September 18, 2007
Maoists Quit Government,
Plunge Nepal into Uncertainty By Sudeshna Sarkar
Kathmandu
After 170 days in government, Nepal's Maoists Tuesday walked out of
the ruling coalition, accusing Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala
and his Nepali Congress of trying to save unpopular King Gyanendra.
They also pledged to start a new "people's revolt" for the abolition
of monarchy.
"We have left the current government but we will form the government
soon," Barsha Man Pun, known by his nom de guerre Ananta, deputy
commander of the Maoist guerrilla army, told IANS minutes before the
rebels' promised mass meeting in the capital, where they would
announce plans for their new protests on the streets of Nepal's
towns.
"We have given our resignation," Maoist spokesman and Information
and Communications Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara told the media
after walking out of a meeting at Koirala's residence Tuesday noon.
"We have quit because there was no positive response to our 22
demands... It is going to create a crisis in Nepal's politics."
However, Mahara said his party was not breaking off the ceasefire it
had signed with the government.
The Maoist leader blamed foreign governments for the crisis, saying
their interference in Nepal's internal matters had increased. The
upcoming election, he said, would degenerate into a farce.
All four Maoist ministers in the government have submitted their
resignations. Besides Mahara, they include Physical Planning and
Works Minister Hisila Yami, Local Development Minister Dev Gurung,
and Women, Children and Social Welfare Minister Khadga Bahadur B.K.
Though Maoist supremo Prachanda held hectic parleys with Koirala and
leaders of two other major parties in the ruling alliance Tuesday in
a last-ditch attempt to reach a compromise, the effort failed as
Koirala, backed by the international community, refused to abolish
monarchy before the election.
Koirala also refused to change the mixed electoral system chosen for
the November election.
The Maoists last month came up with 22 demands, including scrapping
Nepal's 238-year-old monarchy through a parliamentary decree and
adopting a fully representational electoral system.
These are Maoists' major demands. They are also asking for the
integration of their People's Liberation Army with the Nepal Army, a
proposal regarded with wariness by the army, their traditional foe.
The Koirala government was also asked to disclose the whereabouts of
over 1,000 people missing in the course of the 10-year-old "People's
War", pay compensation to their families, and provide support to the
people who became disabled while taking part in the pro-democracy
movement that ousted King Gyanendra's 15-month regime.
It was apparent Monday that the talks would break down after Koirala
ruled out abolishing monarchy ahead o election through parliament,
pleading that the international community would not accept it as the
current parliament is not elected.
Hundreds of Maoists began marching from different parts of the
Nepalese capital, shouting slogans for the abolition of monarchy and
waving red flags.
A wave of fear, tension and uncertainty swept through the city, the
people fearing fresh violence and strikes.
The pullout is likely to have a severe impact on the November
election that is regarded critical for restoring peace and stability
in the conflict-torn Nepal.
Janadesh, the mouthpiece of the Maoists, Tuesday indicated that if
the government failed to declare Nepal a republic, the election
would not be held.
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