It has not for nothing been said that there is dark under the lamp. This is true indeed.

This week we decided to bring out some sensible Nepali citizens who reside in the area wherefrom this newspaper comes out every week. These are the set of the people who remain generally ignored by the media men for obvious reasons. However, to ignore some one simply because they appear not for the media use would be simply a crime. Admittedly, we too had committed a crime in the past and had ignored them summarily who lived around us. The personalities appearing in this week's 5 questions though were not the luminaries of the nation at the moment, however, they possess the potential to be one at a later stage provided they were given chance to prove their mettle. This is my assessment.

Find the impressions of these guests with whom we posed questions regarding the Maoists activities and the need for a dialogue to bring about a total end to the chaotic situation that has gripped the country of late. Below the results-Chief editor

Maoists have capitalized governments' past weaknesses

Mr. Gopal Raj Poudel, Retd. Government officer

TGQ1: Mr Poudel, what would you suggest the government and the Maoists given the present situation in the country? Your remarks please.

Poudel: The non-performance and the bad governance in the country after the advent of this system in effect appears to have prompted the Maoists to take on to this course. In the beginning, the establishment neglected the issue and concurrently it, read the government, became very unpopular among the people in the remote areas. The government utterly ignored the people's rights of peaceful living, which the Maoists capitalized, to the hilt. In the process, the insurgents motivated the people who were grossly ignored in the remote areas. The Maoists gradually became popular.

Now both the government and the Maoists are saying that they stand for the welfare of the people and the killings in the process were nothing but for achieving prosperity.

The present situation of terror should be immediately ended once and for all. In effect what has got to be done is to bring the increasing support of the people which the Maoists enjoy in abundance and the government's authority, power, and the national resources and combine these two together for the benefit of the nation.

In the process, the government authorities must abandon their greed for power and pelf and similarly the insurgents must renounce their violent activities.

Insurgents gaining popularity in remote villages

Mr. B.P.Bhattarai, Student Geography department, T.U

TGQ2: The Maoists have stepped up their violent activities in the recent days. The government appears reluctant in the resumption of the dialogues with the insurgents. What you Mr. Bhattarai think is to be done? Your comments please.

Bhattarai: It is not a matter of surprise that Maoists have stepped up their violent activities because they had launched their movement with the motive. The main concern is that whether we the people who do not accept their movement-and the government could have created the situation against them or not? We can't escape from our duties. Whether their strength has increased because of our weaknesses or not too has to be taken into account.

Even a cursory glance over the situation of the last few years of the country shows that the police force has been appearing weaker against the insurgents. Contrarily, the insurgents have been showing regular increment in their capacity and even they are gaining popularity in the remote villages. Besides, the administrative influence and control of the government seems frail in those areas. Thus, the situation of the country is undergoing towards a severe complexity.

There are two options, mainly, remaining for the government. Either it would be able to remove them or should bring them in the table of dialogue. The third option remaining is to show reluctance in the resumption of dialogue. If the government fails to bring them to the table, the country might go under the chronic disease of insurgency, which will be fruitful neither to the government nor to the Maoists eventually. Therefore, as soon as possible the dialogue must be held and drive the country towards peace and prosperity.

No more bloodbath please!

Mr. Padma Prasad Prasai, Small scale entrepreneur, Ghattekulo, Kathmandu

TGQ3: Should the government invite the Maoists for meaningful talks? How you see this issue in its totality? Your comments Mr. Prasai!

Mr. Prasai: The government must initiate the now suspended dialogue process. Sincere efforts on the part of the Koirala regime hopefully will work. If the Maoists reject the governments' offer for talks or if the government ignores talks with the insurgents, the situation in the country will further deteriorate causing panic among the population. In essence the absence of talks will ultimately the already hard-pressed national population. The situation in the country is that the policemen kill the innocent civilians and claims they killed the Maoists. Likewise, when the Maoists kill the lay men we are told that they killed the security personnel. This is what has got to be avoided at any cost. In my opinion no Nepali should be killed either by the Maoists or by the policemen. A person killed is a Nepali citizen first and then he is Maoists or a policeman. At times such two-way killings have occurred on the pretexts of personal vendetta.

It is time that we the people must unite and come forward forcefully in pressing the government and the Maoists for constructive dialogues. Peace has got to be restored at any cost. We can't afford such violence any more. I'm confident that if we the people unite and forward positive proposals to both the warring rivals, they would heed to our suggestions since it is the people on whom they bank ultimately.

No more blood bath please!

The nation is being pushed to a state of emergency.

Mr. Abindra Shrestha, Owner of a small retail shop, Ghattekulo, Kathmandu

TGQ4: How the Maoists insurgency could be solved? Is the government ready for talks with the Maoists? What impact would it have on the common people if the talk between the two does not take place at all? Your impressions please.

Mr. Shrestha: The only viable solution to the prevailing Maoists problem, it appears to me, could be found if the government concentrates its efforts on eradicating the rampant poverty; providing of basic education to the millions and millions of illiterate citizens; and minimizes the vast gap in between the rich and the poor and various inequalities that persists in the nation.

The issue could be brought to a happy landing if the government holds talks with the Maoists. Dialogue and only dialogues could be suggested to both the warring rivals in order to restore peace in the already troubled Kingdom. However, the government appears reluctant which has further compounded the Maoists issue further. The government appears only concerned on how to save its chair. The opposition too has become irresponsible and has limited its activities in either disturbing the parliament or creating havoc in the streets.

The nation is being pushed to a state of emergency. The economy is in shambles. Innocent civilians are being killed in numbers during the Maoists-Police clashes. The Maoists kill people and claim to have killed the police men and vice versa. This has hit the common men very hard both physically and mentally.

Don't create panic among innocent civilians

Mr. Ajaya Maharjan, Chairman, Center for Social Development, Nepal

TGQ5: Security situation has deteriorated in the recent weeks. What should be done to arrest the worsening condition of the peace and tranquility in the Kingdom. Your opinions please.

Mr. Maharjan: The killing spree that the nation witnessed last week has got to be stopped. The Maoists must not create panic among the innocent civilians through the use of their ongoing violent activities. Terrifying the lay men will ultimately boomerang their cause.

However, some of the actions taken of late by the Maoists regarding the pressure to cut the expensive fees in educational institutions could be considered to be not that bad. This will enable even the poor children to get education at lower fees.

Looking at the present situation what could be suggested to the government is that they must invite officially the Maoists for talks. Talks must be held. There is no alternative to talks. Dialogues could help restore normalcy in the nation.

I hope that the common people too put pressures on the Maoists and the government for resuming the now suspended talks.

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