Kathmandu, April 21

Four Maoist parties and the New Force Nepal led by a former Maoist leader today issued a joint statement calling the government to scrap conflict-era cases, claiming that such cases violated the Comprehensive Peace Accord.

The four Maoist parties are Mohan Baidhya-led CPN-Revolutionary Maoist, CPN (Maoist) led by Matrika Yadav and Revolutionary Communist Party Nepal led by Mani Chandra Thapa, besides ruling Unified CPN-Maoist led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Former deputy of UCPN-M Chairman Dahal, Baburam Bhattarai, who leads New Force Nepal, a democratic party, shunning the communist ideology, has supported the four former Maoist leaders to issue the joint statement.

They have asked the government to scrap all the conflict-era cases as per the CPA and resolve the others through reconciliation process. Maoists have accused the government that one of the most important organs of the state judiciary  has been gradually reviving the old cases violating the CPA.

They stated that the judiciary refused to transfer its jurisdiction to look into the cases of conflict-era to the two commissions formed as per the CPA.

“It is unfortunate that the state remains a mere spectator when the CPA signed by the state is being grossly violated by one of its organs,” the joint statement reads.

They demanded that the government should abide by the CPA and initiate action on the conflict-era incidents only under the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, instead of existing laws.

They also argued that although an agreement was reached to address the conflict-era incidents through the TRC, the cadres of the Maoist parties were arrested, detained and were subjected to legal action as if they were criminal.

The conflict-era issues should be addressed as per the past agreements, they reiterated, urging the government to act as per the transitional justice system.

Interestingly, CPN Maoist, led by Netra Bikram Chand refused to join Maoist leaders to issue a joint statement. “Who does UCPN-M want to scrap the conflict-era cases when the party itself is in the government?” asked CPN Maoist spokesman Khadga Bahadur Biswokarma.