Maoists seeking a total nation-wide ban on the sale of liquor from Saturday have appointed a five-member negotiating team to negotiate its implementation with the government. Rekha Sharma, Central Chairperson of the All Nepal Women’s Association (ANWA) Revolutionary will head the negotiating team, the Association said.

The Association had earlier submitted a 22 point demand to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba seeking a ban on liquor liquor sales, production and distribution. The Association demanded the closure of discotheques, dance restaurants, end to the exploitation of women, among other things.

“Since the last six years our Association has been fighting for prohibition at the village and regional levels to  remove anomalies in society. The campaign has been successful to eradicate social evils. We are now starting a national campaign after local success,” Sharma said in an interview Tuesday.

Some local bars in the city outskirts have already closed down because of  the fear of  violence as grain prices in  districts have plummeted because of a decline in demand for cereals to brew liquor, villagers reported. Liquor industry barons and tourist entrepreneurs have protested the proposed ban but called for regulation as the multi-million rupee industry will wreck the economy and leave more than 50,000 persons unemployed. n