KATHMANDU, NOV 03 - A high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday concluded that the ongoing Maoist agitation breached the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and directed national security agencies to remain on high alert to maintain law and order across the country.

The government concluded thus at the end of a four-hour-long mee-ting chaired by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Tuesday, a day after UCPN (Maoist) took control of Dhankuta Municipality. The municipality seizure is against party policy, Dahal told reporters, but Baburam Bhattarai said the seizure was only symbolic.

All members of the Council of Ministers, Chiefs of Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, National Investigation Department and officials of the security cell of the Home Ministry participated in the meeting that assessed the Maoist agitation. 

The government also decided to inform the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) that the ongoing Maoist protest violated the CPA.

“We have directed the heads of security agencies, including the Army, to remain alert to respond to the Maoist agitation and maintain law and order in the country,” go-vernment Spokesperson and Minister for Information and Communications Shanker Pokharel told reporters. The government is determined to ensure law and order with the help of the police force. The Army will not be mobilised unless the CPA is challenged and the protest turns violent, Pokharel said.

The meeting concluded that the Maoist move of capturing Dhankuta  municipality and the protest programme related to blockade of Kathmandu Valley and  Tribhuvan International Airport and re-establishment of parallel structures across the nation violates the CPA. It also concluded that the programme to declare autonomous provinces on Nov. 9 bypasses the “jurisdiction of the Constituent Assembly to decide on state restructuring.”

Home Minister Bhim Rawal said the government is committed to abide by the CPA and is capable of maintaining the law and order situation. “We will only think of alternative measures within the frame of the constitution and law, if the Maoists go against the CPA,” he added. In the meeting, Prime Minister Nepal is learnt to have instructed officials not to provoke demonstrating Maoists but take “strict” measures to prevent violation of law.





Tension runs high as YCL, YF face off

DHANKUTA: Tension ran high in this hilly town as the Youth Force forced the district headquarters to shut down on Tuesday, protesting YCL excesses on Monday. According to the Youth Force, the YCL had torched nine motorcycles and vandalised a four-wheeler belo-nging to their activist at Sidhuwa. The Maoist district committee has denied involvement in Monday’s incident in a statement.

Attempts to find a solution through talks failed and the District Administration Office clamped overnight curfew to avoid possible clashes between YCL and YF.

The banda enforcers also torched flags and vandalised signboards at the Maoist office in the district headquarters.

YF and YCL cadre gathered at Madan Chowk and Bhhimnarayan Chowk respectively waving sticks and sharp weapons. Police, however, foiled their attempts to attack each other. 

Meanwhile, the local residents demonstrated in Sidhuwa Bazaar demanding security. Some 3,000 locals chanted slogans against the Maoists.      (PR)

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