A Tactical Move?

The Maoists declare unilateral ceasefire days before the King was scheduled to embark on an international visit aimed at garnering support against terrorism

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

Nearly two months after reinstating prominent ideologue Dr. Baburam Bhattarai in the party politburo, Maoist chairman has made another move by declaring a unilateral ceasefire for three-month period beginning September 3.

The latest Maoist move came just days ahead of scheduled visit of King Gyanendra to New York to attend the UN General Assembly. By declaring the truce, the Maoists seem to have attempted to flatten the government’s aim of garnering international support against terrorism by projecting themselves as political organization willing for peaceful negotiations. Consequently, the King’s UN visit was cancelled and now the Foreign Minister is expected to lead the Nepalese delegation to the UN.

But in what appears to be a purely tactical move, Prachanda has addressed the agitating political parties directly in his truce announcement and has, interestingly, not offered to sit in negotiations with the present government. Stunned by the sudden Maoist move, the government took full three days to officially react to the Maoist decision by saying “its attention had been drawn.”

In a statement issued by government spokesperson and Information Minister Tanka Dhakal, the government has said that based on past experiences of the Maoists’ betrayal, there was not much to become ‘assured’ with the Maoist sincerity. It, however, added that it would allow anyone who wanted to return to the mainstream of the national development. The government statement said: “At a time when Nepal and Nepalis are seeking to establish sustainable peace and functioning democracy in the country, the government has ensured the opportunity for all to come to the mainstream and participate in the campaign for peace and development. The February 1 royal move was also aimed at guaranteeing the same.”

This response from the government spokesperson came after a series of meeting of the Council of Ministers, chaired by the King himself, were held on Sunday and Monday to take stock of the security situation.

On the other hand, the seven political parties lost no time in formally welcoming the Maoist decision and said the Maoist decision came in response to their requests. The parties have formed coordinating team to monitor the observance of truce and explore the possibilities of holding talks with the Maoists.

In his statement issued on September 3, Prachanda has said that they made this decision as there was evolving situation where political parties were also speaking about the need for democratic republican set up in the country. Prachanda has reiterated the Maoist stance of the formation of an interim regime and election to the constituent assembly to solve the crisis facing the country. He has warned that the Maoists would resume hostilities if the government engages in military offensive.

Prachanda, however, has thrown cold water over the demand of the parties regarding the restoration of the parliament by claiming that the move would only provide space for palace to further conspire. He has stated that recent decisions by the Nepali Congress (NC) to omit reference to the constitutional monarchy from its party statute and the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) to go for democratic republic have created a basis for ‘unity of purpose’ with them.

Significantly, Prachanda also cites the growing concern shown by international power centers including the ‘main neighbor’ and the United Nations and ‘efforts to declare Nepal a failed state’ as reasons for his truce decision.

Coming on the eve of major Nepalese festivals like Dashain and Tihar, the truce decision has been widely welcomed by not only the common people but also the business enterprises and private sector.

Interestingly, in the aftermath of Maoist truce decision, a number of theories have been circulated to explain the reasons behind it. A section of leading human rights activists have publicly said that they feel that the Maoists recently decided to announce unilateral ceasefire under pressure from international power centers including the United Nations.

Speaking at a program in the capital on Sunday, rights activists Charan Prasai and Malla K. Sundar said that the visit by senior UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and the interaction initiated by Chief of the Nepal Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ian Martin with the Maoist leadership could have played a key role in compelling the Maoists make this decision.

Adding to the drama, Indian newspaper The Pioneer in a report headlined “Prachanda’s Delhi Deal Puts King On Backfoot,” has suggested that the “so-called truce has been announced at New Delhi's behest to create international pressure on King Gyanendra who has launched a massive offensive against the Maoists ever since the royal coup of February 1. It is believed that the supreme leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as Comrade Prachanda, was in India recently for talks with officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Cabinet Secretariat.”

The report goes on to state, “It is no secret in New Delhi that the Home and Foreign Ministries are divided over how to deal with the Maoists in Nepal, more so after the royal coup of February 1. The Ministry of External Affairs has been pushing for a pro-Maoist, anti-monarchy line.” It may be recalled here that in May the reports of Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai visiting Indian leaders in New Delhi had been widely carried by Indian newspapers. Likewise, in May, the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) had made public an audio-tape of Prachanda where he is heard saying that the Indian government had asked the Maoist leadership to come for dialogue in India.

For its part, the Indian government has stated that it hoped the ceasefire would create an environment for durable peace in Nepal. The Indian government has also said that ‘it had taken note of the recent developments in Nepal, including the decisions by the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, and the views expressed by the members of the civil society.’ Last week, NC amended its party statute omitting the reference to the constitutional monarchy whereas the UML has decided to adopt the path towards democratic republic.

As things stand the politics of Nepal is getting murkier and murkier with hopes of reconciliation among internal political forces getting dimmer.