'Time will prove I was correct'

INTERVIEW WITH PRACHANDA

"Ups and downs‚ and turns keep coming. However‚ this time it was intense and it left a different impression. It was like labour pain that brings happiness after birth"

The recently UCPN-M Central Committee meeting could go a long way in changing the ways of the party and the party leadership. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” decided to address calls for “reforms” from the second rank leadership. Now that the turbulent times are over‚ “Prachanda” looks ahead and says peace and constitution writing processes will take a significant leap.

He spoke with THT’s Tika R Pradhan. Excerpts:

Some decisions of your party’s recent Central Committee seem to be harsher than the party’s earlier stance. How can you convince other parties?

We had an extended CC meeting because we had to deal with internal struggle and issues of national importance. But we have passed the work plan on peace‚ constitution and consensus. It is not true that our decisions are harsh.

How can you forge agreement on withdrawing dual security and on army integration?

Remove dual security for leaders who didn’t become ministers is problematic. The state should provide alternative security.

We accepted the NA proposal for integrating PLA under its directorate. All other integration issues will be finalised after discussions‚ including who will lead the directorate. All PLA combatants must be fit for the security forces. Unit-wise integration will be best for both NA and PLA.

Is regrouping and preparing first draft of constitution possible by August 31?

It is possible provided the NC and Madhes-based parties are serious. Forging agreement on all issues in a package will be best. We are close to agreement on three issues — number of combatants to be integrated‚ modality and rehabilitation package. Regrouping will begin after we agree on the three tasks.

How will you prepare the first draft when there is no consensus on state restructuring‚ forms of governance and electoral system?

We are close to consensus on forms of governance with executive president. All parties agree on proportional and inclusive election system in principle. The issue of state restructuring is a bit complex. We can put differing views in the index and take the decision of the majority to the people through the first draft of the constitution.

What will happen to the five-point deal with the CC’s cabinet reshuffle decision?

We don’t have differences on forming national consensus government and taking the peace and constitution drafting processes ahead. Nobody should confuse our cabinet reshuffle decision with the five-point deal‚ but without consensus the PM’s resignation would be useless. Sending a new team to the cabinet was purely our party’s internal issue of ensuring inclusiveness. It won’t affect the five-point deal.

Isn’t the decision to send one vice-chairman to the existing cabinet and the other to lead the national consensus government conflicting?

No. Dr Baburam Bhattarai is second in rank after Kiran. Kiranji is not in CA‚ so he will not be the PM candidate. It’s now Bhattarai’s turn to lead the government. Narayan Kaji Shrestha ranks third. So he will lead the party in the incumbent government.

Demands have been raised for the general secretary’s leadership in government and NC has been saying you should lead the government.

If the party wants‚ anyone can become PM‚ even a CC member‚ if the party decides. It’s wrong to say Bhattarai cannot complete the peace and statute drafting processes.

When will you hand over leadership of the Parliamentary Party to Baburam Bhattarai?

We have not taken any decision in this regard.

Leaders who initiated the signature campaign claim you are in minority. Don’t you have to step down on moral ground?

That’s a wrong proposition. I have never been in minority. We cannot accept signature campaigns from outside the party committees. Firstly‚ it’s not true that they have garnered majority against me. Secondly we cannot consider issues that don’t appear in the CC. Thirdly‚ all leaders were for my leadership. So there is no question of resigning on moral ground.

The leaders harassed you a lot this time. Ups and downs‚ and turns keep coming. However‚ this time it was intense and it left a different impression. It was like labour pain that brings happiness after birth.

Leaders have united against your supremacy in the party. Why?

I think raising questions is normal. That has happened in the past. Now the party is in open politics‚ it has grown in both national and international fronts. So internal struggle has also become more intense.

It’s been two decades that you have not held a national convention. Why are you afraid of democratic practice within your party?

I am not afraid. During the war‚ we could not hold a convention. But we organised the second national conference in 2000. We organised unity convention from which we emerged as Unified CPN-Maoist. The latest CC has decided to hold a national convention.

Leaders have accused you of not implementing collective leadership endorsed two years back.



I don’t agree. We have been practicing collective leadership since long. I don’t accept the leadership is centralized. The party should examine this. Holding the chairman responsible for all the ills is not justifiable.



Leaders say you have become opportunist‚ arrogant‚ reformist etc. What do you say?

These are wrong allegations. If we agree with the change in politics‚ achievements of the decade-long people’s war‚ it’s against Marxism to oppose the leadership. Changes in society will prove that my leadership was correct.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 29, 2011)

'Peace‚ statute possible by Aug 31'

Lots need to be done‚ but so far so good: Maoist chair

TIKA R PRADHAN

KATHMANDU: Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said regrouping of Maoist combatants and preparation of the first draft of the constitution were possible by August 31.

In an exclusive interview with THT, Chairman Dahal said he was confident to say — on the basis of discussions with other parties and decision of his party’s central committee meeting — that the parties were very much in the position to achieve the goal.

Stating that his party will resume talks with other parties in a day or two, Dahal said, “We can forge agreement on three issues — determining the number of combatants to be integrated, modality and rehabilitation package — in a day.” He said regrouping will begin as soon as the parties forge consensus on the three tasks as survey teams were ready and offices had already been set up at all cantonments as well as in Kathmandu. “As we are all ready with the technical aspects, regrouping is possible in a month.”

On preparing the first draft of the constitution, the Maoist chairman said the parties were close to consensus on forms of government with executive president, which could be finalised in one or two sittings. “It’s not that difficult to forge agreement on election system as all the parties, in principle, agree on proportional and inclusive election system.”

He added that the debate though existed on the approach to make the election system proportional and inclusive. “The state restructuring issue is a bit complex though,” admitted Dahal but simplified, “Even if we fail to forge consensus, we’ll put all the views in the index and take the decision taken by the majority to the people through the first draft of the statute. It’s that simple, I suppose.”

On party’s internal struggle, he said the central committee has yet to take a decision on handing over the leadership of the parliamentary party. “The party, however, has unanimously decided to send Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai to lead the national consensus government,” said Dahal, who conceded that the CC meeting recently witnessed some intense moments with ‘all the leaders ganging up against me.

Thus spake Dahal

• Internal struggle intense than ever

• Cabinet reshuffle party’s right and it won’t affect five-point deal

• State restructuring a complex issue

• I have never been in minority

• Our work plan does not have a concrete proposal

• All the PLAs must be fit for security forces

• Agreement on three issues — number, modality and rehabilitation package— possible in a day

• The changes in society will prove that my leadership was right

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 29, 2011)

'Peace‚ statute possible by Aug 31'

Lots need to be done‚ but so far so good: Maoist chair

TIKA R PRADHAN

KATHMANDU: Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said regrouping of Maoist combatants and preparation of the first draft of the constitution were possible by August 31.

In an exclusive interview with THT, Chairman Dahal said he was confident to say — on the basis of discussions with other parties and decision of his party’s central committee meeting — that the parties were very much in the position to achieve the goal.

Stating that his party will resume talks with other parties in a day or two, Dahal said, “We can forge agreement on three issues — determining the number of combatants to be integrated, modality and rehabilitation package — in a day.” He said regrouping will begin as soon as the parties forge consensus on the three tasks as survey teams were ready and offices had already been set up at all cantonments as well as in Kathmandu. “As we are all ready with the technical aspects, regrouping is possible in a month.”

On preparing the first draft of the constitution, the Maoist chairman said the parties were close to consensus on forms of government with executive president, which could be finalised in one or two sittings. “It’s not that difficult to forge agreement on election system as all the parties, in principle, agree on proportional and inclusive election system.”

He added that the debate though existed on the approach to make the election system proportional and inclusive. “The state restructuring issue is a bit complex though,” admitted Dahal but simplified, “Even if we fail to forge consensus, we’ll put all the views in the index and take the decision taken by the majority to the people through the first draft of the statute. It’s that simple, I suppose.”

On party’s internal struggle, he said the central committee has yet to take a decision on handing over the leadership of the parliamentary party. “The party, however, has unanimously decided to send Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai to lead the national consensus government,” said Dahal, who conceded that the CC meeting recently witnessed some intense moments with ‘all the leaders ganging up against me.

Thus spake Dahal

• Internal struggle intense than ever

• Cabinet reshuffle party’s right and it won’t affect five-point deal

• State restructuring a complex issue

• I have never been in minority

• Our work plan does not have a concrete proposal

• All the PLAs must be fit for security forces

• Agreement on three issues — number, modality and rehabilitation package— possible in a day

• The changes in society will prove that my leadership was right

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 29, 2011)

'Peace‚ statute possible by Aug 31'

Lots need to be done‚ but so far so good: Maoist chair

TIKA R PRADHAN

KATHMANDU: Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said regrouping of Maoist combatants and preparation of the first draft of the constitution were possible by August 31.

In an exclusive interview with THT, Chairman Dahal said he was confident to say — on the basis of discussions with other parties and decision of his party’s central committee meeting — that the parties were very much in the position to achieve the goal.

Stating that his party will resume talks with other parties in a day or two, Dahal said, “We can forge agreement on three issues — determining the number of combatants to be integrated, modality and rehabilitation package — in a day.” He said regrouping will begin as soon as the parties forge consensus on the three tasks as survey teams were ready and offices had already been set up at all cantonments as well as in Kathmandu. “As we are all ready with the technical aspects, regrouping is possible in a month.”

On preparing the first draft of the constitution, the Maoist chairman said the parties were close to consensus on forms of government with executive president, which could be finalised in one or two sittings. “It’s not that difficult to forge agreement on election system as all the parties, in principle, agree on proportional and inclusive election system.”

He added that the debate though existed on the approach to make the election system proportional and inclusive. “The state restructuring issue is a bit complex though,” admitted Dahal but simplified, “Even if we fail to forge consensus, we’ll put all the views in the index and take the decision taken by the majority to the people through the first draft of the statute. It’s that simple, I suppose.”

On party’s internal struggle, he said the central committee has yet to take a decision on handing over the leadership of the parliamentary party. “The party, however, has unanimously decided to send Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai to lead the national consensus government,” said Dahal, who conceded that the CC meeting recently witnessed some intense moments with ‘all the leaders ganging up against me.

Thus spake Dahal

• Internal struggle intense than ever

• Cabinet reshuffle party’s right and it won’t affect five-point deal

• State restructuring a complex issue

• I have never been in minority

• Our work plan does not have a concrete proposal

• All the PLAs must be fit for security forces

• Agreement on three issues — number, modality and rehabilitation package— possible in a day

• The changes in society will prove that my leadership was right

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 29, 2011)

Maoists to deal with problems in package

Leaders agree to take the issues to central committee meeting today

TIKA R PRADHAN

KATHMANDU: Top leaders of the Unified CPN-Maoist today agreed to resolve all the issues, including party's plan of action and work division, in a package.

Leaders, who are divided between the establishment and a new-found alliance, claimed that they agreed to resolve all the differences in a package through the central committee.

The Maoist party has been in the public eye in recent times, with speculations rife that the party could witness some dramatic events as two strong forces — one led by Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and another by his deputies Mohan Baidhya and Baburam Bhattarai — sitting tight on their agendas.

However, the agreement reached during a meeting of the party office bearers today at Dahal's residence in Naya Bazaar has dispelled fears among the party rank and file. A leader present in the meeting said the leaders agreed to finalise the work division in the party — a top demand by Baidhya-Bhattarai alliance — through the central committee. "Dahal was adamant on his stance on peace and the constitution and said he would never compromise with anyone on these two issues," said the leaders. A leader close to Vice-chairman Baidhya said Dahal has agreed on work division and he has given up his earlier assertion of taking all the issues to the lower committees. "He has also agreed to lead the party by correcting the past mistakes."

The central committee meeting to be held tomorrow will deal with all the prickly issues, including the change in the Maoist team in the government, said a pro-Dahal leader.

Referring to the meeting held on Thursday, standing committee member Dev Gurung said the chairman was lingering on the issue of handing over the leadership of the parliamentary party. "At first he said he would hand over the leadership in a few days. Later he sought a month and now he is saying he will give up the PP leadership only after August 31," said Gurung.

"When we wanted his commitment in writing, he refused." Referring to voting as a way out, Gurung said the chairman also refused to sort out the issues through 'certain process'. Chairman Dahal had held separate discussions with all the top leaders, who have been campaigning against his sole authority in the party, today. He discussed the issues with Ram Bahadur Thapa as well.

Amid this, the issue of sending a new team to the government has been shelved for now, at least till the CC meeting reaches a decision on work division.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 23, 2011)

Dahal dodges the danger

Seven standing committee leaders with him‚ Shrestha stays neutral

TIKA R PRADHAN

KATHMANDU: Unified CPN-Maoist Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who was till yesterday driven to a corner by his deputies, came out unscathed at the standing committee meeting of the party held today.

“Dahal today stood tall with seven standing committee members standing by him,” claimed Haribol Gajurel, a politburo member close to Dahal. “Vice-chairmen Mohan Baidhya and Baburam Bhattarai got support from only six standing committee members. Three stayed neutral.”

The Baidhya-Bhattarai alliance, however, had claimed to have mustered enough support, with another Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa in their fold.

According to Gajurel, Dinanath Sharma, Amik Sherchan, Lilamani Pokhrel, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Post Bahadur Bogati and Barshaman Pun vehemently opposed what they called Baidhya-Bhattarai alliance’s ‘immoral act’, including the signature campaign against the chairman. Shrestha, Thapa and Giriraj Mani Pokhrel maintained neutrality today, said Gajurel.

The six leaders of the alliance include Baidhya, Bhattarai, CP Gajurel, Dev Gurung, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and Netra Bikram Chand.

Nonetheless, Vice-chairman Shrestha refused to accept that Dahal had majority in the standing committee. He said there was an agreement among five office bearers not to speak during today’s meeting. “Things are moving ahead positively. The party will try to resolve all the outstanding issues through standing committee by forging an agreement among the leaders. If the standing committee fails to iron out the differences, the issues will be taken to the central committee,” said Shrestha. “We will first try to sort out the issues at office-bearers’ level.” But he admitted that there was danger of things getting complicated if the issues were taken to the central committee. “And this could invite serious division,” he said.

Standing committee member Pun said the issues would be presented at the central committee if the leaders failed to address them during Friday morning’s meeting.

Sources claimed that though the Baidhya-Bhattarai alliance had urged Chairman Dahal to resolve the issues through standing committee, the latter cited recent development and said he was for sorting out the problems through central committee.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 22, 2011)

Baidhya-Bhattarai team claims majority in CC

• Set to table a proposal today to clip Dahal's wings • Shrestha jumps on the bandwagon

ARJUN BHANDARI

KATHMANDU: Unified CPN-Maoist Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidhya and Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai, who have recently teamed up against party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s 'autocracy', today claimed to have mustered support of majority of the party’s central committee to clip the chairman’s unlimited powers off.

Dahal controls the party organisation, parliamentary party and Maoist fighters.

Sources said the Baidhya-Bhattarai faction was all set to table a proposal at tomorrow’s CC meeting to make Bhattarai the next prime minister to lead a national consensus government to be joined by the Nepali Congress.

Leaders close to Baidhya and Bhattarai claimed that as many as 74 CC members of the total 146 (two of them are suspended) are believed to have sided with the Baidhya-Bhattarai camp.

This was confirmed after the disgruntled faction held its separate meeting at Dhobighat-based Siddhartha Cottage in Lalitpur, where Nar Bahadur Karmacharya, the founding leader of the Communist Party of Nepal, was also present.

Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha, who was initially reluctant to side with the Baidhya-Bhattarai faction, also joined hands along with his loyals, according to sources.

As per the plan, Baidhya will be spearheading the party’s powerful organisation department, Bhattarai will become the parliamentary party leader and ultimately the next prime minister, and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa will lead Maoist combatants.

But Post Bahadur Bogati, who is close to Dahal, said the decision made in such a meeting would be 'meaningless'.

Emerging from the meeting, Vice-chairman Shrestha said, “The party leadership has become autocratic. So, we need to finalise work division from top to bottom.” Shrestha, however, made it clear that the signature campaign was not aimed against any individual but was meant to 'transform' the party leadership through work division.

Senior Vice-chairman Baidhya said the meeting was called to discuss work division, which would be presented at tomorrow’s CC meeting, which has been deferred time and again following internal rift over work division. Dahal though is not against giving the parliamentary party leadership to Bhattarai, he wants to hand over the baton only after August 31, when the CA’s three-month term expires.

The Baidhya-Bhattarai faction has also decided to send Shrestha to the Khanal-led government with the responsibility of deputy prime minister and home minister. Shrestha will lead the Maoist team in the Khanal-led Cabinet until Bhattarai replaces Khanal, added the sources.

But sources close to Dahal said the party chairman might also call a national council meeting if he was reduced to the minority in the CC meeting. Sources said Dahal commanded absolute majority in the national council which might overturn the CC decision.

Climate change adaptation challenge

A communication perspective

LAL DEOSA RAI

As there are hundreds of community broadcasting stations in Nepal‚ it is a matter of public concern how effective they have been in creating community awareness about climate-change adaptation‚ through participation in planning‚ in production and consumption of climate change media content

There is uncontestable evidence that human induced climate change is inevitably leading the world to ecological disaster with grave human implications. With steady but sure irreversible impacts on human life and livelihood, the disaster is particularly threatening the most vulnerable developing countries of the world.The question often raised is about the role that the media are playing or can, and should play to create people’s awareness and to impel them to action about how to confront and minimize or eliminate that threat of climate change.

What type of media, and through what type of communication process and content can the problematic issues of climate change be addressed effectively? For the decision-makers at the international level, the world climate change messages are reached through the mass media and other institutional channels, and they may influence the global thinking about the local problems. But, at the ground implementation level, the role of community media is stressed on the assumption that this type of media has the appropriate structure and potentials of conduct and performance to effectively particularize issues of climate change with meaningful messages .

Because of the existence of indigenous inter-personal channels of communication, the concept of conservation of forest for fortification (van-durga), for religious purpose(devithan), and as a source of water resources (dhap) has become common to the Nepalis from generation to generation; they plant saplings on the portion of their land where they perceive danger of mud slides. or landslides (pahiro roktham), and they build embankments (bandh) to control the flow of flooding rivers or rivulets. Indigenous communication network spread the message of self-reliant private climate resilience efforts.

The significant change in this communication process is the inclusion of the concept of climate change, which is admittedly a consequence of the Industrial Revolution.

Nepal became more aware of the nature of world climate change when it was awarded The Montreal Protocol Implementers Award for the year 2007, for its contribution towards global efforts for protection of the ozone layer from depletion, and consequently from various health hazards. Very recently, the rural communities in three districts of Nepal were awarded handsomely in cash by an international climate change organization in recognition of their efforts for developing carbon sinks by way of community forests in their villages. To enable the least developed Nepal to minimize adverse effects of climate change, the Climate Change Fund has announced to provide it more than US$ 100 million, partly in grant-in-aid and partly as a long- term soft loan.

The rural communities are becoming more aware of what they are doing to ward off the effects of the global industrial cause for which they are not responsible. The localized meaning of this happenings are communicated to the developing rural community through inter-personal as well as mass media channels, which are structured as integral parts of the larger social system. We view these channels as the social structure functioning as sub-systems within the larger social systems to perform the task of making essential contribution to facilitating innovations, adaptation, empowerment and progress towards behavioural and cultural change, besides providing information about climate change events and conditions.

Mahabir Pun’s Nepal Wireless (with the Internet) Networking Project is a case in point. The threats posed by climate change vary from country to country and so also the capacity to deal with them. The status of adaptation awareness in Nepal is reflected in the development policy and programmes, and strategies for community forestry, or for building warning systems for communities living in the Himalayan flood prone areas, or for setting up a system of protection from flash floods. However, the farmers in Nepal face more challenging issues of climate change like deterioration or failure or fall in productivity of their cultivated land, livestock or aquaculture. They tend to translate climate change effects into fatalism, and are hardly able to comprehend the implications of global warming and power wrangling at the international level, like the Kyoto Protocol,or the Montreal Protocol. Given the fact that there are hundreds of community broadcasting stations in operation in Nepal, it has become a matter of public concern how effective have they been in creating community awareness about climate change adaptation through the process of participation in the national and local level planning, in production and consumption of climate change media content.

A basic level climate change message impact study of community broadcasting programmes may help to address this concern. It may reveal how the grassroots communities gain control over a) their social and economic conditions, b) their democratic participation within their communities, and c) their narratives. And, relate them to the climate change issues.

Major shake-up in Maoist party on cards

• Dahal to propose fresh set of ministers • Shrestha to become DPM • Reshuffle in organisation

TIKA R PRADHAN

KATHMANDU: The Unified CPN-Maoist, a key ally of the Jhala Nath Khanal-led government, is preparing to reshuffle its members in the Cabinet, in a move party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal seems to be taking to assuage his deputies Mohan Baidhya and Baburam Bhattarai.

It is expected that Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha will lead the party in the government as deputy prime minister and minister for information and communications.

Sources close to Dahal today claimed that the chairman was preparing to call back all the ministers representing the party, save Prabhu Sah, and send a whole set of a new team in the government.

Prabhu Sah, who is minister for law and justice, will retain his portfolio.

The move comes at a time when Vice-chairmen duo Baidhya and Bhattarai have been pressing Dahal for proper work division in the party besides making the government proportional and inclusive.

“Dahal will propose his work division plan at the central committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday,” said a politburo member close to Dahal.

According to Dahal’s proposal, Barshaman Pun will replace party Secretary Post Bahadur Bogati as chief whip of the Parliamentary Party. Another Secretary CP Gajurel will replace Vice-chairman Shrestha as deputy leader of the PP and Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai will replace Shrestha as the in-charge of Parliamentary Board of the party.

Chairman Dahal is also preparing to propose General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa as the chief of the party’s military commission and Baidhya as the head of the party’s organisation department.

Source, however, claimed that Dahal was still undecided who should replace Jayapuri Gharti as the whip of the PP.

According to senior leaders close to the establishment, the Baidhya-Bhattarai camp is likely to agree on the chairman’s proposal, as he has reportedly proposed Bhattarai as the next official candidate for the post of prime minister and allocated major responsibilities for the leaders of the Baidhya faction. However, a final decision on work division based on Dahal’s proposal will be taken during the meeting of the office bearers to be held tomorrow morning.

The CC meeting scheduled for today morning, however, was put off after Baidhya and Bhattarai sat tight on their demands that Dahal first take a concrete decision on work division.

New cast of characters

Narayan Kaji Shrestha DPM and Minister for Information and Communications

Post Bahadur Bogati Home Minister

Dev Prasad Gurung Minister for Physical Planning and Works

Pampha Bhusal Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare

Lokendra Bista Minister for Health and Population

Devendra Poudel Minister for Peace and Reconstruction

Jayapuri Gharti Minister for Supplies

Lekhraj Bhatta Minister for industry

Onsari Gharti Minister for Youth and Sports

Hisila Yami Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation

Mahendra Paswan Minister for Land Reforms

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 19, 2011)

Dahal comes up with crisis plan

Launches bid to tackle internal party rift‚ ensure peace‚ statute

TIKA R PRADHAN

KATHMANDU: Amid simmering tension within the party, Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal presented his three-page political document at the Central Committee meeting today.

The proposal, titled ‘On party’s immediate work plan’ focuses on peace and constitution with special emphasis on government and internal struggle within the party.

Following mounting pressure from top leaders of the party, including Vice-chairmen Mohan Baidhya, Baburam Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha, and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa, Chairman Dahal agreed for a proper work division within the party.

Dahal proposed to conclude at least the regrouping of combatants within the extended timeframe of the Constituent Assembly. The integration process should go ahead taking into consideration 10 different issues, he said.

They include leadership of the directorate under which PLAs are to be integrated, determination of their number, rank and integration on the basis of certain units. He added that combatants should be organised as a military force, ensuring effective responsibilities, democratisation and inclusiveness of security mechanism and formulation of national security policy, He advocated special provision for disabled combatants and appropriate rehabilitation package.

Productive dialogue with other political parties should be initiated immediately to forge an agreement on the number and modality of army integration in order to initiate the process or re-classification of the PLA.

All anti-peace activities, including reviving the war-time cases must be scrapped.

On constitution, Dahal proposed to prepare the first draft of the constitution by August 31. He stressed on issues to be included in the draft — federal republic constitution with restructuring of the state to end discrimination based on class, ethnicity, region and gender. He stressed on directly elected President, education, health, job and food security and called for ending all forms of feudalism and monopoly of foreign capitalism.

On government, Dahal claimed that appropriate steps on army integration could ensure a national consensus government under party’s leadership and only the Maoist-led government can ensure effective and respectable army integration.

“Party should begin preparations to form the national consensus government under the party’s leadership and if not, the incumbent government should be stren-gthened,” he said.

According to him, government should come up with a strategy to tackle the plot of reactionary forces to dissolve the CA. If they try to dissolve the government, the party should seek stern action, Chairman Dahal said.

On internal struggle within the party, Dahal proposed collective self criticism by top leaders for failing to implement the deal passed by the Central Committee. He is for conducting collective discussion forums after August 31 and a national convention following the district-level and state-level conventions. Dahal claimed that responsibilities for leaders should be allocated as per necessity of the movement and party unity.

On the immediate action plan, Dahal said a state committee level meeting should be organised by third week of August to achieve uniformity about party’s work plan. Central Committee member Kumar Poudel claimed that the five-member taskforce has been scrapped and handed over its responsibilities to the central office bearers.

Commenting on the proposal, pro-Baidhya politburo member Dharmendra Bastola said the document was brought through agreement, so there would not be a problem to endorse it.

Pro-Baburam Bhattarai politburo member Ram Karki said if the work division was done as per plan that would be good for the country.

Prachandapath

• Decide on leadership of directorate under which PLAs will be integrated.

• Conclude the regrouping of combatants

• Seek special provision for disabled combatants and appropriate rehabilitation package

• Talk to other parties

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 18, 2011)

Talk of new Maoist team in govt

TIKA R PRADHAN

KATHMANDU: UCPN-Maoist brass is mulling over replacing its team in the government with a new one.

At a meeting held today, the party office-bearers formed a five-member taskforce to set the criteria for the selection of ministerial candidates from the party. The body comprises standing committee members Dev Prasad Gurung, Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Lilamani Pokhrel and Barshaman Pun ‘Ananta’.

For the replacement of the Maoist team in the government, the party’s central committee (CC) will have to endorse the taskforce-given names.

Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said the CC meet scheduled for Sunday will take a decision on division of responsibility and the tactical line of the party.

At today’s meet, party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal read out his document to be presented at Sunday’s CC meeting.

In his paper, Dahal said PLA should get to lead the directorate to be formed under the Nepali Army. He said the fighters should be regrouped in line with the five-point pact reached among the three major parties. “Dahal has outlined the party’s bottomline on peace and statute,” said Janardan Sharma, a politburo member.

Meanwhile, a politburo member close to Vice-chairman Mohan Baidhya claimed supporters have distanced themselves from Vice-chairman Shrestha and come close to Dahal after Shrestha shifted allegiance to the alliance of Vice-chairmen Baidhya and Dr Baburam Bhattarai.

According to him, a team under party leader Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, which has around two dozen CC members, has moved into the Dahal coterie. “Vice-chairman Shrestha has only Anjana Bishankhe with him.” Leaders claimed Dahal has agreed to replace Vice-chairman Shrestha with Bhattarai as the deputy leader of the parliamentary party and send Shrestha to the government to lead the party’s team. Sources close to Dahal said the latter will quit as the party’s Parliamentary Party (PP) leader if he finds himself in a minority both at the PP and the CC. “He may also resign as the party chief if senior leaders continue to nag him,” the politburo member said.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 17, 2011)

Newsrooms must be diversified: ANIJ

Demands enhanced pluralism to reflect country's diversity

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The first national gathering of Association of Nepali Indigenous Nationalities Journalists (ANIJ) — the umbrella organisation of all indigenous nationalities journalists of the country — concluded with the decision to raise issues of pluralism and inclusiveness in the media very strongly.

Minister for Information and Communications Agni Prasad Sapkota said his ministry was preparing to make its opinions public regarding policies and programmes for the new fiscal. “The issues raised by the meet will be complementary for the ministry to draft programmes for the new fiscal year,” he said

He claimed that national interest has weakened as the political, religious, cultural rights of the people have been seized and weakened.

During the function, president of Federation of Nepali Journalists Shiva Gaule said Nepali journalists have been facing armed groups even without any kind of life insurance or accidental insurance.

“The newsroom must reflect the country’s diverse culture,” said Gaule adding that FNJ would take up the issues raised by the ANIJ gathering in its programmes. He said ANIJ should raise the issues of educational background of indigenous nationalities journalists and effective training for those who do not possess academic qualifications. “Without providing journalism training to the indigenous nationalists, we cannot ensure diversified newsrooms,” he said demanding that the government impart necessary training to make media houses diversified.

He said all newsrooms of the country should look like the country where a large number of diversified ethnic people having distinct cultures reside.

ANIJ president Mohan Singh Lama said both the government and FNJ have remained indifferent to the issues raised by indigenous nationalities journalists. He said the situation of newspapers published in different languages of the country was pathetic and the government is mum.

The gathering has endorsed the organisational report of general secretary Danda Gurung and financial report of treasurer Tika Ram Pradhan. More than 50 district chapter presidents and representatives had presented their reports

Adviser of ANIJ Raj Kumar Dikpal had presented a paper on ‘Mass media and the issues of Indigenous Nationalities Journalists’ on which Khim Ghale and Ujir Magar commented.

The gathering has passed a 10-point Kathmandu declaration demanding special support for media that promote various languages, besides training for journalists coming from disadvantaged and marginalised groups.

ANIJ has also demanded that all newsrooms of the country should be inclusive and diversified and called on indigenous nationalities to invest in media.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 17, 2011)

Baidhya-Bhattarai camp flexes muscles

Hold marathon meetings to divest Dahal of power

TIKA R PRADHAN

"The chairman could think about relinquishing PP leadership only if the leaders could forge agreement on the party's tactical line and create an environment of confidence"

KATHMANDU: It was an eventful day today for the leaders of the Unified CPN-Maoist, as they busied themselves in bi- and multi-lateral meetings at different locations in the Valley on the eve of a historic Central Committee meeting slated to begin tomorrow.

READ ALSO: Signature drive against chairman

A senior Maoist leader said the CC meeting will be the second Chunbang meeting, but with a twist.

Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had stood victorious in the October 2005 Chunbang meeting with all the power concentrated in him, but this time around, it seems, the CC meeting will force Dahal to shed the power and distribute it among the top leaders.

Sources claimed that leaders in today's meetings decided to present a work division proposal before the CC starts discussions on the political proposal to be presented by Dahal and boycott the CC meeting if Dahal does not accept the proposal.

Dahal, who has already been driven to despair, has ample ground to be suspicious, as General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa, who has been maintaining neutrality, showed up at one of the meetings of the alliance forged by Vice-chairmen duo Mohan Baidhya and Baburam Bhattarai. Thapa has been promised leadership of party's military department, which is currently under Dahal's domain with standing committee member Barshaman Pun enjoying the responsibility of military in-charge.

It has been learnt that Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha too has distanced himself from Dahal after the chairman wanted to replace him with Bhattarai in the parliamentary party and send Shrestha to the government with a powerful ministry. Following a meeting of Dahal's coterie at Nayabazar this evening, Pun said the CC should first agree on concluding major tasks of peace process by August 31, including the preparation of the first draft of the constitution. "The chairman could think about relinquishing PP leadership only if the leaders could forge agreement on the party's tactical line and create an environment of confidence," said Pun. "For now, we can find a middle path and go for the work division."

Sources at Nayabazar claimed that the leaders and cadres throughout the country have begun denouncing the 'immoral alliance' of the two opposite lines, and therefore they have started saying thousands of martyrs had not shed their blood to see infighting among leaders for power and position.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 13, 2011)

Signature drive against chairman

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

"If Thapa stood by Baidhya-Bhattarai tie-up‚ they will have a clear majority in CC "

KATHMANDU: Two factions led by Vice-chairmen duo Mohan Baidhya and Baburam Bhattarai on Tuesday held a 'secret' gathering at Siddhartha Cottage in Lalitpur and launched a signature campaign.

READ ALSO: Baidhya-Bhattarai camp flexes muscle

Later, another meeting was held at Bhattarai's Sanepa-based residence and after that Bhattarai went to Jhamsikhel-based residence of Narayan Kaji Shrestha to convince him to support them. However, standing committee member Barshaman Pun claimed that the two factions were able to garner only 61 signatures, which in 147-strong Central Committee will not prove the majority.

According to Pun, Shrestha, Amik Sherchan and Dinanath Sharma were against the signature campaign when the meetings were going on. However, CC member Maheshwor Dahal claimed that if Thapa stood by Baidhya-Bhattarai tie-up, they will have a clear majority in CC but added that they were not for changing the party leadership.

They are for ensuring appropriate work division, which is currently concentrated in the chairman, said Maheshwor.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July13, 2011)

Is Dahal at the end of his tether?

Maoist chairman's threat to quit leadership triggers debate whether he means it

TIKA R PRADHAN

KATHMANDU: Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has reportedly ‘threatened’ to quit party leadership, stoking debates: Does he genuinely mean it? Is he resorting to ‘emotional blackmail’? Or is he at the end of his rope?

Dahal has remained the unchallenged supremo since the party came into being in 1995.

According to a politburo member close to him, Dahal had told leaders in a meeting with Vice-chairman Mohan Baidhya that he was ready to quit not only the leadership of the parliamentary party but also the chairmanship of the party if that ‘helped the movement, peace, the constitution, country and the people’.

“This statement, I suppose, is not his and might have been cooked up to provoke him. But if this is true, this could prove to be counterproductive. This clearly indicates that the leadership has deviated from the party’s objectives,” said Kul Prasad KC, a politburo member close to Baidhya. “The leaders must not react in a whim; they should rather move ahead by taking differing opinions together.”

The Maoist chairman’s threat follows excessive pressure from his deputies, especially hardliner Baidhya, who has been insistent on changing work division of the party leaders.

The meetings in recent times have failed to find a way out. The standing committee meeting on Sunday was held for less than 15 minutes and Dahal had proposed a central committee meeting for July 13 to sort out the issues. Dahal is said to have a majority in CC. After Baidhya continued to exert pressure on Dahal to quit leadership of the parliamentary party, Dahal had reportedly asked another Vice-chairmen Baburam Bhattarai what the ‘truth’ was.

Standing committee member Giriraj Mani Pokhrel said leadership cannot be created overnight and that it should be protected and promoted.

However, pro-Bhattarai politburo member Ram Karki claimed that the statement proved that Dahal was not serious towards saving the party.

“We have not thought about the alternative of the leadership; we just wanted to correct the tendency to become the totalitarian,” said Karki but added, “There is nothing in this world that does not have an alternative.” Karki was of the opinion that the latest statement from Dahal showed his state of despair. “It seems the chairman wants to make the issue more complicated instead of trying to resolve. But this threat is not going to work this time.”

Politburo member Haribol Gajurel claimed that Dahal had told Baidhya that he would not leave the responsibility as people would accuse him of not being accountable and therefore had urged Baidhya to oust him from the leadership of PP through majority. “Dahal told Baidhya that he was ready to quit not only the PP leadership but also the chairmanship if that was the historical necessity of the party,” said Gajurel. Janardan Sharma, another politburo member close to Dahal, however, said the chairman was in the mood to quit the leadership if he failed to garner majority in PP.

A pro-Bhattarai politburo member put it simply: “Dahal is adept at emotional blackmail, and he will try to get support for his cause during CC meeting through such unrealistic means.”

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 12, 2011)

Internal struggle of Maoist getting knottier

Tika R Pradhan

Kathmandu, July 10

With both the establishment of the party and the alliance of the two factions led by the vice-chairman duo-- Mohan Baidhya and Baburam Bhattarai -- stuck on their stances, the ongoing internal struggle within the Unified CPN Maoists is getting knottier than ever.

As the top leaders failed to find any solution to the problems facing the party and the country, today's brief standing committee meeting decided to take all the disputes in the central committee itself. The central committee meeting was stalled on June 24 with an objective to resolve the knotty issues through dialogues among the top leaderships. After 17 days of vigorous exercises the standing committee has come to a conclusion today that they were not in a position to resolve the conflicting issues and thus the central committee should take them up again.

Today's meeting decided to hold the stalled meeting of the central committee of the party on July 13.

According to secretary C P Gajurel, chairman Dahal has presented three conditions to the coalition of two factions for the work division in the party. Chairman Dahal has proposed agreement on his political proposal of peace and constitution, establishing the leadership and commitment from vice-chairman duo Mohan Baidhya and Baburam Bhattarai to end activities promoting factionalism.

"Chairman Dahal has proposed us to end the practice of factionalism as if we were the only leaders promoting such activities," he commented.

Secretary Gajurel claimed that both Baidhya and Bhattarai were one on implementing the work division unconditionally. "We won't accept any condition for appropriate work division so as to strengthen the party through collective leadership," he said.

"If the wishes so, the central committee will have to go for voting. If the central committee members were to vote for and against the work division that would be detrimental to the party's image and the leadership ultimately," he said.

While pro-Dahal standing committee member Barshaman Pun 'Ananta' claimed that work division was impossible without forging consensus on the proposal of chairman Dahal on peace and constitution.

"As soon as we finalize the issues of peace and constitution, we can go for appropriate work division for all the leaders of the party including the responsibility of party's army, which would help strengthen the party," Pun said adding that the central committee meeting will finalize the bottom line of the party on number of combatants to be integrated, modality and norms for integration besides the party's stance on forms of governance, election system and restructuring of the state so as to ensure the first draft of the constitution by August 31.

Crux of the disputes

Establishment

• Conditions to go for the work division--

a. Political issues must be sorted out first,

b. end of factionalism,

c. establishing leadership

• Coalition of two different poles-- intended to weaken leadership

Coalition

• Serious differences in political issues cannot be solved now-- should be kept on hold

• Not much differences in immediate work plan

• So the issue of work division is crucial

• No condition acceptable for appropriate work division to strengthen the party

• Collective leadership ending unilateral decisions

Bhattarai and Baidhya under foreign influence‚ says Gajurel

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: A politburo member of the Unified CPN-Maoist today alleged that Vice-chairmen Mohan Baidhya and Baburam Bhattarai were under the influence of some foreign force.

According to Haribol Gajurel, a politburo member close to Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, their demand for work division is intended to destroy the party as per the direction of foreign and reactionary forces.

The chairman has already agreed to field Bhattarai as the prime ministerial candidate and Baidhya as the head of organisational department of the party, he said.

Gajurel added that the differing views of Bhattarai and Baidhya have already been exposed among party leaders and cadres. “This apolitical and immoral coalition is against the party unity and that would ultimately derail the peace and constitution drafting processes,” he said.

Following the standing committee meeting on Friday, Giriraj Mani Pokhrel said the issue of work division has been put off for now.

Discussions were on to give Baidhya the responsibility of the organisation while the other Bhattarai would look after the government and the parliament.

Pokhrel said the internal struggle will be intensified if chairman failed to address it in an appropriate manner along with other issues.

Leaders said the party was not satisfied with the working style of the government, claiming that it failed to follow the norms of a coalition government. Dahal had alleged that the other parties, including the Nepali Congress, were reluctant to implement the five-point deal besides holding discussions on army integration and the government. "Things are getting complicated and we must work to face the challenges and take a decision of work division accordingly," a standing committee member quoted Dahal as saying at the Friday’s meeting.

Dahal had also said the days ahead were not easy for the party as the parties were gradually backtracking on the earlier pacts. Another standing committee meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow and Dahal will present his political document with point-wise solution on the issues including peace, statute, government and internal rift.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 10, 2011)

No headway in Maoist standing committee

Tika R Pradhan

Kathmandu, July 8

The standing committee meeting of the Unified CPN Maoist has failed to make any headway on the major issues that affects the national politics.

During today's meeting chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had presented the analysis of the political situation including the assessment of the government and its policy and programmes. Dahal had also briefed the meeting about the homework of the top leaders. "Since the homework was not completed we decided to sit again after completing the tasks and forging consensus on several agendas including the work division," said Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha.

Sources claimed that standing committee member Barshaman Pun 'Ananta' stood on the side of chairman Dahal while all the other members had spoke against him.

According to standing committee member Giriraj Mani Pokhrel the issue of work division has been put off for now because the leaders were yet to forge consensus. Discussions were on to give vice-chairman Mohan Baidhya the responsibility of the organisation while another vice-chairman to look after the government and the parliament. The party was also discussing about the future of the joint front led by vice-chairman Bhattarai earlier. However, chairman Dahal was not in a mood to give the responsibilities to the vice-chairman at the cost of weakening his leadership in the party. The vice-chairmen duo have been demanding the practice of collective leadership claiming chairman Dahal has been taking the decision of the party unilaterally.

Leaders said the party was not satisfied with the working style of the government claiming that the government failed to follow the norms of a coalition government. The party is also dissatisfied with the decisions taken by the government.

Dahal had accused that the other parties including the Nepali Congress were reluctant to implement five-point deal besides holding discussion on army integration and the government. "Therefore things are getting more and more complicated and therefore we must work in a way to face the impending challenge and take the decision of work division accordingly," a standing committee member quoted Dahal as saying at the meeting.

Chairman Dahal had also said the days ahead were not easy for the party as the parties were gradually backtracking from the earlier agreements and thus the cases against the Maoist leaders have been revived. Dahal was for creating pressure on the parties through mass movement.

Another standing committee meeting has been scheduled for Sunday where chairman Dahal will present his political document with point-wise solution for the impending issues including peace, constitution, government and the internal struggle among others.

Sources also claimed that the party was also under discussion to reinforce the government by sending another team in the leadership of one of the office bearers.

Deposed king Shah frets over worsening political situation

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Lamenting the worsening political situation of the country, former king Gyanendra Shah today said he had not imagined that the country would come to this pass when he abdicated the throne and left the Narayanhiti palace.

“When I left the palace, I had not imagined that the country would face such deterioration,” the deposed king told reporters at a brief press conference held at Nirmal Niwas on the occasion of his 65th birthday. Surrounded by security officers and mediapersons, Shah said, “But let’s pray for peace and prosperity.”

Shah said, “I feel people are facing more and more hardships.”

Asked about the possibility of peace and constitution, Shah said, “We must not lose hope. Whether we get peace and constitution is another matter.”

On the occasion, the ousted king expressed concern about sovereignty. “May sovereignty and integrity never be compromised and may the Nepalese people always live together in peace and harmony,” wished Shah in his message to the people.

“May the basis of our national unity be the accord in the diversity of our languages, religions and cultures.” “In the past five years, the aspirations of all self-respecting Nepalese people, including our ancestors and myself, have been brushed aside. The issue must be addressed at the earliest,”he said.

Thousands of people, including royalists and leaders and cadres of Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, were queuing up with garlands to wish Shah.

Senior journalists Yubaraj Ghimire and Puspa Raj Pradhan and Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala were among the well-wishers.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on 8 July 2011)

UCPN-Maoist chairman in chancery

Will Dahal be able to bear up and find a way out of crisis?

TIKA R PRADHAN

KATHMANDU: It seems the trend of extending a helping hand to party chairman whenever he was in need is on the wane in the Maoist party and with infighting simmering in the party, Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has been, arguably for the first time in his political career, subjected to pressure cooker situation.

“If what transpired at yesterday’s meeting is anything to go by, the party is losing the direction; the debates are leading the party to nowhere, forget resolving the burning issues,” says politburo member Haribol Gajurel, a close aide to Chairman Dahal.

Gajurel accused the top leaders of resorting to bargains for position and power and leaving out ideological debates. “They are trying to weaken the existing form of leadership in the name of collective leadership,” said Gajurel referring to a signature campaign launched by two factions led by Vice-chairmen Mohan Baidhya and Baburam Bhattarai. “Ideological debates have been put on the back burner; the signature drive has sparked unhealthy struggle.”

The Maoist party since it joined the mainstream politics has always cut an interesting figure among Nepal’s political parties, either for some of its quirks or for brewing feud among the top leaders. Now Baidhya-Bhattarai signature drive seems to have driven Dahal into a corner.

A senior leader close to Bhattarai says even Dahal’s trusted aides — another Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa — seem to have tilted towards the new-found Baidhya-Bhattarai tie-up and that this new development has added to Dahal’s worries.

“Confidence building is a must at this point of time; else the party leadership may lose its grip,” says Gajurel.

Politburo member Devendra Poudel, who is close to Bhattarai, however, says the debate in the party is heating up to hammer out whether the entire party should be synonymous with a single person.

Dahal is for finalising the issues of peace and the constitution first, whereas the Baidhya-Bhattarai camp is for resolving all the issues, including power-sharing, in a package.

The central committee meeting — that was expected to deal with party issues — two weeks ago had been put off for three days but there is no sign of one to be called. A standing committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow is expected to fix the date for CC meeting and Dahal seems to be marking time till he finds a safety valve.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 8, 2011)

Nepali Congress backtracked from its stance on army integration: Shrestha

AJAYA BHADRA KHANAL/TIKA RAM PRADHAN

Vice Chairman of Unified CPN-Maoist Narayan Kaji Shrestha ‘Prakash’ has been involved in dialogues with major parties since his party merged with CPN-Maoist to form Unified CPN-Maoist. In Nepal’s political sphere, he is one of the most familiar persons regarding issues of the peace process and the constitution drafting. Ajaya Bhadra Khanal and Tika Ram Pradhan of The Himalayan Times spoke to Shrestha on various issues including the internal struggle within the single largest party — the Unified CPN-Maoist.

Why is there so much infighting within the party? Is it because of the fast approaching deadline on peace and constitution?

The major questions are about ideological and political struggle. All the comrades are genuinely concerned about revolutionary transformation and whether the sacrifice of martyrs will go in vain.

The internal struggle has crossed all limits of discipline and friendliness and has turned unhealthy, irrational and indisciplined. A kind of factionalism has come to the fore.

Leaders, however, do not agree that the party has reached the stage of a split. We can resolve disputes through self-criticism on the part of all top leaders and take the major ideological contradictions to the general convention. We are confident that we can still unify the party and provide a way out to the nation by taking a unified stance, a single political line.

Are you still divided between peace, constitution and people’s revolt?

Some comrades think that if we trust parliamentary parties, we may fall into their trap, that there is no possibility of change through a new constitution and peace process. So they think the party should prepare the people for another movement. However, others believe that drafting a new constitution and the peace process is possible despite serious challenges ahead. We can still move ahead by seeking the support of people and we must try till the end.

We are still following the mandate of the Palungtar plenum. People’s revolt is not the mandate of the Palungtar plenum. The thrust of the plenum is that Nepali people will have to accept people’s revolt in case the CA is dissolved and the peace process derailed. In that situation, our party will lead the revolt.



Have you changed your stance on integration since May?

We have made a slight change in the party’s work plan but not in our tactical line. We are committed to the latest army integration plan. It’s true that we have given more focus on the political line of peace and constitution.

Why is your rival group claiming that the standing committee is going against the central committee directives?

We are abiding by the central committee’s decisions and there is no major difference in our position regarding army integration. There exists some misunderstanding on the decisions of the standing committee meeting, which has incorporated the concerns of dissenting leaders. We will be one-fold after clarification of some doubts and illusions. We will address the differences and accusations within the party, but they will not affect our commitment to peace and constitution.

What are the key obstacles to the peace process?

We have the official support of CPN-UML and unofficial support of top leaders of Nepali Congress on taking up the proposal floated by Nepali Army. But during the latest three-party meeting, NC backtracked from its earlier stance so the parties have failed to reach an agreement even on the modality of army integration, let alone determination of the number of combatants to be integrated.

We can never accept the standard of recruitment and that is the standard of integration the NC insists on.

NC has taken a conservative approach that is hindering the process of army integration. We are seriously concerned because the NC backtracked from its earlier stance. NC used to pile pressure on our party to determine the number of combatants to be integrated, but now they are reluctant to sort out the issue of number and modality.

The number of combatants to be integrated is not a problem. We have been demanding 10,000 but we are ready to be more flexible and fix it at around 8,000. We had urged the NC to finalise at least the modality and number, but they say everything should be finalised in a package deal. We are, however, still optimistic.



How can former Maoist combatants be a part of the border security force if the directorate is placed under Nepali Army?

We are for deploying the fifth force as Border Security Force or for security of national parks. But we can always manage the contradictions of deploying the army at the borders of a friendly country as per international practice. We, therefore, have urged the parties to develop a national security policy first.



Is it possible to meet the August 31 deadline?

We are still confident that the parties can prepare the first draft of the constitution on time if we forge consensus on conflicting issues soon. The only time consuming matter is agreement. Once we agree on issues, things will fall in place in no time.



Are you proposing Baburam Bhattarai as the next PM?

Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has already said he is not interested in becoming the next PM. So he has said there are several leaders in the party capable of becoming PM, including Bhattarai, myself and general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’. Among us Bhattarai is senior and therefore he can lead the next government.



Why have relations between India and the UCPN-M soured?

May be because we didn’t do what they were expecting. People might have thought there was some understanding between the Maoist leadership and the Indian establishment, which is not true. They might have thought we would not come in such a fierce manner on the issue of national sovereignty, which we did.

Another thing might be that the parliamentary parties were expecting us to join their system, but we have been struggling for a new political current instead of traditional parliamentary system ensuring political democratic values.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 7, 2011)

Maoists to intensify crisis talks

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: A meeting of the central office bearers of the Unified CPN Maoists, held at the residence of Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal in Nayabazar, today decided to intensify dialogues with major parties for the implementation of the five-point agreement.

Following the meeting, Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said the party was intensifying dialogues with NC, UML and Madhes-based parties. He said though today’s meeting didn’t discuss about the next government, his party was for consensus government.

The meeting, however, failed to make any headway on internal rift in the party.

The meeting has decided to nominate former DIGs Ashok Shrestha and Him Gurung as commissioners of the Commission for Investigation of the Abuse of Authority.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on 6 July 2011)

Bhattarai trains women

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: At a time when the party is desperately seeking ways to resolve the widening internal rift, Vice Chairman of Unified CPN-Maoist Baburam Bhattarai today organised a secret meeting of women leaders of the party.

Pro-Bhattarai leaders including politburo members Devendra Poudel, Navaraj Subedi and Hisila Yami had given political training to leaders present at the gathering held at a hotel in Thamel.

According to one participant, the leaders discussed the internal struggle in the party and the demand for proportional representation in the government being raised by the faction led by senior Vice Chairman Mohan Baidhya.

Due to the stance of Vice Chairman Baidhya regarding proportional representation of UCPN-M leaders who will represent the party in the government, the Maoist central committee meeting has been stalled since June 24.

(Published on The Himalayan Times on July 3, 2011)

UCPN-M wants issues sorted out first

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: A senior UCPN-M leader today said the party’s internal meetings will resume only after the resolution of outstanding issues, including those related to the annual budget and government policies and programmes.

“We have started talks with the government for the resolution of the issues. Our party’s internal meetings will take place only after the resolution of issues with the government,” said Narayan Kaji Shrestha, the Maoist vice-chairman.

Shrestha said the issues include dues to be paid to the martyrs’ kin and to those hurt during the people’s war, besides the finalisation of proportional representation in the government.

The party chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led faction has been accusing the vice-chairman Mohan Baidhya-led faction of demanding powerful ministries. Sources claimed that leader Pampha Bhusal has been demanding either the ministry of information or health and population.

Sources claimed Dahal might replace Shakti Basnet with Pampha Bhusal as health minister and Anjana Bishankhe or any other woman leader may replace peace and reconstruction minister Biswo Nath Sah to make the cabinet inclusive.

(Published in The Himalayan Times on July 2, 2011)

Major coalition partners one on budget agendas

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The two major partners in the ruling coalition — the UCPN-Maoist and the CPN-UML — have agreed to bring policies, programmes and the annual budget with the focus on four major issues.

According to Surya Thapa, Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal’s press adviser, the two parties have agreed to focus on the completion of peace and constitution-drafting processes, management of the transition period and the expectations of the nation and the people.

Maoist Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha, who also attended today’s meeting with the UML, said the two parties agreed that the budget should reflect the priorities of the leftist parties. “We agreed on ensuring compensation to the victims of the people’s war and launching special package programmes in conflict-hit districts,” according to Shrestha. “We

agreed that the budget should

be pro-poor and geared towards socialism.”

“We demanded that the PM float proposals on respectable army integration at the Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist combatants,” he said. The cabinet will pass the policies, programmes and the budget on Sunday and present it to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, who in turn, will present it at the Parliament in the afternoon.

(Published in front page of The Himalayan Times on July 3, 2011)