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Envoys advised calling off political protests: Koirala
KATHMANDU, OCT 21 - Nepali Congress (NC) President Girija Prasad Koirala on Monday revealed that political parties had called off their last-ditch agitation prior to September 4 on the advice of foreign envoys who had promised positive announcement
from King Gyanendra on their initiatives.
"Let me tell you that we had soft-pedalled on the agitation on the prompting of foreign envoys. Inter alia, they had promised positive announcement from King Gyanendra at his convenience," Koirala told reporters at his residence on Monday.
He also said that it was the US, British and Indian ambassadors who had come calling on him to tell "me to call off the agitation since the country could not withstand any more unrest." The envoys were of the view that since the nation was already facing unrelenting Maoist insurgency, any further unrest could be dangerous.
It may be recalled that The Kathmandu Post had reported the instances of foreign envoys telling Koirala to call off the agitation just days before September 4. While the US and British envoys had met Koirala jointly, the Indian envoy had met him separately. In fact, the Indian ambassador had conferred with Koirala twice following September 4 in connection with the current constitutional crisis.
Meanwhile, Koirala also defended himself for calling off the five-party agitation which was entering a last-ditch phase, saying, "How could I not take the advice from nations which are the champion of human rights, mother of parliamentary democracy, and is known as the largest democracy of the world." Koirala said this, referring to the US, the UK and neighbouring India respectively.
Koirala, who renewed his vituperation against King Gyanendra for failing to take positive steps as assured by the foreign envoys, also pointed out at the growing militarisation as an indication of the eventual likelihood of King Gyanendra usurping power.
He also pointed out at the growing civilian tolls resulting from the firepower coming from both the army and the Maoist rebels. In fact, Koirala once again reiterated the fact that the NC was a centrist outfit and thus could not be ignored whenever it came to thrash out a solution out of the political crises.
"The solution certainly lies in restoring the House of Representatives. This is because only it can pave the way for the resolution of the demands put forth by the rebels," Koirala further said, adding that the movement which was being revived would not come to an end at the end of a compromise. "It is being expected to put an end to the crisis with the king."
He also said that King Gyanendra should not miscalculate the strength of the political parties just because they had eased off the movement largely because they had "received assurances to this effect."
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the five political parties have flayed the current policies of the government as something which indicate at the growing militarisation and as efforts to lend continuity to the regressive regime.
The meeting held at the office of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi), and also attended by Sushil Koirala of the NC, Bharat Mohan Adhikari of the CPN-UML, Lilamani Pokharel of People’s Front Nepal, Sunil Prajapati of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and Rajendra Mahato and Sarita Giri of the NSP (Anandi), decided to publicise further protest programmes after the festival of Chhat.
Meanwhile, the meeting confirmed the special protest programme slated for October 22 to be held in the capital.Posted on: 2003-10-20 11:08
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