Kathmandu, August 29

Agitating Madhesi and Tharu forces today set their preconditions for talks on constitutional issues.

Responding to the invite sent by Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, United Democratic Madhesi Front and Tharuhat/Tharuwan Joint Struggle Committee wrote to the PM saying the government must meet their conditions for talks.

One of the key conditions the UDMF has put is that the Constituent Assembly should halt the constitution making process for negotiation to succeed, said Upendra Yadav, chair, Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal, a constituent of UDMF.

UDMF set four conditions, which include government commitment to respect the 22 and eight-point agreement signed with Madhesi parties, withdrawal of Nepali Army and Armed Police Force from Tarai districts, martyrdom for those who were killed during the recent protests and free treatment for the injured.

“The government is clamping curfew in Tarai districts and security forces are shooting at protesters. How can we hold dialogue with the government or the major parties?” Yadav wondered.

Gopal Dahit, CA member of Tharuhat Tarai Party-Nepal said the Tharuhat/Tharuwan Joint Struggle Committee made it clear that it would come to the negotiating table only when the government prepared the grounds for talks.

Preparing grounds for talks, Dahit added, means that the government must withdraw Nepali Army from riot hit districts, withdraw cases filed against Tharu cadres in Kailali, Kanchanpur, Bardiya and Nawalparasi districts, release those who have been arrested in recent weeks and provide compensation to those whose houses were set on fire or demolished by a group of people during curfew in Kaiali district.

Dahit said the Tharu forces also wrote in the letter that the talks should happen with all six leaders of the major parties, including PM Koirala, senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli, UCPN-M Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai and Madhesi Jandhikar Forum-Democratic Chair Bijay Kumar Gachhadar.

The PM’s Press Adviser Prateek Pradhan said if the agitating forces were serious, there was a possibility that the government could meet some of their conditions, but the agitating parties should not use the opportunity to delay the constitution making process.

Pradhan said the government was serious about dialogue with the agitating parties and the latter should also take the invitations positively.

“It is always possible that many things get resolved on the table,” he added, when asked to comment about Madhesis’ demand that the government should express commitment to respect past agreements and the Interim Constitution.