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Oppn urges Maoists to enforce peace deal

KATHMANDU, JAN 10 -
The opposition lawmakers on Tuesday said there was no connection between the forms of governance and the peace process and urged the UCPN (Maoist) not to obstruct the army integration process on the pretext of resolving the intra-party differences.

Addressing the House session, they termed the Maoist reluctance to implement the army integration deal and postponement of a farewell programme to the combatants opting for voluntary retirement as ‘blackmailing.’ The NC and the UML lawmakers argued that the progress in the peace process should not be conditional on issues that fall under the jurisdiction of the Constituent Assembly (CA).

“It is blackmailing to argue that the peace process will move only if there is an executive president. The issue regarding the prime ministerial or the presidential system is to be decided by the Constituent Assembly,” said NC lawmaker Ram Sharan Mahat. “The form of governance has no relation with the army integration and farewell to combatants choosing voluntary retirement.”

Last week, Maoist lawmaker Janardan Sharma told the parliament that the army integration process could not make headway unless there was progress in constitution making. He had stressed that technical issues like ranks and bridging course should be settled before the integration process began.

Addressing the parliament on Tuesday, Mahat urged the Maoists to abide by the November-1 peace deal that commits for integrating up to 6,500 combatants in the Nepal Army (NA). The deal, according to Mahat, allows the NA to decide on ranks, bridging course and training to be imparted to the combatants who have been selected for integration.

“We cannot confer the title of a general or colonel of the Nepal Army on the Maoist combatants without checking their eligibility. Their demand for senior ranks is a grave violation of the agreement,” said Mahat. Citing that a NA officer should spend at least 23 years to reach the post of lieutenant colonel, the NC leader urged the Maoists not to raise baseless issues.

He threatened that his party would backtrack from implementing the peace deal if the Maoists were not serious about its enforcement. UML leader Pradip Gyawali was also critical of the Maoist reluctance to implement the pact and the Maoists’ preparation to lunch street protests demanding a ‘people’s constitution.’

Gyawali claimed that the Maoists have been using the combatants as a bargaining chip and acting against their sentiments. He urged the Maoist leadership to trust the Nepal Army, which supported the declaration of republic, and asked them to hand over the combatants opting for integration to the Army.

“We are happy that the Maoists are closer to settling disputes within their party. They should not block progress of the peace process in the name of consolidating the party,” added the UML lawmaker.

Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party lawmaker Jitendra Sonal expressed worry about growing mistrust between the Maoists and the Nepali Congress. He said a new constitution cannot be promulgated within the CA’s current deadline if inter-party wrangling continues.



No-shows hit House session

KATHMANDU: The parliament has deferred deliberations on legislative issues for a week due to dismal presence of lawmakers in Tuesday’s session.

At least 149 lawmakers are required to convene a House session but the number was only 132 during a headcount. UML lawmaker Ram Nath Dhakal demanded a headcount claiming the session was convened without meeting a quorum.

The House was scheduled to endorse Saarc a convention on nuclear science and technology and take up Higher Education bill, Nepalgunj and Rajashree Janak University bill, bill on Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition bill. The next session has been called for next Tuesday.

Posted on: 2012-01-11 08:37

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