Finally, Prachanda, the Maoist supreme leader, is in Kathmandu is holding talks with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in the latter’s official residence in Baluwataar. A large group of journalists is curiously waiting outisde the residence. Dr Baburam Bhattarai, second to Prachanda in the party hirerarchy, is also present in the meeting. Since both sides (government and the Maoists) have agreed in principle on holding the election of constituent assembly, it is widely believed that they are talking on the process to reach there: formulating an interim constitution and an interim government. This is the first time in the history of a decade long Maoist “peoples’ war” that their supreme leader has come to the talks table. People are extremely hopeful yet a bit skeptic about the success of the ‘Peace Summit’ considering the procedural difference between the two sides.
The Historic Eight-point Agreement
Reached between the ruling Seven Party Alliance and the Maoist party.The Eight-point agreement reached between the seven-party alliance and CPN-Maoist following summit talks between the two sides at the Prime Minister’s residence at Baluwatar on Friday (June 16, 2006) is as follows (Unofficial Translation)
1. Effectively and honestly implement the 12-point understanding reached between the SPA and Maoists in November last year and the 25-point Ceasefire Code of Conduct signed between the SPA government and CPN-Maoist on May 26 this year
2. Commitment to democratic norms and values including competitive multi-party system, civic liberties, fundamental rights, human rights, press freedom, and the concept of rule of law and Carry out each other’s activities in a peaceful manner
3. Request the United Nations to help in the monitoring and management of the armies and arms of both government and Maoist sides for a free and fair election to the Constituent Assembly
4.Guarantee the democratic rights achieved through the 1990 Popular Movement and the recent historic People’s Movement; draft an interim constitution based on the 12-point understanding and the ceasefire Code of Conduct; form an interim government accordingly; announce the dates for constituent assembly elections; dissolve the House of Representatives through consensus after making alternative arrangement; dissolve the People’s Governments of CPN-Maoist
5. Decide issues of national interests having long-term effects through consensus
6. Guarantee the fundamental right of the Nepali people to participate in the constituent assembly elections without any fear, influence, threat and violence. Invite international observation and monitoring during the elections as per the need
7. Bring about a forward-looking restructuring of the state so as to resolve the class-based, racial, regional and gender-based problems through constituent assembly elections. Transform the ceasefire between the Nepal Government and CPN-Maoist into permanent peace by focusing on democracy, peace, prosperity, forward-looking change and the country’s independence, sovereignty and pride, and express commitment to resolve the problem through talks
8. The government and Maoist talks teams have been directed to accomplish all tasks related to above-mentioned points without any delay
Interim Constitution Drafting Committee
A meeting of the government and the Maoist talks teams held at the PM’s residence at Baluatar after the conclusion of the Summit Talks has decided to form a six-member “Interim Constitution Draft Committee” under the coordination of former Supreme Court justice Laxman Prasad Aryal.
Senior lawyer Harihar Dahal, lawyer and human rights defender Sindhunath Pyakurel, President of Nepal Bar Association Sambhu Thapa, former attorney general Mahadev Yadav and lawyer Khimlal Devkota are the members of the committee. Devkota is the Maoist representative in the committee.
“The interim constitution draft committee has been formed as per the eight-point agreement reached between the SPA and the Maoists,” member of the government talks team and Minister Pradip Gyawali told reporters at the press conference at Baluwatar.
The committee will submit the draft of the interim Constitution to the government and Maoist talks teams within 15 days.
A historic new experiment: Prachanda
Addressing the press conference, Maoist Chairman Prachanda called the ongoing peace process “A historic new experiment of the 21st century.” “If the peace process becomes successful then Nepal could achieve development and prosperity in the next 5 -10 years,” he said.
Saying that the parliament, people’s government of the Maoists and the current SPA government should be dissolved within one month’s time and that an interim constitution and government should be formed, the Maoist chairman said sustainable peace could be achieved through constituent assembly elections.
Prachanda also said that the constituent assembly elections should be held within a year’s time. “The process of dissolution of the parliament, people’s government of the Maoists and the current SPA government will begin once the interim constitution is drafted and the process of formation of interim government begins,” Prachanda further said.
On the issue of ceremonial monarchy, Prachanda asserted that his party was in favour of a democratic republic but other parties were free to go to the Constituent Assembly elections with their own views about the monarchy.
Follow news on the issue at eKantipur
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Comments
121 responses to “Prachanda In Baluwataar, Parleys Peace With Prime Minister”
This is just like “Sadhulai Suli Chorlai Chautari.” The person, Prachanda, who should be in the jail is blackmailing whole country. Shame!!
We need to focus on the following:
1. That Maoists express a categorical commmitment that they no longer seek political gains through the use or the threat to use arms.
2. That they agree to approve through the first meeting of the interim government to set up a high level commission to probe into the atrocities and human rights abuses perpetrated
by the Maoists, as well as government security forces,during the decade-long conflict. That even Prachanda and other top leaders should be tried on charges of misappropriation of power, weilded through guns and used to silence protest and differing views, and place responsibility for all offences, on the abuser. That they fully co-operate in the process.
3. That top Maoist leaders, including Prachanda, should personally pay a visit to the places of the the kin of Late IGP KM Shrestha, and all other unarmed people heinously murdered by the Maoist cadre, to apologise for their cowardly crimes.
4.That they donot seek to set up a so-called People’s Republic through the use of arms, ever in the future, i.e. if things donnot go easily in the next couple of years.
5. That they should express their faith in private property, rights to expression, moovement, association, even functioning against the Maoists. Without any ifs or buts.
What do you say guys?
Great!
Good News
Baburam should be inducted in the cabinet!
Let’s see the messiah performing.
I think it is really a total victory for Maoists because Maoists are getting what they had wanted from the very beginning: a. elections of CA and b. removal of Monarchy.
Only unsettled matter is removal of Monarchy. I think that will be also done by the CA.
From the final anlysis, King is the stupidest person in Nepal. He is the biggest looser in the whole episode. KINA ROYIS MANGALE AFNAI DHANGALE.
We can say only Ram Ram for the Monarchy at this time.
So the fact is- if you really want to be somebody then pick up a gun. The shorcut is validated.
Uneasy and compulsion of both, SPA and Maoist, to continue the dialogue because of the external pressure will only bring temporary respite. The window dressing will not be in interest of this nation. Maoist are fully confident that they have achieved complete rout of SPA and people in general.
Do not count other forces down and out – lesson is learnt that ‘might is a better option rather than knowledge or a pen.” To those who have accused past government of autocracy will now test the taste of real one. Just ask Binod Tripathi of Kantipur newspaper.
This is of course a great news. The people of Nepal can have a sigh of relief.
This sigh, however, was very, very costly. When I count the number of deads; destroyed infrastructure; economic losses; defame of the country; people’s lost dreams; etc. I cannot figure out what the rebels fought for. To see Prachanda and Baburam having coffee together inside Prime Minister’s quarter, or to see the captain of Bhairavnath Gan saluting Prachanda?
The king ‘personifies’ nepal’s problems, but he is not a problem in himself. There are so many kings in Nepal, and Prachanda is one of them. Unless Nepalese people disengage from their kings, the exploitation will continue.
Nepal is not going to be a better country by sending the king to exile. I believe that Nepal does not need a monarch, but we should also get rid of the misconception that republicanism will solve all of our problems.
Did you follow today’s news in Kantipur Daily? The Maoists brutally killed a 19 year old boy in Sindupalchowk. This is not just an individual case. This is the reflection of Maoist methods. I think Maoists are greater obstacle to democracy and peace in Nepal than the King.
I believe time will prove me right, but I wish to be wrong.
sanjeev,
i absolutely agree with you
Its a great thing to be in the history of Nepal.
Let the everlasting Peace Prevail.
Let the door of Prosperous and New Nepal be opened with the understanding between all the Nepalese.
Let the ‘Summit Talks’ lead to ‘Summit of Peace’.
This is indeed a big victory for the people of ………………..n..eee..ppp…
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Prachanda must first turn south and thank the gods and goddesses there.
They are really great.
Yes, the “victory” of Maoists tells that if u have gun then you can do anything. Let’s hope someone will come to punish the terrorists, that is Maoists.
There is some sort of bitter truth in what ‘sanjeev’ said.
As Maoists are already a major political force in Nepal theres no way of sidelining them.
So what i think is the best, its all we Nepalese people to make cautious the Maoists about their misdeeds and warn them not to repeat such.
After all, People are the most supreme.
Its the people to decide whom to choose for New Nepal through CA.
Someone should do us a favour and kill the duo while they are here.
The summit of convenience shall bear no fruit except a lull before so-called-democratic forces bow down and give a free rein to Maoist who will still be holding a gun in the name of unconditional CA. Just ask binod Tripathi of Kantipur Newspaper.
This is an eyewash.
Maoists are recruiting and amassing funds for more bloody battle and National Army is in fighting mood due to maoist acts.
Prachanda/ Baburam dont have guts to make new Nepal. All they want is new khmer rouge “cambodia” and power via populist military strategy.
They say they are not going to jungles back. Definitely not, they are going to caves. Welcome to New Nepal where we will all live in stoneage.
Dear ram Thapa magar Ji,
Victory is not by gun still i can say. Nepal is famous for Gorkhali, Bahadur and ruled by Rana, Shah and now by Bahun with the gun of Gorkhali and Bahadur and insight feeling of others deprived nepali people.
13000 lives!
As many widows!
2-3 times innocent orphan children!
All Nepalese living within the shadow of fear.
Too much price paid. Lets hope the talk becomes successful for overall betterment of NEPAL.
Conditional Vs. Unconditional CA Election…
The Maoists and some radical communists are demanding an ‘unconditional’ election of constituent assembly. The demands sounds catchy, but there is a serious conspiracy hidden behind this demand. Allow me to explain.
Election for the constituent assembly can never be ‘unconditional’. All political forces vis-a-vis civil society must agree on the fundamental/immutable principles to be incorporated within the future constitution before the CA election takes place. This can only protect many of people’s fundamental rights. This is what happened in South Africa and many other countries where CA election was practised as a process to make a new constitution.
The Maoists of course want an ‘unconditional’ CA election. This is because they have a plan to write whatever they want in the future constitution, as they believe that the they will win a majority status in the CA election.
However, people’s democratic rights can never be compromised during the complex constitution-making process. We have to ensure that we don’t want our nation to be a communist republic even if the Maoists win a majority. Therefore, we have to set ‘conditions’ before the CA election takes place.
The cry of pseodo intellectuals (including journalists like Wagle) for the ‘unconditional’ election is silly. Let’s not give a blank cheque to the Maoists.
This is a wonderful news that finally something is happening to ensure the future of Nepal. Lets hope, the outcome of the “TALK” will be positive and in favour of nepalese people. Goodluck to all of us.
nobody thought that changes will come like this in the country. people are becoming hopeless in the country. but scens are changing very fast after the ii people’s movement in the country. today maoists supremo along prachanda and baburam holding talks with government for remove all kinds problems facing nepalese people in the country since 12 years is really makes happy.now they are very busy in the pm residense in baluwatar with sa top leaders for the dialogue.today’s day and date make noteworthy if the dialogue will be fruitfull.no one think the dialogue will be failed. maoists leaders also fells that we never victory batteling with our own brothers and sisters and one day we surtainly stoped our battel and come with dialogue.today that day is comming so they are comming for the fruitful dialogue. they already know “bhai phutee to gabar lutee”. the message of the dialogue is now reaching through out the country.every body is breathig soundly and hoping peace will prevail in the country.reflecting the sign of peace in their nirdosh face people are praying with god for the success of dialogue.all are hoping even maoist nepal will be return previous peace nation, nobody will be die. nobody will lost their parents, bridegroom, bride and children.we all unite for our overall nation’s development.
This shows the frailty of the Nepalese government. It is a compulsion because of unholy alliance they made with the devil (Maoist). Now they (maoist) are after pounds of flesh at the expense of flesh.
I abhor international communities for their unscrupulous support to communist on a belief of engagement whereas it does not apply to their conflicts or enemies. But are equally sanguine to this part of the world.
The misconception that King was after absolute rule is a hogwash. He had time and time again had reiterated his commitment to multiparty system and constitution monarchy with a recourse to national reconciliation on a platform of national interest but this was not acceptable to political parties. So now, Prime Minster is forced to invite and share the table with his nemesis whose hands are soaked in blood.
All I can say is long live Nepal.
wow! finally peace seems to be coming. lets hope good governance will follow.
If people for once think things through thoroughly on what has happened and what could have happened this probably, so far, is the best that could have happened. Not ideal but the best from what the other possibilities were. Get real guys-remember how dark things were looking just a couple of months back and how darker it could have got? Just don’t talk bull-get real.
I am just so disillusioned. I cannot trust any party – KG, SPA, Maoists. They all pursue their own agenda where peoples wishes hardly matter. I am not sure who I want in Nepal or what type of power sharing structure should exist.
People’s reps – the political parties have shown no spine. They are all old and senile and cant move with time. Shame on these leaders. May they all rot in hell after dying miserable deaths. Leadership in Nepal has been a sham.
Good news!!!
But Girija and the SPA should have the balls to tell the Maoist to “exercise restraint”, and stop the atrocities to general public.
Kirat and me are together. Still I doubt about the handover of arms before free and fair elections of CA.That can be still tricky whether they go to interim govt. with guns. That is a million dollar question. There are many points agreements like 12 points and now 8 points etc. and but that will be truly implemented or not ?
I am really frustrated that no mandate has yet been made for the UN to come in as observers and to monitor the ceasefire. How we can we have free and fair elections to the CA when the (R)NA and the PLA are still active (though not firing at each other right now)? I know some ultra nationalists (most are just royalists in disguise) on this blog don’t want the UN here but a body like the UN who will do their best to guarantee a free and fair election to the CA can only be welcome. What other option is there when you have an extreme leftist outfit like the PLA on one side and an extreme right wing outfit like the (R)NA on the other?
This is a good progress towards establishing a long-lasting peace in Nepal.
Good luck.
Thanks,
kgarne.com
If you see from the other side of the story,all politicians including the King, army, armed police and police and bureaucrats are incompetent in running the country from 1990 onwards.These people were looting the coffers of the nation and were incapable of protecting the citizens and in providing them all sorts of security:human security, social, economic and political security. That is why Prachanda had to come to Baluwatar to settle the accounts.
I think the incompetent politicains should be taken action on cheating and betrayal to the nation of Nepal and the Nepalese people.
In one of the 8 points, they have also decided to ask the UN for the monitoring and management of arms.
some of you raise valid issue on Terrorist (Maoist) they killed 13000 innocents Nepalis including children and destroyed development pollars of the country, now how we can believe them again. just await to see ths terrorist will massacare to all spa.
cartoon-you are literally a cartoon-I ain’t no Maoists sympathizer but to blame them alone for 13,000 deaths just shows your level of intelligence-extremely low.
Maoist Party ran in elections back then. Lost. Then they entered jungle and picked up guns. Killed lots of people. They were then chased out. They wanted to talk and get nice. And run in elections again. What if they lose again? Go back to jungle and pick up guns?
Decoding middle-class propaganda:
“extremist” — everyone who disagrees with the author; anyone who thinks the caste system, landlord control, parasitic rich people living off the poor and women as slaves are problems to be immediately confronted
“democracy” — rule of the middle classes over the poor, in the service of the rich; must be controlled by corrupt, upper class/caste politicians; cannot be through a democratic constituent assembly (because then the people my outvote the professional political class.
“violent” — other people’s armies; see “extremist”
“peace” — extreme poverty, isolation, women slaves of men, lower castes know their proper place, an army that rules over the people.
“communism” — the horror of the lower classes in power. Unimaginable. Servants with bad manners. An atrocity.
“maoist” — a communist who is, in fact, a communist.
——-
Those who think that
Now Nepal can come out of the shadows of War, a useless brutal Monarchy and the failed 1990 Constitution.
A PEACEFUL NEPAL, A REPUBLIC and a FUTURE NOT RULED BY KG… THIS IS A GREAT TIME IN THE HISTORY OF NEPAL !!
What to say? For some people nothing is good..nothing really matters…they just seem to have no good feeling or thinking…poisoned by their slef obessed reality on the basis of “cartoon” facts, they create their own “cool” truth and shout at others just coz they dun have the understanding of anything at all…To all the people who says that now anyone can take a gun, start a war to justify their cause…well it shows u’re love to violence…so if u think u got the guts…try it for urself..that’s all i can say 2 ya…n to all who are still unwiling to accept the maoist in the new nepal and wishing to call them “terroist”…these guys….they have problem when UN or someother country comes to talk of peaceful ways and think this as a punch to nationalism and when they give guns taking the money of poor neaplese people…that will be justified? what can we say to these people? yeah there has been certain level of violence inflicted in the mindset of our society…but can this be erased by more bloodshed? And people who says they are responsible for the deaths, why don’t u consider u’re NA’s killings…and how do u think we can stop this….by more WAR….and people r calling to kill prachanda and baburam….u won’t be even happy to imagine what would happen after that….IN FACT YOU EGOISTIS emotional fellows should realise the how the world works and see deeply in u wish to understand the truth…otherwise like they say my ram bahdur….KUKUR BHUKDAI GARCHHA HATHI LAMKDAI GARCHHA…..so please use that thing we called ‘mind’ to get the truth tht is really true…..
Koirala did a good thing by inviting the comrades over to his place. Let them see what they missed.
Judging from his face, I don’t think he’s in the mood for any more violence. You still have a few instances of Maoist butchery but for the most part, things are looking pretty good. I say we have a chance to go somewhere from here. The JVP in Sri Lanka were quite happy to come to power after fighting in the jungles for long. I see a similar situation here.
Nepal feels like its on drugs these day. They should slow the pace down a little bit to properly examine all the motions being forwarded. But it seems any stir against our newly beutified saints of leaders and angelic maoist is regressive. The only motion till now that has been well though of is the curbing of royal powers and women being allocated a percentage in the house.
I can’t believe the idiots on this blog who still want to focus on the negatives despite all the good that is happening. We are not there yet and a lot still remains to be done but don’t you guys realise how close we are to resolving the Maoists problem?
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Fate of a nation decided on a marathon talks of 7 hours?? Man, this is an act that will heavily boomerang on on us badly.
Overkill, it’s better than your preferred way-KG and his henchmen deciding what’s best. Loser!
Did you guys notice the same shirts and pants,the duo are wearing. Does it signify a sublime message, I wonder.
Kirat I thought I had lost you in mele of last night crowd at Baluwatar. Good to see you back. First, have you read by Dickens “Great Expectation,” I am only using the title, mind you. Have you read an article by Mr. Biswas (Indian)- call me whatever but at least have your feet on the ground before running with the wind
We Nepalese are negative all the time.Our journalists feel happy when they get negative news against their own country. I think we have found the solution of the Maoists problem this time if eveything goes well. We have to support this SPA Govt. whole heartedly. The eight point agreement is a landmark document for peace in Nepal.
We have been so addicted to bad news is that we always wait bad news to come. For example, if there is no news of deaths (particularly at the time of Maoists-security forces battle),people used to ask ” Today nobody died ?”
i used to be confused optimist regarding the potics of nepal but this time i am quite sure that the nation will get a proper way out.this may sound like taking the side of maoist but maoits leader have vision to build the nation.i never mean to say all leaders but so calles high profile leaders.there are some visionary leader beneath the leaders who are suppose to lead the party and the government both.what i am trying to say is that this eight point understanig has brought the ray of hope for the beautiful dawn of new democracy.
thanks
..hola..hola..
yi congressi haru aba 1 month sutdainan..
kina thahachha,
kina bhane..yeso padhe lekheka jasta haru jo Girija laai swasti garera..hakim badahakim baneka chhan..aafno padhai laai congress ko bhakti bhaav garera karmacharitantra laai chakadi ko thalo banayeka chhan ..tini padhe lekheka jasta (who seem to) yesto pariwartan ko pakshya(side) ma hudainan…
these are not in favor of change..
hijoko,kura laai namanne sabai mandale ra congressi matra huna sakchhan…
I think our Home Minister Sitaula is a very smart person I have seen till now. He can manage all sorts of crisis situation. We have to congratulate him for the excellent job he has done at this hour of crisis.
He deserves Nepal Taara for this. But our medals have been so notorious that anybody having it is ashamed to wear it because of the King.90 percent of people wearing different types of medals are incompetent Chakaribaaj. So there must be the change of names of medals also and there should be only a few types of medals not a litany as we have now.This should be given to only desrving person and they should be not distributed as DHAUBAJI to 5000 persons yearly as we have been doing before.
What about the Birth day of the King which is coming on the 23rd of this month.The govt should decide about that and also on the medals distribution practice on that day.
The country develops if we can decide whom to reward and whom to punish impartially. If we do not have such system, our country will be based on Fariyabaad, Naatabaad, Partybaad and Kripabaad as always.Promote the people who really deserve. This also brings the culture of honesty in the society which has become very rare in Nepal.
“Its the people to decide whom to choose for New Nepal through CA.”
The people decide nothing. They have no guns,
“Maoist Party ran in elections back then. Lost. Then they entered jungle and picked up guns. Killed lots of people. They were then chased out. They wanted to talk and get nice. And run in elections again. What if they lose again? Go back to jungle and pick up guns? ”
No, they will not need to run back. They were handed the military victory when “the people” turned against their own army. Game over.