Inside the gate, problem was represented by Madhav Kumar Nepal and Sher Bahadur Deuba. Both had this common complain: We were kept in dark about the understanding reached between the Prime Minister and Maoist Chairman.
Police were mobilized, you can say, to keep the Maoist cadres away from overtaking the main entrance of the Prime Minister’s official residence. Last time, several reporters recalled, arrogant Maoist cadres had overtaken the security of the gate and restricted the movement of journalist. There were very few Maoist cadres in sight today.
Dinesh Wagle (after moving around the PM residence for about an hour and half)
Wagle Street Journal
After that press conference, our destination was the residence of Prime Minister in Baluwatar where summit talks between the Seven Party Alliance and the CPN Maoist were about to start in an hour. A plate of Mo Mo in Everest Mo Mo, Naxal was necessary to keep us standing in front of the PM residence! The Mo Mo season has begun in Kathmandu (advance obituaries to buffaloes) and there was a big queue in front of the popular Mo Mo franchise in the valley. When we reached Baluwataar, we saw a bigger crowd in front of the PM residence. There was one similarity between those crowds: both were waiting for something. In Naxal, people were eagerly waiting for the Mo Mo to be cooked properly where as in Baluwatar, people were curious to know what was cooking inside the Nepali version of the 10 Downing Street. (The story continues after the box item)
Look, what they are fighting for:
By Ghanashyam Ojha
1. Interim Parliament : Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of the CPN-UML demanded his party should get at least one more berth than the Maoists in the interim parliament. Nepali Congress has 75 parliamentarians (including Upper House), UML 73 and NC (D) 42, besides other smaller parties in the parliament. Earlier, the leaders had agreed to give 73 berths to the Maoists in the upcoming interim parliament. “But UML insisted it should get 74 berths and if that does not happen the Maoists should get only 72 berths,” said Deputy Commander of the Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) Ananta. Today’s meeting also decided to add 10 more seats for NC, UML and the Maoists, and 8 seats for the NC (D), putting the total number of seats for them at 85, 83, 83 and 52 respectively. However, NC (D) President Sher Bahadur Deuba disagreed and demanded an equal number of extra seats for his party. A leader at today’ meeting preferring anonymity said Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala told the meeting that the NC was ready to share equal number of seats with UML and Maoists if other parties in the alliance agreed on its agendas.
Constituent assembly elections: Nepali Congress, NC (D) and the Maoists agreed to go for a mixed system for the constituent assembly elections (proportional and geographical), while the UML insisted on the proportional system. According to a leader at today’s meeting UML General Secretary Nepal said his party would not be obstacle if all other parties went for a mixed election system.
On the monarchy: Although Nepali Congress, NC (D) and the Maoists have already agreed to decide the fate of the monarchy through the first meeting of the constituent assembly elections, UML General Secretary Nepal pressed for referendum. The UML Standing Committee meeting held on Monday morning, however had decided that the party would not play spoilsport should all other parties agree that the fate of the monarchy be decided through constituent assembly.
Arms management and Maoist combatants: The seven parties and the Maoists expressed differences over the language to be used in the final draft while mentioning the issue of the arms management and the Maoist combatants. The seven parties said the draft should mention that the Maoist arms would be locked in storages within the designated cantonments. The UN will monitor the locks through close circuit camera, besides setting up sensor devices, which will sound the siren (or ring an alarm). Prachanda said the Maoists agree with the monitoring system but insisted the draft should not mention it in such a manner.
Similarly, the seven parties said the Maoist activities like extortion, display of arms in public and intimidation should be mentioned in the draft as punishable crimes. But Prachanda objected. The leaders couldn’t reach an agreement over the language to be used regarding arms management and the Maoist combatants.
A few dozen people were sitting on the street putting papers on their chests with different kinds of messages: SPA leave monarchy, Maoists leave weapons. Another read: [American ambassador] Moriarty go back to home. They were the members of ‘civil society’ and were there to ‘exert pressure’ on the talking sides to declare the dates of CA elections. I didn’t expect them there and I was slightly irritated by there presence. Why is all this drama necessary at this time when Maoists and the SPA are seriously engaged in talks? To make these talks success is not only necessity, but the compulsion of both sides. If these talks fail, the legitimacy of the government will be in doubt and Maoist will fall down in the eyes of the public. Are these Civil Society members trying to make their presence felt and want to share the credit? But it was their right to express whatever they feel about the talks.
It was around 4:40 a caravan of cars came honking and those sitting on the streets dispersed. Prachanda was inside one of those cars. Amik Serchen was there in another car.
Members of civil society staged sit on in front of the entrance of the PM residence to pressurize the talking sides to declare the date of the CA election.
Okay, the news is that the summit talk has been postponed till tomorrow morning. Everyone has this one question: what they might have talked about in those 5 hours this evening? Here is the answer: they didn’t talked, they quarreled. Some expressed their dissatisfaction on certain issues while others tried to convince the dissatisfied. Who are the dissatisfied? It begins with the gate of the PM residence. There were two folks: Pari Thapa and Nabaraj Subedi, the parliamentarians belonging to Jana Morcha Nepal, the breakaway faction of Deputy Prime Minister Amik Serchen. The duo was denied entry inside the residence. Both said that they were the genuine Jana Morcha, not Amik Serchen and Lilamani Pokharel who went inside the residence seated inside Serchen’s car. That was the problem outside the gate.
Where is Comrade Prachanda? It was difficult for photographers to capture Maoist Chairman Prachanda in their cameras as he arrived in Baluwatar apparently leading a caravan of cars (see the pic below). Here in the photo, a photojournalist checks whether he was able to get Prachanda in his camera.
Caravan of honking cars that brought Prachanda and others to PM residence.
Inside the gate, problem was represented by Madhav Kumar Nepal and Sher Bahadur Deuba. Both had this common complain: We were kept in dark about the understanding reached between the Prime Minister and Maoist Chairman. Then there were separate complains. Madhav Nepal repeated his stand that referendum must be held to decide the fate of monarchy. Sher Bahadur Deuba reiterated his hand that double lock system must be applied in Maoist cantonment. Remember the proverb “Hatti Chhiryo, puchhar adkyo” (Elephant passed but tail stuck)? The issues rose by Madhav Nepal and Sher Bahadur Deuba are puchhar (tail). The Hatti (elephant) has already passed through. Prime Minister and Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist Chairman Prachanda has agreed on the key issues and that’s the most important thing. We all know Nepali Congress has the biggest and most influential say in the government. CPN UML and other parties are just the extras in the show. They are trying to delay the finalization of the agreement just to give the impression that they tried their best to press their agendas in the talks. That’s it.
So there wasn’t any Summit Task per se. But yes there were several rounds of bilateral and multilateral talks among the 8 sides, mostly four sides- NC, NC D, Maoists and CPN UML.
Nabaraj Subedi (pictured, talking to journalists) and Pari Thapa were desperately waiting outside the entrance of the Prime Minister’s residence to be allowed to go inside and represent Jana Morcha in the summit talks instead of Deputy PM Amik Serchan.
United We Blog 
Comments
79 responses to “Summit Talk? No. Convincing Madhav Nepal and Sher Bdr Deuba? Yes”
Hey Bhudai, remember posting in April this year? Things do look better right now let’s just hope it keeps on getting better and that the SPA develop the spine to protest the Maoist abuses. Anyway can’t wait for their combatants and arms to be locked away under UN monitoring. Should bring the extortion down a lot!
All very confusing maoists have good public relations advisor….
Kirat:
If this comment was made by anyone else I would tell them they have no idea what they are talking about. But obviously, you have alot of first hand experience and plus you are a member of the business community and if you say things are better then there must be some truth to it.
However, Kirat, from what I read and hear things seem to be bad. The Moaist are in effect running a parallel government and they have completly disregarded the code of conduct agreement. They are hijacking army trucks, recruiting children etc. I don’t understand what this PEACE negotiations are suppose to achieve. I also have difficultly believing that the Maoist will just lock up all their arms and all of a sudden tame themslves. What incentive do they have (particularly the lower level cadres) to tame themslves and behave like legitimate citizens. They have become acustomed to bullying and intimidation to get their way. You mean to tell me now that they will give that up and get a regular job where their bosses will tell them what to do? I just don’t see that.
Plus Kirat, the Maoist don’t have any inventory of how much weapons they have. So how do we even know that’s all their weapons?
Also I think that the Maoist – if they run in a free and fair electios – will never win a majority. So you think they will just accept that and just become a regular party?
i cant help but laugh at these morons.
you know that the maoists are all there to help you wipe your ass by khaksi. phataha haru, timra baule ghus kha ko, janta marera kamako paisa le bidesh ma ramayera nepal ko indegenous movt lai gali dine? sala timeru tehi bhada majera baso bush ko chak dhoyera nepali lai lecture didai baso.
tai na tui.
its now our turn to rule!! rest you go to ‘bhad me’.
Well maobadi,
Without weapons you also resort to giving only galis to perfectly legitemate and sensible issue presented by Budhai Pandit.
If you are claming you can clean up Nepal then come with brooms and proper mind frame not with weapons. Also raise your level while commenting to others. DOn’t speak like typical low life maoist.
Let me see how you rule!!!!???? Will especially make sure that your a** is kicked so hard that will never gather up so much courage to speak nonsense.
Hey maobadi,
You guys are going to have gathering in Khulla munch this friday right and prachande claims that there will million people.
My advice to the army kill ’em all in khulla Manch making sigle “CHIHAN” for all maoist and finish everything once and for all and create a new Democratic Republic Nepal free of maoist in any form.
well we’ve heard all that since long. you dont dare see us eye to eye forget about rest.
haven’t you all seen the our julus in kathmandu previously? come friday you’ll get to see the greatest ever human sea in ktm. you ghuhayah samanta’s children will only then know how much we’re loved by the people.
Well maobadi,
Ofcourse all maoist are loved by maoists and cadres. If they also don;t do that then who will sit beside you. Forget about Nepali people. If you use arms any one will pretend to follow you.
If I show you gun and ask you to follow me you will do the same as if you are following me with utmost respect.
Always express yourselves outside the perimeter of your arms. Then see how difficult it is to get people to your side. Takes lots of dedication and hard work. That kind of respect then lasts for life time.
Remember “Banduk me GOLI sakiyo, support pani sakiyo”. That will happen soon.
If you guys are so confident about some many people supporting you then why are not giving up arms. Everyone knows that without arms you guys are just mere humans beings, and with arms you are terrorist.
Freedom for All you get todays award of king of the crap Pyre Lall will pass it to you as he got the award yesterday but I am sure it will return to him soon, so do not worry yourself.
Bhudai, you need to get a proper perspective, that’s why I asked you to remember April? With the ineffectual and brutal state army/security force and a brutal maoist insurgency, out of touch dictator king, hopeless/ineffectual politicians, ruthless rebel leaders and a giant neighbour who it often seems wants our country to burn, Nepal could have gone to flames so easily. Sure things could easily get worse too but it’s much better than it should have been from what it was in March.
I know the Maoists extortion and bullying is still going on but it’s not as bad as it used to be. Besides people have even dared to oppose it know-something not quite possible a year ago. I don’t know how well it will be done but there is an agreement for the Maoists to turn in their arms for UN monitoring. We could only have dreamt of this a year ago!
Relax man, look at the bigger picture!
dont worry man, we’ve agreed to lock up the arm. if things go as per our plan we’ll give them up. we’re not afraid of facing people coz we knwo they’re with us.
right with you maobadi
maobadi, you and your ilk would do well to remember that last line. whenever politicians and their chamchas talk about the ‘people’ you know they are lying.
Well Kirat,
The bigger picture only is the problem. Still prachande wants maoist to walk around with weapons. We don;t want that. He opposes to the agreement that its is illegal to walk around with weapons.
Its a perfectly legitemate question that how many weapons do maoist have? You lock up 20,000 weapons and still find out later that there are still 10,000 more lying around.
In this case prachande should make it clear how much weapons they have, how many soldiers they have.
Since maoist claim that they don’t want voilence why do they want key to the weapon storage? Let it be with UN. Let it not be with Nepal Army or maoist.
Another problem, he doesnot know how may army they have how much weapons they have. See the bigger picture Kirat.
Bye the way where did that maobadi go? I guess he lost his weapon. LLOOOLLLLL
you guys are too farfatching the facts.
we all know that the imperialist forces especially the bush and his henchmen are hatching conspiracies to stop us from coming into power. the cia and raw could do anything. even gyane and some other section could try to assasinate our leaders. they must be thinking on the line of gonzalez. they’re daydreaming. we’ve already calculated that as well. if tomorrow something happens to our leaders you’ll get to see what we’re up to.
but if we think that things have come to a normalcy then we’d give up our arms.
Mero Desh-so you want to abuse them to death? Or just think that they can be wiped out with the use of the Nepal Army? Wishful thinking. Unfortunately I have been following the Maoists uprising from 1996 till now and they are a resilent lot. Also you have to accept the fact that a lot of Nepalis do support them, not your type of people perhaps but Nepalis living in Nepal nevertheless. Wishful thinking won’t make them go away. I just want to give peace a chance. Anyway if the Maoists betray the agreement for arms surrender we can always resume hostilities with them. I am sure the US and India are itching to help stoke the flames if it comes to that. But that’s the easy course isn’t it? War and more war.
Kill for gain or shoot to maim
But we don’t need a reason
The Golden Goose is on the loose
And never out of season
Some blackened pride still burns inside
This shell of bloody treason
Here’s my gun for a barrel of fun
For the love of living death
The killer’s breed or the Demon’s seed,
The glamour, the fortune, the pain,
Go to war again, blood is freedom’s stain
But don’t you pray for my soul anymore.
2 minutes to midnight,
The hands that treaten doom.
2 minutes to midnight,
To kill the unborn in the womb.
The blind men shout “Let the creatures out
We’ll show the unbelievers.”
The napalm screams of human flames
Of a prime time Belsen feast … yeah!
As the reasons for the carnage cut their meat and lick the gravy
We oil the jaws of the war machine and feed it with our babies.
The body bags and little rags of children torn in two
And the jellied brains of those who remain to put the finger right on you
As the madmen play on words and make us all dance to their song
To the tune of starving millions to make a better kind of gun.
Well Kirat,
I condemn war but for the peace process maoists should come out with clear vision for path towards peace process. It is easy to take a weapon and start revolution, but difficult to come back by giving up the voilence.
Don’t come up with conflicting issues like resuming extortion, asking for donation.
If they have so much of support from people why do they need to go to people’s houses asking for shelter forcefully? Why are we getting reports of childern being given arms and training forcefully? Why there is news that maoist didn’t allow the developmental activities to resume? Why are they not abiding by the code of conduct?
I want answers for so many of these why?why?why?.
Atleast stop all these activities and gain some respect and confidence in people that they are commited towards peace and negotiate with government.
Path to the peace is very long but has to be started with a single step.
Well framed Eddie. The irony of todays world.
Mero Desh-you said it yourself in your last line. Aren’t you glad the first steps have been taken? Yeah it will take time and I am sure it will get rough at times. But we Nepalis must not given into extremist views-like they say extreme left and extreme right end up meeting at the same point.
Kirat,
Take my word for this also. I don’t the peace process to be destroyed after all the effort has been given to reach there.
Hatti aiyo hatti aiyo fussa “NA HOS” . After taking all the painstaking task to reach at concensus just to find out that it has been blown away in seconds, would bring complete disaster to the country which I don’t want happen.
So while taking steps to peace lets make sure that we don’t let anyone destroy in seconds.
Kiart:
As much as I applaud your optimism, I simply don’t believe that it’s as rosey as you make it out to be.
Look, what concerns me is the idea that the Maoist seem to think there is nothing wrong with the exthortions, child recruitment etc. The government even offered to feed the Maoist army. If the Maoist were serious they would have accepted that proposal and stopped this ‘goonda giri.’ Also what is with the Maoist going around and operating people’s court, arresting people etc. Prachanda and the Maoist leadership has made no mention of these issues! It doesn’t matter that its ‘less’ then before – the very fact that the Maoist think its okay to disregard the law and do what they please is worrying.
I would also like to give the peace process a chance. However, I feel that Prachanda and Grirja aren’t on the same page. At the end of the day what matters is that people (especially in rural Nepal) are living in peace and security. However, for most of the people the Maoist autrocities continue and things are no different than they were in April or March… Business still have to cater to the whims of the Maoist cadres and they can do whatever they please. Only now Prachanda, Baburam and Mahara parade in SUVs, meet diplomats etc.
… so I don’t think things have really changed in the bigger picture.
maobadhi:
maybe you can answer some of the questions. Why don’t you guys just ask the government to feed you instead of exthorting money from people? why are you guys still forcefully recruiting children?
see the govt has difficulty feedin us ‘illegals’ so they aren’t giving money to us. so after we reach a pact, after we settle down in some ‘cantonments’ then only they said they are ready to give us money to feed our army. so once it happens the donation etc will reduce. but the other thing is they’re not going to support our cadres or militias so some sort of arrangements had to be made.
some of the guys at some places show highhandedness thats quite normal. you know after acquiring power it is difficult to give it up. so take it easy.
as per children’s question, there might be some cases but mostly it is overhyped. dont you see children working in karpet garment and other karkhanas? don’t you see children begging? don’t you see children working as nokers in your houses, in hotels? aren’t they recruiting all? so why fuss? agreed, there are some unnecessary use of force but we’re trying to check that as well.
If tomorrow you guys declare that you will stop the donations and lay down your arms the government will have no choice but to feed you! So why don’t you guys do this? If you are confident that the ‘people’ are behind you, why not give up your arms now? You know it would give you guys so much more power. Plus if you stop the exthortions and other activities, you would get alot of public sympathy.
But more importantly, are you cadras ready to give up their arms become regular citizens and go out and get a regular job like everyone else?
Hey guys: there is a good news for all of us (well not for darbariya dalals)!
the spa and the maoists finally reached to an agreement. all eight leaders have signed the 15pt agreement.
they did it! (can you guess they stayed up to 1 am at night and they’d started 8am in the morning).
hurrah!!
i’d wish all you the best….
Maobadi,
The midnight pact gives hope to millions of Nepalese people about peace if not about prosperity. However, your excitement is nothing but folly. This pact gives the people of Nepal an opportunity to be free from the disgusting maoist clutches. People are happy not because the SPA has give you a chance to sit in the government, but because they think your tyranny will reduce and you will learn some lessons about how it is to be involved in free democracy.
And note on thing down, your excitement will surely last after the ca polls in which your destiny is no more than 20 per cent. Enjoy the legislative and government until then, but please don’t go to the jungle again after you lose in the polls as you did before.
Khaita ta naya update? Padhna mann lagisakyo bhanya. Chitto!!