Saturday, March 1, 2008
We will see they were wrong and we were right’ ---------MARK WILLIAMSON(FROM HEADLINE NEWS)
Groups in southern Nepal have pledged to end violent protests and a general strike after reaching an agreement with the government to set up autonomous regions in the Himalayan nation.
Minority groups have organised strikes, transport shutdowns and demonstrations to demand recognition of their rights. The protests left at least 80 people dead.
The agreement provides for the creation of regions with decision-making powers. Details, however, will be worked out after the election of a special Constituent Assembly on April 10, at which minority groups will be guaranteed at least 30% of seats.
The assembly is to rewrite the constitution and decide the nation's future political system.
In an exclusive interview with The Herald, Comrade Prachanda, leader of Nepal's Maoist Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN), said the erstwhile rebels were committed to multi-party elections for the assembly.
Prachanda, who led the Maoists in a bloody 10-year campaign to establish a people's republic by force, rejected suggestions the CPN was not committed to peace. He claimed the elections were an essential prelude to the transformation of the kingdom.
"When we participated in the peace process, we said if an election was held, any result we would respect," he said. "Time and again we have stated that."
The 54-year-old former teacher spoke with an ease at odds with his surroundings in the heavily guarded nerve centre of the Maoists' campaign in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.
Prachanda, who has led the CPN since 1996, took a swipe at sceptics and said: "We will win this election in a peaceful way and in a free and fair manner. We think that only then we will see that they were wrong and we were right."
Prachanda, whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also defended the Maoists from allegations that members of the Young Communist League (YCL), which is allied to the party, were engaged in a campaign of intimidation and extortion against opponents. Rivals, including the Nepali Congress Party, say the YCL's activities could make it impossible to hold free elections.
While Prachanda insisted the Maoists were unanimous in their support for the elections, some observers believe problems with the YCL reflect deep tensions between the so-called twin streams of the movement.
Those who support the peaceful electoral approach, including Prachanda, face stiff opposition from diehards who continue to advocate rebellion, although more than 10,000 people died in the war from 1996 to 2006.
Prachanda's comments came against the backdrop of the unrest in the Madhes, the plains area in the south. Demonstrations and strikes were backed by parties that claim plains people are discriminated against by an establishment of hill people, dominated by members of the Brahmin caste.
The unrest has stoked fears that it may be impossible to hold elections.
Dr Keshav Shakya, head of the Nepal Rastriya Party, formed to promote the interests of the 40-plus ethnic groups in Nepal, said all leading parties running in the elections, including the Maoists, had failed to recognise the needs of minority groups.
Prachanda insisted, however, the Maoist campaign had brought big practical benefits to excluded groups and the poor.
He said the problems were driven by feudal elements loyal to King Gyanendra, who took power into his own hands in February 2005 before relenting in the face of political protests in April 2006.
Leading members of the Seven Party Alliance, including the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party-United Marxist Leninist, as well as the Maoists, want to scrap the monarchy.
"Some people related to the monarchy and to the other side of the border in India do not want to have a republic. They want to have a Hindu kingdom," said Prachanda.
King Gyanendra has kept a low profile since being stripped of power after the April 2006 protests. However, there has been mounting speculation he may attempt a coup with the backing of the army.
Observers note he may be able to exploit discontent with the performance of Nepal's political parties, heightened by the unrest in the south.
Border blockades and fuel shortages have stoked disenchantment in a people who feel that, almost two years after the king was ousted, their lives have have not improved
¶ 10:56 AM Minority groups have organised strikes, transport shutdowns and demonstrations to demand recognition of their rights. The protests left at least 80 people dead.
The agreement provides for the creation of regions with decision-making powers. Details, however, will be worked out after the election of a special Constituent Assembly on April 10, at which minority groups will be guaranteed at least 30% of seats.
The assembly is to rewrite the constitution and decide the nation's future political system.
In an exclusive interview with The Herald, Comrade Prachanda, leader of Nepal's Maoist Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN), said the erstwhile rebels were committed to multi-party elections for the assembly.
Prachanda, who led the Maoists in a bloody 10-year campaign to establish a people's republic by force, rejected suggestions the CPN was not committed to peace. He claimed the elections were an essential prelude to the transformation of the kingdom.
"When we participated in the peace process, we said if an election was held, any result we would respect," he said. "Time and again we have stated that."
The 54-year-old former teacher spoke with an ease at odds with his surroundings in the heavily guarded nerve centre of the Maoists' campaign in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.
Prachanda, who has led the CPN since 1996, took a swipe at sceptics and said: "We will win this election in a peaceful way and in a free and fair manner. We think that only then we will see that they were wrong and we were right."
Prachanda, whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also defended the Maoists from allegations that members of the Young Communist League (YCL), which is allied to the party, were engaged in a campaign of intimidation and extortion against opponents. Rivals, including the Nepali Congress Party, say the YCL's activities could make it impossible to hold free elections.
While Prachanda insisted the Maoists were unanimous in their support for the elections, some observers believe problems with the YCL reflect deep tensions between the so-called twin streams of the movement.
Those who support the peaceful electoral approach, including Prachanda, face stiff opposition from diehards who continue to advocate rebellion, although more than 10,000 people died in the war from 1996 to 2006.
Prachanda's comments came against the backdrop of the unrest in the Madhes, the plains area in the south. Demonstrations and strikes were backed by parties that claim plains people are discriminated against by an establishment of hill people, dominated by members of the Brahmin caste.
The unrest has stoked fears that it may be impossible to hold elections.
Dr Keshav Shakya, head of the Nepal Rastriya Party, formed to promote the interests of the 40-plus ethnic groups in Nepal, said all leading parties running in the elections, including the Maoists, had failed to recognise the needs of minority groups.
Prachanda insisted, however, the Maoist campaign had brought big practical benefits to excluded groups and the poor.
He said the problems were driven by feudal elements loyal to King Gyanendra, who took power into his own hands in February 2005 before relenting in the face of political protests in April 2006.
Leading members of the Seven Party Alliance, including the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party-United Marxist Leninist, as well as the Maoists, want to scrap the monarchy.
"Some people related to the monarchy and to the other side of the border in India do not want to have a republic. They want to have a Hindu kingdom," said Prachanda.
King Gyanendra has kept a low profile since being stripped of power after the April 2006 protests. However, there has been mounting speculation he may attempt a coup with the backing of the army.
Observers note he may be able to exploit discontent with the performance of Nepal's political parties, heightened by the unrest in the south.
Border blockades and fuel shortages have stoked disenchantment in a people who feel that, almost two years after the king was ousted, their lives have have not improved
