[As a consequence of the failed strike, the balance of forces has visibly altered.
Both the camps are giving out conflicting, and thereby somewhat confusing, signals and messages. But, on the whole, the pitch of the UCPN(M) has obviously mellowed though they're still boycotting any formal parley with the government, or Madhav Nepal - their prime target at the moment, while confabulations at the "party level"with NC-UML interlocutors are on. Similarly, even though careful about presenting a facade of sweet reasonability and flexibility - to contrast themselves with the going image of the Maoists, the NC-UML combine has considerably hardened its position; Madhav Nepal more so.] I/IV. http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/2-political/6060-maoist-top-brass-consults-civil-society-leaders.html <http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/2-political/6060-maoist-top-brass-consults-civil-society-leaders.html> Maoist top brass consults civil society leaders Friday, 14 May 2010 Top Maoist leaders held discussion with some civil society leaders on the country's current political scenario and its possible outlet Friday evening. Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and vice chairmen Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha held discussion with the civil society leaders at Dr Devendra Raj Pandey's residence in Bishal Nagar. Writer Khagendra Sangraula and leftist political analyst Shyam Shrestha were among the civil society activists participating in the discussion. After dismissing formal talks with major ruling parties, the Maoist party has held series of interactions with fringe parties and the civil society representatives over the past few days. On Wednesday, the Maoist leadership had held an interaction with representatives from a cross section of the society including business leaders, intellectuals and artists. While most of the participants of that interaction supported the Maoist demand for a unity government, they also advised the Maoist leadership not to resort to street protests, and be ready for consensus with the ruling coalition by means of dialogue. In response, Maoist chairman Dahal admitted that the indefinite general strike launched by the party from May 2, which was withdrawn on the sixth day, was a flawed move and apologised to the intellectuals and the Kathmandu elites for denigrating them for standing against the party's protest movement and organising a peace rally. II. http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/05/13/top-story/no-meeting-of-minds-yet-on-integration/208227/ No meeting of minds yet on integration AKHILESH UPADHYAY KATHMANDU, MAY 13 - Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s speech on Wednesday was a political move aimed at regaining the ground the party had lost due to its six days of general strike and his Saturday’s angry outburst against Kathmandu’s middle class in Khula Manch. In what looked like a carefully choreographed (and nationally televised) two-and-a-half-hour interaction with the civil society, Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai selectively gave floor to people representing various constituencies. Seven of the 19 commentators were from the Newar community, the constituency Dahal has courted in recent days. At least a couple of the commentators were Buddhists; two were medical doctors; two business leaders; two lawyers; three seasoned newspaper columnists; and one a former national footballer with prolific goal-scoring abilities. Many of them even seemed to agree with the Maoists on such fundamental issues as secularism, federalism and Prime Minister Nepal’s immediate resignation. Some sympathetic speakers urged the party not to lose its traditional class character in face of growing “internal and external” pressures. When Chairman Dahal finally responded to the comments (he looked a lot more composed than he did on Saturday), he duly mentioned that he was there as much to listen as he was to give his views on a number of important issues. “Yesterday’s speech had a strong political message,” says Amresh Kumar Singh, a former lawmaker belonging to the Nepali Congress. Towards that end, Singh and many others in his party agree, the eloquent oration may even have served some purpose in allaying fears of various constituencies. But Singh and his NC colleagues quickly dismiss a claim the Maoist leader made on Wednesday: That his party has been flexible on PLA integration, the major bone of contention, by Dahal’s own admission, between the Maoist and non-Maoist parties. Singh’s remarks carry a lot of weight. Since 2005, he has been one of the key interlocutors (if at a much lower profile compared to others) between New Delhi, the Maoist party and NC. He still maintains close contacts with Indian officials and has again been, unsurprisingly, very active in bringing the Maoists and Delhi together. “The development last few days points at the scenario of CA extension,” he says, “But the spectre of larger confrontation between the Maoist and non-Maoist parties is very much there.” This is because there is still no meeting of the minds on integration. It is no more a secret, and Chairman Dahal once again hinted as much yesterday, that the Maoist and New Delhi are engaged in a war of attrition. Nepali Congress and UML leaders privately acknowledge Delhi’s support for their position but insist that their position on integration is very much their own and the southern neighbour is merely adding political muscle to it. What do NC and UML then want? There will be no constitution before the peace process is complete - meaning there should be progress on the ground on integration and rehabilitation, closing down of YCL “barracks” and returning the seized property. “Prime Minister Nepal will resign only after we see the Maoists first agree on a broad framework and demonstrate commitment to the pledges,” says Singh. Singh and his party colleague Krishna Sitaula, a more high-profile interlocutor in the 2005-08 period, have regularly visited Dahal in recent days to find a common ground. They want the Maoist leader to agree on integration of 5,000 combatants in various security agencies including the Nepal Army. The rest (“around 14,000”) will be rehabilitated. Donors have already pledged funds for rehab programmes. The Maoists say they can’t offer numbers haphazardly, without talking to individual fighters and taking their consent. But they are ready to commit to the modality on integration. Dahal, on Wednesday, said the process could be completed by September, before UNMIN’s current term comes to an end. “The question here is whether the Maoists want to transform themselves to a civilian party,” says Singh. “We are still not fully convinced that they do.” The NC interlocutors want the fighters divided in two categories - those to be integrated and rehabilitated. The first group will be under the Peace Ministry, the second one will be put under the related security agency they will join. The Maoists want to put the fighters under the Special Committee on Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist Combatants. III. http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/2-political/6055-ca-can-be-dissolved-if-maoists-disrupt-statute-drafting-process-koirala.html <http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/2-political/6055-ca-can-be-dissolved-if-maoists-disrupt-statute-drafting-process-koirala.html> CA can be dissolved if Maoists disrupt statute-drafting process: KoiralaFriday, 14 May 2010 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala on Friday said that there would be no alternative left but to dissolve the Constituent Assembly (CA) if the Unified CPN (Maoist) is not sincere towards the important task of constitution writing. She said that the CA, which is mandated to write a new constitution for the country, will be dissolved if consensus continues to allude political parties to end the current political deadlock. The remark by Koirala, who is also the central leader of NC, has come at a time when the Maoists are accusing the ruling parties of conspiring to dissolve the CA. Koirala, who was talking to journalists in Kalaiya of Bara district today, further said that there is no meaning in extending the CA's term in the current scenario where Maoists continue to strangle every effort to find a way out of the deepening crisis the country is facing. "It would be better to dissolve the CA rather than deceive the nation and the people by extending its term," she said, adding that the constitution will not be written even if the CA's term is extended unless the Maoists come to an understanding. Koirala, who is often known for her blunt remarks, said that political parties won't accept a government under the leadership of the Maoists until they turn into a civilian party by dismantling their youth wing, Young Communist League, and return all the seized properties. She further added that the constitution can be promulgated within May 28 deadline if the Maoists show flexibility on issues like army integration. IV. http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/05/13/top-story/hit-the-unity-govt-road-fncci-urges-leaders/208229/ Hit the unity govt road, FNCCI urges leaders PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA KATHMANDU, MAY 13 - The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) on Thursday suggested the government pave way for a unity government. The emergency meeting of FNCCI officials also demanded extension of the Constituent Assembly tenure. “Our position is that the incumbent government should pave way for a national consensus government,” said the FNCCI president, Kush Kumar Joshi, at a press conference after the FNCCI meet. However, it was felt in the meeting that the FNCCI, being an apolitical body, must not directly ask the government to step down. Some participants also said it would be a “historical blunder” on the part of the prime minister if he resigns before having any consensus. Welcoming the Maoists’ withdrawal of the strike, commitment to not organise such strikes again and the flexible stance on the government leadership and integration of Maoist combatants, Joshi said one should not take the Maoists’ warning of a people’s revolt after May 24 for granted. “We don’t want a conflict again, we want consensus at any cost,” he added. The apex body of the private sector also gave a two-day ultimatum to the political parties to reach consensus. It threatened to go for other pressure tactics if the parties failed to reach consensus. “We will stop giving donations and not pay taxes if we are pleas fall on deaf ears,” Joshi said. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. 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