Royal Address welcomed

January 4, 2003
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NEPALGUNJ, Jan. 4: Former speaker Damannath Dhungana has welcomed the emphasis given by His Majesty the King to talks for resolution of the Maoist problem in the Royal address made in Biratnagar on Friday.

Speaking at an interaction programme on “consensus campaign for peace” organised by the Institute for Parliamentary Studies and Development here today, former speaker Dhungana said His Majesty should now constitute an elected government and then go for dialogue through the government.
The extreme rate of violence, corruption and violation of the constitution is pushing the country deeper into unending violence, the national economy is becoming loan-oriented and development activities have been obstructed, Dhungana said adding that, both the government and the Maoists have to give serious thinking towards putting an end to the fighting.

“Extreme communism is impossible in today’s world”, Dhungana said and added that change is not possible through the ongoing violence carried out by the Maoists.

Ex-MP Hiranya Lal Shrestha expressed the view that fighting should be stopped in order to resolve the Maoist problem and pointed out the need for a dialogue between the King, parliamentarians, the Maoists and the civic society for maintaining lasting peace in the country.

Likewise, National Assembly members Bijul Biswakarma and Ganga Dutta Joshi pointed out the need to make democracy and human rights the main agenda for the talks.

CDO of Banke Dilliraj Joshi said strong public relations is essential at the people’s level between Nepal and India in order to check the possible supply of arms and other goods from India as a result of the open border.

Local human rights activists, intellectuals, journalists, legal practitioners, university and school teachers took part in the interaction programme.