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| India-Pakistan |
| Nepal rebels pledge truce; government to reciprocate |
| 2006-04-28 |
| Nepal’s Maoist rebels declared a three-month ceasefire from Thursday and political parties forming a new government promised to work with them, dramatically raising hopes of an end to the decade-old conflict. Just earlier this week, the impoverished kingdom was paralysed by sweeping anti-monarchy protests by hundreds of thousands of people and there was no end in sight from years of Maoist insurgency in which more than 13,000 have been killed. King Gyanendra caved in to the pro-democracy movement on Monday, reconvening the country’s dissolved parliament. Mainstream political parties were invited to form the government and they promised to hold elections for a special assembly to write a new constitution, reflecting Maoist demands. The rebels, after initially announcing a blockade of Kathmandu and district capitals, called off the move. The declaration of a unilateral ceasefire was the icing on the cake. “This is people power,” said Gagan Thapa, a youth leader of the Nepali Congress, the largest political party. “The people are putting pressure on the Maoists to leave violent means and on the political parties not to repeat their past mistakes. “The people who came on the streets were neither Maoists nor members of any political parties. They are just common people who have faith in democratic values.” The Maoists, while announcing the three-month ceasefire, reiterated their demand that the parliament’s first session on Friday make plans for a constituent assembly. The Maoist demand for an unconditional constituent assembly is generally interpreted to mean it should have the power to strip the king of his title and establish a republic. But an assembly on those terms is not something the king would be happy with, and could use the Supreme Court, dominated by royal appointees, to block it. |
| Posted by:Fred |