SPA-Maoists’ Failed Deal in Nepal
Friday, October 27, 2006
Seven-party alliance (SPA) made a deal with the Maoists on jointly fighting against the despotic king reaching a
12-point understanding on November 22, 2005. Their common understanding was to go for elections for a Constituent
Assembly which would write a new constitution for Nepal. Then, they made another deal called an eight-point agreement on
June 16, 2006, if implemented would have dissolved the reinstated House of Representatives, merged the Maoists’ militia
with the Nepal Army, and included Maoists in the government. Nothing has happened of those kinds. Rather SPA leaders and
Maoists have traded charges and counter charges against each other leading to the failure of the four rounds of the
talks between the SPA and the Maoists held in the second week of October 2006.
On June 16, 2006, under the pressure of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist), the SPA and the CPN-Maoist
leaders held a meeting at the official resident of the Prime Minister, and came up with an eight-point agreement if
implemented would have a new interim legislature with representations of all stakeholders in politics, Maoists in the
government, and Nepal Army and Maoists’ militia would have merged into a single army. That did not happen. The country
has been in political confusion since then.
By design or by coincidence, some members of the House came out strongly against the eight-point agreement particularly
against the article that stated the House of Representatives would be dissolved paving the way for creating a new
legislature. Obviously, they did not want to lose their jobs agreeing to this article of the agreement. More than half
of them would not return to the House if elections were held. Quite a few of them were tainted with corruption charge;
one was convicted of corruption and sentenced to two years in jail by the Central Appellate Court located in Patan.
Leaders of the SPA blamed their top leaders for delay in the peace process. Speaking at a program in Kathmandu on
Friday, September 29, 2006 second-ranking leaders of the SPA said top leaders have repeatedly shown their weakness
setting the date for talks in a hurry and then postponing it. Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Ram Chandra Poudel
said the leadership of the SPA has failed to act responsibly. “Koirala (Prime Minister Girija Prasad) and Prachanda must
be serious about the peace process,” he said, adding that the delay in peace process would further complicate the
situation. Similarly, Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) Leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari said
postponing the meeting to be held yesterday (September 28) for October 08 the SPA showed the lack of preparation for
talks. “It is unlikely that there will be any serious homework within the SPA in the coming 10 days,” he said. He also
said that the peace process was not moving in the right direction because of Prime Minister Koirala. Leader of Nepali
Congress-Democratic (NC-D), Dr Narayan Khadka said, “Both sides have sat for talks with a mentality to make the other
side bow down. This is what is causing delay.” A meeting between Prime Minister Koirala and Maoists’ supreme Prachanda
hours before the scheduled talks on Thursday, September 28 decided to put off the talks for October 08 because of the
lack of consensus within the SPA. [1]
Maoists’ Chairman Prachanda accused the SPA government of delaying the peace talks thereby giving chance to regressive
forces and foreign powers to play into Nepal's politics. Addressing a training program at Jalbire of Sindhupalchok
district, Prachanda said that the Maoists were preparing for a “new form of people's revolt strong enough to capture
Kathmandu and the state power”. “The people’s revolt will be led by local Newars,” he said. He claimed, “had the
April-uprising not withdrawn for next five days, Nepal has become a republican state by now.” As the SPA failed to go
for a republic in April, Maoists are preparing for another revolt to achieve it, the rebel chief added. Prachanda also
claimed that foreign powers have been trying to disrupt the peace process and send the Maoists back to jungle. He,
however, reiterated that the Maoists would opt for a peaceful movement rather than returning to jungle for armed
rebellion. [2]
After laying the foundation stone for the Linear Accelerator Machine for cancer treatment at the Bhaktapur Cancer
Hospital on Saturday, October 07, 2006, Leader of People’s Front Nepal (PFN) and Deputy Prime Minister with Health
Portfolio, Amik Sherchan said the political environment "that is unable to forge a consensus is infested with cancer".
"The 20 million people should become doctors to cure this cancer," said Deputy Prime Minister Sherchan while delivering
a speech. "I haven't seen indications of forging consensus soon. (If there is no consensus), there will be a bloodshed."
He accused the SPA of being weak, without giving specific details. [3] His remarks made it evident that the SPA was not
heading to the peaceful negotiation with the Maoists for the political stability.
The Nepali Congress-Central Working Committee (NC-CWC) meeting held at the official residence of Prime Minister Girija
Prasad Koirala on Saturday morning, October 07 instructed the government-negotiating team to put five topics such as
arms management, interim constitution, legislature, government, and a date for constituent assembly elections on top of
the list of topics to be discussed during the meeting with the Maoists on Sunday, October 08. The NC-CWC meeting also
decided to make a new interim legislature at least of 300 members keeping all current members except for the supporters
of the autocratic regime intact and adding Maoists and members of civil society to it. The NC-CWC meeting came to a
conclusion on the need for implementing the past agreements with the Maoists on a priority basis in a certain time-bound
manner. [4]
On Sunday, October 08, 2006, the SPA and the Maoists’ leaders were supposed to hold a conclusive meeting. On the way to
the meeting, leaders of the SPA were full of optimism for the success of the meeting. Talking to journalists before
entering the meeting venue, Jhalanath Khanal of the CPN-UML and Hridesh Tripathy of Nepal Sadhvabana Party - Anandi Devi
said that they had done enough homework this time and the meeting would result in concrete conclusions. Lilamani
Pokharel of PFN said that they would not be discouraged this time. "I cannot give the exact time when the meeting will
conclude but the meeting will come with definite conclusions because there has been enough homework done by the SPA as
well as the Maoists," he said. Arjun Narsingh KC of NC said that the meeting would also discuss on the pledges to fully
implement the agreements reached between the SPA and the Maoists. [5]
The Sunday-meeting between the SPA leaders and the Maoists started at 9:00 A.M. and ended at about 6:00 P.M. without
making any decision and conclusion but agreeing to continue the talks on Tuesday, October 10. At the end of the meeting,
the leader of the government-negotiating team, Krishna Prasad Sitaula and the leader of the Maoist-negotiating team
Krishna Bahadur Mahara jointly released a press statement that says, "The draft of the interim constitution was
presented before the top leaders of the seven parties and the Maoists at the meeting today. At the meeting, topics such
as interim constitution, election for a constituent assembly, implementation of past agreements, arms management, relief
to conflict-victims, socio-economic transformation and restructuring of the state were discussed in a cordial
atmosphere. The discussions have been very positive.” Emerging from the meeting General Secretary of CPN-UML, Madhav
Kumar Nepal in response to the reporters’ query said that there has been better understanding of the need for holding
elections for a Constituent Assembly by the mid 2007. "Secondly, various aspects of interim constitution were discussed.
We discussed about the weaknesses seen in the implementation of past agreements," General Secretary Nepal said. He also
said that wider discussions were held on the topics such as interim government and arms management. "We discussed about
timetable when to finish which job," said General Secretary Nepal. He added that the Maoists stated the arms at issue
would not be an obstacle to negotiation if political subjects at issue were dealt with. Another participant of the
CPN-UML and Senior Leader Jhalanath Khanal said, “Both the NC and the Maoists have shown their flexible stand on issues
such as doing away with feudalism and socio-economic aspects of it. There have been some understandings but we cannot
say about them until a final conclusion is reached. We are trying to settle all issues in a package so I am not in a
position to speculate about time that it would take.” Senior Leader Khanal hinted the talks might drag on for some time.
[6]
Talking to EKantipur.com over the phone, Maoists' Second-in-Command and a member of the 10-member high-level Maoists’
team, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai said today (October 08)'s talks focused on finalizing the incomplete draft interim statute,
ways and means of the constituent assembly elections, management of arms of both the state and the Maoists, and the
socio-cultural restructuring of the state. "We (the Maoists) have stressed the package deal, which includes the key
political agendas including the future of the monarchy, interim government and arms management, among others, with the
seven parties' government," said Bhattarai, adding, "We are hopeful the next meeting will finalize all these issues and
the talks will be meaningful in achieving a political way out." [7]
NC Central Committee Member Arjun Narsingh KC said that the SPA and the CPN-Maoist could not make any headway on the
Sunday (October 08)’s talks though they were closer to a consensus on major political issues. The meeting extensively
discussed the future of monarchy, ways of arms management, and strength and structure of the proposed interim
legislature. KC said his party stressed the need for implementing the agreements reached earlier between the SPA and the
Maoists, finding mutually acceptable ways and means of arms management, democratization of the Nepal Army, and
integration of the Maoists’ People’s Liberation Army into national mainstream. “The NC’s position on the monarchy is:
the party wants the monarchy to stay on as a powerless institution until an election for a constituent assembly is held,
which will decide its future,” said KC at an interaction at the Reporters’ Club. KC also hinted that the talks would
continue for at least a week, as they required more homework and brainstorming on most of the issues. CPN-UML Standing
Committee Member Bharat Mohan Adhikari opined that his party was in favor of holding a referendum on the monarchy during
the election for a constituent assembly. He laid emphasis on making a calendar of operation for the implementation of
the agreed issues. KC and Adhikari said that all the parties in the talks were unanimous on holding elections for a
constituent assembly by the second week of June next year. Vice-chairman of PFN, Lilamani Pokharel said, “All the
preparations must be done on time-bound basis targeting the assembly election.” Lawmaker and General Secretary of the
Nepal Sadbhavana Party, Rajendra Mahato stressed the need for resolving the citizenship certificate problem in the Terai
and hill regions before the nation goes for assembly polls. [8]. Leaders of the SPA were not unanimous in their position
on various political issues. How could they come to a consensus on all issues with the Maoists?
On October 08, a big crowd comprising journalists, political activists, people injured during the people's movement in
April 2006, and people representing various organizations and ethnic groups holding placards gathered at the entrance to
the official residence of the Prime Minister and stayed on the whole day to put pressure on the SPA and the Maoists to
reach a "meaningful and result-oriented agreement." The placards read "Finalize the date for constituent assembly
elections," and "Form interim government soon." About 50 policemen and the same number of the Maoists’ militia provided
security at the area. Some political activists stopped NC leader Shailaja Acharya from entering the Prime Minister’s
residence charging her of opposing the popular April-movement launched by the SPA and the Maoists, and of attempting to
"disrupt the ongoing peace process." The SPA and the Maoist leaders managed to avoid the media after the talks taking
different exit routes. Policemen and Maoist-security guards distributed the joint press release after the SPA-Maoists’
meeting ended. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist-Chairman Prachanda, UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar
Nepal, and NC-D President Sher Bahadur Deuba were among 32 leaders including civil society leaders attending the
meeting. [09]
On Monday, October 09, in a press release, Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) said, “that kind of behavior toward
the journalists, who were present there as a means to inform the people about such a landmark event closely watched by
the nation and the international community, was in fact the demonstration of the total disregard for the people in
general.” The national umbrella organization of journalists, FNJ held the political leaders accountable for the incident
and demanded an apology and warned of not repeating the misbehavior henceforth. Maoist cadres escorting their leaders to
Baluwatar and the government’s security officials treated the journalists roughly while trying to keep them away from
the leaders on the first day of the meeting between the SPA and the Maoists at the official residence of the Prime
Minister. [10] The SPA and the Maoists’ leaders have not appreciated the media’s contribution to the success of the
people’s movement, and do not respect the media people, and disregarded the people’s rights to the public information.
Nepalis fought against the despotic king for rights to information and placed the SPA in power but it stepped on the
shoes of the king going back to regression.
Unarmed Maoist militia misbehaved with journalists on Sunday, October 15, temporarily obstructing reporters from
entering the official residence of the Prime Minister in Baluwatar and from covering the fourth-round talks between the
SPA and the Maoists. Eyewitnesses said the Maoists’ militias were there as a part of the pressure groups urging both the
negotiating parties on the success of the talks, also blocked other people from entering the talks-venue, and shouted
slogans. President of FNJ, Bishnu Nisthuri happened to be in the area, condemned the act of militiamen blocking
reporters from entering the talks-venue. "FNJ takes this incident very seriously; both the Maoists and the ruling SPA
should be held accountable for the rough behavior with media persons," he said. [11]
Maoists apologized for their cadres' misbehavior with civil society members and journalists at the Prime Minister's
residence on Sunday, October 15, 2006. Issuing a statement, Hisila Yami and Maoist third division commander Sagar said
Maoists will be careful not to allow such incidents in future. They said after the Maoists received information on
possible sabotage of the talks or attacks on leaders, they tightened security. The statement says a palace agent, Babar
Kharel, provoked rebel cadres while posing as a journalist. The statement expresses Maoists’ respect for the press and
people's right to information. [12]
On October 09, three major parties of the SPA coalition government separately sat for a meeting to do homework for the
fresh round of talks between the SPA and the Maoists to be resumed on Tuesday, October 10. The NC, the CPN-UML and the
NC-D leaders held a separate meeting and discussed several subject matters of their interest. The NC held its meeting at
the Prime Minister's official residence at Baluwatar in the morning and continued to afternoon. Prime Minister Girija
Prasad Koirala apprised the meeting of the talks with the Maoists held on October 08. Then, the meeting mainly focused
on the major points such as the need for implementing the agreements reached with the Maoists, arms management and an
interim constitution. The meeting also centered its discussion on the possible ways of weapons management.
Vice-president Sushil Koirala, senior leaders Ram Chandra Poudel, Ram Baran Yadav, Chakra Prasad Banstola, Amod P
Upadhyaya and Arjun Narsingh KC attended the meeting. The CPN-UML also held its meeting at its headquarters at Balkhu at
noon. The party leaders insisted on continuing the party's stance on deciding the fate of the monarchy through a
plebiscite. They were also of the opinions of the need for consistently maintaining the party’s position on some
important and fundamental issues. Similarly, the NC-D also held its meeting at the residence of its President Sher
Bahadur Deuba. President Deuba informed the central members of the NC-D about the meeting with the Maoists held on
October 08 and the subject matters on which the SPA and the Maoists have almost reached an agreement. And then, they
discussed several subject matters to be discussed in the next talks with the Maoists. [13]
The SPA and the Maoists made little progress in the peace talks held on Tuesday, October 10, but decided to form a
committee to resolve differences. The committee with members of both the SPA’s and Maoists’ talks teams and
representatives of all seven parties got two days to come up with an interim constitution and suggest ways to resolve
the issue of arms held by the Maoists. Minister for Supplies and Commerce, Hridesh Tripathy said the committee would try
to work out the differences and present a draft of an interim constitution acceptable to both parties by Thursday
afternoon, October 12, just before the planned meeting between the SPA and the Maoists’ leaders. “We hope to resolve all
the political issues based on suggestions by this committee,'' said Minister Tripathy. “If the two sides are able to
make headway on the issue of the rebels' weapons, most of the political differences can easily be resolved,'' said
Ramesh Lekhak, Minister for Labor and a member of the government peace-talks team. “We want the Maoists to transform
themselves into a democratic and legitimate force by giving up their arms-based politics. We can reach an understanding
on every question if they assure us that weapons are not used for political purposes,'' said Mahesh Acharya of the NC.
“We suspect the government is backing away from its previous flexibility and appears more rigid on the arms management.
They are trying to force us to surrender arms on the pretext of separating them from our fighters, which is unacceptable
to us,'' said Dev Gurung, a member of the Maoists’ negotiating team. “We want the ruling alliance and the rebel leaders
to take decisions on crucial political issues immediately,'' said Devendra Raj Panday, a peace activist, and an
independent observer at the talks. Hundreds of protesters outside the peace-talks venue carried banners demanding an end
to the monarchy, an immediate announcement of a date for election for a constituent assembly for making a new
constitution, and promulgation of an interim statute to govern the country until the elected assembly makes the
constitution. “We will continue our protests until the leaders resolve the issues,'' said Sundarmani Dixit, an activist
among the protesters. [14]
Chief Government Negotiator, Krishna Prasad Sitaula and Maoists’ Negotiating-team Leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara jointly
issued a press statement at the end of the Tuesday’s talks stating both the negotiating teams will prepare the points of
mutual agreement on the arms management and major political subject matters at issue, including the ones to be
incorporated in the interim constitution, and present in the talks to be held on Thursday, October 12. Addressing a
press conference at Hotel Radisson, Sitaula said the SPA and the Maoists were committed to “working according to the
mandate of the people” and all the leaders involved in the talks expressed “important views”. “We need to work as per
the people’s mandate. We are fully committed to restoring peace and holding a constituent assembly election in a free
and fair manner,” Sitaula quoted Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala as saying during the today (October 10)’s talks.
Sitaula said the leaders expressed views on implementing the already-agreed understandings, interim constitution,
functioning of the local bodies and judiciary, process of holding a constituent-assembly election, socio-economic
transformation and arms management. “We have now ideologically come closer to each other on many topics at issue,”
Sitaula said. Mahara said the leaders were “serious” during the second round of summit talks. “But we are not taking
right decisions on the right time,” said Mahara, indicating that the decision to hold a constituent-assembly election by
June next year was a premature one, as most of the subject matters related to it remained to be sorted out. “We want to
see the Nepali people becoming sovereign and independent in the real sense. We cannot make Nepal really an independent
country maintaining the status quo,” Mahara said. He added that a lasting peace was impossible without restructuring the
state and undergoing socio-economic transformation. He hoped that they would be able to reach a “historic decision” on
Thursday, October 12. “Let us hope that we will reach a final decision on all the political matters at issue by
Thursday,” Mahara said, adding that they sat for talks keeping in mind the “power balance” brought about by 10 years of
insurgency and 19 days of peaceful agitation. “We have risen above the partisan views and given the national interest a
top priority,” Mahara said. [15]
The Armed Police Force (APF) has started filling up vacant posts inviting applications from youths from all over the
country, prompting quick reaction from the Maoists to it. District-based Maoist leaders expressed concern over the
recruitment drive. Maoists' Sunsari District Secretary, Rojina, said the recruitment was against the ceasefire code of
conduct signed between the SPA government and the Maoists. "The recruitment drive shows that the government is not
sincere toward the peace talks," Rojina said, adding that such an activity could affect elections for a constituent
assembly. The AFP has a plan for recruiting 500 men in the country this year, a police official said, “the Maoists have
been displaying their weapons in different public places, but armed police personnel have not done so anywhere in the
country. Aren't Maoists violating the ceasefire code by setting up check posts along highways, exhibiting weapons and
seizing schools?," Coordinator of Human Rights and Civil Monitoring Committee (Sunsari), Ram Koirala, said he saw no
reason why someone should object to the APF filling up the vacant posts. [16] How could the peace process be successful
if both parties engaged in preparation for a conflict? Was the Coordinator of Human Rights and Civil Monitoring
Committee unbiased and doing a good job supporting the enhanced APF?
On Wednesday, October 11, Speaker of the House, Subash Nemwang issued a ruling to the government asking it to inform the
parliament about the ongoing talks between the SPA and the Maoists as early as possible. In his ruling, Speaker Nemwang
said it is mandatory for the government to inform the House in session about the crucial talks going on between the SPA
and the CPN-Maoist. The ruling came after House members demanded during the special hour that the government apprise the
House members of the progress made in the talks held on Sunday, October 08, and Tuesday, October 10, at the official
residence of the Prime Minister at Baluwatar. [17] The SPA did not bother to inform the House even though it was
accountable to the House until the House Speaker reminded it to do so. However, the Maoists did not care about the House
because they did not recognize it.
On Friday, October 13, apprising the House members of the ongoing talks with the Maoists, Home Minister and Chief
Negotiator of the government-talks team, Krishna Prasad Sitaula said that the SPA and the Maoists were close to an
agreement on the future of the monarchy, interim legislature and the formation of a new government. Minister Sitaula
said the discussions were held on the appointments to vacant positions of the constitutional bodies, creation of local
bodies, arms management, and citizenship problems. Minister Sitaula also informed the House members that both teams
raised issues such as rehabilitation of the conflict-affected people, returning of Maoist-seized lands and publicizing
of those "disappeared" by both parties sincerely. [18]
One of the members of the Maoist-talks team, Dev Gurung said that the success of the ongoing talks between the SPA and
the Maoists depended on the position of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on making the country a democratic
republic. Speaking at an interaction held at the Reporters’ Club on Wednesday, October 11, Maoists’ Leader Gurung said
if the NC and Prime Minister Koirala agreed on the establishment of a democratic republican setup in the country, all
outstanding topics at issue would be resolved within a hour. Gurung also said, “The meeting was postponed after Prime
Minister Koirala said that he would bring a new proposal on the fate of monarchy in the next meeting and asked to
adjourn the meeting until Thursday (October 12).” He further said that Maoists were ready to lock up their arms if the
SPA displayed a clear stance on the contentious topic such as monarchy, national referendum and constituent assembly.
Speaking at the same event, General Secretary of NC, Ram Chandra Poudel made it clear that NC would not stand in favor
of the monarchy during the election for a constituent assembly or a referendum. Leader Poudel said that people’s verdict
on the monarchy would be acceptable to NC. He urged the Maoists to be flexible in the coming Thursday’s talks to make
the ongoing peace process a success. Stating the Maoists’ actions were not conducive to holding the elections for a
constituent assembly, Poudel warned of delay in the proposed elections for a constituent assembly if Maoists continued
such actions. Similarly, General Secretary of NC–D, Bimalendra Nidhi also urged Maoists to be accommodating on the arms
management for the success of the talks and for holding an election for a constituent assembly in a free and fair
manner. He further said management of Maoists’ armies and weapons before the election for a constituent assembly was a
must to make it a free and fair election. Speaking at the same interaction, leader of United Leftist Front, one of the
constituents of the SPA, Sita Ram Tamang said that the Thursday’s talks would be decisive if Maoists agreed to the
five-point letter sent to the UN for arms management and NC agreed to go for a democratic republic. [19]
Rejecting the arms management as the major issue, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai talking to an FM radio said, "The main issue is
the restructuring of the royal army. Therefore, let us not go into propaganda about the management of our arms." He
added that during the Tuesday's meeting, all parties agreed to go for a simultaneous management of both armies.
Second-in-Command of the Maoists, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai stated that the main topic at issue was the 'monarchy' during
the Tuesday's meeting. "There are basically two alternatives being discussed about the monarchy. First option is to
outright declare republic. If some parties have reservations to declare republic right away, then let’s decide its fate
through a referendum to be held alongside Constituent Assembly elections," Dr. Bhattarai said. He said two Congress
parties were major stumbling blocks to deciding this issue. [20]
Senior Leader of the CPN-Maoist, Dr Baburam Bhattarai said that there was no agreement on any political issues reached
with the SPA during the Tuesday's meeting except on setting the date for the constituent assembly elections. Talking to
Kantipur FM's program called 'The Headliners' this morning (October 11), Dr Bhattarai said, "The major discrepancy that
surfaced during the entire talks was the issue of monarchy, especially the NC did not seem to be able to take any
concrete decision on it. Similarly, there are some disagreements on the interim legislature as well." "The SPA leaders
are of the opinion that the interim legislature should be formed with the current members of the parliament with an
addition of some new faces to it but we have proposed not to do so," added Dr Bhattarai. Dr Bhattarai further said, "We
have proposed to form an interim legislature, maybe a smaller one, but with a representation of those who played major
role in the pro-democracy movement. The interim legislature should bear the spirit of the April movement with
proportional representation from the parties." [21]
On Thursday, October 12, after the talks with the SPA leaders, Chairman Prachanda talking to the Kantipur Television in
the evening said the NC hasn't yet agreed to a referendum on the monarchy. "We are ready to lock up our arms under the
UN supervision if the seven parties unanimously agree to go for a republic," he said. He also said the meeting to be
held on October 15 would settle all the subject matters at issue including monarchy, republic, arms management, interim
constitution and interim parliament. "Today's talks were very much positive and we are much hopeful to see all the
issues settled by October 15," he said. "The issues must be settled within mid-November and constituent assembly
elections should be held within six months from now." Talking to media persons at the Peace Secretariat at Singha Durbar
after the meeting, Home Minister and coordinator of the government-negotiating team Krishna Prasad Sitaula said,
“Today’s meeting was highly positive, and the SPA and the Maoists decided to reach a permanent solution to the problem
by October 15." Similarly, coordinator of the Maoist-negotiating team Krishna Bahadur Mahara said, "We are very happy to
sense the spirit of the SPA." "We want to make huge political strides, considering the expectations of the people's
movement." Shyam Shrestha, a senior journalist and civil society member and one of those staging the sit-in outside the
meeting venue, said, "The government should be ready to abandon monarchy and the Maoists should give up weapons." "If
both the parties agree on this, there won't be any problem." [22] Monarchy and weapons have been two-main evils to
Nepalis for more than two centuries.
President of NC-D, Sher Bahadur Deuba met with Ambassador of India to Nepal, Shiv Shankar Mukherjee at his residence at
Budhanilkantha, in the morning of October 12. They discussed contemporary political issues and matters relating to
mutual understanding and cooperation between two countries. Similarly Deuba met with Personal Representative of UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan, Ian Martin and Political Advisor Tamrat Samual at his residence. They talked about the
peace process and progress made in the meeting between the SPA and the Maoists. [23] Such meetings must have
strengthened the rigid position taken by the SPA on keeping the disgusting monarchy.
The Central Committee meeting of the CPN-Maoist decided to put forward five-point options to the SPA, particularly the
NC and NC-D on the status of the monarchy that has been a stumbling block to the peace talks. On the eve of the crucial
meeting between the SPA and the Maoists to be held on Sunday, October 15, the Central Committee meeting proposed that
the SPA and the Maoists should right away declare Nepal a republic; or suspend the monarchy until its fate is determined
by Constituent Assembly (CA) elections or referendum. Other alternatives are to build a broader consensus on democratic
republic through CA elections; or nationalize the properties of the King. If the SPA does not accept any of these
options, then the Maoists would stay away from the interim government but demand immediate announcement of the date for
CA elections through which people would give their decision on the monarchy. [24]
In a press statement issued on Friday, October 13, at the end of his five-day visit to Nepal, Deputy Director General of
the South Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Sultan Hafeez Rahman said, “The mood in the country is
upbeat about the possibility of a peace accord." During his stay in Nepal, Rahman met with Finance Minister Dr Ram
Sharan Mahat, Minister for Physical Planning and Works, Gopal Man Shrestha, Vice-chairman of the National Planning
Commission and other senior government officials, development partners, representatives of the civil society and the
private sector people. In these meetings, he discussed Nepal's current situation, its impact on development and the
government's proposal to the Bank for continuing the ADB’s assistance in short, medium and long term development
activities. [25]
In a politically significant move, King Gyanendra sent an emissary to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala just as the
SPA was preparing to resume the peace negotiations with the Maoists on Sunday, October 15. King Gyanendra's Principal
Secretary and trusted aide Pashupati Bhakta Maharjan went to the Prime Minister's residence and held an hour-long
meeting on Saturday, October 14. Though there was no official statement on the meeting, it is regarded as a significant
event on the eve of peace negotiations to seal the king's fate. Prime Minister Koirala and his NC party leaders have
been the defenders of monarchy. The king's contact with Prime Minister Koirala might affect the peace talks that would
decide the fate of the monarch, a new interim constitution drafted weeks ago, and the management of arms and armies of
both sides under the supervision of the United Nations. [26]
King Gyanendra’s Principal Secretary, Pashupati Bhakta Maharjan called on Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at his
official residence at Baluwatar, on Saturday, October 14, after the High Level Probe Commission (HLPC) sent the King
questionnaires asking him to clarify his role as the then-head of the government in suppressing the people's movement in
April 2006. The meeting was considered a significant event, as it took place at a time when the Maoists’ and the SPA
leaders were holding the crucial round of meetings to decide the fate of monarchy. The HLPC had already grilled
Principal Secretary Maharjan for his role as the Principal Secretary of the King in suppressing the people's movement.
[27]
The crucial peace-talks between the SPA and the Maoists were put on hold for an indefinite period after top leaders of
both parties failed to reach any agreement on key topics such as the arms management and the position of the King at
issue on Sunday, October 15, 2006. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist Supreme Prachanda and senior leaders of
the SPA tried to sort out differences on major issues but failed to make a breakthrough, NC General Secretary Ramchandra
Poudel said. “Agreement could not reach on the arms management and other important matters." The arms management at
issue was the "main bottleneck in taking the peace process forward," he said and asserted that without settling the
matter at issue, a free and fair election for a Constituent Assembly would not be possible. [28]
The fourth round of meetings in a week between the SPA and the Maoists again stalled on the issue of the Maoists’
disarmament and the monarchy's future. Both sides said that they would meet again but no date was set for fresh talks.
The Maoists warned of launching massive street protests if the talks failed. Sunday (October 15)'s meeting between Prime
Minister Koirala and the rebel's leader Prachanda, lasted about half an hour. "It was agreed that there needs to be done
more homework, and there will be a meeting in the near future," Arjun Narsingh KC of the NC Party said. Before Sunday's
talks, the two sides had said they were close to a breakthrough. [29]
Speaking at an interaction event at the Reporters’ Club on Monday, October 16, one day after the fourth round of talks
between the SPA and the Maoists ended inconclusively, and further talks were placed on hold indefinitely, some leaders
gave conflicting views on the failure of the talks. One of the participants in the meeting with the Maoists and NC
leader Arjun Narsingh KC said they were holding another round of talks for finalizing the interim constitution and
forming interim legislature and government before the end of the five-day long Nepalese festival called Tihar on October
24; the talks might be completed by November 16. KC rejected the allegations that the talks were delayed by the NC’s
inflexible position on various issues, and added that the NC was flexible for the success of the peace talks. Speaking
at the same interaction, CPN-UML leader Jhalanath Khanal said that the talks would have succeeded if NC agreed to decide
the fate of monarchy through referendum or present another model acceptable to other political parties. Dr. Minendra
Rijal of NC-D said that the Maoists’ arms should be managed before the elections for a constituent assembly for a free
and fair election. Leader of People’s Front Nepal (PFN), Pari Thapa and Chairman of Leftist Front CP Mainali underscored
the need for signing a greater human rights accord and an extensive ceasefire accord to make the talks successful. They
added that keeping Maoist armies in cantonments along with their weapons would not be a problem once an extensive peace
accord was signed and the United Nations asked to monitor it. PFN leader Thapa alleged that though the Maoist leaders
are ready to join the peaceful political mainstream and have been showing flexibility in the talks, the mindset of their
cadres and armies was yet to be changed, which was the obstacle to the peace talks. The four rounds of peace talks ended
inconclusively after the SPA and Maoists failed to reach consensus on the issues of monarchy and arms management. [30]
Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General-to-assist-Nepal-in-its-peace-efforts, Ian Martin, met with Prime
Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoists’ Chairman Prachanda separately on Monday, October 16, and discussed the UN’s
role in the peace process. Koirala-Martin meeting at Baluwatar was mainly focused on the ways and the means of the
management of the arms and armies and the UN’s role in this process. Mr. Martin reiterated that his team would start its
work immediately after the government and the Maoists reached consensus on the arms management. Similarly, he met with
Maoists’ Chairman Prachanda at an undisclosed location in Kathmandu in the afternoon of October 16. Prachanda apprised
Martin of the ongoing talks with the SPA and of his party’s position on the arms management. Maoists’ Second-in-Command,
Dr Baburam Bhattarai and the members of Martin’s team were also present at the meeting. Martin also held separate
meetings with the talks-teams of the government and the Maoists. These meetings came a day after the SPA-Maoist talks
ended in a deadlock over the issue of the arms management and the position of monarchy. Mr. Martin met with Prime
Minister Koirala and Prachanda last week also. [31]
"The King is down but not out. He has all the privileges; he has all the money, billions of dollars. The Army is still
loyal to him," Dr. Baburam Bhattarai said in an interview on October 17. "There is tremendous pressure from the masses
of the people not to lay down the arms until and unless the feudal system and the monarchy are abolished." Massive
restructuring of the former Royal Nepal Army, a 90,000-strong force traditionally loyal to the monarch, is essential,
Dr. Bhattarai said. "The main institution buttressing and supporting the monarchy is the Royal Army. It is still
feudalistic, and it is still loyal to the monarchy and against democracy," said the former civil engineer turned
revolutionary. "If you don't nationalize his property and if you don't restructure the army, he won't be finished. Money
and guns are the main means of his power," Dr. Bhattarai said. [32]
In an interview Dr. Bhattarai also said, “The Prime Minister has been under pressure after the king’s Principal
Secretary Pashupati Bhakta Maharjan talked with Chief of Army Staff Rukmangad Katuwal. Apparently the palace, and
international powers, royalists have put pressure on him and his NC party. The parliamentary powers also do not have a
strong stance on the monarchy and the transformation of military. We agreed on the UN monitoring both the armies, and
were close to an overall agreement, but then Koirala came under pressure from an invisible source to disagree with us on
the monarchy and the arms management.” [33]
Inaugurating the fifth national conference of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Peasants’ Association-Revolutionary,
spokesman for the CPN-Maoist and leader of the Maoists’ negotiating team, Krishna Bahadur Mahara advised the SPA not to
go after the US and the palace to make the talks successful. Claiming the People’s movement in April 2006 was the end
result of the 12-point understanding reached between the Maoists and the SPA, Mahara said the Maoists were ready to go
for multi-party politics if the SPA agreed to a republican set-up. [34]
On October 19, addressing the fifth national conference of All Nepal Peasants' Association – Revolutionary in Bharatpur,
spokesman for the CPN-Maoist and leader of the Maoists’ negotiating team, Krishna Bahadur Mahara said the talks got
stuck as the parties and the government did not show their willingness to move the talks farther. “Both the current
government and the seven political parties have not been able to rise above their narrow mindset and inclination to
status quo”, said Mahara, and put a question, “are political parties still sycophants of king?” As the country is
currently witnessing a battle between the elements opting for monarchy and for a republican democratic set-up, he
claimed that both the parties would not reach understanding with each other until they rose above their current narrow
mindset. He also accused the parties and the government of dancing to the tune of American government and said they were
trying hard to foil the Maoists' success. Expressing his commitment to make the talks a success, Maoists' Spokesperson
Mahara said no stone would be left unturned to make the talks a success as people were pining hopes on the Maoists. [35]
General Secretary of the CPN-UML, Madhav Kumar Nepal, and CPN-UML Standing Committee Member, Jhalanath Khanal met with
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the official residence of the Prime Minister at Baluwatar on Thursday evening,
October 19, to discuss the arms management, political issues and possibility of holding next round of talks between the
SPA and the Maoists before the second important Nepalese festival called Tihar. After the meeting, Khanal said that they
proposed the Prime Minister for managing the Maoists’ army and their weapons in three phases: to send the Maoists’ army
to cantonment areas in the first phase; separate weapons from them in the second phase and integrate the fighters into
national army and other security wings in the third phase. Khanal said they reiterated the future of the monarchy should
be left to a referendum during an election for a constituent assembly to be held by the second week of June next year,
and the election for a constituent assembly should be held on a proportional representation to reflect the opinions of
all ethnic and minority groups. [36]
Speaking at an interaction at Reporter's Club on Friday, October 20, CPN-UML Leader Bamdev Gautam said, "Instead of
following the spirit of Jana Andolan-II (People's Movement-II), the government was moving in the direction of anarchy,
if it doesn’t correct itself there is no point in staying on in the alliance government, so CPN-UML will leave the
government after the Tihar." He further said that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s position on arms management was
the major hurdle to a consensus on political issues. “If Prime Minister Koirala takes a bold decision keeping in mind
the spirit of the Jana Andolan-II, all the political issues including the future of the monarchy can be settled easily,”
Gautam added. He also said the Maoists were ready to lay down their weapons if the NC took a concrete decision on
bringing the monarchy to an end; the forces wanted to give continuity to the monarchy raised the issue of arms
management unnecessarily; and the state army was still loyal to the palace though its name had been changed. "On October
12, the SPA and the Maoists have almost reached a consensus on political issues and the issue of arms management after
the NC assured of coming up with its official stance on the future of monarchy," Gautam said. “But the parties in the
conflict could not reach a consensus on October 15, after the Prime Minister, instead of coming up with a proposal on
the monarchy, demanded that the Maoists disarm,” he said, adding that the Prime Minister remained indecisive because of
the "pressure from internal and external forces." There is a problem in the peace process as Prime Minister Koirala
wants to save the King," Gautam said. [37]
On October 19, addressing a “welcome Function” held in honor of senior Maoist members by the Agriculture and Animal
Science Studies Institute in Chitwan, Chairman of the CPN-Maoist, Prachanda alleged that the SPA failed to make
conclusive-peace talks as they were under the pressure of external power centers. Chairman Prachanda however, expressed
his confidence in finding political outlet despite the attempt of any power center to foil the talks. “Maoists will not
return to jungle now. Instead, hundreds of thousands of its cadres will be brought to the city center to take up
revolution in order to give necessary political outlet to the country,” said Chairman Prachanda. [38]
Talking to journalists in Bhaktapur, Chairman of the Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (NWPP), one of the members of
the SPA said that the real key for successful peace talks lies in New Delhi. "The key is stuck in Delhi," said Narayan
Man Bijukchhe, Chairman of NWPP, "Big parties as well as the Maoists are dependant on New Delhi. So, presently there is
a rush among the leaders towards Delhi." Bijukchhe was apparently hinting the political resolution in Nepal would not be
successful without the support of New Delhi. Contrary to the optimism of the SPA and Maoists’ leaders for the success of
the next round of the talks, Bijukchhe said he was not sure how the next meeting could resolve all the outstanding
issues. "Differences still remain on the issue of monarchy and arms management," he said. [39]
Maoists’ and SPA leaders including Prime Minister Koirala have traded charges and counter charges of not honoring the
ceasefire code of conduct and other provisions made in their agreements with each other. On the one hand Prime Minister
Koirala says Maoists would be included in the government only after they laid down their arms on the other hand Maoists
say they would lay down the arms only after achieving the goal of making Nepal a republic. Prime Minister Koirala was
not for a republic. He wants to keep the monarchy against the spirit most of the Nepalis showed in the April-movement.
The monarchy has been the cause of so many miseries to the people. [40] Against this background the SPA leaders and the
Maoists had been holding talks to sort out the problems of working together for a lasting peace in the country since the
second week of October.
Leaving their communist ideology behind, the Maoists have been holding talks with the SPA for joining the multi-party
democratic system; and it is a good chance for the SPA to bring the Maoists to its fold. However, the SPA has been
dragging its feet on the peace negotiation not resolving the current political confusion but certainly helping the
regressive forces to raise their heads as time passed. The SPA has already squandered six months after the April
Movement in 2006; much could have been done for a lasting peace by bringing the Maoists to their fold in this period but
the SPA has been regressive instead of progressive.
As a result, the struggle between the SPA and the Maoists has been continuing even intensifying. It might end up into
the urban-uprising of the Maoists, or even to an armed conflict taking Nepal back to chaos leading to political
instability. In this political climate, Nepalis will certainly blame the SPA for either the Maoists taking power by
force or by peaceful means and introducing their one-party system or the king taking power and introducing his despotic
system making “Nepal’s democracy in crisis” again.
Footnotes
[01] Nepalnews.com mk Sep 29, 2006
[02] Nepalnews.com ia October 03, 2006
[03] Ekantipur.com, October 07, 2006
[04] Ekantipur.com, October 07, 2006
[05] The Rising Nepal, October 09, 2006
[06] Nepalnews.com sd October 08, 2006; newsVOA.com, October 08, 2006
[07] Ekantipur.com, October 08, 2006
[08] The Himalayan Times, October 09, 2006
[09] Ekantipur.com October 08, 2006
[10] Nepalnews.com mk Oct 09, 2006
[11] NepalHumanRighsNews.com, October 16, 2006
[12] Ekantipur.com, October 16, 2006
[13] Ekantipur.com, October 09, 2006
[14] The Hindu, October 10, 2006; Reuters, UK, October 10, 2006
[15] The Himalayan Times, October 10, 2006; Nepalnews.com mk October 10, 2006; IndianMuslm.com, October 11, 2006
[16] The Himalayan Times, October 11, 2006
[17] Nepalnews.com mk October 11, 2006; Ekantipur.com, October 11, 2006
[18] Ekantipur.com, October 13, 2006; Nepalnews.com pb October 14, 2006
[19] Nepalnews.com pb October 11, 2006
[20] Nepalnews.com sd October 11, 2006
[21] Ekantipur.com, October 11, 2006
[22] Ekantipur.com, October 12, 2006
[23] The Rising Nepal, October 13, 2006
[24] Nepalnews.com sd October 14, 2006
[25] Nepalnews.com ia October 14, 2006; The Himalayan Times, October 14, 2006
[26] IndianMuslims.info October 15, 2006; The Times of India October 16, 2006
[27] Nepalnews.com pb October 15, 2006
[28] NDTV.COM, October 15, 2006; Zeenews.com, October 15, 2006; IndianMuslim.info, October 16, 2006
[29] BBC NEWS, October 15, 2006
[30] Nepalnews.com pb October 16, 2006
[31] Nepalnews.com mk October 16, 2006
[32] ZEENEWS.COM
[33] Himal Khabarpatrika, October18-November 01, 2006
[34] Nepalnews.com pb October 19, 2006
[35] The Rising Nepal, October 20, 2006
[36] The Himalayan Times, October 20, 2006
[37] Nepalnews.com pb October 21, 2006; The Himalayan Times, October 21, 2006; The Rising Nepal, October 21, 2006
[38] The Rising Nepal, October 21, 2006
[39] Nepalnews.com sd October 23, 2006
[40] He just ignored the king’s dynastic rulers had denied the opportunity of serving in the army to the ethnic groups
such as Newar, Tamang, and Madhesis and permitted other ethnic groups to serve as foot soldiers only keeping most of the
high-ranking army and other government positions for the king’s kith and kin. Majority of Nepalis had to make a living
on agriculture. However, most of the land belonged to the king’s extended families and they exploited the farmers until
1951. Even today, most of the money making businesses and industries are of the king and his family members.
*************
Write to Siddhi B. Ranjitkar at srilaxmi @ wlnk.com.np, and visit his website www.SiddhiRanjitkar.com