Top Maoist negotiator Krishna Bahadur Mahara was non-committal on a query whether the third round of peace talks between government and rebels proposed for Thursday by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will materialize.
Mahara parried a question by a reporter of Janadesha daily newspaper, a Maoist mouthpiece, when asked if the third round of talks will be held at all after government failed to meet their five conditionalities for parleys to end an insurgency that has claimed more than 1,800 lives in nearly six years. “The country needs peace and change. Our political agenda is peace with change,” Mahara said.
The three-man Maoist negotiating team arrived in the capital Wednesday. The Maoists first suggested the talks be held either in Biratnagar, Dhankuta or the capital last Tuesday. Government responded and suggested it be held Thursday instead; the talks have not got underway yet; it will apparently be held in the capital now at an yet undecided date.
The government is busy with the last day’s budget session of parliament Thursday before it goes into recess ahead of the festive holiday season that began Wednesday. A large crowd Thursday feted senior Maoist leaders Matrika Yadav and Ajab Lal Yadav at Thankot after their release from jail this week to felicitate peace talks; the Maoist negotiators were also present.
Mahara is holding a news conference later in the day. Inspector General of Police Pradeep SJB Rana told the Parliamentary State Affairs Committee Wednesday 400 policemen among the 770 injured in the insurgency are being retired; Home Secretary Sri Kant Regmi said government has already disbursed Rs.243 million in compensation while an additional Rs.750 million remains to be distributed.
Prime Minister Deuba is preparing an expansion of the three-month 13 member cabinet as he pursues peace with the rebels. Govinda Raj Joshi a former home minister and central committee member of Deuba’s ruling Nepali Congress Party, Wednesday said the rebels should be crushed instead of pursuing peace with them.