HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Govt should come out of 'old confines, closed room': Mahara

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept. 20: If the two rounds of talks between the government and the CPN-Maoists have yielded anything more than what the Nepalese people experienced earlier, it is an open ground to the leaders of an underground communist party.

The latest instance could be the presence of the Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara at an interaction programme held here this afternoon to discuss the implications of the on-going talks between the government and the underground communists. Mahara and other members of the dialogue committee from Maoist side had also visited the Central Jail the other day to meet their comrades.

Although the leader trio had organized the first-ever press conference at Nepal Law Campus immediately after the second rounds of talks concluded in Bardia, this is the first interaction programme where the Maoist leader sat by the side of NC leader Narahari Acharya and CPN-UML’s K. P. Oli.

At the programme organised by Press Chautari-Nepal, Acharya, Oli and Mahara expressed their views about the ongoing talks between the government and the Maoists to end the six-year-long Maoist insurgency peacefully.

Speaking at the programme, Nepali Congress Central Working Committee member Narahari Acharya said that except the three political demands, remaining 28 were of public concern related to country’s socio-economic conditions and they could be fulfilled.

"But about three political demands – abrogation of the constitution, institutional development of republican system in the country and the formation of interim government -- the Maoists have not yet explained in detail about what they mean," Acharya told the press.

He clearly said that if the Maoists have been demanding the abrogation of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 and the establishment of republican system by ending the democratic monarchical system, it was not possible.

"When the present constitution is very open and any changes could be made, what is the need for abrogation?" he questioned. Similarly, he also said that the Nepalese monarchy was the most democratic one and it was deeply rooted in Nepal's culture, religion and geopolitics. "There is a republican system with crown in Nepal," he said.

Meanwhile, he suggested that to solve the Maoist problem through dialogue both the parties need to create a favourable atmosphere there by ending all the forceful and violent activities.

UML leader K. P. Oli said that the country was presently suffering from at least three major problems – instability, lack of good governance and hampered development – maintaining that the main reason behind that was the Nepalese people themselves.

Along with the Maoist insurgents he blamed the successive governments for not being serious in realising their respective responsibilities.

He also said that the issue of the abrogation of constitution and the republican system was impractical at a time when the prevailing democratic system has provided every opportunity for development activities.

However, convener of the talks from Maoist side Krishna Bahadur Mahara clearly said that they wanted the abrogation of the constitution and were in favour of the institutional development of republican system in the country.

Mahara, said that the government should come out of "old confines and closed room" to hold talks with the Maoists.

Mahara, criticized those in power for failing to work in deference to the people's desire and stressed the need for pro-people organisations in the country to adopt a new vision and style of working so as to meet popular aspirations.

He also urged the government to adopt an objective and scientific attitude towards the Maoists.

President of Press Chautari-Nepal Shambhu Shrestha chaired the function.

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