say in future development to restore peace.
Jhala Nath Khanal of
the CPN-UML said the current political crises was the outcome of the conspiracy hatched by
rightist elements, even as he also said that blame also falls on political parties for
inaction. "They are after the NC and the CPN-UML," he said, adding that the
current policies coming from king were not part of the democratic exercise.
Senior journalists
Gokul Pokharel and Dhruv Adhikari opined that political parties have committed a mistake
and that the nation is currently under the direct rule of the king for all practical
purposes.
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