FEATURES NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Government-Maoist Peace Talks
There’s A Bright Lining

By Prem N. Kakkar

THERE is always a belief among the sensible people in the country that politics that resorts to the use of violence can never be tolerated. But there are many things that are out of control of many a people. It is only opinion, views or appeal that comes from the peace-loving people to those bent on creating chaos through violence to stop such activities. But there are elements who believe in the fact that power comes from the barrel of the gun.

Tragic

It has been almost six years that the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) has been waging ‘people’s war’. In the years that have gone by the Maoist led violence has resulted in the death of over 1,600 people including security personnel, Maoists and innocent people. As if this was not enough the mass killing of policemen in the Maoist affected districts and the abduction of 69 security personnel in Rolpa pointed to the gravity of the situation. Though there may be reasons, the abduction of such a big number of policemen could be called the last straw.

This particular event proved a sort of turning point in the violence that had been unleashed in the past especially on the part of the Maoists. Though the call by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to halt all violence related activities was in part reciprocated by the Maoists, there must be compulsions on the Maoists to see that a better way out could come about. It could be their plan for a safe landing that saw them turning up for talks.

The government on its part was glad that their call to sit down at the table finally materialised. This can be viewed in relation to the call for talks by the past governments but which receive any response from the Maoists. Even when Girija Prasad Koirala was the Prime Minister, he had appealed to the Maoists to come for talks but there was no response from the Maoists’ side. This shows that at present a conducive atmosphere has been created which has made the Maoists come for talks.

The first round of talks was in a way an introduction between the government and the Maoist teams. It was for the first time that the Maoists had come out in the open and that too in the capital itself. A few mass meetings were also organised. From underground activities to the open was quite a transition for a party that had been confined to activities from their jungle hideout.

The events prior to the holding of the first round of talks that is the release of Maoists in custody and the release of some people in Maoist custody set the pace. Though all the conditions for talks had not been met by both the parties yet it was a "fruitful" round of talks. The only irritant present was the rhetoric of the Maoists for a republic. For this the government had made it clear that on the question of constitutional monarchy and an interim government there would be no discussion. Besides these, the talks would be open and frank.

The government made its point clear time and again. The Maoists had kept on harping on the demand for the establishment of a republic till the second round of talks in Bardiya. But since then they have toned down themselves and this issue has not been aired for
quite some time. It is good that the realisation has dawned in the Maoists that not every demand of theirs will be fulfilled. In the present situation this has been a pragmatic gesture from the Maoists side. It would have been violence for violence’s sake without any objective.

Since the second round of talks, the spree of violence leading to fatalities has reduced. This has come as a great relief to the people especially in the Far Western Region where lie most of the Maoist affected districts. Though a few people have been kidnapped or killed by the Maoists and the extortion by them has not come to a total stop. News is trickling down of such activities though not to the extent that was witnessed prior to the first sitting of both the government and Maoist representatives.

The release of Matrika Yadav, a senior Maoist leader in custody, a major demand of the Maoists has been met. But on the part of the Maoists they have yet to release all of whom they have abducted including policemen. The Maoists want all of their party members in police custody or jail to be released but they have not fulfilled what they had agreed on. This is rather strange. After all, all are Nepalese citizens. Though ideologies may not be the same yet in a democracy this does not mean suppression of one by the other. The Maoists have the freedom to adhere to the doctrine they like but this does not mean that they can resort to violence of their free will. The same applies to the security personnel. They are there to safeguard the citizens and not go out of their way and pay in the same currency.

Slow

The bright lining at the moment is that the level of violence has really come down, the peace talks are moving ahead though slowly and the government is showing the greatest amount of flexibility while the Maoists too have positively responded though not to the degree that is essential. Anyway with the peace talks on, there is every hope that it will come to an amicable solution and the people will be able to live their life in an atmosphere of peace and security.

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