Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The long awaited first round of talks between the Nepal government and Maoist rebels concluded on Friday at the Gokarna tourist resort on the outskirts of Kathmandu, bringing with it the hope that the Kingdom is finally on the road to peace.
During the nearly six-hour meeting, the two sides agreed on a 25-point code of conduct applicable to both side during the tenure of talks, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Situala and Maoist negotiator Krishna Bahadur Mahara said.
According to the agreement neither side will provoke violence, both sides will cease attacks, and end military recruitment and forcible fundraising.
The meeting—in which three members each from the government and the rebels participated—took place amid expression by the two sides of a commitment to together take the country towards democracy, durable peace and prosperity.
Optimism, however, was dampened by Maoist leaders saying earlier that the question of demobilisation prior to elections for the constituent assembly did not arise. There is also disquiet at the Maoists stepping up extortion drives, demanding up to Rs 10 crore from banks and industrial houses to run their army.
Mahara and Sitaula both expressed “optimism” about the success of the dialogue, but their enthusiasm is not shared by the rest. There are fears the Maoist leadership is not in total control of its armed cadre.
The proposed public rally of the Maoists next week has also made the government nervous since the rebels plan to participate in combat dress, and possibly bearing arms. The rally, which coincides with the fifth anniversary of the royal massacre, officials said, was deliberately planned to allow the rebels to officially launch their campaign for a republic Nepal.
Meanwhile, Ian Martin, special representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, today made public the list of 49 suspected Maoists ‘disappeared’ by the government between September and December 2003. He said this was carried out by the Bhairabnath Gana, a special anti-terror battalion.
–yubaraj.ghimire@expressindia.com
