POLITICS-NEPAL: Peace Talks Have to Wait out Gov’t Formation

By Damakant Jayshi Reprint | | Print |

Damakant Jayshi

KATHMANDU, Jun 2 2003 (IPS) - The Nepali government’s talks with the Maoist rebels hang in the balance after the Friday resignation of Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand, ostensibly to cultivate a more stable political atmosphere that would also give the peace negotiations a boost.

Two rounds of peace talks were held in April and May. With no new government as yet in sight, Chand’s cabinet has been asked to continue until alternative arrangements are made. The talks are unlikely any time soon given this political environment – and the rebels are unhappy about this.

"Every now and then the old state power is changing the government," Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Maoist politburo member and spokesman for the talks with the government, told IPS. "This will not send a positive message."

Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, alias ‘Prachanda’, said in a statement on Saturday that the next prime minister would not have any legitimacy and real power. He added that changing prime ministers would not solve the crises that added fuel to the Maoist insurgency.

In truth, the political tensions in this Himalayan kingdom have been simmering since October, making for a less than stable government at a time when the state is trying to settle a seven-year-old rebellion by Maoist insurgents who want to overthrow the monarchy.

Since King Gyanendra dismissed the elected government in October, assumed executive powers and appointed Chand’s government, this administration has had to constantly defend itself from charges of being an illegitimate, unelected one. Political parties are in the middle of an agitation campaign against it and the king.

Chand stepped down on Friday to promote reconciliation between the country’s major political parties and the king, who have been at odds since the king stepped into politics.

Chand sent in his papers just three days before the Jestha 19 (Jun. 2) anniversary of the royal massacre two years ago, giving room to rumours that the palace asked him to resign to stifle the scheduled nationwide black flag demonstrations on Monday.

Even as the political parties had a joint audience with King Gyanendra on Friday, they warned of continuing the movement against the "regressive" decisions of the monarch. The king had called them and three other parties to arrive at a consensus on the next prime minister in 72 hours.

Before meeting the king, the five political parties, led by the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (unified Marxist-Leninist), decided to propose UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal as prime minister of an all-party government.

He would have full executive powers that have been exercised by the king since Oct. 4, when he dismissed the then elected Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

In this atmosphere, partisan politics and the formation of a new government has taken centre stage to the detriment of the peace talks.

In fact, this is a conspiracy by the state with ”support from foreign elements" to derail the peace negotiations, said Maoist politburo member, Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’.

Mahara, the coordinator of the Maoists’ team when it negotiated with the Deuba government in 2001, alleged that it was a delaying tactic by "those representing the old guard". He added, "They do not want to solve the problem through peaceful means.”

The government and the Maoists held the first formal peace negotiations on Apr. 27, aimed at transforming a Jan. 29 ceasefire into lasting peace.

The Maoist insurgency has claimed more than 8,000 lives. Half of these were killed after the first-ever peace talks with the then Deuba government collapsed in November 2001.

Mahara has reiterated the rebels’ commitment to continue with the negotiations, but cast doubts on the next government’s commitment to the peace talks.

The rebels have, time and again, accused the Chand government of lack of sincerity in the peace negotiations and of violating the 22-point code of conduct governing the ceasefire that was signed on Mar. 12.

The government, while denying the charge, has levelled similar accusations against the rebels, especially of abductions and extortions.

But Mahara’s counterpart, government spokesman for the talks and outgoing Minister Narayan Singh Pun, said: "It does not matter whose government it is. The peace process is irreversible. Every single citizen wants peace and I believe the parties want it too. Without peace, there can be no elections and this the parties have kept in mind."

Subhas Nembang, a central committee member of CPN (Unified Marxist-Leninist), the political party whose leader has been nominated prime minister, said that the talks would proceed after issue of a new government is addressed.

"The last government was a regressive one. We are of progressive nature. So, now the peace negotiations will gain the momentum it was lacking," Nembang said.