Kathmandu
Nepal's Maoists Tuesday quit the government, announced boycott of
the Nov 22 elections and decided on a "street revolt" to get rid of
monarchy, as hundreds of their cadres began a march into capital
Kathmandu burning effigies of King Gyanendra.
"We had to resort to a street movement because the other seven
parties in the government are still carrying the carcass of monarchy
on their shoulders," senior rebel leader Baburam Bhattarai said at a
mass meeting in the heart of the city Tuesday after the party's four
ministers tendered their resignation from the Girija Prasad Koirala
government.
After 170 days in government, the Maoists quit the government
Tuesday, blaming Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and foreign
intervention - which primarily meant India - and announced the first
phase of their protests that includes a three-day general strike and
surrounding district administration offices nationwide on the day
the candidates would register their names for the November election.
Bhattarai said his party would not heed the code of conduct enforced
by the Election Commission from Tuesday. Nor would it follow the
election schedule, which means an effective boycott of the election
as well as active opposition.
After 1999, general elections could not be held due to Maoist
opposition and now it seems history is to repeat itself on the eve
of the crucial constituent assembly election where for the first
time voters would choose between Nepal's 238-year-old monarchy and a
republic.
On Sep 30, when candidates register themselves, the rebels have
announced they would encircle the district administration offices.
It would be followed by a three-day general strike from Oct 4-6.
Though two of the bigger parties in the ruling alliance, deposed
prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's Nepali Congress (Democratic) and
the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, tried to
bring about a last-minute compromise, the talks broke down, as
Koirala refused to talk to the Maoists.
"He woke from his sleep to speak for 10-15 minutes and then went off
to sleep again," an angry Bhattarai said. "Our ministers waited for
nearly two hours to submit their resignations to him."
The four snubbed Maoist ministers finally gave their resignations to
Koirala's deputy, Peace and Reconstruction Minister Ram Chandra
Poudel.
"We have given our resignation," Maoist spokesperson and Information
and Communications Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara told the media
after walking out of a meeting held at Koirala's residence. "We have
quit because there was no positive response to our 22 demands."
Besides Mahara, the other three are Physical Planning and Works
Minister Hisila Yami, Local Development Minister Dev Gurung, and
Women, Children and Social Welfare Minister Khadga Bahadur B.K.
It was on the cards that the talks would fail after Koirala, backed
by the international community, Monday refused to abolish monarchy
before the election.
He also did not agree to change the mixed electoral system 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 their major demands, though they are also asking for
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 "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.
Torch rallies began in Chitwan, Nalawparasi and Rupandehi in the
south as well as Parbat where Maoists began "performing the last
rites of monarchy".
From Wednesday to Friday, they will go from door to door, taking
their cause and grievances to the people.
For six days from Sep 29, they will launch an "exposure" campaign,
going public with details about people they say have robbed the
national exchequer, including those indicted by a commission set up
to probe the misdeeds of the royal regime.
Fear and tension as the fate of the election remained uncertain.
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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