Breakthrough on arms issue

By Ameet Dhakal

KATHMANDU, Oct 31 -

The government and the Maoists have made a breakthrough on the issue of arms management.

"A breakthrough acceptable to the government, the Maoists and also the international community has been reached," said a leader involved in the negotiations.

According to the understanding, all of the rebels' weapons will be stored and locked up in the respective cantonments where the combatants are cantoned, before the Maoists join the interim government. The Maoist leadership will keep the keys to the stores. But the UN will install fixed cameras to monitor the storage and will have the right to make inspections whenever it desires.
The deal also has an element of reciprocity: Equal number of weapons belonging to the Nepali Army will be stored and locked up at the barracks and the UN will inspect these as well. Until the constituent assembly elections takes place, both the Maoist combatants and Nepali Army personnel will be confined within their respective cantonments and barracks.

A cabinet sub-committee, which might potentially evolve into a separate ministry over time, will be formed to take up the issues of restructuring and reform of the Nepali Army, integration of the Maoist combatants into the army and reform of the whole security system. It will also develop a comprehensive plan to "right-size" the army and to rehabilitate the extra combatants from both sides into society.

The breakthrough on arms management came following a similar breakthrough on political issues last week. "Now the top level leaders will review the whole package of agreements and a 'summit meeting' will make the agreements public in a day or two," said the leader.
The leader, however, said the CPN-UML insisted even today that the future of the monarchy should be decided by a national referendum and the cut-off year for settling the citizenship dispute should be 1979. "But we think the UML will give up its stance eventually."

Commission for state restructuring

The parties and the Maoists have also agreed to form a powerful commission that will study and explore the options and modalities on restructuring the Nepali state to make it more inclusive and progressive.

Political agreements

On the political front the leaders have already agreed to form a 23-member interim government in which the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the Maoists will get five ministries each. The rest of the ministries will go to the Nepali Congress (Democratic) and fringe parties.
Similarly, the interim legislature will have 300 members with more or less equal representation for the NC, the CPN-UML and the Maoists. The NC, CPN-UML and other parties will nominate all the sitting lawmakers in the House of Representatives and the upper house to the new legislature.

Likewise, the Constituent Assembly (CA) will have 425 members. 205 members will be elected from the current constituencies and the parties will nominate 204 members in proportion to the popular vote they garner in the CA elections. The prime minister will nominate the remaining 16 members. The parties have agreed to decide the future of the monarchy through the first meeting of the constituent assembly. Posted on: 2006-10-30 22:06:00 (Server Time)

Deuba optimistic about success of upcoming peace talks

Kantipur Report

BHAKTAPUR, Oct 23 - Nepali Congress-Democratic President Sher Bahadur Deuba on Monday said that the upcoming peace talks between the government and the Maoists will resolve all the issues.

The peace talks between the two sides are scheduled to be held after the Tihar festival. Speaking at function held to mark the beginning of the new year of Nepal Sambat 1127 in Bhaktapur today, Deuba said that the unity between the seven parties is must to help succeed the peace talks.

Stating that it needs more exercise to part the Maoists from their weapon, Deuba said that the problem would not budge if the Maoists refuse to relinquish their arms.

Deuba expressed his concern over statements floated by some of the key leaders and added that the peace talks should not be given up without reaching a conclusion.

Prachanda assures Madi victims of relief package; addresses his military in Chitwan

Prachanda met with residents of Madi of Chitwan as well as relatives of victims who were killed or injured during tragic bombing of a passenger bus by the Maoist cadres one and a half year ago.

He assured them of providing a relief package. Prachanda, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Ram Bahadur Thapa aka Badal went to Phulbari VDC – which is 40 km to the east of Bharatpur – where the Maoists had invited the victims on Friday. The Maoist leaders met with the victims for around two hours and assured them of short and long term relief package.

There were around 30 people who represented the victims of the bombing. They put forth nine-point demand including the immediate public disclosure of the culprits who bombed the bus; action against them; medical relief to the injured; provision of scholarship for higher studies to the children of victims; and building a memorial on the site of the bombing, among others. During the bus bombing in Bandarmudhe area of Madi (Chitwan district), 39 civilians were killed and six dozen injured. Prachanda has said that Madi incident was one of the greatest mistakes by his party.

Earlier on the day, Maoist chairman Prachanda accused that international forces were trying to compel Maoists to abandon arms. Addressing Basu Smriti 4th Brigade of the People's Liberation Army in Bhandara of Chitwan district, Prachanda said his party was currently in the forefront working to make the peace process successful. Stating that the Maoist army was ever ready for nation's protection, Prachanda directed his party workers to exercise restraint and patience. He also met with intellectuals, teachers and business representatives of Chitwan today. Prachanda had arrived in Chitwan to attend the 5th national convention of Maoists' peasant wing.

nepalnews.com sd Oct 21 06

Peace process still fragile: Arbour

Kantipur Report

KATHMANDU, Oct 20 - UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, in her report on Nepal to the General Assembly Wednesday, warned that the ongoing peace process is "still fragile" and any setback to it risks a potentially devastating impact on the human rights situation.

The report has urged the parties to ensure that human rights remain central to the peace process in order to ensure that sustainable peace is secured.

The report - which has documented human rights violations over the months preceding the April movement and during and after it - has implicated the government and Maoists, as well as other armed groups, in committing human rights violations even after the ceasefire declaration.
"A major improvement in the human rights situation was observed immediately after the establishment of the new government," said the report, presented to the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) of the 192-member General Assembly. "The current improvements remain fragile and any setback to the peace process risks a negative and potentially devastating impact on the human rights situation."

For peace to be sustainable in Nepal, the report said, "human rights must underpin the peace process throughout".

Arbour's report said tackling the climate of impunity remains the "single-most difficult human rights challenge".

The report has held all branches of security forces responsible for excessive use of force. It also said the pattern of long-term disappearances which dominated previous years ended during 2005. "There are, however, many challenges remaining with regard to upholding and strengthening respect for human rights… including ongoing violations and impunity."
The report has also urged the concerned bodies to empower the National Human Rights Commission, which is the "single largest human rights monitoring presence" in Nepal.
Another aspect seriously raised in the report is the weakness or absence of law enforcement and systems for administration of justice, which has deprived the people of fundamental public services. "...the state lacks the capacity or at times the will to undertake law enforcement and judicial functions… The security vacuum risks being filled… through communities taking justice into their own hands."

Despite the ceasefire in place, according to the report, continuing abuses by the CPN-Maoist - including abductions, ill-treatment, killings and child recruitment - and violations by the police and the Nepal Army are documented. "Despite the ceasefire, dozens of children - including some as young as 12 - were reportedly recruited in PLA and militia activities."

Such abuses, which undermine commitments given by the parties to respect human rights, must be ended, said the report. It has also rapped the rebels for continuing with forced collection of tax and donations.

The report has said two other armed groups -- Terai Janatantrik Mukti Morcha and vigilantes -- have violated civilian rights.

According to the Nepal mission in New York, general discussions on the agenda items will take place next week and Nepal will then post its reply to Arbour's concerns.

Keep peace process focused on HR: OHCHR report

BY TILAK P. POKHAREL

KATHMANDU, Oct 19 - In her report to the United Nations General Assembly, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has urged the Nepal government and the Maoists to keep the human rights agenda at the center of the ongoing peace process.

According to a reliable source at the UN, Arbour is expected to present the "Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Human Rights Situation and Activities of her office including technical cooperation to Nepal" at the General Assembly on Wednesday (Thursday according to Nepal standard time).

The 19-page report has "good paragraphs on impunity, accountability and disappearances", the source said Wednesday. "It (the report) really focuses on the peace process with human rights [concerns] at the center."

The source added that Arbour's report has urged the parties in the peace process to focus on respecting human rights while their negotiations are under way. The report will be made public after Arbour presents it in the General Assembly.

In a similar report last year - the first extensive report since the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was set up in Nepal in May 2005, the UN office had said that Nepal, under King Gyanendra's autocratic rule, had been experiencing "a grave human rights crisis". Last year's report had also implicated state authorities and Maoist rebels in "widespread human rights violations", besides recognizing vigilante groups as significant contributors to the armed conflict.

Recently, OHCHR expressed concern over inaction on alleged disappearance and possible extra-judicial killing of at least 49 persons by the army. Instead, the army on Monday dismissed the UN allegations.

Likewise, OHCHR said in a report on September 25 that the rebels had killed at least 16 persons since the ceasefire declaration in April, besides committing other fundamental rights violations against civilians.

Posted on: 2006-10-18 21:15:28 (Server Time)

Maoists must abandon arms before joining interim government, says an Indian analyst

The Maoists cannot join the interim government as a guerrilla organization, rather they must abandon arms before doing so, says a leading Indian analyst, retired General Ashok Mehta. Mehta, who is a frequent commentator on Nepalese situation, accused the Maoists of "shifting goalposts."

Talking to BBC Nepali Service on Wednesday, Mehta said New Delhi could still play the role of a 'facilitator' to help peace process in Nepal just like it did when bringing the 12-point pact between the SPA and the Maoists to fruition last November.

The former commander of Gurkha forces in Indian Army, Mehta said "there were still lack of confidence and trust" between SPA and the Maoists.

Mehta said that during recent trip to New Delhi, Ian Martin, Tamrat Samuel (UN officials) and Indian ambassador Shiv Shankar Mukherjee focused their consultations on the issue of "arms management."

When asked about India's current position on Nepal, Mehta said that New Delhi has stopped stating the twin pillar theory of multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy. "Now, India has said that it will respect the decision of Nepali people through constituent assembly about the status of monarchy," he said.

Mehta also added that peace process anywhere is a time-consuming affair. He gave examples of Northern Ireland or Sudan or Rwanda where it took years for the peace process to complete. "It has just been six months in Nepal. There should not be any haste," he added.

Maoist leader invited by NRN to London

Six political leaders including spokesperson of the Maoists Krishna Bahadur Mahara have been invited to London by the Non Resident Nepalis (NRN) community in the United Kingdom.
According to Nepal Samacharpatra daily, Mahara is expected to elaborate about Maoists' economic policy and foreign investment during his London stay.

Mahara as well as Nepali Congress (NC) general secretary Ram Chandra Poudel, leader of Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) and Speaker Subas Nemwang, NC (Democratic) leader Dr. Minendra Rijal, central member of People's Front Nepal Shashi Shrestha and Janajati leader Dr. Om Gurung will leave for London on Friday.

The leaders will take part in three programs to be hosted by NRN community in London between October 21-23. The leaders would also visit Germany and Belgium and attend NRN meetings there.

nepalnews.com sd Oct 19 06

Nepal: Precarious Premise Of Peacemaking

The two factors supposedly holding back the breakthrough that was so tantalizingly close – the monarchy and Maoist arms – have brought out the painful predicaments of peacemaking.......

By Sanjay Upadhya

The grins, quips and all the other breezy displays of optimism surrounding the post-Dasain phase of the peace process have dissolved in the somberness of the indefinite postponement of the Seven Party Alliance (SPA)-Maoist talks.

Given the murkiness of the enterprise, however, another phase of ebullience and enthusiasm could bounce back with surprising speed. The “homework” hiatus should afford the country an opportunity to reflect on the predicaments on both sides.

For the Maoists, blaming the palace and foreign powers for conspiring to keep them out of power would help energize the base and thwart the prospect of serious discontent over the political leadership’s capitulation to the machinations of the mainstream.

When the rebels continue to ascribe to the palace the ability to torpedo the peace process, they are virtually negating the finality of the “historic” proclamation the House of Representatives adopted in May. Yet the SPA – at least the sections of the two Nepali Congress parties that seem to be propelling the ruling alliance – does not seem too bothered.

The Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) and the other communist constituents may be too busy protecting their own turfs against the imminent influx of their more radical cousins to challenge Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s deepening affection for the monarchy. The mainstream communists, like the republican wing of the Nepali Congress, have evidently recognized the asset a sufficiently and certifiably tamed palace could prove to be.

Providing revolutionary ardor to Prithvi Narayan Shah’s famous counsel, the Maoists describe Nepal as a dynamite between two boulders. The yam metaphor of the first Shah king may have contained traces of weakness – as the Maoists allege -- but it still pulsated with a quest for life. The two factors supposedly holding back the breakthrough that was so tantalizingly close – the monarchy and Maoist arms – have brought out the painful predicaments of peacemaking. The government’s annoyance with the Maoists eagerness to maintain simultaneous access to their arms and political power – in defiance of international pressure – is understandable.

No less so is the Maoists’ bafflement over the government’s refusal to “suspend” the monarchy, when, for all practical purposes, the House proclamation has already done that.

Introspection is in order. Considering the approaching anniversary, it should begin with the 12-point SPA-Maoist accord reached in New Delhi last year. The reality that the accord stands on flimsier ground than the 1951 Delhi Compromise rests not on the absence of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as the preponderant player.

The real distinguishing feature is that Jawaharlal Nehru represented India far more credibly than the current Congress premier – and perhaps any future leader of the world’s most populous democracy – can expect to.

The fragility of the peace process becomes more ominous when Maoist chief ideologue Dr. Baburam Bhattarai praises India for facilitating the accord and then blames it for conspiring to keep the rebels out of power, almost in the same breath. If the adroit hair-splitter is making a distinction between those in the Indian Left who mediated the talks with the SPA and the “official sources” who leaked reports to the media that Indian intelligence agencies were “chaperoning” him around New Delhi, then he needs to be more explicit about those negotiations.

The question is, can he? When UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal traveled to Lucknow in November 2003 to meet with Prachanda and Dr. Bhattarai, there was palpable mix of outrage and embarrassment in both sides of the border over the ease with which the leader of the opposition could meet “terrorists” on Indian soil.

Those sentiments obscured the more relevant story: Dr. Bhattarai’s candid acknowledgement that the Maoists, like any other political organization in Nepali history, could not advance their objectives by criticizing India. The Indians, for their part, must be equally baffled by how the Maoists, who have vowed to launch massive peaceful urban protests in case the talks fail, could still keep their broader pledge to turn South Asia into a flaming field of Maoist revolutions.”
Such fiery rhetoric cannot obscure the flexibility behind the Maoists’ growth. An organization that took up arms against both the monarchy and parliamentary democracy – more vigorously against the latter until the June 1, 2001 royal palace massacre – has now allied with one.
A 40-point list of grievances heavily targeted against India has now been distilled into diatribe against the 238-year-old monarchy. The obfuscation and prevarication that has gone into justifying such shifts are not helpful. Yet the Maoists persist.

Providing revolutionary ardor to Prithvi Narayan Shah’s famous counsel, the Maoists describe Nepal as a dynamite between two boulders. The yam metaphor of the first Shah king may have contained traces of weakness – as the Maoists allege -- but it still pulsated with a quest for life.
The notion of self-destruction – and its wider devastation -- inherent in the dynamite analogy may not have alarmed many Nepalis. The international community has taken notice. No wonder U.N. General Assembly members on Monday refused to be taken in by the peace-and-democracy platform in Nepal campaign for a two-year seat on the Security Council.

(Upadhya is a political commentator and analyst currently based in the US and can be reached at supa62@yahoo.com . This article has been reproduced here courtesy http://www.scoop.co.nz/ )

Govt-Maoists struggle to reach deal, talks postponed indefinitely

KATHMANDU, Oct 15 - The much-awaited high-level talks between the seven-party alliance (SPA) government and the Maoist rebels have failed to reach any agreement on the position of the monarch and arms management, among other contents for the interim constitution but both the sides agreed to postpone the talks indefinitely.
The talks, which began at the prime minister's residence, Baluwatar at around 5 p.m., some three hours after the stipulated time, ended within a few minutes after the "formal meeting" between the SPA and Maoist top leaders on Sunday. PM Girija Prasad Koirala informed about the postponement of the talks after several informal meetings between the leaders.
According to sources, the talks couldn’t proceed after the four major political parties that include the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, NC-D and CPN-Maoist failed to reach a consensus on the arms management issue.
The government, in the meeting, had asked the rebels to lay down all their arms, while the Maoists insisted that they would put their arms and armies in the cantonment areas and put away "only a few" of their weapons. The Maoists put forward a new proposal that the Nepali Army should also lay down its arms if the government wants the Maoists to do so, sources said.
The government wants the weapons separated from the Maoist People's Liberation Army men so as to ensure that the Maoists do not have their personal army while in the interim administration. But the Maoists strongly object to the SPA proposal.
The Maoists have also been saying that they are ready to lock up their weapons provided the SPA agrees to declare a republic state in the interim statute or make a written commitment to go for the republican setup after the constituent assembly elections.
The leaders who attended the meeting said that PM Koirala would summon the next meeting after consulting with the other parties.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda with his talks team members had entered the talks venue after nearly one and a half hours.
The meeting discussed the finalization of the interim constitution, role of the monarchy in the interim period and arms management.
Meanwhile, the Maoists have said that the talks were postponed after the SPA and the rebels failed to reach any conclusion on the crucial issues, which were debated during today's sitting at Baluwatar.
"There are some crucial issues including arms management and the position of the king for which both sides need to reach an agreement," coordinator of the Maoist talks team Krishna Bahadur Mahara told ekantipur.
He, however, said that discussions are underway and the summit talks would "soon agree on a political package."
"We (the Maoists) have stressed on the political package which includes all contents of the interim constitution," Mahara said.
Likewise, Pradeep Gyawali, a member of the government negotiating team said that the talks were postponed after both sides still needed to undertake adequate homework on the contentious political issues.
This is the fourth sitting of the top brass leaders of the SPA and the Maoists in a week in an attempt to hammer out a peace deal, which is expected to open the door for the rebels, who launched a decade-old insurgency, to join the mainstream politics.
Last Tuesday, the SPA and the Maoists agreed to hold the constituent assembly elections, which will rewrite a new constitution permanently.
'Postponement of talks not unnatural'
Meanwhile, veteran political science teacher Dr. Lok Raj Baral said that the postponement of the summit talks was not unnatural, as a common stance on several issues among the eight parties who have their own party positions has to be reached.
"It's clear that there are several issues which have remained controversial among the seven parties. It takes time for them (SPA and the Maoists) to have a common view on the serious issues," he said.
Baral also said that there was no alternative left for the eight parties but to reach a consensus in order to create a political way out.

Prachanda meets PM, seeks common stance

Prachanda meets PM, seeks common stance
KATHMANDU, Oct 14 - As part of the ongoing homework to explore a common stance between the ruling alliance and Maoists on the issues of monarchy, interim statute and arms management, Maoist chairman Prachanda and second-in-command Dr Baburam Bhattarai met with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Saturday.
The meeting held at the Prime Minister's residence at Baluwatar this evening, was aimed at preparing a framework of consensus on major contentious issues in the ongoing talks, a senior minister said.
"The informal talks have so far been positive in achieving a common view on several political issues," said Pradeep Gyawali, a member of the government talks team and Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation.
Gyawali said that the fourth session of the ongoing second round of the summit talks between the ruling seven-party alliance (SPA) and Maoists to be held on Sunday is likely to yield a consensus on "some" of the prickly political issues.
Earlier on Thursday, the summit talks had been postponed for Sunday, as the two sides could not reach any agreement on any of the contentious issues.
"The meeting between our Chairman Prachanda and PM Koirala was focused on how to prepare a conceptual framework for the consensus we are going to derive during the next summit talks," Dev Gurung, member of the Maoist negotiating team told ekantipur.
Gurung said the negotiating teams of both sides will start working on the nitty-gritty of the issues once a general framework is prepared by top leaders.
He, however, said that no agreement has been reached on any of the political issues so far.
All sides in the negotiations are engaged in internal homework for the next summit talks slated for Sunday.
The top leaders on Thursday had adjourned their meeting until Sunday to carry out extensive homework and develop common positions on contentious issues.
On Tuesday, the seven-party alliance (SPA) government and the Maoists agreed to hold the constituent assembly elections, which will rewrite the country's constitution permanently, by mid-June next year.
Senior rebel commanders in capital
The Maoists too including their senior leaders held an internal meeting in preparation for tomorrow's peace talks.
According to a Maoist source, senior commanders of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of the Maoists too, who were hitherto in different districts, have joined their senior leaders to hold discussions in the preparatory meeting for Sunday's peace talks.
The source also said, tomorrow's peace talks will concentrate on completion of the interim constitution and resolving arms management issues.
On Tuesday, the seven-party alliance (SPA) government and the Maoists agreed to hold the constituent assembly elections, which will rewrite the country's constitution permanently, by mid-June next year.

Peace Committee begins discussions on peace accord

KATHMANDU, Oct 13 - Discussions on a peace pact to be signed between the SPA government and the Maoists began Friday.
Members of the Peace Committee formed to assist the ongoing peace process in a meeting discussed the pact today, said co-ordinator of the Peace Committee, Ram Chandra Poudel. "We have begun discussions today and will submit the draft to the government within a few days," he said.
The committee has already submitted its draft pacts on human rights and the ceasefire.
The meeting also discussed the ongoing peace talks between the SPA government and the Maoists.
The 10-member Peace Committee comprises leaders of 10 political parties including the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML.

Significant progress in summit talks, says Prachanda; asks all to remain optimistic
KATHMANDU, Oct 12 - Maoist Chairman Prachanda on Thursday said that the ongoing high-level peace talks between the seven-party alliance (SPA) government and the Maoists were progressing significantly and asked everybody to remain optimistic about a positive outcome when the two sides meet next on Sunday (Oct 15).
"Today's talks were very positive. Learning from past experiences, we are seriously trying to take a mature decision instead of deciding in haste," said the Maoist supremo, adding, "Though today's talks ended quickly, the homework with the government has created a positive environment."
In an exclusive live interview with Kantipur Television after the end of Thursday's session of the summit talks, Prachanda also said that today's SPA-Maoist meeting was "qualitatively better" than the previous two sittings, adding that both the SPA and the Maoists were serious about a positive outcome.
"Though an agreement is yet to be reached, discussions have been held on all major issues with a view to conclude the talks positively," Prachanda said, "We hope that a positive outcome will come out after the interaction (between the SPA and the Maoists) in the next two days."
"We are saying the talks have been positive because the discussions on all crucial issues including the issue of monarchy, management of arms and armies, interim constitution, interim legislature, interim government, fixing dates for constituent assembly polls and its modalities have been positive," Prachanda said.
The spirit of the ongoing talks is to settle the issues of interim constitution-legislature-government by mid-November, he added.
"We are aware about the people's desperation for peace and progressive change…I appeal to everyone to remain convinced about the positive efforts being made for the success of the talks, and at the same time, keep raising voices in a positive way for a new conclusion by October 15," Prachanda said.
He, however, ruled out rumours that he had already reached a "secret agreement" during his informal meeting with PM Koirala, NC-D President Sher Bahadur Deuba, and UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, held at the PM's Residence prior to today's summit talks.
Saying that his party was constantly showing more and more flexibility to resolve the crisis, Prachanda also asserted that the Maoists were ready to lock up all kinds of arms in their possession under an agreement with the UN "if all the eight parties decide for a republic through the constituent assembly."