Talks Hold The Key

By Prem N. Kakkar

THE lingering Maoist insurgency, despite the attempts made over the year for bringing an end to the mindless violence, sees no solution till date. It is already over four years that the so-called movement initiated by the Maoists has afflicted a number of the districts of the country. The western districts of Nepal are the most heavily affected areas.

In fact, the genesis of the such violent activities has its roots in the abject poverty and the backward condition of the hilly regions of the mid-western region. There may be no denying that development activities in the past were not given as much priority in the affected regions as it was the case with the other development regions.

The present scenario is somewhat different. The development activities have been taken to those areas especially the far western region. Despite the positive initiatives taken on the part of the government, those who believe in the politics of violence have not relented. This is rather unfortunate as the very aim of an all round development of the country has been dented because of the state of anarchy that prevails because of the violence perpetrated by the Maoists.

In fact, even in a democracy people have different views and it is the duty of all concerned to come to a consensus. But for this to materialise, the very need is for the parties concerned to come to the table.

There are many, including the plans and intellectuals, who do not consider the Maoist problem as a political one. they believe that economy has a key role to play. This is true to some extent as the Maoist affected areas have been shadows under the light of development activities. Even about twenty-five years back when this scribe was in Rukum, one of the presently affected areas, the economic status of the majority of the people in the district was quite miserable.

Though plans and programmes had been directed towards the backward and remote districts the fruits of development has apparently not reached the people. It is not the ideologies that are the propelling force but the economic condition. An eye for an eye must not be the directive force.

The killing of 12 policemen in Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, has once again highlighted that peace is not what the Maoists want. There are other things on their mind. This is also evident from the fact that the government is more than willing to sit down for talks to thrash out amicable solutions to the problem but the response form the other side has not been encouraging.

Even the former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who heads the high level body to bring the Maoists to the table for talks has not been successful. There was once a glimmer of hope when the Maoists had agreed to sit down at the table but, unfortunately, they backed out for reasons of their own.

If the demands are genuine and can be fulfilled within the Constitution then there is no reason why the Maoists don’t come out and negotiate when there seems to a conducive atmosphere to find a solution that can satisfy everybody. After all, it has become such a violence when brothers are killing brothers. We are not fighting any foreign forces but our own citizens.

If only reason prevailed then the Maoists would stop the violent tactics and come forward, as in a democracy where everyone is free to express his own version of what he/she feels.

That would set the right groundwork to stop the unnecessary spate of violence. Over 1500 people have been killed in the violence in over four years. The people killed have included security personnel, Maoists and even innocent citizens. Such a state does not augur well for a developing nation like Nepal where the united effort alone can lead to enduring peace and which is the prerequisite for prosperity.