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VOL. 28, NO. 17, Jan 02, 2009 (Paush 18 2065 B.S.)
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Over-shadowed
The unending dispute between major parties has disrupted the calendar for constitution making
By A CORRESPONDENT
As the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) continues to boycott the parliamentary proceedings demanding full government commitment to fulfill its nine-point demands including return of seized properties, the calendar for constitution making has been disturbed.
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Political leaders: Concerned for power |
Even though the chairpersons of the fourteen different Constituent Assembly (CA) committees should have been elected within mid-December, it was earlier pushed till end of December.
But as that second deadline, too, was set to be missed, the CA chair Subas Nemwang has further put off the election till January 9.
Earlier, even after the government had decided to incorporate its nine-point demands in the official policy and start implementing them, the NC demanded that the Prime Minister give a written statement fixing timeline to implement their demands such as returning seized properties, disbanding paramilitary structure of YCL and so on.
The chief whip of NC parliamentary party Laxman Ghimire made a brief statement at the parliament, on Sunday (Dec 28), saying that the party will continue its boycott until the government meets its demands.
In fact, the government had made a decision to implement the NC demands at the cabinet meeting after agreeing to do so at the meeting between coalition partners Maoists and the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML).
They had also agreed to reconstitute the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC) by inducting two members each from major four parties including NC. While reconstituting the AISC chair could go to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' from current chair deputy PM Bamdev Gautam.
Maoists-UML Powwow
Top leaders of the two main ruling parties, Maoists and UML, held a marathon meeting at a resort in Gadavari, Lalitpur, Saturday (Dec 27), to iron out their differences and suggest ways to the government to improve its performance.
The two parties have agreed to take initiatives for consolidating the relations between ruling coalition partners, fill the vacant posts in constitutional bodies and give full shape to the high-level political committee of the two parties as well the Army Integration Special Committee.
The Maoist side made new commitment to evacuate the government buildings occupied by the Young Communist League (YCL) cadres and immediately start returning the seized properties to the rightful owners.
The meeting also touched upon many other issues including the constitution-drafting process and performance of the government. The recent attack on Himalmedia by pro-Maoist workers also figured during the discussion.
"We raised this issue at the meeting. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal admitted mistake on the part of the Maoist cadres," UML leader Surendra Pandey said.
Pandey quoted PM Dahal, who heads the Maoist party, as saying, "This incident has caused more harm to us than any other side. We are ashamed of what happened with Himalmedia."
Along with PM Dahal, Maoist leaders Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Mohan Baidya, Ram Bahadur Thapa and few others were present at the meeting while the UML team included general secretary Jhala Nath Khanal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, Bidhya Bhandari and Bhim Rawal.
The Godavari meeting was held days after the UML had arrived at a conclusion that the Maoist-led coalition is deeply in crisis. The UML, on Tuesday (Dec 23), had formed a taskforce to determine its 'official position' on the coalition.
UML publicity department chief, Ishwor Pokharel, who heads the six member taskforce, said the central committee meeting arrived at the conclusion that all is not well with the coalition and that activities of the Maoists and their indifference toward implementing the past agreements are mainly responsible for the worsening relations between the allies. "UML is serious about the crisis facing the coalition and wants to caution the Maoists against the possibility of further deterioration of relations," Pokharel said.
