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Nepal peace talks close to collapse, rebel chief warns (Guardian, 8.08)

 
The peace process in the Himalayan state of Nepal between Maoist guerrillas and Nepalese politicians is on the verge of collapse over the future of the monarchy and disarmament, a senior communist leader said yesterday.

The comments, by deputy rebel chief Baburam Bhattarai, were the first signs of a split in the alliance between the seven political parties and the Maoists that effectively removed the king from power in April. "The talks are very close to collapse," Mr Bhattarai told business leaders in Kathmandu. "The dialogue process is stuck at a very sensitive stage. The government is trying to force us to war again."

More than 13,000 have been killed during a decade of Maoist revolt, but the rebel leader ruled out an immediate return to battle, saying that if the talks failed the Maoists would "launch a new peaceful, popular movement in the cities, and not go back to the jungles".
Despite previous Maoist statements that they would accept a ceremonial monarchy if the people wanted one, Mr Bhattarai criticised the interim prime minister's recent statement in favour of a ceremonial monarchy. "We caution and warn the prime minister that we may have to leave him if he continues to protect the monarchy - and that protest will not only finish the king, it will also finish all those who are siding with the monarchy," Mr Bhattarai said.

The Maoists and the government agreed a ceasefire in May after Nepal's King Gyanendra was forced from power by weeks of street protests. He ceded power to a multi-party administration that does not include any rebel members. Since then, the two sides have been inching towards an agreement for a future elected constituent assembly that could write a new constitution for the country.

The negotiations appear to have stalled because the Maoists are unwilling to give up their guns unless the Nepalese army is disarmed. The UN had proposed that armouries could be built in barracks for the rebels where weapons could be kept under two sets of locks. One set of keys would be held by the Maoists, the other by the UN. However, the Maoists would not accept the plan unless the country's military was similarly constrained.

"What was being proposed was dissolving the [Maoist] People's Liberation army. It is not acceptable to us," Maoist chief negotiator, Krishna Bahadur Mahara told the Guardian. "We are not for the status quo. How can we accept demilitarisation only for us, and not for them?"

Analysts say that the Maoists were attempting to strengthen their hand in the negotiations by talking tough. "The international community has been quite firm. India, the US, the EU have all told the Maoists they cannot join the interim government with guns in hand," said Kanak Mani Dixit of Himal magazine.

"What they need is a face-saving measure (for the Maoists), because Nepal does not want to return to war."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1839248,00.html

Dr Bhattarai warns of another struggle if peace talks breached (eKantipur, 8.06)

Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai said on Monday that Prime Minister Girija P Koirala's comments a day earlier on giving space to the king would hamper the ongoing peace talks.

 
Dr Bhattarai made the comments at a programme organised by Nepal's commerce and industrial fraternity in the capital on the occasion of the 40th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).

Prime Minister Koirala had, on Sunday, made his opinion public regarding the monarch saying that even he should be given some room in a democracy.

Warning of a third people's movement in the country, Dr Bhattarai said that if the government and the parties kept on “humming the same monotonous tune” calling for the Maoists to lay down their weapons without even trying to enter the preliminary stages of peace talks, then it would be inevitable for the peace process to take a backseat.

"All of you present here (industrialists and businessmen) have wished for a lasting peace in the country. My statements don't mean that if the peace talks don't succeed, the country would again head towards war. You don't need to have any confusion about that," he explained adding, "Our chairman Prachanda too has pledged time and again that we would not go back to the jungle again. Even if we have to carry on our struggle, we will do that here in the capital and cities. We will struggle peacefully."

Maoist supremo Prachanda was earlier scheduled to address the second and concluding day of the FNCCI's AGM but instead the number two in the Maoists' chain-of-command, Dr Baburam Bhattarai addressed the meeting.

Dr Bhattarai said, "If they (government and the parties) breach the peace talks, if they stick to the old notion of preserving the "royal army" and the king, we will detach ourselves from the peace talks and continue our struggle right here in the city but peacefully."

Warning of another “big” movement if things didn’t go as per the agreements, Dr Bhattarai said, "We will form another "front" -- "republican front" -- comprising the people of Nepal that would bring another enormous change which would not only sweep monarchy but also all forces who support monarchy."

Reiterating that there would not be another conflict again, he also made clear that it should not spread the message that the Maoists have lost their will and power. "We are not tired, we have not lost," said Bhattarai adding, "The people of Nepal (from rural areas) have already made sacrifices for the betterment of the country. Now it's your turn (people from urban and city areas, including the capital) to show the same spirit to bring a massive and positive change in the country."

http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=82036