After Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chairman, Prachanda, a Nepali industrialist, Rajendra Kumar Khetan, has written to the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, urging him to use the clout of the world body to ensure that both the government and Maoist rebels honour the ceasefire code of conduct, which they signed a couple of months ago.
UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan
UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan (File Photo)
In his letter sent to Annan through the UN office system in Kathmandu, Khetan, who is also a member of the Citizen’s Commission for Peace, wrote that while UN mission was in Nepal, just 20 km away from the capital, Kathmandu , the Himalayan Snacks and Noodles Industry – owned by the Khetan Group– was forced to close down as armed militia of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) manhandled factory manager, Gokul Dahal, caused damage to the industry.
On Wednesday, Maoist cadres manhandled the factory’s production manager Dahal after forcing the workers to evacuate the factory. The Maoists then chased the workers some two kilometers away.
Earlier, the factory was closed following a dispute between the management and the workers and resumed operation later after both the sides reached into an agreement.
“This is total anarchy and hence spells out the necessity of arms management without further delay. In an environment of fear, neither free and fair elections to the constituent assembly would be possible nor conflict could be resolved peacefully,” said Khetan in his letter to Annan, adding, “It is the right of the businessmen to carry out businesses and run the factories freely. Code of conduct needs to be respected.”
Rajendra Kumar Khetan
Rajendra Kumar Khetan (File Photo)
Khetan further said he believed that the UN would do its best in making Parties abide by the code of conduct. UN’s role in the resolution of the on-going conflict would definitely bring lasting peace in Nepal, he added.
On May 25 this year, chief of the government negotiating team, K P Sitaula, and chief of the Maoist negotiating team, K B Mahara, signed on a 25-point ceasefire code of conduct, which they said would be binding to both the sides.
Article 12 of the Code of Conduct says: “Both the parties will create an environment for the smooth functioning of schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, health centres and industrial institutions.”
Similarly, Article 15 of the Code of Conduct says: “Donation or financial assistance in cash, kind or in the form of services will not be collected or mobilised against one’s will.”
There have been numerous reports of violation of Code of Conduct, especially from the side of the Maoists, from across the country. The Maoist leadership is yet to respond to such reports of violation of code of conduct, which rights activists say poses serious question towards their commitment to the three-month-old peace process and their control over the party’s rank and file.