November 10, 2001
KATHMANDU: The underground Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) that has been waging an armed insurgency for the last six years has dropped the demand of abrogation of monarchy in the third round of peace talks with the government. Chairman of Maoist party Comrade Prachanda issued a statement Saturday saying that the issue of “institutional development of republic” has been dropped from the talks.
The Maoist leader further said the party’s overall policy regarding monarchy does not change. A republic state was one of their three main demands during the first and second rounds of talks with the government. The government representatives have clearly refused to discuss the issue of republic in the talks. The other two main demands of Maoists are abrogation of constitution and formation of an interim government.
“The decision to drop the issue of monarchy in the talks with the government aims at furthering legal and democratic exercise”, said Prachanda in the statement. The Maoist leader said that his party would leave the issue of monarchy to the people to decide.
“This decision of the party is to give a political outlet to the present complex problem of the country, which should not be taken as the weakness of our party”, Maoist chairman warned. He described the decision of the government to scrap the Public Security Act and withdraw charges against 68 Maoist workers as a positive move. However, Maoist leader demanded whereabouts of all Maoist workers who were arrested by police.