By Kamala Sarup

Photo Source pradesh.com
Photo Source paradesh.com
There can’t be good war and bad peace. Hence, the unilateral ceasefire announced by the Maoists—though only for a brief period of three months—should be welcomed without any hesitation. Though belatedly, Maoists seem to have realized the importance and necessity of peace and stability in the country. The ceasefire announced by the Maoists is the result of the widespread desire and will of the people, civil society and international community, political parties and the government.

Now the government must reciprocate to the Maoist move by calling for an all-party meeting in order to help evolve consensus among major political forces in the country to on resolving the problems facing the country. Lack of trust and respect between political actors in the country makes us all wonder whether the proposed negotiations will lead to permanent peace.

There is no hope for peace unless the major political forces– the government the Maoists and the parliamentary parties– recognize the urgency of a negotiated peace and are willing to take bold initiative to address concerns of the common people.

Negotiation means that you not only set your objectives for certain objectives, you also understand why those are your objectives. It is a humanistic approach to negotiation that utilizes the strategies and tactical tools of successful negotiation to achieve optimal results. Strengthening independent actors’ capacity in civil society can contribute to stability by broadening participation and enhancing prospects for democratic accountabilityand responsiveness.

There are only two alternatives to the present crisis: the way of the gun or active participation of the political parties, the royal-appointed government and Maoists to find a solution through a peaceful democratic process. What the Nepalese people demand right now is that all the parties in the conflict respect their right to live with justice, peace, democracy, liberty and dignity.

Majority of Nepalese people wish that talks should resume between the government and Maoist rebels in order to restore normalcy in the country. It is time that all peace-loving people in Nepal sit together and agree on a two-way cease-fire and lasting peace. Failing to do this might invite untold sufferings to the people.

The Maoists political parties and government should take it seriously and should take steps for creating an atmosphere for the talks. If the government, political parties and the Maoists are all serious to preserve and enhance Nepal’s national interest they must agree to go for a compromise and hold negotiations for a negotiated solution. This solution should include the Maoists surrendering all the looted weapons and arms including other public properties.

The international community has been saying that the conflict is slipping out of control and that there is a need to re-start stalled peace process as soon as possible.

Major political parties as well as the royal-appointed government must look into the root causes of the problem and must give equal importance to security and peace actions. The government must initiate action against social injustice and bring peace to the country. The service delivery system must be people oriented, efficient and effective and development programs must expand their centrally located programs to the rural areas generating employment.

The intellectual and political battle is the decisive battle that has to be fought at the local level to build confidence among local people in the country. If there is war, it’ll hit the whole country, and nobody will feel safe simply because he or she lives in the city.

The peace talks between the then Surya Bahadur Thapa government and the Maoists collapsed last year. Maoists refused to hold talks with the four-party government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba. With the dismissal of the Deuba government and assumption of executive powers by King Gyanendra in February this year, prospects of peace talks seemed even remote.

In such a context, the decision of the Maoists to go for a ceasefire should be utilized as an opportunity and all sides should work sincerely to seize this opportunity.

Role of Peace Organisations

Peace organizations and Civil society should support peaceful political transition to democracy that increases opportunities for individuals. One thing our leaders should remember: democratic ideals may not yield any results if we lack sustained efforts to empower people both politically and economically.

The most fundamental thing is nation building with all components of the society contributing to it in a selfless manner and, of course, with a view to promoting national harmony. We are a small nation with two Asian giants as our neighbours. National unity must remain the priority goal of any political process, both right and left.

Negotiation is one of many ways that organizations and societies need to deal with conflicts so how interest- ased negotiation can be combined creatively with other rights-based and power-based procedures such as arbitration, adjudication, voting, and third-party intervention in order to constitute a “dispute resolution system.”

As we know, conflict resolution is never easy, but it is especially challenging in a country like Nepal. Hope, we will have permanent peace in our great country at this time.