Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, July 5:

Human rights activists and analysts today called on the government to lift the terrorist tag from the Maoist leaders and the Red Corner notices against them so as to create an environment suitable for the peace process to begin. They said the dialogue between the warring factions is ‘definite’ if both the parties commit themselves to resolve the crisis.

“There will most certainly be a peace process if the government and the Maoists show their commitment to address the problem,” said human rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar, who was one of the facilitators in the previous rounds of peace talks. Speaking at a programme at the Reporters’ Club, Tuladhar further said the country needs a third party involvement from the international community, other than the United Nations, in view of the current situation so as to lead the peace process to a logical end.

Rights activist Sundar Mani Dixit, too, called on the government to lift the Red Corner notice against the Maoist leaders and be flexible on the issue of the constituent assembly. He said, “The state must guarantee security to the Maoists during the peace talks before bringing them to the negotiating table.” Calling on both the parties to make their agenda clear, rights activist Malla K Sundar said, “They should sign a Memorandum of Understanding and a committee to check their mechanisms should be formed.” He further called on the government to set up a “permanent peace secretariat” to deal with the peace process and the ongoing crisis instead of appointing different people for peace talks.