May rethink ceasefire, say Maoists

Even as the Nepal government set pre-conditions for reciprocating a three-month Maoist ceasefire declared last week, rebel chief Prachanda i...

Even as the Nepal government set pre-conditions for reciprocating a three-month Maoist ceasefire declared last week, rebel chief Prachanda issued an Internet statement on Friday, warning that the ceasefire could be withdrawn at any time if the government continued attacks on the rebels.

Prachanda’s statement cited such incidents as the arrest of three members of the Maoist-affiliated Tharuwan Muktimorcha in Banke district, and an attack on guerrillas in Jajarkot district.

The Royal Nepalese Army alleges that the Maoists have not stopped acts of violence and terror despite the ceasefire announcement.

Story continues below this ad

Home Minister Dan Bahadur Sahi said the Maoists should stop their terrorist activities, hand over arms and come to the dialogue table for negotiations, before the government reciprocates the ceasefire.

It is the Maoists who instigated violence, not the government, he told the Nepalese vernacular weekly Bimarsha.

He also said that the guerrillas had yet to inform the government about the ceasefire. Security forces would not be called back to the barracks, he said.

‘‘If the terrorists say they are going for ceasefire and the government should not arrest them, should we let them off scot free?’’ Sahi asked. —PTI

India’s ambassador meets Koirala

Story continues below this ad

KATHMANDU: Indian ambassador Shiv Shanker Mukherjee met Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala on Thursday, party sources said. The current political situation mainly figured during discussions with the 83 year-old leader who had been slightly injured in a scuffle with the police during a pro-democracy rally here last week.

Early this week, Mukherjee also met Nepal Communist Party-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal. India has recently said that it has been taking note of political developments in Nepal, including the Maoist ceasefire.

—PTI