Kathmandu, May 28: If the problem of Maoists insurgency is not resolved through dialogue on time, it may create a situation of uncertainty and drag the entire nation towards turmoil, warned the country’s senior politicians, human rights activists, scholars and lawyers here today. The government should tackle the Maoists’ issue through political means and try to find out a peaceful resolution to the festering problem as soon as possible, they further stated.

Speaking at a programme organised by National Concerns Society on “Productive dialogue with the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist): Why and How?”, most of the speakers urged both sides–the government and Maoists–to tackle the issue on humanitarian ground. It will be a disaster if the Maoists’ problem remains unsolved, they said.

Former prime minister and Coordinator of the High Level Recommendation Committee on Maoists Issue, Sher Bahadur Deuba strongly asserted that the government is ready to hold talks with the Maoists to end violence and murder. “As a representative of the government I have been provided full authority to hammer out solutions through dialogue. The Maoists should also agree to bring about a cease-fire”, Deuba said.

Deuba assured that he would ask the government to stop action against Maoist insurgents and also appealed to them (the Maoists) to stop killing the innocent people.

The national consensus is that the Maoists’ problem should be settled without any delay. Hence the government has always opened its door to hold dialogue, Deuba added. The present government is also serious to solve this problem, he said.

“We are ready to identify the problems. The present government has shown its full commitment to stop violence and murder”, Deuba asserted.

“The Maoists problems should be solved under humanitarian law,” Deuba also added.

Former prime minister Kirtinidhi Bista urged the government to make commitment to take necessary initiatives in settling the problem. This incidence has drawn the world attention. “Unless the government comes up with the commitment to stop the killings, merely having dialogue with the Maoists will be meaningless”, said Bista.

Former health minister Dr. Mathura Prasad Shrestha said “Deuba committee, in the changed context, should deal with this Maoist issue very cautiously. The situation now appears to be different from yesterday. Since the present government has frequently changed its position on the Maoists’ issue, it should come up with a clear stand as to how to solve it,” he said.

Krishna Prasad Shivakoti, a human rights activist stressed the need to make the outcome of the previous dialogue with the Maoists public.

Chetrendra Jung Himali, general secretary of the Hariyali Party pointed out the need for commitment by the government in resolving this current Maoists’ problem facing the nation.

While Prof. Maniklal Shrestha stressed the need to bring cease-fire through dialogue, Lilamani Pokharel, MP, expressed his skepticism over the outcome of the intended talks and the possible solutions. Pointing out the statement of the ruling party’s spokesman Narahari Acharya some days ago, he further queried,” What is the authentic view of the government?”

Former MP and human rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar urged the government to be positive towards the Maoist insurgents’ demands, of which stopping ‘state terrorism’ was one.

Former foreign minister Sailendra Kumar Upadhyaya urged the Deuba Committee to identify the problems and root cause of the ongoing violence. He also stressed the need to solve the Maoists’ problem on humanitarian ground.

MP Rajeshwor Devkota said,” As the ruling party, the Nepali Congress should take the initiative to win the confidence of people.”

MP Narayan Man Bijukchhe accused the government of violating the nation’s laws.

Member of the Human Rights Commission Kapil Shrestha said the Commission would also take initiatives from its side to settle this issue.

Gopal Shivakoti ‘Chintan’ of the National Concerns Society said that both the government and Maoists should follow the rules laid down by the Geneva Convention on Human Rights of which Nepal is one of the signatories. “The government should be clear as to whether the Maoists’ issue is a political problem or not. For this, the Deuba committee should identify the problems. The dialogue with the Maoists should be able to hammer out some solutions,” he said.

Nepal ratified the Geneva Convention on Human Rights in 1964, thus the government cannot disregard the provisions of the accord, Shivakoti said.

The Deuba Committee was formed at the initiative of the then prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai to hold talks with the Maoists early this year. The Deuba committee was said to have held a number of talks with the Maoists.

However, the status of the same committee remained in limbo with the change of the government in March. Though the term of the Deuba committee was over by then, it was asked to continue its task to hold dialogue with the Maoists by Prime Minister Koirala.

Political analysts are of the opinion that the Deuba Committee, this time round, need to do more homework to win their (Maoists) confidence.