Amid concerns about the slow and tottering peace process, a section of civil society leaders have presented their six-point “roadmap” for the durable restoration of permanent peace in the country by ensuring a successful peace talks between the government and the Maoists.
In a public appeal issued on Thursday by the leaders of civil society and addressed to the top leaders of the ruling seven party alliance and the Maoists, on the occasion of International Day of Peace, they have presented a roadmap to give peaceful outlet to the Maoist insurgency. The statement also recommends ways to be adopted for the management of the transitional phase.
Stating that peace could not be restored in the country without incorporating Maoists into the interim government, the appeal asks the ruling seven party alliance and the Maoists to find consensus in all outstanding issues and adopt the interim constitution soon.
The appeal also proposes to form a political advisory council as a common mechanism of seven party alliance and the Maoists and develop the mechanism of giving formality of the decisions of council by the government or the parliament.
On the issue of arms management, they advise making members of security forces involved in excesses during the pro-democracy movement accountable. They add that the agreement to keep the armed forces of the government inside barracks and the combatants of Maoists inside fixed cantonments is the best option for the arms management.
The appeal further asks the government and the Maoists to sign comprehensive peace accord and develop mechanism for regular contact between the government and the Maoist side.
The appeal also urges the government and the Maoists to sign human rights accord based on humanitarian laws for the protection of human rights during the transitional period.
Expressing concern over the government’s failure in maintaining law and order, the civil society leaders have called on the government and the Maoists to maintain law and order across the country as per the people’s aspiration expressed during the Jana Andolan (People’s Movement) II. They have also urged the government to increase resources for the Nepal Police and to reinstall police posts displaced during the conflict to spread the sense of security.
The appeal of the civil society leaders comes at a time when the ruling seven party alliance and the Maoists were engaged in blaming each other for the delay in peace talks rather than moving as per the various agreements signed between them.