As the four-month-long unilateral ceasefire announced by the CPN (Maoist) comes to an end on Monday, people from various walks of life are taking out rallies and human rights groups have made public appeals calling upon the Maoist rebels to extend their ceasefire.
Latest reports say hundreds of rights activists, teachers, students, businessmen, laborers and housewives took part in separate rallies in central hilly district of Dolakha and mid-western district of Bardiya on Sunday calling upon the rebels to extend their unilateral ceasefire. In a surprising move, the rebels had called three-month-long unilateral ceasefire on September 3 this year. They later extended it for one more month until January 2, this year.
Meanwhile, rights groups have renewed their appeal to the Maoists to extend their unilateral ceasefire. In a statement issued Saturday, Defend Human Rights Movement-Nepal—a network of over two dozen leading rights groups in the country—said, “a sustainable and just peace could be restored in the country only by democratic forces, not by autocratic rulers.” The Movement also called upon the Maoists to extend its ceasefire so as to bolster the pro-democracy movement.
“The continuation of ceasefire will establish the CPN (Maoist) as a political force and help create a conducive environment for the implementation of its 12-point understanding with the seven party opposition alliance,” the statement said.
The Movement further said, “so-called elections to the municipalities, imposition of autocracy on Judiciary and military operations launched in various parts of the country would certainly push the country towards further conflict.”
Similarly, Human Rights Organisation of Nepal (HURON) and Forum for Protection of Human Rights (FOHUR), among others, have also called upon the Maoists to extend their ceasefire and the government to reciprocate.
Earlier, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the European Union have also called upon the Maoists to extend their ceasefire and the government to reciprocate.