For the record: This is probably the best year in centuries for our country Nepal where we are seeing series of ground breaking decisions and agreements that will have long lasting impact on the future of Nepalis. After the historic success of the April uprising that upheld our political rights and civil liberties, today we have seen yet another historic agreement between the Seven Party Alliance and the Maoists rebels. [The summit talks held between the top SPA and Maoist leaders at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s official residence at Baluwatar on Monday Tuesday reached the agreement. Leaders were engaged in talks for as long as 21 hours continuously.] This is indeed a moment of reflection and celebration. God, we suffered so much in the past. Yahoo! we have bright days ahead! There is a notion that democracy doesn’t function in non-Christian society or that people can’t do anything in a backward country like Nepal. But the recent events in Nepal have shown the world that there is something others can learn from us: what people can do when they are united! Tyrants fall and even armed rebels are forced to opt for the peace.
While celebrating, we must realize that this is not the end. We have a long way to go. The talk process is still fragile and both SPA and Maoists will have to deal on small but important details. We the people must be vigil, constantly, over what’s going on around us. To make the election of CA a success is our responsibility as well. To use the election for the benefit of peace and democracy is our responsibility. There needs continuous pressure over our leaders as well. The pressure must be exerted on both sides: Seven Party Alliance and the CPN Maoist.
Key Points of The Agreement
– Comprehensive peace accord by Nov 16
– Interim Constitution by Nov 21
– Interim Parliament (330 members) by Nov 26
– Interim government by Dec 1
– Parliament will announce the Interim Constitution and Interim Parliament will endorse
– Constituent Assembly with 425 members [205 members will be elected from current 205 constituencies as per the rule of ‘person with majority of votes will win’, other 204 will be nominated by the parties as per the nationwide popular vote they get in the election. The interim cabinet will nominate the rest 16 seats]
-Voting age: 18 years at the time of the promulgation of interim constitution. Mixed voting system will be applied.
– First meeting of the CA will decide the fate of monarchy by simple majority
– Maoist will set up cantonments in Kailali, Surkhet, Rolpa, Palpa, Kavre, Sindhuli and Ilam, separate their arms from their combatants, and lock them in storage by Nov 24. Only the arms necessary to guard the cantonments will be outside the cantonment. The key of the lock will be with the Maoist. Three additional small cantonments will be around the main one.UN will observe the process and install record and siren equipment. UN will inspect the storage at the presence of the concerned party (NA). A detailed technical procedure of the camera monitoring will be prepared by the UN, Nepal government and the Maoist.
-Nepali Army will be confined into barracks as per the commitment expressed in a letter sent to the UN. It will be ensured that their arms will not be used for or against anyone. Nepali Army will store amount of arms and ammunitions that is equal to the amount stored by the Maoist army and locked up. The key will be with the Nepali Army. [UN related provisions are same as mentioned in previous point]
– The security of Maoist leaders will be managed as per the understanding with the government.
– 2046 BS (mid April 1990 is the cut off date for citizenship eligibility
-SPA and Maoist will form committees on mutual understanding in local district, city and village development committees
– Truth and reconciliation commission will be formed to find truth about those who are involved in crime against humanity and violation of human rights at the time of armed conflict, and to create harmony in society.
– A high level commission will be formed to make public the whereabouts of situation of those said to be disappeared by the Nepal government and the Maoist in the past.
– The process of returning the houses and lands captured will be intensified. Ensure the atmosphere in which internally displaced citizens could return back. A committee represented by both sides (SPA and the Maoist) will be formed. All these things will be done within a month
– Maoist and the state will publicly announce that they have taken back all charges and allegations slapped against political leaders and cadres and political prisoners on both sides will be released immediately
– The king will have no right whatsoever in governing the country.
– All properties of the late king Birendra, late queen Aishwarya and their families will be brought under the government of Nepal and a trust will be formed to use the property.
-All palaces at different places, forests and national parks, historical and archeological heritage sites etc that belong to Gyanendra as the King will be nationalized
– The parliament will be dissolved after the interim parliament is set up.
– Peoples’ government, peoples’ court functioning under the Maoist and all other Maoist machineries related to regime will be dissolved on the day interim parliament is formed.
– Interim parliament will be run on the basis of political consensus.
– Interim parliament will not include people who were against the Peoples’ Movement [of April]. Bam Morcha, a member of the SPA, will be given some seats as per the mutual agreement as they don’t have representation in the current parliament.
– Interim cabinet will be formed on the basis of mutual understanding.
– The concept and values of independent judiciary will be followed.
– Judiciary will be made committed to the interim constitution, democracy and the spirit of the Peoples’ Movement.
– Constitutional Court will be established to look into remedies of disputes related to Constituent Assembly
– A high level joint committee will monitor the implementation of agreements and understandings
– The government will take action against anyone who violates the law, code of conduct, agreements and understandings and brings them under the law.
– All parties are free to present themselves in the election of the constituent assembly with the issues like republic, economic-social transformation, referendum, election systems in which no common agreement could be reached.
– A high level commission will be formed to advice for the state reconstruction.
– The constituent assembly will decide on the national restructuring.
– Common minimum programs for economic-social transformation to end all forms of feudalism will be implemented on the basis of mutual agreement.
– Policies to implement scientific land reform programs to end the feudal landownership will be formulated.
Different opinion of UML (At the end of the agreement, after the signatures of all top 8 leaders of 8 parties, is a note of disagreement by UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal)
Our party has following differences of opinion even as we have agreed to implement all above decisions because all other parties have agreed to do so.
1. There must be referendum, along with the election of Constituent Assembly, to decide whether to keep monarchy or not.
2. Proportionate voting method will be the most democratic form of voting to be opted in the election of Constituent Assembly.
United We Blog 
Comments
73 responses to “In Nepal, A Historic Agreement Is Signed By Maoist and Ruling Alliance”
I don’t know if this is the “greatest day in the history of Nepal”, but its significant given its recent history.
We still have to be vigilant as far as the Maoists are concerned. Locking up their guns was a very good idea. We just have to make sure that that is enforcable.
Finally, hope…….
hope you guys could now realize that the maoists this time are serious, not just buying time to reconsolidate the strength.
i know you guys have biases towards the maoists but thats ok. your class, your upbringing wont let you see beyond your nose.
the maoists will now onwards work for peaceful transformation of nepali soceity.
but if people try to bully the maoists, then they’ll get to see what we can do.
we’ll change the world.
It is fantastic that the politicians have made this deal, But I think we also need the last guarantee that the king can not spoil this all, as he will, if he is in a position of authority even as a powerless king, either in 2007 2008 2009 or 2010, we need the last guarantee of this great hard earned achievement, a republic, of equals, democratic and free, with all the freedom and rights that make Nepal the highest country in terms of geography and the people’s achivements,
Maobadi,
We all know that you are serious !!!!
YOU ARE SERIOUS TO GRAB MONEY AND POWER BY KILLING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE MORE SERIOUS.
JUST A FEW EXAMPLES TO SHOW HOW SERIOUS YOU ARE AFTER YOU SIGNED THE PEACE DEAL:
A PREGNANT WOMEN WAS KILLED
A GIRL COMMITTED SUICIDE UNABLE TO BEAR YOUR TORTURE
CADRES OF NEPALI CONGRESS (DEMOCRATIC) WAS BRUTALIZED IN KATHMANDU, IN OTHER PARTS ACTIVIST OF NEPALI CONGRESS AND NEPALI CONGRESS (DEMOCRATIC) WERE KILLED.
A 70 YEAR OLD ELDERLY WAS REPEATEDLY HIT ON ALL LIMBS WITH BLUNT KHUKURI, JUST BECAUSE HE WAS MEMBER OF NEPALI CONGRESS.
YOU HAVE FORCED PEOPLE TO FEED AND SHELTER THE MAOIST TERRORISTS.
WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE MORE SERIOUS…….ARE YOU PLANNING A GENOCIDE TO KILL MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AS COMMUNISTS DID IN CAMBODIA?
OR ARE YOU GOING TO FOLLOW THE PATH OF YOUR UNCLE STALIN IN RUSSIA?
THERE IS A LIMIT.
I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE CROSSED THE LIMIT AND VERY SOON YOU WONT BE FINDING YOURSELF IN POWER BUT IN SOME UNIMAGINABLE CONSEQUENCES WHEN PEOPLE WILL START RISING AGAINST YOU.
Helicopter you are well named as you are headed for an almighty crash
wont deny that there have been some mistakes. but some are overblown. exaggerated.
man you got to realize that we also have some unwanted elements within our parties. we’re not perfect. nobody is.
don’t you realize how difficult it is for us to convince those guys who cant analyze the situation that we’re in. they still believe that it is possible to win over the state militarily, which the top leadership has realized is not possible. even if it is possible to win, it is not possible to retain it. so we have now changed the way. we’ll now win over the state by winning the heart and mind of the people.
Well there goes your memory , cut the crap !!
I named it Helicopter after Prachanda and his wife accompanied Baburam Bhattarai in a Helicopter to come to Kathmandu to have a first ever talk with Prime Minister. If you thing its heading for almightly crash, who knows………its what you said. There is a saying that there is power of spoken or expressed words. Who knows maybe there is some power in your expression as well.
A chinese proverb: “Be careful of what you wish for”
Well Maobadi, thanks for your rational comment.
I understand it pretty well, Mr Mahara himself stated in his speech for BBC that Maoists had to join hands with SPA as armed conflict was heading nowhere. I had hoped that Maoists must have realized and understood this fact. However observing at the activities of Maoists after siging of truce, I can say that Maoists are doing nothing other than to terrorize people and promoting violence.
Well, its upto Maoists now, whether to go back to jungle and resurrect civil war or be responsible politicians.
By the way Maoists, just read the banner behind Prachanda in todays Press Meet, you guys have made a mistake in the name of Lenin.
Lenin has been written as Lelin in the banner…..go to http://www.nepalnews.com and check the photo. I am sure that you both i.e. cut the crap and Moabadi are somewhere in Europe now and are still awake.
Maoibadi,
I hail your optimism and determination about the political agreement.
But your spectacles which see your opposition as a byproduct of class interest is nauseating. You know what no one in this whole world can tell which ‘class’ s/he belongs to. The ‘class consciousness’ is a silly, stupid approach to life itelligently constructed by Marx 150 years ago. The communists’ claim that their political party belongs to the poor and/or working classes have already been proved fallacious by CPN-UML, and Maoists are now in the queue to prove that again.
Remember, people have their consciousness, but no class. Can you tell me which class you belong to? Or, how much wealth puts a wo/man into a certain class?
Human beings live not on the basis of their ‘class consciousness’, but on the basis of their needs and interests which are formed beyod class or castes. Class and castes are just the pretexts used by the rich people and communists to decieve others.
Maobadi,
comrade buddy, I know you try your utmost to sell the “good” stuff, but if it were true that “there WERE mistakes in the past” that is one thing, the problem dear commie is that there ARE still mistakes being made TODAY! Do you understand this?
sanjeev, i understand your point. the ‘class’ and ‘class consciousness’ is ‘the complex’ and ill-defined concept in marx.
but let me tell you one thing: class (take this for the time being as plainly in economic terms) matters.
class matters because it socializes you in the milieu that you’re in. this is nurturing process. and has a far reaching impact; imperceptable it maybe (or is) at the outset.
but there is another part in it, the nature. some of the qualities that you have are inborn. natural gift. some are more favored by the nature some are less.
the ‘chemical reactions’ between nature and nurture produce interesting compounds.
ask yourself, what is it that forces you to abhor, detest the very word communist. has it not to do anything with your family background? and because of your being born in certain ‘class’, isn’t your thought process moulded in certain way?
Touche maobadi,
Don’t yoiu all abhor the others who donot subscribe to your views because of your upbringing and indoctrinated ways?
We are only human, not scientific robotic machines, that is why democracy is the path to live even with the differences due to different circumstance for a better, democratic future, where we can choose every now and then who should govern.
MAOBADI,
TOUCHING SPEECH BUT ALL BULLSHIT!
PEOPLE ARE BORN IN DIFFERENT SOCIO-ECONOMIC STANDARDS AND THEIR THOUGHTS ARE MOULDED BY THOSE ACQUIRED AND ASCRIBED ATTRIBUTES….THATS WHY CHILDREN ARE SENT TO SCHOOL, EDUCATED, ENCOURAGED TO CIVICALY ENGAGE…TO REALISE THEIR DIFFERENCES, AND DIMINISH PREJUDICES.
PEOPLE DO NOT HATE COMMUNIST BECAUSE OF THE ‘CASTE’ OR ‘FAMILY BACKGROUND’ OR ‘BEEN SHAPED’……THEY HATE IT FOR THEIR HISTORY, THEIR MOTIVES AND THEIR ACTIVITIES AND WHAT IT REPRESENTS. COMMUNISM HAS NEVER SUCCEEDED ON A LONG TERM BASIS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. EVEN IF IT DID, ONLY FOR A GRIM PRICE OF THE SUPRESSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. COMMUNISM REPRESENTS ONE DIMENSIONAL IDEOLOGIES N STRATEGIES..WHICH CAN NEVER SUCCEED IN THE COMPLEX MULTI-DIMENSIONAL 21ST CENTURY.
PEOPLE WHO HATE OTHER THINGS BECAUSE OF STEREOTYPES SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN PLACE IN ANY DECISION MAKING SCENERIO. WHEN MAOISTS SAY THEY BELONG TO THE POOR PEOPLE..THEY ARE ALREADY MAKING A BIG MISTAKE AS LEADERS..DIVIDING AND PROMOTING DIFFERENCES..
you may think that you’re given choices to select who should govern. but where is the choice?
and where is the competition?
when in an election you have to spend unimaginable amount of money, isn’t is always the prerogative of the thugs and thieves to run the show?
don’t preach us democracy.
Agreement was born in a cross fire hurricane.
Next step for Maoist will be acceptance of quasi-capitalism as their end goal, repentance of their past atrocities (amnesty for their actions) and portfolios that will have immediate and lasting effect in the lives of people- Agriculture, education and Employment Ministry. They will try their best to placate the general public of their good intentions but all this will be in vain for they DO NOT Believe in it. Unless you assume Nepalese Maoist are cut above Bolsheviks, Red Army and many other failed communist regime.
But SPA are the ones who have shot themselves in the foot. SPA fault lies in being too vindictive and having crossed eyed vision of the reality and utter lack of moral authority and determination to bring Maoist to fold rather they have gone into their fold. This irony will play in our lives for years to come and will create hiccups along the way.
The worst of all is this fact- that Nepal, a soverieng nation, is now a mere satellite of India. The truth is humbling and painful.
To all,
We have to celebrate historic agreement for better Nepal. Our aim is a republic of Nepal. Then we will change world.
Maobadi,
Who you are? Please donot confuse.
The choice dear commie is elections, a free and fair one.
AHAHA HAHAHA… GOOD STATEMENT.. NOW I’LL TELL U EXACTLY WHY U NEED TO BE PREACHED!!
THE PROBLEM WITH YOU MAOISTS IS YOUR WHOLE PREMISE IS WRONG..YOUR MASTERPLAN, YOUR HISTORY, EVERYTHING IS A FAILURE..YA YOUR LEADERS MIGHT BE MODEST AND SUPERB BUT IT DOESNT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, WHEN YOUR AIMS ARE DRIVEN BY FAILED CONCEPTS.
YES, ALL THE RUNNING PARTY LEADERS ARE CORRUPT THUGS, TOO OLD, GOOD FOR NOTHING…HOWEVER U MISS THE POINT!…ITS ONLY THE PPL WHO ARE WRONG IN THIS CASE…NOT THE DEMOCRACY THAT WAS ALWAYS THERE AND TRUE.
Maobadi,
That is (my ‘class’) exactly the reason why I abhore class perspective as an interpretive basis of social phenomena.
I was born in a family which was one of the poorest in our poor community. My parents struggled very, very hard even to feed us and buy us good clothes. Till now, my parents own nothing more than an old house and the land covered by it. In spite of that, I am against communism.
I have studied Marxism in university. Beyond that I have been teaching Marxism in the university for the last five years. In spite of that I hate his perspective.
I honestly do not know what determines the way I think and live. But I am dead sure it is not class.
sanjeev,
it was ncie talking you and to learn about you. i’d like continue the debate but at the moment i’m a bit busy. will catch you after a while.
Whatsoever Maoists try to do ther are the Bloody rivals. the only thing i can say for the maoists is “[icd]
It seems clear that the Maoists’s war was not for no purpose; they fought, pursuaded and own an opportunity of a New Nepal for the people. It is up to we the people, to decide whether we want to take advantage now for no more necessity of blody campaign for a decent life or remain complaining and criticizing forever.
Sure Recipe for Disaster…ELECTIONS will not be free of fear of Maobadi who only have to spread rumours of unaccounted hidden weapons and their past record of violence to keep away voters who may not expected to vote for them..they will also force the election officers and staff to help in booth capturing..just have to learn a few tricks from political goondas of our southern neighbour..