Call For Talks
The country has suffered a lot since an armed
insurgency was started by the so called Maoists rebels. Development works have been
disrupted, a huge chunk of the budget has been set aside for security purposes and more
than twelve hundred people have lost their lives. Furthermore, the people have started to
feel an increased sense of insecurity and normal life has been affected in many areas,
specially the districts in hilly Mid-Western region. This sort of a violent political
movement is very damaging for a developing country like Nepal. When the government’s
entire focus should have been on different development projects that would bring
prosperity to the people, it is indeed an irony that precious funds have to be spent for
security reasons. However, it is encouraging that the present government led by Prime
Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has been constantly making efforts to end the insurgency in
a peaceful manner. In line with this policy of the government, former Prime Minister Sher
Bahadur Deuba, who heads a high level committee that has been formed by the government to
resolve the Maoists problem, has once more called on the rebels to come forth for
dialogue. "I call upon the Maoist leadership to agree to cease all actions and begin
a humanitarian dialogue," Deuba said in a statement the other day.
It is indeed absurd why the Maoists have
chosen to wage the violent campaign, when the Constitution has given freedom to all the
citizens to express their disagreements in a peaceful manner. The present violence
unleashed by the insurgents, has been detrimental to all. If the Maoists really have the
interest of the people in mind, they must at once cease their violent campaign and hold
talks with the government on how the different problems pointed out by them can be solved
in an amicable way and manner. It was a great set-back when the Maoists leadership refused
to send their representatives to initiate dialogue with government representatives citing
vague reasons. However former Premier Deuba has done the right thing by once again making
a sincere appeal to the rebels to come forth for talks. He has quite rightly reminded the
Maoists of the "extensive and far reaching damages" being done to the otherwise
peaceful nation because of their present activities. The country cannot continue to suffer
in this way and it will not be in the interest of the majority of the people. If the
insurgency problem continues to fester on. It can be hoped the Maoists will take up the
liberal offer of the government and end the mindless violence that has taken such a heavy
toll, within so short a period of about four years.
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