Ishwar Khanal

Kathmandu, July 23:

The Nepali Congress-Democratic (NC-D) has described the Maoist insurgency as a political problem and has said forging alliance with them is a distant move unless they give up violence. In an extensive discussion amongst the top leaders today, the party described the Maoist insurgency as a political problem that needs a political solution through dialogue if the Maoists ensured a conducive environment for talks. The party is still not clear on whether to forge a working alliance with the Maoists and says this would be a distant move unless they give up violence. Some members, however, strongly opposed the idea of forging alliance with the Maoists. The NC-D central working committee members today discussed on Maoist supremo Prachanda’s proposal to the seven-party alliance to form a talks team. The party, however, clarified that there can be no working alliance with the Maoists unless they give up violence, which the NC-D labelled is the major obstruction.

“There is a lot more to be accomplished by them (Maoist) besides dialogue,” NC-D central leader Dr Prakash Saran Mahat said, adding: “the party is not against holding dialogue with the Maoists. But the major obstruction is violence which they have still not given up.” Dr Mahat said the Maoists’ major demand of a constituent assembly could be the issue of a ‘meeting point’ with the Maoists. Dr Mahat labelled possibility of working alliance with the Maoists as distant. “How can there be a working alliance of a peaceful movement with violence?” he asked, saying: “NC-D is not against holding dialogue but the major question is ‘will the Maoists fulfil their commitment of not attacking party cadres and armless people?’”

“Dialogue and working alliance cannot go together,” party leader Homnath Dahal said, adding that there can be no alliance unless they give up violence. However, party spokesperson Dr Minendra Rijal said peace could be restored only through dialogue. “I can only say that without dialogue with the Maoists, peace cannot be established,” Rijal said. The CWC meeting

of the party will be continue on July 27 at the party office, Maharajgunj.