From: "Magnus Bernhardsen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Peoples War] Nepal: Prime Minister stunned, urges Prachanda to reconsider http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/englishdaily/ktmpost/2001/nov/nov22/ind ex1.htm#1 Maoists signal breaking away from peace talks Prime Minister stunned, urges Prachanda to reconsider Post Report KATHMANDU, Nov. 21 � After holding three rounds of peace negotiations with the government, the rebel Maoist leadership today dropped a bombshell: it announced that the justification for the talks and the four month-long cease-fire were both over. Issuing the statement late Wednesday, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Prachanda, a.k.a. "Comrade Pushpa Kamal Dahal" said, "We make it clear with this statement that our bid to establish peace has been rendered unsuccessful by reactionary and fascist forces." Ominously, he also warned that, "due to this situation, the justification for the cease-fire also does not exist." He emphasised that the doors are open for the talks under a "new process" without clarifying what the process meant. Although Prachanda stopped short of explicitly saying that the rebels are pulling out of the talks, his statement is being interpreted in government circles as one which effectively puts an end to the peace talks. Reacting to the statement, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba told The Kathmandu Post, "I am surprised and shocked at his statement. I honestly urge him to sit for the fourth round of dialogue and not to jeopardise it." He added it was also the Maoists� duty to ensure that the bloodbath does not recur in the nation. The Prime Minister, who has taken some bold moves to appease the Maoists in recent times, went a step further. "After agreeing for the fourth round of talks, it is irresponsible and dishonest on the part of the Maoists to pull out of the talks." He stressed that the talks are essential for the peaceful solution. Some analysts believe that the Maoist strongman put out the statement under growing pressure from his military wing, especially from Ram Bahadur Thapa a.k.a Comrade Badal, the main military strategists of the Maoist. Badal and his men are reportedly sore with the top Maoist leadership for holding talks with the government. Prachanda�s signed statement issued today makes it clear that the government�s refusal to hold elections to a constituent assembly, which the Maoists have been demanding of late, was the main reason for terming the talks "fruitless." We want to make it clear that the imperialist and reactionary forces have made it impossible to find a political solution to the problem through the talks," he said in the statement. "This situation has ended the relevance of the cease-fire�We have no alternative but to continue our struggle against imperialist forces." The Maoists, before the third round of dialogue with the government that was held on November 13, had put on hold their key demand of turning Nepal into a republic state. However, they have been insisting on the other two demands, namely the formation of an interim government and holding elections for constituent assembly. Many in the ruling and opposition parties believe that it was the Maoists� ploy to achieve their goal of republic. In his statement today, the NCP (Maoist) chairman lambasted the "reactionary forces" for terming their demand for constituent assembly "needless" and "irrelevant". "We believe that in today�s context, an election for constituent assembly will achieve a republican Constitution." Meanwhile, some political parties are urging the government to gird up for the hard times ahead. Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Surya Bahadur Thapa said, "Prachanda has made one-sided allegations and decisions. The government must now gird up to face the coming situation." _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________
