Maoists likely to hand over keys of arms containers
KATHMANDU, AUG 25 -
In a symbolic gesture of flexibility on the peace process, the UCPN (Maoist) is likely to announce on Thursday the handover of the keys to the weapon containers to the Special Committee.
It is not clear how the Nepali Congress, which has been demanding that the Maoists hand over weapons to the government, will respond to the announcement.
“The peace process started with the coming together of Nepali Congress and the Maoists. It has moved forward when the two parties have worked together, and it has been forestalled when they have had differences,” said a top Maoist leader.
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal will table a proposal to exhibit further flexibility on the contentious issues of integration in the party’s Standing Committee (SC) meeting slated for Thursday. Though the proposal could irk the hardliner faction led by Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya, Dahal and prime ministerial candidate Baburam Bhattarai are prepared to take the proposal through a majority vote. Dahal and Bhattarai believe that their pragmatic proposal will help in forging consensus on the issue of peace and constitution among major parties even if a majority government is formed.
“We are ready to hand over the keys of the weapon containers if other parties guarantee a Maoist-led government,” said Maoist politburo member Haribol Gajurel, a confidant of Dahal. But other Maoist leaders were suggesting that the new flexibility wasn’t conditional. The office bearers’ meeting of the party on Wednesday entrusted Dahal with the task of preparing a proposal on the peace process by Thursday and presenting it in the SC meet. However, the Baidya faction has warned against being more flexible on key issues of integration. The faction has already criticised Dahal’s flexible stance on the number of combatants to be integrated into security agencies.
In the meeting with other parties, Dahal is proposing integration of 7,000 combatants, which is against the party’s Central Committee meet decision that said 8,000 to 10,000 combatants should be integrated. Maoist Secretary CP Gajurel said their differences with Dahal on some issues remain unchanged but that they are ready to show flexibility.
Dahal and Bhattarai believe that even the NC and the UML could support the Maoists in implementing the agenda of the peace process if the party adopts a feasible stance. Baidya is, however, opposing this proposal. To convince the hardliner, Bhattarai hosted a dinner at his residence on Tuesday for the party’s top leaders.
Meanwhile, the Maoists feel that a majority government led by Bhattarai is possible with support from Madhes-based and other fringe parties.
Source: Kantipur
In a symbolic gesture of flexibility on the peace process, the UCPN (Maoist) is likely to announce on Thursday the handover of the keys to the weapon containers to the Special Committee.
It is not clear how the Nepali Congress, which has been demanding that the Maoists hand over weapons to the government, will respond to the announcement.
“The peace process started with the coming together of Nepali Congress and the Maoists. It has moved forward when the two parties have worked together, and it has been forestalled when they have had differences,” said a top Maoist leader.
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal will table a proposal to exhibit further flexibility on the contentious issues of integration in the party’s Standing Committee (SC) meeting slated for Thursday. Though the proposal could irk the hardliner faction led by Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya, Dahal and prime ministerial candidate Baburam Bhattarai are prepared to take the proposal through a majority vote. Dahal and Bhattarai believe that their pragmatic proposal will help in forging consensus on the issue of peace and constitution among major parties even if a majority government is formed.
“We are ready to hand over the keys of the weapon containers if other parties guarantee a Maoist-led government,” said Maoist politburo member Haribol Gajurel, a confidant of Dahal. But other Maoist leaders were suggesting that the new flexibility wasn’t conditional. The office bearers’ meeting of the party on Wednesday entrusted Dahal with the task of preparing a proposal on the peace process by Thursday and presenting it in the SC meet. However, the Baidya faction has warned against being more flexible on key issues of integration. The faction has already criticised Dahal’s flexible stance on the number of combatants to be integrated into security agencies.
In the meeting with other parties, Dahal is proposing integration of 7,000 combatants, which is against the party’s Central Committee meet decision that said 8,000 to 10,000 combatants should be integrated. Maoist Secretary CP Gajurel said their differences with Dahal on some issues remain unchanged but that they are ready to show flexibility.
Dahal and Bhattarai believe that even the NC and the UML could support the Maoists in implementing the agenda of the peace process if the party adopts a feasible stance. Baidya is, however, opposing this proposal. To convince the hardliner, Bhattarai hosted a dinner at his residence on Tuesday for the party’s top leaders.
Meanwhile, the Maoists feel that a majority government led by Bhattarai is possible with support from Madhes-based and other fringe parties.
Source: Kantipur
