National 1 (Spotlight Weekly)

Public Overtures

Maoist No. 2 Dr. Baburam Bhattarai appears in public, says he seeks to meet with representatives of foreign missions

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

A day after he made himself public for the first time since taking up arms and leaving for the jungle seven years ago, Maoist second in command Dr. Baburam Bhattarai made it clear that it was under international pressure that his party decided to agree to the cease-fire and engage in peace talks with the government.

Appearing defiant before representatives of the foreign media on March 30, Dr. Bhattarai said he was trying to meet with the representatives of foreign missions in Kathmandu. "We are trying to fix appointments with the US, Indian, Chinese, EU and British missions," he said.

Dr. Bhattarai : Peace parleys?

The eagerness shown by the Maoist bigwig in meeting with foreign envoys is meaningful, especially since there were reports that the rebels had agreed to the cease-fire owing to external pressures. "There was a lot of pressure, particularly from the US, Britain and India. We came for dialogue because there were risks of interventions by them," he said.

The architect-turned-ideologue appeared before the Nepalese media on March 29 along with four senior comrades of the party. The lean and bearded Dr. Bhattarai gave a firm red salute to the media persons packed in the hall of Birendra International Convention Center, New Baneswore in Kathmandu before delivering a statement promising his party was willing to be flexible enough to make the current peace process successful.

Addressing the first-ever press conference organized by the Maoists in the capital since they launched their "people's war" in February 1996, Dr. Bhattarai, however, accused the government of violating the code of conduct and failing to create conducive environment for talks. "If the government creates conducive environment, we are ready to enter into talks anytime," said Dr. Bhattarai. Clad in a simple coat and wearing a cap, Dr. Bhattarai sported his all too familiar beard.

Another Maoist top gun who appeared in public this week was Ram Bahadur Thapa aka Badal. A politburo member of the Maoists and commander of its military wing, Thapa had never made himself known to the media before. Said to be the brain behind Maoists' military strategy, Thapa had remained underground all through his political career spanning the last 24 years.

Likewise, other Maoist leaders who appeared in the capital included politburo member Dev Gurung, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who appeared in public days after the cease-fire was announced, and alternative politburo member Matrika Yadav. All five leaders are members of† the Maoists' negotiating team formed immediately after the ceasefire to hold talks with the government.

Talking to the media, Dr. Bhattarai reiterated that his party had not given up its demands for a republican state. "Though our ultimate goal is republican state, we have adjusted our demands in view of the current situation. The present system has failed to empower the people. What we want at the moment is to make people more powerful. Only a constituent assembly can pave the way for that," he said.

Rubbishing reports that Maoist leaders met with King Gyanendra before announcing ceasefire, Dr. Bhattarai, however, did not rule out the possibility that they may have to meet the King some time. Dr. Bhattarai facing a barrage of questions from enthusiastic crowd of reporters said that his party had no intention of sidelining the political parties. "It is the reality that there is conflict going on in the country at present between two regimes. We are the new regime and the current establishment is the old one. Likewise, there are three political powers active currently including us, political parties and the King/state power," he said.

"To resolve the problems we are facing, all three powers have to sit together and be open and flexible in their stances," Dr. Bhattarai said, adding that his party was not particular about who should call the round-table conference or who should lead the interim government that would follow.

Replying to queries on how the Maoists' military wing is taking the current ceasefire, Thapa said there was total control of the party over its military. "As the party became flexible for talks, so has the military," he said. Meanwhile, when asked about the assassination of Armed Police Force Chief Krishna Mohan Shrestha and his wife, Dr. Bhattarai said that they were killed "in course of the movement". He also added that the† party had come forward for the talks forgetting the past incidents. "Let's not talk about individuals. Many people died during the war. If you continue to rake up those things, the environment for talks could be spoiled," he warned.

Immediately after he became public, Dr. Bhattarai has started parleys with political parties where he had hard time assuring the leaders about the Maoists' intention in holding talks with the Lokendra Bahadur Chand government, which the political leaders have been describing as unconstitutional.