Peace will prevail once Maoists give up arms, says Oli

Kathmandu, November 18:

Permanent peace would be guaranteed after the Maoists promise to quit arms and also abandon their old behaviour and ways of working, deputy prime minister KP Sharma Oli said today.

Addressing the eighth general annual meeting of Nepal Film Producers’ Association, he said that the peace deal would be signed after the Maoists agree on arms and other related issues with the seven-party alliance.

“It is disappointing that the peace agreement could not be signed on the due date. Delay in the scheduled peace process will ultimately affect elections to a constituent assembly,” he said. “All our efforts should in one way or the other benefit the whole country and its people,” he said.

Maoist leader Ishwar Gyawali said that all social fields, including film-making, should now concentrate on ousting the age-old feudal system and convincing people that the state can be run without the King. “Films should represent the majority of the people. They cannot run away from depicting reality,” he said.

Finance minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said that no genre of art and culture should limit itself to social causes. “Film-making, as other forms of art, should not be limited to commitment. Freedom is necessary for development of art because even art cannot flourish under dictatorship,” he said. A dozen film-makers were felicitated for their contribution to the industry.