A day after the resignation of Girija Prasad Koirala, his sucessor Sher Bahadur Deuba and the Maoists called on Monday evening for a ceasefire in the country’s six-year insurgency.
The announcement came in unprecedented fashion as Nepal Television was reading the Deuba statement calling on the Maoists to publicly announce a pledge to stop attacking police. The broadcast was interrupted with breaking news of the Prachanda statement which called on Maoist militia to suspend offensive action. This is the first time that state-controlled media has broadcast a statement by the Maoist leadership.
The statement hailed the “defeat of the Girija clique” and described Prime Minister Deuba as “progressive” and his peace appeal “comparitively positive”. Prachanda added: “We take it positively that he has prioritised a negotiated solution.” Although this is the first positive sign that a change of leadership in Kathmandu could have a positive outcome on peace, these hopes have been clouded by slaughter of 17 policemen in a Maoist attack in Bajura district in western Nepal on Sunday night. An unknown number of Maoists were also killed and wounded in the four hour firefight.
In his statement, Prachanda demanded that the government “scrap all policies and decisions” taken by the Girija government to combat his forces. This is probably a reference to Koirala’s plan to set up a paramilitary Armed Police Force, the Army-led Integrated Security and Development Package (ISDP) in 11 districts, and the deployment of the army in Rolpa to free abducted policemen.
In return, Prachanda asked his militia all over Nepal to “stop all pre-planned offensives for the time being” and to remain in defensive posture. But the Maoist leader was uncompromising in his long-term goal to overthrow the current parliamentary democracy and scrap the constitution. Aside from reiterating earlier demands for the release of detainees by both sides, Prachanda laid out a three-point demand for the setting up of an interim government, a new constitution and to work towards the institutional development of a republic.
Given the rigidity of these demands and Prachanda’s uncompromising words, it is not clear where future negotiations will go. But many in Kathmandu saw it as the light at the end of the tunnel that they had been desperately hoping for.
In an interview with the BBC Monday, Deuba refused to be drawn to comment on the massacre of 17 policemen near his home district, and added: “They want to come for talks, I don’t want to doubt that at the moment.” He committed to consult all parliamentary parties and draw up a consensus on talks with the Maoists. he said his priority would be to boost foreign investment in hydro-power and agriculture, revive tourism so that the country’s economy could get back on its feet.