Kathmandu, January 15:

Stating that the state should take the responsibility for yesterday’s Maoist attacks at several places in the Valley, human rights activists today urged the government and Maoists to reach a truce and work for peace. Condemning the Maoist attack on police posts in the valley, activists said both warring parties should sort out their differences at the negotiating table.

Krishna Pahadi, former chairman of the Human Rights and Peace Society urged for peace and blamed the government for daring the Maoists to take to the battlefield during the latter’s unilateral ceasefire. He also condemned vice chairman Tulsi Giri’s comment that the government had broken the back of the rebels. “Let’s have peace, instead of deaths of another 13,000 Nepalis,” he said, adding the government was prolonging war in order to preserve the monarchy.

Charan Prasai, chairman of the Human Rights Organisation of nepal said the morale of the police has hit rock-bottom and they are not even daring to look askance at the Royal Nepal Army’s visits to their posts. Maoists took advantage of the situation by invading

the police posts in combat dress and posing as army men, he said because it was the RNA’s practice to conduct scrutiny of police posts.

“The state should specify the role of the police — whether they ought to play an active role in the battle or not. The state should also properly train policemen if it wants them to be at the forefront of the battle. Failing this, they should be protected,” Prasai said.

Human rights activist Gauri Pradhan said the trend of the Maoists posing as army men and the army personnel posing as rebels was against the norms of war.

He warned Nepal could be listed under Item 9 in the next Geneva Convention if the

government and Maoists fail to sort out their differences. In case of listing under Item 9,

UN intervention could not be ruled out, he added.