Following the far-reaching deal signed by the SPA government and the Maoists, leaders of political parties and Maoists have hailed it as a historic harbinger of peace.

“Our party has now entered into a new political environment,” said Barsha Man Pun aka Ananta, a central leader of the Maoist party and a commander of special central command of its People’s Liberation Army.

Arjun Narsingh KC, central member of Nepali Congress (NC) who was actively involved in the nearly 18-hours-long marathon meeting that culminated in the historic deal, said, “A new era has now begun. Our deal is aimed at consolidating democratic progress and permanent peace.”

Added Ram Chandra Poudel, general secretary of NC, “A great historic agreement has been signed. This will end the 11-year-old conflict.”

Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), whose party has added Note of Dissent on two points of the agreement, reacted thus: “This agreement will further strengthen the unity of political parties. Dissensions are natural in a democracy.”

Another senior UML leader Jhal Nath Khanal said his party, despite the note of dissent, would fully support the agreement because it aims to free the country of conflict. “We firmly support the agreement and we would be firm in its implementation as well,” he said, adding that had the deal also agreed upon holding referendum to decide the fate of monarchy and holding CA elections fully on the basis of Proportional Representation electoral procedure, “wider participation of people could have been ensured.”

Lila Mani Pokharel, leader of People’s Front Nepal, said that the deal was the “beginning of the end of the 238-year-old monarchy.”

Home Minister and coordinator of government talks team Krishna Sitaula said that within 15 days all combatants of the Maoists would now go into cantonments.

Ramesh Lekhak, central leader of NC (Democratic) and a member of government talks team, added that a comprehensive peace agreement and a human rights accord will be signed by the government and the Maoists on November 16. He said these accords will make it a punishable act if anybody carries weapons then after.