HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Constitutional amendment a must: Nepal

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Mar. 10: The leader of the Main Opposition Party today reiterated that it was necessary to amend the Constitution to resolve the problems facing the nation and to bring the Maoists into mainstream politics.

Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), said that his party’s proposals for constitutional amendment and comprehensive reforms were meant to serve the interest of the nation and its people.

"We believe that constitutional amendments and socio-economic reforms are needed to address the existing anomalies and bring the Maoists to the right track," Nepal told a face to face programme organised by the Reporters’ Club this afternoon.

"The Constitution requires amendment to empower the Prime Minister, to strengthen the constitutional bodies and to solve the problems of citizenship and discrimination, among others."

He said that the CPN-UML was not the only party seeking constitutional amendment. "All the major political parties in the country have agreed on the need to amend the existing Constitution to free the nation from the problem it is presently facing.

"There is a school of thought that says the Constitution should not be amended during a state of emergency. But solutions are sought at such times," said Nepal.

He also maintained that the Parliament had the right to amend the Constitution and showed reservations about the voices against constitutional amendment from outside the Parliament. "It is an attempt to undermine the Parliament at a time when efforts are necessary to make sure that the Parliament reflects the sentiments and opinions of the general public."

Nepal said that the proposal for constitutional amendment had been brought to win the confidence of the people and find a political solution to the Maoist problem. "We have been blamed for diverting the people’s attention from the crisis the country is facing. It has instead drawn their attention to the problem and this can be instrumental in finding a solution."

Nepal said the Maoists should give up violence and adopt political measures to attain their goals. "The Maoists should come to the table for talks; guns do not solve problems."

He welcomed the powerful commission to investigate into the properties of high-level politicians, bureaucrats and heads of constitutional bodies and promised his party’s full support to it. "The UML will not protect its leaders if found guilty."

Nepal called for an all-party government to hold fair elections.

He said the government should look for ways to shorten the period of the state of emergency, adding that the emergency should not be an excuse to harass innocent people.

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