Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, April 1:

Leaders of major political parties today said the King’s ambition, irresponsible behaviour of the political parties in the past 13 years and the Maoists’ radical thinking were responsible for the current political situation in the country. They said peace cannot be restored by suppressing civil liberties, political parties and imposing censorship on the media. They said the Maoist insurgency would further intensify under the authoritarian rule.

“The government is trying to convince the international community that the February 1 move was inevitable to end the ongoing Maoist violence. But the government’s activities for two months are more intended at controlling the legitimate forces, not the Maoists,” central working committee member of the Nepali Congress Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said at a programme organised by the Human Rights and Peace Society.

He said the legitimate forces should come up with a common stance on the Maoists, democracy and the universally accepted rights norms. Mahat said that a legitimate way of resolving all problems is activating the House of Representatives. “There is a growing consensus among the political parties that “inclusive democracy” is the need of the hour to resolve all national problems, including the Maoist insurgency,” he said.

Central committee member of the CPN-UML Subhas Nembang said the political parties failed to properly utilise the 1990 Constitution in favour of the people even as it was more progressive than the previous ones. He said the five agitating parties were preparing a draft of the basic principles of “complete democracy,” based on which the parties would launch a peaceful movement. Nembang further said that the country’s problems would never be resolved by appointing those persons “excavated from political burials” in top posts.

Dr Narayan Singh Khadka of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) said the February 1 royal move was taken by using ‘internationally best-selling’ rhetoric such as control of corruption, fight against terrorism and good governance. “But these rhetoric failed to muster support of the international community as the move itself was based on the wrong principle. Rather, the 61st session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva is comparing Nepal’s current situation to that of war-ravaged Sudan,” Khadka said. He said the main challenges ahead of the legitimate forces is how to maintain “proximity or distance” with the King.

Co-general secretary of the RPP, Khem Raj Pandit, said the parties were facing a great difficulty in supporting the two “guns” as both of them were “undemocratic”. It is necessary to hold a dialogue between the King and the political forces,” Pandit said, adding, “For this, the government should create a conducive environment.”