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Posted
on 22-Sep-02 07:56 PM
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, September 22,
The government of Sher Bahadur Deuba is thinking of holding talks with the Maoists.
"We are seriously discussing the matter," Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka told The Himalayan Times. In an interview to AFP , prime minister Deuba also said almost the same thing. "Restoration of peace and order is very essential for our economic development as well as for the development of tourism," he said. "All the political leaders want the restoration of peace after holding dialogue with the Maoists," Deuba said in that interview..
The Maoists had yesterday renewed their offer of talks. Maoists supremo Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda and coordinator of the "United Revolutionary People's Council" Babu Ram Bhattarai, had , in a message, said the Maoists were ready for talks in a "responsible" and "flexible" manner.
But the Maoists also, the same day, announced a three-day nationwide bandh on November 12, 13 and 14. Their statement added that the rebels will announce a ceasefire, withdraw their call for bandh and other protest programmes if a favourable environment for talks is created. But they were again silent over the government's precondition for talks: laying down of arms.
The meeting of the central committee of the Deuba group discussed the latest Maoists offer. The problem however, according to a source, is that the Maoists have already been declared as terrorists internationally.
"The Maoists should justify with their acts that they are not terrorists before any kind of negotiations with them can be done," said the source. "There are numerous hurdles from the Maoists that need to be addressed before any talks with them can be initiated."
In his interview, Deuba said a dialogue could resume "if the Maoists are sincere and do not try to compromise parliamentary democracy and the status of the monarchy".
"But the Maoists are saying one thing and doing another and are always looking for an opportunity to dodge the government to launch terrorist activities," Deuba said, adding that if they were sincere about finding peace, talks could be resumed.
The Maoists' offer has repeatedly been disregarded by the government on the grounds that they could not be trusted as they had withdrawn from talks last November and attacked army barracks and police posts. The government and Maoists had held three rounds of talks.
Meanwhile, the Deuba group's meeting today decided on a name for the party: "Nepali Congress (Democratic)". It will be registered with the Election Commission tomorrow and claim four stars as its symbol
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