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Maoist internal rift stalls peace, statute writing

KATHMANDU, JAN 19 -
The peace process and constitution writing are likely to remain stalled for some period as the Maoist top brass are at a loss over sorting out some crucial issues due to their internal party dynamics.

Party leaders say Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai are not in a position to move ahead bypassing the Mohan Baidya faction. Any unilateral decision by Dahal on the pending issues of army integration, a major demand of opposition parties, could jeopardize his recently improved relations with Baidya. Dahal, therefore, has proposed opposition parties to go for a ‘package agreement’ on government formation, peace process and constitution writing.

Change in the government is the ‘best card’ Dahal has in his hand to placate both the party’s hard-line faction and opposition parties, mainly CPN-UML. But NC’s demand that only completion of army integration process will pave the way for the formation of a national consensus government has put Dahal in a difficult position.

The recently concluded Maoist Central Committee meeting had decided that the party will move ahead on all pending issues only after a concrete agreement in the seven-member party headquarters.

This will push the Maoist party towards indecision while forging consensus with other parties.

Maoist leaders have publicly clarified that the process to bid farewell to the combatants opting for voluntary retirement cannot begin without an agreement that Maoists will get the second position in the proposed directorate of the Nepal Army.

The compromise on rank determination among parties seems a tough job as the party’s hard-line faction is demanding second position in the NA. The CC has also decided that army integration should be ‘dignified’ and people’s constitution should be drafted.

Insiders said Dahal is not satisfied with PM Bhattarai as he took the decision to bid farewell to the combatants opting for voluntary retirement, which is against the suggestions made by PLA commanders. The opposition parties have flatly rejected the Maoist proposal that there should be political decisions for some important ranks. Few days ago, Dahal urged Nepali congress President Sushil Koirala to be flexible on ranks but the latter rejected stating that all issues should be resolved as per seven-point understanding. 

Maoists have also said that peace process will remain stalled without agreement on forms of governance. Dahal is rarely appearing at the meeting of Constitutional Commi-ttee of Constituent Assembly, where lawmakers from the Baidya camp are overturning the decisions made by Dispute Resolution Subcommittee.

Posted on: 2012-01-20 08:11

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