HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

For dialogue, Home Ministry has instructed to free Maoists in custody
No intent of suppression, says Khadka

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 8: In a move to facilitate the government-Maoists talks, the Home Ministry has instructed to release all Maoists who are in custody in the different parts of the country, Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka informed the House of Representatives today.

Furnishing the replies to the queries of opposition lawmakers raised at the discussion, Minister Khadka said that the Armed Police Bill-2058 and the Local Administration (Fourth Amendment) Bill-2058 would not pose obstacles to the government-Maoist dialogues since they were not introduced to suppress the Maoist insurgents. He noted that Maoists too had understood the compulsion of the government.

The House of Representatives today with majority vote endorsed Khadka’s proposal for considering two Bills and started discussion on them.

The two separate Bills were tabled at today’s first session of the Lower House following the government’s successful bid to endorse the Armed Police Ordinance-2057 and the Local Administration (Fourth Amendment) 2057 from the Parliament Tuesday despite the oppositions’ boycott and shouting against Bills introduction at the Parliament.

Stating that the Prime Minister is determined to conclude the talks with insurgents, Khadka said the government is serious to resolve the Maoist problem through dialogue.

He said that the creation of such Armed Police Force is a common feature of democratic countries in the world.

Saying that MPs’ doubt on the Bills is not unnatural, Khadka assured them the Bills would not restrict the people in enjoying rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Kingdom.

"Rather the Bills aim at protecting the lives and property of the people, maintain law and order situation, check crime and violence and assist people in the time of disaster."

He also reminded that the Prime Minister had expressed his commitment that the government would take advice from opposition parties if the ordinances were to be brought in the coming days.

On the opposition MPs’ charge that the government has introduced the Bills to affect the result of the coming local elections, Khadka assured that the Armed Police Force would have nothing to do with the local elections.

Citing the examples where the Nepali Congress as ruling party had failed to secure majority in the Parliament in the mid-term poll, he said it was not logical to say that the government would try to use the Force in the elections. He also assured that there would not be any politicalisation while constituting the Armed Police Force.

However, the oppositions’ lawmakers came heavily down on the government for introducing the Bills in the House and demanded the government to withdraw the Bills immediately.

They claimed that the Bills had assaulted the main spirit of the Constitution and rights achieved from the Popular Movement of 2046 B. S.

They argued that the Bills would hamper the government-Maoist talks and further complicate the Maoist problem.

CPN-UML MP Bharat Mohan Adhikari said that the government had disregarded dignity of Parliament and democracy by bringing the ordinances just before the inception of the 19th session of the Parliament.

Adhikary accused that the government was not honest in holding dialogue with the Maoists since it had presented the Armed Police Force Bill and Local Administration Bill, which he said, were meant to take back the rights of the people.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel, however, strongly defended the Bills, saying they are the general need of the country to protect the freedom of the citizens and consolidate the law and order situation of the country.

Paudel said that there is no sense that the Bills would disturb the talks with the Maoists.

He also requested the opposition MPs not to take the Bills as the frightening thing.

He further said that the army could not be mobilized at all time and there were many cases, which the police may not tackle alone. "In such a situation, the Armed Police Force becomes necessary for the country."

Lila Mani Pokharel, MP of United People’s Front Nepal said, "By introducing the harsh laws, the problems of the country could not be solved." Pokharel also lambasted the government for adopting the wrong procedure to endorse the ordinances in the Parliament.

UML lawmaker Subash Nemwang said that the Bills did not comply with the government’s commitment to hold the dialogue with the Maoists. Nemwang further said that the Armed Police Force Bill mentioned the term of ‘terrorism’ but it lacked the definition of the term.

Chitra Bahadur KC and Lila Ram Acharya of National People’s Front claimed that the House was becoming more undemocratic in handling its business. They also urged the government to be serious to the Maoist problem.

Netra Lal Shrestha of Rastriya Prajatantra Party termed the Bills as ‘regressive’ and said they could spoil the atmosphere of talks between the government and the Maoists.

Hridayash Tripathi of Nepal Sadbhawana Party blamed that the government had brought the Bills to affect result of the upcoming elections in its favour.

UML MP Prakash Jwala said that the government failed to identify the root-cause of the Maoist issue.

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