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Nepal Political Talks Fail to End Crisis - Again

   Steve Herman | Kathmandu 05 May 2010
   Thousands  of  Maoist  supporters  rally  in  what  is normally one of
   Kathmandu's busiest streets near the government center, 05 May 2020

Photo: VOA-S. Herman

   Thousands  of  Maoist  supporters  rally  in  what  is normally one of
   Kathmandu's busiest streets near the government center, 05 May 2020

   An  indefinite strike is to continue in Nepal with no agreement to end
   the  Himalayan  nation's  political  crisis. Lawmakers are supposed to
   formulate  a new constitution in little more than three weeks. That is
   also  the deadline to place the former Maoist combatants into the Army
   or  reintegrate them into civil society. However, there is no movement
   towards completing those tasks because of the political standoff.
   Nepal's  top three political parties resumed meeting after a hiatus of
   several days and again failed to reach an accord. In a brief encounter
   with  reporters  afterwards  -  at which no questions were taken - the
   representatives of the three key parties acknowledged that while there
   was  no  breakthrough  they have agreed to continue dialog in order to
   forge a "national consensus."
   Former  tourism minister Pradeep Gyawali is a central committee member
   of  the  prime  minister's United Marxist Leninist Party. He tells VOA
   News  Prime  Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal remains prepared to quit - as
   the Maoists demand - but not unconditionally.

   Fmr.   Nepal   Tourism   Minister   Pradeep   Gyawali  of  the  United
   Marxist-Leninist Party, 05 May 2010

VOA-S. Herman

   Fmr.   Nepal   Tourism   Minister   Pradeep   Gyawali  of  the  United
   Marxist-Leninist Party, 05 May 2010

   "He's  ready  provided  we  can  develop  an  agenda, a roadmap of the
   national  consensus  then he will definitely cooperate. He will not be
   the obstacle. He will resign," he said.
   As  promised, the Maoists increased the pressure on the streets of the
   capital, during the fourth day of an indefinite nationwide strike that
   has paralyzed commerce.
   Thousands of cadres and their supporters surrounded the Singha Durbar,
   where  the  prime  minister's  office and most ministries are located.
   Riot  police  blocked  key  intersections  to  prevent protesters from
   getting too close to the key government complex.
   So  far,  Nepal's Army remains out of sight. But they are making their
   presence known, subtle it may be.
   Several hundred meters from the potential flash point between the riot
   police  and  demonstrators,  the  soldiers  marched  to  the  tune  of
   bagpipers  inside  their  walled  camp  on  the  grounds of the Singha
   Durbar.
   Political  analysts say deploying the Army would come only in the most
   desperate of circumstances. If they were to confront the demonstrators
   the  Maoists  are  nearly certain to release the former guerillas from
   U.N.-supervised camps, plunging the country back into civil war.
   U.N.  Secretary  General  Ban  Ki-moon  is  urging  the government and
   political  parties to remove all impediments to agreement, noting that
   failure  to meet the May 28 deadline for a new constitution would work
   in  favor of those who oppose the aims of the 2006 peace agreement. In
   a report to the Security Council, Mr. Ban also calls for extending the
   mandate of the U.N. Mission in Nepal beyond its May 15 deadline.
   Meanwhile,  UNICEF  and  the  Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for
   Human  Rights  in  Nepal, in a joint statement, are expressing concern
   about  the  use of children in the Maoist's street demonstrations. The
   organizations  say  this  "places them at risk of violence and exposes
   them to potentially dangerous situations."