Maoist terminates dual security arrangement

Kathmandu, June 1 - The meeting of UCPN-Maoist office-bearers Wednesday decided to terminate the dual security arrangement used by the Maoist leaders.

The meeting held at the party’s chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda’s residence in Naya Bazaar also decided to convert the temporary registration number plates of the vehicles used by the party leaders into red-coloured private registration plate and those used in the cantonments by the combatants into white-coloured government number plates.

Party vice-chairman Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai said that the meeting took the decision to end the double security enjoyed by the Maoist leader as a part of implementing the five-point deal signed on the eve of the extension of Constituent Assembly’s term on May 28.

Today’s decisions will be formally approved by the party’s Standing Committee meeting slated for Friday.

Dr. Bhattarai said that his party would honestly implement the deal in order to conclude the peace and statute writing processes within the next three months.

The five-point deal stresses, among others, on ending the double security provision of the Maoists, management of the arms and combatants, finding modality for the integration and rehabilitation of the combatants, and fixing the numbers of combatants to be integrated into the security agencies.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress (NC) and UCPN-Maoist leaders Wednesday made their claim to forming national consensus government under the leadership of their respective parties.

NC leader Dr. Ram Saran Mahat said that the Maoists were ready to accept the leadership of his party in the new government formed on the basis of national consensus while the Maoist politburo member Devendra Poudel claimed that party’s vice-president Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai was almost confirmed as the new PM.

They made their claims at an interaction organised by Reporters Club Nepal in the capital.

"The party decided to form the government led by Dr. Bhattarai long time ago," Poudel said.

He said that PM Khanal should quit paving the way for the formation of national consensus government.

"PM Khanal is violating the five-point agreement by saying that he would resign only after the roadmap for the consensus is built," he blamed.

He argued that the management of arms and combatants should go side by side.

"It is not possible to submit arms to the state. This will be tantamount to admission of defeat, and against peace agreement," he maintained.

NC leader Dr. Mahat said that the CPN-UML completed its turn to lead the government while the Maoists cold not lead the government until they fulfilled certain conditions.

"Therefore, the chance of NC to lead the government is high.

He said that Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal should tender his resignation immediately to implement the five-point deal so that it would pave the way for the formation of national consensus government.

Dr. Mahat said that the parties needed to resort to quiet diplomacy to settle this row.

If they engage in quarrel over the implementation of the deal, it will hamper the whole political process, he added.

"The Maoists have big responsibility to implement the deal. It is the litmus test for them and they must rise above the prejudices and petty interests," he added.

As per the agreement, the Maoists should end double security arrangement and hand over their arms to the government within June 3 and the Army Integration Special Committee would take 28 cantonments in control by mobilising the additional manpower, he claimed.

http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/rising.detail.php?article_id=51058&cat_id=4